Grace

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Rain and Grace: A Comparison.

Job 38:28 “Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?

Sermon Notes From Charles Spurgeon 

These Notes from Spurgeon, famed for his expository preaching in England at Park St.
and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, are well worth studying, adapting, and making
your own, for any sound preacher of the Gospel. He is deservedly known
to this day as “the Prince of Preachers,” and is arguably the greatest
preacher who has lived since New Testament days!

Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? Job 38:25-27

God challengeth man to compare with his Maker even in the one matter of the rain. Can he create it? Can he send a shower upon the desert, to water the lone herbs which else would perish in the burning heat? No, he would not even think of doing such a thing. That generous act cometh of the Lord alone.

We shall work out a parallel between grace and rain. Continue reading →

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Of Dogs and Swine

John MacArthur

_Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces._ – Matthew 7:6

It is clear from this verse that Jesus doesn’t exclude every kind of judgment—here He commands a specific type. But to obey His command, you need to know who the dogs and swine represent.

In biblical times dogs were largely half-wild mongrels that acted as scavengers. They were dirty, greedy, snarling, and often vicious and diseased. No responsible Jew would ever throw to a dog a piece of holy meat that had been consecrated as a sacrifice in the temple. Since no man was allowed to eat this meat, how much less should it have been thrown to wild, filthy dogs.

Swine were considered by the Jews to be the epitome of uncleanness. Like the scavenging dogs, those swine were greedy, vicious, and filthy. Continue reading →

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Angus Buchan: Evangelist or Revivalist?

Our valued readers may be aware of the fact that False teacher Rick Joyner will be visiting South Africa soon and join hands with Angus Buchan and others . Please also read our articles Warning! Rick Joyner to visit South Africa and Join hands with Angus Buchan And also read Spiritual Deception, Revival and Angus Buchan (South Africa’s Charismatic “Hajj”)

Angus Buchan: Evangelist or Revivalist?

An important article by our dearly beloved  friend and brother Prof Johan Malan

Mossel Bay, South Africa (October 2010)

Angus Buchan is an evangelist and not a revivalist. An evangelist is involved with basic or first phase evangelism and usually addresses a particular group of people only once, or perhaps a few times during a weekend rally. After his listeners have indicated that they accepted Christ as Saviour, he regards his duty as done and then moves on to his next appointment.

A revivalist, by contrast, is particularly involved with second phase evangelisation as his messages are aimed at further steps of dedication and service to the Lord in the lives of those who already have a testimony of salvation. That is precisely what the word revival means – new life where there already is life. Christians are called to search themselves and make a new commitment to the Lord, and are also clearly shown what their responsibility is in the process of sanctification. When they comply with these demands, lukewarm, prayerless, powerless and spiritually unfruitful believers are transformed into dedicated witnesses for Christ. They will then fulfil their calling to testify about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, leading to the salvation of many sinners. That is the fruit of revival. Continue reading →

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Discerning Leadership

By John MacArthur

The language of warfare is sprinkled throughout the apostle Paul’s writing, especially where it relates to leadership. He urged Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). And he commanded believers to take up the armor of God (1 Thessalonians 5:8) and prepare for battle. His life was a spiritual war as he combatted false teaching and religious error.

But Paul knew the real battle was not ultimately against human false teachers. It was nothing less than full-scale war against the kingdom of darkness. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

All believers are engaged in that same battle. We are fighting for the preservation and proclamation of the truth. We are fighting for the honor of Jesus Christ. We are fighting for the salvation of sinners, and we are fighting for the virtue of saints. Continue reading →

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An Open Letter To Tim Challies

By Cathy Mathews from Sola Sisters

Dear Mr. Challies,

As you may or may not know, we recently posted an article in which we commended your book review of Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. And then today, a reader forwarded your most recent post, entitled In Which I Ask Ann Voskamp’s Forgiveness…, an article in which you wrote that after Ann Voskamp emailed you, inviting you to lunch, you felt a twinge of remorse over some of the wording of your original article, especially in light of the fact that you might soon find yourself face to face with her, sharing a meal. Continue reading →

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How We Got The Bible

John F. MacArthur, Jr.

Ever since Eve encountered Satan’s barrage of doubt and denial (Gen. 3:1-7), mankind has continued to question God’s Word. Unfortunately, Eve had little or no help in sorting through her intellectual obstacles to full faith in God’s self-disclosure (Gen. 2:16,17).

Now the Scripture certainly has more than enough content to be interrogated, considering that it’s comprised of 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,173 verses, and 774,746 words. When you open your English translation to read or study, you might have asked in the past or are currently asking, “How can I be sure this is the pure and true Word of God?”

A question of this kind is not altogether bad, especially when one seeks to learn with a teachable mind (Acts 17:11). The Scripture invites the kinds of queries that a sincere student asks. Continue reading →

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Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (Narrative) – Jonathan Edwards

This sermon can go without any added words and a must listen to unregenerate sinners. Oh that God might bring salvation unto His elect, and be glorified. Oh sinner come to Christ while He is near and willing.

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Concerned To Discern

By on Apr 17, 2012

Does anybody care?

A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?Jeremiah 5:30-31, KJV

As could be agreed upon by most believers, Christians have the right, even the duty, to evaluate and hold accountable to Holy Scripture those who profess the evangelical faith but who, for reason of their manifest beliefs and behaviors, appear to be departing from the faith.[1]

Jude told his readers to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). To shirk this responsibility means that believers are being disobedient to the faith once for all delivered. To all Christians, the Spirit gives His anointing which places upon them the responsibility to discern the “spirit of truth” from the “spirit of error” (1 John 4:6; 2:20-21, 27). To the congregation at Rome Paul wrote:

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 16:17-18 (Compare Philippians 3:17-19.) Continue reading →

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The Hebrew Roots Cult

The Hebrew Roots Cult ~ by Jim Pruitt

4/1/2006

Titus 1:10-11, 13-14 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach…For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

What an insidious and devious Enemy we have! The ability to take devout men and women of God who are zealous for good works and twist their desires so as to put them back into bondage to the Law illustrates the truly evil nature of Satan.

I had the recent misfortune of encountering a cult which is growing in influence within Christianity. It is not to be confused with Messianic Judaism or simply seeking to explore the Jewish culture within which most of the Bible was written. Although there are many organizations which are promoting this general view and their specific doctrines often vary, it is generally known as the Hebrew Roots Movement. Continue reading →

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The War of Truth

Charles Spurgeon Sermon

Exodus 17:9 (King James Version)

9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Continue reading →

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The Spirit of Love the Opposite of a Censorious Spirit

Jonathan Edwards
 (1703-1758)

“Charity . . . thinks no evil.” — 1 Corinthians 13:5

Having remarked how charity, or Christian love, is opposed not only to pride and selfishness, but to the ordinary fruits of these evil dispositions, viz. an angry spirit and a censorious spirit, and having already spoken as to the former, I come now to the latter. And in respect to this, the apostle declares, that charity “thinketh no evil.” The doctrine set forth in these words is clearly this:

  THAT THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, OR CHRISTIAN LOVE, IS THE OPPOSITE OF A CENSORIOUS SPIRIT

  or, in other words, it is contrary to a disposition to think or judge uncharitably of others.

Charity, in one of the common uses of the expression, signifies a disposition to think the best of others that the case will allow. This, however, as I have shown before, is not the scriptural meaning of the word charity, but only one way of its exercise, or one of its many and rich fruits. Charity is of vastly larger extent than this. It signifies, as we have already seen, the same as Christian or divine love, and so is the same as the Christian spirit. And, in accordance with this view, we here find the spirit of charitable judging mentioned among many other good fruits of charity, and here expressed, as the other fruits of charity are in the context, negatively, or by denying the contrary fruit, viz. censoriousness, or a disposition uncharitably to judge or censure others. And in speaking to this point, I would, first, show the nature of censoriousness, or wherein it consists; and then mention some things wherein it appears to be contrary to a Christian spirit. I would show, Continue reading →

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The Humility of Jesus’ Servanthood

John MacArthur

Strength for Today

“Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
– Philippians 2:6-7

Jesus is the role model of the suffering servant.

Jesus not only gave up His divine privileges when He emptied Himself, but He also became a servant. For us, this is the next phase in His supreme example of humility. Paul’s phrase “the form of a bond-servant” can also be translated “the essence of a slave.” Christ’s servanthood was not just external—it extended to the essential, down-to-earth role of a bond-slave doing the will of His Father. Continue reading →

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The Unbroken Line of True Nobles

A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD’S-DAY MORNING, OCTOBER 17, 1875,
BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

“Instead of your fathers shall be your children,
whom you may make princes in all the earth.”
Psalm 45:16.

WERE you ever perplexed by being drawn with almost equal force in two directions? I have been so. There is a bond which reaches from the cemetery which holds me very fast and, therefore, I desired again, this morning, to have made use of the solemn visitation which so suddenly removed one of our friends from us. But this is the beginning of the week set apart for prayer for the young, and I have felt duty bound to take a part in the celebration and to assist to stir up Sunday school teachers and the members of the Church in general to pray for the blessing of God upon the rising generation.

Now these mourning friends expect a consoling word from me—and these children demand that I plead for them, also! I realized the scene in my study. What was I to do? Between two subjects I might arrive at none and that was not a desirable conclusion. I watched, looked and prayed, and at last I resolved to yield myself to both influences, and I have as nearly as possible done so by selecting this text—“Instead of your fathers shall be your children, whom you may make princes in all the earth.” Continue reading →

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Can God Use An Unsaved Preacher to Lead People to Christ?

Can God Use An Unsaved Preacher to Lead People to Christ?
By Dr. Paul M. Elliott

A reader asks: “Can an unsaved man or woman lead someone to Christ? Can you provide any Scriptural evidence on this question?”

First and foremost, we must always remember that the saving of souls is the sovereign work of God the Holy Spirit. He is the One who “convict[s] the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). We also know that God’s ordained means for communicating the Gospel is the preaching of His Word. “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:13-15). Continue reading →

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The Rainbow in the Clouds

By John MacDuff

“Whenever I bring clouds over the earth — and the rainbow appears in the clouds.” Genesis 9:14

SOVEREIGNTY

“The Lord reigns!” Psalm 93:1

No rainbow of promise in the “dark and cloudy day” shines more radiantly than this. God, my God, the God who gave Jesus — orders all events, and overrules all for my good! “When I,” says He, “send clouds over the earth.” He has no wish to conceal the hand which shadows for a time earth’s brightest prospects. It is He alike who “brings the cloud,” who brings us into it, and in mercy leads us through it! His kingdom rules over all. “The lot is cast into the lap — but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.” He puts the burden on, and keeps it on — and at His own time will remove it! Continue reading →