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Nothing In My Hand I Bring
When I was young a common practice at children’s Bible services was to employ object lessons. We youngsters were invited to bring an object; a piece of bread, a ball of white wool, a nail. The objects had to be linked to a Bible verse such as John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: or Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, or John 20:25 Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my…
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Article 10 – Effectual Calling
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 X. Effectual Calling. We believe that all whom the Father chose and the Son redeemed, (and no others,) are effectually called by the Holy Ghost,[1] and that the work of regeneration, faith and conversion to God is not an act of man’s free will and natural power, but of the almighty, efficacious and invincible grace of God.[2] ------------------------------- [1] Ps 110:3; Is 43:6,13; 49:9; Ez 16:6; Jn 6:37; Acts 2:37-39; Rom 8:29,30; Gal 1:15,16; Eph 1:11; Phil 2:13; 1 Thess 1:4,5; 1 Pet 1:2,3; 2 Pet 1:2; Jude 1 [2] Ps…
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March 30—Morning Devotion
"So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."—Romans 7:25 Is this thy language, my soul? Hast thou learnt with Paul, with Job, with Isaiah, and all the faithful gone before, to loathe thyself in thine own sight? Dost thou groan, being burthened with a body of sin which drags down the soul? Pause over this view of human nature. In the first place - think, my soul, what humbling thoughts such a state of corruption ought to induce. Though the mind be regenerated, though with the mind the believer serves the law of God, delights in the law of God, loves the law, and would make it the subject of devout meditation all…
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March 26—Morning Devotion
"Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb."—Solomon 4:2 While Jesus is so precious to his people, that they seek him in every thing that is lovely, and indeed can discover nothing to be lovely until they have found Jesus in it, what an endearment is it to the soul of a believer, when he discovers Jesus looking upon him, eyeing him, and even commending Jesus's own graces, which he hath imparted to the soul, brought out into exercises again by the influences of his own Holy Spirit. My soul, canst thou really be led to believe that Jesus is speaking to his church, to his fair one, his spouse, to every individual soul of his redeemed and regenerated ones, in those sweet words…
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Article 9 – Divine Chastisement
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 IX. Divine Chastisement. We believe that, though the people of God are exempted from the penal consequences of all their sins by the death of Christ, and freely forgiven all their transgressions[1] their voluntary sins after regeneration and conversion are followed by His paternal rebukes and chastenings[2] for the correction of their way wardness[3] their instruction in the truths they have disregarded or slighted[4] and the restoration of their souis.[5] ------------------------------- [1] See Article VIII. [2] 2 Sam 12:3; Ps 39:11; 89:32; 119:75; Prov 3:12; Jer 31:18-20; Mic 6:9; Mal 2:2;…
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March 8—Morning Devotion
"From this day will I bless thee."—Haggai 2:19 My soul, what day is the memorable day to thee from whence commenced thy blessings? No doubt from everlasting the Lord hath blessed his people in Jesus. But the commencement of thy personal enjoyment of those blessings, was at the time the Lord graciously laid the foundation of his spiritual temple in thee; the blessed, the gracious, the auspicious, the happy day, when the Lord made thee willing in the day of his power? Oh! blessed day, never, never to be forgotten! A day of light; when the light of Jesus first broke in upon me. A day of life; when the Lord Jesus quickened my poor soul, which before was laying dead in trespasses and sins.…
