Grace is not a feeling?

“Grace is never haphazard in its method. Grace is in no sense contingent upon or dependent upon what man does. It is essential that we should emphasize that…We often tend to think of grace in a somewhat sentimental manner. We persist in setting it in contrast with Law in a manner that is not true. Grace, as we have seen, is not weak; because it is righteous it is strong. Grace neither breaks the Law nor abrogates(cancels) it. It must not be thought of in terms of sentiment or feeling. That is an entirely wrong way of thinking of grace. The very term that Paul uses here, ‘the reign of grace’, should rid us at once and for ever of all sentimental notions with respect to grace, and should enable us to see its strength and its power.”–Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaching on Romans 5:20,21; taken from: Romans 5: Assurance, p327.

Essentially grace is a kingdom that cannot be shaken. A mental conglomeration of heart moving forensic truths that constantly throw us back to the cross and into the fires of risk for the glory of God.

"A thousand errors may live in peace with one another, but truth is the hammer that breaks them all in pieces. A hundred lying religions may sleep peaceably in one bed, but wherever the Christian religion goes as the truth, it is like a fire-brand, and it abideth nothing that is not more substantial than the wood, the hay, and the stubble of carnal error." -C.H. Spurgeon, taken from Pyromaniacs blog who weekly give us our shot of Spurgeon

Assurance Not Based On How It Makes Me Feel?

Here the Doctor is explaining how we get assurance of our salvation. How when the winds of plague come in trials to try and erode our faith away, what keeps our anchor held, or fights the rust of sin? The assurance of what Christ forensically accomplished on the cross for all who confess His name:

“…if you want to have assurance of salvation, the place to start is not with your feelings, but with your understanding; then feelings follow. The way to get assurance is not to try and feel something, but it is to grasp this objective truth. Look at yourself in Adam; though you had done nothing you were declared a sinner. Look at yourself in Christ; and see that, though you have done nothing, you are declared to be righteous. That is the parallel. We must get rid of all thoughts of our actions there is no boasting. We do nothing; all we are and have results from the obedience of the One – our Lord.” –Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaching on Romans 5:18,19, taken from: Romans 5: Assurance, p274.

Twilight of Taylor

At the twilight of his death Hudson Taylor, over 50 years of being a missionary to China which included over 80,000 Chinese coming to faith in Christ and all the provinces of China receiving the witness of Christ, he spoke these words to young missionaries:

"You do not know what lies before you. I give you one word of advice: Walk with the Lord! Count on Him, enjoy Him... He will not disappoint you...Forty years I have made it the chief business of my life to cultivate a personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus Christ...No(trifling) with self-indulgence or sin-and there is no reason why the Holy Spirit should not be outpoured.
It is a great privilege to meet many of you here. I have met many here in days gone by. My dear wife died by me here...In spirit our loved ones may be nearer to us than we think; and HE is near, nearer than we think. The Lord Jesus will never leave nor forsake us... Do, dear friends, be true to Him and His Word." -Taken from: It Is Not Death To Die, by Jim Cromarty, p476.

Yup...Ive Been Saying it for Years: I need to Grow up.

Some well needed words said by Carl Trueman. Hard work, wherever it is is good.

Go to Church...

Dan Phillips over at the Pyromaniacs blog just beat the crap out of all you granola type, organic, hyppie, anti-authoritarian, re-hash the 60s to destroy all organized institution, dont go to church because 'you are the church', Frank Viola self contradicting house church movement people. Try to respond to it. Seriously. You know, I just thank the Lord for people who call it how it is, and talk well deserved and needed crap about bad doctrine. Dont take that the wrong way, and if you do dont forget what 1st Cor 13 is in the middle of, oh Chapters 12 and 14. If your confused 1)Try to actually pay attention to church history, 2) Read this J. Gresham Machen quote:

"Men tell us that our preaching should be positive and not negative, that we can preach the truth without attacking error. But if we follow that advice we shall have to close our Bible and desert its teachings. The New Testament is a polemic book almost from beginning to end.

Some years ago I was in a company of teachers of the Bible in the colleges and other educational institutions of America. One of the most eminent theological professors in the country made an address. In it he admitted that there are unfortunate controversies about doctrine in the Epistles of Paul; but, said he in effect, the real essence of Paul's teaching is found in the hymn to Christian love in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians; and we can avoid controversy today, if we will only devote the chief attention to that inspiring hymn.
In reply, I am bound to say that the example was singularly ill-chosen. That hymn to Christian love is in the midst of a great polemic passage; it would never have been written if Paul had been opposed to controversy with error in the Church. It was because his soul was stirred within him by a wrong use of the spiritual gifts that he was able to write that glorious hymn. So it is always in the Church. Every really great Christian utterance, it may almost be said, is born in controversy. It is when men have felt compelled to take a stand against error that they have risen to the really great heights in the celebration of truth." -J. Gresham Machen

The Doctor on Romans 4:23-25

"That is the final word-Abraham did not stagger at the greatness of the promise. The devil will come to you, and voices within you will say, 'How can I possibly say a thing like that? Look at this life which I am entering as seen in the Sermon on the Mount, the lives of saints, and the life of Jesus Christ. I am so weak, I am constantly falling- how can I?' You must just say, 'I believe this word of the resurrection, I believe the old word spoken unto Abraham. That man was dead, as it were, physically, and so was Sarah's womb. But God told him that they would have a child. He believed God, and I believe God. I believe that though I am weak and helpless and hopeless and vile and without strength, I believe this God of the resurrection, this God who can "bring to life" the things that are not, "who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were". I believe He can call into life within me a new man and a new nature and give me strength and power.' That is Christian faith That is justifying faith. It is faith that enables the believer to dare to believe on the bare word of God, that one day
he will be 'faultless and blameless, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing'. Though this faith he can believe 'that which hath begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ'(Philippians 1:6), and can stand confidently and defy everybody and everything Possessing it he not longer fears death and the grave. Indeed, he no longer fears the final judgment because he knows that he has 'passed from judgment into life' in Christ Jesus." -D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 3:20-4:25, p249.