Two Doers by Clay Curtis

John 3:20-21 “For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

Every person within the world fits into one of these two categories. There is no in between, no middle ground, either a person does that which God views as evil or a person does that which God views as truth. When Isaac’s wife Rebekah conceived, the twins within her struggled against one another and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. These two diametrically opposite individuals can not be in agreement with one another. In fact he that does evil hates he that does truth. The only difference in the two is the grace of God.

At the core of the unbeliever’s refusal to come to the light is his unbelief in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Belief in Christ means bowing before God and declaring all my deeds unrighteous while at the same time declaring Christ, who finished THE WORK, as the only way by which I can have a right standing before God. The condemned not only does not come to the light but he hates the light. He is in darkness and he loves darkness therefore he will not have fellowship with light. The condemned would sooner deny Christ than have his own deeds discovered as evil.

The believer would rather deny himself and magnify Christ, for Christ’s deeds have been made the believer’s deeds by imputation. In Christ the believer sins not. In Christ the believer fulfills the law. By Christ’s finished work death has no claim on the believer for according to God’s grace he has never sinned. In Christ the believer is seated at the right hand of the Father. The believer’s testimony is that all his righteousness is Christ alone. What deeds did I, myself, do? I was conceived in sin, I came forth from my mother’s womb speaking lies, my heart is only evil continually and desperately wicked; that is the sum total of my deeds. The banner of the believer is: it is not I that doeth truth, but Christ alone for He is truth, it is not I that cometh to the light but Christ who is the Light draws me to Himself, it is God who keeps me. My deeds are nothing; His deeds are everything. By Clay Curtis

Their homes were holy places by CH Spurgeon

These first believers were in such a condition that their homes were holy places. I beg you to notice this, that they were breaking bread from house to house, and did eat their food with gladness and singleness of heart. They did not think that religion was meant only for Sundays, and for what men now-a-days call the 'House of God'. Their own houses were houses of God, and their own meals were mixed and mingled with the Lord's Supper. They elevated their meals into diets for worship. They so consecrated everything with prayer and praise that all around them was holiness unto the Lord. I wish our houses were thus dedicated to the Lord, so that we worshipped God all the day long, and made our dwellings temples for the living God.

Does God need a 'special house'?

He who made the heavens and the earth, does he dwell in temples made with hands? What crass ignorance is this! No house beneath the sky is more holy than the place where a Christian lives, and eats, and drinks, and sleeps, and praises the Lord in all that he does. There is no worship more heavenly than that which is presented by holy families, devoted to his fear. To sacrifice home worship to public worship is a most evil course of action. Morning and evening devotion in a cottage is infinitely more pleasing in the sight of God than all the cathedral pomp which delights the carnal eye and ear. Every truly Christian household is a church, and as such it is competent for the discharge of any function of divine worship, whatever it may be. Are we not all priests? Why do we need to call in others to make devotion a performance? Let every man be a priest in his own house. Are you not all kings if you love the Lord? Then make your houses palaces of joy and temples of holiness. One reason why the early church had such a blessing was because her members had such homes. When we are like them we shall have "added to the church daily of the saved." by C.H. Spurgeon

What will heaven be like? By Todd Nibert

What will heaven be like? The scriptures actually give very little information. However, the information the scriptures do give is sufficient to make the child of God long for heaven. One reason we long for heaven is because we will have glorified bodies. Another reason is because we will be without sin. But the chief reason we long for heaven is to see the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ said in John 17:24, "Father I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." Notice, he didn't merely say, "I will that they be where I am..." but, "I will that they be with Me where I am." Heaven is being with Christ and beholding His glory. We cannot see Him now as we desire. Our sins and unbelief clouds the view. But even though we can't see Him now as we desire, we will one day. "We shall see Him as He is." And until then, we say with Job, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter days upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom 1 shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold Him, and not another: though my reins be consumed in me."
By Todd Nibert

Jesus deserves our best! By C.H. Spurgeon

Some Christians live and act and talk as if there were no judgment to come; toiling for wealth as if this world were all. They are as careless of souls, as though hell were a dream. Unmoved by eternal realities, unstirred by the terrors of the Lord, indifferent to the ruin of mankind, many professors live like worldlings, and are as unchristian as infidels. This is an indisputable fact, but one to be lamented with tears of blood. We are the purchase of Jesus' death upon the tree- he has bought us dearly, and he should have us altogether for himself. It should be the one end and object of our desire, to crown that head with gems, which once was crowned with thorns.

Jesus deserves our best!

Every wound of his claims us, and every pain he bore, and every groan that escaped
his lips, is a fresh reason for our holiness and complete devotion to his cause. How must he grieve over us because we have not that tenderness of heart, that melting of love, that vehemence of zeal, that earnestness of soul which we ought to exhibit! By C.H. Spurgeon

Has God Given Everybody "The Right" To Choose? By Scott Price

When the wondrous gospel of free and sovereign grace in Christ is preached usually the objection from the mouth of those who do not believe it is; God gave man a freewill choice to choose Him or reject Him (sometime phrased, "to accept or reject Christ"). A few things are involved here and must be dealt with.

#1) This idea of man's "right to choose" is an anti-christ idea. It attempts to strip away grace and mercy making God obligated to man. The whole concept of mercy is that it is not obligated. Think of the illogic of this unrighteous doctrine, that God Almighty would give the command to believe the gospel of Christ and then gives men the "right" to reject Christ in the gospel. How stupid can this be? Where does this come from? It comes from the idea, which many who even claim to be Reformed, Sovereign Grace, and Calvinists, teach that this is not a command but rather a gracious "offer". Now, an offer can be rejected, but a command must be obeyed! It is simple to see that man does not have the God-given right to not to believe the gospel.

#2) Man's inability to choose good over evil, or Christ in the gospel is very clear from the Scripture's description of Mankind. This is the essence of Total Depravity. Man, by nature, has a spiritually dead wicked heart and is unable to understand spiritual things or move to seek God. Man cannot do good, be righteous, obey any law, or fulfill any conditions that might be placed on him to attain eternal life. This Biblical doctrine of Man's inability is rejected when faith is made to look like an offer to accept or reject. The Bible teaches that faith is a sovereign gift of God that the Spirit works in the mind of God's elect, CAUSING them to choose Him.

#3) These who object to God's particular grace say that God gives everybody an "equal chance to be saved". The fact is that God has seen fit for some to NEVER hear the gospel. We can dismiss the "equal chance" theory.
God is the only being who has "rights" by nature. He has Divine rights by virtue of who He is. Man is dependent on God for salvation from start to finish. God's people are given the faith to believe this and to love depending on Him for mercy and grace. Thank God it does not depend on our choice! We would chose sin. Adam and Even did, even before they had a sin nature. Think of the haughtiness and pride of self righteous man demanding the "right" of choice. Utter wickedness! By Scott Price