We know that Sunday is coming, but don’t brush past this time—take the opportunity to dwell in the waiting, the sadness, the pain of Friday and Saturday.
Use this day to meditate on His death, on our sin, and on the wrath of God poured out upon Christ as the propitiation for us. He took the gruesome death that we rightly deserved for our wickedness.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.
Use this day to meditate on His death, on our sin, and on the wrath of God poured out upon Christ as the propitiation for us. He took the gruesome death that we rightly deserved for our wickedness.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.
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Mark 16:2-6
And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.
And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.
He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.
And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.
And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.
He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.
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James 1:2-12
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
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“Count it all joy”: This is command-level Godliness. Joy is not a feeling—it’s a posture. Trials are not aberrations. They’re God’s training grounds for dominion.
“Testing of your faith produces steadfastness”:
God doesn’t want soft, weak faith; He forges steel-spined men.
Wisdom is not about intellect—it’s gameness, war-readiness. God gives it generously, but only to loyal men, not double-minded cowards.
The crown of life is His reward for loyalty under trial. The crown is not for theorizers, but victors.
What’s the takeaway?
Don’t whine about your trials. Conquer them. Weak men flee pain, Godly men embrace it as God’s discipline to His sons (Heb. 12).
Masculinity is the ability to endure hardship without compromise. Men, train your sons (and yourselves) to love difficulty and laugh at fear.
The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Instability in men is not a kind of mere unreliability, but it is fundamentally dangerous.
Do you use trials for their God-given ends—your steadfastness? Do they produce a steel in your spine, forged in the crucible of challenge and difficulty?
Rejoice in all things, that you may grow in wisdom, in steadfastness; that you may be made complete, and receive the crown for your works.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
__________________
“Count it all joy”: This is command-level Godliness. Joy is not a feeling—it’s a posture. Trials are not aberrations. They’re God’s training grounds for dominion.
“Testing of your faith produces steadfastness”:
God doesn’t want soft, weak faith; He forges steel-spined men.
Wisdom is not about intellect—it’s gameness, war-readiness. God gives it generously, but only to loyal men, not double-minded cowards.
The crown of life is His reward for loyalty under trial. The crown is not for theorizers, but victors.
What’s the takeaway?
Don’t whine about your trials. Conquer them. Weak men flee pain, Godly men embrace it as God’s discipline to His sons (Heb. 12).
Masculinity is the ability to endure hardship without compromise. Men, train your sons (and yourselves) to love difficulty and laugh at fear.
The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Instability in men is not a kind of mere unreliability, but it is fundamentally dangerous.
Do you use trials for their God-given ends—your steadfastness? Do they produce a steel in your spine, forged in the crucible of challenge and difficulty?
Rejoice in all things, that you may grow in wisdom, in steadfastness; that you may be made complete, and receive the crown for your works.
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After the sinner has offended God, the enemy, by placing before his eyes the terror of divine justice, tempts him to despair; but before he sins, the devil encourages him to sin with the hope of mercy.
—Augustine
—Augustine
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1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
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Now, sirs! any kind of faith in Christ which does not change your life is the faith of devils, and will take you where devils are, but will never take you to heaven.
—Charles Spurgeon
—Charles Spurgeon
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Idleness dressed as “content” is still idleness.
If nothing’s built—if your community isn’t growing—you’re not working, no matter how much you post.
Shepherds belong in the field.
Builders belong on the wall.
Get to work.
If nothing’s built—if your community isn’t growing—you’re not working, no matter how much you post.
Shepherds belong in the field.
Builders belong on the wall.
Get to work.
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Forwarded from Cultured American
Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Abner Kneeland was an 1838 Massachusetts state court case, notable for being the last time a court in the United States jailed a defendant for blasphemy.
Abner Kneeland, was a mercurial preacher who had been a Universalist, but had since converted to a form of pantheism. He published letters in which he expounded on his recently adopted pantheist philosophy, denying any God other than Nature.
Massachusetts General Law, Section 36: Blasphemy
Abner Kneeland, was a mercurial preacher who had been a Universalist, but had since converted to a form of pantheism. He published letters in which he expounded on his recently adopted pantheist philosophy, denying any God other than Nature.
Massachusetts General Law, Section 36: Blasphemy
"Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior."
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Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 18-19
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
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I love and revere the memories of Huss, Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Melanchthon... As you justly observe, without their great exertions & severe sufferings, the USA had never existed.
—John Adams
—John Adams
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For whatever doctrinal differences he had, John MacArthur was a stalwart who defended the core tenets of Christianity with steadfastness, and preached the true Gospel of salvation for sinners by grace alone through faith alone.
He has gone to be with the Lord. We thank him for his great service to the people of God, and we thank the Lord for using imperfect men—all of us—to advance His kingdom.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
He has gone to be with the Lord. We thank him for his great service to the people of God, and we thank the Lord for using imperfect men—all of us—to advance His kingdom.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
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Discontent is an ungrateful sin, because we have more mercies than afflictions: and it is an irrational sin, because afflictions work for good.
—Thomas Watson
—Thomas Watson
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Peace is not to be purchased by the sacrifice of truth.
—John Calvin
—John Calvin
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Galatians 3:5-9
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
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