God’s eliciting of faithful obedience

In older Evangelical parlance the language of guidance was used comprehensively to cover God’s eliciting of faithful obedience from us within the often enigmatic and daunting frame of providentially ordered circumstances.

Packer, J. I, and Carolyn Nystrom. Guard us, guide us : divine leading in life’s decisions. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2008), 178.

Read Full Post »

Truth obeyed will heal

Truth obeyed, said the Puritans, will heal.

Source: J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness, 1990, reprint (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 65

Read Full Post »

adoption through propitiation

…were I asked to focus the New Testament message in three words, my proposal would be adoption through propitiation, and I do not expect ever to meet a richer or more pregnant summary of the gospel than that.

source: J. I. Packer, Knowing God

Read Full Post »

God is my Father …

Do I , as a Christian, understand myself? Do I know my own real identity? My own real destiny?

I am a child of God.

God is my Father;

heaven is my home;

every day is one day nearer.

My savior is my brother;

every Christian is my brother (or sister) too.

Say it over and over to yourself first thing in the morning, last thing at night , as you wait for the bus, anytime when your mind is free, and ask that you may be enabled to live as one who knows it is all utterly and completely true.

source: J.I. Packer, Knowing God Chapter 19 ‘Sons of God’

Read Full Post »

Providence

I was reading about God’s Providence today.

[Providence is] the unceasing activity of the Creator, whereby in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Psalm 159:9, c.f. Matthew 5:45-8), He upholds His creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men (Psalm 107, Job 1:12, 2:6; Genesis 45:5-8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory (c.f. Ephesians 1:9-12).

source: J.I.Packer ‘Providence’ in the Illustrated Bible Dictionary, vol.3 page 1292.

 

God guides me by enabling me to read His providences through the lenses of His Word.

I have few greater pleasures than tracking the wonders of God’s ways.

source: Ferguson, ‘The Mystery of Providence’ in The Devoted Life – An Invitation to the Puritan Classics (IVP, 2004),222f.

 

“The greatness of God is a glorious and unsearchable mystery. It is the great support and solace of the saints in all the distresses that befall them here, that there is a wise Spirit sitting in all the wheels of motion, and governing the most eccentric creatures and their pernicious designs to blessed and happy issues.”

source: John Flavel, The Providence of God.

Read Full Post »

Adoption

J.I. Packer (whose three children are adopted) writes in Knowing God:

 

“Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.”

Chapter 19 – Sons of God

Read Full Post »