The Image of God or an Idol

I heard a dialog between two ministers over the subject of pain and suffering and whether or not God causes some of it. One maintained that God sometimes causes suffering as punishment, discipline, chastisement, etc. The other said words to this effect, "That is not my image of God" and maintained that all pain and suffering is caused by Satan and his demons.

Now, the point I want to make is this: Due to our ignorance of God's revelation, we may "re-invent" God in our own image. In our minds, He thinks like I think, He likes what I like, He wants what I want, He does things the way I want things done, His idea of justice, holiness, purity, etc is exactly the same as mine.

This Is Idolatry. It is making God in the image of man. Not a bit different from making God in the image of a beast.

John Newton - His song, his text, his testimony, his epitaph.

He was a sailor on a slave ship and became the wretched slave of a slave woman.

John Newton wrote "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."

His favorite text was written on the wall of his study: "Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee."

His testimony on his death bed, "My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Saviour!"

His Epitaph:: John Newton, Clerk, Once an Infidel and Libertine, A Servant of Slaves in Africa, was by the Mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Preserved, Restored, Pardoned, And Appointed to Preach the Faith he had so long laboured to destroy.

Expose or Cover - What will it be?

"What we try to cover, God will uncover;
What we uncover, God will cover." Adrian Rogers

1Cor. 4:5 ".....He (the Lord) will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts."

1Jn. 1:9 "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." vs. 7 - "...the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, purifies us from all sin."

Rom. 4:7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered, Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

Nothing is more pathetic---

Nothing is more pathetic than having a small character in a big assignment. Many of us don't want to give attention to our character, we just want the big assignment from God.
Henry T. Blackaby--Experiencing God (Lifeway Press)

The Giftie gi'e us

"O wad some power the Giftie gi'e us
To see oorsel's as ithers see us."

The Scottish poet - Robert Burns

Give me the Love .......

"Give me the Love that leads the way
The Faith that nothing can dismay
The Hope no disappointments tire
The Passion that'll burn like fire
Let me not sink to be a clod
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God."


"We profess to be strangers and pilgrims, seeking after a country of our own, yet we settle down in the most un-stranger-like fashion, exactly as if we were quite at home and meant to stay as long as we could. I don't wonder apostolic miracles have died. Apostolic living certainly has."

Amy Carmichael

Have you ever read a martyr's trial?

Articles or Charges against Michael Sattler (1527)

First, that he and his adherents have acted contrary to the mandate of the Emperor.

Secondly, he has taught, held and believed that the body and blood of Christ are not present in the sacrament.

Thirdly, he has taught and believed that infant baptism does not conduce to salvation.

Fourthly, they have rejected the sacrament of extreme unction.

Fifthly, they have despised and condemned the mother of God and the saints.

Sixthly, he has declared that men are not to swear before the authorities.

Seventhly, he has commenced a new and unheard of custom in regard to the Lord's supper, placing the bread and wine on a plate, and eating and drinking the same.

Eightly, he has left the order, and married a wife.

Ninethly, he has said that if the Turks should invade the country, no resistance ought to be offered them; and if it were right to wage war, he would rather take the field against the Christians than against the Turks; and it is certainly a great matter, to set the greatest enemies of our holy faith against us.

After his short defence which quoted Bible verses it is recorded "the judges laughed and put their heads together, and the town clerk of Ensisheim said, 'O you infamous, desperate villain and monk, shall we dispute with you? The hangman shall dispute with you, I assure you."

Michael said, "God's will be done."

The town clerk said, "It were well if you had never been born."

Michael replied, God knows what is good."

Town Clerk, "You arch-heretic, you have seduced the pious; if they would only now forsake their error, and accept grace."

Michael: "Grace is with God alone."
One of the prisoners also said, "We must not depart from the truth."

Town Clerk: "You desperate villain and archheretic, I tell you if there were no hangman here, I would hang you myself, and think that I had done God service."

Michael: "God will judge aright."
Thereupon the town clerk said a few words to him in Latin, what we do not know.

Michael Sattler answered him Judica.

The town clerk said, "The hangman shall convince you; he shall dispute with you, arch-heretic."

Michael: "I appeal to the Scriptures."

The judges arose, and went into another room, where they remained for an hour and a half, and determined on the sentence.

The judges having returned to the room, the sentence was read. It was as follows, "In the case of the Governor of his Imperial Majesty versus Michael Sattler, judgement is passed, that Michael Sattler shall be delivered to the executioner, who shall lead him to the place of execution, and cut out his tongue; then throw him upon a wagon, and there tear his body twice with red hot tongs; and after he has been brought without the gate, he shall be pinched five times in the same manner."

After this had been done in the manner prescribed, he was burned to ashes as a heretic. His fellow brethren were executed with the sword, and the sisters drowned. His wife, also, after being subjected to many entreaties, admonitions and threats, under which she remained very steadfast, was drowned a few days afterwards. Done the 21st day of May, A.D. 1527

from "The Martyrs Mirror"

Are we so weak that we won't even dispute the very things for which our spiritual forefathers were tortured and died at the hands of the Papists and Reformers? God have mercy upon our pitiful souls.