“The Bible’s purpose is not so much to show you how to live a good life. The Bible’s purpose is to show you how God’s grace breaks into your life against your will and saves you from the sin and brokenness otherwise you would never be able to overcome… religion is ‘if you obey, then you will be accepted’. But the Gospel is, ‘if you are absolutely accepted, and sure you’re accepted, only then will you ever begin to obey’. Those are two utterly different things. Every page of the Bible shows the difference.” ~Timothy Keller
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.
"I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes—that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit as well as the sun in the heavens—that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence—the fall of sear leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche."
(Charles Spurgeon, ‘God's Providence’, sermon on Ezekiel 1:15-19, 1908.)
(from Letters of John Newton)
"People will be lovers of SELF" 2 Timothy 3:2
The passions of discontent, pride, and envy--exert
themselves in each of us. We are fallen into a state
of gross idolatry--and SELF is the idol we worship!
The principle of SELF is deep-rooted in every heart,
and is the spring of every action--until grace infuses
a new principle, and SELF, like Dagon, falls before
the Lord Almighty!
"Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
~Psalm 46:10
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