Observation

As most mornings, I drive by the Church of Unity. They have a message board at the street.

This morning it said "Live in the abundance of God".

We have to be so careful about things such as this. This could mean almost anything now days.
We all do live in the abundance of God each and everyday. Seeing the church who had this sign, I do not believe this is what they meant.

This is more of the Joel Osteen type of encouragement. The "God wants everyone of His children to prosper" mantra.

I just wished that they would truly understand what living in God's abundance means. We all deserve death and eternal judgment. Mankind lives each day by God's grace and mercy.

Just some brief thoughts for this morning.

David

Heart Corruptions

O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to thee. I have no merit, let the merit of Jesus stand for me. I am undeserving, but I look to Thy tender mercy. I am full of infirmities, wants, sin; Thou art full of grace.

I confess my sin, my frequent sin, my wilful sin; all my powers of body and soul are defiled: a fountain of pollution is deep within my nature. There are chambers of foul images within my being; I have gone from one odious room to another, walked in a no-man's-land of dangerous imaginations, pried into the secrets of my fallen nature.

I am utterly ashamed that I am what I am in myself; I have no green shoot in me nor fruit, but thorns and thistles; I am a fading leaf that the wind drives away; I live bare and barren as a winter tree, unprofitable, fit to be hewn down and burnt. Lord, dost Thou have mercy on me?

Thou hast struck a heavy blow at my pride, at the false god of self, and I lie in pieces before Thee. But Thou hast given me another master and lord, Thy Son, Jesus, and now my heart is turned towards holiness, my life speeds as an arrow from a bow towards complete obedience to Thee. Help me in all my doings to put down sin and to humble pride. Save me from the love of the world and the pride of life, from everything that is natural to fallen man, and let Christ's nature be seen in me day by day. Grant me grace to bear Thy will without repining, and delight to be not only chiselled, squared, or fashioned, but separated from the old rock where I have been embedded so long, and lifted from the quarry to the upper air, where I may be built in Christ for ever.

Taken from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett

My Pastor

This post is in the same vein that was a post on TeamPyro earlier this week. I think it will be good to mention it here.

Most of my christian brothers read all the time. We read Piper, MacArthur, Pink, Spurgeon, Edwards, Manton etc... We even listen to their sermons (the one's that are still alive at least).

While this is good, it can also be bad. We must always realize that these men are NOT our local Pastor's. They don't love us like our own Pastor's love us. They are not with us when we hurt or when we rejoice. They also correct and exhort us when we need it. That is something the above men cannot do on a personal level.

Pastor Steven and I seem to be on the same wave length most of the time. I marvel how God does that. I'm not the only one he serves.

Pastor Steven know that I Love You my brother!! I pray for you each week.
If the Lord is directing me to move to another city, know that I will miss you and all of my fellow brothers and sisters!

David

1599 Geneva Bible

Many of you who are my friends know that I have been reading through Calvin's Institutes this year. This year celebrates the 500th birthday of John Calvin.

I recently got a copy of the 1599 Geneva Bible - Calvin Legacy Edition by Tolle Lege Press. They have fixed the spelling to be more like own own spelling. (Olde is Old, Newe is New etc...)
In the back of this bible there is also a Glossary defining older words that are used. The bible itself does not have the Apocrypha in it. This bible comes with a CD that contains PDF's of the 1599 Geneva Bible, the Apocrypha and Metrical Psalms.

I am impressed with this reprint of the Geneva bible. It reads very similar to the KJV.

I have learned some things about the Geneva bible that I did not know.

The Geneva bible is the bible the Puritans used. The Puritans did not like the KJV bible. This was surely due to the fact the Geneva bible was suppressed by Monarchs. King James in particular did not like the Geneva bible. He said it was subversive.

As a result the KJV was more Anglican oriented. The Geneva bible was strictly Protestant and had the hands of Calvin all over it.

Calvin believed in a more democratic form of Government. He also wanted the Church to be separate from the State (the State ran the churches). King James was the head of the Church of England.

So those are the high points so far.

Grace and Peace

Newsweek -- The End of Christian America

Please read Dr. Mohlers Blog.

http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php

It talks about the Newsweek article. He was interviewed for the article as well.

How can one be saved?

There is NO greater question than this in life! What is true salvation? How does one know that they are saved?

You would think with these questions being as critical as they are we would have an abundance of books on Christian bookshelves that answer this question (as best as possible that is).

I have seven such books (I know of a few others). That is all, less than a dozen! How can this be?

Is it no wonder that true salvation is no longer preached from our pulpits?

We are more concerned about our fragile self-esteem than where we will spend eternity!!
Mankind is truly prideful and worships himself as god.

^18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ^19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ^20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ^21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ^22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, ^23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.^24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ^25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

NKJV Romans 1:18-25

May God correct our preaching that we may again Preach true salvation from our Pulpits and may God be truly glorified by it!!