Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 25
Nothing to Alarm Us

But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (Daniel 12:13)

We cannot understand all the prophecies, but yet we regard them with pleasure and not with dismay. There can be nothing in the Father's decree which should justly alarm His child. Though the abomination of desolation be set up, yet the true believer shall not be defiled; rather shall he be purified, and made white, and tried. Though the earth be burned up, no smell of fire shall come upon the chosen. Amid the crash of matter and the wreck of worlds, the Lord Jehovah will preserve His own.

Calmly resolute in duty, brave in conflict, patient in suffering, let us go our way, keeping to our road, and neither swerving from it nor loitering in it. The end will come; let us go our way till it does.

Rest will be ours, All other things swing to and fro, but our foundation standeth sure. God rests in His love, and, therefore, we rest in it. Our peace is, and ever shall be, like a river. A lot in the heavenly Canaan is ours, and we shall stand in it, come what may. The God of Daniel will give a worthy portion to all who dare to be decided for truth and holiness as Daniel was. No den of lions shall deprive us of our sure inheritance.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 24
Perfect Purity

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment. (Revelation 3:5)

Warrior of the cross, fight on! Never rest till thy victory is complete, for thine eternal reward will prove worthy of a life of warfare.

See, here is perfect purity for thee! A few in Sardis kept their garments undefiled, and their recompense is to be spotless. Perfect holiness is the prize of our high calling; let us not miss it.

See, here is joy! Thou shalt wear holiday robes, such as men put on at wedding feasts; thou shalt be clothed with gladness and be made bright with rejoicing. Painful struggles shall end in peace of conscience and joy in the Lord.

See, here is victory! Thou shalt have thy triumph. Palm, and crown, and white robe shall be thy guerdon; thou shalt be treated as a conqueror and owned as such by the Lord Himself.

See, here is priestly array! Thou shalt stand before the Lord in such raiment as the sons of Aaron wore; thou shalt offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving and draw near unto the Lord with the incense of praise.

Who would not fight for a Lord who gives such large honors to the very least of His faithful servants? Who would not be clothed in a fool's coat for Christ's sake, seeing He will robe us with glory?

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Curious about the WCF?

Ever thought about working your way through it someday?  Well, my friend Kyle, at Covenant in Blood, has started posting one chapter each Lord's Day.  He's including the proof texts and some commentary, too, so it'll be a good way to renew our minds every Sunday.

Leslie says:

"You are going to ________________ the resolution of Severus Snape."

: D 

(Anyone who spoils it for me will be permanently blocked, I tell you!!! )

Dog Days Give Away

I guess it will come as no surprise that I will be giving away a free, custom bookmark from Bookworm Bookmarks during Shannon's Dog Days of Summer Bloggy Giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment in this post between now and noon on Friday telling me that you would like to be entered in the drawing. I'll put all the names into my sorting hat and draw a winner on Friday at noon central time. If you want to join the Dog Days Give Away by offering something on your blog, read the instructions here and then post your URL here. UPDATED: Forgot to mention that you don't need to have a blog to enter, as long as you leave me an email address so that I can contact you if your name is drawn. Also, this will be open to international addresses with the understanding that I will be sending the email BOOKMARK!! first class so it may take a long time before you receive your bookmark if you are living overseas.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 23
Absolutely No Remembrance

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)

According to this gracious covenant the Lord treats His people as if they had never sinned. Practically, He forgets all their trespasses. Sins of all kinds He treats as if they had never been, as if they were quite erased from His memory. O miracle of grace! God here doth that which in certain aspects is impossible to Him. His mercy worketh miracles which far transcend all other miracles.

Our God ignores our sin now that the sacrifice of Jesus has ratified the covenant. We may rejoice in Him without fear that He will be provoked to anger against us because of our iniquities. See! He puts us among the children; He accepts us as righteous; He takes delight in us as if we were perfectly holy. He even puts us into places of trust; makes us guardians of His honor, trustees of the crown jewels, stewards of the gospel. He counts us worthy and gives us a ministry; this is the highest and most special proof that He does not remember our sins. Even when we forgive an enemy, we are very slow to trust him; we judge it to be imprudent so to do. But the Lord forgets our sins and treats us as if we had never erred. O my soul, what a promise is this! Believe it and be happy.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Sad

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner has died.  I read an account of her life and death online and two quotes stood out to me as so very, very sad:

Messner said that doctors had stopped treating her cancer and that her weight had dropped to 65 pounds. "Now," she wrote, "it's up to God and my faith."

"Without my eyelashes," she said in her namesake documentary, "I wouldn't be Tammy Faye. I don't know who I'd be."

The second quote can be chalked up to a comical quip but the first?  "It's up to God and my faith." 

Friends, there is all the difference in the world between faith in Christ and faith in "God and my faith." 

Quote of the Week: M'Cheyne

Jesus, out of love to us, bore the wrath of His Father poured out without mixture. It was the love of Christ that made Him leave the love of His father, the adoration of angels, and the throne of glory. It was love that made Him not despise the Virgin's womb - it was love that drove Him into the wilderness; love made Him a Man of sorrows - love made Him hungry, and thirsty, and weary - love made Him hasten to Jerusalem - love led Him to gloomy, dark Gethsemane - love bound and dragged Him to the judgment hall - love nailed Him to the cross - love bowed His head beneath the amazing load of His Father's anger. "Greater love hath no man than this." "I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."

Robert Murray M'Cheyne 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 22
An Eternal Pledge

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord. (Hosea 2:19-20)

Betrothment unto the Lord! What an honor and a joy! My soul, is Jesus indeed thine by His own condescending betrothal? Then, mark it is forever. He will never break His engagement, much less sue out a divorce against a soul joined to Himself in marriage bonds.

Three times the Lord says, "I will betroth thee." What words He heaps together to set forth the betrothal! Righteousness comes in to make the covenant legal; none can forbid these lawful bans. Judgment sanctions the alliance with its decree: none can see folly or error in the match. Lovingkindness warrants that this is a love union, for without love betrothal is bondage and not blessedness. Meanwhile, mercy smiles and even sings; yea, she multiplies herself into "mercies" because of the abounding grace of this holy union.

Faithfulness is the registrar and records the marriage, and the Holy Spirit says "Amen" to it as He promises to teach the betrothal heart all the sacred knowledge needful for its high destiny, What a promise!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

It's not Christmas morning

It felt like Christmas morning; running through the living room, tying the sash to my robe as I ran to the door.  Would it be on the porch?  They wouldn't leave it on the front steps for just ANYONE t0 see, would they?  Surely, mine would be there, waiting for me, as promised.  After all, I order on the very first day it was order-able. 

Nope.  Not on the porch.  Not on the front steps.  Nowhere to be seen.

Santa didn't come.  Neither did Harry.

Don't tell me ANYTHING, you Harry readers out there.   Well, you could tell me thumbs up or thumbs down.  No, don't tell me anything.

On a related note:  I wonder what JK Rowling must feel like, knowing that for the past month or so, people have been furiously re-reading her books and that today, millions of people will be engrossed in her work.

On a tangential note:  I wonder what the world would be like if as many people, all over the world, had spent the last month or so reading God's Word, and if millions were, even for one day, were to read it from cover to cover.

Now that would be worthy of Christmas morning.  Really. 

Update on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 02:42PM by Kim from Hiraeth

It's here!  Sam just got home from a week at camp.  We were negotiating how to share the book  since we both can't wait to read it, (Tom told him to wait until around 10:00 because I always fall asleep on the couch reading every night).  We worked out a method, but then Sam got a call from the Public Library and he is the first in line to have the audio book AND the soundtrack, so our amicable negotiations were unecessary.  (Tom told him he ought to play the Lottery today. . .) It is nice to know, though, that we could both give and take.  How many 16 year olds  can do that?  (And how many 16 year old boys  will to tell his mother over the phone in front of other kids that he missed her?  He's a great kid; nothing bothers Sam!)

 I'm off to read now!

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 21
Shine as Many Stars

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

Here is something to wake me up. This is worth living for. To be wise is a noble thing in itself: in this place it refers to a divine wisdom which only the Lord Himself can bestow. Oh, to know myself, my God, my Savior! May I be so divinely taught that I may carry into practice heavenly truth and live in the light of it! Is my life a wise one? Am I seeking that which I ought to seek? Am I living as I shall wish I had lived when I come to die? Only such wisdom can secure for me eternal brightness as of yonder sunlit skies.

To be a winner of souls is a glorious attainment. I had need to be wise if I am to turn even one to righteousness; much more if I am to turn many, Oh, for the knowledge of God, of men, of the Word, and of Christ, which will enable me to convert my fellowmen and to convert large numbers of them! I would give myself to this, and never rest till I accomplish it. This will be better than winning stars at court. This will make me a star, a shining star, a star shining forever and ever; yea, more, it will make roe shine as many stars. My soul, arouse thyself. Lord, quicken me!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Poetry Friday: Dickenson

A Book 

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

Emily Dickenson

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 20
Looking for Him

Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)

This is our hope. He to whom we have already looked as coming once to bear the sins of many will have another manifestation to the sons of men; this is a happy prospect in itself. But that second appearing has certain peculiar marks which glorify it exceedingly.

Our Lord will have ended the business of sin. He has so taken it away from His people and so effectually borne its penalty that He will have nothing to do with it at His second coming. He will present no sin offering, for He will have utterly put sin away.

Our Lord will then complete the salvation of His people. They will be finally and perfectly saved and will in every respect enjoy the fullness of that salvation. He comes not to bear the result of our transgressions but to bring the result of His obedience; not to remove our condemnation but to perfect our salvation.

Our Lord thus appears only to those who look for Him. He will not be seen in this character by men whose eyes are blinded with self and sin. To them He will be a terrible Judge and nothing more. We must first look to Him and then look for Him; and in both cases our look shall be life.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

[Christian, if this doesn't get you excited, nothing will!  Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh!] 

To Read or Not to Read. . .

. . .that is the question.

 Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous forgetfulness of detail and half remembered questions, or to take (the book) to arms against a sea of questions and by reading, end them; to read unprepared, to end in confusion--No more; and by reading (out of sequence) we say to end the anticipation and the thousand natural shocks that fuzzy memory is heir to.

(I fear the spoilers more than my own fuzzy memories and confusions of plot leftover from a hasty reading of book 6.  I will read.)

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 19
Heavy-Duty Shoes

Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Deuteronomy 33:25)

Here are two things provided for the pilgrim: shoes and strength.

As for the shoes: they are very needful for traveling along rough ways and for trampling upon deadly foes. We shall not go barefoot—this would not be suitable for princes of the blood royal. Our shoes shall not be at all of the common sort, for they shall have soles of durable metal, which will not wear out even if the journey be long and difficult. We shall have protection proportionate to the necessities of the road and the battle. Wherefore let us march boldly on, fearing no harm even though we tread on serpents or set our foot upon the dragon himself.

As for the strength: it shall be continued as long as our days shall continue, and it shall be proportioned to the stress and burden of those days. The words are few, "as thy days thy strength," but the meaning is full. This day we may look for trial, and for work which will require energy, but we may just as confidently look for equal strength. This word given to Asher is given to us also who have faith wherewith to appropriate it. Let us rise to the holy boldness which it is calculated to create within the believing heart.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 18
Wilderness Communion

I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (Hosea 2:14)

The goodness of God sees us allured by sin, and it resolves to try upon us the more powerful allurements of love. Do we not remember when the Lover of our souls first cast a spell upon us and charmed us away from the fascinations of the world! He will do this again and again whenever He sees us likely to be ensnared by evil.

He promises to draw us apart, for there He can best deal with us, and this separated place is not to be a paradise, but a wilderness, since in such a place there will be nothing to take of our attention from our God. In the deserts of affliction the presence of the Lord becomes everything to us, and we prize His company beyond any value which we set upon it when we sat under our own vine and fig tree in the society of our fellows. Solitude and affliction bring more to themselves and to their heavenly Father than any other means.

When thus allured and secluded the Lord has choice things to say to us for our comfort. He "speaks to our heart," as the original has it. Oh, that at this we may have this promise explained in our experience! Allured by love, separated by trial, and comforted by the Spirit of truth, may we know the Lord and sing for joy!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

I am officially a collaborator

My good friend, Chad, has invited me to be a guest writer at his blog every Tuesday.  I will be sharing some posts from early in my blogging career, which have remained largely in the darkness of (then) new blogger anonymity [as opposed to (now) relative blogger obscurity.] Today, I posted part one of a duo of posts about the Fall and the First and Second Adam.  Why don't you go and visit Chad's blog and see what I'm up to over there?  While you're at it be sure to check out his left sidebar, down near the bottom, where he has links to his beautiful songs; written and performed by Chad, sometimes accompanied by the beautiful, sweet voice of his lovely wife, my friend, Allyson.

If you'd like to hear a sermon by Chad, I know you'll be blessed to listen to his most recent sermon, posted here. 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 17
Valiant for Truth

The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32)

"The Lord is a man of war, Jehovah is his name." Those who enlist under His banner shall have a Commander who will train them for the conflict and give them both vigor and valor. The times of which Daniel wrote were of the very worst kind, and then it was promised that the people of God would come out in their best colors: they would be strong and stout to confront the powerful adversary.

Oh, that we may know our God: His power, His faithfulness, His immutable love, and so may be ready to risk everything in His behalf. He is One whose character excites our enthusiasm and makes us willing to live and to die for Him. Oh, that we may know our God by familiar fellowship with Him; for then we shall become like Him and shall be prepared to stand up for truth and righteousness. He who comes forth fresh from beholding the face of God will never fear the face of man. If we dwell with Him, we shall catch the heroic spirit, and to us a world of enemies will be but as the drop of a bucket. A countless array of men, or even of devils, will seem as little to us as the nations are to God, and He counts them only as grasshoppers. Oh, to be valiant for truth in this day of falsehood.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Uh, oh

My sanding station (sawhorses and sandpaper in the driveway) are getting rained on.

Does this mean I don't have to sand anymore today?

 : D

Inconceivable

I read this morning that one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride,  is 20 years old!  Can you believe it? 

Have you seen it?  It's one of our family's favorite, and most quoted films.  In fact, I think it is one of the most quotable films ever made.

 Here's a few we like:

"Let me 'splain. . . No, there is too much.  . . Let me sum up."

"We are men of action; lies do not become us."

"And our assets?"

"There's not a lot of money in revenge."

“When I was your age, television was called books.” 

 Do you have a favorite quote from Princess Bride?  Leave a note in the comments and I'll post them up here.

This has been done before so if you want to scrounge around for some great PB quotes, you can find some here. (Thanks, Rebecca) 

Update on Monday, July 16, 2007 at 04:10PM by Kim from Hiraeth

Connie shared Princess Bride with her newly adopted daughters, so along with their new English speaking skills they added these gems: 

"I do not think that word means what you think it does."

"As you wish"

"Have fun storming the castle!" Connie tells her husband this frequently as he is leaving for work!

"Boo, boo, boo, boo..." (remember the scraggly old lady in Buttercups dream?)

Cheryl is another big PB fan: 

"Good night, Westley, sleep well, I'll probably kill you in the morning."

Ellen's daughter, Katie, shares one of Sam's favorites:

"What about the R-O-U-S's? Rodents of Unusual Size? I don't believe they exist".

Leslie from Lux Venit adds:

"You've been mostly dead all day."

and

Is this a kissing book?
You keep using that word...
Wuv, twue wuv
My name is Inigo Montoya. You kill my father. Prepare to die.

Rebecca's favorite is

"Have fun storming the castle!"