A Man's Rejection of God Is Bad News for His Neighbor

"If I want my own way rather than God’s, it is quite obvious that I shall want my own way rather than the other man’s. A man does not assert his independence of God to surrender it to a fellow man, if he can help it."

Roy Hession, The Calvary Road, 35 (As quoted by John Piper)

Relating the Severity/Eternality of Hell and the Pleasures of Heaven

"It is no solid objection against God aiming at an infinitely perfect union of the creature with himself, that the particular time will never come when it can be said, the union is now infinitely perfect.

God aims at satisfying justice in the eternal damnation of sinners; which will be satisfied by their damnation, considered no otherwise than with regard to its eternal duration. But yet there never will come that particular moment, when it can be said, that now justice is satisfied.

But if this does not satisfy our modern free-thinkers who do not like the talk about satisfying justice with an infinite punishment; I suppose it will not be denied by any, that God, in glorifying the saints in heaven with eternal felicity, aims to satisfy his infinite grace or benevolence, by the bestowment of a good infinitely valuable, because eternal: and yet there never will came the moment, when it can be said, that now this infinitely valuable good has been actually bestowed."

p. 251 The End for Which God Created the World by Jonathan Edwards within the book of God's Passion For His Glory written by John Piper

Conforming to the Image of Christ

"Let the most perfect union with God be represented by something at an infinite height above us; and the eternally increasing union of the saints with God, by something that is ascending constantly towards that infinite height, moving upwards with a given velocity; and that is to continue thus to move to all eternity.

God, who views the whole of this eternally increasing height, views it as an infinite height. And if he has respect to it, and makes it his end, as in the while of it, he has respect to it as an infinite height, though the time will never come when it can be said it has already arrived at this infinite height."

p. 250 The End for Which God Created the World by Jonathan Edwards within the book of God's Passion For His Glory written by John Piper

The Creation's Relationship with The Glory of God metaphorically

"Thus we see that the great end of God's works, which is so variously expressed in Scripture, is indeed but ONE; and this one end is most properly and comprehensively called, THE GLORY OF GOD; by which name it is most commonly called in Scripture; and is fitly compared to an effulgence or emanation of light from a luminary.

Light is the external expression, exhibition and manifestation of the excellency of the luminary, of the sun for instance: It is the abundant, extensive emanation and communication of the fullness of the sun to innumerable beings that partake of it.

It is by this that the sun itself is seen, and his glory beheld, and all other things are discovered: it is by a participation of this communication from the sun, that surrounding objects receive all their luster, beauty and brightness. It is by this that all nature receives life, comfort and joy. Light is abundantly used in Scripture to represent and signify these three things: knowledge, holiness and happiness. "


p. 246 The End for Which God Created the World by Jonathan Edwards within the book of God's Passion For His Glory written by John Piper

Displaying the Glory of God as a Purpose of Creation

"The glory of God, in being the result and consequence of those works of providence that have been mentioned, is in fact the consequence of creation.

The good attained in the use of a thing, made for use, is the result of the making of that thing; as signifying the time of day, when actually attained by the use of a watch, is the consequence of making the watch. So it is apparent that the glory of God is actually the result and consequence of the creation of the world. And from what ahas already been observed it appears that it is what God seeks as good, valuable and excellent in itself"

p.210 The End for Which God Created the World by Jonathan Edwards within the book of God's Passion For His Glory written by John Piper

God's Sufficiency in Communicating His Glory

"From what has been said, it appears that the pleasure God hath in those things which have been mentioned is rather a pleasure in diffusing and communicating to, than in receiving from, the creature. Surely, it is no argument of indigence [i.e. deprivation, poverty] in God that he is inclined to communicate of his infinite fullness.

It is no argument of the emptiness or deficiency of a fountain that it is inclined to overflow."

p. 165 The End for Which God Created the World by Jonathan Edwards within the book of God's Passion For His Glory written by John Piper

Examining our Desire for God

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak.
We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
p.2- The Weight of Glory-C.S. Lewis

Cross Centered Living

"To Grow in your passion for what Jesus has done, increase your understanding of what he has done.
Never be content with your current grasp of the gospel. The gospel is life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. It has more facets than any diamond. We will never exhaust its depths."
p.142 Living the Cross Centered Life-C.J. Mahaney

Repenting without the Holy Spirit

A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world.
- Charles Spurgeon

Faith in Christ Saves?

"It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument; it is Christ's blood and merit."

Charles Spurgeon

From the Greater to the Lesser

Paul reasons like this: since God did not spare his own Son, then sure he must and will freely give us all things with him. Why is that?
Paul is reasoning in Romans 8:32 from the hard to the easy, or from the greater to the lesser. God desired two things: not to see his Son made a mockery by sinneres; and not to see his peole denied infinite future grace. Surely it is more likely that he will spare his Son than that he will spare us. But no. He did not spare his Son.
What a truth! Giving us all things is the easy thing! Think on that every time you fear being denied something that owuld be good for you. Creating the world and running it for the good of his people is a relatively easy thing for God to do compared to handing over his Son to ridicule and torture. But he did it. Ann now all future grace is not only sure; it is easy.

Future Grace, by John Piper

"Saved Even As They"

Peter speaking to the Jews in Acts 15:11

But we believe through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
we shall be saved even as they.

"[When] the apostle Peter got up to speak. [The Jews] expected him
to affirm them by saying, 'Why these Gentile dogs, as you call them, can be saved,
even as you.' Instead he adopted quite a different tone. He turned the tables and said to them,
'We believe that you may be saved, even as they.'"

C.H. Spurgeon's, Grace: God's Unmerited Favor

God's Ways with Men

God is the leading character in every biblical drama.

Getting the Message by Daniel M. Doriani
p. 74-75

Faith in Christ Without Doubt or Fear

(Mar 9:23) And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes."

Many professed Christians are always doubting and fearing, and they forlornly think that this is the necessary state of believers. This is a mistake, for “all things are possible to him that believeth”; and it is possible for us to mount into a state in which a doubt or a fear shall be but as a bird of passage flitting across the soul, but never lingering there. When you read of the high and sweet communions enjoyed by favoured saints, you sigh and murmur in the chamber of your heart, “Alas! these are not for me.” O climber, if thou hast but faith, thou shalt yet stand upon the sunny pinnacle of the temple, for “all things are possible to him that believeth.” You hear of exploits which holy men have done for Jesus; what they have enjoyed of him; how much they have been like him; how they have been able to endure great persecutions for his sake; and you say, “Ah! as for me, I am but a worm; I can never attain to this.”

By Charles Spurgeon, E-Sword Devontional

God's Delight

God delights in the covenant, and so we are sure He will not turn back from it. It is the joy of His holy heart. He delights to do His people good. To pass over transgression, iniquity, and sin is the recreatino of Jehovah. Did you ever hear of God singing? It is extraordinary that the Divine One would solace Himself with song, yet a prophet has thus revealed the Lord to us:

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee withjoy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)



Grace: God's Unmerited Favor, by C.H. Spurgeon

Our thoughts of God are too human

Men imagine that the Most High is moved by sentiment, rather than actuated by principle. They suppose that his omnipotency is such an idle fiction that Satan is thwarting his designs on every side. They think that if he has formed any plan or purpose at all, then it must be like theirs, constantly subject to change. The openly declare that whatever power he possesses must be restricted, lest he invade the citadel of man's "free-will" and reduce him to a "machine." They lower the all-efficacious Atomenment, which has actually redeemed everyone for whom it was made, to a mere "remedy," which sin-sick souls may use if they feel disposed to; and the enervate the invincible work of the Holy Spirit to an "offer" of the Gospel which sinners may accept or reject as they please.
The "god" of the twentieth century no more resembles the Supreme Sovereign of Holy Writ than does the dim flickering of a candle the glory of the midday sun.


A.W. Pink's, The Attributes of God

Too Great a Sacrifice?

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice that I can make for Him could ever be too great."


By C.T. Studd, Truth for Life Personal Notes/ December 2007

The Greatest Sorrow

“The greatest sorrow and burden you can lay on the Father, the greatest unkindness you can do to Him, is not to believe that He loves you.”
- John Owen
Communion with God

The Tongue is as Dangerous as any Fire

"Today is Monday. That means that I mustn't interrupt anyone today and I must try not to finish anyone's sentence. I should explain. Some time ago, a friend gave me a series of drills in order to help me become a better communicator. Each day I have something to work on. For example:
Tuesday: Don't use more words than are necessary. Try to speak succinctly.
Wednesday: Avoid all lecturing and pontificating. Don't tell anyone what to do or how to do it.
Thursday: Don't be argumentative today, contradicting and correcting others.
Friday: Avoid being "over-definite" in how you state your opinion.
It's usually around lunchtime that I remember the drill and realize to my shame that I have once again failed miserably. Then I recall James's words, "The tongue is as dangerous as any fire..." and understand why Isaiah described himself (prophet of God that he was) as a man of unclean lips. How often do we find our areas of strength becoming the occasion of weakness! That's why I'm grateful for the nine members of our pastoral team to sit with me around the table this morning--we need each other to keep us in line."

By Alistair Begg, Truth for Life Personal Notes/ December 2008

Your Biggest Influence

“I find myself saying it all the time. When people hear it they laugh, but actually I’m being quite serious when I say it. Here it is. No one is more influential in your life than you are because no one talks to you more than you do. You’re in an unending conversation with yourself. You’re talking to yourself all the time, interpreting, organizing, and analyzing what’s going on inside you and around you.”

Paul Trip
From his blog:
http://paultrippministries.blogspot.com/