Much better sleep. I'm energized right when I wake up. Skin is less dry. I don't need a drug to function and even thrive. I'm not in a constant artificial fight or flight state. I'm more chill instead of being a rollercoaster. Saving money.
Just read the book Caffeine Blues. Many many benefits from ditching caffeine.
Way to go! I'm at least 150 days free. Lost track at this point. Feeling fantastic.
Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (August 25th)
Food and Rest
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God — Ezekiel 34:15
Under the divine shepherdry saints are fed to the full. Theirs is not a windy, unsatisfying mess of mere human "thought"; but the Lord feeds them upon the solid, substantial truth of divine revelation. There is real nutriment for the soul in Scripture brought home to the heart by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, Himself, is the true life-sustaining Food of believers. Here our Great Shepherd promises that such sacred nourishment shall be given us by His own self. If, on the Lord's Day, our earthly shepherd is empty-handed, the Lord is not.
When filled with holy truth the mind rests. Those whom Jehovah feeds are at peace. No dog shall worry them, no wolf shall devour them, no restless propensities shall disturb them. They shall lie down and digest the food which they have enjoyed. The doctrines of grace are not only sustaining, but consoling: in them we have the means for building up and lying down. If preachers do not give us rest, let us look to the Lord for it.
This day may the Lord cause us to feed in the pastures of the Word, and make us to lie down in them. May no folly, and no worry, but Meditation and Peace mark this day.
#faith #bible #christian
Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (August 24th)
God above Human Philosophy
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent — 1 Corinthians 1:19
This verse is a threatening so far as the worldly-wise are concerned, but to the simple believer it is a promise. The professedly learned are for ever trying to bring to nothing the faith of the humble believer, but they fail in their attempts. Their arguments break down, their theories fall under their own weight, their deep-laid plots discover themselves before their purpose is accomplished. The old gospel is not extinct yet, nor will it be while the Lord liveth. If it could have been exterminated it would have perished from off the earth long ago.
We cannot destroy the wisdom of the wise, nor need we attempt it, for the work is in far better hands. The Lord Himself says, "I will," and He never resolves in vain. Twice does He in this verse declare His purpose, and we may rest assured that He will not turn aside from it.
What clean work the Lord makes of philosophy and "modern thought" when He puts His hand to it! He brings the fine appearance down to nothing; He utterly destroys the wood, hay, and stubble. It is written that so it shall be, and so shall it be. Lord, make short work of it. Amen, and Amen. #faith #bible #christian
In what way is God restraining your ability to make uncoerced choices?
Hypercalvinism practically denies that God accomplishes His decreed ends via ordained means (Faith normatively comes by hearing the gospel, for example). “If God has decreed it, it will happen. I don't need to do anything”. That's more like the fatalistic Islamic concept surrounding Inshallah.
I'm a Calvinist, I just reject the idea that we're puppets being controlled and forced into actions. That's Arminian slander in my view.
New article in the local paper by my pastor: You must become small to be great.
"One day, the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom. These were motivated dudes, after all, wanting to know how to advance, how to climb that ladder. Jesus pointed to a child and told them to become like that.
Some preachers have turned this text into a “How To Be Saved” sort of story. They think the disciples were asking about entrance to the kingdom, not status within it. So, the evangelistic answer is that we must have a so-called childlike faith.
They don’t consider this in light of places where Jesus recommends a lot of serious, sober consideration of what it means to follow him. The goal of biblical faith is not to become children. It’s maturity. There is no place in Scripture where people are urged to be childlike in their faith. They are constantly told that their immaturity is a problem, and they need to grow up.
Their question was not, Lord, how may we enter your kingdom? The question was, Lord, who is the greatest in the kingdom? They were prone to having these types of discussions among themselves. The mother of James and John even got involved once, advocating for the status of her sons.
This time, his answer surely baffled them: he pointed at a child. Become like this. Not so that you become immature and naive, much less gullibly willing to believe things without evidence or reason. No.
Become like this lowliest member of society. Become like this one, who has no power over anyone. Become despised, not glorified. Be humble, not exalted. Be small, not great.
This child can’t physically force anyone to do anything. It can’t force obedience from others. It has exactly zero executive control over anyone.
Of course, anyone who’s had children knows they quickly figure out ways of manipulating people, so they get what they want. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that Jesus was not recommending that sort of thing.
He was talking about status, and the power that comes with being great. The child was an object lesson against that. It was a lesson in conflict with the whole history of executive power.
Executive power may be defined as the ability to force people to conform to your will. You can have it naturally, by showing up as the biggest, scariest guy around. Or, you can get it from an organization that supplies you with a title or position that allows you to wield the organization’s authority.
In the ancient Roman empire, children were so unimportant, they were non-persons. They were throw-away people: it was legal to leave babies out to die of exposure or as prey to dogs, for instance. King Herod slaughtered a whole host of infants in Bethlehem without any injury to his career.
“How can I be great, Lord?”
Christ points at a small child and says, “Become this.”
Stop seeking position and power. Jesus would further illustrate this, as in my last column, by taking up a towel and basin and doing the job of a household slave for all of them. Shortly after that, he would humble himself to the point of death for them.
This is greatness in the kingdom. It’s not fancy, but it’s real.
Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at:
reformnm@yahoo.com" #faith #bible #christian
https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2023/08/23/opinion/you-must-become-small-to-be-great/25054.html
Yeah that's totally what Calvinism teaches /s
Ever made uncoerced choices consistent with your nature? Oh right, that's all you've ever done. There's never been a gun to your head forcing you to do anything.
Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (August 23rd)
Love and Seek True Wisdom
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shalt find me — Proverb 8:17
Wisdom loves her lovers, and seeks her seekers. He is already wise who seeks to be wise, and he has almost found wisdom who diligently seeks her. What is true of wisdom in general is specially true of wisdom embodied in our Lord Jesus. Him we are to love and to seek, and in return we shall enjoy His love, and find Himself.
Our business is to seek Jesus early in life. Happy are the young whose morning is spent with Jesus! It is never too soon to seek the Lord Jesus. Early seekers make certain finders. We should seek Him early by diligence. Thriving tradesmen are early risers, and thriving saints seek Jesus eagerly. Those who find Jesus to their enrichment give their hearts to seeking Him. We must seek Him first, and thus earliest. Above all things Jesus. Jesus first, and nothing else even as a bad second.
The blessing is that He will be found. He reveals Himself more and more clearly to our search. He gives Himself up more fully to our fellowship. Happy men who seek One who, when He is found, remains with them for ever, a treasure growingly precious to their hearts and understandings.
Lord Jesus, I have found thee; be found of me to an unutterable degree of joyous satisfaction.
#faith #bible #christian
Carnivore diet brings tremendous mental clarity. Get your brain running on ketones.
Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (August 21st)
Night of Weeping; Joyous Day
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning — Psalm 30:5
A moment under our Father's anger seems very long, and yet it is but a moment after all. If we grieve His Spirit we cannot look for His smile; but He is a God ready to pardon, and He soon puts aside all remembrance of our faults. When we faint and are ready to die because of His frown, His favor puts new life into us.
This verse has another note of the semi-quaver kind. Our weeping night soon turns into joyous day. Brevity is the mark of mercy in the hour of the chastisement of believers. The Lord loves not to use the rod on His chosen; He gives a blow or two, and all is over; yea, and the life and the joy, which follow the anger and the weeping, more than make amends for the salutary sorrow.
Come, my heart, begin thy hallelujahs! Weep not all through the night, but wipe thine eyes in anticipation of the morning. These tears are dews which mean us as much good as the sunbeams of the morrow. Tears clear the eyes for the sight of God in His grace; and make the vision of His favor more precious. A night of sorrow supplies those shades of the pictures by which the highlights are brought out with distinctness. All is well. #faith #bible #christian
Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (August 18th)
Seekers, Finders
If thou seek him, he will be found of thee — 1 Chronicles 28:9
We need our God; He is to be had for the seeking; and He will not deny Himself to any one of us if we personally seek His face. It is not, if thou deserve Him, or purchase His favor, but merely if thou "seek" Him. Those who already know the Lord must go on seeking His face by prayer, by diligent service, and by holy gratitude: to such He will not refuse His favor and fellowship. Those who, as yet, have not known Him to their souls' rest should at once commence seeking, and never cease till they find Him as their Saviour, their Friend, their Father, and their God.
What strong assurance this promise gives to the seeker! "He that seeketh findeth." You, yes you, if you seek your God shall find Him. When you find Him you have found life, pardon, sanctification, preservation, and glory. Will you not seek, and seek on, since you shall not seek in vain? Dear friend, seek the Lord at once. Here is the place, and now is the time. Bend that stiff knee; yes, bend that stiffer neck, and cry out for God, for the living God. In the name of Jesus seek cleansing and justification. You shall not be refused. Here is David's testimony to his son Solomon, and it is the writer's personal witness to the reader. Believe it and act upon it, for Christ's sake. #faith #bible #christian
Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (August 15th)
A Name Guarantee
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son — John 14:13
It is not every believer who has yet learned to pray in Christ's name. To ask not only for His sake, but in His name, as authorized by Him, is a high order of prayer. We would not dare to ask for some things in that blessed name, for it would be a wretched profanation of it; but when the petition is so clearly right that we dare set the name of Jesus to it, then it must be granted.
Prayer is all the more sure to succeed because it is for the Father's glory through the Son. It glorifies His truth, His faithfulness, His power, His grace. The granting of prayer, when offered in the name of Jesus, reveals the Father's love to Him, and the honor which He has put upon Him. The glory of Jesus and of the Father are so wrapped up together, that the grace which magnifies the one magnifies the other. The channel is made famous through the fullness of the fountain, and the fountain is honored through the channel by which it flows. If the answering of our prayers would dishonor our Lord, we would not pray; but since in this thing He is glorified, we will pray without ceasing in that dear name in which God and His people have a fellowship of delight.
#faith #bible #christian
“Because Christ is King of kings, Christians are assured of two things: warfare to the death against all would-be-gods; and the complete triumph of the Christian faith over all its enemies.”
-David Chilton #faith #bible #christian
I did a slow taper over a money to minimize those. Still had minor headaches though. 130 something days free!
Thanks, I'll give this a read
What's this from? Sounds based.
Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
— James 4:14-15