He's going to break you .... Amen!

Re-visit ~~ The Power of Words & The Wonder of God ...

Previously I had written this on 9/28/08 and since this is the New Year and resolutions resound let's re-resolution this one for the new year 2009! ~~

In his talk tonight at the DG conference Sinclair Ferguson suggested 20 resolutions from the book of James--given Jonathan-Edwards style--that we need to make if we are to live a God-centered, biblical life:

James 1:5 To ask God for wisdom to speak and with a single mind
James 1:9-10 To boast only in exaltation in Christ, & humiliation in world
James 1:13 To set a watch over my mouth
James 1:19 To be constantly quick to hear, slow to speak
James 2:1-4 To learn the gospel way of speaking to poor and the rich
James 2:12 To speak always in the consciousness of the final judgment
James 2:16 To never stand on anyone’s face with my words
James 3:14 To never claim as reality something I do not experience
James 4:1 To resist quarrelsome words in order to mortify a quarrelsome heart
James 4:11 To never speak evil of another
James 4:13 To never boast in what I will accomplish
James 4:15 To always speak as one subject to the providences of God
James 5:9 To never grumble, knowing that the Judge is at the door
James 5:12 To never allow anything but total integrity in my speech
James 5:13 To speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer
James 5:14 To sing praises to God whenever I am cheerful
James 5:14 To ask for the prayers of others when I am sick
James 5:15 To confess it freely whenever I have failed
James 5:15 To pray with and for one another when I am together with others
James 5:19 To speak words of restoration when I see another wander

John Piper says this: "This is one of the most unusual conferences we have ever conceived. My expectations are very high that its effect will be mind-sharpening, heart-humbling, mouth-seasoning, backbone-strengthening, and Christ-acclaiming."

These last 16 words of his are worth writing in my Bible, too - they are the effect that the Word of God has on my life.

Here is another wake up call by Paul Tripp ... "Diagnosis & Deliverance in This Deadly War of Words."


Blessings!
Pam <><

~~Ancient Words, Fresh and New ~~

M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan

My church has us reading the Bible using M'Cheyne's one-year Bible reading plan. Here's a little bit about it if you are not familiar with it.

M'Cheyne will have you reading:

• the NT twice,
  
• the Psalms twice, and
  
• the rest of the OT once.

The plan begins with the four great beginnings or "births" of Scripture: Genesis 1 (beginning of the world), Ezra 1 (rebirth of Israel after her return from Babylonian exile), Matthew 1 (birth of the Messiah), Acts 1 (birth of the body of Christ).

Also available is D.A. Carson's For the Love of God (vol. 1 and vol. 2 are available--vols. 3 and 4 are forthcoming). Carson's introduction and preface--which includes a layout of the M'Cheyne calendar--you can find them available here for free online.

Robert M'Cheyne loved to sing the Scottish Metrical Psalms and mentions this in the introduction to his Bible Reading Calendar.

There's an on-line version of The Scottish Metrical Psalter on the web-site of Still Waters Revival Books
Look at the following page - http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/Psalter0.htm
Also they have some related music stuff on this page - http://www.swrb.com/music/psalm.htm

The Trinitarian Bible Society publish an ecclesiastical edition of the Metrical Psalms.

Lists of Psalters in various languages found at - http://members.aol.com/Puritanone/needps.html

You may also be interested in ......
The Genevan Psalter (with some MIDIs) - http://www.redeemer.on.ca/academics/polisci/psalter.html

It was in 1832 through reading The Sum of Saving Knowledge, generally appended to the Westminister Confession of Faith, that brought M'Cheyne to a clear understanding of the way of acceptance with God. Two years later he recorded in his diary, "Read in The Sum of Saving Knowledge, the work which I think first wrought a saving change in me. How gladly would I renew the reading of it, if that change might be carried on to perfection!"

I would also recommend along with the reading of your Bible, the Westminster Confession of Faith without a doubt! Never have I read/studied anything beside the Word of God such as this. Anymore I struggle having to pay for Bible Studies on the market today when this is available and written by such profound men. It is stout, I tell you, Stout!!

I am also reading "365 Days with Calvin" by Joel R. Beeke.

The sun is starting to fade on this very first day of the year 2009. Have YOU read your Bible or spent time at the foot of the cross? One of my favorite hymns is Ancient Words. Everytime I hear it my heart swells as my thoughts travel thru the Bible and what it means to me. May the Ancient Words become fresh and new to you, guiding you home, changing your heart, heed these words and hold them dear as they do resound with God's own heart.

ANCIENT WORDS
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God's own heart
O let the ancient words impart
Words of life, words of hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where'er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home
Chorus:
Ancient words, ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
O let the ancient words impart
Holy words of our faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
O heed the faithful words of Christ!
(The original lyric is "word of Christ", as I was referencing Col. 3:16)
Martyrs' blood stains each page
They have died for this faith
Hear them cry through the years,
"Heed these words and hold them dear!"

Walk in the Word and under the Word in this year of 2009.

God Bless you and yours!

Pam <><
1Tim. 1:15-17 NKJV

The Trinity & the Tulip Parts 3-7 ...

Good News for the Guilty ....

Preservation & Perseverance ...

Grace: Resisting & Responding ...

The Spirit Called Me ...

Christ Bought Me ...

The rest of the preaching/teaching of Pastor Mark Brown on the Trinity & the Tulip.

The Trinity & The Tulip - Part Two

God Chose Me! Need I say more? Listen In ...

Blessings!
Pam <><

The Power of Words & The Wonder of God ...

In his talk tonight at the DG conference Sinclair Ferguson suggested 20 resolutions from the book of James--given Jonathan-Edwards style--that we need to make if we are to live a God-centered, biblical life:

James 1:5 To ask God for wisdom to speak and with a single mind
James 1:9-10 To boast only in exaltation in Christ, & humiliation in world
James 1:13 To set a watch over my mouthJames 1:19 To be constantly quick to hear, slow to speak
James 2:1-4 To learn the gospel way of speaking to poor and the rich
James 2:12 To speak always in the consciousness of the final judgment
James 2:16 To never stand on anyone’s face with my words
James 3:14 To never claim as reality something I do not experience
James 4:1 To resist quarrelsome words in order to mortify a quarrelsome heart
James 4:11 To never speak evil of another
James 4:13 To never boast in what I will accomplish
James 4:15 To always speak as one subject to the providences of God
James 5:9 To never grumble, knowing that the Judge is at the door
James 5:12 To never allow anything but total integrity in my speech
James 5:13 To speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer
James 5:14 To sing praises to God whenever I am cheerful
James 5:14 To ask for the prayers of others when I am sick
James 5:15 To confess it freely whenever I have failed
James 5:15 To pray with and for one another when I am together with others
James 5:19 To speak words of restoration when I see another wander

John Piper says this: "This is one of the most unusual conferences we have ever conceived. My expectations are very high that its effect will be mind-sharpening, heart-humbling, mouth-seasoning, backbone-strengthening, and Christ-acclaiming."These last 16 words of his are worth writing in my Bible, too - they are the effect that the Word of God has on my life.

Here is another wake up call by Paul Tripp ... "Diagnosis & Deliverance in This Deadly War of Words."

Blessings!
Pam <><

New Blog you Gals need to visit ...

Bible Book Challenge .... Update

Can you find the sixteen (16) books of the Bible in this paragraph?

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept people looking so hard for facts and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalized, but the truth finally struck home to numbers of readers. To others it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. Well, see how you can compete. Relax, now, for there really are sixteen names of books of the Bible in this story. One preacher found 15 books in 20 minutes, but it took him three weeks to find the sixteenth one.

Here are the answers --

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept people looking so hard for facts and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalized, but the truth finally struck home to numbers of readers. To others it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. Well, see how you can compete. Relax, now, for there really are sixteen names of books of the Bible in this story. One preacher found 15 books in 20 minutes, but it took him three weeks to find the sixteenth one.

Hope you enjoyed this! Do you have one to share?

Women's Bible Study ....

What suggestions do you have
for Women's Bible Studies?


What have you done in the past that really impacted
your Christian walk and why?

Do you favor a workbook with once a day bible study
or glean your own from a book that
has no questions?
Ex: JC Ryle - Holiness verses Elizabeth George's
"A Woman's Walk With God" book and study guide.

Do you ever do a video style bible study with the teacher
and then you have discussions afterwards?

Do you create your own weekly questions from
Scripture as you do a topical, verse by verse
or Book study?

Do you do a once a week or once a monthly study?

Do you do one-on-one or a group of women?

Do you have the study at Church or in a home?

What has not worked for you?

"The Great Exchange"

Away from the world and hidden from public view,
I exchange my weariness for His strength;
my weakness for His power;
my darkness for His light;
my problems for His solutions; my turmoil for His calm,
my hopes for His promises;
my afflictions for His balm of comfort;
my questions for His answers;
my confusion for His knowledge;
my doubt for His assurance;
my nothingness for His awesomeness;
the temporal for the eternal and the impossible for the possible.

taken from A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George