TheologyGirl New Bible Book Study

Reblogged from Theology Girl:

As summer approaches many of us are thinking of vacation and a break from school, homeschooling and spending special times with family and friends enjoying the richness of God’s daily blessings.  These are blessings from God to richly enjoy.

Here at Theology Girl and Reformed Women, we are planning a new practical and theological online Bible study for women on how to serve Christ, His people and the church for His glory spiritually, theologically, practically and politically in the 21st Century.   

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Our new study announcement!

Because of Mercy

“For God has shut up all men in unbelief,” not that he may destroy all or suffer all to perish, but “that he may have mercy upon all” [ Romans 11:32]. This means that, dismissing the stupid opinion of their own strength, they come to realize that they stand and are upheld by God’s hand alone; that, naked and empty-handed, they flee to his mercy, repose entirely in it, hide deep within it, and seize upon it alone for righteousness and merit. For God’s mercy is revealed in Christ to all who seek and wait upon it with true faith. In the precepts of the law, God is but the rewarder of perfect righteousness, which all of us lack, and conversely, the severe judge of evil deeds. But in Christ his face shines, full of grace and gentleness, even upon us poor and unworthy sinners.__John Calvin

We Are More Than Conquerors

The trials and tribulations, woes, suffering and persecution of each day for the Christian is why each one needs to be reminded of the love and grace of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  There is no better salve for the soul than to remember God’s promises daily of how He loves us and His predeterminate, sovereign will over our lives, history and events.  Be reminded brethren, Your God loves you and is working out His perfect salvation in your life.  Be encouraged as a conqueror to walk in faith and press forward with joy today!_TheologyGirl
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“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Rom 8:37

We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins. Paul thus rebukes us, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Take your sins to Christ’s cross, for the old man can only be crucified there: we are crucified with him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus. To give an illustration-you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go to work? It is very possible you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it. How did I get salvation? I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted him to save me. I must kill my angry temper in the same way? It is the only way in which I can ever kill it. I must go to the cross with it, and say to Jesus, “Lord, I trust thee to deliver me from it.” This is the only way to give it a death-blow. Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil so long as you please, but if it be your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any way but by the blood of Jesus. Take it to Christ. Tell him, “Lord, I have trusted thee, and thy name is Jesus, for thou dost save thy people from their sins; Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it!” Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification. Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears-the whole of them put together-are worth nothing apart from him. “None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good;” or helpless saints either. You must be conquerors through him who hath loved you, if conquerors at all. Our laurels must grow among his olives in Gethsemane.

Behold the Lamb of God

“Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. He was despised and  rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And with His stripes we are healed. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.”__ Amen.

Have A Blessed Easter & Resurrection Sunday!

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_Handel’s Messiah Image by Jay&Jacy Photography shot live on location from her “Sunrise-Sunset Art On Canvas” series.

Walking Wisely

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Eph 5:15,16

Surely today we are feeling in mind, body and spirit the evilness of the day.  Modern “talkers” do not like to use the word “evil” when speaking of man’s sinfulness or behavior but God’s Word is clear and eternal, written for eternity past through eternity future and the word and its intent will never be removed. Mankind knows in his heart that evil abides with us in every shape and form throughout life and as spiritual beings, we KNOW what evil is and how it is an affront to Almighty God. Thus, as His children, we are to be reminded that we are a holy people set apart for His service, work and glory and thus we are here instructed to walk wisely and be holy as He is holy.

Why should we be holiest in evil times?*

1. Because of the divine injunction. God charges us to be singular (Matt. 5:47), to be circumspect (Eph. 5:15), to be separate from idolaters (2 Cor. 6:17), to shine as lights in the dark world (Phil. 2:15). He forbids us to join together with sinners, or do as they do. The way to hell is a well-trodden road, and the Lord calls to us to turn out of the road: “You shall not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exod. 23:2). This is sufficient reason to keep ourselves pure in a time of common infection. As God’s Word is our rule—so his will is our warrant.

2. To be holiest in evil times, is an indication of the truth of grace. To profess religion when the times favor it, is no great matter. Almost all will court the Gospel Queen when she is hung with jewels. But to own the ways of God when they are decried and maligned, to love a persecuted truth—this evidences a vital principle of goodness. Dead fish swim down the stream—living fish swim against it. To swim against the common stream of evil, shows grace to be alive. The prophet Elijah continuing zealous for the Lord Almighty, when they had dug down God’s altars—showed his heart and lips had been touched with a coal from the altar.

Use 1. See hence how unworthy they are of the name of Christians, who use sinful compliance, and cut the garment of their religion according to the mode and fashion of the times. They do not consult what is best—but what is safest. Complying spirits can truckle to the desires of others; they can bow either to the East or to the West; they prefer a whole skin before a pure conscience. They can, with the planet Mercury, vary their motion; they can, as the mariner, shift their sail with every wind and, as the mongrel Israelites, speak the language of both Canaan and Ashdod. These are like the Samaritans of whom Josephus says, when the Jews flourished they pretended to he akin to them—but when the Jews were persecuted, they disclaimed kindred with them. The old serpent has taught men crooked windings, and to be for that religion which does not have truth on its side—but worldly power.

Use 2. Let us keep up the vigor of our zeal, in degenerate times. We should by a holy contrariness—burn hotter in a frozen age. We live in the dregs of time; sin is grown common and impudent. It is excellent to walk contrary to the world, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world!” (Romans 12:2). Let us be as lilies and roses among the briars. Sin is never the better, because it is in fashion! Nor will this plea hold at the last day—that we did as the most did. God will say, Seeing you sinned with the multitude—you shall go to hell with the multitude! Oh, let us keep pure among the dregs; let us be like fish that retain their freshness in salt waters; and as that lamp which shone in the smoking furnace (Gen. 15:17).

1. Consider—To be holy in times of general defection, is that with which God is greatly pleased. The Lord was much delighted with the holy conferences and dialogues of these saints in the text. When others were inveighing against God, that there should be a remnant of holy souls speaking of glory and the life to come—their words were music in God’s ears!

2. Consider—To keep up a spirit in holiness in an adulterous generation is a Christian’s honor. This was the glory of the church of Pergamum, that she held fast Christ’s name—even where Satan’s seat was (Rev. 2:13). The impiety of the times, is a foil to set off grace all the more, and give it a greater luster. Then a Christian is most lovely, when he is (as Ambrose says) like the cypress, which keeps its verdure and freshness in the winter season. “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright” (Psalm 37:37). An upright man is always worth beholding—but then he is most to be admired when like a bright star, he shines in the dark, and having lost all, he holds fast his integrity.

3. Consider—To be godly in a profligate age does much to animate weak beginners; it strengthens feeble knees (Isaiah 35:3) and shores up those temples of the Holy Spirit which are ready to fall. One man’s zeal is a burning torch for others to catch fire at. How did the constancy of the martyrs inflame the love of many to the truth! Though only Christ’s blood saves—yet the blood of martyrs may strengthen. Paul’s prison chain made converts in Nero’s court, two of whom were afterwards martyrs, as history relates. Mr. Bradford’s holy advice and example, so confirmed Bishop Ferrar, that he would not touch the Roman pollution.

4. Consider—How sad will it be for professors to fall off from their former profession, and espouse a novel religion. Julian bathed himself in the blood of beasts offered in sacrifice to the heathen gods, and so as much as lay in him washed off his former baptism. In the time of Julius Caesar this astonishing thing happened: after a plentiful vintage, wild grapes appeared upon their vines, which was looked upon as an ominous sign. When men seemed to bring forth the fruits of righteousness, and afterwards bring forth the wild grapes of impiety—it is a sad omen and prognostic of their ruin! “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment (2 Pet. 2:21). Let all this make us maintain the power of holiness in the worst times. Though others wonder we do not sin after the rate that they do—yet remember, it is better to go to heaven with a few than to hell in the crowd. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.

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*The Great Gain of Godliness by Thomas Watson, 1681

The Object of Faith

The saving power of faith resides thus not in itself, but in the Almighty Saviour on whom it rests. It is never on account of its formal nature as a psychic act that faith is conceived in Scripture to be saving,—as if this frame of mind or attitude of heart were itself a virtue with claims on God for reward, or at least especially pleasing to Him (either in its nature or as an act of obedience) and thus predisposing Him to favour, or as if it brought the soul into an attitude of receptivity or of sympathy with God, or opened a channel of communication from Him. It is not faith that saves, but faith in Jesus Christ: faith in any other saviour, or in this or that philosophy or human conceit (Col. 2:16, 18, 1 Tim. 4:1), or in any other gospel than that of Jesus Christ and Him as crucified (Gal. 1:8, 9), brings not salvation but a curse. It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but Christ that saves through faith. The saving power resides exclusively, not in the act of faith or the attitude of faith or the nature of faith, but in the object of faith; and in this the whole biblical representation centres, so that we could not more radically misconceive it than by transferring to faith even the smallest fraction of that saving energy which is attributed in the Scriptures solely to Christ Himself.

Biblical Doctrines, vol. 2 of The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield (New York: Oxford University Press, 1932; repr., Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000), 504.

Our Adoring Faithful God

The Faithful God

“They did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” (Joshua 5:12)

We have each traveled a long and laborious pathway during these past few years as the World and the Church have both undergone unprecedented challenge and change. It seems that everything that can be shaken is being shaken, and ultimately only those things that are unshakable will remain. O to us may grace be given to stand in the unshakable Kingdom.

Sadly, some have not made the journey. Having been turned aside by the lure of lesser things, or backed down by the threat of difficult things, or held captive by the hollow hope of nostalgic things — not all who started out on this trek have made it this far. We look around and they are gone. “Demas hath forsaken me,” wrote the apostle Paul, “having loved this present world” (2 Tim.4:10).

But not all who are gone from us have fallen. There are those happy souls who have finished their race with joy and been transported to the City, whose builder and maker is God; and we rejoice with them as we hope for heaven ourselves. And our hope is not in vain, nor will our longings be left unrewarded. For we are neither lethargic nor nostalgic; we are full of life and filled with dreams.

Today belongs to those who live by a faith that sees beyond the limitations of human reason and effort; a faith that trusts in the unfailing love of the Faithful God who alone has brought us safe thus far; and who alone will carry us all the way to our Hope of Glory.

Joshua serves as a splendid example of those who survive and prevail by placing their faith in the Faithful God.

Joshua was born a captive in Egypt, and as a young boy watched with wonder as God parted the Red Sea and made a way in the wilderness. He was with Moses as a young man throughout the wilderness wanderings, all the while being groomed by God for his future assignment. Perhaps even now the Lord is grooming you for some future mission.

It was Joshua who led the spies into the Promised Land and saw for himself what others only dreamed about. He alone, with Caleb, argued the case for Faith when all others caved in to doubt, fear, and unbelief. And it was Joshua, the man of faith, whom God anointed to lead the children of Israel into Canaan to experience the fulfillment of promises made by the Faithful God, and to finish the business at hand of reclaiming the Land from those who had been stolen by the powers of darkness.

These recollections serve as a great encouragement to us today as we face a similar opportunities for making progress in the things of God. Just as the Lord rescued His people from Egyptian bondage, so He has marked us by His love and redeemed us unto Himself out of the fallen and faulted world system, wherein we were held captive under the heavy hand of task-masters who drove us with whip and stick in the lustful pursuit of power, sex, and money. Our lives were marred by corruption, stained with shame, and marked for death. But God, who is rich in mercy and unfailing in His faithfulness, redeemed us!

And now the Faithful God stands before us, and beckons us to follow Him onward and He takes us inward that we might go upward. The challenges are not over, nor are the changes complete, but our hearts are lifted with a sense of imminent breakthroughs; things oft dreamed about, and long-awaited, seem to be so very close at hand. The smell of rain is in the air. Come, friend, take heart and renew your trust in the Faithful God. For it will be said of us as it was of our predecessors — “They did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year” (Jos.5:12).

From Egyptian bondage, through desert dryness and testing, to a land that flowed with milk and honey — the Faithful God has ever been there for us, as He was with them.

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R.C. Ryle