Tried With Fire

The saying goes that "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Well, I writing at Out of the Ordinary today abut a true and safe friend. I was overwhelmed with a pile of work. I was stuck in traffic. I was tired and didn't know where I would find the wherewithal to "do it myself," but I couldn't see any other way out. It may not have been a full blown meltdown, but I vented my frustration. Initially, there was some relief, but that feeling was quickly replaced with shame. I should have known better. I should have done better. I shouldn't be feeling this way as a Christian. But here I was, and even though I knew the truth in my head, my emotions weren't lining up as quickly as I would like. Hence more shame. Thankfully, God came to the rescue in the form of a friend... Read the post here .

This perfection of God fits him to be a special object of trust. If he were forgetful, what comfort could we have in any promise? How could we depend upon him, if he were ignorant of our state? His compassion to pity us, his readiness to relieve us, his power to protect and assist us, would be insignificant, without his omniscience to inform his goodness, and direct the arm of his power. This perfection is, as it were, God’s office of intelligence: as you go to your memorandum-book to know what you are to do, so doth God to his omniscience; this perfection is God’s eye, to acquaint him with the necessities of his church, and directs all his other attributes in their exercise for and about his people. You may depend upon his mercy that hath promised, and upon his truth to erform [sic] (perform?); upon his sufficiency to supply you, and his goodness to receive you, and his righteousness to reward you; because he hath an infinite understanding to know you and your wants, you and your...

ht: You're All Just Jealous of my Jetpack

Left: The struggle to make sense of life when a parent leaves , Jonathan C. Edwards, Rainer Publishing, July 2016, 198 pages. When my ex-husband moved out and made it clear that he intended to pursue a divorce, I met another Christian woman who had been in my situation. She told me that the awful stories about children growing up with divorced parents don't have to come true. In fact, she believed that they could come through relatively unscathed. She meant to encourage me, but this was idealistic. If the obvious rebellion and acting out one usually thinks of is absent, then it would be easy to think that kids came through with nary a scratch. But given that divorce is such a traumatic event, how can children not be affected by it? How can there not be wounds when the foundation of their security has crumbled beneath them? What is really going on beneath the surface? Left pulls back the curtain on what it's like to be a child of divorce. Jonathan Edwards (not the Puritan...

The omnipresence of God is a comfort in sharp afflictions. Good men have a comfort in this presence in their nasty prisons, oppressing tribunals; in the overflowing waters or scorching flames he is still with them (Isa. 43:2); and many times by his presence keeps the bush from consuming, when it seems to be all in a flame. In afflictions God shows himself most present, when friends are most absent: “When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord shall take me up” (Psalm 27:10), then God will stoop and gather me into his protection; or, (Heb.) “shall gather me,” alluding to those tribes that were to bring up the rear in the Israelites’ march, to take care that none were left behind, and exposed to famine or wild beasts, by reason of some disease that disenabled them to keep pace with their brethren. He that is the sanctuary of his people in all calamities, is more present with them to support them, than their adversaries can be present with them to afflict them (Psalm 4:2), a ...

Helping you let the opinions of strangers on the internet determine your quality of life:

There's been a recent post by a well-known Baptist pastor on making church membership more meaningful. One of his points advocates that children be denied baptism and church membership. (See point 5 here. )  I can see why my Presbyterian friends would object to this. As a 1689 Baptist, I would respectfully disagree with the Presbyterians on who is a member of the covenant of grace, but I would also respectfully disagree with Pastor Dever. (Of note, what follows is solely my opinion and not meant to reflect the opinions of my local church.) If Baptists believe that those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and given new life are members of the covenant of grace, why would we deny them baptism? If adults and children are saved in the same manner, then why is the covenant sign denied to one group and not the other? If children need to grow in maturity and may have lapses, don't adults? Does anyone walk so perfectly as a Christian that there was never a moment of doubt...