It's not a waste of time!

Isa 45:19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain. ’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right. ESV

Two points from this:

1) God is public, open & faithful to His word. He doesn't speak in secret. He means what He says and says what He means with no ambiguity or deceit. You can count on Him, His word is reliable.

2) Seeking God isn't in vain. Therefore it must be fruitful. Getting up early, persisting in payer, pressing on to know God isn't in vain! There will be an outcome, there will be a finding, doors will be opened! Take courage O fainting heart & keep on seeking!

Loves He His people in their sinning?

Read this again today in John Owen's "Communion with the Triuine God".  I think it is one of my favourite quotes by him.  Read it a few times to let it sink in.

Objection. But you will say, “This comes nigh to that blasphemy, that God loves his people in their sinning as well as in their strictest obedience; and, if so, who will care to serve him more, or to walk with him unto well-pleasing?”

Answer. There are few truths of Christ which, from some or other, have not received like entertainment with this. Terms and appellations are at the will of every imposer; things are not at all varied by them. The love of God in itself is the eternal purpose and act of his will. This is no more changeable than God himself: if it were, no flesh could be saved; but its changeth not, and we are not consumed.

What then? loves he his people in their sinning? Yes; his people, — not their sinning. Alters he not his love towards them? Not the purpose of his will, but the dispensations of his grace. He rebukes them, he chastens them, he hides his face from them, he smites them, he fills them with a sense of [his] indignation; but woe, woe would it be to us, should he change in his love, or take away his kindness from us! Those very things which seem to be demonstrations of the change of his affections towards his, do as clearly proceed from love as those which seem to be the most genuine issues thereof.

“But will not this encourage to sin?” He never tasted of the love of God that can seriously make this objection. The doctrine of grace may be turned into wantonness; the principle cannot. I shall not wrong the saints by giving another answer to this objection: Detestation of sin in any may well consist with the acceptation of their persons, and their designation to life eternal.

But now our love to God is ebbing and flowing, waning and increasing. We lose our first love, and we grow again in love; — scarce a day at a stand. What poor creatures are we! How unlike the Lord and his love! “Unstable as water, we cannot excel.” Now it is, “Though all men forsake thee, I will not;” anon, “I know not the man.” One day, “I shall never be moved, my hill is so strong;” the next, “All men are liars, I shall perish.” When ever was the time, where ever was the place, that our love was one day equal towards God?

John Piper - The suicide of evievil

The suicide of evil http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OfFirstImportance/~3/l-mkvcJM2cA/

“At the all-important pivot of human history, the worst sin ever committed served to show the greatest glory of Christ and obtain the sin-conquering gift of God’s grace. God did not just overcome evil at the cross. He made evil serve the overcoming of evil. He made evil commit suicide in doing its worst evil.”
— John PiperSpectacular Sins(Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2008), 12

what's your opinion of God?

Few can carry up their hearts and minds to this height by faith, as to rest their souls in the love of the Father; they live below it, in the troublesome region of hopes and fears, storms and clouds. All here is serene and quiet. But how to attain to this pitch they know not.

This is the will of God, that he may always be eyed as benign, kind, tender, loving, and unchangeable therein; and that peculiarly as the Father, as the great fountain and spring of all gracious communications and fruits of love.

John Owen, Communion with God.

We have all winds blowing for us

If we love God, we have all winds blowing for us, everything in the world shall conspire for our good. We know not what fiery trials we may meet with, but to them that love God all things shall work for good. Those things which work against them, shall work for them; their cross shall make way for a crown; every wind shall blow them to the heavenly port.

Thomas Watson; A Divine Cordial

To walk worthy of our calling is to walk cheerfully.

To walk worthy of our calling is to walk cheerfully. “Rejoice in the Lord evermore” (Phil. 4v4). Too much drooping of spirit disparages our high calling, and makes others suspect a godly life to be melancholy. Christ loves to see us rejoicing in Him. Causinus, in his hieroglyphics, speaks of a dove, whose wings being perfumed with sweet ointments, drew the other doves after her. Cheerfulness is a perfume to draw others to godliness. Religion does not banish all joy. As there is a seriousness without sourness, so there is a cheerful liveliness without lightness. When the prodigal was converted “they began to be merry” (Luke xv. 24). Who should be cheerful, if not the people of God? They are no sooner born of the Spirit, but they are heirs to a crown. God is their portion, and heaven is their mansion, and shall they not rejoice?

Thomas Watson, A Divine Cordial, p66

Change of title

Hi. I've changed my blog title. A few reasons:

1) Someone didn't know what "gleanings" were.

2) Relentless - that's how God is in His pursuit of us and that is how we should be in pursuit of Him. See Jer 31:3; Hosea 6:3

3) I'm no longer pastor of NLCC. Change of direction for me so I thought a new blog would be cool!

Enjoy!!!