Premillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.
Dispensational Premillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.
Postmillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.
Amillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.
4 Views On The Millennial Reign Of Christ
If you've ever wanted a brief summary of what the four major eschatological views are concerning the 1000 year reign of Christ, then these videos break it down for simple folk like me.
The Cross-Centered Prayer Life
“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24)
“A most powerful incentive to prayer is found in a close and realizing view of the atoning blood. What encouragement does it present to this blessed and holy life of communion with God! The atoning blood! The mercy seat sprinkled over! The High Priest before the throne! The cloud of incense constantly ascending! The Father well pleased! What can more freely invite the soul that pants for close and holy communion with God? And when the atoning blood is realized upon the conscience, when pardon and acceptance are sealed upon the heart by the Eternal Spirit, oh, then what a persuasion to draw near the throne of grace has the believer in Christ! Then, there is no consciousness of guilt to keep the believer back; no dread of God; no trembling apprehensions of a repulse. God is viewed through the cross as reconciled, and as standing in the endeared relationship, and wearing the inviting smile of a Father. With such an altar, such a High Priest, such atoning blood, and such a reconciled God, what an element should prayer be to a believer in Christ! Let the soul, depressed, burdened, tried, tempted, as it may be, draw near the mercy seat: God delights to hear, delights to answer. Taking in the hand the atoning blood, pleading the infinite merit of Christ – reminding the Father of what His Son has accomplished, of His own gracious promise to receive and favorably answer the petition endorsed with the name and presented in behalf of that Son – the feeblest child of God, the most disconsolate, the most burdened, may approach and open all the heart to a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God. Let the atoning blood be strenuously pleaded, let the precious and infinite merit of Christ be fully urged, and the blessing petitioned for will be obtained.”
“May not this be assigned as a reason why so few of our petitions are answered, why so little blessing is obtained: The faint pleading of the atoning blood? There is so feeble a recognition of the blessed way of access, so little wrestling with the precious blood, so little looking by faith to the cross, the dear name of Immanuel so seldom urged, and when urged so coldly mentioned – oh, is it any marvel that our prayers return to us unanswered, the petition ungranted, the draft on the full treasury of His love unhonored? The Father loves to be reminded of His beloved Son; the very breathing of the name to Him is music; the very waving of the censer of infinite merits to Him is fragrant. He delights to be pressed with this plea; it is a plea at all times prevalent; it is a plea He cannot reject; it glorifies Himself, honors His Son, while it enriches him who urges it. And, oh, in the absence of all other pleas, what a mercy to come with a plea like this! Who can fully estimate it? No plea has the poor believer springing from himself: he searches, but nothing can he find on which to rest a claim; all within is vile, all without is marred by sin; unfaithfulness, ingratitude, departure do but make up the history of the day. But in Christ he sees that which he can urge, and in urging which God will hear and answer.”
- Octavius Winslow (1808-1878), Daily Walking With God, June 12th.
photo credit: carissa gallo
Congratulations Jenny!
Talian Jenny Murphy [J MO] just got married!
We love you Jenny & we are excited that you get to proclaim the Gospel through your marriage with Ryan.
it is all of grace.
Do not keep record or an account of your work. Give up being book-keepers. In the Christian life we must desire nothing but His glory, nothing but to please Him. So do not keep your eye on the clock, but keep it on Him and His work. Do not keep on recording your work and labour, keep your eye on Him and His glory, on His love and His honour and the extension of His Kingdom.
...There is no need to waste time keeping the accounts, He is keeping them. And what wonderful accounts they are. May I say it with reverence, there is nothing I know of that is so romantic as God's method of accountancy. Be prepared for suprises in this Kingdom. You never know what is going to happen. The last shall be first. What a complete reversal of our materialistic outlook, the last first, the first last, everything upside down. The whole world is turned upside down by grace. It is not of man, it is of God, it is the Kingdom of God. How excellent this is....Our ledgers are out of date; they are of no value. We are in the Kingdom of God and it is God's accountancy. It is all of grace.
...The secret of a happy Christian life is to realize that it is all of grace and to rejoice in that fact. 'So likewise ye,' says our Lord in another place, 'when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say, "We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which is our duty to do."'
...'Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus'. You see what that means. He did not look at Himself, He did not consider Himself and His own interests only; He made Himself of no reputation, He laid aside the insignia of His eternal glory. He did not regard His equality with God as something to hold on to and say: 'Come what may I will not let it go'. Not at all, He laid it aside, He humbled Himself, He forgot Himself, and He went through and endured and did all He did, looking only to the glory of God. Nothing else mattered to Him but that the Father should be glorified and that men and women should come to the Father. That is the secret. Not watching the clock, not assessing the amount of work, not keeping a record in a book, but forgetting everything except the glory of God, the privilege of being called to work for Him at all, the privilege of being a Christian, remembering only the grace that has ever looked upon us and removed us from darkness to light.
It is grace at the beginning, grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our deathbeds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us at the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace, wondrous grace. 'By the grace of God I am what I am.' 'Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.'
_m.lloyd-jones
My Incomplete Joy
One of the more comforting things God has pointed me to in the past year is the joy in knowing that I do not need to rely on my joy. As believers, our chief end in being created beings (in simply existing) is to glory in our God, to joy in our Savior, to enjoy God and His holy glory.
In practice, however, I find that my joy wavers over time. I have days when my joy in God is full and overflowing, but I also see times when I know and agree with the idea of having joy in God yet my heart is not fully exercising it or expressive in it. That can be quite saddening when we think of how much God has loved us and to then see how little I am joyful for it. It's why I was created: to worship God. And as a believer that worship springs higher by our enjoying of God.
But what is abundantly comforting is that our joy will not ultimately come from us. To that I am thankful, because my heart is naturally wicked and un-joyful in God. My joy is weak and has a very limited scope of knowledge with which to gain a greater foundation to be joyful in and about. My joy is tainted and effected wrongly by my fleshly emotions and feelings. My joy seeks it's own rather than seeking it's true deserved recipient: God. My joy can be strong or weak rather than full.... which is where my friend Jesus changes all of that.
In John 15:1-11 Jesus says something. The passage is familiar. Jesus is speaking about Himself as the vine, the Father as the vinedresser, and we as the branches. He ends the paragraph as so:
"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." (John 15:11)
I so very often walk past many things in scripture, but thanks be to God who enlightened my ears to hear what a dear pastor spoke from this passage last year. Jesus said "that My joy may be in you." That is greatly comforting to a sinner who, although saved by grace, has an incomplete and weak joy.
I know that in my present walk with my Lord, as well as the coming walk face to face, I need not rely on my joy to muster up its strength to be enough for God. I can't do that. It's impossible. I need only see and rely on the joy that my Christ has given and is giving me. It's similar to His righteousness: I can't produce, yet I so need it. I need to joy in my God, but my own joy isn't enough to satisfy. That's when this verse causes my heart to lift above the limits I have ever past experienced! To know that I need not rely on my joy. Christ has a sufficient joy for me. Joy that will be full.
Thanks be to our amazing God!
In practice, however, I find that my joy wavers over time. I have days when my joy in God is full and overflowing, but I also see times when I know and agree with the idea of having joy in God yet my heart is not fully exercising it or expressive in it. That can be quite saddening when we think of how much God has loved us and to then see how little I am joyful for it. It's why I was created: to worship God. And as a believer that worship springs higher by our enjoying of God.
But what is abundantly comforting is that our joy will not ultimately come from us. To that I am thankful, because my heart is naturally wicked and un-joyful in God. My joy is weak and has a very limited scope of knowledge with which to gain a greater foundation to be joyful in and about. My joy is tainted and effected wrongly by my fleshly emotions and feelings. My joy seeks it's own rather than seeking it's true deserved recipient: God. My joy can be strong or weak rather than full.... which is where my friend Jesus changes all of that.
In John 15:1-11 Jesus says something. The passage is familiar. Jesus is speaking about Himself as the vine, the Father as the vinedresser, and we as the branches. He ends the paragraph as so:
"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." (John 15:11)
I so very often walk past many things in scripture, but thanks be to God who enlightened my ears to hear what a dear pastor spoke from this passage last year. Jesus said "that My joy may be in you." That is greatly comforting to a sinner who, although saved by grace, has an incomplete and weak joy.
I know that in my present walk with my Lord, as well as the coming walk face to face, I need not rely on my joy to muster up its strength to be enough for God. I can't do that. It's impossible. I need only see and rely on the joy that my Christ has given and is giving me. It's similar to His righteousness: I can't produce, yet I so need it. I need to joy in my God, but my own joy isn't enough to satisfy. That's when this verse causes my heart to lift above the limits I have ever past experienced! To know that I need not rely on my joy. Christ has a sufficient joy for me. Joy that will be full.
Thanks be to our amazing God!
You Are What You Worship
Worship is a as common to humans as breathing because it is part of who we are. Worship is not a religious thing it is a human thing. But the unique thing that I am starting to discover about worship is that you resemble most what you treasure deepest. That is to say you reflect in emotion, thought, and action what you worship with emotion, thought, and action. Psalm 115: 4-8 is the text I am drawing my understanding of this principle from. The Psalmist is giving a description of how idols are made (v. 4), the qualities they possess (v. 5-7), and the effect they have on those who worship them (v. 8). These idols are made by human hands (v. 4), yet do not even hold the attributes of a human because they cannot speak, walk, or talk (v. 5-7), and as a result those who worship them lack spiritually what the idols lack physically (v. 8). The error in understanding idolatry and its effect on those who participate in it is to assume that this was a cultural point and does not affect us presently. But because the Bible is timeless and worship is woven into the fabric of our being this principle is very timely.
To illustrate how timely the idea of you are what you worship let me give two present cultural examples:
The Second Largest American Religion: Sports
Any discerning person taking a trip to a Sports stadium during a game who understands historical pagan religion will see the connection. Pagan worshippers dressed up in weird gimmicks, painted their faces and bodies, and chanted unintelligible songs in order to influence their tribal deity. Compare that to a football game where people dress up in the most ridiculous costumes, paint their entire bodies in their teams colors in subzero temperatures, and sing fight songs to support their teams efforts. People get so wrapped up in the worship of a sports team that they start to refer to their team as “we” when referencing anything done by them. Also, a person who worships a sports team will also have his emotions determined by that sports team. When they win their happy and stable and when they lose they are depressed and unpredictable. Or if you are a Minnesota sports fan you are emotionless because you have been taking anti-depressants for so long that you have forgotten how to feel.
The Largest American Religion: Sex
I think this one is pretty obvious seeing as the Porn industry last year brought in more money than the NBA, MLB, and NFL combined. People who worship Sex are marked by the same passion that sex offers. They are people driven by passion and controlled by it so much so that they are willing to sacrifice anything to indulge it. Examples, would be husbands sacrificing their marriage and families to indulge a passion with a woman who is not his wife. A kid willing to sacrifice his purity and parents trust to view pornography. A man willing to sacrifice his freedom and risk going to jail to indulge a passion for someone underage. People resemble (are passionate indulgers of pleasure) what they worship (Sex: a passionate pleasure).
So the question is not do you worship but what do you worship. Sadly for most people they are idolaters who have worshipped themselves into sin by substituting the worship of the creator for the worship of created things (like sex and sports) (Rom 1:18-32). Jesus came to save us from our idolatry by paying for our false worship so that we could be restored to true worship (1 Peter 3:18). You worship your way into sin and you must worship Jesus to save yourself from sin (2 Cor 3:18).
To illustrate how timely the idea of you are what you worship let me give two present cultural examples:
The Second Largest American Religion: Sports
Any discerning person taking a trip to a Sports stadium during a game who understands historical pagan religion will see the connection. Pagan worshippers dressed up in weird gimmicks, painted their faces and bodies, and chanted unintelligible songs in order to influence their tribal deity. Compare that to a football game where people dress up in the most ridiculous costumes, paint their entire bodies in their teams colors in subzero temperatures, and sing fight songs to support their teams efforts. People get so wrapped up in the worship of a sports team that they start to refer to their team as “we” when referencing anything done by them. Also, a person who worships a sports team will also have his emotions determined by that sports team. When they win their happy and stable and when they lose they are depressed and unpredictable. Or if you are a Minnesota sports fan you are emotionless because you have been taking anti-depressants for so long that you have forgotten how to feel.
The Largest American Religion: Sex
I think this one is pretty obvious seeing as the Porn industry last year brought in more money than the NBA, MLB, and NFL combined. People who worship Sex are marked by the same passion that sex offers. They are people driven by passion and controlled by it so much so that they are willing to sacrifice anything to indulge it. Examples, would be husbands sacrificing their marriage and families to indulge a passion with a woman who is not his wife. A kid willing to sacrifice his purity and parents trust to view pornography. A man willing to sacrifice his freedom and risk going to jail to indulge a passion for someone underage. People resemble (are passionate indulgers of pleasure) what they worship (Sex: a passionate pleasure).
So the question is not do you worship but what do you worship. Sadly for most people they are idolaters who have worshipped themselves into sin by substituting the worship of the creator for the worship of created things (like sex and sports) (Rom 1:18-32). Jesus came to save us from our idolatry by paying for our false worship so that we could be restored to true worship (1 Peter 3:18). You worship your way into sin and you must worship Jesus to save yourself from sin (2 Cor 3:18).
Confusion IS an Answer
The Lord has allowed me to realize something incredible lately, that I thought would be helpful and encouraging to share!
Recently I have been frustrated, because as I have lifted up certain prayer requests to the Lord and begged Him for clarity...it seems as though the situation gets even more confusing.
My initial response: "Thanks Lord!! (Sarcasm). Why aren't you answering my prayers? Why can't you just give me a clear-cut yes or no?"
And in the soul-searching and silence that follows...I come to understand...confusion IS an answer.
His answer to my troubles and confusions, His solution---TRUST ME.
It's like I'm a ship surrounded by fog on all sides. I ask the Lord to take away the fog...but instead He simply provides the Light that I need to navigate through the fog.
DON'T SEEK YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ANSWERS. FIND YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME.
Stop trying to manipulate, control, or figure out the situation...JUST CLING TO ME.
Confusion IS an answer.
Lord, what are you doing? --Confusion-- TRUST ME
Lord, what should I do? --Confusion-- TRUST ME
LORD, CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE SENSE OUT OF ALL THIS??!!! --CONFUSION-- TRUST ME!!!!!!!!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." --Isaiah 55:8-9
Recently I have been frustrated, because as I have lifted up certain prayer requests to the Lord and begged Him for clarity...it seems as though the situation gets even more confusing.
My initial response: "Thanks Lord!! (Sarcasm). Why aren't you answering my prayers? Why can't you just give me a clear-cut yes or no?"
And in the soul-searching and silence that follows...I come to understand...confusion IS an answer.
His answer to my troubles and confusions, His solution---TRUST ME.
It's like I'm a ship surrounded by fog on all sides. I ask the Lord to take away the fog...but instead He simply provides the Light that I need to navigate through the fog.
DON'T SEEK YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ANSWERS. FIND YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME.
Stop trying to manipulate, control, or figure out the situation...JUST CLING TO ME.
Confusion IS an answer.
Lord, what are you doing? --Confusion-- TRUST ME
Lord, what should I do? --Confusion-- TRUST ME
LORD, CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE SENSE OUT OF ALL THIS??!!! --CONFUSION-- TRUST ME!!!!!!!!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." --Isaiah 55:8-9
Do Not Shut The Kingdom of Heaven
The sin of directing people away from Jesus and the sin of not directing people to Jesus may be slightly different, but the result is the same.
Clarifying Insurance for Assurance
This is a clarification of a post I published on 3/9/10. I'd encourage you to read that first, though I still think this will be helpful if you don't have the time.
Faith is how salvation takes place from start to finish, from justification to glorification. This is so true among all that know anything of the Bible, that to cite scriptures to prove it would be to light a candle to see the sun at noon. Instead of looking into ourselves, we look outward to Christ. We “behold the man upon the cross.” We look “upward and see Him there who made an end of all our sin.” One look to Christ packs a triple punch. It creates faith, it kindles faith, and it kills lack of faith. All of those describe the process of salvation. That is, it is by “beholding the glory of the Lord” that we “are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
And just as justification is inseparable with sanctification, so assurance and sanctification go hand in hand as well. Unless we’re justified we won’t be sanctified, and unless we’re sanctified we won’t have any assurance (or we shouldn’t!). BUT when we try to focus on our justification without the eye of faith on Christ, we actually can’t be justified! And when we try and focus on our sanctification without an eye to Christ we get legalism and condemnation- not newness of life. And when we try to focus on our assurance without an eye to Christ we get doubt and insecurity- not comfort or peace at all! This is because introspection breeds condemnation not salvation, on all levels of the saving process. Always looking to ourselves kills us. Getting stuck on ourselves always gets us stuck in the 'miry bog.' When we introspect concerning our justification it breeds condemnation. When we introspect concerning our sanctification it breeds condemnation. And when we introspect concerning our assurance it breeds condemnation too.
See when we are filled with doubts, concerning any of those things, we are only to look upon ourselves long enough to identify and acknowledge the unbelief, so that we can then look upon Christ to find reason to believe. In other words, we must not dwell on all the bad reasons for belief in us, but on all the good reasons for belief in Christ- not on the sinful clamor of our hearts, but on the awful cries of Calvary. Sure we can (and should) take a glimpse into our own hearts to ‘examine ourselves’, but we shouldn’t stay there. It’s ‘Looking unto Jesus” that both begets faith and strengthens faith. Looking to ourselves ought to only force us to look to Jesus. Because looking to ourselves only shows us where our lack of faith is so that we know what to look for in Christ. And so, really the best ‘examination’ of ourselves is what happens when we look to Jesus. Because the greatest evidence of a Christian is that He is one. In other words, the greatest evidence that a man is a Believer is that he believes! He cries, “Lord I believe! Help my unbelief!”
So when the doubting Christian comes to you saying, “I don’t know if I really believe. I am questioning whether I am really saved or not.” You should first ask them why they think that, and so identify the reasons for unbelief. But then, instead of always getting them bogged down with trying to discern whether or not they have any evidences of a divine and supernatural light elsewhere in their lives (and so just help them in their introspection), you should rather draw their gaze upward and outward to Christ, by identifying all the reasons for belief in Him. For instance you ask them, “You say you doubt you believe. Well do you believe Christ is able to save?” “Well yea. He’s the Son of God. He can’t fail. ‘The Lamb of God will receive the reward for his sufferings.’” “And do you believe Christ is willing to save?” “Yea, He wouldn’t have come to die for sinners if He weren’t.” “Then why can’t He be able and willing to save you? You may question your salvation, maybe rightly so, but saved or not, faith comes from believing in Jesus, not yourself. And if you can but believe in Him, that He is who He says He is and that He is therefore able and willing to save you, then I don’t know why you can’t call yourself a born-again Believer. After all, Believers are those who believe! Now let’s examine these sin issues that are causing you to doubt and figure out how to declare war on them by the Spirit…”
In other words, you preach the same gospel to the doubting Believer as to the Unbeliever. You point to Christ and say, “Believe!” And then when, as they look to Him, they find they do believe, you can confidently tell them that there’s no reason then that you can find why they can’t be a Believer. If they just keep on believing, if they just keep ‘Looking unto Jesus,’ all their unbelief will wither away! Not only their doubts as to their salvation, but their sins that are making them to doubt! Not only will unbelief in their own state evaporate, but so will the unbelief at the root of their sin die as well! When you “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and look full in His wonderful face. All the things in this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” “All things.” Lack of assurance included.
Though guilt may come and comfort leave, this is assurance for me:
I may yet doubt if I believe, but I know whom I have believed.
And when this fact, the one just said, I find I am believing,
This just cold heart, that I thought dead, is once again now beating.
Insurance for Assurance
How sure are you of your salvation? How sure are you that you are saved? Maybe you have full assurance right now and can “read your title clear to mansions in the skies.” Or maybe you are constantly teetering in and out, fifty-fifty, never quite at peace, but neither altogether despairing. Or maybe, you really haven’t questioned your salvation much at all, in which case I would warn you that that means you probably should! But maybe you are none of these persons. Maybe, unlike them, you are like myself, and when you look into your heart for evidences of grace, instead of being comforted, you find in yourself so much sin, so much remaining corruption, so much hypocrisy, unmortified lust, and undefeated “old-man” habits, that you are prone to cry, “O wretched man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death?” Now, I’m not one to say that any of these states are in and of themselves good or bad, but I am one to offer my help regardless. And so, I hope to specifically address this last person, though in doing so I think I’ll help everyone. But before you continue, I want you to know that I am not here going to help you build yourself up to assurance of faith by pressing you to produce all your evidences of grace so that I may weigh them to see whether they are counterfeit or no, then say, “See! See! That wouldn’t be there if you weren’t a genuine believer!” Or, “Umm…. Well… I think we should maybe pray about a couple things here first…” Though that would be one way to go about it, that is a tedious task which I don’t have the skill nor the time to do even for myself (after all Mr. Edwards in his Religious Affections has already done this!). Not to mention, when I do try that route on myself I find I just deny all my own evidences of grace anyways. So let me submit to you a simple way of reasoning with your soul that I have found unspeakably helpful.
Let’s paint a scenario where we’ve all been, and maybe even you are right now. Let’s say you have just fallen, and your sin is “ever before you.” Let’s say your ‘bones are rotting away within you’, and your ‘strength is sucked right out of you as by the heat of summer.’ And let’s say you can hardly raise your head because sin has laid you low and your stuck in the ‘miry bog.’ And let’s say the Accuser is right now assaulting you, even a thousand times at once, saying something like, “Look at you. Do you sell your Lord so cheaply? Do you yet again betray and crucify your precious Jesus afresh? Ha! And look how quickly you do it! How easily! How often! How is it you could be one of the ones for whom he died when you think it but little to keep killing him again and again and again? You pitiful soul. Stop kidding yourself. You are no Christian. You have no interest in Christ. You have no true love to him. Your love for him is but from self-love. For you love your sins over your Savior. That is evident enough. Get off it. You have no part with Jesus. You are plainly still in your sins! You’re not one of God’s children. You’re still in open rebellion against Him! No, you have no assurance for your salvation. If you’re still here in sin after all this time, the only assurance you have is that you will never be saved. Seek for repentance with tears, yet just like Esau, you will never find it. Strive for it as you might, you have crucified once again the Son of God, and God condemns you Himself in His Word, ‘it is therefore impossible to restore such as you again to repentance. There no longer remains a sacrifice for your sins.’” And let’s say you feel it would just be a sin on top of sin to argue with him, and that you would just be deceiving yourself further to tell yourself that you are somehow still a Christian in light of your sin- still somehow a born-again believer, still in someway indwelt with the Holy Spirit and the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead.
When you are in such a case, such a hopeless, despondent, maybe even suicidal case, speak to yourself this: Say to your soul and say to your Accuser, “Yes. Maybe you are right after all. Maybe I don’t have any reason to be assured of my salvation. Maybe I have no reason to be assured of anything good of myself at all. Maybe all I can be assured of is that I am truly the chief of sinners, yea the chief of all the chiefs of sinners, and that I ought to be damned to Hell quicker than anyone and ‘endure the worst of Hell’s furies for failing God so’! Maybe I am the worst sinner who has ever breathed and who will ever walk the face of this planet. Maybe it is all true. I wouldn’t doubt it. I can see it plain enough. And so it is difficult for me to believe I am saved or ever have been. It is difficult to believe I could even be saved! But still, this remains: Though it is difficult for me to believe I am saved, it is not difficult for me to believe in my Savior. I have no trouble doubting myself. But I cannot doubt Him. I may doubt my ability to be saved, but I do not doubt His ability to save me. I may be the vilest of the vile, and the filthiest of all, still I cannot question He has the strength to make a world, and the might to raise the dead! I may be too far gone, fair enough, but His arm reaches across the heavens. I may be too low, I may have gone too deep, but His Spirit searches even to the depths of Sheol. I may have sinned myself away, against mercy and light and grace, and maybe even I have crucified the Lord afresh and there is no sacrifice left for my sins; yet still His blood is sufficient to save the dirtiest and His hand is strong enough to keep even the most wayward. My sin may be too wicked, my secrets too dark, my past scars too deep, my offenses too grievous indeed for me to ever think I could have any part in Christ; but Oh! Jesus is more righteous, His blood is darker still, His scars are deeper, His mercy is even greater than my worst offense. Yes, when all’s said and done, I may not know if I believe, but I know whom I believe if I do! I may wonder whether I am a son of God, but I do not wonder about the Son of Man. I may doubt me, but I do not doubt Him. And though there may be a thousand reasons for unbelief in me, there are far more reasons for belief in Him. My sin abounds as infinite upon infinite, an abyss deeper and wider than the depths of Hell itself; yet His grace super-abounds all the more, His forgiveness is greater than my sin, His mercies are new every morning. Oh my guilt is much, but there is more mercy in Christ than sin in me! My need of forgiveness is desperate indeed, yet He is more ready to forgive than I am to be forgiven! Yes, ‘Forgiveness has been in his heart all along, and when I approach him to make right my wrong, he runs up to greet me, and draws to me near; embracing and kissing and ready to clear.’ So maybe you are right about me after all. Probably, I don’t know. But I do know I am not wrong about Him. Though I am unable, He is able. Though I am unwilling, He is willing. Though I am weak, He is mighty to save. Though I may even be dead in my sins, still He can raise the dead. Oh yes, it may be difficult for me to believe I am saved, but it is not so hard for me to believe in my Savior. And so I will keep believing in Him. He says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” He says, “Let the one who desires, drink of the water of life without price.” He says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” He says, “All who come to me I will in no wise cast out.” He says, “Everyone who looks on Me and believes should have eternal life.” He says, “All who believe in me will be saved.” He says, “No one can pluck you from my hand.” He says, “If my Father began a work in you, He will bring it to completion.” He says, “Though you are faithless, I will remain faithful.” He says, “Though you were unlovely and unfaithful, and though you did not love me, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you.’” Oh, what Jesus says! Oh, who Jesus is! I don’t see much when I look into my heart, but I see Calvary when I look into His. I don’t hear much good when I listen to myself, but, Oh when I dwell where the cries of Calvary are louder than the clamor of my heart, then “I hear the Savior say, ‘Thy strength indeed is small. Child of weakness watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all.’”
Let’s paint a scenario where we’ve all been, and maybe even you are right now. Let’s say you have just fallen, and your sin is “ever before you.” Let’s say your ‘bones are rotting away within you’, and your ‘strength is sucked right out of you as by the heat of summer.’ And let’s say you can hardly raise your head because sin has laid you low and your stuck in the ‘miry bog.’ And let’s say the Accuser is right now assaulting you, even a thousand times at once, saying something like, “Look at you. Do you sell your Lord so cheaply? Do you yet again betray and crucify your precious Jesus afresh? Ha! And look how quickly you do it! How easily! How often! How is it you could be one of the ones for whom he died when you think it but little to keep killing him again and again and again? You pitiful soul. Stop kidding yourself. You are no Christian. You have no interest in Christ. You have no true love to him. Your love for him is but from self-love. For you love your sins over your Savior. That is evident enough. Get off it. You have no part with Jesus. You are plainly still in your sins! You’re not one of God’s children. You’re still in open rebellion against Him! No, you have no assurance for your salvation. If you’re still here in sin after all this time, the only assurance you have is that you will never be saved. Seek for repentance with tears, yet just like Esau, you will never find it. Strive for it as you might, you have crucified once again the Son of God, and God condemns you Himself in His Word, ‘it is therefore impossible to restore such as you again to repentance. There no longer remains a sacrifice for your sins.’” And let’s say you feel it would just be a sin on top of sin to argue with him, and that you would just be deceiving yourself further to tell yourself that you are somehow still a Christian in light of your sin- still somehow a born-again believer, still in someway indwelt with the Holy Spirit and the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead.
When you are in such a case, such a hopeless, despondent, maybe even suicidal case, speak to yourself this: Say to your soul and say to your Accuser, “Yes. Maybe you are right after all. Maybe I don’t have any reason to be assured of my salvation. Maybe I have no reason to be assured of anything good of myself at all. Maybe all I can be assured of is that I am truly the chief of sinners, yea the chief of all the chiefs of sinners, and that I ought to be damned to Hell quicker than anyone and ‘endure the worst of Hell’s furies for failing God so’! Maybe I am the worst sinner who has ever breathed and who will ever walk the face of this planet. Maybe it is all true. I wouldn’t doubt it. I can see it plain enough. And so it is difficult for me to believe I am saved or ever have been. It is difficult to believe I could even be saved! But still, this remains: Though it is difficult for me to believe I am saved, it is not difficult for me to believe in my Savior. I have no trouble doubting myself. But I cannot doubt Him. I may doubt my ability to be saved, but I do not doubt His ability to save me. I may be the vilest of the vile, and the filthiest of all, still I cannot question He has the strength to make a world, and the might to raise the dead! I may be too far gone, fair enough, but His arm reaches across the heavens. I may be too low, I may have gone too deep, but His Spirit searches even to the depths of Sheol. I may have sinned myself away, against mercy and light and grace, and maybe even I have crucified the Lord afresh and there is no sacrifice left for my sins; yet still His blood is sufficient to save the dirtiest and His hand is strong enough to keep even the most wayward. My sin may be too wicked, my secrets too dark, my past scars too deep, my offenses too grievous indeed for me to ever think I could have any part in Christ; but Oh! Jesus is more righteous, His blood is darker still, His scars are deeper, His mercy is even greater than my worst offense. Yes, when all’s said and done, I may not know if I believe, but I know whom I believe if I do! I may wonder whether I am a son of God, but I do not wonder about the Son of Man. I may doubt me, but I do not doubt Him. And though there may be a thousand reasons for unbelief in me, there are far more reasons for belief in Him. My sin abounds as infinite upon infinite, an abyss deeper and wider than the depths of Hell itself; yet His grace super-abounds all the more, His forgiveness is greater than my sin, His mercies are new every morning. Oh my guilt is much, but there is more mercy in Christ than sin in me! My need of forgiveness is desperate indeed, yet He is more ready to forgive than I am to be forgiven! Yes, ‘Forgiveness has been in his heart all along, and when I approach him to make right my wrong, he runs up to greet me, and draws to me near; embracing and kissing and ready to clear.’ So maybe you are right about me after all. Probably, I don’t know. But I do know I am not wrong about Him. Though I am unable, He is able. Though I am unwilling, He is willing. Though I am weak, He is mighty to save. Though I may even be dead in my sins, still He can raise the dead. Oh yes, it may be difficult for me to believe I am saved, but it is not so hard for me to believe in my Savior. And so I will keep believing in Him. He says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” He says, “Let the one who desires, drink of the water of life without price.” He says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” He says, “All who come to me I will in no wise cast out.” He says, “Everyone who looks on Me and believes should have eternal life.” He says, “All who believe in me will be saved.” He says, “No one can pluck you from my hand.” He says, “If my Father began a work in you, He will bring it to completion.” He says, “Though you are faithless, I will remain faithful.” He says, “Though you were unlovely and unfaithful, and though you did not love me, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you.’” Oh, what Jesus says! Oh, who Jesus is! I don’t see much when I look into my heart, but I see Calvary when I look into His. I don’t hear much good when I listen to myself, but, Oh when I dwell where the cries of Calvary are louder than the clamor of my heart, then “I hear the Savior say, ‘Thy strength indeed is small. Child of weakness watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all.’”
Though guilt may come and comfort leave, this is assurance for me:
I may yet doubt if I believe, but I know whom I have believed.
Meet Mollie.
It would be an understatement to say that Mollie Mehringer (member of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, CA) has a lot of energy. Her energy level is always on full blast. What makes this valuable is that it is combined with an insatiable appetite for Christ & His Word. This can be seen in her daily status updates reflecting on the greatness & wonder of the Gospel, as well as her enthusiastic leadership and constant encouragement to others.
Mollie has been a part of the Grace Community family for 14 years and is currently involved with the college/career ministry, specifically on the campus of Cal Arts - one of the most prominent art schools in the nation. She is currently a student at the Master's college and plans to continue being involved in church ministry - investing in the body and also to one day be a writer and a Proverbs 31 wife & mother!
Joy that Doesn't Come from Prosperity
To get the full weight of this meditation I suggest that you read Psalm 73 before reading on.
If ever I have thought in my head that the Psalms are practically unhelpful to the Christian walk this Psalm has put that argument to death. The principles of the problems that the Psalmist is facing and trying to wage the war of faith against are omni-prevalent (aka you face them a lot) in our western culture. The Psalmist when examining his culture is struck by the fact that there is a certain group of people that is marked by lavish prosperity and this group happens to be arrogant and wicked (v.3). Their prosperity is marked by a comfortable worry free lifestyle and abundant riches (v. 12). Through observing this prosperous group the Psalmists desires start to be enticed and he claims to be envious (v. 3), and even frustrated at his religious pursuits because he deems them worthless since they have not produced the prosperity that he is seeing around him. Prosperity is a prominent pursuit in our culture (just look at any magazine at your local grocery store) and is even in our constitution, which states that we are entitled to the “pursuit of happiness” (whatever that means). Christianity has responded to this craving for prosperity in a number of ways. One way Christianity has responded has been by buying into the desire of prosperity and shaping the gospel around the desire for it. Some have reasoned that prosperity is a good thing and God is good therefore God will give us prosperity if we trust in him (in case you were wondering that is really bad logic). But this Psalmist did not fall into that trap of atrocious logic and he still believed in the goodness of God (v. 1). So how did this Psalmist fight the fight of faith and wage war against his deceitful desires. First, the Psalmist sought to turn away his eyes from the culture onto God by seeking the presence of God (v. 16-17). His constant dwelling on the state of the wicked had caused him to desire the state of the wicked. The same way standing in front of an In-N-Out burger would entice you to desire food. But this is because he had lost a God-centered discernment which can only be attained through a constant and consistent dwelling in the presence of God through which we are able to discern the truth of God. As the Psalmist pondered the state of the wicked in the presence of God, he was able to gain an accurate view of the end of the wicked (v. 18-20). Also, he gained a God-centered view of his own state and how his sovereign God related to him. The Psalmist grasped two crucial truths that showed him that he ultimately lacked nothing. First, in his present circumstance God was sovereignly caring for him and guiding him to glory (v. 23-24). Although he was not materially wealthy he had infinitely more security than wealth could ever give him because he was being guided to ultimate glory by the sovereign hand of God. Second, the Psalmist saw that having God satisfied his soul with everlasting joy (v. 25-26). In light of the glorious God of the universe the Psalmist came to understand that he lacked nothing because he possessed everything, namely God himself, his portion forever.
I find it helpful sometimes to summarize big things into small power packed statements and I did such a thing with this Psalm:
Prosperity enticed my every desire,
as my faith dwindled like a dying fire.
To Your house I came with desperate prayer,
and was lifted up by sovereign care.
Now to God I look and adore,
As my exceeding joy forevermore.
If ever I have thought in my head that the Psalms are practically unhelpful to the Christian walk this Psalm has put that argument to death. The principles of the problems that the Psalmist is facing and trying to wage the war of faith against are omni-prevalent (aka you face them a lot) in our western culture. The Psalmist when examining his culture is struck by the fact that there is a certain group of people that is marked by lavish prosperity and this group happens to be arrogant and wicked (v.3). Their prosperity is marked by a comfortable worry free lifestyle and abundant riches (v. 12). Through observing this prosperous group the Psalmists desires start to be enticed and he claims to be envious (v. 3), and even frustrated at his religious pursuits because he deems them worthless since they have not produced the prosperity that he is seeing around him. Prosperity is a prominent pursuit in our culture (just look at any magazine at your local grocery store) and is even in our constitution, which states that we are entitled to the “pursuit of happiness” (whatever that means). Christianity has responded to this craving for prosperity in a number of ways. One way Christianity has responded has been by buying into the desire of prosperity and shaping the gospel around the desire for it. Some have reasoned that prosperity is a good thing and God is good therefore God will give us prosperity if we trust in him (in case you were wondering that is really bad logic). But this Psalmist did not fall into that trap of atrocious logic and he still believed in the goodness of God (v. 1). So how did this Psalmist fight the fight of faith and wage war against his deceitful desires. First, the Psalmist sought to turn away his eyes from the culture onto God by seeking the presence of God (v. 16-17). His constant dwelling on the state of the wicked had caused him to desire the state of the wicked. The same way standing in front of an In-N-Out burger would entice you to desire food. But this is because he had lost a God-centered discernment which can only be attained through a constant and consistent dwelling in the presence of God through which we are able to discern the truth of God. As the Psalmist pondered the state of the wicked in the presence of God, he was able to gain an accurate view of the end of the wicked (v. 18-20). Also, he gained a God-centered view of his own state and how his sovereign God related to him. The Psalmist grasped two crucial truths that showed him that he ultimately lacked nothing. First, in his present circumstance God was sovereignly caring for him and guiding him to glory (v. 23-24). Although he was not materially wealthy he had infinitely more security than wealth could ever give him because he was being guided to ultimate glory by the sovereign hand of God. Second, the Psalmist saw that having God satisfied his soul with everlasting joy (v. 25-26). In light of the glorious God of the universe the Psalmist came to understand that he lacked nothing because he possessed everything, namely God himself, his portion forever.
I find it helpful sometimes to summarize big things into small power packed statements and I did such a thing with this Psalm:
Prosperity enticed my every desire,
as my faith dwindled like a dying fire.
To Your house I came with desperate prayer,
and was lifted up by sovereign care.
Now to God I look and adore,
As my exceeding joy forevermore.
Hope for the Future
Recently, I thought about a time when I was sitting in an EBC class last year, talking with Brent about having a peace and assurance in relation to our salvation both now and in the future. I remembered sitting in that class listening to our professor, and having the feeling of my heart hitting the floor, because if it rested on me, how could I ever find assurance? The following excerpt from C.H. Spurgeon's All of Grace sparked truth in my head and peace in my heart and I hope it does the same for you:
THE HOPE which filled the heart of Paul concerning the Corinthian brethren we have already seen to be full of comfort to those who trembled as to their future. But why was it that he believed that the brethren would be confirmed unto the end?
I want you to notice that he gives his reasons. Here they are:
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:9).
The apostle does not say, "You are faithful." Alas! the faithfulness of man is a very unreliable affair; it is mere vanity. He does not say, "You have faithful ministers to lead and guide you, and therefore I trust you will be safe." Oh, no! if we are kept by men we shall be but ill kept. He puts it, "God is faithful." If we are found faithful, it will be because God is faithful. On the faithfulness of our covenant God the whole burden of our salvation must rest. On this glorious attribute of God the matter hinges. We are variable as the wind, frail as a spider's web, weak as water. No dependence can be placed upon our natural qualities, or our spiritual attainments; but God abideth faithful. He is faithful in His love; He knows no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He is faithful to His purpose; He doth not begin a work and then leave it undone. He is faithful to His relationships; as a Father He will not renounce His children, as a friend He will not deny His people, as a Creator He will not forsake the work of His own hands. He is faithful to His promises, and will never allow one of them to fail to a single believer. He is faithful to His covenant, which He has made with us in Christ Jesus, and ratified with the blood of His sacrifice. He is faithful to His Son, and will not allow His precious blood to be spilled in vain. He is faithful to His people to whom He has promised eternal life, and from whom He will not turn away.
This faithfulness of God is the foundation and cornerstone of our hope of final perseverance. The saints shall persevere in holiness, because God perseveres in grace. He perseveres to bless, and therefore believers persevere in being blessed. He continues to keep His people, and therefore they continue to keep His commandments. This is good solid ground to rest upon, and it is delightfully consistent with the title of this little book, "all of grace." Thus it is free favor and infinite mercy which ring in the dawn of salvation, and the same sweet bells sound melodiously through the whole day of grace.
I want you to notice that he gives his reasons. Here they are:
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:9).
The apostle does not say, "You are faithful." Alas! the faithfulness of man is a very unreliable affair; it is mere vanity. He does not say, "You have faithful ministers to lead and guide you, and therefore I trust you will be safe." Oh, no! if we are kept by men we shall be but ill kept. He puts it, "God is faithful." If we are found faithful, it will be because God is faithful. On the faithfulness of our covenant God the whole burden of our salvation must rest. On this glorious attribute of God the matter hinges. We are variable as the wind, frail as a spider's web, weak as water. No dependence can be placed upon our natural qualities, or our spiritual attainments; but God abideth faithful. He is faithful in His love; He knows no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He is faithful to His purpose; He doth not begin a work and then leave it undone. He is faithful to His relationships; as a Father He will not renounce His children, as a friend He will not deny His people, as a Creator He will not forsake the work of His own hands. He is faithful to His promises, and will never allow one of them to fail to a single believer. He is faithful to His covenant, which He has made with us in Christ Jesus, and ratified with the blood of His sacrifice. He is faithful to His Son, and will not allow His precious blood to be spilled in vain. He is faithful to His people to whom He has promised eternal life, and from whom He will not turn away.
This faithfulness of God is the foundation and cornerstone of our hope of final perseverance. The saints shall persevere in holiness, because God perseveres in grace. He perseveres to bless, and therefore believers persevere in being blessed. He continues to keep His people, and therefore they continue to keep His commandments. This is good solid ground to rest upon, and it is delightfully consistent with the title of this little book, "all of grace." Thus it is free favor and infinite mercy which ring in the dawn of salvation, and the same sweet bells sound melodiously through the whole day of grace.
*You can read All of Grace in its entirety here.
Perfectionism v. Glorification
Perfectionism -
The depressive belief that all things will be made right on this earth in this life by our own power.
Glorification -
The liberating truth that all things will be made right in Heaven by God's power and God's might.
