READ, LINGER, PROCESS…
Old age finds and delivers weak hands and feeble knees.
The Lord God numbered all the generations of man, from the very beginning to the very end. “I, the Lord, the First and the Last, I AM that I AM.”
The Lord blots out our transgressions, or the Lord blots out our names (Isaiah 44:22 and Revelation 3:5 respectively).
The Lord confirms His Word to believers;
The Lord performs His will through His messengers.
The Lord sends elect angels as messengers to man.
The Lord sends elect believers as messengers to man.
There is security in truth,
there is security in love,
there is security in discipline,
there is security in faith,
in knowledge, in friendship, and in relationships.
Parental discipline is an expression of love that is subconsciously received as security.
“I will,” is defiance of authority. A toddler will defy the parents (i.e. I will… not do what you say!). It is interesting that when lucifer thought, “I will,” he thought independently of God and became satan. His perfect nature became evil.
Identity is a feeling of belonging.
The allure of evil is irresistible to all of us in different ways, in different circumstances.
The glory of that future day – my destiny, Lord, is in Thee.
Webster defines choice as, “The act or power of choosing.” But I would define it as, “The act or power of freedom to choose.”
The American free-enterprise system cannot function, cannot exist, without freedom – the freedom to choose.
Every time a law is passed, another piece of our freedom is taken from us, and government makes the choice for us. We do not need Lawmakers and law breakers, we need enforcement of legitimate freedom-protecting laws and punishment for those who violate them. “Ask not what your country can do for you,” choose to get up, get going, and do for yourself.
Upon the choices and conduct of each depends the fate of us all. Freedom to choose is our most precious possession. Volition, freedom, and responsibility are all God-given rights.
Though Absolute Truth may be an absurdity to the progressive-liberal, it is sweetness to the follower of Christ. The real absurdity of man is to place himself at the center of meaning.
The Paradox of Legalism
Law is neither the problem nor the solution; it is the revelation of a deficiency in the human character. Legalism attempts to add man-made religious-law to God’s Laws to solve man’s problems. But in doing so, legalism weakens the original intent of the law, which is designed by omniscient God to reveal man’s guilt and need for a Savior. Legalism attempts to strengthen man’s character and ability to impress God, when in reality it exposes his weaknesses and inability to change his inherent nature. Legalism is man-made tradition, which serves to contradict God rather than appease Him. Legalism makes the commandment of God of no effect (Matthew 15:6).
Legalism is the religion of history, designed and demanded by the nature of man.
No law or keeping of the law can redeem man. Law was not given by God to justify, it was given to disclose our inability to keep it; it was given to convict – to reveal our need for God. Law is a necessary restrainer of man and of evil. The volition of man, however, makes the keeping of the law the instrument of evil by outwardly conforming by evil intent. Self-righteousness results when man becomes proud of his law-keeping. Pride then becomes the vehicle of evil. Human nature constantly attempts to find a replacement for the salvation of God in Christ. In so doing, man makes himself God.
All quotes are by C. S. Craig unless otherwise indicated.