The Glorious Spectacle

"Man, in his natural spirit of self-justifying legalism, has tried to get away from the cross of Christ and its perfection, or to erect another cross instead, or to setup a screen of ornaments between himself and it, or to alter its true meaning into something more congenial to his tastes, or to transfer the virtue of it to some act or performance or feeling of its own. Thus the simplicity of the cross is nullified, and its saving power is denied. For the cross saves completely, or not at all. Our faith does not divide the work of salvation between itself and the cross. It is the acknowledgment that the cross alone saves, and that it saves alone. Faith adds nothing to the cross, nor to its healing virtue. It owns the fulness, and sufficiency, and suitableness of the work done there, and bids the toiling spirit cease from its labours and enter into rest. Faith does not come to Calvary to do anything. It comes to see the glorious spectacle of all things done, and to accept this completion without a misgiving as to its efficacy. It listens to the “It is finished!” of the Sin-bearer, and says, “Amen.” —Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Excerpt taken from "The Everlasting Righteousness" by Horatius Bonar first published 1874, Banner of Truth 1993

The Devil's Delusion

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."

“This “way” which ends in “death” is the Devil’s Delusion—the gospel of Satan—a way of salvation by human attainment. It is a way which “seemeth right,” that is to say, it is presented in such a plausible way that it appeals to the natural man: it is set forth in such a subtle and attractive manner, that it commends itself to the intelligence of its hearers. By virtue of the fact that it appropriates to itself religious terminology, sometimes appeals to the Bible for its support (whenever this suits its purpose), holds up before men lofty ideals, and is proclaimed by those who have graduated from our theological institutions, countless multitudes are decoyed and deceived by it.

The success of an illegitimate coiner depends largely upon how closely the counterfeit resembles the genuine article. Heresy is not so much the total denial of the truth as a perversion of it. That is why half a lie is always more dangerous than a complete repudiation. Hence when the Father of Lies enters the pulpit it is not his custom to flatly deny the fundamental truths of Christianity, rather does he tacitly acknowledge them, and then proceed to give an erroneous interpretation and a false application. For example: he would not be so foolish as to boldly announce his disbelief in a personal God; he takes His existence for granted and then gives a false description of His character. He announces that God is the spiritual Father of all men, when the Scriptures plainly tell us that we are “the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), and that “as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God” (John 1:12).

Further, he declares that God is far too merciful to ever send any member of the human race to Hell, when God Himself has said, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the Lake of Fire” (Revelation 20:15).

Again; Satan would not be so foolish as to ignore the central figure of human history—the Lord Jesus Christ; on the contrary, his gospel acknowledges Him to be the best man that ever lived. Attention is drawn to His deeds of compassion and works of mercy, the beauty of His character and the sublimity of His teaching. His life is eulogized, but His vicarious Death is ignored, the all-important atoning work of the cross is never mentioned, whilst His triumphant and bodily resurrection from the grave is regarded as one of the credulities of a superstitious age. It is a bloodless gospel, and presents a crossless Christ, who is received not as God manifest in the flesh, but merely as the Ideal Man. —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Abandoned by God

Words of Thankfulness

My brother, friend, and co-worker Tom Lamb has recently been diagnosed with cancer and he is blogging his way through this trial in his life and I would encourage you to pray for him and his family and visit his blog (The Lamb's) and be inspired by his gracious words of thankfulness and not to mention his great play list of Christian music.

All is Ascribed to Grace

"THIS QUICKENING WORK IS WHOLLY SUPERNATURAL; it is the sole and proper work of the Spirit of God. So Christ himself expressly asserts it: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit: the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit." John, 3:6-8. Believers are the birth or offspring of the Spirit, who produceth the new creature in them in a manner unintelligible even to themselves. So far is it above their own ability to produce, that it is above their capacity to understand the way of its production: as if you should ask, Do you know from whence the wind comes? No. Do you know whither it goes? No. But you hear and feel it when it blows? Yes. So is every one that is born of the Spirit; he feels the efficacy and discerns the effects of the Spirit on his own soul, but cannot understand or describe the manner of their production. This is not only above the carnal, but above the renewed mind to comprehend. We really contribute nothing to the production of this principle of life. We may indeed be said to concur with the Spirit in it; there is found in us a capacity, aptness, or receptiveness of it; our nature is endowed with such faculties and powers as are meet subjects to receive and instruments to act it; but God only quickens the rational nature with spiritual life. "Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" 1 Cor. 4 7. The Scriptures not only assert that without him we can do nothing, and that our sufficiency is of God, John, 15:5; Mat. 12:34; 2 Cor. 3:5; but they declare that the carnal mind "is enmity against God ;" and that we were "enemies in our minds by wicked works." Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, a perishing thing; but this principle of spiritual life is not subject to dissolution, it is the water that springs up into everlasting life, John, 4:14; the seed of God, which remaineth in the regenerate soul. 1 John 3:9. And all this, because it is born not of corruptible, but of incorruptible seed. 1 Peter, 1:23. Our new birth is represented to us in the Scriptures as a resurrection from the dead, a new creation; Eph. 5:14; 4:24; and thus all is ascribed to grace." —John Flavel (1627 - 1691)

Excerpt taken from "The Method of Grace" by John Flavel (1627 - 1691)

Green This!

Well with all the liberals rejoicing in their celebration of Earth Day in which some Christian leaders have eagerly jumped on board the greening of evangelicism, I would just like to leave all those on this green bandwagon with a sermon by John MacArthur in hopes to de-green this false social gospel which has now been wrapped up in the worship of creation, not that this is something new (Romans 1:25). The End of the Universe, Part 2

"I've told environmentalists that if they think humanity is wrecking the planet, wait until they see what Jesus does to it." —John MacArthur

Shack Attack

Just a short resource list of links to articles and audio exposing just some of the heretical errors found in the book "The Shack" by Paul Young. No, I didn't read it, but I do respect the people that these resources come from and have listen to or read each and I am convinced this is a book that Christians need to avoid and warn others about.

Uncovering The Shack - Sermon by Dr. Michael Youssef
Re-imagining God in the Shack - by Mary Kassian
The Sham - Book Review by Greg McGuigan
Challies Review - Book Review by Tim Challies
A Look at “The Shack” - Radio Program by Dr. R. Albert Mohler
The Missing Art of Evangelical Discernment - by Dr. R. Albert Mohler
What’s Wrong with “The Shack”? - Sermon by Paul Edwards
The Shack - Impressions - by Tim Keller

Videos

Stay Out of The Shack

Don't Read The Shack

The Shack in light of the Bible

Lost Hymns

Accepted in the Beloved

“In the Beloved” accepted am I,
Risen, ascended, and seated on high;
Saved from all sin thro’ His infinite grace,
With the redeemed ones accorded a place.

“In the Beloved,” God’s marvelous grace
Calls me to dwell in this wonderful place;
God sees my Savior, and then He sees me,
“In the Beloved,” accepted and free.

“In the Beloved”— how safe my retreat,
In the Beloved accounted complete;
“Who can condemn me?” In Him I am free,
Savior and Keeper forever is He.

“In the Beloved” I went to the tree,
There, in His Person, by faith I may see
Infinite wrath rolling over His head,
Infinite grace, for He died in my stead.

Mac Rap

(HT) Cal.vini.st

e-Sword Rocks!

OK so I know that I am a bit behind on this one but I never liked the old version of e-sword and I didn't realize that the newest version was this good! All the free extras that you can download are an invaluable resource for any serious student of the Bible. Free commentaries by Calvin, Henry, Pink, Poole and more right at your fingertips, also free books, maps, dictionaries and did I mention that this is all FREE. Download e-Sword and then get all the Free Extras. Enjoy!

All We Need To Know

"Remember that, to the faithful reader of this blessed Word, it reveals all that we need to know about the Father, all that we need to know about the Lord Jesus Christ, all about the power of the Spirit, all about the world that lieth in the wicked one, all about the road to heaven, and the blessedness of the world to come. In this blessed book we have the whole Gospel, and all rules necessary for our Christian life and warfare. Let us see then that we study it with our whole heart and with prayer, meditation, faith and obedience." —George Mueller (1805–1898)

Experiencing Flaws?

Just a few links that I think maybe helpful in understanding some of the flaws of Henery Blackaby’s subjectivism both from his "Experiencing God" book and "Hearing God's Voice" and also his latest one chapter addition in the new book "How Then Should We Choose?" in which Dan Phillips of TeamPyro calls "the single most appalling trainwreck I've read in recent memory". Have also added a recent article on some recent events.

Unbiblical Teachings on Prayer and Experiencing God, by Bob DeWaay
Experiencing God - Part 1, by Gary Gilley
Experiencing God - Part 2 , by Gary Gilley
Experiencing God - Part 3, by Gary Gilley
Hearing God’s Voice, by Gary Gilley
A Critique of Experiencing God.PDF, by Gil Rugh
The Blackaby view of God's will - Part 1, by Dan Phillips
The Blackaby view of God's will - Part 2, by Dan Phillips
Can't Hear God Speak? Repent Says Blackaby, by Sola Sisters

"There is a series of books, and I mean, they've got everything from bumper stickers and every imaginable kind of curriculum has come out of this series by Henry Blackaby... It's called experiencing God. There's much in it that's good. There really is. There's much in it that's very good. It gives honor to Christ. It gives honor to scripture. It gives honor to the Holy Spirit, but there's an insidious flaw in the middle of it. The material is designed to teach a person how to listen for the voice of God and to some how be able to hear the voice of God. Now, this is very dangerous. If you want to hear the voice of God, read the Bible." —John MacArthur

Silly Preachers

With all the silliness that seems to be gearing up for the up coming Easter week I thought I would post a few scripture text from Jeremiah to warn so-called pastors of the dangers of not preaching the Word. Now I know that these are out of context as to the meaning to be applied directly to Israel but the same principle's still apply to us today.

Jeremiah 23
1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

17 They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

We Have a Huge Problem!

The Greatest Abasement

"It is against the stream and current of our corrupt nature to come to Christ. Consider from what the soul departs when it comes to Christ. In that day it leaves all its lusts and ways of sin, how pleasant, sweet and profitable soever they have been : "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord." Isa. 55 : 7. His way and thoughts, that is, both the practice of and delight he had in sin must be forsaken, and the outward and inward man must be cleansed from it. Now there are in the bosoms of unregenerate men such darling lusts, which have given them so much pleasure, brought them so much profit, and been born and bred up with them, and which, on all these accounts, are so endeared to their souls, that it is easier for them to die than to forsake them; yea, nothing is more common among such men than to venture eternal damnation rather than suffer a separation from their sins.

And what is yet more difficult in coming to Christ, the soul forsakes not only its sinful self, but its righteous self; not only its worst sins, but its best performances, accomplishments and excellencies. This is one of the greatest straits that nature can be put to. Righteousness by works was the first liquor that ever was put into the vessel, and it still retains the tang and savor of it, and will to the end of the world. "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Rom. 10 : 3. To come naked and empty to Christ, and receive all from him as a free gift, is, to proud corrupt nature, the greatest abasement and submission in the world." —John Flavel (1627 - 1691)

Excerpt taken from "The Method of Grace" by John Flavel (1627 - 1691)