Tried With Fire

What shall I say of Christ? The excelling glory of that object dazzles all apprehension, swallows up all expression. When we have borrowed metaphors from every creature that has any excellency or lovely property in it, till we have stript the whole creation bare of all its ornaments, and clothed Christ with all that glory; when we have even worn out our tongues, in ascribing praises to Him, alas! we have done nothing, when all is done. Dear Sir, Christ is the peerless pearl hid in the field (Matthew 13: 46). Will you be that wise merchant, that resolves to win and compass that treasure, whatever it shall cost you? Ah, Sir, Christ is a commodity that can never be bought too dear. ~ John Flavel, March 14, 1671.

His obedience was not for himself but for us. We were obliged to obey and could not. He was not obliged to obey, but by an act of his own will, did. God gave him this honour, that he should obey for the whole church, so that by 'his obedience many should be made righteous '(Rom 5:19). The reason why I say that God gave him this honour and glory is because his obedience was to stand in stead of our obedience in the matter of justification. His obedience, being absolutely perfect, revealed the holiness of God in the law. The ten commandments written on tablets of stone were glorious. But how much more glorious they became when written in the hearts of believers. But only in the holiness and obedience of Christ was this full glory seen. And this obedience is no small part of his glory. Through his human nature the glory of God's holiness was revealed by his perfect obedience. Glory of Christ ~ John Owen pg. 58 This is something worth pondering.

I have moved Holiness by J.C. Ryle from the back burner. I started reading it again on Monday evening when we lost power for 6 hours. It felt quite historically correct reading it by candlelight. Chapter 3 on Holiness seems to tie in well with the new sermon series on the Gospel and the Home. I'm still ruminating on The Glory of Christ by Owen. I am pondering John 1:18 and Owen's statement " Without Christ we would have known nothing truly about God for he would have been eternally invisible to us. We would never have seen God at any time, either in this life or the next ". Since this the case, what/who did Adam see in the garden, what/who did Abraham see when God told Him of His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, what/who did Moses see on Sinai? Around the blogsphere: Brian at Recover the Gospel has posted a video interview of Shai Linne on communicating the gospel via the medium of hip hop. Check out the many resources available there. While We Sojourn i...

I have been trying to wrap my mind around the concept of glory, specifically the glory of God as manifested in Jesus Christ. This was triggered by reading The Glory of Christ by John Owen. I'm reading the abridged Puritan Paperback and even this version has so much to take in. Each sentence by Owen is packed full of meaning that I have to read much more slowly than I am used to. Owen defines the glory of God this way in chapter 2: The glory of God includes both the holy properties of his nature and the things he has purposed to do. The only way we can know these things of God is 'in the face' or person 'of Jesus Christ', for he is 'the image of God' (2 Cor. 4:4). But Christ is especially glorious because he and he alone perfectly reveals God's nature and will to us. Without Christ we would have known nothing truly about God for he would have been eternally invisible to us. We would never have seen God at any time, either in this life or the next (Jo...

"They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed." Psalm 34:5 And here the troubled saint will find the most to enlighten him. In the example, in the patience, in the sufferings of Jesus Christ, there are stars of glory to cheer the midnight darkness of the sky of your tribulation. Come hither, ye children of God and whatever now are your distresses, whether they be temporal or spiritual, you shall, in the life of Jesus Christ and his sufferings, find sufficient to cheer and comfort you, if the Holy Spirit shall now open your eyes to look unto him. from Sermon 195 Looking Unto Jesus - Charles Spurgeon By beholding the glory of Christ by faith we shall find rest to our souls. Our minds are apt to be filled with troubles, fears, cares, dangers, distresses, ungoverned passions and lusts. By these our thoughts are filled with chaos, darkness and confusion. But where the soul is fixed on the glory of Christ then the mind finds rest and peace for 'to ...

Today was hectic. My plans were all changed from what I had intended. The legal stuff is reaching a head. I'm not wringing my hands like I would when I was an Arminian. However, I find that I am angry. I need to learn "Be ye angry and sin not". I am sitting here and listening to Worship Live by Sovereign Grace. Now of all times, I need to look up. Look up beyond my situation, beyond what man is trying to do, beyond what the devil would try to do, and see my glorious Lord - highly exalted and given the name that is above every name. "Only a sight of glory, and nothing else, will truly satisfy God's people. The hearts of believers are like a magnetized needle which cannot rest until it is pointing north. So also, a believer, magnetized by the love of Christ, will always be restless until he or she comes to Christ and beholds his glory." from the Glory of Christ by John Owen When tears are great and comforts few We hope in mercies ever new We trust in You Note...