A gracious heart looks upon every promise as coming from the root of the great Covenant, of grace in Christ. Other men look upon some particular promises, that God will help them in straits, and keep them and the like, but they do not look at the connection of such particular promises to the root, the Covenant of grace. Christians miss a great deal of comfort which they might have from the particular promises in the gospel, if they would consider their connection to the root, the great Covenant that God has made with them in Christ. -Jeremiah Burroughs
Monthly Archive for April, 2007
Good doctrine protects us from all kinds of errors and all kinds of fears. One of the important things you must know, understand, and believe is that God has planned good for you and not evil. He loves His children. His
Providence rules His world and He governs His people with kindness. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies†(Psalm 25:10). If you have a solid biblical doctrine of God’s omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, this will protect you from many doubts, worries, and fears about the future, as well as keep you from fretting over the past.
           The unmarried woman can expect to be assailed with temptations to worry about the future: What if I never marry? What if I marry, but it is too late to have children? What if there is no one for me after all? What if I missed “God’s best� These are questions that are impossible to answer because all “what if†questions are not really questions at all, but doubts. They disrupt your peace and bring troubling thoughts; they rob you of your joy by introducing fictional and future trials. Jesus said not to borrow trouble because each day has enough of its own. These sorts of thoughts are temptations, and God wants you to learn to deal with temptations, whatever form they take.
           Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our lives (Mt. 6:31-33). We are to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).Worrying will only make life miserable. It is fruitless. So how do you deal with temptations that come in the form of “what if†questions? This may seem like a simplistic answer, but here it is: ignore them. Do not answer them; in fact, do not listen to them. Rather, ask what good things God has given you to do today. Focus on today’s duties. This is a fruitful use of your time. Recognize that those “what if†questions are temptations to get you to feel blue, worried, lonely, or anxious. Do not engage in a conversation with yourself about this stuff. Ignore, ignore, ignore. And set your mind on something helpful, something that is profitable. This is how we fear God. And when we fear God, that holy fear swallows up all our other petty fears. Continue reading ‘Is This Really God’s Best?’
What is it?
What are the distinguishing marks of joy? Is it an emotional high or something we can produce on demand? No. Joy is something that the Spirit gives, and therefore the flesh cannot manipulate or imitate it. Joy is an intense, deep, and abiding satisfaction in the sovereignty and goodness of God. Joy is praise. Though the unbeliever can experience some kinds of earthly joy as the result of God’s common grace to all men, it is not the same as the joy of the Lord. It is a shallow, worldly joy that is based on changing circumstances. The joy of the Lord is a gift of the Spirit. Let’s examine some of the Scriptures that relate to joy and rejoicing.
Who should rejoice?
All the righteous. As far as I can see, there are no exceptions. What a blessed commandment for us to obey.
“But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name by joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield†(Psalm 5:11-12).
“Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright†(Psalm 33:1).
“But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice†{Psalm 68:3).
All of creation rejoices:
“Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth†(Psalm 96:11-13). Continue reading ‘Joy Overflowing’
My daughter Rachel and her husband Luke own a little kitchen/flower boutique in downtown Moscow, and in the midst of the many gray months we have here, it is a very cheery little spot indeed. There is no denying that the winter months here lack color (except for when the snow is gloriously blinding on a bright, clear day). But stepping into the shop can be a helpful poke in the eye to remind us that red and yellow and orange and vivid blue and green are still alive and well, even if they are in hibernation outside.
           One of the things for sale in this little shop is our church’s cookbook, Hot Providence. I just want to give it a bit of a plug. Not only does it feature some fantastic recipes (hundreds), but many of the recipes include family stories. I think the Leithart stories may be my favorites. Here is a sample story included with the recipe for Lindsey Cake:
           You have probably wondered what people do in the South when it gets hot in the summer. Well, we will tell you. They have family reunions…all the time, every weekend, and every long distance family member is invited, which usually includes nearly the whole state of Alabama. Momma got this recipe at the Jordan (that’s her maiden name) Family Reunion in Cullman, Alabama in the early 1990’s. She decided to name it after Lindsey because she ate so much of it!
           Now who could resist such a plug for such a cake? Also included in the back of the book are some sample menus, articles on relevant topics like celebrating the Sabbath, how to Continue reading ‘Hot Stuff’
To be content as a result of some external thing is like warming a man’s clothes by the fire. But to be content through an inward disposition of the soul is like the warmth that a man’s clothes have from the natural heat of his body….The warmth of the fire, that is, a contentment that results merely from external arguments, will not last long. But that which comes from the gracious temper of one’s spirit will last. -Jeremiah Burroughs
I always like to begin with a clear definition of what it is we are talking about, and I confess to loving the dictionary. Discretion is showing caution and good judgment in what one does, not giving away secrets; not showy or obtrusive; prudence. And what is it to be prudent? Capable of exercising sound judgment in practical matters; cautious or discreet in conduct; circumspect; sensible; not rash; prompted by wisdom; Wise.   Â
So now to consider what the Bible says about discretion, how it is described, and how we can apply ourselves to be discreet.
Proverbs 2:10-12 When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things.
           Characteristics: Some people find wisdom and knowledge pleasant; for those people, discretion preserves, keeps, delivers. Here we also see that a lack of discretion is associated with the tongue.
            Proverbs 8:12 I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.
           Characteristics: Discretion is a trait that keeps company with wisdom, knowledge.
           Application: What kind of friends do you keep company with? Are they prudent?         Discreet? Wise? Searching for knowledge? Continue reading ‘Discretion’
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