John Owen...on fighting sin giants...a lengthy but relevant quote

There Will Be No Mortification of Any Sin Without Sincerity and Diligence in a Universality of Obedience

A man finds any lust to bring him into the condition formerly described; it is powerful, strong, tumultuating, leads captive, vexes, disquiets, takes away peace; he is not able to bear it; wherefore he sets himself against it, prays against it, groans under it, sighs to be delivered: but in the meantime, perhaps in other duties--in constant communion with God--in reading, prayer, and meditation--in other ways that are not of the same kind with the lust wherewith he is troubled--he is loose and negligent.

Let not that man think that ever he shall arrive to the mortification of the lust he is perplexed with...

Hatred of sin as sin, not only as galling or disquieting, a sense of the love of Christ in the cross, lies at the bottom of all true spiritual mortification.

(self-love)...You set yourself with all diligence and earnestness to mortify such a lust or sin; what is the reason of it?

It disquiets you, it has taken away your peace, it fills your heart with sorrow and trouble and fear; you have no rest because of it. Yea, but friend, you have neglected prayer or reading; you have been vain and loose in your conversation in other things, that have not been of the same nature with the lust wherewith you are perplexed.

These are no less sins and evils than those under which you groan. Jesus Christ bled for them also. Why do you not set yourself against them also? If you hate sin as sin, every evil way, you would be no less watchful against everything that grieves and disquiets the Spirit of God, than against that which grieves and disquiets your own soul.

It is evident that you contend with sin merely because of your own trouble by it. Would your conscience be quiet under it, you would let it alone. Did it not disquiet you, it should not be disquieted by you.

Now, can you think that God will set in with such hypocritical endeavors--that ever His Spirit will bear witness to the treachery and falsehood of your spirit?

Do you think He will ease you of that which perplexes you, that you may be at liberty to that which no less grieves Him? No. God says,"Here is one, if he could be rid of this lust I should never hear of him more; let him wrestle with this, or he is lost."

Let not any man think to do his own work that will not do God's. God's work consists in universal obedience; to be freed of the present perplexity is their own only. Hence is that of the apostle: "Cleanse yourselves from all pollution of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Cor. 7:1)

If we will do anything, we must do all things. So, then, it is not only an intense opposition to this or that peculiar lust, but a universal humble frame and temper of heart, with watchfulness over every evil and for the performance of every duty...that is accepted.

BE SURE TO GET AN INTEREST IN CHRIST--IF YOU INTEND TO MORTIFY ANY SIN WITHOUT IT, IT WILL NEVER BE DONE."

Christ in our place...It Is Well With Our Souls!

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5)

"if your brother is grieved...you are no longer walking in love"

I tend to concern myself with my immediate family, I prefer to spend and be spent for them, and I don't mind if the Lord uses them to teach me lessons...

The Lord had a "dilemma"! I am in myself and apart from His work of grace so utterly selfish. I allow no one to get to me and I have a tendency to surround myself with indifference as with a cloak. The Lord loves me and He continues to pursue me. He needs varied instruments to use in my life to accomplish His purposes...so...

Yesterday the Lord posed a question to me: "If your brother Daniel was alive, would you tolerate his personality/behavior idiosyncrasies ?" I realized that I would, that I would want to walk in love and I would not want to grieve him. Then the Lord said: "Go and do that for Florin!"

I have had issues with Florin...only because I don't like his "secret ways" and the way he "hides" things from me...but I didn't realize that I grieved the Lord with my attitude.

"Who are you to judge...? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand for God is able to make him stand." (Romans 14)

I was also confronted with the verse in Isaiah 58:7d

"...not hide yourself from your own flesh" was brought to mind...for I had dismissed Florin's concerns from my mind and soul...since he appeared to me aloof and self sufficient. Nehemiah 5 also deals with a similar calloused attitude on the part of some brothers toward others...

"Holiness unto the LORD" no doubt includes such incidents...relating to those outside our immediate families whom we grieve...though the Lord would have us walk in the 1 Cor. 13 kind of love toward them...

I realize now how wise the Potter has been! He never brings to the surface dross until I am ready to see it for what it is and not continue to make excuses in my mind for "not walking in love" toward those whom He placed in my path.

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
(James 5:16)

"righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14)

"Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow; and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace,then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations." (Frances De Sales)

"Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost?" (O. Chambers)

"...in the name of our God we will set up our banners!" (Ps. 20)

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mt. 24:35)

"Not I, but Christ"...a hymn!

Not I but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.

Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow;
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden;
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.

Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying;
Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be;
Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit;
Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me.

Christ, only Christ, ere long will fill my vision;
Glory excelling soon, full soon I'll see...
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling;
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.

(hymn by A.B. Simpson)

The HOME...the hardest place to minister...

I listened today to C.J.Mahaney's sermon from Phillipians 1

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ...for God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ."

He said that Paul's distinctives in terms of ministry were the following:

• expressing gratefulness to God and to those around him...which leads to joy (a spirit of complaining kills joy)
• confidence and faith in the One who authors and finishes faith because of His promises
• expressing a "theologically informed" affection to those he ministered to...knowing the price Christ paid for them

I confess that I was discouraged these past few days as I analyzed my mistakes in training the children, the excuses I gave myself for failing to "stand in the gap" when the need arose along the years and the awareness that I did not like the harvest I was currently reaping...

I was encouraged by the Spirit of God through the use of His humble servant (who has a tendency to compare himself with others...but who above all desires to be pleasing to God in private before addressing a congregation).

I realized that in my discouragement I had forgotten that "without faith it is impossible to please Him".

"I'll stay where You've put me; I'll work, dear Lord,

Though the field be narrow and small,

And the ground be fallow, and the stones lie thick,

And there seems to be no life at all.

The field is Thine own, only give me the seed,

I'll sow it with never a fear;

I'll till the dry soil while I wait for the rain,

And rejoice when the green blades appear;

I'll work where You've put me."

poem in the devotional Streams in the Desert

Resolved:

To minister in the strength of the Lord within my own family...for His greater glory...until He makes the passage in Phillipians 1 a reality for me as I relate to my husband and each one of my children!

"Say to my soul: I AM your salvation." (Ps. 35:3b)

The Captain of our salvation

I was very much encouraged in church this Wednesday night...We are studying the passage in Hebrews 2:9,10

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

Since He is the Author and Finisher of my faith...I can entrust to Him the souls of my children...so that He can author and finish faith in their lives...through suffering. It is apparent that faith cannot be perfected by any other way.

Embracing the will of God...the Hand of God that applies the pressure...the circumstances and people that He uses as instruments to sanctify my life...so that He can bring me to glory...and rejoicing in the fact that He is not ashamed to call us His brothers...

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower"

Thinking of the Potter's wheel, the clay, the time it takes for God to chisel and mold into His likeness...

I was tempted today to think that there could have been another way, that the years of meandering through the wilderness were useless. I was tempted to doubt the motive of my heavenly Father when I reflected on my journey of faith...

I realized in a fresh way that there couldn't have been another way...at least in my life...in order for God to make me ready for spiritual warfare. I would not fight...the flesh, the world and the devil...had He not brought me face to face with myself...during those years!

How much time I've wasted thinking that if I had only done this or that...I would have avoided some rough bends in the road for myself or my family!

I resolved today to trust the One who allows the twists and turns...not because He is sovereign...but because He knows that the way He chooses for me is the only way that would make me strong in faith...able to stand in the gap...able to fight the good fight of faith!

I resolve to learn all the lessons He wants to teach me...so that if He should call on me to stand...I would stand in faith and not falter under the pressure of circumstances.

I resolve today to let my loved ones in the Hand of God...for their inevitable wilderness experience...knowing that the Potter has never marred a vessel that was entrusted to Him yet!

"When Israel came out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea with the Egyptians pursuing, Moses said,'Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord'. (Ex. 14:13) That's salvation!

But when along came Amalek, it was 'Go out and fight Amalek'; that's Christian warfare!

We want salvation, but not warfare! When will we rally at His standard, the banner of Jehovah Nissi? True, the battle rages between flesh and Spirit as it did between Joshua and Amalek in the valley of Rephidim. Yet, look up. There on the holy mount of heavenly Zion is the Son of God with arms extended high, EVER LIVING TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR YOU! (Heb. 7:25)"

from book: Lord I want to know You /by Kay Arthur

"This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent...Now therefore, come, let us go..." (2Kings 7:9)

Holy, Holy, Holy

Midterm elections...this Tuesday...

We have nowhere else to go...a lot of prayers have gone up to the throne of grace (unmerited favor)...

"Why should the "Egyptians" say...?"

On the same side of a struggle

Reminded this morning of several things...when I read an excerpt from the book: The Sevenfold power of First-Century Churches and Homes by Bill Gothard.

"Fellowship takes place when two or more people are on the same side of a struggle."

Light and truth cannot coexist with darkness and lies. The struggle has always been the same...and cultures and civilizations...prosper or decay...based on their reaction to the unseen line drawn by their Creator. Few men/women have managed to walk the "tight rope" of God's commandments indefinitely...Sooner or later...all fall on one side or the other of obedience!

The garden of Eden proves that men/women do not redefine reality...they merely conform to God's standard of life or death. Obedience results in life and disobedience results in death. The garden of Ghetsemane revealed the total inability and inadequacy of man to redeem himself...after he crossed the line into darkness and deceit. Christ remains the only lifeline thrown to sinners in any culture...however refined or depraved they may be! Christ came to seek and to save lost men and women...wherever they are found...regardless of the culture/subculture they are immersed in!

Christ was offended by the culture of the Pharisees...not because He expected all to receive the truth and obey it...but because they had the "key of knowledge" and they would not enter in themselves nor allow others to enter in.

This is why I am deeply offended with this current American "culture" and with the current state of affairs in the church! There are few places in the world where religious freedom is allowed...but it seems that even in such a nation as ours...we pay lip service to the Word...to Christ and the liberty He came to proclaim for sinners!

If God has an agenda....to save sinners in the liberal and homosexual "culture"...He will have to do that Himself. Here and there, He will use Christians as clay to place on the eyes of hardened sinners and under the influence of the Holy Spirit...He will draw men and women to Himself...who will in turn reach out to others in their former circle of acquaintances/friends with the truth of the gospel that saved and set them free!

It is important that we are on the same side of the struggle...as the Almighty/Holy One of Israel! Some verses stand out regarding the sovereignty of God and His ability to save/sanctify those whom He calls to Himself:

"I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life...indeed...there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" (Is. 43:3,4,13)

"Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You?" (Ps. 94:20)

"That I may know Him, and the power of His ressurection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." (Phil. 3:10)

It remains a sad reality that we as Christians who profess to have experienced the love and forgiveness of our Christ...cannot turn around and offer it to others!

Pulling others from the "culture" of sin,deception, bondage...remains the task of those who are willing to be made clay in the hands of the Savior...and whose hearts are being broken slowly but surely...with the realization that were it not for the love of God poured in the heart by the Holy Spirit...we would never love, never go to others who are so different from us, never pull anyone from the fire that ultimately sorches the mind, will and emotions of any and all who disregard Christ.

For those who engage sinners in any culture...the promise of God...the cost ...the ultimate reward!

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever." (Jude )

God's promises valid in spite of our failures

I was meditating today on God's faithfulness when we present to Him ...the basements or upper rooms of our hearts...

"Thus says the Lord: Because the Syrians have said," The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys," therefore I will deliver...and you shall know that I am the Lord." (1Kings 20:28)

culture shock...

After listening to Al Mohler's sermon delivered in 2006 at a Together for the Gospel conference...I am in awe of Christ!

Left to ourselves... as individuals, families and even as a nation...we have the tendency to pray imprecatory psalms such as we find in Ps. 69:22-28...when we deal with injustices done to us or those we love...

On the same page in the daily Bible reading...I find Christ washing the disciples' feet...even those of Judas who eventually betrayed Him!

This kind of love is an anomaly in any culture...American or otherwise!

"The humble shall see...and you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For the Lord hears...and does not despise...for God will save...and build..." (Ps. 69: 32-35)

"O God, who is like You?...You shall revive...and comfort...To You I will sing...O Holy One of Israel...My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long." (Ps. 71:17-24)

Keeping in mind eternal souls...no matter their culture...

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3)

"..my adversaries are all before You." (Ps. 69)

Looking to Christ in His hour of trouble...observing what He did, what He prayed for...

"...what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." (John 12:27,28)

It must be that in some of our dark hours, the conflict of soul centers around our idol worship...

"Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the ...they did not confess Him, lest they should (lose something they loved more than Christ); for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John 12:42,43)

I was glad to observe that Christ did not appeal to Himself, to His own resources. He simply reiterated His purpose, He acknowledged the difficulty of the "hour" and He asked His Father to glorify Himself, to glorify His name. Sometimes Christ tells us as believers: "Occupy till I come!" and we don't know when He will come but we know that we have to "man the fort/turn back the battle at the gate" ...until He comes or until He takes us to Himself.

Looking across our nation's political landscape...I see the entrenched goal of our Adversary to "steal, kill & destroy".

"A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back to pervert the ways of justice." (Prov. 17:23)

"And there were also perverted persons in the land." (1 Kings 14:24)

"Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth." (Prov. 17:24)

Because the Spirit of God will not always strive with men, because men in and of themselves cannot see spiritual realities unless God brings light to them, how dangerous it is to postpone settling eternal matters "until a more convenient time", until certain objectives are reached...

"While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light...he who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the Word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."

When God tells us what to do, when He gives us wisdom and grace for obedience for the present hour...how foolish we can be when we ignore His prompting...and keep our eyes "on the ends of the earth"...whatever that means for each one of us!

It is reassuring to know that all He wants us to do in our difficult hours is to look to Him and expect from Him and know beyond any doubt that through our submission to His will He never fails to glorify His name. It is not within our means and power to glorify His name but He always manages to "thunder" His will and purposes and even as Christ died, He fulfilled the promises and He achieved the goal for which He came: "I...will draw ...to Myself." (John 12)

He can "thunder" His purposes even in our own lives, our families and our nation...when we come to Him with our troubled souls, purpose not to ask for deliverance from our present hour of trouble and humbly ask Him to glorify His name...for His greater glory!

Spiritual fitness...D.C.style!

Every so often, someone takes a book off the shelf and leaves it on the table...I don't remember when I bought the book or who gave it to me...but I was supposed to study it and evidently I had given up after the first day. Years ago, whenever I attempted to do the Bible study that came with it...I came across the question:

"If someone were to ask you to describe God, how would you do it? In the space below, write down the words that come to your mind when you think of God."

I simply answered:

"He is good but I don't always understand His dealings. He chastises us. He brings light so I can see truth."

That's as far as I got. I never really finished the book...I should pick it up now...and go through it.

The book: Lord I want to know You/ by Kay Arthur

quote from the book:

"When the hounds of trouble, worry, and fear pursue you; when the dogs of temptation, corruption, and evil seek to overtake you; when your energy is spent; when weakness saps you and you feel you cannot run any longer, where do you turn?"

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe." (Prov. 18:10)

"Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.(Ps. 20:7)

Daughters of Sarah..."Take heed to yourself..."

"And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." (John 8:32 Amp)

Quoting from the book: Daughters of Sarah by Genevieve M. White

"Every Christian wife and mother has the potential within her to make her home into a place of peace and tranquility...What it takes is a willingness to surrender to God, a willingness to learn His Word, and a willingness to obey what you learn, no matter the cost to yourself."

Jesus said,"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24)

This United States of America is in deep trouble, and the root of the problem is the breakdown of the home...If we have any chance at all of turning things around, it has to start at the root, in the hearts of those in the home."

"In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands (subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and ADAPT yourselves to them...their vision, goals, enterprises...), so that even if any do not obey the Word, they may be won over not by discussion but by the lives of their lives." (1 Peter 3:1)

I found out this morning that adapting myself to Alin means that I share his vision of having a fit,toned wife...no matter how difficult that seems to me. I need to be willing to "pay the cost" in terms of self-control and discipline to achieve this goal...since this is important to my husband.

It was interesting to note how readily I dismissed this aspect of submission along the years because I had preconceived ideas regarding what it means to be a spiritual man/woman. The Lord simplified matters for me this morning by not only making me willing to adapt myself to my husband's vision in this regard (I had agreed with it for quite some time)...but by making me realize that there was a price to pay for this adaptation!

I would like to rely on "prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1) for as long as it takes to accomplish this. I found myself willing and able to pay the price to adapt myself to my husband's vision...

Confession...

Today I had to acknowledge that I did not fully trust the Potter...when I entrusted Him the cares and concern of my soul. I was afraid He might "mar" what I entrusted to Him. I could have spared myself a lot of anxious moments and days...had I been convinced that His will could only work toward uplifting and purifying another's soul...no matter the upheaval necessary to achieve this. Had I been content to know that I am just a willing "bond-servant"...who does not need to understand His Captain's orders...in order to carry them out...I might have lived in a deeper peace.

I will strive to apply the truth I found in Phillipians 1:19 during this next year...

"...deliverance through...prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ..."

Dedicated

"For I know that this (present trial) will turn out for my deliverance (from idols) through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ...so now also Christ will be magnified...whether by life (as the Lord allows) or by death (of my vision). For to me, to live is Christ..." (Phil. 1:19-21)

God has a way of checking our lives...and removing anything and everything that rises above Christ. I think our Father wants to bring His children to maturity until they can say along with Paul:...to live is Christ! Anything short of that implies a certain clinging to hopes and expectations ...and hinders our race...Even a vision can become a weight, a snare...unless we learn endurance by "WAITING ON GOD"!

We are to continually offer ourselves...as living sacrifices (our reasonable service). The hardest battles we fight...involve defering our will to Christ's will for our lives. The greatest lie that the Adversary hopes to entice us with: We know better what is best for us and God merely sets boundaries to stiffle our enjoyment of life. If we were grounded in the love of God as demonstrated by Christ dying for us while we were yet sinners...we would capitulate much sooner and would avoid some battles altogether.

Debtors to Grace...

Poem by A.M. Toplady

A debtor to mercy alone,

Of heavenly mercy I sing;

Nor fear drawing near to the Throne,

My person and offering to bring.

The terrors of law and of God,

With me can have nothing to do;

My Savior's obedience and blood

Hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began,

The arm of His strength will complete;

His promise is "Yes" and "Amen"

And never was forfeited yet.

Things future, nor things that are now

Not all things below or above,

Can make Him His purpose fore go,

Or sever my soul from His love.

My name from the palms of His hands,

Eternity will not erase;

Impound on His heart it remains

In marks of indelible grace.

And I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given;

More happy, but not more secure

The spirits departed to heaven."

"As I look across the Christian landscape...the depth and complexity and ugliness and danger of sin in professing Christians is either minimized--since we are already justified--or psychologized as a symptom of woundedness rather than corruption...We proceed to heal the wound of the people lightly...What Owen offers is not quick relief, but long-term, deep growth in grace that can make strong,healthy trees where there was once a fragile sapling. I pray that thousands...will choose the harder, long-term path of growth, not the easier, short-term path of circumstantial relief."

(John Piper--foreword in the book: Overcoming SIN and TEMPTATION bu John Owen)

Building on the Rock

a story from the book: How God Stopped the Pirates by Joel R. Beeke & Diana Kleyn

"Several years ago, a minister was sent by God to a fishing village...However, in this village there lived an old fisherman who was, and always had been, very rough and ungodly. He broke the Sabbath, never attended church, cursed those who tried to speak with him about spiritual matters and wore loudly on numerous occasions.

After arriving in this small village, the new minister began visiting all the people with one of his elders. When coming to this old fisherman's house his elder warned,"If you do not want to hear God's name misused and His Word mocked, do not go there. Speaking with this man about religion is hopeless."

The minister, however, did not agree. He said to his elder," God opened the eyes of a blind man with clay from the ground. Possibly I am the clay which God plans to use for this old sinner. If he remains hardened, then at least I have done my duty. Let us go; maybe God will bless it."

Perhaps our neighbors and family members still ask the same question: "I want to know what love is...I want you to show me..."