Mark 5

Matthew 27

Vern Poythress:

My new hero

Hannah, the mother of Samuel: 

“Those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.” (1 Samuel 2:5)

 Mary, the Mother of Jesus: “He has filled the hungry with good things.” (Luke 1:53)

There is nothing new under the sun: “Junk mail is one of the many media through which modern Americans are inundated with news—much of it bad. Television, newspapers and newsletters, and radio talk shows bombard us with information—much of it depressing. We have to absorb the bad news of the underclass, unrest in the Persian Gulf, the drug trade, abortion, militant homosexual advocacy, and the general decay of Christian standards.” Peter Leithart writing in 1993

“even if Christians were removed from every earthly throne, even if they were deprived of every place of worldly influence and power, even if deprived of all their property and wealth—none of this would diminish in the smallest measure the church’s reign over all things. Compared with the heavenly dominion of the church, earthly dominion is paltry and impoverished, for it matters little that a man gain the whole world if in the process he loses his own soul.” Peter leithart

"Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate" (Chesterton)

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)

Jesus Christ died on a cross to satisfy the justice of God.

Quest. 1. What is the chief end of man? Answ. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

That looks fun.

Don’t go after empty things. Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. (1 Samuel)

“To those who murmur at the free grace of election and the just severity of reprobation we answer with the apostle: Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? (Rom. 9:20), and quote the language of our Savior: Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? (Matt. 20:15). And therefore, with holy adoration of these mysteries, we exclaim in the words of the apostle: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and unto him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen. (Rom. 11:33–36).” Canons of Dort 1.18

Q. 98. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies. (Shorter Catechism, 1648)