Them he also glorified

Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

“The absence of all evil will be another feature of the coming glory. Take the long catalog of ills we suffer here –the cares that corrode, the anxieties that agitate, the sorrows that depress, the bereavements that wound, the diseases that waste, the temptations that assail -- in a word, whatever pains a sensitive mind, or wounds a confiding spirit; the rudeness of some, the coldness of others, the unfaithfulness and heartlessness of yet more; and as you trace the sad list, think of glory as the pace where not one shall enter. All, all are entirely and eternally absent. “God shall wipe away al tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, more crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Octavius Winslow No Condemnation in Christ Jesus

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Douglas Newell IV

Book Review: Priscilla by Joseph Banvard

Priscilla Or Trials For The Truth: An Historic Tale Of The Puritans And The Baptists (1854) BY: Joseph Banvard

Priscilla is a historical novel that tells the story of a young girl, Priscilla Eaton, as she leaves Europe with her family due to religious persecution with the hope of freedom in the new world of the Americas. The Eaton's were puritans who narrowly escaped imprisonment from the European state church before fleeing to America. From the opening chapter, the Eaton's suffer one hardship after the other for their faith.

Without giving too much away, the puritan family in the American colonies are confronted with another type of persecution; this time the puritans are persecuting those who do not share their beliefs, the Baptist.

The book combines historical events of John Clark and Obadiah Holmes with the tale of Eaton's at the same time examining biblical truth about salvation and the church, especially that of baptism. In the style of historical novel, with footnotes of the accuracy of the events, the tale of Obadiah Holmes public whipping and imprisonment for his belief in Baptist, believers baptism is an a challenging chapter. We tend to think of the new world as the land of religious freedom and persecution ended on the other side of world; but religious freedom wasn't free and persecution was alive and well in the new colonies.

The chapters are really short, the story is intriguing and overall a good book. There are a few things I am in disagreement with, but as a whole, great book. We read the book as a family after dinner, and it was suspenseful enough to keep my young sons (6 and under) interested in the story and gave us ample opportunity to discuss spiritual truths.

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Douglas Newell IV

Conformed to the image of Christ

Romans 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Desire, child of God, to be conformed to the image of Christ. Pray for that end because you are predestined to that end. See God’s Providence in molding and shaping you to Divine conformity. The dark clouds of suffering and trails are ever working in us that which is necessary for our ultimate good. Child of God, whatever trouble you are now facing know that God has allowed it for your good, your training, your conformity to the image of His blessed Son.

Remember the promises of God, that He will not abandon you; EVER. Christ will always be there and He will never give you up. Jesus will never leave you, He is there and will be there in the midst of the most violent of storms to aid, comfort and protect.


Douglas Newell IV

James Smith, "Grace for the Humble" 1859

From Grace Gems daily devotional, an excerpt from James Smith sermon Grace for the Humble.

"All who will live godly in Christ Jesus--shall suffer persecution!" 2 Timothy 3:12

The enmity of the world against God is as great as ever. It may be concealed--but it is not destroyed.

The world will oppose the godly man.
If we were more godlike--it would . . .
hate us more,
oppose us more,
and persecute us more!

We have little persecution from the world, because there is so little in us to awaken persecution.

Our light is so dim.
Our salt has lost so much of its savor.
Our approximation to the world is so great.

If instead of being conformed to the world--we were transformed by the renewing of our minds; if instead of getting as near to it as we can--we were to stand afar off from its pleasures, amusements, fashions, and spirit; if our lives were a daily testimony against it, and against its works as evil--it would soon oppose us with a deadly hatred!

The Prayer of God's Children

An excerpt from No Condemnation in Christ Jesus by Octavius Winslow:

"The Eternal [God], whose ear bends to the softest whisper, and hearkens to the gentlest sigh of His child, a confession, or a request, which shall not be unheard, unheeded or forgotten."

How precious to think that the Loving Father delights in the prayers of His children (Proverbs 15:8). None of us pray as we ought. God doesn't require eloquence of prayer because who is eloquent compared to God? We are children, poor, in-firmed children weakly stammering before our God. But we have a loving Father who hears our prayers because He loves us and because we have a Glorious Saviour who mediates and intercedes for us that we me boldly come before the throne of grace and the blessed Spirit who helps our infirmities as we pray.

The Myth of Tolerance

Here is where a socialistic state leads. I do not understand why so many Americans want this.

Sweden bans home schooling because nothing is so dangerous as children not being told what to think by know it all, godless government officials.

Can they not see their own hypocrisy? Can the people not see that they they take away peoples right to conscience and THOUGHT and BELIEF in the name of free thought and tolerance?

Tolerance in the liberal mind goes something like this:

"You let me do what ever I want to do, no matter how vile, no matter how sinful, and no matter what the consequences are to the people around me and society as a whole; and YOU WILL LIKE IT. If you do not LIKE what I do and celebrate me for doing it, then you must hate me and must be punished."

They did not want anyone to FORCE their children to pray to God, but will FORCE the children to adopt the worldview of the state. Socialist are both wicked oppressors and cry-babies at the same time. It is quite a paradox. "Agree with me and my ideas of peace and tolerance, OR WE WILL BREAK YOU!" says the kind-hearted liberal socialistic state.

Antinomianism

Some Mandolin Goodness

Some fine mandolin pickin' for your listening pleasure.

Hail, Sovereign Love

Hail, sovereign love which first began,
The scheme to rescue fallen man!
Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace,
Which gave my soul a hiding place!

Against the God who rules the sky,
I fought with hand uplifted high!
Despised the notion of His grace,
Too proud to seek a hiding place!

Enwrapt in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light!
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a hiding place!

But thus the eternal counsel ran:
"Almighty love--arrest that man!"
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place!

Indignant Justice stood in view;
To Sinai's fiery mount I flew!
But Justice cried, with frowning face,
"This mountain is no hiding place!"

E'er long, a heavenly voice I heard,
And Mercy's angel soon appeared;
He led me on with gentle pace,
To Jesus as my hiding place!

Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll,
And shake the earth from pole to pole;
No thunder bolt could daunt my face,
For Jesus is my hiding place!

On Him almighty vengeance fell,
That would have sunk a world to hell!
He bore it for the chosen race,
And thus became their hiding place!

A few more rolling suns at most,
Shall land me on fair Canaan's coast;
Where I shall sing the song of grace,
And see my glorious Hiding Place!

Book Review: Ruth By J. Vernon McGee

The book had some good insights into the lives of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz but I wouldn't recommend this book. McGee tells a fascinating story, but much of the storyline he tells is his imagination, not taken from the text. I appreciate a book that puts you into the narrative and could have overlooked the storyline he proposed had it not been for the doctrinal error. This book is very arminian and very universal invisible church in its teaching. I was a surprised how quickly the book turned arminian, especially when he dealt with God's providence in Ruth ending up in Bethlehem and when she "happened" to find Boaz's field. He showed how it was that Ruth and Boaz had to meet, had to be in Bethlehem because of the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. God is sovereign in Ruth finding Boaz's field, but not sovereign in salvation? If God is sovereign in Ruth coming to Boaz, how could He not also be sovereign in the sinner coming to Christ? Boaz was a kinsmen redeemer. He showed Ruth love before she loved Him. He bought her, stood in her stead, loved her, blessed her, protected her, provided for her as he was her near kinsmen. When the other family member would not (could not) redeem her, Boaz did because he wanted to, because he loved her.
Too much bad theology. Skip it.

Ruth - By J. Vernon McGee:

My Father (A Grace Gems devotional)

By:
James Smith, "Daily Bible Readings"

"My Father!" Jeremiah 3:4

This is a child's cry!
It is full of meaning.
It is full of love.
It is full of comfort.
It is a title which the Lord loves to hear us use!

Lord, give us the Spirit of adoption this morning,
and let us see and feel, that we are Your children!

Believer!
To whom will you repair in trouble?
To whom will you look in difficulty?
To whom will you cry in danger?
From whom will you ask when in need?
Surely I hear you say, "My Father!"

Who speaks to you in the Bible?
Who tries you by His providence?
Who chastens you with His rod?
Who purifies and cleanses you?
Who humbles and reproves you?
Again you will say, "My Father!"

Who supports the world?
Who controls the nations?
Who chains up Satan?
Who comforts the believer?
Who pardons the backslider?
Again you reply, "My Father!"

Then I exhort you to . . .
trust your Father's Word,
abide in your Father's house,
expect from your Father's hand,
and say in every trial:
"I will arise and go to my Father!"

Apples of Gold

The Infinite Merit of Christ by Craig Biehl

I am really enjoying The Infinite Merit of Christ by Craig Biehl. The subtitle is: The Glory of Christ's Obedience in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards. I usually do not enjoy reading a book that is roughly half quotes from another author[s] especially if hundreds of years separate the two writers. The vast difference in the use of languages are distracting to me. But Biehl has done a great job in writing that I do not find the frequent alternating paragraphs between him and Edwards distracting at all. I haven't read the book to recommend it, but I do love this quote from Biehl summarizing the first chapter.

"...Edwards defines the glory of God as the shining forth of His excellent perfections. Internally the glory of God is displayed and communicated among the persons of the Trinity in the Son reflecting the excellent perfections of the Father, in the Father viewing His own excellence in the perfections of the Son, and in the Father’s joy and love of those perfections by the Holy Spirit, the love between the persons of the Trinity. In the same manner, God accompli9shes His ultimate purpose to display and communicate His glory to His creatures in His glory displayed in the person and redeeming work of Christ, and in the giving of the Holy Spirit to believers by whom they love and rejoice in the excellence of the Son of the Father. Consequently, God’s ultimate purpose to glorify Himself is one and the same with His purpose to communicate His happiness to His creatures, the whole of which is accomplished in and through the person and redeeming work of Christ."

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Douglas Newell IV

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAY

Philippians 4:4
Arthur W. Pink

Why should I, who am by nature no different from the careless and godless throngs all around, have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world and now blest with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Him? Why was I, that once was an alien and a rebel, signaled out for such wondrous favors? Ah, that is something I cannot fathom. Such grace, such love, "passeth knowledge." But if my mind is unable to discern a reason, my heart can express its gratitude in praise and adoration. But not only should I be grateful to God for His grace toward me in the past, His present dealings will fill me with thanksgivings. What is the force of that word "Rejoice in the Lord alway" (Phil. 4:4)? Mark it is not "Rejoice in the Saviour", but we are to "Rejoice in the Lord", as "Lord", As THE MASTER OF EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. Need we remind the reader that when the apostle penned these words he was himself a prisoner in the hands of the Roman government. A long course of affliction and suffering lay behind him. Perils on land and perils on sea, hunger and thirst, scourging and stoning, had all been experienced. He had been persecuted by those within the church as well as by those without: the very ones who ought to have stood by him had forsaken him. And still he writes, "Rejoice in the Lord alway" What was the secret of his peace and happiness? Ah! had not this same apostle written, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28)? But how did he, and how do we, "know", that all things work together for good? The answer is, Because all things are under the control of and are being regulated by the Supreme Sovereign, and because He has naught but thoughts of love toward His own, then "all things are so ordered by Him that they are MADE TO MINISTER TO OUR ULTIMATE GOOD. It is for this cause we are to give "thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:20). Yes, give thanks for "all things" for, as it has been well said "Our disappointments are but His appointments." To the one who delights in the sovereignty of God the clouds not only have a 'silver lining' but they are silver all through, the darkness only serving to offset the light!


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Douglas Newell IV

Beatlegras Rehearsing the Star Spangled Banner

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Douglas Newell IV

Noah, Daniel and Job

Ezekiel 14:1-23
The people of Israel where coming to the Lord in hypocrisy. They supposedly came before the Lord God; but they did so with idols in their heart and stumbling blocks of sin before their face. How could one truly seek the Lord God with a heart full of idols? God said that if any man in the house of Israel came before him with idols in his heart and sin before His face, God would answer him according the multitude of his idols in judgment because Israel were alienated from God because of their idols (thank God for our Mediator Jesus Christ, I shudder to imagine the number of idols in any man’s heart). God tells them to repent from their sins and idols and flee from their abominations; otherwise God would set His face against that man and cut them off.

Ezekiel continues the message of the Lord saying that if the land, the people continue their grievous sin God would send judgment upon the land. The hypocrites had within their heart the idea that because of who they were, and who dwelt among them, that God would spare the nation. Because there were holy prophets, because there were godly men, because they had been blessed in the past that God would somehow pass His judgment over their sins. They were wrong.

Not only would the righteous not prevent the judgment of God, but the combined righteousness of Noah, Daniel and Job would not spare them. Had Noah and Job came back from the dead and joined Daniel (Daniel was alive at the time, and still quite young, so it is a great testimony to him that this young man was mentioned among giants), they could not have averted judgment of the land.

Pray for our nation. We celebrate our independence, and we thank God for our freedom, but we are sorely mistaken that God will spare us despite our sins. Yes, God has blessed, but that is not promise that He will continue to do so. We are living in a fog, a daze, a dream like state where nothing is real, nothing is important, as if God will allow our nation to continue on its godless heathen, paganistic path forever. Learn the lesson here...if God would not spare Israel and the land of promise, because of their sin, how much worse for a Gentile nation?

The righteousness of others cannot save your soul. Your church cannot, your baptism cannot, your family cannot stand in between you and a holy God. Only Jesus Christ can reconcile you to God. Take the enemy of God, a sinner who relishes in breaking God’s laws and make that same enemy a friend and a son.

I hope that Americans have a good Independence Day, but most importantly, I hope that you have been delivered by Jesus Christ, that you have liberty in Him, by grace, through faith in His blood that was shed on Calvary.

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Douglas Newell IV