Any Reformed here? I got saved pretty much right into an understanding of God's sovereignty in salvation and that He saves whomever He wills. How about you?

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Introductions Say hi! I'll start. My name is John Train. I'm 33 and live in Tucumcari, NM. The Lord saved me in 2017.

A little sin, like a little pebble in the shoe, will make a traveler to heaven walk very wearily. - Charles Spurgeon

"When Jesus said that the meek will inherit the earth, he did not mean weakness before men. He meant humility before God." -Gary North

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 24th) The Lord's "Much More" And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this — 2 Chronicles 25:9 If you have made a mistake, bear the loss of it; but do not act contrary to the will of the Lord. The Lord can give you much more than you are likely to lose; and if He does not, will you begin bargaining and chaffering with God? The king of Judah has hired an army from idolatrous Israel, and he was commanded to send home the fighting men because the Lord was not with them. He was willing to send away the host, only he grudged paying the hundred talents for nothing. Oh for shame! If the Lord will give the victory without the hirelings, surely it was a good bargain to pay their wages and to be rid of them. Be willing to lose money for conscience' sake, for peace's sake, for Christ's sake. Rest assured that losses for the Lord are not losses. Even in this life they are more than recompensed: in some cases the Lord prevents any loss from happening. As to our immortal life, what we lose for Jesus is invested in Heaven. Fret not at apparent disaster but listen to the whisper, "The Lord is able to give thee much more than this."

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 22nd) He with Us; We with Him The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened — Proverb 10:27 There is no doubt about it. The fear of the Lord leads to virtuous habits, and these prevent that waste of life which comes of sin and vice. The holy rest which springs out of faith in the Lord Jesus also greatly helps a man when he is ill. Every physician rejoices to have a patient whose mind is fully at ease. Worry kills, but confidence in God is like healing medicine. We have therefore all the arrangements for long life, and if it be really for our good, we shall see a good old age, and come to our graves as shocks of corn in their season. Let us not be overcome with sudden expectation of death the moment we have a finger-ache, but let us rather expect that we may have to work on through a considerable length of days. And what if we should soon be called to the higher sphere? Certainly there would be nothing to deplore in such a summons, but everything to rejoice in. Living or dying we are the Lord's. If we live, Jesus will be with us; if we die, we shall be with Jesus. The truest lengthening of life is to live while we live, wasting no time, but using every hour for the highest ends. So be it this day.

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 20th) The Lord Our Companion Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me — Psalm 23:4 Sweet are these words in describing a deathbed assurance. How many have repeated them in their last hours with intense delight! But the verse is equally applicable to agonies of spirit in the midst of life. Some of us, like Paul, die daily through a tendency to gloom of soul. Bunyan puts the Valley of the Shadow of Death far earlier in the pilgrimage than the river which rolls at the foot of the celestial hills. We have some of us traversed the dark and dreadful defile of "the shadow of death" several times, and we can bear witness that the Lord alone enabled us to bear up amid its wild thought, its mysterious horrors, its terrible depressions. The Lord has sustained us, and kept us above all real fear of evil, even when our spirit has been overwhelmed. We have been pressed and oppressed, but yet we have lived, for we have felt the presence of the Great Shepherd, and have been confident that His crook would prevent the foe from giving us any deadly wound. Should the present time be one darkened by the raven wings of a great sorrow, let us glorify God by a peaceful trust in Him.

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 19th) A Sound Heart Let my heart be sound in thy statutes: that I be not ashamed — Psalm 119:80 We may regard this inspired prayer as containing within itself the assurance that those who keep close to the Word of God shall never have cause to be ashamed of doing so. See, the prayer is for soundness of heart. A sound creed is good, a sound judgment concerning it is better, but a sound heart toward the truth is best of all. We must love the truth, feel the truth, and obey the truth, otherwise we are not truly sound in God's statutes. Are there many in these evil days who are sound? Oh, that the writer and the reader may be two of this sort! Many will be ashamed in the last great day, when all disputes will be decided. Then they will see the folly of their inventions, and be filled with remorse because of their proud infidelity and willful defiance of the Lord; but he who believed what the Lord taught, and did what the Lord commanded, will stand forth justified in what he did. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun. Men much slandered and abused shall find their shame turned into glory in that day. Let us pray the prayer of our text, and we may be sure that its promise will be fulfilled to us. If the Lord makes us sound, He will keep us safe.

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 18th) God Himself Shall Work Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself — Isaiah 33:10 When the spoilers had made the land as waste as if devoured by locusts, and the warriors who had defended the country sat down and wept like women, then the Lord came to the rescue. When travelers ceased from the roads to Zion, and Bashan and Carmel were as vineyards from which the fruit has failed, then the Lord arose. God is exalted in the midst of an afflicted people, for they seek His face and trust Him. He is still more exalted when in answer to their cries He lifts up Himself to deliver them and overthrow their enemies. Is it a day of sorrow with us? Let us expect to see the Lord glorified in our deliverance. Are we drawn out in fervent prayer? Do we cry day and night unto Him? Then the set time for His grace is near. God will lift up Himself at the right season. He will arise when it will be most for the display of His glory. We wish for His glory more than we long for our own deliverance. Let the Lord be exalted, and our chief desire is obtained. Lord, help us in such a way that we may see that thou thyself art working. May we magnify thee in our inmost souls. Make all around us to see how good and great a God thou art.

Be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. John Owen

In Christ, God's face shines out, full of grace and gentleness to us poor, unworthy sinners. John Calvin #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 16th) Possess Not Only Profess For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance — Matthew 13:12 When the Lord has given to a man much grace He will give him more. A little faith is a nest egg; more faith will come to it. But then it must not be seeming faith, but real and true. What a necessity is laid upon us to make sure work in religion, and not to profess much, and possess nothing! For one of these days the very profession will be taken from us, if that be all we have. The threatening is as true as the promise. Blessed be the Lord, it is His way when He has once made a beginning to go on bestowing the graces of His Spirit, till he who had but little, and yet truly had that little, is made to have abundance. Oh, for that abundance! Abundance of grace is a thing to be coveted. It would be well to know much, but better to love much. It would be delightful to have abundance of skill to serve God, but better still to have abundance of faith to trust in the Lord for skill and everything. Lord, since thou hast given me a sense of sin, deepen my hatred of evil. Since thou hast caused me to trust Jesus, raise my faith to full assurance. Since thou hast made me to love Thee, cause me to be carried away with vehement affection for Thee!

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 15th) Home Blessings Extended The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life — Psalm 128:5 This is a promise to the God-fearing man who walks in the ways of holiness with earnest heed. He shall have domestic blessedness; his wife and children shall be a source of great home happiness. But then as a member of the church he desires to see the cause prosper, for he is as much concerned for the Lord's house as for his own. When the Lord builds our house, it is but fitting that we should desire to see the Lord's house builded. Our goods are not truly good unless we promote by them the good of the Lord's chosen church. Yes, you shall get a blessing when you go up to the assemblies of Zion; you shall be instructed, enlivened, and comforted, where prayer and praise ascend, and testimony is borne to the Great Sacrifice. "The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion." Nor shall you alone be profited; the church itself shall prosper; believers shall be multiplied, and their holy work shall be crowned with success. Certain gracious men have this promise fulfilled to them as long as they live. Alas! When they die the cause often flags. Let us be among those who bring good things to Jerusalem all their days. Lord, of thy mercy make us such! Amen.

New article by my pastor: Old objections to Christianity answered. "I’m seeing an objection in short videos recently. It is an old Muslim argument, although non-Muslims make use of it, against Christianity: “Jesus never said he was God.” The charge is that Christians have wrongly raised Jesus of Nazareth to the level of divinity. We’ve made him our God, contrary to his own teachings and will. That’s the assertion. Part of the objection may be freely admitted. The Bible never records Jesus saying the words, “I am God.” (As an aside, before I address that in earnest, I’ll point out that Jesus is never recorded saying the words, “I am a prophet,” but the Muslims believe that is the clear teaching of the Gospels. We all go through the same process of reading and then summarizing what is written.) Part of the issue is that the teaching style of Jesus was rarely on-the-nose and direct, especially as the topic at hand became more significant. He did a lot of teaching through stories and object lessons. The frustrating thing is that he didn’t always come right out and say what the point was. This was on purpose. He wants you to think about what he’s said and work through it yourself. This meant that his audience was (and is) filled with two types of people: the ones who get it and ones who don’t, or rather won’t. He’ll walk around a point, motioning to it the whole time, and expect you to look at it on your own. So, he’ll tell you he’s the light of the world. He’ll tell you he’s the way, the truth, and the life. He’ll let you know he’s coming back one day to raise everyone from the dead and judge them, assigning to each one the appropriate reward in the afterlife. He’ll claim the authority to forgive the sins of all people. He claimed to have existed in glory before the foundation of the world. He’ll demonstrate his authority over disease, death, demons, and the processes of the created world. But, what does he do after these things leave his own disciples stunned, asking, “What sort of man is this?” He’s silent. You figure it out. You’ve got the former prophets promising that the Messiah to come would be called the Mighty God, and that he would take his rightful place on the throne of heaven, with authority over all things. Jesus loved pointing to David, for instance, who referred to the coming king as his Lord. Jesus challenged his opponents to tell him what that meant, and they couldn’t, or wouldn’t. To crowds who knew and loved the 23rd Psalm, Jesus pictured all the people of God as a flock of sheep, and then claimed to be their good shepherd, not as if hired to do the job by their owner, but as the owner himself. Who owns God’s sheep? So, sure, the point is taken. You won’t find a place where the Lord says, “I am God.” Maybe he thinks your brain is sufficient to add all of this up on your own. The issue is never that God hasn’t given us enough evidence or information: it’s that we don’t like what he’s given. Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2023/06/14/opinion/old-objections-to-christianity-answered/24853.html

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 14th) He Constantly Abides For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. — 1 Samuel 12:22 God's choice of His people is the reason for His abiding by them, and not forsaking them. He chose them for His love, and He loves them for His choice. His own good pleasure is the source of their election, and His election is the reason for the continuance of His pleasure in them. It would dishonor His great name for Him to forsake them, since it would either show that He made an error in His choice, or that He was fickle in His love. God's love has this glory, that it never changes, and this glory He will never tarnish. By all the memories of the Lord's former lovingkindnesses let us rest assured that He will not forsake us. He who has gone so far as to make us His people, will not undo the creation of His grace. He has not wrought such wonders for us that He might leave us after all. His Son Jesus has died for us, and we may be sure that He has not died in vain. Can He forsake those for whom He shed His blood? Because He has hitherto taken pleasure in choosing and in saving us, it will be His pleasure still to bless us. Our Lord Jesus is no changeable Lover. Having loved His own, He loves them to the end.

Sometimes when your child talks, your friends cannot understand what he says; but the mother understands very well. So if our prayer comes from the heart, God understands our language. Dwight L. Moody

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 13th) Divine Cultivation I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day — Isaiah 27:3 When the Lord Himself speaks in His own proper person rather than through a prophet, the word has a peculiar weight to believing minds. It is Jehovah Himself who is the keeper of His own vineyard; He does not trust it to any other, but He makes it His own personal care. Are they not well kept whom God Himself keeps? We are to receive gracious watering, not only, every day and every hour, "but every moment." How we ought to grow! How fresh and fruitful every plant should be! What rich clusters the vines should bear! But disturbers come; little foxes and the boar. Therefore, the Lord Himself is our Guardian, and that at all hours, both "night and day." What, then, can harm us? Why are we afraid? He tends, He waters, He guards; what more do we need? Twice in this verse the Lord says, "I will." What truth, what power, what love, what immutability we find in the great "I will" of Jehovah! Who can resist His will? If He says "I will," what room is there for doubt? With an "I will" of God we can face all the hosts of sin, death, and hell. O Lord, since thou sayest, "I will keep thee," I reply, "I will praise thee!"

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 12th) Dwelling Safely Apart Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew — Deuteronomy 33:28 The more we dwell alone, the more safe shall we be. God would have His people separate from sinners. His call to them is, "Come ye out from among them." A Christian world is such a monstrosity as the Scriptures never contemplate. A worldly Christian is spiritually diseased. Those who compromise with Christ's enemies may be reckoned with them. Our safety lies, not in making terms with the enemy but in dwelling alone with our best Friend. If we do this, we shall dwell in safety, despite the sarcasms, the slanders, and the sneers of the world. We shall be safe from the baleful influence of its unbelief, its pride, its vanity, its filthiness. God also will make us dwell in safety alone in that day when sin shall be visited on the nations by wars and famines. The Lord brought Abram from Ur of the Chaldees, but he stopped half-way. He had no blessing till, having set out to go to the land of Canaan, to the land of Canaan he came. He was safe alone even in the midst of foes. Lot was not safe in Sodom though in a circle of friends. Our safety is in dwelling apart with God.

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 11th) No Cause to Blush Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed — Isaiah 54:4 We shall not be ashamed of our faith. Carping critics may assail the Scriptures upon which we ground our belief, but every year the Lord will make it more and more clear that in His Book there is no error, no excess, and no omission. It is no discredit to be a simple believer; the faith which looks alone to Jesus is a crown of honor on any man's head, and better than a star on his breast. We shall not be ashamed of our hope. It shall be even as the Lord has said. We shall be fed, led, blest and rested. Our Lord will come, and then the days of our mourning shall be ended. How we shall glory in the Lord who first gave us lively hope, and then gave us that which we hoped for! We shall not be ashamed of our love. Jesus is to us the altogether lovely, and never, never, shall we have to blush because we have yielded our hearts to Him. The sight of our glorious Well-beloved will justify the most enthusiastic attachment to Him. None will blame the martyrs for dying for Him. When the enemies of Christ are clothed with everlasting contempt, the lovers of Jesus shall find themselves honored by all holy beings, because they chose the reproach of Christ rather than the treasures of Egypt.