Category: Worship

Two Separate Systems

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“The plain truth is, there are two distinct and separate systems of Christianity in England at the present day. It is useless to deny it. Their existence is a great fact, and one that cannot be too clearly known. According to one system, religion is a mere corporate business. You are to belong to a certain body of people. By virtue of your membership of this body, vast privileges, both for time and eternity, are conferred upon you. It matters little what you are and what you feel. You are not to try yourself by your feelings. You are a member of a great ecclesiastical corporation. Then all its privileges and immunities are your own. Do you belong to the one true visible ecclesiastical corporation? That is the grand question.

According to the other system, religion is eminently a personal business between yourself and Christ. It will not save your soul to be an outward member of any ecclesiastical body whatever, however sound that body may be. Such membership will not wash away one sin, or give you confidence in the day of judgement. There must be personal faith in Christ, personal dealings between yourself and God, personal felt communion between your own heart and the Holy Ghost. Have you this personal faith? Have you this felt work of the Spirit in your soul? This is the grand question. If not you will be lost.

This last system is the system which those who are called evangelical ministers cleave to and teach. They do so, because they are satisfied that it is the system of Holy Scripture. They do so, because they are convinced that any other system is productive of most dangerous consequences, and calculated to delude men fatally as to their actual state. They do so, because they believe it to be the only system of teaching which God will bless, and that no church will flourish so much as that in which repentance, faith, conversion and the work of the Spirit are the grand subjects of the minister’s sermon”.

~ J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)

Tradition’s Proper Place

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[Y]ou reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

~ Mark 7:9

Traditions in the life of God’s people can be of benefit unless they conflict with Scripture and the commandments of God. When we take more pride in keeping our traditions rather than in obeying the Lord, we have put ourselves in opposition to Him. In this passage, as elsewhere in Scripture, holding to traditions is not condemned all together. It is when Christ’s Church supplants God’s ways with their own that tradition becomes an idol. Therefore let us continue in those traditions which exalt Christ, enhance God’s glory and strengthen our faith, holding fast to that which is good, and reject anything, any tradition, that places our wants, will, or ways above His own.

~ apl

Give Thee Thanks

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

With heavenly hosts,
and angelic ranks,
We lift our hearts,
and give Thee thanks.

Until that bright,
and glorious day,
when temporal life,
finds eternal array,

When over we cross,
Jordan’s river banks,
still we praise,
and give Thee thanks.

~ apl

All or None!

~ A Prayer Life ~ 6 Comments

“It is either all of Christ or none of Christ! I believe we need to preach again a whole Christ to the world – a Christ who does not need our apologies, a Christ who will not be divided, a Christ who will either be Lord of all or will not be Lord at all!”

~ A.W. Tozer

“For I am determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

~ 1 Corinthians 2:2

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, help make Your Son, my Savior, my all in all. May nothing hinder my love, gratitude and devotion to Christ! In Jesus. name, amen.

Do Not Grow Weary

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“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”

~ Brother Lawrence

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

~ Galatians 6:9

Prayer Life Pause: Dear Jesus, may I seek out little ways each day to display my love and devotion to You. In Your name, amen.

By Prayer…

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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”

~ Philippians 4:6

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, may my heart and mind be in constant communion and prayer with You, that I may be anxious for nothing and live in divine comfort and peace each and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Eagerly Waiting

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

~ Philippians 3:20-21

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, prepare my heart now for that glorious day when I will see You face to face. When the countenance of Your presence lights my spirit and warms my soul and I am completely conformed to You. Amen.

Highly Exalted

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“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

~ Philippians 2:9-11

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, thank You for exalting Your Beloved Son. He is worthy of all glory, honor and praise. May more people come to confess Jesus Christ as their Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Something Wrong Somewhere

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“The ultimate test of my understanding of the scriptural teaching is the amount of time I spend in prayer. As theology is ultimately the knowledge of God, the more theology I know, the more it should drive me to seek to know God. Not to know “about” Him but to know Him! The whole object of salvation is to bring me to knowledge of God… If all my knowledge does not lead me to prayer there is something wrong somewhere.”

~ Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, may my theology always lead to doxology that I might pray and praise You for Your wonderful love grace and mercy. In Jesus; name, amen.