Tried With Fire

I do believe and hold and rejoice in that precious Truth—that our standing before God, when we have believed in Jesus—depends no more upon our frames, and our feelings, than the sun itself in its native glory depends upon the clouds and darkness that are here below. The same—the same in all its splendor, the same undimmed, as full of Glory, as full of majesty, the righteousness and blood of Christ abides; and we, standing before God in Him—not in ourselves—are always complete in Him—always accepted in the Beloved; never more so, never less so. “Strong meat this,” says one. Be it strong— nothing short of this will ever satisfy the tried Christian in the hour when sin rolls over his head! If any man can make a bad use of the Doctrine of the real Substitution of Christ, and the standing of Christ’s people in Christ’s place every day—if any man can make a licentious use of that, his damnation is just; he has no part nor lot in this matter! But I know this—I am not to be restrai...

Doctor Who Meets Star Wars… ht: Reverse the Polarity Productions

I'm thankful for - Spring flowers that provide a little indoor sunshine on a wet day. Backyard birds. I happened upon Mrs. Towhee with some pine straw in her beak. I think she and the Mister have started building a nest in one of the boxwoods. Dead theologians, specifically the Westminster Divines and the Puritan Baptists, who wrestled through weighty doctrinal issues. Living theologians and scholars who wrestle through what the Puritans wrote. Books that cause me to go, "Aha! Now I know where I stand." God's providence last night. His timing is perfect. The communion of the saints. I an thankful for how this has been practically expressed in the love, service, and counsel of the brothers and sisters in my local church. As the  1689 London Baptist Confession puts it: Also, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces, and are obligated to the orderly performance of such public and private duties a...

It's my turn at Out of the Ordinary  today: I am out of my league when it comes to home repairs, so I am very grateful for reliable contractors, plumbers, and all around handymen who can fix whatever is broken. Therefore, I knew who to call when the toilet started running for what seemed like forever before it finally stopped. The plumber got the job done for a fair price in less than an hour the following day. When all was back to normal, I offered a prayer of thanks for this gentleman, his skill, and the relief it was to turn over my problem to someone I could trust. But then this thought crossed my mind: "You stopped worrying about the toilet as soon as you knew the plumber was coming the next day. Why do you keep worrying about the things you commit to the Lord? It sounds like you had more faith in the plumber than you do in God at times." Ouch. Read the rest of the post here .

Inheritance of Tears: Trusting the Lord of Life When Death Visits the Womb by Jessalyn Hutto, Cruciform Press, 2015, 108 pages. Children are precious gifts from the Lord, and we are filled with anticipation from the moment the test comes back positive and we hear that first heart beat. We eagerly watch their growth via ultrasound, and then the day comes when we finally hold our beloved babies in our arms after nine long months. But tragically, not every pregnancy ends in joy. How do you comfort a mother when "death visits the womb?" How do you minister to her grieving heart? I have not had a miscarriage, so I would not even know where to begin. But Jessalyn Hutto does, and she has written Inheritance of Tears out of her own experience. This is a very moving and personal book as Jessalyn shares about her two miscarriages and her struggles to make sense of why God would allow this tragedy. But at the same time, this is a very accessible, theologically sound book bec...

"And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed."—Matthew 26:39. There are several instructive features in our Saviour's prayer in His hour of trial. It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from His three favoured disciples. Believer, be much in solitary prayer, especially in times of trial. Family prayer, social prayer, prayer in the Church, will not suffice, these are very precious, but the best beaten spice will smoke in your censer in your private devotions, where no ear hears but God's. It was humble prayer . Luke says He knelt, but another evangelist says He "fell on His face." Where, then, must be THY place, thou humble servant of the great Master? What dust and ashes should cover thy head! Humility gives us good foot-hold in prayer. There is no hope of prevalence with God unless we abase ourselves that He may exalt us in due time. It was f ilial prayer . "Abba, Father." You will find it a stronghold in the day of trial ...

Yes, I know St. Patrick's day has come and gone, but this is funny any day of the year, and you can learn how not to describe the Trinity:

I am thankful… - Finally shutting down my work computer after a very long day. I'm not complaining. I am thankful for the provision. - A reliable mechanic and a reliable handyman. - An unexpected lesson from the Lord. Who knew a running toilet could provide such a teachable moment? - New books for the church library. One perk of being the librarian is you have the opportunity to read them before they go on the shelf. A downside is when there are so many good books but so little time. - Jesus holds the scroll in Revelation 5, and there is absolutely no question or doubt that God's promises will be fulfilled.

Git along, little dogies A few mini-reviews: Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More  by Karen Swallow Prior. Hannah More was quite the Renaissance woman of her time. She was an educator, writer, playwright, and social reformer who was instrumental in the abolition of slavery in England. She was also an activist for education for the poor. If the proof of a biographer's success is how interested you are in the subject when you've finished the book, Dr. Prior has done her job well. Some of Hannah More's works are now on my TBR list. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. This was a mixed bag. Human behavior is fascinating, and I learned quite a bit from the different studies on introversion that are detailed in the book. I could relate 100% to the chapter that focused on introversion and Asian culture. However when the author switched to therapist mode, I was ready to close the book.  Gospel and ...

"Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."—2 Timothy 2:1. Christ has grace without measure in Himself, but He hath not retained it for Himself. As the reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so hath Christ emptied out His grace for His people. "Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." He seems only to have in order to dispense to us. He stands like the fountain, always flowing, but only running in order to supply the empty pitchers and the thirsty lips which draw nigh unto it. Like a tree, He bears sweet fruit, not to hang on boughs, but to be gathered by those who need. Grace, whether its work be to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from Him freely and without price; nor is there one form of the work of grace which He has not bestowed upon His people. As the blood of the body, though flowing from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the influences of grace...

ht: Lloyd Legalist

I am thankful for: Warmer temperatures and melting snow. Signs of spring. Some of the bulbs are blooming, and the birds are beginning to pair off. Extended light. I still haven't adjusted to the time change, but I do like the longer days. My daughter's visit with extended family and safe travel there and back again. Smaller than usual small group last night but a good discussion about a challenging doctrine - election. God's common grace to mankind. I'm particularly thankful for the wisdom He gives to doctors, scientists, and, yes, even psychologists. Lunch with Melissa on Saturday, God willing. The gift of faith. Not only for salvation but to believe that God is Who He says He is, day in and day out.

A badger stands beside the trap he is supposed to be in I'm at Out of the Ordinary today, and I'm riffing off of Melissa's previous post. When we compare ourselves to one another, it can cut both ways. "In Monday's  post , Melissa accurately described the stress of " keeping up with the Joneses ." Based on the reader response, many of us could relate to the notion that we would be better Christian women if we did [fill in subject] or copied [fill in name]. Given the overabundance of information at our fingertips, it's no wonder that the pressure to do it all, do it well, and photograph it tastefully seems to have grown with the size of our bandwidth. The number of global Joneses has far exceeded the neighbors down the street. But this comparison trap is a rather artful device that may ensnare us in a different way. On the one hand, we compare ourselves to others and feel inadequate because we don't measure up. But on the flip side, we may...

We were blessed to have Dr. James Renihan as the speaker at my church's annual theology conference. Dr. Renihan is dean of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies at Westminster California, and the topic was "Baptists: Rooted in Covenant Grace." I'm in the process of listening again to the talks, and I wanted to highlight one question from the brief Q&A at the end of the fourth session. Dr. Renihan's answer is worth considering for all believers regardless of whether you are Reformed, Baptist, or not. Question: Why is it important for Reformed Baptists today to go back to and understand our historical roots? Practically and theologically? Answer: "We must beware of chronological snobbery. By that, I mean thinking that our day and our generation is the best, and we have the answers and why do we need anyone else? We believe in the communion of the saints, and that doesn't just mean the fellowship that we have with people on earth who ar...

"Reading brings me meat, meditation brings forth the sweetness. Reading brings the coals to the wood, meditation makes the flame. Reading brings me the sword of the word, meditation whets it. Reading barely, proves pouring water into a sieve; meditation is putting gold into a treasury; the former lets the water out, the latter locks the gold up. Oh let me read much, but let me also meditate much, that meditation and reading may be commensurate; my soul's digestion proportioned to its reception, its taking in by reading: let me read and meditate, that I may not have a meagre, lean soul, like them that have an eager appetite, and a weak digestion; but that it may be fat and well-liking by this good digestion of due meditation… Therefore for richest furnishing us with fittest matter for a best heart frame to perform this daily duty, performing it in the most spiritual and effectual manner, for doing it, as to outdo former, all former doings, we must look to lay the foundation...

God's Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation , David W. Saxton, Reformation Heritage Books, January 2015, 160 pages. Meditation is a necessary part of the Christian life. Just read the Psalms and you will find verses such as "but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Ps. 1:2) Unfortunately Biblical meditation has become somewhat of a lost art. The word itself is now associated with the New Age and other forms of mysticism. Our high-tech, time-crunched, and entertainment-driven culture has shortened our attention spans and conditioned us to not think deeply about serious subjects. This is why God's Battle Plan for the Mind is such a timely book. Author David Saxton has done an excellent job of making a case for biblical meditation or the doctrine of Christian thinking, which is "to think personally, practically, seriously, and earnestly on how the truth of God's Word should...

ht: Reformed Memes Daily on FB

Here a few books you won't find on anybody's shelf: Gone With the Wind in the Willows : A greedy Yank wants to buy up riverfront property to build casinos. The animals aren't going down without a fight. If you thought the taking of Toad Hall was ugly, you ain't seen nothing yet. Little House on the Big Moor : Who will Laura choose? That nice farmer boy, Almanzo Wilder, or  Heathcliff, the tall, dark, and handsome stranger who is in great need of anger management classes. Proudfoot and Prejudice : It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single hobbit in possession of a nice, cozy hole must be in want of a wife. Cents and Sensibility : Can Elinor restore the family fortunes by selling off her father's baseball card collection on eBay? Mansfield Parking Garage : The Bertrams have come down in the world and must retrench. Three Men in a Boat to Say Nothing of the Hound of the Baskervilles : I would stay in the boat if I were you. Inspired by this po...

There's a collaborative post up at Out of the Ordinary today in which we share how we study/read the Bible. Hope you will head on over to read the post and share in the comments section how you study the Bible.

Happy - That the snow is melting. I am a total wimp when it comes to driving in snow and ice, so there is much rejoicing. Of course we are not out of yo-yo weather yet. Tomorrow will be in the 60's. Friday will be in the 20's. Pondering - Baptist covenant theology. Dr. Jim Renihan of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies at Westminster California was the speaker at my church's theology conference this past week-end. I'm hoping to post a summary of the sessions minus the one when I was in the nursery. I learned a lot and gained a greater understanding of my theological roots. Audio is available here . Compiling - A wish list of books relating to Baptist covenant theology for the church library. Waiting - For the tea kettle to boil. It's a 3-mug kind of day. Counting -  The bird species in my backyard. They have been consuming vast quantities of thistle and black oil sunflower seeds. To date, I have counted 17 species, not mentioning the visiting squirre...

"If you would carry on the work of meditation in such a way as it may be done with sweetness, be sure that it be bounded with the Scripture; and let nothing fall within the compass of your meditation, but what falls within the compass of the Scripture." William Bridge, "The Works and Way of Meditation", 3:154 quoted in God's Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation , David Saxton, Reformation Heritage Books, 2015, pg. 18

"He is precious."—1 Peter 2:7. As all the rivers run into the sea, so all delights centre in our Beloved. The glances of His eyes outshine the sun: the beauties of His face are fairer than the choicest flowers: no fragrance is like the breath of His mouth. Gems of the mine, and pearls from the sea, are worthless things when measured by His preciousness. Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us  how  precious, nor could any of us compute the value of God's unspeakable gift. Words cannot set forth the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to His people, nor fully tell how essential He is to their satisfaction and happiness. Believer, have you not found in the midst of plenty a sore famine if your Lord has been absent? The sun was shining, but Christ had hidden Himself, and all the world was black to you; or it was night, and since the bright and morning star was gone, no other star could yield you so much as a ray of light. What a howling wilde...