Do any parents resonate with this?
Friday, August 10, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
New to the blog roll
I have just added Dr. Mark Devine's blog site www.theologyprof.com to the blog roll.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Family Devotions
I ran across this post on family devotions and thought it might be helpful to those who have been asking about this topic.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Jackpot!
I know I am far behind on this one, but I have come across the a jackpot in Nancy Pearcey. She has written a book on worldview titled Total Truth. The main reason I bought the book was because of the endorsements on the back--the book comes highly recommended from all over the evangelical acadamia. I encourage everyone to check out her website as well:
www.pearceyreport.com
www.pearceyreport.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
My apologies
...for having not posted in so long. I am in the process of getting another blog up and running. I will return in the near future
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Kudos to the Irish
Please make notice of the new blog on the blogroll--The Irish Calvinist. Justin Taylor's blog turned me on to this insightful blog, especially the downloadable tracts. This site is very attractive, thoughtful, and downright cool! Take some time to check it out.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
A letter to the Speaker of the House
Dear Mrs. Pelosi,
Congratulations on being the first lady to be Speaker of the House. It is a good day for America. However, I do want to share a concern over some recent news i heard about. It is concerning some protesters that defaced the Capitol steps. It is my understanding that the police were instructed not to arrest or prevent this defacement from happening. I am shocked; I am saddened. I am in favor of the right to protest. I am not in favor of marring public property. What a sad day it is for America when her own citizens do not respect the established monuments that represent her. Please take the necessary action to make sure this does not happen again.
Clif Johnson
Congratulations on being the first lady to be Speaker of the House. It is a good day for America. However, I do want to share a concern over some recent news i heard about. It is concerning some protesters that defaced the Capitol steps. It is my understanding that the police were instructed not to arrest or prevent this defacement from happening. I am shocked; I am saddened. I am in favor of the right to protest. I am not in favor of marring public property. What a sad day it is for America when her own citizens do not respect the established monuments that represent her. Please take the necessary action to make sure this does not happen again.
Clif Johnson
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
More of this please
Here is an article written by Michael Smith, writer for ESPN:
So just how big a deal is it that a brotha (two as it turned out) finally led a team to the Super Bowl? Put it this way: a big enough deal to make black folk in Baltimore root for the hated Colts.
"We're leaving Baltimore," Colts coach Tony Dungy recalled, "and the bus drivers, they were all black guys. They said, 'We were rooting for you today [in the divisional-round game against the Ravens] and we're rooting for you next week. Even though we live in Baltimore, we want you to win and get to the Super Bowl.'"
In the African-American community, the excitement of having Dungy and Chicago's Lovie Smith -- two of the league's six coaches who happen to be members of said community -- make history by becoming the first such coaches to reach pro football's biggest game (played during Black History Month, no less) is similar to when Halle Berry and Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx won Oscars for leading roles. The difference is that awards and elections are subjective. Having two coaches whose skin happens to be darker than most of their peers lead teams to the Super Bowl simply is the inevitable result of equal opportunity.
"It's just like we've said all along," Dungy said. "If you give enough people an opportunity, it's going to be just like everything else -- you're going to have some guys that rise to the top, you're going to have some guys that do well, you're going to have some guys that have to change situations. We're going to be no different than anybody else. Eventually there will be plenty of guys that get there."
For Dungy and Smith to get their teams here had nothing to do with where their ancestors originated. Just as a person's ethnicity, ideally, should have nothing to do with ... well, anything.
So, then, why are we wasting so much (air) time talking about the colors of these men's skin?
I've been guilty of it for six paragraphs, but no more. It distracts us from what's really important: what's inside these men. And, trust me, it would do people good to see more of that.
Dungy and Smith are role models, not just for coaches who look like them or men who look like them, but for all coaches and all men. They live their lives the right way, and as a result they do their jobs the same way. Their priorities are, in order: faith, their families and football. The outcome of the Super Bowl or any game does not define them. They personify words such as class, grace, dignity, honor and integrity. We all can draw inspiration from men such as these.
Dungy and Smith haven't sold their souls in pursuit of the game's Holy Grail, and yet here they are, reminding us that good men can do great things, that nice guys can and do finish first. Dungy learned from Dennis Green and Chuck Noll and passed it on to assistants Smith, Mike Tomlin, Herman Edwards and Rod Marinelli (all head coaches now) that it's OK to enjoy life outside the facility. Dungy and Smith are family men. And they still win.
You won't hear either utter a word of profanity. And they still win. They care about and foster relationships with their players. And they still win. They serve their communities. And still, somehow, they find time to do what it takes to prepare their teams.
Dungy can -- imagine -- spend the Saturday evening before the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots at the mall with his family. Or Dungy, Smith, Edwards and each of their wives can gather for dinner at P.F. Chang's the night before Dungy's Colts and Edwards' Chiefs met in the first round of the playoffs. And yet it didn't halt the Bears' or Colts' journeys to Miami.
Dungy and Smith are Christian men who serve the Lord first and spend nearly as much time serving their communities. Doesn't prevent them from winning. And often. In just three seasons Smith, last season's Coach of the Year, has helped build the Bears into a league power. Dungy has won more regular season games than any coach since 1999. Where does color factor into that?
After they won their conference championships, you heard Smith talk about his "being blessed" and Dungy give thanks to God. That isn't just lip service with these guys. As Christians they believe it is their responsibility to let their light shine whenever they're in the spotlight. Just as they have a game plan for each other come Super Bowl Sunday, both plan to use the global platform that the Super Bowl provides to speak words that could make an impact beyond football. At his oldest son James' funeral last year, Dungy used the eulogy as an opportunity to teach lessons about manhood and fatherhood.
Neither man gets caught up in, you know, being the head coach. Talk about humility: Smith was seated among the fans at the RCA Dome for the Colts-Chiefs playoff game (the Bears had a bye) when a fan approached him for an autograph. Smith, who had been signing for several minutes already, politely told her "not right now" and said he would like to turn his attention to the game. But he watched as she returned to her seat, and during the next break he went over and gave her the autograph.
Regarding a coaching matchup between friends and former colleagues, these are the kinds of things we should be talking about exclusively leading up to the game, the class way in which Dungy and Smith lead their respective organizations. Not something as trivial as Dungy and Smith's skin color. It seems as if every day we hear about players getting arrested or being involved in some embarrassing incident -- and failing as role models. When Dungy walks away from coaching he likely will devote more of his time to the prison ministry about which he's so passionate. He and Smith are examples of what a strong man is. Never mind what they look like. They're the perfect people to represent not just the African-American community but the NFL community.
On Jan. 15, the nation celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We could honor his dream by celebrating Dungy's and Smith's achievements not because of the color of their skin, but the content of their character.
There's a lot of talk about hoping for a day when black coaches in the Super Bowl won't be a big deal, when we won't find it necessary to refer to a coach as a "black coach" (or any person by their race, for that matter).
What's wrong with that day being today? Dungy and Smith have made history, and we happily acknowledge it. As for our practice of categorizing NFL head coaches, let's make that history, too.
Michael Smith is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
So just how big a deal is it that a brotha (two as it turned out) finally led a team to the Super Bowl? Put it this way: a big enough deal to make black folk in Baltimore root for the hated Colts.
"We're leaving Baltimore," Colts coach Tony Dungy recalled, "and the bus drivers, they were all black guys. They said, 'We were rooting for you today [in the divisional-round game against the Ravens] and we're rooting for you next week. Even though we live in Baltimore, we want you to win and get to the Super Bowl.'"
In the African-American community, the excitement of having Dungy and Chicago's Lovie Smith -- two of the league's six coaches who happen to be members of said community -- make history by becoming the first such coaches to reach pro football's biggest game (played during Black History Month, no less) is similar to when Halle Berry and Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx won Oscars for leading roles. The difference is that awards and elections are subjective. Having two coaches whose skin happens to be darker than most of their peers lead teams to the Super Bowl simply is the inevitable result of equal opportunity.
"It's just like we've said all along," Dungy said. "If you give enough people an opportunity, it's going to be just like everything else -- you're going to have some guys that rise to the top, you're going to have some guys that do well, you're going to have some guys that have to change situations. We're going to be no different than anybody else. Eventually there will be plenty of guys that get there."
For Dungy and Smith to get their teams here had nothing to do with where their ancestors originated. Just as a person's ethnicity, ideally, should have nothing to do with ... well, anything.
So, then, why are we wasting so much (air) time talking about the colors of these men's skin?
I've been guilty of it for six paragraphs, but no more. It distracts us from what's really important: what's inside these men. And, trust me, it would do people good to see more of that.
Dungy and Smith are role models, not just for coaches who look like them or men who look like them, but for all coaches and all men. They live their lives the right way, and as a result they do their jobs the same way. Their priorities are, in order: faith, their families and football. The outcome of the Super Bowl or any game does not define them. They personify words such as class, grace, dignity, honor and integrity. We all can draw inspiration from men such as these.
Dungy and Smith haven't sold their souls in pursuit of the game's Holy Grail, and yet here they are, reminding us that good men can do great things, that nice guys can and do finish first. Dungy learned from Dennis Green and Chuck Noll and passed it on to assistants Smith, Mike Tomlin, Herman Edwards and Rod Marinelli (all head coaches now) that it's OK to enjoy life outside the facility. Dungy and Smith are family men. And they still win.
You won't hear either utter a word of profanity. And they still win. They care about and foster relationships with their players. And they still win. They serve their communities. And still, somehow, they find time to do what it takes to prepare their teams.
Dungy can -- imagine -- spend the Saturday evening before the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots at the mall with his family. Or Dungy, Smith, Edwards and each of their wives can gather for dinner at P.F. Chang's the night before Dungy's Colts and Edwards' Chiefs met in the first round of the playoffs. And yet it didn't halt the Bears' or Colts' journeys to Miami.
Dungy and Smith are Christian men who serve the Lord first and spend nearly as much time serving their communities. Doesn't prevent them from winning. And often. In just three seasons Smith, last season's Coach of the Year, has helped build the Bears into a league power. Dungy has won more regular season games than any coach since 1999. Where does color factor into that?
After they won their conference championships, you heard Smith talk about his "being blessed" and Dungy give thanks to God. That isn't just lip service with these guys. As Christians they believe it is their responsibility to let their light shine whenever they're in the spotlight. Just as they have a game plan for each other come Super Bowl Sunday, both plan to use the global platform that the Super Bowl provides to speak words that could make an impact beyond football. At his oldest son James' funeral last year, Dungy used the eulogy as an opportunity to teach lessons about manhood and fatherhood.
Neither man gets caught up in, you know, being the head coach. Talk about humility: Smith was seated among the fans at the RCA Dome for the Colts-Chiefs playoff game (the Bears had a bye) when a fan approached him for an autograph. Smith, who had been signing for several minutes already, politely told her "not right now" and said he would like to turn his attention to the game. But he watched as she returned to her seat, and during the next break he went over and gave her the autograph.
Regarding a coaching matchup between friends and former colleagues, these are the kinds of things we should be talking about exclusively leading up to the game, the class way in which Dungy and Smith lead their respective organizations. Not something as trivial as Dungy and Smith's skin color. It seems as if every day we hear about players getting arrested or being involved in some embarrassing incident -- and failing as role models. When Dungy walks away from coaching he likely will devote more of his time to the prison ministry about which he's so passionate. He and Smith are examples of what a strong man is. Never mind what they look like. They're the perfect people to represent not just the African-American community but the NFL community.
On Jan. 15, the nation celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We could honor his dream by celebrating Dungy's and Smith's achievements not because of the color of their skin, but the content of their character.
There's a lot of talk about hoping for a day when black coaches in the Super Bowl won't be a big deal, when we won't find it necessary to refer to a coach as a "black coach" (or any person by their race, for that matter).
What's wrong with that day being today? Dungy and Smith have made history, and we happily acknowledge it. As for our practice of categorizing NFL head coaches, let's make that history, too.
Michael Smith is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
What does abortion really do?
This link is a graphic display of what abortion does. Be warned, the images real and graphic, but then again, so are the babies. What will we do about this?
Go down the page until you find the title This is abortion
Go down the page until you find the title This is abortion
Thursday, January 11, 2007
In Christ Alone
If our preaching does not center on Christ--from Genesis to Revelation--no matter how good or helpful, it is not a proclamation of God's Word.
"You search the Scriptures in vain, thinking that you have eternal life in them, not realizing that it is they which testify concerning me." With these words, our Lord confronted what has always been the temptation in our reading of Holy Scripture: to read it without Christ as the supreme focus of revelation.
Many people who come to embrace the specific tenets of the Protestant Reformation (grace alone, scripture alone, Christ alone, to God alone be glory, faith alone, etc.) are liberated by the good news of God's free grace in Christ. Pastors who used to preach a human-centered message suddenly become impassionate defenders of God's glory and particular doctrines which often characterized the messages and shaped the teaching ministry of the congregation are exchanged for more biblical truths. This is all very exciting, of course, and we should be grateful to God for awakening us (this writer included) to the doctrines of grace. Nevertheless, there are deeper issues involved.
Not infrequently, we run into a church that is very excited about having just discovered the Reformation faith, but the preaching remains what it always was: witty, perhaps anecdotal (plenty of stories and illustrations that often serve the purpose of entertainment rather than illumination of a point), and moralistic (Bible characters surveyed for their usefulness in teaching moral lessons for our daily life). This is because we have not yet integrated our systematic theology with our hermeneutics (i.e., way of interpreting Scripture). We say, "Christ alone!" in our doctrine of salvation, but in actual practice our devotional life is saturated with sappy and trivial "principles" and the preaching is often directed toward motivating us through practical tips.
What we intend to do in this issue is present an urgent call to recover the lost art of Reformational preaching. This isn't just a matter of concern for preachers themselves, for the ministry of the Word is something that is committed to every believer, since we are all witnesses to God's unfolding revelation in Christ. It is not only important for those who speak for God in the pulpit in public assemblies, but for the layperson who reads his or her Bible and wonders, "How can I make sense of it all?" Below, I want to point out why we think there has been a decline of evangelical preaching in this important area.
Continue reading this sermon by Michael S. Horton here
"You search the Scriptures in vain, thinking that you have eternal life in them, not realizing that it is they which testify concerning me." With these words, our Lord confronted what has always been the temptation in our reading of Holy Scripture: to read it without Christ as the supreme focus of revelation.
Many people who come to embrace the specific tenets of the Protestant Reformation (grace alone, scripture alone, Christ alone, to God alone be glory, faith alone, etc.) are liberated by the good news of God's free grace in Christ. Pastors who used to preach a human-centered message suddenly become impassionate defenders of God's glory and particular doctrines which often characterized the messages and shaped the teaching ministry of the congregation are exchanged for more biblical truths. This is all very exciting, of course, and we should be grateful to God for awakening us (this writer included) to the doctrines of grace. Nevertheless, there are deeper issues involved.
Not infrequently, we run into a church that is very excited about having just discovered the Reformation faith, but the preaching remains what it always was: witty, perhaps anecdotal (plenty of stories and illustrations that often serve the purpose of entertainment rather than illumination of a point), and moralistic (Bible characters surveyed for their usefulness in teaching moral lessons for our daily life). This is because we have not yet integrated our systematic theology with our hermeneutics (i.e., way of interpreting Scripture). We say, "Christ alone!" in our doctrine of salvation, but in actual practice our devotional life is saturated with sappy and trivial "principles" and the preaching is often directed toward motivating us through practical tips.
What we intend to do in this issue is present an urgent call to recover the lost art of Reformational preaching. This isn't just a matter of concern for preachers themselves, for the ministry of the Word is something that is committed to every believer, since we are all witnesses to God's unfolding revelation in Christ. It is not only important for those who speak for God in the pulpit in public assemblies, but for the layperson who reads his or her Bible and wonders, "How can I make sense of it all?" Below, I want to point out why we think there has been a decline of evangelical preaching in this important area.
Continue reading this sermon by Michael S. Horton here
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Lessons learned from childbirth
Lessons learned from the first week of having my son
1. Not everyone is born the same way. Some come naturally. Some have to be urged and encouraged, and then some have to be extracted. In salvation, no two births will look the same. Some will be saved at a revival; some will be saved in the shower. Some will carry a great sense of guilt of their sin; some will fall madly in love with Jesus. Some will say a prayer; some will “ask Jesus into their hearts.” Others will just decide in their hearts. None of these are wrong, or more preferred over the other. However, we must not boil away the necessities of salvation. Even though our stories differ, there will always be common denominators in all true conversions. Sin recognized; sin confessed and repented of; faith, belief, love for Jesus and a bowing of the knee to him.
2. Babies will chew or suck on anything. That does not mean they are being nourished. Proper supervision and direction must be given to babies so that they will be nourished properly. A baby may be satisfied for a moment with a pacifier, but in the long run it will leave the baby frustrated and empty. Sanctification does not happen automatically. It must be sought after; it must be fed in order to grow. There are good places to aid you in the growth of your sanctification, as well as resources that will leave you frustrated and empty.
3. Evangelism should be a lot like natural child birth, and not so much a c-section. If you have read Pilgrim’s Progress, then you are familiar with the character The Evangelist. He shows up in the story when Christian gets off track. Evangelist didn’t force Pilgrim to a decision. He simply guided Christian.
4. Doctors are smarter than the average couple. There should be people in your life who can guide you to wise decisions. A discipler should not be dictators.
5. My love for my son comes nowhere close to God’s love for me.
1. Not everyone is born the same way. Some come naturally. Some have to be urged and encouraged, and then some have to be extracted. In salvation, no two births will look the same. Some will be saved at a revival; some will be saved in the shower. Some will carry a great sense of guilt of their sin; some will fall madly in love with Jesus. Some will say a prayer; some will “ask Jesus into their hearts.” Others will just decide in their hearts. None of these are wrong, or more preferred over the other. However, we must not boil away the necessities of salvation. Even though our stories differ, there will always be common denominators in all true conversions. Sin recognized; sin confessed and repented of; faith, belief, love for Jesus and a bowing of the knee to him.
2. Babies will chew or suck on anything. That does not mean they are being nourished. Proper supervision and direction must be given to babies so that they will be nourished properly. A baby may be satisfied for a moment with a pacifier, but in the long run it will leave the baby frustrated and empty. Sanctification does not happen automatically. It must be sought after; it must be fed in order to grow. There are good places to aid you in the growth of your sanctification, as well as resources that will leave you frustrated and empty.
3. Evangelism should be a lot like natural child birth, and not so much a c-section. If you have read Pilgrim’s Progress, then you are familiar with the character The Evangelist. He shows up in the story when Christian gets off track. Evangelist didn’t force Pilgrim to a decision. He simply guided Christian.
4. Doctors are smarter than the average couple. There should be people in your life who can guide you to wise decisions. A discipler should not be dictators.
5. My love for my son comes nowhere close to God’s love for me.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Jack's Lullaby
He cries. But oh, how I adore it! For it is a song of ardent desperation.
Each lyric of want thunders within my chest to provide for him loving preservation.
He has thus only brought me the purest of joy, and no offense to speak of.
So how then can my soul not race to console him, my tiny newest Love?
Yet a father’s affection for his child, compared to the One’s above Dare not come close to tell. For He loved us even though we warred against Him, Condemning ourselves to hell.
‘Twas in the darkness there, another song was sung, though a different kind of desperation.
It was sung by a royal voice, Whose melody hath brought forth creation.
Each refrain spoke of the redemption story
while the chorus echoed, “’Tis only for the Father’s glory”.
So cry, my baby, cry tonight. I shall delight in your song. Know this: my deepest longing is to one day sing with you aside the heavenly throng. And this music has no end.
written with the help of Jenni
Each lyric of want thunders within my chest to provide for him loving preservation.
He has thus only brought me the purest of joy, and no offense to speak of.
So how then can my soul not race to console him, my tiny newest Love?
Yet a father’s affection for his child, compared to the One’s above Dare not come close to tell. For He loved us even though we warred against Him, Condemning ourselves to hell.
‘Twas in the darkness there, another song was sung, though a different kind of desperation.
It was sung by a royal voice, Whose melody hath brought forth creation.
Each refrain spoke of the redemption story
while the chorus echoed, “’Tis only for the Father’s glory”.
So cry, my baby, cry tonight. I shall delight in your song. Know this: my deepest longing is to one day sing with you aside the heavenly throng. And this music has no end.
written with the help of Jenni
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Thank You Biblical Training!
Biblical Training.org has made available several different courses on theology and scripture. New to the list is Dr. Bryan Chapell's course lectures on preaching. To all those who stand in the pulpit, please go to this website and download this course. Dr. Chapell wrote an amazing book entitled Christ-Centered Preaching, and we could all benefit from his lectures. Thank you to biblical training.org for making available these nuggets of gold.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
The Persuaders
There was a great PBS Documentary Tuesday night on advertising. Go to this PBS website to get informed on what was said. It was very eye-opening and if you have some spare time you should watch it streamed over the net.
Tara Connor being Trumped
Today Donald Trump did the unexpected--instead of "you're fire," he uttered different words. He gave Tara Connor, the reigning Miss USA, a second chance at keeping her crown. Allegations have run wild over the last few days suggesting that Connor was a partier, drug user, and all out playgirl. So why did the Donald give her another chance after her crown had been tarnished? As we all know, any publicity is good publicity, so this whole ordeal has brought the spotlight on the Miss USA pageant and on Donald himself as to how he will handle this whole thing. Some may think that Mr. Trump showed grace to Tara because he truly believes she is a "good person." Others may be a bit more cynical and surmise that Mr. Trump only did this to show a softer side to himself, or to keep a good public image of himself.
Whatever the reason, I cannot decide if I think this was a good decision or a bad one. On one hand, this is grace in action. Donald owns the crown and had very good reason to strip Connor of the crown and hand it over to the runner up. Yet, he chose to be merciful. On the other hand, does this leniency send a message to a bunch of young ladies that discipline is always put off until "next time"? Will the integrity of the position of Miss USA remain, or will it plummet just like the position of the presidency has over the last 15 years?
Whatever you may think about this particular situation, it does provide good fodder for illustrating what mercy and grace are. Every day we receive new mercies from the Father of mercies, and are flooded with the underserved grace of the Most Holy God. We are all Tara Connor's and should ball our eyes out just like she did with respect to what God has done for us.
Whatever the reason, I cannot decide if I think this was a good decision or a bad one. On one hand, this is grace in action. Donald owns the crown and had very good reason to strip Connor of the crown and hand it over to the runner up. Yet, he chose to be merciful. On the other hand, does this leniency send a message to a bunch of young ladies that discipline is always put off until "next time"? Will the integrity of the position of Miss USA remain, or will it plummet just like the position of the presidency has over the last 15 years?
Whatever you may think about this particular situation, it does provide good fodder for illustrating what mercy and grace are. Every day we receive new mercies from the Father of mercies, and are flooded with the underserved grace of the Most Holy God. We are all Tara Connor's and should ball our eyes out just like she did with respect to what God has done for us.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Merry Christmas to...
all those who are now receiving emails to update you on when a new blog has been posted. Visit often; enjoy the links on the side; and leave comments when you so desire. Hope you find this to be of encouragement, and a source of good information.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Cry for Revival by MCheyne
"Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?" Psalm 85:6.
It is interesting to notice the time when this prayer was offered. It was a time of mercy. "Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land." It was a time when God had led many to the knowledge of Christ, and covered many sins. "Thou has forgotten the iniquity of thy people." It was now they began to feel their need of another visit of mercy — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The thing prayed for. "Revive us again," or literally, return and make us live anew. It is the prayer of those who have received some life, but feel their need of more. They had been made alive by the Holy Spirit. They felt the sweetness and excellence of this new, hidden, divine life. They pant for more — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The argument presented. "That thy people may rejoice in thee." They plead with God to do this for the sake of His people, that their joy may be full; and that it may be in the Lord — in the Lord their righteousness — in the Lord their strength.
Continue here
It is interesting to notice the time when this prayer was offered. It was a time of mercy. "Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land." It was a time when God had led many to the knowledge of Christ, and covered many sins. "Thou has forgotten the iniquity of thy people." It was now they began to feel their need of another visit of mercy — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The thing prayed for. "Revive us again," or literally, return and make us live anew. It is the prayer of those who have received some life, but feel their need of more. They had been made alive by the Holy Spirit. They felt the sweetness and excellence of this new, hidden, divine life. They pant for more — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The argument presented. "That thy people may rejoice in thee." They plead with God to do this for the sake of His people, that their joy may be full; and that it may be in the Lord — in the Lord their righteousness — in the Lord their strength.
Continue here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
