When you sin, do not delay repentance. It is playing with fire. Sin separates you from God, and allowing it to go unaddressed only hardens your heart and deepens the divide. Don’t go to sleep with sin weighing on your soul, and think you can deal with it later. Every moment that passes without repentance is a missed opportunity to restore your relationship with God. Immediate repentance brings healing, forgiveness, and peace.
And remember, repentance is not just an obligation; it’s a gift. It opens the door to grace, allowing you to experience the mercy of a God who is eager to forgive. Don’t carry the burden of sin any longer than necessary. Acknowledge your wrongdoing, turn from it, and seek God’s forgiveness right away. In doing so, you can rest in the assurance of His grace and begin anew.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." — 1 John 1:9
—The Forge (Daily Dose #0017)
And remember, repentance is not just an obligation; it’s a gift. It opens the door to grace, allowing you to experience the mercy of a God who is eager to forgive. Don’t carry the burden of sin any longer than necessary. Acknowledge your wrongdoing, turn from it, and seek God’s forgiveness right away. In doing so, you can rest in the assurance of His grace and begin anew.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." — 1 John 1:9
—The Forge (Daily Dose #0017)
Forwarded from Protestant Post (Dr. Basedologist)
Charles Hodge: On Christian Nurture:
[It is] a scriptural truth that the children of believers are the children of God; as being within his covenant with their parents, he promises to them his Spirit; he has established a connection between faithful parental training and the salvation of children, as he has between seed-time and harvest, diligence and riches, education and knowledge. In no one case is absolute certainty secured or the sovereignty of God excluded. But in all, the divinely appointed connection between means and end, is obvious.
That this connection is not more apparent, in the case of parents and children, is due in great measure, to the sad deficiency in parental fidelity. If we look over the Christian world, how few nominally Christian parents even pretend to bring up their children for God. In a great majority of cases the attainment of some worldly object is avowedly made the end of education; and all the influences to which a child is exposed are designed and adapted to make him a man of the world. And even within the pale of evangelical churches, it must be confessed, there is a great neglect as to this duty ... We of course recognize the native depravity of children, the absolute necessity of their regeneration by the Holy Spirit, the inefficiency of all means of grace without the blessing of God. But what we think is plainly taught in Scripture, what is reasonable in itself, and confirmed by the experience of the church, is, that early, assiduous, and faithful religious culture of the young, especially by believing parents, is the great means of their salvation.
[It is] a scriptural truth that the children of believers are the children of God; as being within his covenant with their parents, he promises to them his Spirit; he has established a connection between faithful parental training and the salvation of children, as he has between seed-time and harvest, diligence and riches, education and knowledge. In no one case is absolute certainty secured or the sovereignty of God excluded. But in all, the divinely appointed connection between means and end, is obvious.
That this connection is not more apparent, in the case of parents and children, is due in great measure, to the sad deficiency in parental fidelity. If we look over the Christian world, how few nominally Christian parents even pretend to bring up their children for God. In a great majority of cases the attainment of some worldly object is avowedly made the end of education; and all the influences to which a child is exposed are designed and adapted to make him a man of the world. And even within the pale of evangelical churches, it must be confessed, there is a great neglect as to this duty ... We of course recognize the native depravity of children, the absolute necessity of their regeneration by the Holy Spirit, the inefficiency of all means of grace without the blessing of God. But what we think is plainly taught in Scripture, what is reasonable in itself, and confirmed by the experience of the church, is, that early, assiduous, and faithful religious culture of the young, especially by believing parents, is the great means of their salvation.
This world is all the hell that ever a true Christian is to endure, and it is all the heaven that unbelievers shall ever enjoy.
—Jonathan Edwards
—Jonathan Edwards
Faith in God doesn’t mean sitting back and waiting for Him to handle everything while you remain passive. Trusting God requires action. You are called to step out in obedience, trusting that God will guide and provide as you move forward. God calls you to partner with Him, not to be idle.
When you trust God and act in faith, you align your actions with His purpose. He directs your steps as you move forward in obedience. So, instead of waiting passively for God to work, step out in faith, trusting Him to lead you as you go. This is the balance of faith—trusting Him completely while actively doing what He has called you to do.
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
— James 1:22
— The Forge (Daily Dose #0025)
When you trust God and act in faith, you align your actions with His purpose. He directs your steps as you move forward in obedience. So, instead of waiting passively for God to work, step out in faith, trusting Him to lead you as you go. This is the balance of faith—trusting Him completely while actively doing what He has called you to do.
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
— James 1:22
— The Forge (Daily Dose #0025)
So many are looking for special revelation from God while it sits on their shelves gathering dust.
—Burk Parsons
—Burk Parsons
Reformation Heritage Books is having a ridiculous sale on Puritan works until 10/19.
Would highly recommend taking advantage of it: https://www.heritagebooks.org/categories/puritan-warehouse-sale.html
Would highly recommend taking advantage of it: https://www.heritagebooks.org/categories/puritan-warehouse-sale.html
There is a blessedness promised to all that live godly.
—Thomas Watson
—Thomas Watson
Hebrews 12:3-11
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
My prayer is that when I die, all of hell rejoices that I am out of the fight.
—C.S. Lewis
—C.S. Lewis
True faith in the gospel requires submission to all of it, not just the parts that suit your preferences. When you pick and choose what to believe from the gospel, you’re not actually believing in God’s Word—you’re elevating your own judgment above His truth. This is not submission to Christ but self-worship. The gospel is not meant to be reshaped by your opinions, but to reshape your heart and mind according to God’s will.
You must accept the entirety of the gospel, even the parts that challenge or convict you. Rejecting the difficult or uncomfortable truths means you’re placing your own desires above God’s authority. Faith means trusting that God’s wisdom is far greater than your own, and surrendering fully to His Word, no matter how it confronts or stretches you.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." — Isaiah 55:8
—The Forge (Daily Dose #0037)
You must accept the entirety of the gospel, even the parts that challenge or convict you. Rejecting the difficult or uncomfortable truths means you’re placing your own desires above God’s authority. Faith means trusting that God’s wisdom is far greater than your own, and surrendering fully to His Word, no matter how it confronts or stretches you.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." — Isaiah 55:8
—The Forge (Daily Dose #0037)