Tag: Grace

Refreshing The Congregation

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“We are the nurses of Christ’s little ones. If we keep from taking food ourselves, we will famish them; it will soon be visible in their leanness, and in the dull discharge of their several duties. If we let our love decline, we are not likely to raise theirs. If we abate our holy care and fear, it will appear in our preaching: if the matter does not show it, the manner will. If we feed on unwholesome food, whether errors or fruitless controversies, our hearers are likely to fare the worse for it. Whereas, if we would abound in faith, and love, and zeal, it would overflow to the refreshment of our congregations, and it would appear in the increase of those same graces in them!”

~ Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor

Preach To Yourselves

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“Do not content yourselves with being in a state of grace, but also be careful that your graces are kept in vigorous and lively exercise, and that you preach to yourselves the sermons which you study, and do so before you preach them to others. If you did this for your own sakes, it would not be lost labor; but I am speaking to you for the public’s sake, so that you would do it for the sake of the Church. When your minds are in a holy, heavenly frame, your people are likely to partake of its fruits. Your prayers, and praises, and doctrine will be sweet and heavenly to them. They will likely sense when you have been with God extensively: what is most on your heart, is likely to be most in their ears.”

~ Richard Baxter, The Reformed Puritan

Take Heed To Yourself

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“See that the work of saving grace is thoroughly wrought in your own souls. Take heed to yourselves, lest you be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim to the world the necessity of a Savior, your own hearts neglect him, and you miss an interest in him and his saving benefits. Take heed to yourselves, lest you perish, while you call upon others to take heed of perishing”

~ Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor

Simple Faith

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments 
                                                         Simple faith, desires to please;
                                                          Bows its head, bends its knees.
                                                     Longs for grace, to see God's face.
                                                 Sustains the weak, stops our stumble.
                                                 In the eyes of Christ, such faith is dear;
                                                     It's free to all, who will draw near.

~ apl

Face & Overcome

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

~ 1 Corinthians 16:13

“True holiness does not make a Christian evade difficulties, but face and overcome them. Christ would have His people show that His grace is not a mere hothouse plant, which can only thrive under shelter, but a strong, hardy thing which can flourish in every relation of life.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Keep Your Soul

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul”

~ Proverbs 19:16a

There is something spiritually healthy about keeping God’s commands near and dear to our heart and mind. The Word of the Lord, His Law, His principles and precepts, the wisdom of God, are all divine nourishment to the soul. They bring vitality and strength to the faithful. By keeping the commands, one keeps, nurtures and renews their very soul.

The application of this verse isn’t to be understood in a legalistic manner where we believe we obtain greater grace or spiritual position simply because we adhere to the Lord’s Word. Rather, believers should come to understand keeping God’s commands is a privilege and spiritual benefit. God’s Word is sustenance. Therefore, let us keep the command as we keep our soul.

~ apl

Without Rain

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given”.

~ Proverbs 25:14

It is not for the Christian to speak loosely with empty words and vain promises. Those who talk themselves up in order to look more intelligent, more favorable or more popular in the eyes of others may have a form of those things, but lack the true substance. Let the words of the believer always speak with grace, as seasoned with salt. Let your nay be your nay, and your yea, your yea in the eyes of the Lord. Amen.

~ apl

Christ, Our Door

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture”

~ John 10:9

Jesus Christ is the door, the only door by which we will ever see God. I am the door, Jesus declares, if anyone enter by Me, he will be saved. Jesus Christ is truly the exclusive way, the only way, into God’s presence. Christ is the Door. “I am the door.” Consider this with me, there was only one door into the ark in which Noah and his family found shelter from the flood. There was only one door into the Tabernacle, which was Yahweh’s dwelling-place.

So today there is only one “door” into the presence of the Father – “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And again, “I am the way,” said Christ. “No man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). The Lord Jesus is the true door that allows sinners entrance into the presence and grace of God the Father and find His pasture (Ps. 23:2).

~ apl

Grace In Time Of Need

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”

~ Hebrews 4:16

As a result of the supremacy of Christ in His priesthood, and His attending mediatorial office of interceding on behalf of His people, we can come boldly (that is with confidence, with assurance, with conviction and by faith in the work of Christ) to the God’s throne of grace. I like to think we do this in our prayers. As we come before God in prayer, we can confidently approach Him on the veracity of His own character, and we can seek Him out, as our verse says, in time of need. It is by faith in Christ and with God that we may find and obtain mercy and grace. What wonderful comfort that is for those who have Christ as their Great High Priest.

~ apl

Burn Them To Ashes!

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.”

~ Colossians 3:5

“While a darling sin lives and keeps the throne in the heart — grace and holiness will be kept exceeding weak and low. But when your darling sin is dethroned and slain by the power and the sword of the Spirit — grace and holiness will quickly grow stronger and stronger, and rise higher and higher.

When a man has eaten poison, nothing will make him thrive, until he has vomited up the poison. Beloved sins are the poison of the soul — and until these are vomited up, and cast out by sound repentance, and the exercise of faith in the blood of Christ — the soul will never thrive in grace and holiness!

If ever you would attain to higher degrees of holiness, then fall with all your might upon subduing and crucifying your most raging corruptions, and your most darling lusts!

Oh do not think that your golden and your silver idols will lay down their weapons, and yield the battle, and lie at your feet, and let you trample them to death — without striking a blow! Oh remember that besetting-sins will do all they can to keep their ground, and therefore you must arise with all your strength against them, and crush them to powder, and burn them to ashes!”

~ Thomas Brooks