Bring the Rain

Easier to read?

Saw this quote, loved it, made a graphic :)

mikeclevenger:

“What is the best safeguard against false doctrine? The Bible: the Bible regularly read, regularly prayed over, regularly studied.”

J.C. Ryle

Third, if your pastor is (honestly) dull, but he preaches the truth faithfully, a little statement I once heard might be helpful for you to remember: “The mature worshiper is easily edified.” When hearing lackluster (even if biblical) preaching, immature worshipers will typically not listen to the message because they wish the messenger was more exciting. Conversely, mature worshipers eagerly receive the truth as it is proclaimed, even if it sounds like the preacher is reading a phone book.
-The Gospel Coalition

I will adopt some.. or just delight in his writing of them:

• 14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
• 16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
• 58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May27, and July 13, 1723.  —How I wish this were me. Only with Divine help, only with Him…
  
• 10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
  
  
• 8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
  
  
• 25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
  
  
• 28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
  
  
• 60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4, and 13, 1723.
  
  
  
• 30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought … to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

Lord God, why are You patient with me? Why do You love me? Why have You saved me? I don’t get it. I can’t understand it. I mess up so much Lord. I can’t get anything right. Why have You done so much for me? I just want to repent, be done with sin, but it still haunts me. This indwelling sin won’t let me go. And no matter how much I want to be better it lingers. Lord how can You love me? How can Christ atone for me? Sometimes I feel like I am beyond atonement. But I know that is like saying Christ isn’t big enough.
Lord I don’t know what’s going on in my life. I don’t know where I am going. But I know You have done this. And in Your patience You love me through it. Through my fits and anger that make me think I haven’t really been changed by the Gospel. Through my pride that makes me want to seem like I have it all together. Through my selfishness that makes me want it to be about me.

But Lord this life is about making You famous. Why do You care for me? Why are You patient with me?

Thank You.

Mark Driscoll

A Puritan theologian, brilliant man. I studied the book with Sarah for months, along with Romans 7 and 8, the chapters the book was based on. I often felt hopeless. This life is about repenting, turning from sin and believing in Jesus. His grace covers us, but we must strive to fight sin everyday out of our love for Him. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit sanctifies us. But we will never be fully perfect until we see Christ in Heaven. This sin lives in us, it’s indwelling, an enemy within, its own Trojan horse living in our bodies, planning attacks all day long. How do I win when I’m destined to lose the battle daily, relying on the grace of God to forgive my failures?

Resting in His grace often left me amazed. The poor, hopeless, angry, bitter, selfish, proud person I am, full of greed and self-focused self-reflection, was forgiven by the One who cannot stand any of the characteristics I have named. He saw me in my helpless state and made a way for me to be with Him. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see!

So why this indwelling sin? I had found myself saddened by the fact that I am not sanctified yet. Often I would think of the depressing thought of always fighting sin and yet always sinning until heaven is reached.

But I watched this video from Driscoll, which I know, I tend to get a little anti-Driscoll at times, but I realize what’s I’m doing wrong. I’m living like it is up to me. It’s not. It’s by the grace of God that He gives me the strength to live, to fight, to move, to breathe, it is by the Holy Spirit that I can live a new life that bears His fruit. That I can look into death and destruction and temptation and ruin and not be afraid. That i can rest in His Almighty arms knowing I am not in control, and that is a wonderful thing. That this world could fall apart and crumble, and I would rest in my Savior’s arms.

Blessed assurance! Jesus is mine! Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

I have found such comfort in the hymns and hopes of the early days. These brilliant minds of hundreds of years ago, going through wars and plagues and death and loss and all hopelessness, resting in their God.

Be still my soul, your God will undertake to guide the future as in ages past.

getyourhandsoffmystar:

We are the body and He is the head!

Yes!!

(Source: spiritualinspiration)

Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you… I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgment, my family’s expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank and circumstance. All these things I am willing to put aside and ask you to end my agony. 

I usually don’t like being overly romantic on my tumblr, but I do enjoy this movie.

(Source: groovymutants, via iambeccahendrix)