"In the Potters Hands"

"I do not believe that any suffering is ultimately absurd or pointless, although it is often difficult to go on convincing oneself of this. At first, we react with incredulity, anger and despair. Yet the value of suffering does not lie in the pain of it,...but in what the sufferer makes of it....It is in sorrow that we discover the things which really matter, in sorrow that we discover ourselves."
(Mary Craig)






How I love and prefer comfort! But, this is not the way of the cross. The way to glory is the way of suffering. The way to being conformed to the image of Christ is the way of pressure.

The love of the Father for His children is just as vividly displayed in His dark providences as it is in the bright light of His comforts.

He is dealing with us as with children! What an unspeakable blessing to consider in the midst of the victories and the struggles of our pilgrimage.

How rich we are to be in the potters hands and to be pruned by the master husbandman!

God is working and bringing to pass in His perfect way and in His perfect time a glorious work of new creation.

So, to all of my brothers and sisters, we have these great words of consolation from the scriptures, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Rom.8:18)

Reconcilliation......Past Tense!

"The work of reconcilliation, in the sense of the New Testament, is a work which is finished, and which we must conceive to be finished, before the gospel is preached....Reconcilliation...is not something which is being done; it is something which is done. No doubt there is a work of Christ which is in process, but it has as its basis a finished work of Christ. It is in virtue of something already consummated on his cross that Christ is able to make the appeal to us which he does, and to win the response in which we receive the reconcilliation."
(James Denney)

"God was in Christ reconcilling," actually reconcilling, finishing the work. It was not a tentative, preliminary affair....Reconcilliation was finished in Christ's death. Paul did not preach a gradual reconcilliation. He preached what the old divines used to call the finished work....He preached something done once for all-a reconcilliation which is the base of every soul's reconcilement, not an invitation only."
(P.T. Forsyth)

How glorious to consider that we have been reconcilled to God! His just wrath toward sinners has been fully satisfied in Christ! Peace has been declared and we are told to lay hold of this glorious peace and Christ-wrought, completed, reconcilliation by faith. Truly, it is finished, the battle is over! Let us rejoice in our great salvation and reconcilliation.

The Purpose of Affliction

Let me just open this post by acknowledging that I am, by nature, a person that is very prone to nervousness and "taking things to heart". This has caused me much angst over the years and has recently manifested itself in terrible anxiety attacks and, because of their severity, an overall since of dispair. But! thanks be to God, that He purposes even these times of severe turmoil for our growth in grace! In this vein I wanted to share a portion from Milton Vincent's "A Gospel Primer", in which he deals with God's ongoing work of conforming us to the gospel.


"Perspective in Trials"

"More than anything else I could ever do, the gospel enables me to embrace my tribulations and thereby position myself to gain full benefit from them. For the gospel is the one great permanent circumstance in which I live and move; and every hardship in my life is allowed by God only because it serves His gospel purposes in me. When I view my circumstances in this light, I realize that the gospel is not just one piece of good news that fits into my life somewhere among all the bad. I realize instead that the gospel makes genuinely good news out of every other aspect of my life, including my severest trials. The good news about my trials is that God is forcing them to bow to His gospel purposes and do good unto me by improving my character and making me more conformed to the image of Christ.
Preaching the gospel to myself each day provides a lens through which I can view my trials in this way and see the true cause for rejoicing that exists in them. I can then embrace trials as friends and allow them to do God's good work in me."

Anxiety and Rest

I recently found this article by Paul Tripp to be very helpful in regards to the believer and the battle with worry and anxiety. Below is an excerpt from the article.


"I am deeply persuaded that real, lasting personal rest of heart is never to be found in ease of circumstances. Even in the best of situations in this fallen world your heart will be able to find reasons for worry.
Inner rest of soul and lasting peace of heart are only ever found when Jesus and His kingdom are your highest and deepest treasures. When you place your identity in His never-changing hands, when you find your meaning and purpose in the unstoppable work of His kingdom, and when you place your inner sense of well-being on the sure foundation of His promise to meet your every need, you will be able to rest even when the situations and relationships around you are broken.

Defeating worry is not about hoping that tomorrow will be better. No, defeating worry is about being a good soldier in this deeper war for the heart. It is about fighting the temptation to attach the peace of your heart to things that, by their very nature are temporary and, therefore, are not organically designed to give you lasting peace (see Mat.6:19). It is about daily feeding your soul on the promises and provisions of your heavenly Father.
It is about taking special care before you name something a need. And it is about living for something bigger than you. It is about giving the love and concern of your heart to the King and His kingdom and fighting the instinct to construct a Lilliputian kingdom of your own. The kingdom of self will never give you rest because it does not have the capacity to satisfy the cravings of your heart.

In the cave, David had it right when he said, "For you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Psa.4:8). It's as if David is saying, "My peace isn't found in locations, relationships, or circumstances; it is found in the Lord.
Because it is, I am as free of worry here in this cave as I was in the palace!"
Yes, David was grieved as any father would be, and no, he did not know how things were going to turn out; but in the middle of his questions and in the throes of his grief he was a man with a heart at rest, so much so that he was able to sleep.
Worry and rest always reveal the true treasures of our hearts, and in this battle we are not alone because the King we are called to serve is also Emmanuel. He is ever with us and battles for us by His grace."

(Taken from the article, "Thinking Biblically about Worry" by Paul David Tripp)

"Take Up Your Cross"

"To deny ourselves is to behave toward ourselves as Peter did toward Jesus when he denied him three times. The verb is the same (aparneomai). He disowned him, repudiated him, turned his back on him. Self-denial is not denying to ourselves luxuries such as chocolates, cakes, cigerettes and cocktails (though it might include this); it is actually denying or disowning ourselves, renouncing our supposed right to go our own way."
(John Stott)

Soul Concerns

I, for one, am convicted by the truth of this Pastor's statements!



For the Love of Souls




From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.



It is written: “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” (Psalm 142:4)

It is a sad truth; nevertheless it is truth, man cares little for the souls around him. Every day folks go about their affairs with only one thought in mind - “ME! ME! ME! And no one else but ME!” “Self” has become the number one priority in the lives of most people. They are so busy with their own desires that they have lost sight of the poor lost souls around them. Now, we expect this attitude amongst the lost but prevailing in CHRISTIANS? How dare it to be so in our midst? Honest Christianity is not about “self” or the big “I.”

Self-esteem has replaced Spiritualism. The harsh reality is that we must “die to self,” or we will never be able to gaze beyond “ME” to behold the multitudes lost with no hope, leaving few to care for their eternal souls. The reason the witness of Christ has grown so cold is that there is no passion for souls in the hearts of those who are only concerned about “SELF.” Caring about souls requires compassion.

It is also written: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)

Why do you suppose one goes and sows with weeping? Honest tears are a language of the heart. I realize some folk can shed tears at the blink of an eye, but I’m speaking of true tears that come forth because the spiritual burdens of the heart are so overwhelming. When the burden of lost souls begins to weigh down the heart and mind of the saints, the overflow comes through the eyes, being revealed in tears. The heavenly burden upon the heart forces out laborers into the fields sowing precious seed and weeping over the insurmountable numbers of lost souls. Oh, that they could see what we see and hear what we hear of the Redeemer of men’s souls, the Lamb of God. If only they could be covered by the blood of the blessed Savior by the gracious sovereign act of our God, they would know someone cares. Is there a real burden in you that overflows the eyes with tears? Pray for holy tears, brethren! WEEP FOR THE SOULS OF MEN!!!

"A Thankful Heart"

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." (Rom.14:19)

In this post, on the first day of 2010, please allow me to wax sentimental for a moment!

I just wanted to express my thankfulness for each one of you whose blog posts I read and enjoy. I am greatly profited by each one! I also am truly grateful for all of the encouraging and helpful comments.

It is a blessing beyond words to know you all, even those whom I have never seen face to face, and to consider together, the unsearchable riches of Christ!

I look forward to the coming days and the food for the soul that I am sure is to come!

Blessed beyond measure!
Tom