“What thoughts have you of God, that you think he is more obliged to hear what you say to him, than you are to regard what he says to you?” -Jonathan Edwards

In Paradise lost Satan is on a journey from hell to earth, where he plans to turn humanity against God. . . He arrives to the gate of hell and sees: “The one seemed woman to the waist, and fair, But ended foul in many a scaly fold, Voluminous and vast—a serpent armed With mortal sting. About her middle round A cry of Hell-hounds never-ceasing barked With wide Cerberean mouths full loud, and rung A hideous peal; yet, when they list, would creep, If aught disturbed their noise, into her womb, And kennel there; yet there still barked and howled Within unseen.” A woman whose upper body is beautiful. . . but the bottom half of her is a serpent. . . and surround by rabid dogs. 

her name? 

Sin. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; (Proverbs 5:3–5)

“We often think fondly of how wonderful it would have been to be alive in Palestine when Jesus was around. We would not have to believe on the testimony of anyone else. We could have seen all those miracles with our own eyes. We would not have to hear about people handling Jesus; we could have touched him with our own hands. We could have sat with him at a meal. But being there was not a guarantee of being a disciple. Many saw the miracles and either denied them, or found some alternative explanation for them, or hated Jesus for stirring the pot. Many people touched Jesus only to lay hands on him to arrest and kill him. Had we been there, we might well have been in the crowd clamoring to lynch him. More importantly, Jesus told his disciples that it was good for them that he was going away. When I leave, he said, I will send my Spirit to be with you, and because the Spirit will be with you, you will do greater things than I have done (John 14:12). We might think it would be better to have been there then, but in fact it is better for us to be here now. Jesus said so.” Peter Leithart

“Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” Ezekiel 18

“God has a signature, and He has identifiable handwriting. In this fallen world, He testifies to His goodness in the universal pattern of death and resurrection. Every day you get sleepy, lie down, and rise up. Every autumn the trees of the forest and grass in the field wither and every spring they come back in glory.” Doug Wilson

Q. 9. What is the work of creation? A. The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. Q. 10. How did God create man? A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. Westminster shorter catechism

"Love the one good in which all good things exist, and it will be sufficient for you." Anselm. I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1–2)

Psalm 37 The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.

Jesus: "Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?" (John 8:46)

Why is there something rather than nothing? Because in the beginning, God called things into existence. Why do things continue to exist rather than blipping out of being? Because God keeps speaking them.

because [Christ] continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. . . Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7

Paul to Philemon: “I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,  that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.”

Psalm 5 the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Psalm 3 Arise, O Lord! break the teeth of the wicked.

Psalm 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed. . . He who sits in the heavens laughs.

Psalm 1 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

when Jacob wrestled with God. . . he was 97 years old.

When you doom scroll, you encounter brokenness and darkness of every kind. The Psalmist writes of Jesus Christ: In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; (Psalm 45:3–4) King Jesus does not ride out to plunder, or tax, or enslave. King Jesus rides out to bring the blessings of truth, meekness and righteousness to the world. Why would you reject a King like that?