THE BURNING OF MR. JOHN ROGERS

MR. JOHN ROGERS, minister of the gospel in London, was the first martyr in Queen Mary's reign; and was burnt at Smithfield, February the fourteenth, 1554. His wife, with nine small children, and one at her breast, followed him to the stake, with which sorrowful sight he was not in the least daunted, but with wonderful patience died courageously for the gospel of JESUS CHRIST.

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 9 of 14

Chapter Nine

We must first receive the comforts of the gospel, that we may be able to sincerely perform the duties of the law.

Since man fell from obedience to God, which he was enabled and engaged to perform by the comforts of his first happy state in Paradise, 

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 8 of 14

Chapter Eight

Be sure to seek for holiness of heart and life only in its due order, where God has placed it, after union with Christ, justification and the gift of the Holy Ghost and, in that order, seek it earnestly by faith as a very necessary part of your salvation.

I hope the reader will observe warily in all these directions, that the holiness aimed at as the great end in the whole discourse does not confide in the grace or act of faith required peculiarly by the gospel,

"A Question Of Belief" A New Book Into the Minds of the Unbeliever.

  I have a friend who lives a few hours north of me here in Ohio, he is a writer, has written several books.  I have known him for a couple of years now and I have found him to be an honest guy.  We do not have the same beliefs when it comes to religion, our beliefs on Christ are miles apart in fact, but this does not change the fact that he is a good friend and a good writer.  

"OF SANCTIFICATION" By John GIll

The foundation of "sanctification" is laid in "regeneration"; as it is a holy principle, it is first formed in that; the new creature, or new man, is created in righteousness and true holiness; and it appears in "effectual calling", which is an "holy calling"; and is to be seen in conversion, which is a turning of men "from their iniquities": and that holiness which is begun in regeneration, and is manifest in effectual calling and conversion, is carried on in sanctification, which is a gradual and progressive work, and issues and is finished in glorification; so that it may, with propriety, be distinguished from regeneration, effectual calling, and conversion, and be separately treated of.

"Man's Utter Inability to Rescue Himself" Thomas Boston (1676-1732)

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. John 6.44

WE have now had a view of the total corruption of man's nature, and that load of wrath which lies on him, that gulf of misery into which he is plunged in his natural state.

"THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 7 of 14

Chapter Seven

We are not to imagine that our hearts and lives must be changed from sin to holiness in any measure, before we may safely venture to trust on Christ for the sure enjoyment of Himself and His salvation.

We are naturally so prone to ground our salvation on our own works that, if we cannot make them procuring conditions and causes of our salvation by Christ, yet we shall endeavour at least to make them necessary preparatives to fit us for receiving Christ and His salvation by faith.

"Walking in Winter" By Craig Chambers

I always slow down in winter as if there is less people that need to know the Lord.  I just always assumed that people on the: street wouldn't stop and talk to me or want a gospel tract, after all it's cold.  However this winter was going to be different here in Vermont, I was going to carry the message of Christ to the cold corner were I street fish at.  Its several weeks before Christmas and I decide to try a new tract, Jumbo Christmas Cash (www.customtractsource.com). 

John Bunyan's Last Sermon Preached August 19, 1688, from John 1:13.

"WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD;" - JOHN 1:13.

The words have a dependence on what goes before, and therefore I must direct you to them for the right understanding of it. You have it thus, —"He came to his own, but his own received him not; but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them which believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God." In the words before, you have two things—

"THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 6 of 14

Chapter Six

Those that endeavour to perform sincere obedience to all the commands of Christ, as the condition by which they are to procure for themselves a right and title to salvation, and a good ground to trust on Him for the same, do seek their salvation by the works of the law, and not by the faith of Christ, as He is revealed in the gospel and they shall never be able to perform sincere and true holy obedience by all such endeavours.

"THE HOLINESS OF GOD" By A.W. Pink

Chapter 8 from his book-
"The Attributes of God"

"Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy" (Rev. 15:4). He only is independently, infinitely, immutably holy. In Scripture He is frequently styled "The Holy One": He is so because the sum of all moral excellency is found in Him. He is absolute Purity, unsullied even by the shadow of sin. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). 

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 5 of 14

 Chapter Five

We cannot attain to the practice of true holiness by any of our endeavours while we continue in our natural state and are not partakers of a new state by union and fellowship with Christ through faith.

It is evident all do not have that precious faith by which Christ dwells in our hearts; yea, the number of those that have it is small comparatively to the whole world that lies in wickedness (1 John 5:19, 20); and many of those that at length attain to it do continue without it for some considerable time (Eph. 2:12). 

"The Neglecting of Our Children" By Shane C. Montgomery

      The number of men, women and children in this world that call themselves "Christian" sits at about two billion.  Out of those numbers, half are practicing Roman Catholics, one eighth of that two billionl are practicing Eastern Orthodox.  The rest refer to themselves as Protestant. Out of these people, 623 million claim to be Evangelical Christians, or in other words, people who believe in the Bible completely.  About half of this number resides in the U.S.  Half of the worlds total population think they are true Christians that are going to Heaven after this life on earth comes to an end.  

"THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter4 of 14

Chapter Four

The means or instruments by which the Spirit of God accomplishes our union with Christ, and our fellowship with Him in all holiness, are the gospel, by which Christ enters into our hearts to work faith in us, and faith, by which we actually receive Christ Himself, with all His fullness, into our hearts. And this faith is a grace of the Spirit, by which we heartily believe the gospel and also believe on Christ as He is revealed and freely promised to us in this, for all His salvation.

"The Day of Judgment" By Archibald Alexander (1772-1851)

That a just God will render to every man according to his character and works, is a dictate of reason. Conscience also intimates to every man, when he sins, that he deserves to be punished; and when we see or hear of great crimes committed by others, such as murders, perjuries, robbery, or treachery, we feel something within us demanding that such should receive

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 3 or 14

Chapter Three

The way to get holy endowments and qualifications necessary to frame and enable us for the immediate practice of the law, is to receive them out of the fullness of Christ, by fellowship with Him; and that we may have this fellowship, we must be in Christ, and have Christ Himself in us, by a mystical union with Him.

"What Sinners Should Plead with God" by Ralph Erskine

1. Plead his promise, Ezek 36:26,27. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

"Tears of Repentance" by Thomas Watson

There is no rowing to paradise except upon the stream of repenting tears. Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet. Why are the wells of repentance stopped? Do not the sinners of the land know that they should repent? Have they no warning? Have not God's faithful messengers lifted up their voice as a trumpet and cried to them to repent? But many of these tools in the ministry have been spent and worn out upon rocky hearts. Do we think that God will always put up with our affronts?

"Adoption" By L.R. Shelton, Jr.

NOT ONLY HAS GOD THE FATHER CHOSEN US in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him (v4), but He has in love predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself. 
This adoption is another blessing or privilege that God has given us in Christ Jesus which flows out of His saving work for us and our union with Him through grace by faith. This great blessing or privilege is according to the good pleasure of His will, and to the praise of the glory of His grace (v6). 

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" by Walter Marshall-Chapter 2 of 14

Chapter Two

Several endowments and qualifications are necessary to enable us for the immediate practice of the law. Particularly we must have an inclination and propensity of our hearts thereunto; and therefore we must be well persuaded of our reconciliation with God, and of our future enjoyment of the everlasting heavenly happenings, and of sufficient strength both to will and perform all duties acceptably, until we come to the enjoyment of that happiness.

"The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification" by Walter Marshal-Chapter 1 of 14 total.

Sanctification in the believers life is of the utmost importance.  Any tool we can find that aids in our growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Son of God is a tool we cannot afford to ignore.  I often post articles on Sanctification, by the Puritans, early Reformers and myself.  For the next several days I will be posting one chapter a day from the book "The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification" first published in 1692 and written by Walter Marshall.  Many believe this book to be the single best work on the believers Sanctification. 

"Your life preaches all the week!" by Robert Murray McCheyne

                                                                                                            A man is what he is on his knees before
God--and nothing more! In great measure,
according to the purity of the instrument,
will be success. It is not great talents which
God blesses--so much as great likeness to
Jesus! A holy minister is a powerful weapon
in the hand of God!

Study universal holiness of life. Your whole
usefulness depends on this; for your sermons
last but an hour or two--but your life preaches
all the week! If Satan can only make a minister
covetous; or a lover of praise, or of pleasure, or
of fine eating--he has ruined your ministry!

"Exalting Holiness" by Shane C. Montgomery

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
Romans 8:29-30 (KJV)


  We see from these two verses from Chapter 8 of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome that God has a plan for our lives, (His Elect) and this plan is to conform His adopted children into the imagine of Jesus Christ. 

"Compel Them to Come In" by Charles H. Spurgeon

A Sermon(No. 227)

Delivered on Sabbath Morning, December 5th, 1858, by the
REV. C. H. Spurgeon
at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.

"Compel them to come in."—Luke 14:23.

FEEL in such a haste to go out and obey this commandment this morning, by compelling those to come in who are now tarrying in the highways and hedges, that I cannot wait for an introduction, but must at once set about my business.
Hear then, O ye that are strangers to the truth as it is in Jesus—hear then the message that I have to bring you.

"Useless Kinds of Religion" by J.C. Ryle

HERE are two ways by which a man may lose his own soul. What are they?
He may lose his soul by living and dying without any religion at all. He may live and die like a beast, prayerless, godless, graceless, faithless. This is a sure way to hell. Mind that you do not walk in it.
He may lose his soul by taking up some kind of religion. He may live and die contenting himself with a false Christianity, and resting on a baseless hope. This is the commonest way to hell there is.

Pray For God To Sweep Across This Nation in 2011!

When men in the streets are afraid to open their mouths and utter godless words lest the judgments of God should fall; when sinners, overawed by the Presence of God tremble in the streets and cry for mercy; when, without special meetings and sensational advertising, the Holy Ghost sweeps across cities and towns in Supernatural Power and holds men in the grip of terrifying Conviction; when "every shop becomes a pulpit; every heart an altar; every home a sanctuary" and people walk softly before God, this is Revival!

"Reformation Needed Today" by James Montgomery Boice

For years I have spoken about what I consider to be the worldliness of the liberal churches, accusing them of four things: pursuing the world's wisdom, embracing the world's theology, following the world's agenda, and employing the world's methods. What has hit me like a thunderbolt in recent years is that what I had been saying about the liberal churches at the end of the 1960s and in the 1970s now needs to be said about the evangelical churches as well, since many of them have become as liberal as the larger mainline denominations before them.

"Five Facts Friday"

1)  Percentage of Christians Worldwide:
     33% of the Worlds population is considered to be Christian.

"What Are You Waiting For Christian?" by Shane C. Montgomery

Are you waiting for a framed invitation to share the Gospel?  Well, here it is!

 What is preventing you from sharing the Gospel?  What is keeping you from fulfilling your commission?  Do you fear the unknown?  Then fear it!  But Go!  Do you believe it is the duty of another?  It is not!  It is yours as much as your pastors!   Are you too shy?  Well so am I.  Are you scared?  So am I, use that energy your fear generates, put that energy to good use.   Are you tired, too busy, too overwhelmed?   Who isn't?

"The Difference Between Justification & Sanctification; Or, Righteousness Imputed & Grace Imparted" by Ralph Erskine (1685-1752)

1. In Justification, God loves us, and shows his love in Christ; in sanctification we love God, and show our love to him: for the sum of active holiness is love, which is the fulfilling of the law.

2. In justification, we have the favour of God; in sanctification, we have the image of God and the special part of his image is love.

3. In justification, we are passive, as when God set his love upon us; but in sanctification, we are active, while his love causes us to act in loving him.

What Is It You Look For In The Man In The Pulpit? by Shane C. Montgomery

  

  What is it you look for when you visit a church?  Let's put aside the Worldly things, like Building, Entertainment, Gift Shop, Lounge, Gym, Day Care, Youth Group and any other factor that is designed to draw in the Worldly visitor and let's speak of honest, real things, not that these things are not entirely important, though I don't believe they are, but lets look at the man in the pulpit for a moment, what do you look for when visiting a church, and if it has been a while since you have visited a church other than yours, what would you look for if, say you recently moved to a new state and had to find a new church home?

"A Word to Soul-Winners" by C. H. Spurgeon

I want to say a word to you who are trying to bring souls to Jesus. You long and pray to be useful: do you know what this involves? Are you sure you do? Prepare yourselves, then, to see and suffer many things which you would rather be unacquainted with. Experiences which would be unnecessary to you personally will become your portion if the Lord uses you for the salvation of others. An ordinary person may rest in his bed all night, but a surgeon will be called up at all hours; a farming-man may take his ease at his fireside, but if he becomes a shepherd he must be out among the lambs, and bear all weathers for them; even so doth Paul say "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." For this cause we shall be made to undergo experiences which will surprise us.

"The Difference Between Legal and Gospel Mortification" By Ralph Erskine

1. Gospel and legal mortification differ in their principles from which they proceed. Gospel mortification is from gospel principles, viz. the Spirit of God [Rom. 8. 13], 'If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live'; Faith in Christ [Acts 15. 9], 'Purifying their hearts by faith'; The love of Christ constraining [2 Cor. 5. 14], 'The love of Christ constraineth us.' But legal mortification is from legal principles such as, from the applause and praise of men, as in the Pharisees; from pride of self-righteousness, as in Paul before his conversion; from the fear of hell; from a natural conscience; from the example of others; from some common motions of the Spirit; and many times from the power of sin itself, while one sin is set up to wrestle with another, as when sensuality and self-righteousness wrestle with one another. The man, perhaps, will not drink and swear. Why? Because he is setting up and establishing a righteousness of his own, whereby to obtain the favour of God here is but one sin wrestling with another.

"The Ministry of Kindness" J. R. Miller, 1902

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved—clothe yourselves with compassion,kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23

Nothing is more worth while, than kindness. Nothing else in life is more beautiful in itself. Nothing else does more to brighten the world, and sweeten other lives.

"Did You Get What You Wanted For Christmas?" by Shane C. Montgomery

 So Christmas is over, no more shopping, no more stress of finding that perfect gift for aunt Anne, no more mail boxes filled with cards, no more eggnog, gift wrapping, Christmas parties at work, neighbors, families, friends.  Nothing left to do but to finish putting those toys together, still fighting will those twisty ties they insist on strapping toys down with these days.  Maybe a ton of trash to drag to the curb from all that discarded wrapping paper, toy boxes and that fruit cake from that one crazy aunt of yours from down south.  


  Christmas is over and it was a blast, huh!


  Maybe for you......


   Tell me Christian, tell me about your gifts, 

Tell me about your Christmas Dinner!

Tell me about your cozy Christmas house full of family!

Ahh, man!  Did I bum you out with all these pictures?

Sorry about that.  Have a Great and prosperous New Year!

On second thought, scratch that, I could care less how much money you make!  I could care less how nice your car is Christian, I could care less how big your house is Christian!

People are hungry, homeless, sick, depressed, scared, tired, lonely....... if you do not do something about it dear Christian,......no one will.

Be Holy!

Shane

"Faith"

Faith

"Faith is taking God at His word. Faith is not belief without evidence. It is belief on the very best of evidence--the Word of Him 'that cannot lie.' (Titus 1:2). Faith is so rational that it asks no other evidence than this all-sufficient evidence. To ask other than the Word of Him Who cannot lie is notrationalism, but consummateirrationalism" -- R. A. Torrey.

 Follow Me


"Jesus never sends a man alone. He blazes a clear way through every thicket and woods, and then softly says, 'Follow me. Let's go on together, you and I.' He has been everywhere that we are called to go. His feet have trodden down smooth a path through every experience that comes to us. He knows each road, and knows it well: the valley road of disappointment with its dark shadows; the steep path of temptation down through the rocky ravines and slippery gullies; the narrow path of pain, with the brambly thorn bushes so close on each side, with their slash and sting; the dizzy road along the heights of victory; the old beaten road of commonplace daily routine. Everyday paths He has trodden and glorified, and will walk anew with each of us. The only safe way to travel is with Him alongside and in control" -- S. D. Gordon.

"Mr. Thomas Manton's Epistle to the Reader" Introduction to his book on the Shorter Catechism

 CHRISTIAN READER,

I CANNOT suppose thee to be such a stranger in England as to be ignorant of the general complaint concerning the decay of the power of godliness, and more especially of the great corruption of youth. Wherever thou goest, thou wilt hear men crying out of bad children and bad servants; whereas indeed the source of the mischief must be sought a little higher: it is bad parents and bad masters that make bad children and bad servants; and we cannot blame so much their untowardness, as our own negligence in their education.

The devil hath a great spite at the kingdom of Christ, and he knoweth no such compendious way to crush it in the egg, as by the perversion of youth, and supplanting family-duties. He striketh at all those duties which are publick in the assemblies of the saints; but these are too well guarded by the solemn injunctions and dying charge of Jesus Christ, as that he should ever hope totally to subvert and undermine them; but at family duties he striketh with the more success, because the institution is not so solemn, and the practice not so seriously and conscientiously regarded as it should be, and the omission is not so liable to notice and public censure. Religion was first hatched in families, and there the devil seeketh to crush it; the families of the Patriarchs were all the Churches God had in the world for the time; and therefore, (I suppose,) when Cain went out from Adam's family, he is said to go out from the face of the Lord, Gen. 4:16. Now, the devil knoweth that this is a blow at the root, and a ready way to prevent the succession of Churches: if he can subvert families, other societies and communities will not long flourish and subsist with any power and vigor; for there is the stock from whence they are supplied both for the present and future.

"Of Justification by Faith" by John Calvin (1509-1564)

1. I trust I have now sufficiently shown how man's only resource for escaping from the curse of the law, and recovering salvation, lies in faith; and also what the nature of faith is, what the benefits which it confers, and the fruits which it produces. The whole may be thus summed up: Christ given to us by the kindness of God is apprehended and possessed by faith, by means of which we obtain in particular a twofold benefit; first, being reconciled by the righteousness of Christ, God becomes, instead of a judge, an indulgent Father; and, secondly, being sanctified by his Spirit, we aspire to integrity and purity of life. This second benefit, viz., regeneration, appears to have been already sufficiently discussed. On the other hand, the subject of justification was discussed more cursorily, because it seemed of more consequence first to explain that the faith by which alone, through the mercy of God, we obtain free justification, is not destitute of good works; and also to show the true nature of these good works on which this question partly turns. The doctrine of Justification is now to be fully discussed, and discussed under the conviction, that as it is the principal ground on which religion must be supported, so it requires greater care and attention. For unless you understand first of all what your position is before God, and what the judgment which he passes upon you, you have no foundation on which your salvation can be laid, or on which piety towards God can be reared. The necessity of thoroughly understanding this subject will become more apparent as we proceed with it.

"The Sheep To Be Nurtured, Not Neutered" by Shane C. Montgomery

  In my zeal to evangelize I am often mistaken for someone other than who I am.  Be it in doctrine or more commonly from those in my own Reformed faith, as a man who jumps the gun so to speak and encourages believers to get out and share the Gospel without giving them the tools to do so effectively and or correctly. This is a very common occurrence, that I encourage all believers to share the Gospel and to be a witness, this part is true, I do encourage all believers and I do so because Scripture tells us to, also, Christ commissioned us to be ambassadors.  Now if we were to say Christ only sent out the initial 72 men and later on sent out His 11 remaining disciples, if we say they alone were commissioned, then our entire religion is false and must be discarded as a cruel joke.  That would mean we have no Biblical basis for anyone past those men at that time in history to teach, preach, pastor, evangelize.  See how this would kill the Christian faith before it even began.  

"When I Speak of Growth in Grace" by J.C. Ryle

WHEN I SPEAK OF GROWTH IN GRACE, I do not for a moment mean that a believer's interest in Christ can grow. I do not mean that he can grow in safety, acceptance with God, or security. I do not mean that he can ever be more justified, more pardoned, more forgiven, more at peace with God than he is the first moment that he believes. 

Sanctification: Three Words That Will Help! by Shane C. Montgomery

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."          Romans 8:29-30 (KJV)