Mighty Offspring

"Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." Psalm 112:1-2

It's interesting to consider how we affect our descendants. Obviously we have a huge impact on our children as we bring them up in a fallen world. The thing that has always struck me about parenting is how much it requires consistency. It's a difficult task but by God's grace it's possible. Since Grace's birth we've been re-evaluating our family vision. We've now got five children that are seven and under. This is quite a deal we've got going here! I'm encouraged by Psalm 127:5 which says "blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them." (I've often wondered if in a battle an archer would ever say to himself "I've just got way too many arrows!")

Anyway, we have an obvious impact on our children, but I think it's clear that we have an impact on the generations that follow them as well. "For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:5-6. It may be that when you honor God with your life that tends to be passed on to your children and their children and so on. That's powerful stuff as we consider the coming generations, assuming the Lord does not return in the meantime (which seems a big assumption, I know).

So consider this day the impact you can have on the generations that will come behind you if you honor the Lord with your whole life; it may just change you! Oh and by the way, if you have ten children and they each have ten children and that goes on for ten generations, that works out to ten billion people! Sounds like reformation to me!

God Bless

Blessed Assurance

True assurance of salvation isn't something talked about much these days.  Sometimes people struggle with their salvation because they don't feel like they're following Christ in a biblical way.  I thought this was a really good quote by John Flavel.

"Despite the fact that there are many hypocrites in the church who claim to have faith when they really don't... it is an irony of true religion that there are also many genuine Christians who lack assurance of their own faith.  They look at the biblical standards and characteristics of true saving faith, and (in their sincere, godly humility) they question whether they, in fact, have such faith.  Well, my poor worrisome brethren... my advice is to first look to Christ.  And then... (when you do consider your own experiences and feelings) reflect upon those things that are unquestionable.  For example, it may be that it is very doubtful to you whether you believe; but yet in the mean time it may be past doubt, (being a matter of clear experience), that you have been deeply convinced of sin, and that you have been driven from all carnal refuges, and that you have become (by the grace of God) willing to accept Jesus Christ upon what terms soever you might enjoy Him.  You doubt whether Christ be yours; but yet you find (as you search your heart) that it is past doubt that you have a most high and precious esteem of Christ, and that you heartily long for Him, and that you prize and love any and all persons that bear His image; that nothing would please your heart like a transformation into His likeness; that you would rather your soul should be filled with His Spirit than your house with gold and silver.  You doubt whether Christ be yours; but yet it is past doubt that one smile from Christ, one token of His love, would do you more good than all the honors and smiles of the world; and nothing so grieves you as that you grieve Him by sin.  You dare not say that you have received Him; yet nor can you deny but that you have had many sick days and nights for Him; that you have gone into many secret places yearning after Him.  Whether He be yours or not, you cannot tell; but that you are resolved to be His, this you can tell.  Whether He will save you is but a doubt; but that resolve to lie at His feet, and wait only on Him, and never look to another for salvation, there is no doubt.  Well, well, poor sensitive soul, if it be so, arise, lift up thy dejected head and take thine own Christ into thine arms.  These are undoubted signs of real closure with Christ.  Thou make thyself poor, and yet thou hast great riches:  such things as these are not found in them that despise and reject Christ by unbelief."  John Flavel

God Bless