We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. --Basil of Caesarea
Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12

Friday, July 1, 2016

Study and Know the Scripture


There is no doubt but that the most unhappy and discouraged Christians today are those who do not exercise their senses with respect to this Word of God.  We cannot live on snippets in the spiritual realm  We have to get down to these profound truths of the Scripture; we have to make time to read them and to read books about them.  The trouble today, as it has been for so many years, is that Christian people have not been reading their Scriptures, not troubling to understand them.  They say, “Oh, I am too busy, I have too many things to do, and life is very harassing at the present time.”   But our forefathers, who worked much harder, and for much longer hours, and for much smaller wages, found the time.  Those men used to read their Scriptures and study them  They generally bought a Bible which had a commentary at the bottom of each page, and they studied it and spent time with it.  They also read other books which helped them to understand the Scriptures.  They were “exercising their senses”; and that is what made them strong.  That was the secret of the Protestant martyrs.  It was the secret likewise of the Covenanters in Scotland in the seventeenth century.  Those men were strong because they knew their Scriptures, and they knew the truth of the Scriptures.  They had exercised their senses.  They gave time to the exercise; they lived by the Word.  And thus they ceased to be babes and became mighty, strong men.

You and I must behave in a like manner.  There is no substitute for that.  We do not sit back and “just look at Jesus” to do it all for us.  That is false doctrine: I do not hesitate to use such a term.  We must exercise our senses, and we must build ourselves up in our most holy faith.  It will not happen to us automatically; there are no short-cuts in the Christian life.  If you want to build yourself up, exercise yourself in the Scriptures.


D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The Christian Soldier: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20,” pg.88-89

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