THE RESOLUTIONS
of
Jonathan Edwards
BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE.
Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.
12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.
14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.
15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.
19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.
21. Resolved, never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him. (Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)
22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God' s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
27. Resolved, never willfully to omit any thing, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.
28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.
30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
31. Resolved, never to say any thing at all against any body, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.
32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Proverbs 20:6,‹A faithful man who can find?Š may not be partly fulfilled in me.
33. Resolved, to do always, what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without overbalancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.
34. Resolved, in narrations never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.
35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.
36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.
37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.
38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord' s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.
39. Resolved, never to do any thing of which I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.
40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.
41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.
42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.
43. Resolved, never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God' s; agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.
44. Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. January 12, 1723.
45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan. 12 and 13, 1723.
46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye: and to be especially careful of it with respect to any of our family.
47. Resolved, to endeavor, to my utmost, to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented and easy, compassionate and generous, humble and meek, submissive and obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable and even, patient, moderate, forgiving and sincere temper; and to do at all times, what such a temper would lead me to; and to examine strictly, at the end of every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.
48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.
49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.
50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.
51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.
52. I frequently hear persons in old age, say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.
53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.
54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.
55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if, I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it, and let the event be just as providence orders it. I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin. June 9, and July 13 1723.
58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.
59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 11, and July 13.
60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4, and 13, 1723.
61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.
62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty, and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, to do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man:‹knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.Š June 25 and July 13, 1723.
63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. January 14 and July 13, 1723.
64. Resolved, when I find those ‹groanings which cannot be utteredŠ (Romans 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those‹breakings of soul for the longing it hath,Š of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be weary of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.
65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness, of which I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton' s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26, and Aug.10 1723.
66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.
68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help. July 23, and August 10, 1723.
69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. August 11, 1723.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. August 17, 1723.
How To Study The Bible
How To Study The Bible
by Samuel Logan Brengle
The other day I received a letter from a young Officer asking for a few suggestions as to how to read and study the Bible. Here they are:
I. Read and study it as two young lovers read and study each other's letters. As soon as the mail brings a letter from his sweetheart, the young man grabs it and without waiting to see if there is not another letter for him, runs off to a corner and reads and laughs and rejoices over it and almost devours it. If he is a particularly desperate and demonstrative lover -- (the Lord make us desperate and demonstrative lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ!) -- he will probably kiss it and carry it next to his heart till the next one comes.
He meditates on it day and night, and reads it over again and then again. He carries it down town with him, and on the street car appears very quiet and thoughtful, till all at once a twinkle comes into his eye, out comes the letter and choice portions are read over again. He delights in that letter. If any part is hard to understand, a letter is sent off post haste for explanations, and the explanation and letter will be most carefully compared, and possibly also previous letters will be studiously compared with this one. I knew a young man whose fate was hanging in the balance. He wanted assurance, but the young woman was coy, and she veiled her true feelings and left him in uncertainty, and he studied her letters and weighed every word and phrase and brought them to me, and had me compare letter with letter, as we should compare Scripture with Scripture, in order, if possible, to discover the state of her mind and heart and his prospects. In due time he was abundantly rewarded.
Now, that is the way to read the Bible. It is God's will and testament. It is His own carefully written instructions as to what manner of people He would have us be; as to how we shall behave ourselves; what we shall do and not do; what our rights and privileges in Jesus are; what are our peculiar dangers; how we shall know our enemies and conquer them; how we shall enter into and constantly enjoy his favor and escape Hell and get safely home to Heaven.
II. Read in Acts xvii. 11, what the disciples in Berea did.
'They received the word with all readiness of mind.' A frank and noble mind is open to the truth, and wants it more than gold or pleasure or fame or power.
'They searched the Scriptures.' They wanted to know for themselves, and not by mere hearsay. They searched. Precious things are deeply hidden. Pebbles and stones and autumn leaves abound everywhere, but gold and silver and precious stones are hidden deep in the bowels and rocky ribs of the earth; shells cover the sea-shore, but pearls are hidden in its depths. And so with truth. Some truth may lie on the surface of the Bible, but those that will altogether satisfy and distinguish us and make us wise unto salvation are found only after diligent search, even as for hid treasure. 'Search the Scriptures;' said Jesus, 'for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me' (John v. 39). If you would know Jesus, search the Scriptures, and you will come to know Him and see His face, and be like Him.
'They searched daily.' Daily, not spasmodically, by fits and starts, but daily, habitually, they dug into the word of God, to find out if the things Paul preached were so. And just so must you do. 'Thou shalt meditate therein day and night' (Joshua ii. 8), was God's instruction to Joshua. And once this habit is formed the delight in God's word will become unspeakable.
'Thy words were found, and I did eat them;' said Jeremiah, 'and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart' (Jer. xiii. 16). 'O how love I Thy law!' cried the Psalmist. 'It is my meditation all the day' (Ps. cxix. 97).
In forming the habit of Bible study we may have to begin and follow it up for a time from a sense of duty, but once the habit is formed, if we are not only hearers but doers of the word, we shall follow it up for very joy, until we can say with Job, 'I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food' (Job xxiii. 12).
III. Read and study the word not to get a mass of knowledge in the head, but a flame of love in the heart. 'Knowledge puffeth up' (I Cor. viii. I), but love buildeth up. Read it to find fuel for affection, food for reflection, direction for judgment, guidance for conscience.
Read it not that you may know, but that you may do.
IV. Follow carefully the line of thought from verse to verse and chapter to chapter. Often the first part of one chapter belongs to the last part of the preceding chapter. For instance, in the last verse of the fourth chapter of Ephesians, we read, 'And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,' and in the first verse of the fifth chapter we read, 'Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.'
Those two verses belong together. We are to follow God in what? Why, in the spirit of kindness and tender-heartedness and forgiveness.
Again, in John vii. 53, we read, 'And every man went unto his own house,' and in viii. 1, 'Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.'
These two verses belong together. Jesus had no house. Bless Him! So when they went each to his own house for the night, Jesus went to the cold, dark mount!
Finally, do not be discouraged if progress in the knowledge of the word seems slow as first. It is like learning to play an instrument or master a trade; for the first few days or weeks it appears impossible, but it is not so. Some glad day a brain-cell will expand or a veil drop from your face and scales from your eyes and you will find yourself doing the impossible with ease.
So it will be in acquainting yourself with the word of God. Keep at it, keep at it, keep at it! Cry to God with David, 'Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law' (Ps. cxix. 18).
Pray for an understanding heart. You will only love and understand the word as Jesus reveals it to you. So walk with Him, take up your cross and follow Him through evil as well as good report.
After His resurrection, He came to His trembling, heart-broken, disappointed disciples, and Luke tells us that 'beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself' (Luke xxiv. 27), and later Luke says, 'Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures' (Luke xxiv. 45).
There are things in the Bible hard to be understood, and we may not know them till we stand by the crystal sea, but we can learn those things that will make us meek and lowly in heart as was Jesus, watchful, patient, loving, kind, forgiving, and utterly zealous and self-sacrificing for the salvation of men. Hallelujah!
Happy shall we be, if; like David, we can say, 'Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee' (Ps. cxix. 11).
by Samuel Logan Brengle
The other day I received a letter from a young Officer asking for a few suggestions as to how to read and study the Bible. Here they are:
I. Read and study it as two young lovers read and study each other's letters. As soon as the mail brings a letter from his sweetheart, the young man grabs it and without waiting to see if there is not another letter for him, runs off to a corner and reads and laughs and rejoices over it and almost devours it. If he is a particularly desperate and demonstrative lover -- (the Lord make us desperate and demonstrative lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ!) -- he will probably kiss it and carry it next to his heart till the next one comes.
He meditates on it day and night, and reads it over again and then again. He carries it down town with him, and on the street car appears very quiet and thoughtful, till all at once a twinkle comes into his eye, out comes the letter and choice portions are read over again. He delights in that letter. If any part is hard to understand, a letter is sent off post haste for explanations, and the explanation and letter will be most carefully compared, and possibly also previous letters will be studiously compared with this one. I knew a young man whose fate was hanging in the balance. He wanted assurance, but the young woman was coy, and she veiled her true feelings and left him in uncertainty, and he studied her letters and weighed every word and phrase and brought them to me, and had me compare letter with letter, as we should compare Scripture with Scripture, in order, if possible, to discover the state of her mind and heart and his prospects. In due time he was abundantly rewarded.
Now, that is the way to read the Bible. It is God's will and testament. It is His own carefully written instructions as to what manner of people He would have us be; as to how we shall behave ourselves; what we shall do and not do; what our rights and privileges in Jesus are; what are our peculiar dangers; how we shall know our enemies and conquer them; how we shall enter into and constantly enjoy his favor and escape Hell and get safely home to Heaven.
II. Read in Acts xvii. 11, what the disciples in Berea did.
'They received the word with all readiness of mind.' A frank and noble mind is open to the truth, and wants it more than gold or pleasure or fame or power.
'They searched the Scriptures.' They wanted to know for themselves, and not by mere hearsay. They searched. Precious things are deeply hidden. Pebbles and stones and autumn leaves abound everywhere, but gold and silver and precious stones are hidden deep in the bowels and rocky ribs of the earth; shells cover the sea-shore, but pearls are hidden in its depths. And so with truth. Some truth may lie on the surface of the Bible, but those that will altogether satisfy and distinguish us and make us wise unto salvation are found only after diligent search, even as for hid treasure. 'Search the Scriptures;' said Jesus, 'for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me' (John v. 39). If you would know Jesus, search the Scriptures, and you will come to know Him and see His face, and be like Him.
'They searched daily.' Daily, not spasmodically, by fits and starts, but daily, habitually, they dug into the word of God, to find out if the things Paul preached were so. And just so must you do. 'Thou shalt meditate therein day and night' (Joshua ii. 8), was God's instruction to Joshua. And once this habit is formed the delight in God's word will become unspeakable.
'Thy words were found, and I did eat them;' said Jeremiah, 'and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart' (Jer. xiii. 16). 'O how love I Thy law!' cried the Psalmist. 'It is my meditation all the day' (Ps. cxix. 97).
In forming the habit of Bible study we may have to begin and follow it up for a time from a sense of duty, but once the habit is formed, if we are not only hearers but doers of the word, we shall follow it up for very joy, until we can say with Job, 'I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food' (Job xxiii. 12).
III. Read and study the word not to get a mass of knowledge in the head, but a flame of love in the heart. 'Knowledge puffeth up' (I Cor. viii. I), but love buildeth up. Read it to find fuel for affection, food for reflection, direction for judgment, guidance for conscience.
Read it not that you may know, but that you may do.
IV. Follow carefully the line of thought from verse to verse and chapter to chapter. Often the first part of one chapter belongs to the last part of the preceding chapter. For instance, in the last verse of the fourth chapter of Ephesians, we read, 'And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,' and in the first verse of the fifth chapter we read, 'Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.'
Those two verses belong together. We are to follow God in what? Why, in the spirit of kindness and tender-heartedness and forgiveness.
Again, in John vii. 53, we read, 'And every man went unto his own house,' and in viii. 1, 'Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.'
These two verses belong together. Jesus had no house. Bless Him! So when they went each to his own house for the night, Jesus went to the cold, dark mount!
Finally, do not be discouraged if progress in the knowledge of the word seems slow as first. It is like learning to play an instrument or master a trade; for the first few days or weeks it appears impossible, but it is not so. Some glad day a brain-cell will expand or a veil drop from your face and scales from your eyes and you will find yourself doing the impossible with ease.
So it will be in acquainting yourself with the word of God. Keep at it, keep at it, keep at it! Cry to God with David, 'Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law' (Ps. cxix. 18).
Pray for an understanding heart. You will only love and understand the word as Jesus reveals it to you. So walk with Him, take up your cross and follow Him through evil as well as good report.
After His resurrection, He came to His trembling, heart-broken, disappointed disciples, and Luke tells us that 'beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself' (Luke xxiv. 27), and later Luke says, 'Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures' (Luke xxiv. 45).
There are things in the Bible hard to be understood, and we may not know them till we stand by the crystal sea, but we can learn those things that will make us meek and lowly in heart as was Jesus, watchful, patient, loving, kind, forgiving, and utterly zealous and self-sacrificing for the salvation of men. Hallelujah!
Happy shall we be, if; like David, we can say, 'Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee' (Ps. cxix. 11).
Recommended Christian Resources
Recommended Christian Resources
By David Ellingson
- Sites with a Variety of Great Resources
- Sermons from Trusted Biblical Preachers
- Trusted Book Stores/Publishers
- Study Guides
- Q+A on Biblical / Life Questions
- Awesome Articles and Daily Devotionals
- Apologetics
- Free Seminary Level Courses
- Bible Software
Sites with a Variety of Great Resources
Monergism.com
(this website makes available the finest classic articles and resources of historical orthodoxy, lots of reformed stuff!)
Faith by Hearing
(great website with links to awesome resources including mp3s, most are free)
Reformed.org
(A site with lots of resources including historic documents and books)
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(besides a great encyclopedia, it has Lexicons, Commentaries, and Interlinear and Parallel Bibles)
Sermons from Trusted Biblical Preachers
John MacArthur:
Sermon Vault
(sermon archive from one of the best, now free!)
R.C. Sproul:
Renewing Your Mind (Ligonier) - Broadcast Archive
R.C. Sproul Radio Broadcasts (free streaming audio/video)
Steve Lawson:
Men's Seminary
(free audio from one of my favorites)
Sermon Archives
(free audio/video from one of my favorites)
John Piper:
Desiring God - Sermon Archive
(free sermons from the pastor who taught me to seek to glorify God in everything!)
Grace Community Church, CA - Elective Courses
(free mp3s on various topics from elders and guest speakers at John MacArthur's church)
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Class - 1
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Class - 2
(an adult sunday school class taught by Dr. Grudem covering his systematic theology book, free mp3s and outlines!)
Together for the Gospel
(a must listen to conference, free)
Trusted Book Stores/Publishers
Grace Books International
(trusted source for biblical Christian books)
John Piper:
Books Online (free)
R.C. Sproul:
Renewing Your Mind Offer
Offer of the Week (give a gift of any amount and get a resource or book)
Ligonier Store
(trusted source for biblical Christian books and resources)
Sovereign Grace Store
(affiliated with CJ Mahaney and Joshua Harris)
Study Guides
John MacArthur:
Study Guides
John Piper:
Study Guides
Q+A on Biblical / Life Questions
John MacArthur:
Audio Q+A Archive
Issues and Answers Archive
Q+A Archive
John Piper:
Ask Pastor John - Audio Archive
Awesome Articles and Daily Devotionals
John MacArthur:
Article of the Day (recommended!)
Article Archive
John Piper:
Weekly Devotions (recommended!)
Apologetics
Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
Links to Multiple Apologetic Websites
(includes: Answers in Genesis, Institute for Creation Research, The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and more)
Free Seminary Level Courses
Biblicaltraining.org
Reformed Theological Seminary
Links to Multiple Learning Websites
Bible Software
e-Sword Bible Software
(download many free commentaries, dictionaries, and Bible versions)
MacArthur LifeWorks Library 2.0 (CD-ROM) with Libronix Software
(amazing Bible software, plus the MacArthur Study Bible and many of his books included, highly recommended!!)
By David Ellingson
- Sites with a Variety of Great Resources
- Sermons from Trusted Biblical Preachers
- Trusted Book Stores/Publishers
- Study Guides
- Q+A on Biblical / Life Questions
- Awesome Articles and Daily Devotionals
- Apologetics
- Free Seminary Level Courses
- Bible Software
Sites with a Variety of Great Resources
Monergism.com
(this website makes available the finest classic articles and resources of historical orthodoxy, lots of reformed stuff!)
Faith by Hearing
(great website with links to awesome resources including mp3s, most are free)
Reformed.org
(A site with lots of resources including historic documents and books)
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(besides a great encyclopedia, it has Lexicons, Commentaries, and Interlinear and Parallel Bibles)
Sermons from Trusted Biblical Preachers
John MacArthur:
Sermon Vault
(sermon archive from one of the best, now free!)
R.C. Sproul:
Renewing Your Mind (Ligonier) - Broadcast Archive
R.C. Sproul Radio Broadcasts (free streaming audio/video)
Steve Lawson:
Men's Seminary
(free audio from one of my favorites)
Sermon Archives
(free audio/video from one of my favorites)
John Piper:
Desiring God - Sermon Archive
(free sermons from the pastor who taught me to seek to glorify God in everything!)
Grace Community Church, CA - Elective Courses
(free mp3s on various topics from elders and guest speakers at John MacArthur's church)
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Class - 1
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Class - 2
(an adult sunday school class taught by Dr. Grudem covering his systematic theology book, free mp3s and outlines!)
Together for the Gospel
(a must listen to conference, free)
Trusted Book Stores/Publishers
Grace Books International
(trusted source for biblical Christian books)
John Piper:
Books Online (free)
R.C. Sproul:
Renewing Your Mind Offer
Offer of the Week (give a gift of any amount and get a resource or book)
Ligonier Store
(trusted source for biblical Christian books and resources)
Sovereign Grace Store
(affiliated with CJ Mahaney and Joshua Harris)
Study Guides
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Study Guides
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Study Guides
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Q+A Archive
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Ask Pastor John - Audio Archive
Awesome Articles and Daily Devotionals
John MacArthur:
Article of the Day (recommended!)
Article Archive
John Piper:
Weekly Devotions (recommended!)
Apologetics
Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
Links to Multiple Apologetic Websites
(includes: Answers in Genesis, Institute for Creation Research, The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and more)
Free Seminary Level Courses
Biblicaltraining.org
Reformed Theological Seminary
Links to Multiple Learning Websites
Bible Software
e-Sword Bible Software
(download many free commentaries, dictionaries, and Bible versions)
MacArthur LifeWorks Library 2.0 (CD-ROM) with Libronix Software
(amazing Bible software, plus the MacArthur Study Bible and many of his books included, highly recommended!!)
Six Study Essentials
Six Study Essentials
Mark Driscoll
1. Have a good Bible.
Every Christian needs a good Bible that they can easily read and enjoy. A translation such as the English Standard Version (ESV), the ESV Study Bible is very well done, or the New International Version (NIV) is preferable as your primary reading Bible, although there are many other translations that are also quite good (e.g., New King James Version, New American Standard Version).
2. Have some good Christian books.
If you want to build a reference library, the first book you should buy is A Commentary and Reference Survey by John Glynn by John Glynn. That book will tell you which other books are the best resources available for in-depth Christian study and anyone who is serious about studying should have a copy of this book.
3. Have some good (free) online study resources.
There are many great websites that can help you do Bible word studies and such for free. Good examples include the following, with the first one built and run by Mars Hill elder, Zack Hubert:
ReGreek specializes in word studies from the Bible 's original languages.
Crosswalk has many translations and Bible study tools.
Bible Gateway has many translations and Bible study tools.
CCEL has most of the major works from Christian history for free and a “Study Bible” feature that pulls up historical church commentary on specified verses.
E Sword has numerous Bible study tools.
4. Have some good Bible software.
If you can afford it, Bible study software provides some amazing resources and companies like Logos Bible Software are worth considering.
5. Have some good websites.
There are many great resources available for free on the web with articles, books, blogs, podcasts, vodcasts, and MP3s. The following are some recommendations:
Desiring God is the website featuring a large repository of sermons and articles from my friend, Dr. John Piper.
Covenant Seminary has a “Free Downloads” link on their front page that will enable you to listen to hundreds of hours of their class lectures on many areas of Christian study. I am grateful to my friends at Covenant who have given the church such a gracious gift.
Mars Hill Church is where hundreds of hours of my teaching is available for free and has been the number one podcast on iTunes for religion and spirituality.
carm has good articles on cults, world religions, and apologetical issues.
equip.org has good articles, book reviews, and more, on cults, world religions, and apologetical issues.
www.christianitytoday.com/historyhas some great articles on Christian history and biography.
www.monergism.com has an almost overwhelming number of free articles on nearly every theological issue from a Reformed perspective.
6. Have some good community.
Most of the Bible was written to communities of people and is therefore best studied in community with other Christians. For this reason, getting plugged into a Community Group and/or taking midweek classes in addition to regularly attending a Sunday church service is essential.
Cool Revelation by Cory Asbury
-NEW- PSALM 27: COOL REVELATION
Salutations y'all, (spoken with thick redneck accent)
Last night, my worship team at IHOP-KC was singing through Psalm 27.
As we were doing this, I received some pretty awesome insight into verse 1...
"The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?"
There are many passages of scripture that describe God as light.
Psalm 104 states that He covers Himself with light as a garment
Matthew 4:16 states concerning Jesus that He was the light that shone in the darkness.
In John 8:12, Jesus declares of Himself that He is the light of the world.
My personal favorite, 2 Corinthians 4:6 declares that Jesus is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Now that's a power packed verse, but basically what it's saying is...drum roll please...
JESUS IS GOD. JESUS IS YAHWEH. JESUS IS CREATOR. JESUS IS MESSIAH.
In the first half of the first verse of the 27th Psalm, David sets forth the immeasurable truth of the divinity of God with such a simple phrase, "The Lord is my LIGHT"
To emphasize the point of this here little blog, we must refer back to the second half of the first verse of Psalm 27 which could be paraphrased, "The Lord (Jesus) is my salvation".
We must then ask the question, "How did Jesus become our salvation?"
First, he had to take on the form of a human.
Phillipians 2:6 "Although He existed in the form of God (i.e. glory, majesty), He did not regard equality (in form) with God to be something to be held on to, but He emptied Himself (of his glory, majesty) taking on the form of a bondservant and coming IN THE LIKENESS OF MAN."
THE GOD WHO CREATED THE UNIVERSE BECAME A BABY.
He subjected Himself to the natural processes of life such as fully relying on His mother for sustenance, learning to speak, read, write.
Secondly, in order to become our salvation, Jesus had to live a perfect, sinless life. He did this AS A HUMAN with a fallen, sinful nature. He was subject to all the same temptation that you and I are and yet never once sinned. WOW!
Lastly, Jesus had to bear our transgression on the cross. HE DEFEATED SIN AND DEATH!!!
So, what does it mean for Jesus to be our salvation???...
It means that he had to become HUMAN.
Never in my life had I seen so clearly the DIVINITY and HUMANITY of Jesus.
In brilliant juxtaposition, David successfully lays out the theological definition of who Jesus is....and to think...all of it in just the first half of the first verse of a single psalm.
"The Lord is my light and my Salvation, WHOM SHALL I FEAR?"
Salutations y'all, (spoken with thick redneck accent)
Last night, my worship team at IHOP-KC was singing through Psalm 27.
As we were doing this, I received some pretty awesome insight into verse 1...
"The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?"
There are many passages of scripture that describe God as light.
Psalm 104 states that He covers Himself with light as a garment
Matthew 4:16 states concerning Jesus that He was the light that shone in the darkness.
In John 8:12, Jesus declares of Himself that He is the light of the world.
My personal favorite, 2 Corinthians 4:6 declares that Jesus is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Now that's a power packed verse, but basically what it's saying is...drum roll please...
JESUS IS GOD. JESUS IS YAHWEH. JESUS IS CREATOR. JESUS IS MESSIAH.
In the first half of the first verse of the 27th Psalm, David sets forth the immeasurable truth of the divinity of God with such a simple phrase, "The Lord is my LIGHT"
To emphasize the point of this here little blog, we must refer back to the second half of the first verse of Psalm 27 which could be paraphrased, "The Lord (Jesus) is my salvation".
We must then ask the question, "How did Jesus become our salvation?"
First, he had to take on the form of a human.
Phillipians 2:6 "Although He existed in the form of God (i.e. glory, majesty), He did not regard equality (in form) with God to be something to be held on to, but He emptied Himself (of his glory, majesty) taking on the form of a bondservant and coming IN THE LIKENESS OF MAN."
THE GOD WHO CREATED THE UNIVERSE BECAME A BABY.
He subjected Himself to the natural processes of life such as fully relying on His mother for sustenance, learning to speak, read, write.
Secondly, in order to become our salvation, Jesus had to live a perfect, sinless life. He did this AS A HUMAN with a fallen, sinful nature. He was subject to all the same temptation that you and I are and yet never once sinned. WOW!
Lastly, Jesus had to bear our transgression on the cross. HE DEFEATED SIN AND DEATH!!!
So, what does it mean for Jesus to be our salvation???...
It means that he had to become HUMAN.
Never in my life had I seen so clearly the DIVINITY and HUMANITY of Jesus.
In brilliant juxtaposition, David successfully lays out the theological definition of who Jesus is....and to think...all of it in just the first half of the first verse of a single psalm.
"The Lord is my light and my Salvation, WHOM SHALL I FEAR?"
J. I. Packer on Young Christian Leaders
J. I. Packer on Young Christian Leaders
Author: Mark Driscoll
POSTED ON: 07.30.08
Mark Driscoll and JI PackerIn the lengthy time that Dr. J. I. Packer afforded me to speak with him while we were recently together in Orlando, I asked him which theological issues he would commend young Christian leaders to study in order to be prepared for the next fifty years. His list was quite insightful:
1. Regeneration — He said that the doctrine of regeneration has not been fully appreciated by many who do not understand that to be born again with a new heart and new nature means that we have at our deepest level a new identity and new passionate desires for God’s Word and ways. He commended to all young Christian leaders a thorough study on the doctrine of regeneration.
2. God-Centered Theology — He said that theology today is rife with man-centered thinking so that the glory of God in all things is not the essence of what is taught to be faithfully Christian. The result, he explained, is that even Christians often live their lives for the supreme purpose of their perceived happiness, feelings, and satisfaction. Yet, biblical Christianity differs from the other religions of the world in that the desires and purposes of God override ours; we are not the number one priority, but rather God is.
3. Godliness Begins at Home — This point was both surprising and refreshing. I was expecting only weighty and complicated theological admonition from such a theological giant. However, his wise counsel on this point is well needed. Packer said that most Christians do not take seriously the biblical teaching that true Christian living begins first at home with one’s spouse, children, and grandchildren. Therefore, he implored young Christian leaders to begin their quest for maturity and holiness at home in relationship with their family.
4. Trinity — Packer stated that the fullness of the doctrine of the Trinity is not completely appreciated as it should be. The result, he said, is that some Christians have only a deep understanding of Jesus or the Holy Spirit so that they are guilty of what he called “Jesus-olatry” or “Holy Spirit-olatry” rather than a full love and worshipful appreciation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.
Author: Mark Driscoll
POSTED ON: 07.30.08
Mark Driscoll and JI PackerIn the lengthy time that Dr. J. I. Packer afforded me to speak with him while we were recently together in Orlando, I asked him which theological issues he would commend young Christian leaders to study in order to be prepared for the next fifty years. His list was quite insightful:
1. Regeneration — He said that the doctrine of regeneration has not been fully appreciated by many who do not understand that to be born again with a new heart and new nature means that we have at our deepest level a new identity and new passionate desires for God’s Word and ways. He commended to all young Christian leaders a thorough study on the doctrine of regeneration.
2. God-Centered Theology — He said that theology today is rife with man-centered thinking so that the glory of God in all things is not the essence of what is taught to be faithfully Christian. The result, he explained, is that even Christians often live their lives for the supreme purpose of their perceived happiness, feelings, and satisfaction. Yet, biblical Christianity differs from the other religions of the world in that the desires and purposes of God override ours; we are not the number one priority, but rather God is.
3. Godliness Begins at Home — This point was both surprising and refreshing. I was expecting only weighty and complicated theological admonition from such a theological giant. However, his wise counsel on this point is well needed. Packer said that most Christians do not take seriously the biblical teaching that true Christian living begins first at home with one’s spouse, children, and grandchildren. Therefore, he implored young Christian leaders to begin their quest for maturity and holiness at home in relationship with their family.
4. Trinity — Packer stated that the fullness of the doctrine of the Trinity is not completely appreciated as it should be. The result, he said, is that some Christians have only a deep understanding of Jesus or the Holy Spirit so that they are guilty of what he called “Jesus-olatry” or “Holy Spirit-olatry” rather than a full love and worshipful appreciation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.
Great Ravenhill Quotes
Great RAVENHILL QUOTES
-Leonard Ravenhill.
“A popular evangelist reaches your emotions. A true prophet
reaches your conscience.”
“The last words of Jesus to the church (in Revelation) were ‘Repent!’”
“A true shepherd leads the way. He does not merely point the way.”
“Your doctrine can be as straight as a gun barrel—and just as empty!”
“John the Baptist never performed any miracles. Yet, he was greater
than any of the Old Testament prophets.”
“I doubt that more than two percent of professing Christians in the
United States are truly born again.”
“Our God is a consuming fire. He consumes pride, lust, materialism,
and other sin.”
“There are only two kinds of persons: those dead in sin and those dead to sin.”
[Concerning the darkness that has enveloped most of Christendom:]
“When you’re sitting in a dark room, you can either sit and curse the
darkness—or you can light a candle.”
“Children can tell you what Channel 7 says, but not what Matthew 7 says.”
“Some women will spend thirty minutes to an hour preparing for
church externally (putting on special clothes and makeup, etc.).
What would happen if we all spent the same amount of time
preparing internally for church—with prayer and meditation?”
“Maturity comes from obedience, not necessarily from age.”
“What good does it do to speak in tongues on Sunday if you have
been using your tongue during the week to curse and gossip?”
“The only time you can really say that ‘Christ is all I need,’ is when
Christ is all you have.”
“The Bible is either absolute, or it’s obsolete.”
“Why do we expect to be better treated in this world than Jesus was?”
“Today’s church wants to be raptured from responsibility.”
“Testimonies are wonderful. But, so often our lives don’t fit our testimonies.”
[Concerning one of the new “movements” in the church that was
causing a stir among Christians:] “There’s also a stir when the
circus comes to town.”
“My main ambition in life is to be on the Devil’s most wanted list.”
“You can’t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict.”
“When there’s something in the Bible that churches don’t like,
they call it ‘legalism.’”
“We can’t serve God by proxy.”
“We must do what we can do for God, before He will give us the
power to do what we can’t do.”
“There’s a difference between changing your opinion, and changing
your lifestyle.”
“Our seminaries today are turning out dead men.”
“How can you pull down strongholds of Satan if you don’t even have
the strength to turn off your TV?”
“Everyone recognizes that Stephen was Spirit-filled when he was
performing wonders. Yet, he was just as Spirit-filled when he was
being stoned to death.”
“If a Christian is not having tribulation in the world, there’s
something wrong!”
[Concerning the fixation that today’s church has with numbers,
with growth at any price:] “The church has paid a terrible price for
statistics!”
“Any method of evangelism will work—if God is in it.”
“Church unity comes from corporate humility.”
“You can have all of your doctrines right—yet still not have the
presence of God.”
“Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But
do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me,
saying, ‘Leonard, you took Me too seriously’?”
“If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach
today, He would never have been crucified.”
“You can know a lot about the atonement, and yet receive no benefit from it.”
“If the whole church goes off into deception, that will in no way
excuse us for not following Christ.”
-Leonard Ravenhill.
“A popular evangelist reaches your emotions. A true prophet
reaches your conscience.”
“The last words of Jesus to the church (in Revelation) were ‘Repent!’”
“A true shepherd leads the way. He does not merely point the way.”
“Your doctrine can be as straight as a gun barrel—and just as empty!”
“John the Baptist never performed any miracles. Yet, he was greater
than any of the Old Testament prophets.”
“I doubt that more than two percent of professing Christians in the
United States are truly born again.”
“Our God is a consuming fire. He consumes pride, lust, materialism,
and other sin.”
“There are only two kinds of persons: those dead in sin and those dead to sin.”
[Concerning the darkness that has enveloped most of Christendom:]
“When you’re sitting in a dark room, you can either sit and curse the
darkness—or you can light a candle.”
“Children can tell you what Channel 7 says, but not what Matthew 7 says.”
“Some women will spend thirty minutes to an hour preparing for
church externally (putting on special clothes and makeup, etc.).
What would happen if we all spent the same amount of time
preparing internally for church—with prayer and meditation?”
“Maturity comes from obedience, not necessarily from age.”
“What good does it do to speak in tongues on Sunday if you have
been using your tongue during the week to curse and gossip?”
“The only time you can really say that ‘Christ is all I need,’ is when
Christ is all you have.”
“The Bible is either absolute, or it’s obsolete.”
“Why do we expect to be better treated in this world than Jesus was?”
“Today’s church wants to be raptured from responsibility.”
“Testimonies are wonderful. But, so often our lives don’t fit our testimonies.”
[Concerning one of the new “movements” in the church that was
causing a stir among Christians:] “There’s also a stir when the
circus comes to town.”
“My main ambition in life is to be on the Devil’s most wanted list.”
“You can’t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict.”
“When there’s something in the Bible that churches don’t like,
they call it ‘legalism.’”
“We can’t serve God by proxy.”
“We must do what we can do for God, before He will give us the
power to do what we can’t do.”
“There’s a difference between changing your opinion, and changing
your lifestyle.”
“Our seminaries today are turning out dead men.”
“How can you pull down strongholds of Satan if you don’t even have
the strength to turn off your TV?”
“Everyone recognizes that Stephen was Spirit-filled when he was
performing wonders. Yet, he was just as Spirit-filled when he was
being stoned to death.”
“If a Christian is not having tribulation in the world, there’s
something wrong!”
[Concerning the fixation that today’s church has with numbers,
with growth at any price:] “The church has paid a terrible price for
statistics!”
“Any method of evangelism will work—if God is in it.”
“Church unity comes from corporate humility.”
“You can have all of your doctrines right—yet still not have the
presence of God.”
“Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But
do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me,
saying, ‘Leonard, you took Me too seriously’?”
“If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach
today, He would never have been crucified.”
“You can know a lot about the atonement, and yet receive no benefit from it.”
“If the whole church goes off into deception, that will in no way
excuse us for not following Christ.”
God and mammon
God and mammon
Zac Poonen
It is interesting to see that even though Jesus referred to Satan as "the ruler of this world" (John 14:30). He never referred to Satan as the alternative master to God, whom people have the choice of serving. When Jesus spoke of two masters whom men could serve, He said that the two were God and Mammon (Luke 16:13). In Christendom, generally speaking, preachers have always urged people to choose between God and Satan. Jesus however urged people to choose between God and Mammon.
Satan is a master schemer. He knows that if people are told to choose between God and Satan, no one will choose Satan. But when the choice is between God and Mammon, Satan knows that even believers will find it difficult to make a decisive choice.
Satan knows that most Christians choose their jobs and their place of residence, etc., based on their passion for Mammon (property and money) rather than on any desire for the promotion of God's kingdom. Satan knows that all such believers are useless for God's purposes, irrespective of the amount of religious activity they engage in.
Satan also knows that most of the Christian work in the world is more dependent on Mammon (money and property) than on the power of the Holy Spirit. Satan knows that all such Christian work will not have any eternal value - even if the reports of such work appear impressive when presented attractively by "public relations experts" in colourful Christian magazines!!
We must not be ignorant of Satan's wiles. It is against Satan's wiles that we are told to stand firm, and not against his wrath (Eph.6:11). Satan's wrath has never hindered the work of God at any time. Persecution has only made the church of Jesus Christ flourish in every country and at all times. But Satan has often succeeded with his wiles, where he has failed to accomplish anything with his wrath (see Rev.12:11,12).
Satan is happy to be hidden out of sight, because he knows that he can deceive people better that way. He knows very well that when a believer is influenced by the love of mammon in his decisions, he is actually serving the prince of Mammon, even if he imagines that he is serving God!!
When a believer's attitude to Mammon is wrong, he will be wrong in every other area too - because he then becomes a part of this world system that our Lord came to destroy. Such a man is a traitor to the Lord's cause on earth, even though he may not realize it. He is actually working on Satan's side, without knowing it. This is the fundamental problem with many believers today. They have not understood Satan's schemes.
Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples, "The prince of this world comes and he has no power over Me" (John 14:30 - Living). Mammon had no power over Jesus. And so Satan could find no foothold in Him and could not touch Him in any way. But Satan finds plenty of foothold through Mammon in the lives of most believers. Thus he is able to divert them from God's perfect plan for their lives.
Throughout the last 20 centuries, the greatest opposition for the Lord's servants has always come from "Christians" and so-called "believers" who are Biblical in all their doctrines except the doctrine of "the love of money"! It is not at all surprising that "believers" who worship Mammon oppose God's true prophets. Jesus Himself faced such opposition from the leaders of the Pharisees who had all their other doctrines right (Matt.23:3), but who loved and served Mammon (Luke 16:14).
Christians who pursue after Mammon have plenty of money to travel whenever they like, and wherever they like. They also have enough to buy whatever they like, whenever they like. Only lovers of Mammon can afford such expensive habits. But those who have an extravagant lifestyle can never be witnesses for the Lord in the midst of a suffering world.
It is dangerous to have money far beyond what we need. It was because Jonah had plenty of extra money that he could afford to buy a ticket to go to Tarshish - in plain disobedience to the Lord's command. How safe Jonah would have been from such a temptation, if he did not have any excess money available with him at that time.
It was to save His apostles from such temptations, that Jesus left them poor in the world. The Lord Who made Job, Abraham and David rich could easily have made His apostles rich too. But He didn't. Why? Because new-covenant apostles, unlike Old Testament saints, had to wage war against Satan. And when Satan came against them, it was essential that Satan should find "no love for Mammon in them"? Otherwise the Lord's purposes could never have been fulfilled through them.
What about you? When Satan comes against you, does he have power over you, because he finds the love of Mammon in you?
The battle against Satan is not fought on earth, but in "the heavenlies" (Eph.6:12). It is there that Satan's power has to be bound by us (Matt.18:18). Only those who are heavenly-minded can fight this battle. Those who love Mammon are earthly-minded and are useless in this battle. Satan knows that very well, even if believers don't.
In heaven, the saints walk on golden streets. Heaven has been prepared for those who have learnt to put gold under their feet even on earth. Our fasting and praying cannot accomplish God's purposes, if we love Mammon and are earthly-minded. It is only the prayer of "a righteous man" - one who has been freed from attachment to earthly things, like Elijah - whose prayers are effective before God (James 5:16,17). This is why God allows us at times, to lose large amounts of money - to deliver us from the love of Mammon and to make us effective for Him.
It will be very difficult for a disciple of Jesus, if he is totally honest and wholehearted, to become rich through his business in a world that is under the dominion of Satan. To become a wealthy man in such a world, one would have to follow Satan's principles in some area or the other, and disobey the principles of God's Word. The Bible clearly says,
"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." (1 Tim.6:9). One who seeks to be "rich towards God" can never become "rich in this world" (Luke 12:21; 1 Tim.6:17).
This applies also to preachers who become rich through preaching the gospel and selling Christian books and tapes. Another gimmick these days, is to conduct tours to Israel ("the holy land"??). If a preacher can gather 10 people for a trip to Israel, the travel agent will give him one free ticket. All such preachers are worshipping "the golden calf" and are servants of Mammon, and not of the Lord Jesus Christ. [Someone asked me once if I had ever been to the holy land. I told him I was walking there every day!]
The "prosperity gospel" was invented in the latter half of the 20th century by Mammon-loving preachers who had to find some "Scriptural" explanation to justify their extravagant lifestyles and the immense amount of wealth that they had accumulated from the tithes and offerings of their "devotees". So they hunted up Old Testament promises that God had given to Israel and began to proclaim those promises as the unfailing mark of God's blessing today. And money-loving believers gladly lapped up this new gospel!
A secular journalist in the U.S.A., who heard of such a church where the "prosperity gospel" was being preached, wanted to find out if this teaching really worked. So he went to the church's parking lot and checked out the makes of the cars parked there. He found that the cars parked in the spots reserved for the "Pastor" and "Assistant Pastors" were expensive cars!! But most of the other cars were cheap ones! He concluded that the "prosperity gospel" did work - but only for those who lived off the tithes and offerings of the congregation!! The rest of the congregation remained in the same condition that they had always been in!
Even in poor countries like India, preachers are becoming rich, off the tithes and offerings of poor people, through this counterfeit gospel.
What must the Lord think of the Christian "church" and its leaders today, who have pursued after Mammon, become tolerant of sin, and thus made themselves powerless in the battle against Satan. The gates of Hell have prevailed against this "church". And that is the clearest proof that this "church" is not the church that our Lord is building - for the powers of darkness can never prevail against that church (Matt.16:18).
Whenever a genuine Holy-Spirit revival comes anywhere, it will be a revival that delivers believers from the love of Mammon. Only such a revival will drive the prince of Mammon out of the church.
Any other so-called "revival" is a counterfeit.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Zac Poonen
It is interesting to see that even though Jesus referred to Satan as "the ruler of this world" (John 14:30). He never referred to Satan as the alternative master to God, whom people have the choice of serving. When Jesus spoke of two masters whom men could serve, He said that the two were God and Mammon (Luke 16:13). In Christendom, generally speaking, preachers have always urged people to choose between God and Satan. Jesus however urged people to choose between God and Mammon.
Satan is a master schemer. He knows that if people are told to choose between God and Satan, no one will choose Satan. But when the choice is between God and Mammon, Satan knows that even believers will find it difficult to make a decisive choice.
Satan knows that most Christians choose their jobs and their place of residence, etc., based on their passion for Mammon (property and money) rather than on any desire for the promotion of God's kingdom. Satan knows that all such believers are useless for God's purposes, irrespective of the amount of religious activity they engage in.
Satan also knows that most of the Christian work in the world is more dependent on Mammon (money and property) than on the power of the Holy Spirit. Satan knows that all such Christian work will not have any eternal value - even if the reports of such work appear impressive when presented attractively by "public relations experts" in colourful Christian magazines!!
We must not be ignorant of Satan's wiles. It is against Satan's wiles that we are told to stand firm, and not against his wrath (Eph.6:11). Satan's wrath has never hindered the work of God at any time. Persecution has only made the church of Jesus Christ flourish in every country and at all times. But Satan has often succeeded with his wiles, where he has failed to accomplish anything with his wrath (see Rev.12:11,12).
Satan is happy to be hidden out of sight, because he knows that he can deceive people better that way. He knows very well that when a believer is influenced by the love of mammon in his decisions, he is actually serving the prince of Mammon, even if he imagines that he is serving God!!
When a believer's attitude to Mammon is wrong, he will be wrong in every other area too - because he then becomes a part of this world system that our Lord came to destroy. Such a man is a traitor to the Lord's cause on earth, even though he may not realize it. He is actually working on Satan's side, without knowing it. This is the fundamental problem with many believers today. They have not understood Satan's schemes.
Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples, "The prince of this world comes and he has no power over Me" (John 14:30 - Living). Mammon had no power over Jesus. And so Satan could find no foothold in Him and could not touch Him in any way. But Satan finds plenty of foothold through Mammon in the lives of most believers. Thus he is able to divert them from God's perfect plan for their lives.
Throughout the last 20 centuries, the greatest opposition for the Lord's servants has always come from "Christians" and so-called "believers" who are Biblical in all their doctrines except the doctrine of "the love of money"! It is not at all surprising that "believers" who worship Mammon oppose God's true prophets. Jesus Himself faced such opposition from the leaders of the Pharisees who had all their other doctrines right (Matt.23:3), but who loved and served Mammon (Luke 16:14).
Christians who pursue after Mammon have plenty of money to travel whenever they like, and wherever they like. They also have enough to buy whatever they like, whenever they like. Only lovers of Mammon can afford such expensive habits. But those who have an extravagant lifestyle can never be witnesses for the Lord in the midst of a suffering world.
It is dangerous to have money far beyond what we need. It was because Jonah had plenty of extra money that he could afford to buy a ticket to go to Tarshish - in plain disobedience to the Lord's command. How safe Jonah would have been from such a temptation, if he did not have any excess money available with him at that time.
It was to save His apostles from such temptations, that Jesus left them poor in the world. The Lord Who made Job, Abraham and David rich could easily have made His apostles rich too. But He didn't. Why? Because new-covenant apostles, unlike Old Testament saints, had to wage war against Satan. And when Satan came against them, it was essential that Satan should find "no love for Mammon in them"? Otherwise the Lord's purposes could never have been fulfilled through them.
What about you? When Satan comes against you, does he have power over you, because he finds the love of Mammon in you?
The battle against Satan is not fought on earth, but in "the heavenlies" (Eph.6:12). It is there that Satan's power has to be bound by us (Matt.18:18). Only those who are heavenly-minded can fight this battle. Those who love Mammon are earthly-minded and are useless in this battle. Satan knows that very well, even if believers don't.
In heaven, the saints walk on golden streets. Heaven has been prepared for those who have learnt to put gold under their feet even on earth. Our fasting and praying cannot accomplish God's purposes, if we love Mammon and are earthly-minded. It is only the prayer of "a righteous man" - one who has been freed from attachment to earthly things, like Elijah - whose prayers are effective before God (James 5:16,17). This is why God allows us at times, to lose large amounts of money - to deliver us from the love of Mammon and to make us effective for Him.
It will be very difficult for a disciple of Jesus, if he is totally honest and wholehearted, to become rich through his business in a world that is under the dominion of Satan. To become a wealthy man in such a world, one would have to follow Satan's principles in some area or the other, and disobey the principles of God's Word. The Bible clearly says,
"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." (1 Tim.6:9). One who seeks to be "rich towards God" can never become "rich in this world" (Luke 12:21; 1 Tim.6:17).
This applies also to preachers who become rich through preaching the gospel and selling Christian books and tapes. Another gimmick these days, is to conduct tours to Israel ("the holy land"??). If a preacher can gather 10 people for a trip to Israel, the travel agent will give him one free ticket. All such preachers are worshipping "the golden calf" and are servants of Mammon, and not of the Lord Jesus Christ. [Someone asked me once if I had ever been to the holy land. I told him I was walking there every day!]
The "prosperity gospel" was invented in the latter half of the 20th century by Mammon-loving preachers who had to find some "Scriptural" explanation to justify their extravagant lifestyles and the immense amount of wealth that they had accumulated from the tithes and offerings of their "devotees". So they hunted up Old Testament promises that God had given to Israel and began to proclaim those promises as the unfailing mark of God's blessing today. And money-loving believers gladly lapped up this new gospel!
A secular journalist in the U.S.A., who heard of such a church where the "prosperity gospel" was being preached, wanted to find out if this teaching really worked. So he went to the church's parking lot and checked out the makes of the cars parked there. He found that the cars parked in the spots reserved for the "Pastor" and "Assistant Pastors" were expensive cars!! But most of the other cars were cheap ones! He concluded that the "prosperity gospel" did work - but only for those who lived off the tithes and offerings of the congregation!! The rest of the congregation remained in the same condition that they had always been in!
Even in poor countries like India, preachers are becoming rich, off the tithes and offerings of poor people, through this counterfeit gospel.
What must the Lord think of the Christian "church" and its leaders today, who have pursued after Mammon, become tolerant of sin, and thus made themselves powerless in the battle against Satan. The gates of Hell have prevailed against this "church". And that is the clearest proof that this "church" is not the church that our Lord is building - for the powers of darkness can never prevail against that church (Matt.16:18).
Whenever a genuine Holy-Spirit revival comes anywhere, it will be a revival that delivers believers from the love of Mammon. Only such a revival will drive the prince of Mammon out of the church.
Any other so-called "revival" is a counterfeit.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
5 Puritan Evangelism Lessons
5 Puritan Evangelism Lessons
The Word of God is preached too often today in a way that will not transform listeners because it fails to discriminate and fails to apply. Such preaching is reduced to a lecture, a demonstration, a catering to what people want to hear, or the kind of subjectivism that is divorced from the foundation of scripture . . . Reformed and Puritan preachers applied their sermons to every part of life, all of Scripture to the entire man. They were unashamedly doctrinal. We can learn much from them on how to evangelize, such as:
1) Speak the truth about God. That seems obvious. But how often do we speak to others about God's majestic being, His Trinitarian personality, and His glorious attributes? How often do we tell others about His holiness, sovereignty, mercy, and love? Do we root our evangelism in a robust biblical theism, or do we take our cues from modern evangelism which approaches God as if He were a next-door neighbor, who adjusts His attributes to our needs and desires? How often do we speak to others about how God and His majestic attributes have become experientially real to us?
2) Speak the truth about man. Do you talk to others about our depraved nature and our desperate need for salvation in Jesus Christ? Do you say that you are no better than they are by nature; that we are all, apart from grace, sinners with a terrible record, which is a legal problem, as well as a bad heart, which is a moral problem? Do you talk to them about the dreadful character of sin; that sin is something that stems back to our tragic fall in Adam and affects every part of us, so dominating our mind, heart, will, and conscience that we are slaves to it? Do you describe sin as moral rebellion against God? Do you say that the wages of sin is death, now and for all eternity?
3) Speak the truth about Christ. Do we present the complete Christ to sinners, not separating His benefits from His person or offering Him as a Savior while ignoring His claims as Lord? Do we offer Christ as the grand remedy for the great malady of sin and repeatedly declare His ability, willingness to save, and preciousness as the exclusive Redeemer of lost sinners? Do you exhibit the way of salvation in Christ in your faith and repentance? Paul said, "I testified to you publicly and from house to house repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:20-21). Do you likewise evangelize your friends and neighbors when God offers that opportunity? Do you explain to them what faith and repentance are in a born-again sinner?
4) Speak the truth about sanctification. Do you tell others how a Christian must walk the King's highway of holiness in gratitude, service, obedience, love, and self-denial? Do you tell how he must learn the art of meditation, of fearing God, and of childlike prayer? How he must press on by God's grace, seeking to make his calling and election sure? Do you disciple your associates in the need for habitual, experiential faith, repentance, and godliness?
5) Speak the truth about eternal consequences. Do not be afraid to speak about the consequences of despising the blood of Jesus Christ. Do not flinch from describing damnation and hell. As one Puritan wrote, "We must go with the stick of divine truth and beat every bush behind which a sinner hides, until like Adam who hid, he stands before God in his nakedness." We must speak urgently to people around us because many are on their way to hell. We must confront sinners with the law and gospel, with death in Adam and life in Christ. Let us use every weapon we can to turn sinners from the road of destruction so they may, through grace, experience a living, experiential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. We know from Scripture and by experience that an omnipotent Christ can bless our efforts and rescue a dead sinner, divorce him from his sinful lusts, and make him willing to forsake his wicked ways and turn to God, fully resolved to make God his goal and his praise. Acts 5:31 says, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Praise God for the experience of His amazing grace toward us in Christ.
The Word of God is preached too often today in a way that will not transform listeners because it fails to discriminate and fails to apply. Such preaching is reduced to a lecture, a demonstration, a catering to what people want to hear, or the kind of subjectivism that is divorced from the foundation of scripture . . . Reformed and Puritan preachers applied their sermons to every part of life, all of Scripture to the entire man. They were unashamedly doctrinal. We can learn much from them on how to evangelize, such as:
1) Speak the truth about God. That seems obvious. But how often do we speak to others about God's majestic being, His Trinitarian personality, and His glorious attributes? How often do we tell others about His holiness, sovereignty, mercy, and love? Do we root our evangelism in a robust biblical theism, or do we take our cues from modern evangelism which approaches God as if He were a next-door neighbor, who adjusts His attributes to our needs and desires? How often do we speak to others about how God and His majestic attributes have become experientially real to us?
2) Speak the truth about man. Do you talk to others about our depraved nature and our desperate need for salvation in Jesus Christ? Do you say that you are no better than they are by nature; that we are all, apart from grace, sinners with a terrible record, which is a legal problem, as well as a bad heart, which is a moral problem? Do you talk to them about the dreadful character of sin; that sin is something that stems back to our tragic fall in Adam and affects every part of us, so dominating our mind, heart, will, and conscience that we are slaves to it? Do you describe sin as moral rebellion against God? Do you say that the wages of sin is death, now and for all eternity?
3) Speak the truth about Christ. Do we present the complete Christ to sinners, not separating His benefits from His person or offering Him as a Savior while ignoring His claims as Lord? Do we offer Christ as the grand remedy for the great malady of sin and repeatedly declare His ability, willingness to save, and preciousness as the exclusive Redeemer of lost sinners? Do you exhibit the way of salvation in Christ in your faith and repentance? Paul said, "I testified to you publicly and from house to house repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:20-21). Do you likewise evangelize your friends and neighbors when God offers that opportunity? Do you explain to them what faith and repentance are in a born-again sinner?
4) Speak the truth about sanctification. Do you tell others how a Christian must walk the King's highway of holiness in gratitude, service, obedience, love, and self-denial? Do you tell how he must learn the art of meditation, of fearing God, and of childlike prayer? How he must press on by God's grace, seeking to make his calling and election sure? Do you disciple your associates in the need for habitual, experiential faith, repentance, and godliness?
5) Speak the truth about eternal consequences. Do not be afraid to speak about the consequences of despising the blood of Jesus Christ. Do not flinch from describing damnation and hell. As one Puritan wrote, "We must go with the stick of divine truth and beat every bush behind which a sinner hides, until like Adam who hid, he stands before God in his nakedness." We must speak urgently to people around us because many are on their way to hell. We must confront sinners with the law and gospel, with death in Adam and life in Christ. Let us use every weapon we can to turn sinners from the road of destruction so they may, through grace, experience a living, experiential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. We know from Scripture and by experience that an omnipotent Christ can bless our efforts and rescue a dead sinner, divorce him from his sinful lusts, and make him willing to forsake his wicked ways and turn to God, fully resolved to make God his goal and his praise. Acts 5:31 says, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Praise God for the experience of His amazing grace toward us in Christ.
Puritan Christopher Love's Day of Glorification
"At two o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, August 22, 1651, Christopher Love ascended the steps to the platform of the scaffold at Tower Hill. Accompanying him were some of his fellow ministers, Edmund Calamy, Simeon Ashe, and Thomas Watson, who were there to stand with him before he stepped into Paradise. The scaffold was surrounded by a huge crowd that had shown up either to see one last time the face of this beloved saint of God, or to watch this thorn in the side have his blood spilt. One report said that a particular man in the crowd who had come for the second reason, upon hearing the final words and prayer of Love he bewailed his sins and was converted there that day as Love died.
Upon receiving leave to speak to the crowd and to pray, Love opened his mouth and poured out his final words spoken on earth. With eloquent words he expressed his longing for the eternity that was to greet him shortly: “There is but two steps between me and glory. It is but lying down upon the block that I shall ascend upon a throne. I am exchanging a pulpit for a scaffold and a scaffold for a throne. I am exchanging a guard of soldiers for a guard of angels, to carry me to Abraham’s bosom."
He then went on to briefly answer the charges for which he was now being executed and explained his position. Love stated that he bore no ill toward any. With his last word he desired to speak of the glory of God rather than himself. Expressing his pastoral heart even at this point of death, he warned the peoples of the evils of the time and in London. To the city he urged them on to love their ministers, to submit to their church leadership, to keep faithful to the Scriptures and be weary of strange doctrines, to bewail the loss of the godly ministers who have recently been martyred, and to seek peace (particularly with the brothers of Scotland). Next, he expressed his love toward and gratitude for his congregation. Believing that his death would glorify God he said, “I do more good by my death that by my life, and glorify God more in my dying upon a scaffold than if I had died of a disease upon my bed.”
Giving glory to God, he recounted his conversion ant the age of fifteen and praised Him for the grace extended to him that he should be chosen to be His. Concluding his sermon he then requested and gained permission to pray. Love prayed for his accusers, for England and Scotland to be one, and for the future King Charles II. Also, he prayed for a friend who was to be executed after him. He closed by begging God for strength to complete his task in these final moments and by committing his spirit into the hands of God.
Love thanked the sheriff for his kindness and said, “Well, I go from a block to the bosom of my Savior.” Turning to another man on the scaffold he asked, “Art thou the officer?”
“Yes,” replied back the executioner. Love then tipped him three pence wrapped in paper, which was the custom to encourage the man to do a clean job with one blow. Blessing the name of Jesus, he then took leave of his fellow ministers on the scaffold with him after praying with them. “I am full of joy and peace in believing. I lie down with a world of comfort as if I were to lie down in my bed.”
As he prepared to lay his head upon the block Mr. Ashe called out to him, “Dear brother, how dost thou find thy heart?” Love replied, “I bless God, sir, I am full of joy and comfort as ever my heart can hold.”
Then Christopher Love uttered his final words, “Blessed be God for Jesus Christ” and knelt down and laid his head upon the block. He stretched forth his hands. The blade was raised and lowered. Christopher Love entered into Paradise and saw his Lord Jesus face to face. His head and his body, quickly put back together by the attending doctor, were put into a coffin and taken to his home, where he remained for three days."
Upon receiving leave to speak to the crowd and to pray, Love opened his mouth and poured out his final words spoken on earth. With eloquent words he expressed his longing for the eternity that was to greet him shortly: “There is but two steps between me and glory. It is but lying down upon the block that I shall ascend upon a throne. I am exchanging a pulpit for a scaffold and a scaffold for a throne. I am exchanging a guard of soldiers for a guard of angels, to carry me to Abraham’s bosom."
He then went on to briefly answer the charges for which he was now being executed and explained his position. Love stated that he bore no ill toward any. With his last word he desired to speak of the glory of God rather than himself. Expressing his pastoral heart even at this point of death, he warned the peoples of the evils of the time and in London. To the city he urged them on to love their ministers, to submit to their church leadership, to keep faithful to the Scriptures and be weary of strange doctrines, to bewail the loss of the godly ministers who have recently been martyred, and to seek peace (particularly with the brothers of Scotland). Next, he expressed his love toward and gratitude for his congregation. Believing that his death would glorify God he said, “I do more good by my death that by my life, and glorify God more in my dying upon a scaffold than if I had died of a disease upon my bed.”
Giving glory to God, he recounted his conversion ant the age of fifteen and praised Him for the grace extended to him that he should be chosen to be His. Concluding his sermon he then requested and gained permission to pray. Love prayed for his accusers, for England and Scotland to be one, and for the future King Charles II. Also, he prayed for a friend who was to be executed after him. He closed by begging God for strength to complete his task in these final moments and by committing his spirit into the hands of God.
Love thanked the sheriff for his kindness and said, “Well, I go from a block to the bosom of my Savior.” Turning to another man on the scaffold he asked, “Art thou the officer?”
“Yes,” replied back the executioner. Love then tipped him three pence wrapped in paper, which was the custom to encourage the man to do a clean job with one blow. Blessing the name of Jesus, he then took leave of his fellow ministers on the scaffold with him after praying with them. “I am full of joy and peace in believing. I lie down with a world of comfort as if I were to lie down in my bed.”
As he prepared to lay his head upon the block Mr. Ashe called out to him, “Dear brother, how dost thou find thy heart?” Love replied, “I bless God, sir, I am full of joy and comfort as ever my heart can hold.”
Then Christopher Love uttered his final words, “Blessed be God for Jesus Christ” and knelt down and laid his head upon the block. He stretched forth his hands. The blade was raised and lowered. Christopher Love entered into Paradise and saw his Lord Jesus face to face. His head and his body, quickly put back together by the attending doctor, were put into a coffin and taken to his home, where he remained for three days."
Largest 25 Churches (ranked by membership)
1. The Catholic Church – 67,515,016
2. Southern Baptist Convention – 16,306,246
3. The United Methodist Church – 7,995,456
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – 5,779,316
5. The Church of God in Christ – 5,499,875
6. National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc. – 5,000,000
7. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – 4,774,203
8. National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. – 3,500,000
9. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – 3,025,740
10. Assemblies of God – 2,836,174
11. African Methodist Episcopal Church – 2,500,000
12. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America – 2,500,000
13. Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. – 2,500,000
14. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) – 2,417,997
15. Episcopal Church – 2,154,572
16. Churches of Christ – 1,639,495
17. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – 1,500,000
18. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. – 1,500,000
19. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church – 1,443,405
20. American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. – 1,371,278
21. United Church of Christ – 1,218,541
22. Baptist Bible Fellowship International – 1,200,000
23. Christian Churches and Churches of Christ – 1,071,616
24. The Orthodox Church in America – 1,064,000
25. Jehovah’s Witnesses – 1,069,530
2. Southern Baptist Convention – 16,306,246
3. The United Methodist Church – 7,995,456
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – 5,779,316
5. The Church of God in Christ – 5,499,875
6. National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc. – 5,000,000
7. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – 4,774,203
8. National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. – 3,500,000
9. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – 3,025,740
10. Assemblies of God – 2,836,174
11. African Methodist Episcopal Church – 2,500,000
12. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America – 2,500,000
13. Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. – 2,500,000
14. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) – 2,417,997
15. Episcopal Church – 2,154,572
16. Churches of Christ – 1,639,495
17. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – 1,500,000
18. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. – 1,500,000
19. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church – 1,443,405
20. American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. – 1,371,278
21. United Church of Christ – 1,218,541
22. Baptist Bible Fellowship International – 1,200,000
23. Christian Churches and Churches of Christ – 1,071,616
24. The Orthodox Church in America – 1,064,000
25. Jehovah’s Witnesses – 1,069,530
Good Preaching
Judgment Seat of Christ - Leonard Ravenhill
You are Dearly Loved By God - Paul Washer
Effective Fatherhood - Al Martin
Your Life - John Piper
You are Dearly Loved By God - Paul Washer
Effective Fatherhood - Al Martin
Your Life - John Piper
A Call to Thought Purity
A Call to Thought Purity
by Harold S. Martin
A Bible Helps Tract -- No. 41
An older proverb says, "You are not what you think you are, but you are what you think." The statement is not merely an ancient proverb, but it is also a Bible truth. The Bible states that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).
Satan attacks all of us in many ways, but perhaps his most vigorous assault is brought to bear upon our thought lives. Satan knows that what we think, eventually makes us what we are. He knows that our thoughts often lead to actions -- and so he works on our thought lives. Each of us is responsible for what he welcomes into his mind.
1. The Mind's Capacity for Evil
The Apostle Paul was keenly aware of the capacity of the mind for evil thoughts. One may dwell upon lustful thoughts, wrong thoughts about some member of the opposite sex. Another may seethe in his mind with jealousy and envy toward other people. Still others are consumed with pride and with high thoughts about themselves. The "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5 is a long list of sins -- many of which are sins of the mind.
The mind can easily be covered up (at least for a while), and so the mind is difficult to capture for Christ. We can retreat within the walls of our minds, and think about things that are known only to ourselves and God -- and so it is difficult for others to detect what we are really thinking. We must remember however that God does know our thoughts, and He is concerned about them -- and often they eventually do come out into the open.
In the European country of Italy nearly 2,000 years ago, there was a thriving town called Pompeii. It was nestled on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. One man who lived in Pompeii painted filthy pictures on the walls of one of the rooms of his house. He normally kept the door to that room shut. He thought no one would ever know. But in 79 A. D., Mt. Vesuvius erupted and buried the town of Pompeii. And in more recent years archaeologists began to uncover the city, and they found houses just as the owners had left them. The house with the bad pictures was discovered, and today, those who tour Pompeii find that the guide keeps the door to that room locked so that people will not walk in accidently, and become embarrassed. His thoughts came out into the open.
The greatest area of sin in the believer's life is not usually in the area of actions, but in the arena of the thought life. Pride, for example, is a sin of the mind. And so is lust and suspicion and discouragement. These are all sins of the mind. Because all of us contend with the old nature (even after we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ), all of us have trouble with undesirable thoughts popping into our heads. These thoughts can be surprising, sometimes confusing, and sometimes even condemning. Most of us would not want the thoughts that have gone through our minds during the past month to be flashed on a screen in front of a room for all to see. It could be kind of embarrassing, and perhaps even frightening.
The secret thoughts, however, that pop into our heads are not really an accurate barometer of our spiritual condition. It is what a person continues to think about, and what he delights in -- that tells more accurately what he is and where he stands spiritually. While we cannot ever completely get rid of the sin- nature here in this life, we can keep it in relative control.
2. The Mind's Occupation with God
The mind is like a garden which can grow beauty or it can grow ugliness. It can produce flowers or it can bring forth weeds. It must be tended with care and with diligence. It must be disciplined by conscious exercise. The mind must be exercised like the body -- thinking on good and wholesome things.
The Bible says in Philippians 2:5, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." We must cultivate spiritual thinking, and the Scriptures give a list of worthy objects that we ought to be thinking about. The list is recorded in Philippians 4:8.
"Whatever things are true" -- that is, whatever is earned or received by fair methods, not by cheating and falsehoods. For most of us, it is not the big things that test our honesty. We will likely never embezzle ten thousand dollars from an employer, but we must be careful about the dimes and the quarters. We must guard against considering stealing towels from a motel room or accepting too much change from a store manager. Satan tells us, if we receive too much change in a restaurant: "That lunch really wasn't very good; I'll just keep this extra coin as a sort of refund." By way of contrast, every Christian needs to think in terms of old-fashioned, second-mile honesty.
"Whatever things are just" -- that is, things that are right and fair and impartial. It is right to give a customer full measure when selling merchandise in business. It is right to expose doctrinal error and false teachings when presenting the Word of God. It is right to play it fair-and-square in all our dealing. Parents must diligently seek to be fair with their children and treat them all alike. We should never plan in our thoughts to do anything that is unfair and partial.
"Whatever things are pure" -- that is, free from anything that is tainted. Purity speaks especially about chastity in the realm sexual relationships. It is very hard to live through a single day in our society without having the mind bombarded with sex in some kind of distorted form. Unclean thinking is stimulated by abbreviated dress, obscene pictures, and dirty stories. For this reason, the follower of Christ does not attend the movies, he carefully censors his reading material, and he avoids participating in a joke that is not noble and pure. Most television programs and television commercials are not acceptable to him. Whatever things are pure, think on these things.
"Whatever things are lovely" -- that is, things that are beautiful, winsome, and pleasing. "Lovely things" are the opposite of the ugly and bizarre. The Christian should cultivate the traits of courtesy and pleasantness. He should avoid the snapped answer, the harsh reply, and the sarcastic response. It is sad to see a husband who cannot answer his wife in gentle tones. Such things are not "lovely."
We should think of things that call forth admiration -- incidents of faithfulness and courage and loyalty. Paul Harvey, on a news broadcast, sometimes tells of a marriage that lasted 60 or even 70 years. That is a "lovely" kind of report to hear. By way of contrast, television programs and magazine and newspaper articles that emphasize stories about wife-swapping, child abuse, lesbianism, and crude violence -- are ugly things that are the opposite of that which is lovely.
"Whatever things are of good report" -- that is, things spoken in a kindly spirit; things spoken with good will toward others; things which are the opposite of gossip and the spreading of rumors. Courtesy to others, respect for parents, loyalty between husband and wife -- these are always things "of good report."
The word "think" means "to dwell upon" or "to focus attention upon." Qualities such as kindness, loyalty, helpfulness -- these are qualities we should seriously think about. Spirit-controlled thinking can lift our thoughts and bless our whole life. The Scripture passage which we have just analyzed (Philippians 4:8) suggests that the way to conquer evil thinking is not so much to fight the wicked thoughts, as to cultivate the good thoughts. Philippians 4:8 is a call to think upon good things.
3. The Mind's Battle for the Right
Living the Christian life involves a daily battle. The Apostle Paul spoke of the great conflict that raged within him. He says in Romans 7:23, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." On the one hand, his mind was bombarded with solicitations to evil; on the other hand, there was the appeal of the Spirit of God, seeking to bring Paul's mind under God's authority.
We are all subject to Satan's attacks. Every one of us has had problems with wrong thoughts. It is true that the work of sanctification is a slow process, and never reaches perfection here in this life -- yet each of us has a responsibility in the realm of thought-control. God says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts" (Isaiah 55:7-9). And again, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" (Isaiah 26:3). But how does one go about conquering evil thoughts?
One method for defeating evil of any kind, is to run away from it. The Bible says, "Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Timothy 2:19). And again, "Flee youthful lusts" (2 Timothy 2:22). When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's wife, he fled and got away (Genesis 39:12). One way to conquer evil thoughts, is to stay away from situations that can stimulate wrong thinking and provide easy occasions to sin.
Another means of achieving victory over evil thoughts, is to intentionally occupy the mind with wholesome things in order to drive out the flood of evil that tries to enter. The devil walks about looking for vacancies in our minds and seeks to make entry. When evil thoughts pop into our minds, we must make it a practice to immediately pause and pray, to analyze a portion of Scripture, or to turn our attention to some pleasant, exciting experience in the past -- so that soon our minds will be absorbed with the pleasant memory -- and the evil thoughts will more and more fade into the background.
A third means of victory over evil thoughts, is to be alert to watch and pray. We must over and over again reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. This takes conscious effort; it takes human resolve; it is not going to come automatically -- but it can be done. We cannot keep Satan from injecting wrong thoughts into our minds, but we do not need to dwell on those thoughts. We cannot keep a bird from flying over our heads, but we can keep it from building a nest in our hair. We must continually be a policeman! Bring every thought into captivity, into obedience to Christ. The Bible says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds . . . and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Keep a watchful eye. Guard your mind all day long. Sit in judgment upon every thought that flickers through your mind. When sinful thoughts pop into your head -- repeat aloud a Scripture verse; begin to sing a hymn; offer a prayer for deliverance. And slowly but surely (with God's help) you will bring your thought life into captivity.
If we give diligence to think upon those things which are lovely and honest and praiseworthy, we will experience growth in grace. May the Lord help us to guard our minds and give us power to reject what is untrue and unwholesome.
by Harold S. Martin
A Bible Helps Tract -- No. 41
An older proverb says, "You are not what you think you are, but you are what you think." The statement is not merely an ancient proverb, but it is also a Bible truth. The Bible states that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).
Satan attacks all of us in many ways, but perhaps his most vigorous assault is brought to bear upon our thought lives. Satan knows that what we think, eventually makes us what we are. He knows that our thoughts often lead to actions -- and so he works on our thought lives. Each of us is responsible for what he welcomes into his mind.
1. The Mind's Capacity for Evil
The Apostle Paul was keenly aware of the capacity of the mind for evil thoughts. One may dwell upon lustful thoughts, wrong thoughts about some member of the opposite sex. Another may seethe in his mind with jealousy and envy toward other people. Still others are consumed with pride and with high thoughts about themselves. The "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5 is a long list of sins -- many of which are sins of the mind.
The mind can easily be covered up (at least for a while), and so the mind is difficult to capture for Christ. We can retreat within the walls of our minds, and think about things that are known only to ourselves and God -- and so it is difficult for others to detect what we are really thinking. We must remember however that God does know our thoughts, and He is concerned about them -- and often they eventually do come out into the open.
In the European country of Italy nearly 2,000 years ago, there was a thriving town called Pompeii. It was nestled on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. One man who lived in Pompeii painted filthy pictures on the walls of one of the rooms of his house. He normally kept the door to that room shut. He thought no one would ever know. But in 79 A. D., Mt. Vesuvius erupted and buried the town of Pompeii. And in more recent years archaeologists began to uncover the city, and they found houses just as the owners had left them. The house with the bad pictures was discovered, and today, those who tour Pompeii find that the guide keeps the door to that room locked so that people will not walk in accidently, and become embarrassed. His thoughts came out into the open.
The greatest area of sin in the believer's life is not usually in the area of actions, but in the arena of the thought life. Pride, for example, is a sin of the mind. And so is lust and suspicion and discouragement. These are all sins of the mind. Because all of us contend with the old nature (even after we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ), all of us have trouble with undesirable thoughts popping into our heads. These thoughts can be surprising, sometimes confusing, and sometimes even condemning. Most of us would not want the thoughts that have gone through our minds during the past month to be flashed on a screen in front of a room for all to see. It could be kind of embarrassing, and perhaps even frightening.
The secret thoughts, however, that pop into our heads are not really an accurate barometer of our spiritual condition. It is what a person continues to think about, and what he delights in -- that tells more accurately what he is and where he stands spiritually. While we cannot ever completely get rid of the sin- nature here in this life, we can keep it in relative control.
2. The Mind's Occupation with God
The mind is like a garden which can grow beauty or it can grow ugliness. It can produce flowers or it can bring forth weeds. It must be tended with care and with diligence. It must be disciplined by conscious exercise. The mind must be exercised like the body -- thinking on good and wholesome things.
The Bible says in Philippians 2:5, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." We must cultivate spiritual thinking, and the Scriptures give a list of worthy objects that we ought to be thinking about. The list is recorded in Philippians 4:8.
"Whatever things are true" -- that is, whatever is earned or received by fair methods, not by cheating and falsehoods. For most of us, it is not the big things that test our honesty. We will likely never embezzle ten thousand dollars from an employer, but we must be careful about the dimes and the quarters. We must guard against considering stealing towels from a motel room or accepting too much change from a store manager. Satan tells us, if we receive too much change in a restaurant: "That lunch really wasn't very good; I'll just keep this extra coin as a sort of refund." By way of contrast, every Christian needs to think in terms of old-fashioned, second-mile honesty.
"Whatever things are just" -- that is, things that are right and fair and impartial. It is right to give a customer full measure when selling merchandise in business. It is right to expose doctrinal error and false teachings when presenting the Word of God. It is right to play it fair-and-square in all our dealing. Parents must diligently seek to be fair with their children and treat them all alike. We should never plan in our thoughts to do anything that is unfair and partial.
"Whatever things are pure" -- that is, free from anything that is tainted. Purity speaks especially about chastity in the realm sexual relationships. It is very hard to live through a single day in our society without having the mind bombarded with sex in some kind of distorted form. Unclean thinking is stimulated by abbreviated dress, obscene pictures, and dirty stories. For this reason, the follower of Christ does not attend the movies, he carefully censors his reading material, and he avoids participating in a joke that is not noble and pure. Most television programs and television commercials are not acceptable to him. Whatever things are pure, think on these things.
"Whatever things are lovely" -- that is, things that are beautiful, winsome, and pleasing. "Lovely things" are the opposite of the ugly and bizarre. The Christian should cultivate the traits of courtesy and pleasantness. He should avoid the snapped answer, the harsh reply, and the sarcastic response. It is sad to see a husband who cannot answer his wife in gentle tones. Such things are not "lovely."
We should think of things that call forth admiration -- incidents of faithfulness and courage and loyalty. Paul Harvey, on a news broadcast, sometimes tells of a marriage that lasted 60 or even 70 years. That is a "lovely" kind of report to hear. By way of contrast, television programs and magazine and newspaper articles that emphasize stories about wife-swapping, child abuse, lesbianism, and crude violence -- are ugly things that are the opposite of that which is lovely.
"Whatever things are of good report" -- that is, things spoken in a kindly spirit; things spoken with good will toward others; things which are the opposite of gossip and the spreading of rumors. Courtesy to others, respect for parents, loyalty between husband and wife -- these are always things "of good report."
The word "think" means "to dwell upon" or "to focus attention upon." Qualities such as kindness, loyalty, helpfulness -- these are qualities we should seriously think about. Spirit-controlled thinking can lift our thoughts and bless our whole life. The Scripture passage which we have just analyzed (Philippians 4:8) suggests that the way to conquer evil thinking is not so much to fight the wicked thoughts, as to cultivate the good thoughts. Philippians 4:8 is a call to think upon good things.
3. The Mind's Battle for the Right
Living the Christian life involves a daily battle. The Apostle Paul spoke of the great conflict that raged within him. He says in Romans 7:23, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." On the one hand, his mind was bombarded with solicitations to evil; on the other hand, there was the appeal of the Spirit of God, seeking to bring Paul's mind under God's authority.
We are all subject to Satan's attacks. Every one of us has had problems with wrong thoughts. It is true that the work of sanctification is a slow process, and never reaches perfection here in this life -- yet each of us has a responsibility in the realm of thought-control. God says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts" (Isaiah 55:7-9). And again, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" (Isaiah 26:3). But how does one go about conquering evil thoughts?
One method for defeating evil of any kind, is to run away from it. The Bible says, "Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Timothy 2:19). And again, "Flee youthful lusts" (2 Timothy 2:22). When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's wife, he fled and got away (Genesis 39:12). One way to conquer evil thoughts, is to stay away from situations that can stimulate wrong thinking and provide easy occasions to sin.
Another means of achieving victory over evil thoughts, is to intentionally occupy the mind with wholesome things in order to drive out the flood of evil that tries to enter. The devil walks about looking for vacancies in our minds and seeks to make entry. When evil thoughts pop into our minds, we must make it a practice to immediately pause and pray, to analyze a portion of Scripture, or to turn our attention to some pleasant, exciting experience in the past -- so that soon our minds will be absorbed with the pleasant memory -- and the evil thoughts will more and more fade into the background.
A third means of victory over evil thoughts, is to be alert to watch and pray. We must over and over again reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. This takes conscious effort; it takes human resolve; it is not going to come automatically -- but it can be done. We cannot keep Satan from injecting wrong thoughts into our minds, but we do not need to dwell on those thoughts. We cannot keep a bird from flying over our heads, but we can keep it from building a nest in our hair. We must continually be a policeman! Bring every thought into captivity, into obedience to Christ. The Bible says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds . . . and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Keep a watchful eye. Guard your mind all day long. Sit in judgment upon every thought that flickers through your mind. When sinful thoughts pop into your head -- repeat aloud a Scripture verse; begin to sing a hymn; offer a prayer for deliverance. And slowly but surely (with God's help) you will bring your thought life into captivity.
If we give diligence to think upon those things which are lovely and honest and praiseworthy, we will experience growth in grace. May the Lord help us to guard our minds and give us power to reject what is untrue and unwholesome.