Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . has conquered . . . Revelation 5:5
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . Galatians 6:14
You have been very angry with your Anointed One. Psalm 89:38
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2
Let the motto upon your whole ministry be - "Christ is All!" - Cotton Mather

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Christ - The Center And Pole Star!

Matthew Henry wrote:
The Scriptures are the circumference of faith, the round of which it walks, and every point of which compass it toucheth; yet the center of it is Christ. That is the pole star, on which it resteth.

Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry (Carlisle: Banner Of Truth, 2006), 241.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Christ! The Diamond Of Diamonds Who Outshines Them All!

Bishop Reynolds wrote:
Studiously and conscientiously apply yourselves to this heavenly skill of spiritual preaching. So convince of sin - the guilt, the stain, the pollution of it, the curse and malediction whereunto the soul is exposed by it, that your hearers may be awakened and humbled and effectually forewarned "to flee from the wrath to come."

So convince of

the all-sufficient righteousness and unsearchable riches of Christ,

the excellency of His knowledge,

the immeasurableness of His love,

the preciousness of His promises,

"the fellowship of His sufferings,

the power of His resurrection,"

the beauties of His holiness,

the easiness of His yoke,

the sweetness of His peace,

the joy of His salvation,

the hope of His glory,

that the hearts of your hearers may burn within them, and they may "fly, like doves unto their windows," for shelter and sanctuary into the arms of such a Redeemer, who "is able" and willing "to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by Him," that they may with all ready obedience, and by the constraining power of the love of Christ, yield up themselves to the government of this Prince of Peace, by whom "the Prince of this world is judged and cast out," his "works destroyed," and we for this end "bought with a price," that we should "not be our own," but His that bought us, nor "live any longer unto ourselves," but unto him that loved us, and died for us, and rose again.

"Preach Christ Jesus the Lord." "Determine to know nothing among your people but Christ crucified." Let His name and grace, His Spirit and love, triumph in the midst of all your sermons.

Let your great end be

to glorify Him in the heart,

to render Him amiable and precious in the eyes of His people,

to lead them to Him,

as a sanctuary to protect them,

a propitiation to reconcile them,

a treasure to enrich them,

a physician to heal them,

an advocate to present them and their services to God,

as wisdom to counsel them,

as righteousness to justify,

as sanctification to renew,

as redemption to save.

Let Christ be the diamond to shine in the bosom of all your sermons.

Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry (Carlisle: Banner of Truth, 2006), 258.

Our System Is Christ Is All And In All!

Charles Bridges wisely described the main characteristics of a preacher's ministry:
"Simplicity, and godly sincerity" - not talent or eloquence - are the principles of our agency. One short sentence describes our system - "Christ is all, and in all." He is not only exhibited in the picture, but in the foreground - as the principal figure - where every part of the picture is subordinated, to give Him that prominence and effect, which attract the eye and the heart exclusively to Him.

Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry (Carlisle: Banner of Truth, 2006), 257.

Christ Is All In Sanctification!

Charles Spurgeon said:
The best preaching is, “We preach Christ crucified.”

The best living is, “We are crucified with Christ.”

The best man is a crucified man.

The more we live beholding our Lord’s unutterable griefs, and understanding how he has fully put away our sin, the more holiness shall we produce.

The more we dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard, where we can view heaven, and earth, and hell, all moved by his wondrous passion—the more noble will our lives become.

Nothing puts life into men like a dying Savior.

Get close to Christ, and carry the remembrance of him about you from day to day, and you will do right royal deeds.

Come, let us slay sin, for Christ was slain.

Come, let us bury all our pride, for Christ was buried.

Come, let us rise to newness of life, for Christ has risen.

Let us be united with our crucified Lord in his one great object — let us live and die with him, and then every action of our lives will be very beautiful.

Charles Spurgeon, "To Lovers Of Jesus - An Example," Mark 14:6, November 2, 1884.

HT: Justin Taylor

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

May A Hidden Christ Be Unbearable Loneliness

Andrew Bonar wrote:
When anything intercepts our view of Christ, may we feel what loneliness is.

Andrew Bonar, Heavenly Springs (Carlisle: Banner Of Truth, 1986), 73.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

A King Whose Dominion Shall Never End!

J. L. Reynolds wrote:
WHEN Christ uttered, in the judgment hall of Pilate, the remarkable words? "I am a king," he pronounced a sentiment fraught with unspeakable dignity and power. His enemies might deride his pretensions and express their mockery of his claim, by presenting him with a crown of thorns, a reed and a purple robe, and nailing him to the cross; but in the eyes of unfallen intelligences, he was a king. A higher power presided over that derisive ceremony, and converted it into a real coronation. That crown of thorns was indeed the diadem of empire; that purple robe was the badge of royalty; that fragile reed was the symbol of unbounded power; and that cross the throne of dominion which shall never end.

J. L. Reynolds, "Church Polity," in Polity, ed. Mark Dever (Washington D. C.: Nine Marks, 2001), 298.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

If A Man Has Christ, He Has Everything!

Charles Spurgeon said:
If a man has Christ, then what does he want else? If a man has Christ, he has everything. If I want perfection, and I have Christ, I have absolute perfection in him. If I want righteousness, I shall find in him my beauty and my glorious dress. I want pardon, and if I have Christ, I am pardoned. I want heaven, and if I have Christ, I have the Prince of heaven, and shall be there by-and-bye, to live with Christ, and to dwell in his blessed embrace for ever. If you have Christ, you have all. Do not be desponding, do not give ear to the whisperings of Satan that you are not the children of God; for if you have Christ, you are his people, and other things will come by-and-bye. Christ makes you complete in himself; as the apostle says, "Ye are complete in him."

Ye blind, ye lame, who are far from Christ, come to him, and receive your sight, and obtain strength! He is made your all; you need bring nothing in your hand to come to him.

Charles H. Spurgeon, “Christ is All,” an exposition of Colossians 3:11 delivered on February 18, 1915, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England.

HT: Tolle Lege

Friday, October 15, 2010

O Great God!

O Great God from lb on Vimeo.


O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

Based on The Valley of Vision prayer “Regeneration”
Words and Music by Bob Kauflin

Monday, October 11, 2010

When Trials Come, Christ Is All!



When Trials Come

When trials come, no longer fear,
For in the pain our God draws near
To fire a faith worth more than gold,
And there His faithfulness is told;
And there His faithfulness is told.

Within the night I know Your peace;
The breath of God brings strength to me,
And new each morning mercy flows
As treasures of the darkness grow,
As treasures of the darkness grow,

I turn to wisdom not my own
For every battle You have known.
My confidence will rest in You;
Your love endures; Your ways are good.
Your love endures; Your ways are good.

When I am weary with the cost,
I see the triumph of the cross;
So in its shadow I shall run
Till He completes the work begun,
Till He completes the work begun.

One day all things will be made new;
I’ll see the hope You called me to,
And in Your kingdom, paved with gold,
I’ll praise Your faithfulness of old;
I’ll praise Your faithfulness of old.

Keith & Kristyn Getty © 2005 Thankyou Music

Friday, October 8, 2010

Happiness, Intense Joy, And Ecstasy In The Beautiful Christ

Andrew Bonar wrote:
Christ in the circle of His disciples would make them so happy that none would remark upon the [lack] of John or Peter. Christ as "Lamb in the midst of the throne" is able to give intense joy to millions upon millions, His look, voice, smile, presence. Oh to see "the King in His beauty!" We shall be sick of love, and yet find all health in that love. "All my springs are in Thee."

It will be ecstasy to have made this attainment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and strength and mind . . . Those who have real love to Christ always wish they had more.

Of all things beware of a cold heart.

Christ will not let anything interfere with your love for Him. He says, "I am all for you, and you must be all for Me."

Andrew Bonar, Heavenly Springs (Carlisle: Banner Of Truth, 1986), 82-83.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Christ: My Greatest Good!

SEARCHER OF HEARTS,
It is a good day to me when thou givest me
a glimpse of myself;
Sin is my greatest evil,
but thou art my greatest good . . . .

Arthur Bennett Ed., The Valley Of Vision (Carlisle: Banner Of Truth, 1997), 69.