Monday music smile - Everlasting Love

Charles Spurgeon - Everlasting love

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.”
- John 15:9


As the Father loves the Son, in the same manner Jesus loves his people. What is that divine method? He loved him without beginning, and thus Jesus loves his members. “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” You can trace the beginning of human affection; you can easily find the beginning of your love to Christ, but his love to us is a stream whose source is hidden in eternity.

God the Father loves Jesus without any change. Christian, take this for your comfort, that there is no change in Jesus Christ’s love to those who rest in him. Yesterday you were on Tabor’s top, and you said, “He loves me:” to-day you are in the valley of humiliation, but he loves you still the same. On the hill Mizar, and among the Hermons, you heard his voice, which spake so sweetly with the turtle-notes of love; and now on the sea, or even in the sea, when all his waves and billows go over you, his heart is faithful to his ancient choice. The Father loves the Son without any end, and thus does the Son love his people. Saint, thou needest not fear the loosing of the silver cord, for his love for thee will never cease. Rest confident that even down to the grave Christ will go with you, and that up again from it he will be your guide to the celestial hills.

Moreover, the Father loves the Son without any measure, and the same immeasurable love the Son bestows upon his chosen ones. The whole heart of Christ is dedicated to his people. He “loved us and gave himself for us.” His is a love which passeth knowledge. Ah! we have indeed an immutable Saviour, a precious Saviour, one who loves without measure, without change, without beginning, and without end, even as the Father loves him! There is much food here for those who know how to digest it. May the Holy Ghost lead us into its marrow and fatness!

We're all theologians

Author and pastor Josh Harris exams why theology is important in his latest book, Dug Down Deep. 


DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

And here is a song by Curtis Allen which was inspired by the book.

Whatever It Takes by Voice by Joshharris
Lyrics

The Church & Politics

Just how involved should the church be in politics. John Piper weighs in on the subject.

How to face the darkest trials

Zac Smith has cancer, and this is his story.

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Monday music smile - "Just play the black notes"

Just take a few moments to look at this video on the history of gospel music and Amazing Grace, you'll be glad you did.

Charles Spurgeon - I will never leave thee

“I will never leave thee.”
- Hebrews 13:5

No promise is of private interpretation. Whatever God has said to any one saint, he has said to all. When he opens a well for one, it is that all may drink. When he openeth a granary- door to give out food, there may be some one starving man who is the occasion of its being opened, but all hungry saints may come and feed too. Whether he gave the word to Abraham or to Moses, matters not, O believer; he has given it to thee as one of the covenanted seed.

There is not a high blessing too lofty for thee, nor a wide mercy too extensive for thee. Lift up now thine eyes to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, for all this is thine. Climb to Pisgah’s top, and view the utmost limit of the divine promise, for the land is all thine own. There is not a brook of living water of which thou mayst not drink. If the land floweth with milk and honey, eat the honey and drink the milk, for both are thine.

Be thou bold to believe, for he hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”In this promise, God gives to his people everything. “I will never leave thee.” Then no attribute of God can cease to be engaged for us. Is he mighty? He will show himself strong on the behalf of them that trust him. Is he love? Then with lovingkindness will he have mercy upon us. Whatever attributes may compose the character of Deity, every one of them to its fullest extent shall be engaged on our side. To put everything in one, there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for, there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity, there is nothing living, nothing dying, there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world, there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning, nothing in heaven which is not contained in this text-”I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Who let the dogs out?

This is very interesting. According to the latest research, scientists have determined, through genetic code sequencing, that dogs originated in the Middle East. They also determined that 80 percent of dog breeds have evolved in last few hundred years. Wow, that almost sounds... Biblical.

Toxic Television

Pastor John MacArthur recently had knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, there were a few complications that left him bedridden for several months. It was during this time that he viewed a considerable amount of "Christian" television. An experience that he would describe as more painful than the knee surgery itself. The end result of his suffering is a two-part series titled, Toxic Television: A Biblical Answer to the Prosperity Gospel.


These are very important issues facing the church. Pastor MacArthur lays out in no uncertain terms why the prosperity gospel is a false and dangerous teaching. The audio is linked below; you can also read the transcripts or download the sermons for free at GTY (also linked below).

Part One - Audio
Part Two - Audio

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Tale of two sons: One an atheist, the other a believer

Christopher Hitchens (on the left) is an outspoken atheist and fierce critic of religion. He has written books such as God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. You can also see many of his debates on You Tube. As many of you already know, he has a quick wit and a sharp tongue, which is a good thing, because many of his arguments against theism are very poor.

Then there is his younger brother Peter Hitchens. Peter's latest book is titled, The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith. As you can tell by the titles of these two books, the Hitchens brothers see life through very different prisms. I wonder what dinner conversation is like during the Holidays with these two.

Peter's book will be on the shelves May 1st. Here is a preview.

UPDATE: Related articles:

• Christopher Hitchens Diagnosed with Cancer: Suspends Book Tour for Chemotherapy (beliefnet.com)
• Beliefs: Hitchens Brothers' Rift Starts With Religion (nytimes.com)
• The Atheist and the Christian: The Paths of Christopher and Peter Hitchens (foxnews.com)

Monday music smile - His Eye Is on the Sparrow

These four ladies are from South Korea and yet they can sing very soulful gospel music. Who knew? Nicely done ladies.

Charles Spurgeon - The burden of prosperity

“I know how to abound.”
- Philippians 4:12


There are many who know “how to be abased” who have not learned “how to abound.” When they are set upon the top of a pinnacle their heads grow dizzy, and they are ready to fall. The Christian far oftener disgraces his profession in prosperity than in adversity. It is a dangerous thing to be prosperous. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the refining pot of prosperity.

Oh, what leanness of soul and neglect of spiritual things have been brought on through the very mercies and bounties of God! Yet this is not a matter of necessity, for the apostle tells us that he knew how to abound. When he had much he knew how to use it. Abundant grace enabled him to bear abundant prosperity. When he had a full sail he was loaded with much ballast, and so floated safely. It needs more than human skill to carry the brimming cup of mortal joy with a steady hand, yet Paul had learned that skill, for he declares, “In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry.”

It is a divine lesson to know how to be full, for the Israelites were full once, but while the flesh was yet in their mouth, the wrath of God came upon them. Many have asked for mercies that they might satisfy their own hearts’ lust. Fulness of bread has often made fulness of blood, and that has brought on wantonness of spirit. When we have much of God’s providential mercies, it often happens that we have but little of God’s grace, and little gratitude for the bounties we have received. We are full and we forget God: satisfied with earth, we are content to do without heaven. Rest assured it is harder to know how to be full than it is to know how to be hungry-so desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness of God. Take care that you ask in your prayers that God would teach you “how to be full.”

“Let not the gifts thy love bestows
Estrange our hearts from thee.”

Stunning night sky

Here is some amazing time-lapse video of the night sky. The heavens declare God's glory.

Free audio BOOKS

This month at Christianaudio.com, they are giving away, not one, but two free audio books that are well worth having: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die by John Piper.

Monday music smile - Grandma's Hands

This song will put a smile on the face of anyone who had a firm but loving grandmother.