Devotional Thoughts Vol. Ⅱ
Various Questions and Answers:
The Gospel Elevator pitch:
“At the end of the day, what do you do with all your guilt? How do you silence your conscience? How do you have true, lasting peace? Maybe you can make up for all the mistakes you’ve made in this life with your fellow man (though this is extremely doubtful) but you still did the wrong thing; you still hurt them and that’s a scar that no amount of good deeds can fix.
The way of peace and a quiet conscience is through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus the perfect, innocent, eternal Son of God who took on the just punishment of God the Father on our behalf (for this is called grace in the Chrsitian religion); and you can have this grace; for Christ died for all kinds of sinners, what is needed from you for it is the acceptance of your guilt for your sin, the turning thereof and the grace of God is all your’s now and forever.”
How do you know you can trust the Bible?
The Westminster Larger Catechism states that “The scriptures manifest themselves to be the word of God, by their majesty (Ps 119:18) and purity (Ps 199:140) by the consent of all the parts (Acts 10:43) and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God (Romans 3:19, 27) by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation (Romans 15:4): but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God (John 16:13-14).
Or, more briefly, because of its own testimony and through the effectual working of the Spirit that I know that I can trust the Bible and its unity in telling it the story of God in seeking man for redemption and His glory. While it is true that history is also a good defense of this position through the testimony of its many human authors ultimately it is God’s book and there is no higher authority of which I could appeal for assurance in this matter.
What is “fear of the Lord”?
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7).
“The overarching theme of this book...reverence for God. This reverential awe and admiring, submissive fear is foundational for all spiritual knowledge and wisdom. While the unbeliever may make statements about life and truth, he does not have true or ultimate knowledge until he is in a redemptive relationship of reverential awe with God. Notice the progression here: 1) teaching about God; 2) learning about God; 3) fearing God; 4) fearing God; 4) knowing God; 5)imitating God’s wisdom. The fear of the Lord is a state of mind in which one’s own attitudes, will, feelings, deeds and goals are exchanged for God’s.”- John Macarther Study Bible.
The fear of the Lord is the awful admiration that He is due for all that He is.
What is Spiritual Warfare?
The classic text for this question is Ephesians 6 where Paul says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:10-13).
We are (sometimes) attacked by evil spiritual forces in our Heavenly pilgrimage. It is a war against these demons because when they attack us we counter than with the truth of the word of God in mediation and prayer. We counter darkness with the light. We do not let our faith waver in the fight against the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:7-9). But rather we hold fast the faith that Christ will complete what He has started (1 Peter 5:10)
Thoughts:
They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
— Jeremiah 31:34
Remember your sins and regrets only insofar as they help you to remember the forgetfulness of The Lord your God.
Colossians 3:1-5
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
How do I put to death earthly things in me? 3:2-set my mind on things that are above-heavenly things. For example, think of 3:3; you have died in Christ, consider your new life in Him and its security. (John 14:19).
Job 9 (Job 9:33)
The supremacy of God is a sure, satisfying comfort to the saint when we see/know the atoning arbiter for all men. His cross turns our conflict in friendships, confusion in suffering, and calamity in life/family into comfort for we know that it is for our good
Why is Good Friday called Good Friday? Because today is the day that in His love God the Father gave His Son for sinners like me for our eternal salvation. And that is very good.
The end of Temptation is the End of Temptation. That’s is, temptation exists to increase your reliance on God (or to sanctify you further in this life) and the end of Temptation is Eschatological where we will fully rely upon Him without any hindrance forever.
Your pleasure is the measure of your treasure.
Exodus laws and Leviticus laws are merely Proverbs applied.
One can see what a thing is by finding out what it does. Thus, the full salvation of man is found in Christ, not me.
Atonement trumps adultery
Theology trumps biology
Propitiation trumps pornography
Those that are watchful of their own Christian life often feel God’s watch on them. Those that are careful in their own Christian life often feel God’s care for them. Those that love their Christian life often feel God’s love for them. Those that are sensitive in their sanctification often feel God’s sensitive nature towards them in their salvation.
Heaven is not gained. It is given.
The objectivity of the word is the ground/root of our subjective Christian life/ emotions.