Best Book of 2006

After many considerations, my favorite "book" of 2006 is free online:
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Henry_on_Meekness.html

Affliction Redirecting our Gaze

My contemplation inspired by the sermon, “Light Affliction and Eternal Glory” preached in 1857, by J. C. Philpot

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen– for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:17, 18

Affliction "for a moment," glory eternal. All of these relatively light sufferings and sorrows in this speck of time will result in a weighty, eternal glorification in Christ.
Our natural bent is to look continually at "the things which are seen." Day by day we stare at the things that surround us; those things with which we have much to do. Our employment, legitimate cares, duties to our families and friends, recreational amusements, the disciplines of daily living– all are saying, "Look to me! think of me, this has got to be done! The things which are seen include:
> What the natural eye can rest on
> What the natural ear hears
> What the natural heart plans
> What the tongue declares.
In a word, it is all of which our natural life consists. Grace alone enables us to look at the superior eternal, unseen things.

Out of proportion, things of time and sense drown our spiritual longings for the Lord Jesus. The natural man bullies the spiritual man, opposing spiritual appetite, entangling our affections, and dragging us from the heavenlies to earth.

But in abundant thanks, we welcome the affliction brought on us by the persistent grace of the Lord that loosens the grip of things seen. Thank God, He has an “affliction in his treasure-house” that he commissions as a messenger to rescue the withering soul of the earth-bound saint.

Shattered dreams interrupt our stare at the things that surround us, and reveal to us mercifully, that He has not really had first place in our affections. As sanctified affliction purifies our spiritual sight, eternal things come into view with their solemn, healing weight of glory. We see the glorious truth that compared with these eternal realities, the things of time are not worth the attention we give them. The affections of our hearts reverse and begin to flow heavenward.

We see more clearly how lovely and precious is our Jesus and worthy of all our best affections. Under affliction's sharp, gracious discipline, we begin at last to press forward towards heaven and glory! This speck of time is swallowed up in a glimpse of an eternal weight of glory and a spiritual bud pops inside us as we realize that these eternal, unseen glories stretch into ages following ages followed by a billion more ages, our perceptions of the attributes of God weighing heavier and heavier in their glory. Now we give thanks for trial and affliction– blessing the Father of Lights for the sanctifying effect it produces; and we praise God with all our hearts that he was kind enough to lay his rod upon us and we say with David, "Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I have kept your word."

Celebrating our Strong Tower

excerpted from THE NIGHT WATCHES by John MacDuff (1818-1895)

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10

Celebrate the strong Tower of OMNIPOTENCE. The One and Only Almighty is on your side. There is One with you and for you, limitless in His resources, greater by far than anything allied against you!

Celebrate the strong Tower of UNCHANGEABLENESS. All earthly fabrics are disintegrating around you and your earthly refuges are dust. But, sheltered here in this immutable Tower, you can stand unawed by all the fitful changes of life, while courageously exulting in an unchanging God!

Celebrate the strong Tower of INFINITE WISDOM. When circumstances are dark and rebukes bewildering, retire within this fortress and remind yourself that all, all that befalls He planned in infallible righteousness and loving faithfulness. Behold, inscribed on your chamber-walls, "The only Wise God! has done this."

Celebrate the strong Tower of LOVE. What a comfort to retire into this most hallowed of citadels, and read the living motto emblazoned on its every turret- "God is love!" He has set His Love on you from everlasting. My soul, you are safe forever in this unassailable fortress!

This is the citadel where His saints are "guarded" by the power of God. We can hear, amid the surges of life, a voice high above the storm, the Name of the Lord- "Fear not, It is I!" "It is I," I, your Master and Redeemer. I, the Commander of winds and waters. I, the One Lord given all Power over Heaven and Earth. I, the God of Spirits. Oh, sweet and powerful Word of a gracious Savior! It is I, able to calm all your hardships - It is I, able to revive your sore heart – Celebrate, O soul, you are safe forever in this Strong Tower!

The comfort in distrusting our hearts

From The Full Corn in the Ear, by John Newton (1725-1807)

The mature Christian is as completely dependent on Christ for performing spiritual feats or resisting temptations as he was at the first day of his setting out. Yet he is much stronger, because he has a more constant awareness of his own weakness and natural corruption. The Lord has long been teaching him this lesson by a trying series of circumstances and through grace he can gladly say that he has not suffered these things in vain. His heart has deceived him so often, that he is now weaned from trusting to it and having found again and again the uselessness of all other helps, he is now taught to go to the Lord at once for "grace to help in every time of need." Thus he is strong, not in himself, but in the increasing grace that is in Christ Jesus.

On Time-Traveling

A funny thing happened to me on my way to the 21st Century. I traveled back in time. The advent of the World Wide Web introduced me to the writings of the English Puritans-the original Oxford university men, many of whom studied for 16 hours a day before they emerged into their pastorates. Once discovered, I immersed myself deeply in their writings. I had been a doctrinally-starved Christian seeking depth for 25 years— reading the 17th Century Puritans was like eating spiritual steak every day. Thomas Vincent, Thomas Brooks, Thomas Watson, and Thomas Manton became my daily, joyfully serious companions. John Flavel and Richard Baxter introduced concepts I’d never conceived. I bewildered friends and co-workers with a new emphasis on the Providence of God and the importance of affliction for “growth in grace.” In this therupeutically-charged century I was talking about the curing of souls, the importance of “self-abasement, and the dangers of prosperity. I embarassed my Sunday School class talking about “ejaculatory” prayer. The spirit of the age I was living in was jarring to the spirit of this age. I love being curled in my easy chair, imagination yoked upon precept-on-precept wafting me back to my 17th Century companions. They are such learned men, expressing deep truth one sermon after another:
1) Text
2) Doctrine
3) Application,

and again
1) Text
2) Doctrine
3) Application

and yet again
1) Text
2) Doctrine
3) Application, on &on... insight upon insight in the verities of spiritual life.

My practical, pragmatic wife lives firmly in the 21st Century – I like visiting her, but I wouldn’t want to live there. Sometimes, I travel in time 20,000 years hence to that place where me and all the Thomases are dancing together …shining like stars in the light of the Lord…

Zealous Ambition

Quote from Charles H. Spurgeon

“Aspire to be something more than the mass of church members. Lift up your cry to God and beseech him to fire you with a nobler ambition than that which possesses the common Christian—that you may be found faithful unto God at the last, and may win many crowns for your Lord and Master, Christ.”

Approach the King of Grace BOLDLY

From Spiritual Growth by A.W. Pink

The need for increased grace is real and imperative. An active nature such as man’s must either grow worse or better, and therefore we should be as deeply concerned about the increase of grace as we should be cautious against the weakening of our graces. The infusion of grace into a soul swiftly evokes the enmity of the flesh. The Christian life is a pulling against the current of the flesh from within and the world from without, and they who row against these powerful streams must row fiercely and continuously. [The quality of our service, in part, depends on this fierce fight for increased grace]. We are invited to approach the throne of grace boldly, and to drink deeply from the fountain of “the exceeding riches of his grace.” "God is able to make all grace abound toward you." (2 Cor. 9:8)

We must take the Lord’s warning in His parable seriously: the man who did not improve his talent, lost it.

Increasing Christ's Delight in us

A meditation on 2 Peter 3:18: Grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We are charged to grow in the grace of Jesus Christ. The foremost definition of grace is favor. We are to grow in Christ’s favor. The satisfaction of eternity is that we will be severed completely from our sin natures that hinder us, so that we can purely delight over Christ as He delights over us. This is our destiny. But, we can begin that mutual delight now. The degree of the Christian’s joy here & now depends on how much he delights in Christ and Christ delights in him. To increase someone’s delight in us is to increase in those things that give him pleasure. Therefore, to increase Jesus’ delight in us is to discover what brings him pleasure and ensure that we abound in those things. This is often one of those obvious truths that escape us.

So, we must labor to discover what brings pleasure and delight to Jesus. Jesus certainly delights in the attributes of His Father, therefore as we strengthen and improve the Christlike graces given to us, such as our forgiveness & forbearance toward others, generosity, gladness in God, zeal for God’s Glory, meekness, or patience, we thus grow in the favor of Jesus Christ. We grow as He delights in us and we delight in Him…forever.

This growth in God’s favor is an imitation of Jesus. In Scripture, the child Jesus Himself was said to increase in the favor of both God and men. Let us study what pleases our Lord and find whatever means we can to increase those things that He delights in.

Living for Jesus

Breaking my tradition for the 1^st time, here is my first post from a quote by a living man; from Transforming Leadership by Leighton Ford:

Those living and leading to further Christ's Kingdom are leaders marked by loyalty, for they seek another's cause, by fidelity, for they tell another's truth; by humility, for they accept another's results; by constancy, for they wait on another's time; and by expectancy, for they dream of another's glory.

On Longing for a Better Country

By Thomas Manton from the book by Charles H. Spurgeon, Illustrations and Meditations: Flowers from a Puritan's Garden

Our spirits within us are restrained like a fish in a pail which would rather be at liberty in the ocean. We are pent up longing for a larger estate – to be filled with all the fullness of God. We feel cribbed, cabined, and confined as our renewed spirits desire a nobler sphere of activity. We are like the infant chick pecking at its shell eager to break through to a bigger realm. Be thankful for these pangs because your renewed heart will indeed experience the perfection of the saints and enjoy face to face communion with God. How sad if you were satisfied with this broken world in the midst of these lower things. [You are made for a much better country, where there is not even need for sun or moon but where you will delight and luxuriate in the light of the Lamb.]

Grace upon Grace

from Spiritual Growth by A.W. Pink

The principle of grace or new nature which is bestowed on the saint is but a creature [a created thing], and though intrinsically holy it is entirely dependent upon its Author for strength and growth. And thus we must distinguish between the grace given at the time of our new birth and fresh supplies of grace for its invigoration and development.

As Peter expresses it "grace... be multiplied unto you," for nothing less than grace "multiplied" will enable any Christian to grow and thrive.

Tribute from a Piper nerd

From Lessons at the Cross: or Spirtual Truths by Samuel Hopkins, 1864

God is the Life of the soul. There in the soul is God loved, God adored, God as the focal point, God as the center, and the aspiration of all its affections; full of joy when full of God. All the powers and desires of the soul are framed and fitted for God. The eyes of the heart are widened by the affectionate perception of God.

But God is known only through the Son. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God and the soul receives it's food, light, joy, and "the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ." His Son is the brightness of the Father's Glory and the express image of His Person. Christ is Bread to the soul and Life to the body.

As our souls pursue His Son in our affectionate perception of His excellence and we eagerly search into His glory, we find Life, Righteousness, Redemption, Wisdom, and Sanctification. Our spiritual vision is attuned to the Beauty of Christ. Our spiritual appetite is whetted for that Bread. We are Home when our affections are lavished on Christ alone.

Not at Home + Bonus discovery

Excerpt from the book pictured there to the left.

Heaven is now the believer's native country. Here he is out of his proper place. We are exiles in spirit while at home here in the body. We will not be truly at home until we reach the land we can't now see. We are living paradoxes and contradictions and thus it is no wonder that men of this world cannot understand us --- we hardly know ourselves.

BONUS: Please Read. One of my favorite discoveries recently has been how to harness "Google Book Search" to find old gems.

Google is scanning in thousands of books from approximately 10 major libraries including UVa, Harvard, a major British Library, and the New York Public Library. Many of these works are collections of sermons from the 1800s and anthologies of sermons from the 1700s. There are gems awaiting your discovery. Many are available as .PDF downloads if they are in the public domain, as most sermon collections are.

This link will take you to the "Advanced Search" page of Google Book Search: http://books.google.com/advanced_book_search I suggest that you click on "Full View books." Since you are retrieving mostly sermons from the 1800s and anthologies of sermons from the 1700s, use the KJV. Type in part of a KJV verse that you find intrigueing and peruse the sermons that come up.

Or, just search by words or phrases like you would "google" anything. The real gem I used for this post came up when I asked for a search on "Thomas Manton." Enjoy.

http://books.google.com/books?vid=0Rk1fjF_hecqWpA4&id=vwMDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA269&dq=inauthor:%22Thomas+Manton%22&num=30&as_brr=1#PPP12,M1

The nature of spiritual hunger

Excerpted from The Beatitudes by Thomas Watson (1620—1686)
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.

This is a blessed spiritual hunger after righteousness. By hunger here, Jesus means desire or appetite for that which the soul values. Here is a blessed man who recognizes that he lacks righteousness in himself.

He wants righteousness. What is meant by righteousness? Scripturally, righteousness is twofold: (1) imputed righteousness, and (2) implanted righteousness. Imputed righteousness is Christ’s Righteousness given to us through faith – and since Christ is our Righteousness, God looks upon us as if we had never sinned. ‘You are complete in him!’ (Colossians 2:10). He who has this Righteousness is equal to the most renowned saints. The weakest believer is justified as much as the strongest. This is a Christian’s triumph. When he is corrupt in himself, he is incorrupt in his Head, Jesus Christ. In this blessed Righteousness we shine brighter than the angels. This Righteousness, the blessed man discovers, is worth hungering after.

Implanted righteousness is planted in our hearts when the Spirit of Christ enters us. It is the seed of sanctification toward righteousness as the blessed Holy Spirit improves our gifts of graces, increases holiness of heart and life, and leads us into all truth. A blessed man hungers after this. This shows that we have His Life in us. A dead man cannot hunger. Hunger proceeds from life. This appetite is as much from God as [the Bread of Life that satisfies it].