Ten Effects of Believing in the Five Points of Calvinism

by Dr. John Piper 

These ten points are my personal testimony to the effects of believing in the five points of Calvinism. I have just completed teaching a seminar on this topic and was asked by the class members to post these reflections so they could have access to them. I am happy to do so. They, of course, assume the content of the course, which is available on tape from Desiring God Ministries, but I will put them here for wider use in the hope that they might stir others to search, Berean-like, to see if the Bible teaches what I call “Calvinism.”

1. These truths make me stand in awe of God and lead me into the depth of true God-centered worship.
I recall the time I first saw, while teaching Ephesians at Bethel College in the late ’70’s, the threefold statement of the goal of all God’s work, namely, “to the praise of the glory of his grace” (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

It has led me to see that we cannot enrich God and that therefore his glory shines most brightly not when we try to meet his needs but when we are satisfied in him as the essence of our deeds. “From him and through him and to him are all things. To him the glory forever” (Romans 11:36). Worship becomes an end in itself.

It has made me feel how low and inadequate are my affections, so that the Psalms of longing come alive and make worship intense.

2. These truths help protect me from trifling with divine things.
One of the curses of our culture is banality, cuteness, cleverness. Television is the main sustainer of our addiction to superficiality and triviality.

God is swept into this. Hence the trifling with divine things.

Earnestness is not excessive in our day. It might have been once. And, yes, there are imbalances in certain people today who don’t seem to be able to relax and talk about the weather.

Robertson Nicole said of Spurgeon, “Evangelism of the humorous type [we might say, church growth of the marketing type] may attract multitudes, but it lays the soul in ashes and destroys the very germs of religion. Mr. Spurgeon is often thought by those who do not know his sermons to have been a humorous preacher. As a matter of fact there was no preacher whose tone was more uniformly earnest, reverent and solemn” (Quoted in The Supremacy of God in Preaching, p. 57).

3. These truths make me marvel at my own salvation.
After laying out the great, God-wrought salvation in Ephesians 1, Paul prays, in the last part of that chapter, that the effect of that theology will be the enlightenment of our hearts so that we marvel at our hope, and at the riches of the glory of our inheritance, and at the power of God at work in us – that is, the power to raise the dead.

Every ground of boasting is removed. Brokenhearted joy and gratitude abound.

The piety of Jonathan Edwards begins to grow. When God has given us a taste of his own majesty and our own wickedness, then the Christian life becomes a thing very different than conventional piety. Edwards describes it beautifully when he says,

The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires: their hope is a humble hope, and their joy, even when it is unspeakable, and full of glory, is humble, brokenhearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behavior (Religious Affections, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1959, pp. 339f).

4. These truths make me alert to man-centered substitutes that pose as good news.
In my book, The Pleasures of God (2000), pp. 144-145, I show that in the 18th century in New England the slide from the sovereignty of God led to Arminianism and thence to universalism and thence to Unitarianism. The same thing happened in England in the 19thcentury after Spurgeon.

Iain Murray’s Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1987), p. 454, documents the same thing: “Calvinistic convictions waned in North America. In the progress of the decline which Edwards had rightly anticipated, those Congregational churches of New England which had embraced Arminianism after the Great Awakening gradually moved into Unitarianism and universalism, led by Charles Chauncy.”

You can also read in J. I. Packer’s Quest for Godliness (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1990), p. 160, how Richard Baxter forsook these teachings and how the following generations reaped a grim harvest in the Baxter church in Kidderminster.

These doctrines are a bulwark against man-centered teachings in many forms that gradually corrupt the church and make her weak from the inside, all the while looking strong or popular.

1 Timothy 3:15, “The church of the living God [is] the pillar and bulwark of the truth.”

5. These truths make me groan over the indescribable disease of our secular, God-belittling culture.
I can hardly read the newspaper or look at a TV ad or a billboard without feeling the burden that God is missing.

When God is the main reality in the universe and is treated as a non-reality, I tremble at the wrath that is being stored up. I am able to be shocked. So many Christians are sedated with the same drug as the world. But these teachings are a great antidote.

And I pray for awakening and revival.

And I try to preach to create a people that are so God-saturated that they will show and tell God everywhere and all the time.

We exist to reassert the reality of God and the supremacy of God in all of life.

6. These truths make me confident that the work which God planned and began, he will finish – both globally and personally.
This is the point of Romans 8:28-39.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died- more than that, who was raised- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

7. These truths make me see everything in the light of God’s sovereign purposes – that from him and through him and to him are all things, to him be glory forever and ever.
All of life relates to God. There’s no compartment where he is not all-important and the one who gives meaning to everything. 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Seeing God’s sovereign purpose worked out in Scripture, and hearing Paul say that “he accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11) makes me see the world this way.

8. These truths make me hopeful that God has the will, the right, and the power to answer prayer that people be changed.
The warrant for prayer is that God may break in and change things – including the human heart. He can turn the will around. “Hallowed be thy name” means: cause people to hallow your name. “May your word run and be glorified” means: cause hearts to be opened to the gospel.

We should take the New Covenant promises and plead with God to bring them to pass in our children and in our neighbors and among all the mission fields of the world.

“God, take out of their flesh the heart of stone and give him a new heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19).

“Lord, circumcise their hearts so that they love you” (Deuteronomy 30:6).

“Father, put your spirit within them and cause them to walk in Your statutes” (Ezekiel 36:27).

“Lord, grant them repentance and the knowledge of the truth that they may escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

“Father, open their hearts so that they believe the gospel” (Acts 16:14).

9. These truths reminds me that evangelism is absolutely essential for people to come to Christ and be saved, and that there is great hope for success in leading people to faith, but that conversion is not finally dependent on me or limited by the hardness of the unbeliever.
So it gives hope to evangelism, especially in the hard places and among the hard peoples.

John 10:16, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold, I must bring them also. They will heed my voice.”

It is God’s work. Throw yourself into it with abandon.

10. These truths make me sure that God will triumph in the end.
Isaiah 46:9-10, “I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand that I will accomplish all my purpose’”

Putting them altogether: God gets the glory and we get the joy.

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21 
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

No, this was not how He argued. Gazing in sorrow on
those who would not hear the Word--He simply turns
to the twelve, and asks, "Will you go away also?"

~  ~  ~  ~

We have published Archibald Brown's superb 10 page
article, "The Devil's Mission of Amusement".
Must reading! Please forward this to every church
leader you know!

Grace Audio Treasures (choice AUDIO sermons)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice PRINTED books)

Men,

Be ye a member who loves his church and her leaders or if ye serve as
an elder or a deacon, you should be interested more in what the Lord
says about these 2 offices in His church than what you may have been
taught be men.  Most churches rely more on their traditions than on
the Scriptures.  With regards to the offices of His church, this book
does an excellent job of reasoning from His Word how the church ought
to be.

http://www.amazon.com/40-Questions-About-Elders-Deacons/dp/0825433649/ref=pd_bbs\
_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222308425&sr=1-1

Here's a short review -
http://9marks.org/CC/article/0,,PTID314526%7CCHID598014%7CCIID2438298,00.html

I highly recommend it!

If God has spoken on an issue, nobody who claims Christ should be voting for a
politician who promises the moon, but cares not to honor the Lord.

Here's a 2 minute video that illustrates one of these issues:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNw6I2buTt4

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

A Taste of Honey                                               October 1, 2008

Have you ever thought about how important it is to be obedient to the Lord?  I’m sure you have.  Scripture is VERY CLEAR in stating that salvation DOES NOT happen as the result of man’s own efforts (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:20, 3:28; Gal. 2:16).  On the other hand, Jesus points out how important good works are as the result of salvation: Matt 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”  In the Old Testament, God used Samuel to tell God’s people that obedience is important to Him:  1 Sam 15:22, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”

        In John 2:1-8 we have the account of Jesus performing His first public miracle.  From the Scripture we can glean several important truths.  One has to do with the heresy that some churches are perpetuating.  They say that God’s people should pray to the Virgin Mary, and that often prayers to her are more effective than prayers to God.  That teaching is satanic and false.  On the occasion of Jesus’ first miracle, people came to Mary and Mary sent them to Jesus. 

John 2:1-8

2 And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;

2 and Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the wedding.

3 And when the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."

4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come."

5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.

7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the headwaiter." And they took it to him.      NASB

Notice:

      The Call to Perfect Obedience, John 1:5.

No Reservations.  John 2:5, “His mother (Mary) said to the servants, ‘Whatever He (Jesus) says to you, do it.’”  Our lives should be a “blank check” for God.  The amount payable should always be whatever He says.  In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul, who had been commanded by God to destroy one of the enemies of Israel, used his own judgment and spared King Agag and all his flocks and herds.  When Samuel questioned Saul about his actions, Saul claimed that he had fully obeyed God’s command.  Saul was guilty of “partial obedience”, and as the result suffered the judgment of God.

No Rivals.   Mary told them, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”  We often sing a song with the words, “Wherever He leads, I’ll go.”  Do we really mean that?  Another song we often sing says, “I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.”  Is that true in your life?

        The call to perfect obedience demands No Reservations, and No Rivals.

      The Call to Personal Obedience.

Rather than Mary taking matters into her own hands or interceding with Jesus on behalf of the people, she told them, “Whatever He tells YOU to do, do it.”  God doesn’t hold me accountable for what you do or do not do.  He holds me accountable for what I am supposed to do.  When God expressed to Isaiah that there was a task that needed to be performed  (Is. 6:8), Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me.”  Too often men want to say, “Here I am Lord, send HIM!”  John 2:5 involves a call to Personal Obedience.

      The Call to Purposeful Obedience.

Mary’s advice to her hearers was, “Whatever He says to you, DO IT.”  In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked the question, Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things I say?”  That it a legitimate question, and one all of us would do well to answer for ourselves.  If we say that we are Christians, disciples of Christ, do we obey His commands?

        Too often, it seems, we want to do something ELSE, or something MORE, or something LESS than what God requires.  It seems that the so-called protestant reformation was fought  with the Roman Catholic Church over a single word – only.   The Catholic church will agree that the Lord Jesus is A priest, but not that Jesus is our ONLY HIGH PRIEST.  They will agree that salvation is by faith, but not that salvation is ONLY by faith.  They will agree that Jesus is a Mediator, but not that Jesus is our ONLY Mediator between God and man. 

        Obedience to God is NOT a requirement FOR salvation, but it IS a result OF salvation.  We have been called to Perfect, Personal, and Purposeful obedience.  “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quoted is from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1995, published by the Lockman Foundation, all rights reserved.

==================================================================

My goal in sending this devotional thought to you is to edify the people of God in every place.   To add a name for e-mail receipt or to have your name removed please make your request to Mickey Scott at tasteofhoney@....

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21 
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional--

"Get out of My sight!"
by Thomas Brooks (superb, on hell)
 

~  ~  ~  ~

Murmuring, dissatisfaction, discontent

(J. C. Ryle, "Be Content" 1885)

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with such things as you have, because God has said--Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

These words are very simple. A little child might easily understand them. They contain no high doctrine; they involve no deep metaphysical question; and yet, as simple as they are--the duty which these words enjoin on us, is of highest practical importance to all Christians.

Contentment is one of the rarest graces. Like all precious things--it is most uncommon. To practice contentment, is very hard. To talk of contentment in the day of health and prosperity is easy enough; but to be content in the midst of poverty, sickness, trouble, disappointments, and losses--is a state of mind to which very few can attain!

The fallen angels had heaven itself to dwell in, and the immediate presence and favor of God--but they were not content. Adam and Eve had the garden of Eden to live in, with a free grant of everything in it excepting one tree--but they were not content. Ahab had his throne and kingdom, but so long as Naboth's vineyard was not his--he was not content. Haman was the chief favorite of the Persian king--but so long as Mordecai sat at the gate--he was not content.

It is just the same everywhere in the present day. Murmuring, dissatisfaction, discontent with what we have, meet us at every turn. To say, with Jacob, "I have enough," seems flatly contrary to the grain of human nature. To say, "I want more," seems the mother tongue of every child of Adam.

Paul's direction ought to come with power to all our consciences: "Be content with such things as you have," not with such things as you once used to have--not with such things as you hope to have--but with such things as you now have. With such things, whatever they may be--we are to be content. With such a dwelling, such a family, such health, such income, such work, such circumstances as we now have--we are to be content.

Ah! reader, if you would be truly happy--seek it where alone it can be found. Seek it not in money, seek it not in pleasure, nor in friends, nor in learning. Seek it in having a will in perfect harmony with the will of God. Seek it in studying to be content.

You may say, that is fine talking--but how can we be always content in such a world? I answer, that you need to cast away your pride, and know your deserts, in order to be thankful in any condition. If men really knew that they deserve nothing, and are debtors to God's mercy every day--they would soon cease to complain.

Let me tell you why there is so little contentment in the world. The simple answer is, because there is so little grace, and true godliness. Few know their own sin; few feel their desert; and so few are content with such things as they have. Humility, self-knowledge, a clear sight of our own utter vileness and corruption; these are the true roots of contentment.

Let me tell you--what you should do, if you would be content. You must know your own heart, seek God for your portion, take Christ for your Savior, and use God's Word for your daily food. Contentment must be learned at the feet of Jesus Christ. He who has God for his friend, and heaven for his home--can wait for his good things, and be content with little here below.

Grace Audio Treasures (choice AUDIO sermons)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice PRINTED books)

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional--

"The tenderness of God"
by John MacDuff (comforting!)
 

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Seriously engaged about trifles

(Letters of John Newton)

"This world is fading away, along with everything it craves!" 1 John 2:17

God's own people are so shamefully inconsistent with themselves, and with their acknowledged principles.

In the midst of the hurries and changes of this unsettled state--we glide along swiftly towards an unchangeable world. We shall soon have as little connection with the scenes we are now passing through--as we have with what happened before the Flood! All which appears great and interesting in the present life, abstracted from its influence upon our internal character, and our everlasting destiny--will soon be as unreal as a dream of the night!

This we know and confess. But though our judgments are convinced, it is seldom that our hearts are duly affected by the thought. And while I find it easy to write in this moralizing strain--I feel myself disposed to be seriously engaged about trifles--and trifling in the most serious concerns--as if I believed the very contrary!

"This world and all it contains, is passing away!" 1 Corinthians 7:31

      ~  ~  ~

We have published several more insightful letters of John Newton:

Separated from the ungodly world

Seriously engaged about trifles

A visitor from heaven!

Without Me you can do nothing

Thoughts from the sick room

When we see the world in flames!

Thought on the ice-palace

Blinded by Satan

Our divine Shepherd

Grace Audio Treasures (choice AUDIO sermons)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice PRINTED books)

Brothers,

It's easy to get comfortable with where we are and what we have, not thinking of
our brethren who are out of sight.  The Men of Honor web site has been on line
for 4 years and receives visitors from around the world every month.  Some of
them reach out.  Please read the following and join me in praying for this group
of Christians in the hostile land where everything other than God is worshiped.


-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: postmaster*AT*menofhonorministry.org@unspecified-domain
>Sent: Oct 21, 2008 10:43 PM
>To: sbrogden@...
>Subject: Comments
>
>email:
>realname:
>mesg: Dear Beloved Brother / Sister in Christ, Greetings to you in Jesus Name
Amen! First of all I praise and thank Lord Jesus for giving an opportunity to
have beautiful fellowship with your Blessed Ministry by sending this Email. This
is Pastor Pravardhan Varma from Tenali , Andhra Pradesh SOUTH-INDIA. Running a
church named by Good Seed Church Ministry since the year 2000. We need your
prayers and your love to our organization to take this Ministry all over India
Amen. We are going on prayers to be fulfilled in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Please pray for us and for my Ministry. Convey my Greets to your family & Staff.
For further details regarding Good Seed Church Ministry, you can log on to
www.gscmindia.org We are waiting to hear favor from you soon as God leads you
Amen! In His Service, Pastor.Varma & Family. GOOD SEED CHURCH MINISTRY. Gospel
On Wheels, South India.
>email_address: info_gscmindia@...
>
>==================================
>
>REMOTE_HOST=
>REMOTE_ADDR=117.197.212.189
>HTTP_USER_AGENT=Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
>REMOTE_USER=
>


Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

Christians, who take the scriptures seriously, are about as happy about an Obama presidency as a pig is a bacon sandwich. Stoked we ain’t. And it isn’t because Barack is black. Personally, I think it is great that our nation has a black president, and I say this officially ends all the “oppressive white devil” blather. Yep, no mas “blanco el Diablo,” por favor. We have now “evolved.”

This means Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton can formally zip it. I think that’s why Jackson was crying last Tuesday night … he done. A black man is now the most important person on the planet, and it’s not Jesse! Plus, Jackson’s on tape saying he wanted to cut Obama’s balls off, and now Barack’s going to spread Jesse’s wealth. That’ll make a grown man cry. So close, Jackson, yet so far away.

Back to the church. What concerns Christians who are governed by the scriptures, and not Oprah, are Obama’s liberal-to-the-core stances on abortion, marriage, socialism, freedom of speech, big government, taxes, guns and his associations with Marxist radicals. That’s what freaks believers who actually believe, and not, I say, not the levels of melanin in Obama’s epidermis.

As a believer, here’s how I’m trying to deal with this: If God is omniscient then … uh … he knew this was coming; if he is omnipotent then … hello … he allowed this to happen; and if he’s still omnipresent (and I’m pretty sure he still is) then he is still with us. So, essentially, providentially, we got what God wanted us to have. Time will tell whether or not He’s propping us up for a major national butt whuppin’ or our tricky God is going to bring a back door unexpected blessing from someone most Christians assume God would never use.

Now, if we truly follow “Hey-soos,” then we’re commanded, not suggested, to respect and pray for those who have authority over us. We cannot pick and choose which texts we’re going to obey and disobey when it comes to Christian conduct. I wish we could, because I’d like to slap the snot out of my neighbor who blares techno music from his balcony at 4:00 a.m., but alas, I can’t.

“Honor,” biblically speaking, in Greek, according to Yahweh, means not to be a braying d-bag like Al Franken, and “pray” for our leaders denotes all kinds of prayers, not just the “now I lay me down to sleep” stuff. Matter of fact, for a type of prayer that gets all the attention of Michael Moore’s personal Gutbuster DVD, check out James Adams’ book War Psalms of the Prince of Peace. This is an interesting book on a certain kind of biblical entreaty commonly utilized by Jesus and the saints in the Old and New Testament. I guarantee you have never heard these prayers prayed, preached or sang lately in your churches. Google it, get two copies (one for you and one for your pastor) and get back with me on how they have spiced up your prayer time. Our nation could depend on it.

Now back to the issue of honor. Christian, you don’t want to mimic the unhinged loons on the left who sport Bush Derangement Syndrome with an equally obnoxious Barack Derangement Syndrome, do you? Also, just so you do not misinterpret what I mean when I say “honor,” I’m not talking about wearing buttsmacker lip balm. True honor means we show respect and … I said AND … oppose, reprove or rebuke Obama when we think he’s wrong. The Christian is commanded to do this if he or she truly loves someone. We just gotta make sure we do it with dignity and don’t sound like the nasally, nerve-gratingly nasty demon toad lady named Janeane Garofalo.

Christian, are we really surprised McCain got McDusted? What did we think was going to happen in this election? Did we really believe McCain was going to become president in this TV-addicted, American Idol-addled culture? Huh? We can’t run a guy who ticks off his base and looks like Uncle Fester - hero or not - against an electric Tiger Woods who has a billion bucks and a huge cult following. Haven’t we learned anything from Dancing with the Stars? Leachman was destined to lose to Lucci. McCain/Palin had a snowball’s chance in Miami of winning this thing.

Speaking of Palin: To Fox News’ Carl Cameron and the McCain campaign punks who are dissing Palin, you dingleberries are truly pathetic. What’s next? Are you going to spray-paint old people at the mall? Drown some kittens? Pull the legs off spiders? All of you are a disgrace and are not worthy enough to unlatch Palin’s pumps.

Finally, my Christian hope is this: Hopefully now the church will officially get off its backside and go look for its dust-covered bible it uses to read and believe. After we find our forsaken sacred text and once again peruse its pages, I hope there is widespread and heartfelt repentance for whizzing on its precepts. In addition, I hope that conservatives, after having had our butts handed to us, will turn our attention to a search and rescue mission for the baton that was lost when Reagan left office, and then attempt to hand it to someone on the right who has more unction than that of a hinge.

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21 
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional--

"The best of saints are sinners"
 by Thomas Brooks (sobering!)

 ~  ~  ~  ~

I would have been perfectly submissive!

(Theodore Cuyler, "God's Light on Dark Clouds")

None of us has any trouble in accepting the doctrine of God's sovereignty--as long as things go to our liking! We are perfectly satisfied to let God have His way--as long as He does not cross us! We all believe in His administration, and are ready to "vote God in as our governor" as long as our business thrives, and our crops are plentiful, and everyone around our own table is healthy and happy.

As long as His mercies are poured out in sweet wine--we drink of them gladly. But as soon as the same cup begins to taste of wormwood--we push it away in disgust, or cry out piteously, "Let this cup pass from me! Any other cup I would have swallowed--but not this one! If God had only tried me with the loss of property, and spared my health--I could have borne it! Or if He had sent the sickness at some other time--I would not murmur so! Or if His blow had struck me somewhere else but in my most tender spot--I would not cry out so bitterly! In short, if God had only consulted me as to the medicine I should take, and as to which branch His pruning knife should lop off--I would have been perfectly submissive!"

As some of our readers may just now be smarting under God's strokes of discipline, or letting their hearts fester into rebellion--let me whisper this precious truth into their ears: our Heavenly Father never afflicts one of His children--but for a wise purpose. He never strikes at random--or deals one blow in cruelty!

 ~  ~  ~  ~

We have published Theodore Cuyler's superb 50 page devotional gem, "God's Light on Dark Clouds". This choice booklet is filled with sympathy, comfort and encouragement! Must reading--you might want to print off a copy.

Grace Audio Treasures (choice AUDIO sermons)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice PRINTED books)

The Election of President Barack Obama
By Pastor Gregg Matte (1st Baptist Houston)
November 5, 2008


Just like you, I sat on the couch to watch the map I learned in grade school
turn either blue or red.  Funny, how entertaining the media has made it all. 
But the truth is the map symbolizes serious issues.

The election map of 2008 left the majority in glee and others with a lurking
fear of the direction of the US of A.  So if you are a bit shell-shocked
wondering how we got here and what do we do now, read on…

How did we get here?


(1)  Over the last decades, government policy has stepped into theology.  The
beginning of life and definition of marriage are theological issues, not
political.  Therefore, they are more important than the policy decisions of
energy, military, and taxation.  But just like in biblical days, many choose the
contrary broad road on issues that God has spoken on.  God created the church,
the family and government – but our country doesn’t want the church
involved.  We redefine family and look to government as the lone savior – and
here we sit.

(2)  The Builder generation (those over 65) has been America’s compass for
Judeo-Christian values.  They saw the value of church and family.

Then the Baby Boomers moved from biblical values to “do your own thing”
which included raising their kids to enjoy a lazy Sunday morning instead of
church, removing prayer from school and Roe v. Wade.

Enter Generation X (my crew).   We followed technology instead of the Lord,
embraced sexual preferences, chose our own morals, and lived by a “whatever
you believe is right is up to you” mentality.  We now raise our kids on the
sporting fields while shoe polishing our SUVs each weekend with “Go Team! On
to the ‘ships!” instead of teaching the difference between eternal rewards
and plastic trophies.

So now the number of people who have grown up without a Christian memory far out
number the ones who grew up loving the Lord on Sundays and Wednesdays in the
pews and the rest of the days in their homes.  We are becoming a post-Christian
culture.  Today, Hollywood is our pastor, technology is our Bible, charisma is
our value, and Barack Obama is our President.

(3)  To end this section on a positive note, I’m excited to see the first
African-American president.  We have divided along color lines for too long. 
The embracing of racial diversity is wonderfully pleasing to the Lord.


So what are our thoughts to be, as believers in Christ, in response to the 2008
election:

(1)  Pray:  Begin today praying for President-Elect Obama, whether you like it
or not that he will be the next president.  Pray for the will of the Lord to
prosper and things contrary to God to be thwarted. I Timothy 2:1-2 calls us to
pray for our leaders.

(2)  Trust:  God is in control.  God controls not only the world but the heart
of the King says Proverbs 21:1.

(3)  Remember:  No matter who is president, we have a King that is higher. 
Revelation 1:5 states that Jesus is the ruler of kings and Philippians 3:20 says
we are citizens of heaven.

(4)  Realize:  God desires changed hearts as well as changed laws.  The ceasing
of abortions and gay rights is to come primarily from the demand side of things,
not supply.  This means that the best way to end abortion is not the courtroom
but the gospel of Christ.  We need the gospel on the front side of the
pregnancy, not just a law on the backside.  By all means I pray that Roe v. Wade
would be overturned and that the homosexual agenda fails, but this will come
from the decrease of the demand of sin—not only the decrease of supply.  I
Corinthians 6:9-11 speaks of the life change Christ can bring.


Believers in Christ, we are to look at life with an eternal perspective—not in
four year increments.

“Lord, I pray for President-Elect Obama.  May he turn to you both personally
and on behalf of our country.  May any agenda contrary to Yours fall hastily to
the ground or become trapped in DC bureaucracy, never seeing the light of day. 
Lord, we need You and we call out to You.  Return the hearts of our nation to
You one soul at a time.  Not in national decree but by personal salvation.  May
we as Christians pray more than we chatter, love those who are bitter toward the
church, and shine with hope and change based in the cross not on a stump speech.
Jesus, You are our King, and we desire to be Your people.”

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

When your hut's on fire  

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?' Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship app roaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied. 
  The Moral of This Story: 
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.   
P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21 
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

FREE SHOWINGS @ Tomball (Silverado) & Katy (Mills-AMC)

Dear Friends: Sorry for the late notice, but Dan Patrick just informed me of FREE Premier Screenings of his new MOVIE "The Heart of Texas"!

ABOUT THE MOVIE - It is a story of two families, their churches and their community and how a tragedy brought the entire community together.  It is a true story that took place just west of Katy.  It is a story of the awesome power of God and his gift to all of us of Forgiveness.  Dan Patrick is Executive Producer of the movie and has been working on it for 4 years.

SEE TRAILER AT: www.heartoftexasthemovie.com

ORDER YOUR FREE TICKETS - Go to www.heartoftexasthemovie.com and order your tickets for one of the new showings, either:
-       7:30 PM Wednesday, Nov 19th @ KATY MILLS-AMC
-       9:30 PM Thursday, Nov 20th @ SILVERADO-TOMBALL

-       ONE AT A TIME - You have to order each ticket one at a time, doesn't take but a second.  Order however many you need if you want to bring some folks.

-       18 & OLDER - Although this is a family movie only those 18 and older will be admitted to the FREE screening.

Hope you get a chance to see this movie, and tell others about it too!

Thanks, God bless, and have a great week!

-Mark

THEATERS

AMC 20 KATY MILLS
-       Date: November 19th
-       Times: 7:30pm New Time
-       5000 Katy MIlls Circle; Katy TX 77494
-       Phone: (281)-319-4262
-       Theatre Website Click here: http://www.moviewatcher.com/theatres/theatre_information.jsp?unit=0148

Santikos SILVERADO
-       Date: November 20th
-       Times: 9:30pm New Time
-       24720 State Highway 249; Tomball, (Houston) TX 77375
-       Phone: (281) 290-0077
http://www.santikos.com/silveradohou.html

W. Mark Shirley, CPA
WMS@...

413 Placements and 128 Advisory & Contract Engagements since 1994.
For more, go to www.WMShirley.com

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So many proclaiming Christians consider C.S. Lewis a stalwart defender of the
Christian faith.  I have several of his books and have found some of his work to
be edifying.  But what are we accepting without, perhaps, realizing what we are
taking in?  Turn to this 7 page review of Lewis' own words on issues at the
center of biblical Christianity and make up your mind -
http://www.trinityfoundation.org/PDF/205a-DidCS.LewisGotoHeaven.pdf  He sure
sounds more like a Roman than a Christian to me.

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

Where do your and my affections lie?  Are we worldly or heavenly in our
appetites?  What does it matter if we look and act and think and consume just
like the world?  What does Jesus say about such things?  If your heart is not
pierced with sorrow over your sin (who among us is without sin?  Only the lier!)
then you should have much fear.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Teaching/Default.aspx?id=316542

Stuart L. Brogden
1 Thessalonians 5:21
http://BrogdensMuse.MenofHonorMinistry.org

Greetings Brother,

First off, let me say thank you to the moderators for allowing me to be
aprt of this group. My name is Samuel. MOst people call me Samm(yes,
with 2m's.......its not a typo).

I live in Dallas. I am seeking a place to get to know men who truly are
after The Fathers Heart. I look forward,to the friendships here.

In Christ Alone,

Samuel