"CROSS-BEARING" By A.W. Pink

“When said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me”    Matthew 16:24

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will”—the word “will” here means “desire to” just as in that verse, “If any will live godly.” It signifies “determine to.” “If any man will or desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross (not a cross, but his cross) and follow me.” Then in Luke 14:27 Christ declared, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.” So it is not optional. The Christian life is far more than subscribing to a system of truth or adopting a code of conduct, or of submitting to religious ordinances. Preeminently the Christian life is a person; experience of fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and just in proportion as your life is lived in communion with Christ, to that extent are you living the Christian life, and to that extent only.

"I Have A Dream" By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

"The Benefits of Preaching Lectio Continua" By Shane C. Montgomery

    I have preached for the past 29 weeks in a row on Paul's epistle to the Romans.  Beginning on Chapter One and Verse One, Verse Two, Verse Three and so on.  This morning was over Romans 9:14-18.  This is not the first book we have went through "Lectio Continua," prior to Romans we went through Ephesians and prior to that it was Galatians.  I have to say this is a very lengthy process and it demands a great majority of the ministers time in study, research and preparation.  More than this, a commitment of diligence is required along with a congregation who desires this type of continuous sermons.  The benefits of this style of preaching far outway the drawbacks, at least in my point of view.

"THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION OPENED AND APPLIED" By Walter Marshall

  

  Yesterday was the last chapter posting (14) for the book "Gospel Mystery of Sanctification" by Walter Marshall.  I said earlier there would be 15 postings, meaning of course the 14 chapters of the book, which I hope you found helpful, and this last posting that may or may not tie in with the book but I still wish to post it.  If you have read all 14 of these, thanks and be Holy!
Shane

Suggested Blog Post- "Prophet anonymous' Prophecies for 2011 part one"

http://themonkeyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/prophet-anonymous-prophecies-for-2011.html

"Will Your Foundation Pass Examination?" By Shane C. Montgomery

I imagine you might well be growing tired of me and my pleadings for you dear Christian, that you continue to strive and desire holiness in your life.  If you are a regular reader of this blog first of all, thank you!  and second, you have noticed I preach a lot on Sanctification.  This dear Christian,  I confess, I appear "hung up" on this subject because I truly am.  I plead and beg daily on this blog that you my friend will earnestly and vehemently seek out holiness in your life.  It is not my intention to bore you, to tire you or to run you off to another blog, my desire is that you stick around, return often, read till you get your fill and are edified with what you read and just maybe grow a little in personal holiness.  Not that I know more than others, I am more feeble minded than most in fact, but even the feeblest of us can still bear witness and testimony to the Glory of God.  

"THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall

Chapter Fourteen

That you may seek holiness and righteousness only by believing in Christ and walking in Him by faith, according to the former directions, take encouragement from the great advantages of this way and the excellent properties of it.

This direction may serve as an epilogue or conclusion by stirring us up unto a lively and cheerful embracing those gospel rules forementioned by several weighty motives. Many are kept from seeking godliness because they know not the way to it; or the way that they think of seems uncouth, unpleasant, disadvantageous and full of discouragement, like the way through the wilderness to Canaan, which wearied the Israelites and occasioned their many murmurings (Num. 21:4).

Five Facts Friday!

1)  Many pastors and evangelists continue to report a 100% salvation rate for all who come to the altar, but they know better. Charles E. Hackett, national director of the Assemblies of God home missions said, "we realize approximately 95 out of every hundred will not become integrated into the church." Church Growth magazine reported a 6% retention rate for 18,000 decisions. American Horizon magazine reported a major U.S. denomination in 1991 retained only 5% of their "converts." In 1995, a leading U.S. denomination reported 384,057 decisions. Only 6% were retained. Peter Wagner admitted only 3% to 16% of those who make a decision at crusades end up responsible members of a church. Ted Haggard wasn't as optimistic. "Only three to six percent of those who respond in a crusade end up in a local church." 

Church Attendance By State

Rank	State	Percent
	National average	42%
1	Alabama	58%
1	Louisiana	58%
1	South Carolina	58%
4	Mississippi	57%
5	Arkansas	55%
5	Utah	55%
7	Nebraska	53%
7	North Carolina	53%
9	Georgia	52%
9	Tennessee	52%
11	Oklahoma	50%
12	Texas	49%
13	Kentucky	48%
14	Kansas	47%
15	Indiana	46%
15	Iowa	46%
15	Missouri	46%
15	West Virginia	46%
19	South Dakota	45%
20	Minnesota	44%
20	Virginia	44%
22	Delaware	43%
22	Idaho	43%
22	North Dakota	43%
22	Ohio	43%
22	Pennsylvania	43%
22	Wisconsin	43%
28	Illinois	42%
28	Michigan	42%
30	Maryland	41%
30	New Mexico	41%
32	Florida	39%
33	Connecticut	37%
34	Wyoming	36%
35	Arizona	35%
35	Colorado	35%
37	Montana	34%
37	New Jersey	34%
39	District of Columbia	33%
39	New York	33%
41	California	32%
41	Oregon	32%
41	Washington	32%
44	Maine	31%
44	Massachusetts	31%
46	Rhode Island	28%
47	Nevada	27%
48	New Hampshire	24%
48	Vermont	24%

Source: "Religious Composition of the U.S.". U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. 2007. http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-09.

"An Antidote Against Arminianism" by Rev. Christopher Ness

Author's Preface: Candid Reader, observe these few considerations: Although this small manual be very little in itself and substance, yet ought it not therefore to be despised; for,

"THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall=Chapter 13 of 15

Chapter Thirteen

Endeavour diligently to make the right use of all means appointed in the Word of God for the obtaining and practicing holiness only in this way of believing in Christ and walking in Him, according to your new state by faith.

This might have been added to the instructions in the explication of the former direction, because its use is the same - to guide us in the mysterious manner of practicing holiness in Christ by the life of faith, but the weight and comprehensiveness of it makes it worthy to be treated of by itself, as a distinct direction.

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 12 of 15

Chapter Twelve

Make diligent use of your most holy faith for the immediate performance of the duties of the law, by walking no longer according to your old natural state, or any principles or means of practice that belong unto it; but only according to that new state which you receive by faith, and the principles and means of practice that properly belong thereunto; and strive to continue and increase in such manner of practice. This is the only way to attain to an acceptable performance of those holy and righteous duties, as far as it is possible in this present life.

"The Law and the Gospel" By Louis Berkhof

1. The Law and The Gospel in the Word of God

The Churches of the Reformation from the very beginning distinguished between the law and the gospel as the two parts of the Word of God as ameans of grace. This distinction was not understood to be identicalwith that between the Old and the New Testament, but was regarded as adistinction that applies to both Testaments. There is law and gospel inthe Old Testament, and there is law and gospel in the New. The lawcomprises everything in Scripture which is a revelation of God's will in the form of command or prohibition, while the gospel embraces everything, whether it be in the Old 

"Three Stages of Sanctification" By Shane C.Montgomery

When a believer is Justified, he immediately begins the process of Sanctification.  Most believers are unaware that they have just began a life long journey that ends on the day their earthly life comes to an end.  Today I would like to speak with you about the Three Stages of Sanctification in every believers life.  This is not a process we can choose to begin early, or that we can choose at anytime, for just as Justification, where God imputes the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, to us in a process that is most correctly viewed as "Penal Substitution" whereby Christ, through His obedient life to the Father has paid our ransom upon the cross and has thereby purchased us from sin unto righteousness and freeing us from  bondage to Satan and Sin, Christ did in fact pay a ransom for our souls with His very life. 

Thursday Terminology- "Agnostic"

agnostic (Greek)
A term coined by Professor Huxley in 1869. The meaning being that a person cannot know. An agnostic is a person who claims that God cannot be known personally and that it cannot be known that a god even exists. Therefore, in claiming that God cannot be known or verified, most agnostics act as if He does not exist, and in the process affirm that they believe He does not exist and are no different than those who are atheists.

"NEW YEAR’S COMFORT" By A.W. Pink

Volume 22—Studies in the Scriptures—January, 1943 
As we launch out into another year there  is little visible prospect of a smooth and  

pleasant voyage. To the natural eye the clouds are dark and fierce storms seem imminent.  

The very uncertainty of what the morrow may bring forth fills many with uneasiness and 

trepidation. But how different should be the state of God’s children: an all-sufficient Object is presented to the eyes of their faith from which unbelief derives no comfort. 

" THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 11 of 15

Chapter Eleven

Endeavour diligently to perform the great work of believing on Christ in a right manner, without any delay; and then also continue and increase in your most holy faith, that so your enjoyment of Christ, union and fellowship with Him, and all holiness by Him, may be begun, continued and increased in you.

Having already discovered to you the powerful and effectual means of a holy practice, my remaining work is to lead you to the actual exercise and improvement of them, for the immediate attainment of the end.

"Covenant & Sovereignty" By Herman Hanko

"...much of the work done in theology in our day is man-centered. Theology begins with man and ends with man. It is concerned with man's well-being and man's happiness. Man stands at the center of all the church's thinking, and man becomes the chief object of consideration. While it is certainly true that the Scriptures deal with men, it is also true that men are not the Scriptures' chief concern."

Anyone who is acquainted with the history of the development of doctrine since the time of the Protestant Reformation will understand the importance of the truth of God's everlasting covenant of grace. As the truths of the Calvin Reformation developed both in England and on the continent, the doctrine of the covenant occupied an extremely important place. Almost every theologian of note paid attention to it.

"Kenneth Copeland and the Gospel of His Own Making"

Kenneth Copeland stands today as one of the Faith Movement’s leading spokesmen. His numerous materials, combined with his crusades and international outreach centres, attest to his vast influence. Copeland is responsible for spreading many of the Faith Movement’s unbiblical teachings.


The Force of Faith

Of the multiple views of faith held by Faith teachers, Copeland focuses primarily on an understanding of faith as a force.

"THE GOSPEL MYSTERY OF SANCTIFICATION" By Walter Marshall-Chapter 10 of 15!

Chapter Ten

That we may be prepared by the comforts of the gospel to perform sincerely the duties of the law, we must get some assurance of our salvation in that very faith by which Christ Himself is received into our hearts.

"All Kinds of Strange Teachings" By J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)

Warning #5 to the Church
"Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them" (Hebrews 13:9) The text which heads this paper is an apostolic caution against false doctrine. It forms part of a warning which Paul addressed to Hebrew Christians.  

"My Idea of God" By J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)

IF my idea of God were really mine, if it were one which I had evolved out of my own inner consciousness, I should attribute very little importance to it myself, and should certainly expect even less importance to be attributed to it by others. If God is merely a fact of human experience, if theology is merely a branch of psychology, then I for my part shall cease to be interested in the subject at all. 

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!