To Be Like Christ Is To Forgive

Let us determine by God’s grace to forgive, even as we hope to be forgiven. This is the nearest approach we can make to the mind of Christ Jesus. This is the character which is most suitable to a poor sinful child of Adam. God’s free forgiveness of sins is our highest privilege in this world. God’s free forgiveness will be our only title to eternal life in the world to come. Then let us be forgiving during the few years that we are here upon earth.

~ J.C. Ryle

The Call of a Loving Father

In 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 we read some of the most intimate, caring, and loving aspects of our relationship with God our Father. Here, our Father calls us out of darkness to come into His light; He calls us out of uncleanness to come into His purity; He calls us out of the yoke of bondage to come into His rest; He calls us out of lawlessness to come into His righteousness; He calls us out of idolatry to come into His presence; He calls us out of Satan’s domain to come into union with His Son.

When we respond to His call upon our lives we remove our hands from all that would defile and our feet from all that would mislead. Instead, we touch mercy and grace, we seek all that is pure and holy, and we follow all that is true and good.

Hear the call of your loving Father:

I will dwell in you — the Father abides in you.
I will walk with you — the Father goes with you.
I will be your God — the Father provides for you.
You shall be mine — the Father claims you.
I will welcome you — the Father receives you.
I will be a Father to you — the Father nurtures you.
You shall be a son to Me — the Father calls you His own.
You shall be a daughter to Me — the Father calls you His own.

By Roy Lessin
(Taken from Thoughts About God)

Bred and Fed by the Word

"The Christian is bred by the Word, and he must be fed by it." ~ William Gurnall

Do You Know Him?

From The Narrow Gate Facebook

Bloody Batons

"...strengthen those who pick up the bloody batons these 33 will be forced to release."

Ohhh, this post gripped and disturbed and inspired many of us who read it. We needed it. Oh how we needed it. Thirty-three North Korean Christians sentenced to death for the "crime" of planting underground churches in that country. The post is here. Read it. I implore you, READ it. I cannot explain it to you, if you are a professing follower of Christ, you must read it yourself.

The above quote is from that blog post. Yes, the batons may be bloody but they WILL be passed on. The bloody batons will keep being passed on because this race will continue and will be finished not until and when the Lord Jesus says it's time for it's completion.And then He will stand victorious and the race will be won. No dictator or radical religious group will be able to bring about an early end to this race; it's up to Jesus as to when the end comes. Until then, these bloody batons will continue to be passed on from runner to runner....

So our tears will flow for whoever the most current runners are as they have to perhaps end their portion of the race earlier than they'd hoped, but they themselves will enter into their joy. As for now, you can have this whole world, but give me Jesus.

Carry Your Cross

Sometimes we think our lot is peculiarly hard, and we compare it withthe lot of this or that other person, and wish we had his cross instead of our own. But we do not know what other people's crosses really are. If we did, we might not want to exchange. The cross that seems woven of flowers, if we put it on our shoulders, we might find filled with sharp thorns under the flowers! The cross of gold that seems so bright we would find so heavy that it would crush us! The easiest cross for each one to bear is his own!

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

- Luke 9:23

- J. R. Miller

Stammering Prayers

From J.C. Ryle Facebook

My Times are in Thy Hand

But I trusted in thee, O Lord, I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand. Psalm 31:14-15a.

This is the portion of the Word the Lord laid on my heart for the start of 2014, so it's this particular verse and a half which was sent to the few people to whom I sent ecards this year. These are precious thoughts to start out with; no they're special truths. Hopefully, we'll all remember as we begin yet another year on this earthly journey that our times are in His hand.

The Benefits of Prayer

 Painting: George Lambert

       The benefits of prayer

        Prayer carries every burden to the Lord — -and leaves it there.
        Prayer goes to the Lord . . .
          with every need — to have it supplied;
          with every enemy — to have it conquered;
          with every corruption — to have it subdued;
          with every trouble — to have it sanctified,
          and with every promise — to have it fulfilled.
        Prayer . . .
          affects God's heart with a groan,
          opens God's hand with a cry, and
          obtains the most costly blessings with a tear!
        While a man can pray . . .
          he can never sink,
          he can never be wretched,
          he can never perish!

        Reader, get and maintain a spirit of prayer; it will . . .
          ease your mind,
          quell your fears, and
          fortify your soul against the sorest trials!



              ~ James Smith (1802—1862

The Duties of Parents

  "The Lord teach you all how precious Christ is, and what a mighty and complete work He hath done for our salvation. Then, I feel confident you will use every means to bring your children to Jesus, that they may live through Him." ~ J.C. Ryle

From the series on Mr. Ryle's book "The Duties of Parents" at the Helping Children Grow blog.