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Here are the two audio links of the Puritan Challenge. These links are from the Calling for Truth Radio show with Dr. Paul Dean and Pastor Kevin Boling. Enjoy.
Psalm 54
The Lord Upholds My Life
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”
54:1 O God, save me by your name,
and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have risen against me;
ruthless men seek my life;
they do not set God before themselves. Selah
4 Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies;
in your faithfulness put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
The Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser for this evening at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall will go on as scheduled. Look forward to seeing you there.
Prayer from Valley of Vision
Christ Alone
Thy main plan and the end of thy will
is to make Christ glorious and beloved in heaven
where he is now ascended
where one day all the elect will behold his glory
and love and glorify him for ever
Though here I love him but little
may this be my portion at last
In this world thou hast given me a beginning
one day it will be perfected in the realm above
Thou hast helped me to see and know Christ, though obscurely
to take him, receive him,
to possess him, love him,
to bless him in my heart, mouth, life
Let me sutdy and stand for discipline
and all the ways of worship
out of love for Christ
and to show my thankfulness
to see and know his will from love
to hold it in love
and daily to care for and keep this state of heart
thou has tled me to place all my nature and happiness
in oneness with Christ
in having heart and mind centred only on him
in being like him in communicating good to others
This is my heaven on earth
But I need the force, energy, impulses of thy Spirit
to carry me on the way to my Jerusalem
Here, it is my duty
to be as Christ in this world
to do what he would do,
to live as he would live
to walk in love and meekness;
then would he be known
then would I have peace in death.
The Easter season is fast approaching. Our church every year hosts a Candlelight Good Friday service where we spend time sharing about the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. I highly recommend AW Pink’s book, The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross is a fantastic read. He gives the historical context of each saying in great detail. He provides the Old Testament passages which correlate to each one as a fulfillment of prophecy and the requirements of the sacrificial system which Jesus fulfilled. Then he gives practical application to each one as well. It is very devotional in nature but the depth of his preaching gives an amazing foundation for the events that took place prior, during, and after the crucifixion of Jesus. Here is a quote from Chapter 6, The Word of Victory, It is finished.
Upon a Life I did not live
Upon a Death I did not live
Another’s death-Another’s life
I cast my soul eternally
Bold shall I stand in that great day
For who aught to my charge can lay
Fully absolved by Christ I am
From sin’s tremendous curse and blame
If you are looking for Passion DC Conference info.
Check this below.
Passion Regionals
Advantages of Recording our experiences of providence:
Flavel advises, “Christians that have time or ability for such a work, to keep written memorials or journals of providence by them; for their own and others use and benefit…I am not for posting up all that a Christian knows or meets with his experience…If Christians in reading the Scriptures would judiciously collect and record the providences they shall meet with there and if destitute of other helps but add those that have fallen out in their own time and experience, O what a precious treasure this would make! What an antidote would it be to their souls against he spreading of atheism of these days satisfy them beyond what other arguments can do” (1 Kings 18:39).
“Providence carries our lives, liberties and concerns in its hand every moment. Your bread in its cupboard, your money in your purse, your safety in its enfolding arms; and surely it is the least part of what you owe to record the favours you receive at its hands.”
He goes on to say we shouldn’t trust our memories to remember because our memories will fail. Be careful not to say that the things you are going through now are greater than the the things of the past. God was faithful then and He is faithful now. Another caution I would add is the desire to want to go back to the glory days of how God moved in your life in the past. Those things were great to help us grow but there is a point when we need to move forward to know what God is calling you to now and in the future. I would agree there are seasons of growth that take place and certainly that would be biblical. Remember in all things the main verse we have been challenged by, I cry out to God Most High to God who fulfills his purpose for me (Psalm 57:2).
1. What acts of God’s providence in your life can you record?
2. What have you learned from this book?
Practical Problems in connection with providence:
“The will of God falls into two considerations of His secret and revealed will. This distinction is found in that Scripture: The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us (Deut. 29:29)…This revealed will of God is either manifested to us in His Word or in His works. The former is His commanding will, the latter His effecting or permitting will, the one concerning good, the other evil. In these ways God manifests His will to men, but yet with great variety and difference, both as to the things revealed, the persons to whom He reveals them and the degrees of clearness in which they are revealed.”
The way I remember this is God always has a greater good in mind. It’s easy for clarification.
“Providence may permit to offer themselves to you, for they are only permitted for your trial, not your encouragement. Take this as a sure rule, no providence can legitimize or justify any moral evil. Nor will it plea before God for any man to say, The providence of God gave me encouragement to do it, though the Word gave me none.” Govern yourself by the rules Flavel provides,
1. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts. Be really afraid of offending Him. God will not hide His mind from such a soul (Psalm 25:14).
2. Study the Word more and the concerns and interests of the world less (Psalm 119:11, 105).
3. Reduce what you know into practice and you shall know what is your duty to practice (John 7:17, Psalm 111:10)
4. Pray for illumination and direction in the way you should go (Ezra 8:21)
5. This being done, follow Providence so far as it agrees with the Word and no further (Psalm 41:10-11, Psalm 86:17)
These are all great rules to help us in our lives practically. These guide our lives from being in error with our understanding.
As the prophet Micah said, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8
1. What are the two considerations of the will of God?
2. Have there been times when you have tried to justify your sin?
3. What guidelines or verses have helped your understanding of how to live rightly?
Baltimore Blast Christian Youth Night, Friday, March 7, 2008. The game starts at 7:30pm. We would need to leave the church by 6:00pm and head to 1st Mariner Arena. The cost is $20 per ticket. After the game Todd Agnew and Stellar Kart will be performing. It will be a great time to hang out. The deadline to sign up is February 24, 2008. Let me know if you want to go. Your money guarantees your spot.
Curious to hear what the bands sound like?
http://www.stellarkart.com/
http://www.toddagnew.com/
http://www.baltimoreblast.com/
Reminder, Acquire the Fire is coming soon. April 18th and April 19th, 1st Mariner Bank Arena Baltimore, Maryland. The cost will be $65 per ticket. This does not include money for food for 3 meals on Saturday. The deadline to sign up for ATF is March 16th.
Speakers
Ron Luce
Phil Joel
Joel Johnson
Bands
Nevertheless
Michael Gungor
David Crowder
Friday
6:00pm Doors Open
6:45pm In Seats for Beginning of Event.
7:00pm Worship Begins
7:40-9:30pm Session 1- Ron Luce
Saturday
8:45am Worship begins the event on Saturday.
9:10-12:00pm Session 2- The Bema Part 1
12:00-1:15pm Lunch Break
1:30pm Afternoon session begins with worship
2:00-5:00pm Session 3/Concerts
5:00pm-6:30pm Dinner Break
6:45pm In seats
7pm-9:30pm Session 4- The Bema Part 2
9:30pm End of Event
Spaghetti Dinner, Wednesday Feb 20th. Wear white shirts with black pants. The dinner starts at 6:30pm we will need you there around 4pm to help setup and serve during the dinner and clean up at the end. Looking forward to seeing you all there. See you Sunday.
