How much about Total Depravity is actually fully preached from our pulpits today? I sense most are tired of that message and thus fail to recognize the holiness of God himself, for who He really is. These two (the holiness of God and Depravity of man) are also radical extremes to one another and must continuously be preached so there may be some useful equity in our lives in that we will more fully glorify Him as Lord.
Bonar's words strike a rich cord of conviction and awareness that we do not find coming forth from many lives and pulpits todays! Thanks for posting Bonar's poem!<br><br>When I stand before His throne,<br>Dressed in beauty not my own;<br>When I see Thee as Thou art,<br>Love Thee with unsinning heart.<br>Then, Lord, shall I fully know,<br>Not 'til then how much I owe.
Now that is something God is teaching me over and over again. Be still and know that He is God. Be patient and wait on the Lord. Know He is God, do not complain, for He alone is the sovereign Potter.<br><br>Our Sunday School lesson was on Psalm 19 and Romans 1. The point that struck me was how the heavens display the glory of God, and how we often pass over that not thinking about what it truly means. Imagine how infinite space is- but it is not as infinite as God. Imagine how beauitiful the world is- but it is still not as beautiful as God. Imagine how powerful the creation is- but God is so much more powerful.<br><br>The God who created the universe, who made it so large that it would take a spaceship cruising at 94,000 miles an hour 30,000 years to get to the nearest star. And to know we can enter into His presence because of Christ's shed blood...WOW!<br><br>Psalm 8<br><br>How Majestic Is Your Name<br>To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.<br><br>1 O LORD, our Lord,<br> how majestic is your name in all the earth!<br>You have set your glory above the heavens.<br> <br>2 Out of the mouth of babes and infants,<br>you have established strength because of your foes,<br> to still the enemy and the avenger.<br><br>3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,<br> the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,<br><br>4 what is man that you are mindful of him,<br> and the son of man that you care for him?<br><br>5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings[2] <br> and crowned him with glory and honor.<br><br>6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;<br> you have put all things under his feet,<br><br>7 all sheep and oxen,<br> and also the beasts of the field,<br><br>8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,<br> whatever passes along the paths of the seas.<br><br>9 O LORD, our Lord,<br> how majestic is your name in all the earth!<br><br>You might want to look at Spurgeon's comments at http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/TreasuryofDavid/tod.cgi?book=ps&chapter=008<br><br>and<br><br>http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commenta...ps&chapter=019&verse=001<br><br>
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
I think that is why I am in such utter disilusionment toward this Christian culture. I sometimes feel that instead of hanging out with my fun unsaved friends I've chosen to hang out with a group of really boring unsaved people. I feel like the Lost Generation of the 20's. Instead of being in rejection of American culture at large I am in rejection of American Christian culture. I'm starting to feel like it no longer can do anything but get in the way of my intimacy with Christ. That the songs and sermons cheapen the glory and mercy of Christ. to quote the Clash out of context, "I'm so bored with the USA." Anyway, thanks for the post. God bless.<br>Aaron