Teaching Resources International

Prayer – “it is so essential to Christianity, that you might as reasonably expect to find a living man without breath, as a true Christian without the spirit of prayer and supplication.”  So writes George Whitefield in his message, “Intercession—Every Christian’s Duty.”

Yet strangely, prayer is often one of the most neglected disciplines in the Christian life.  This seems to be especially true among believers that hold to a more Reformed view of God’s sovereignty.  In these circles, many often wonder about the effectiveness of prayer since God has already determined and decreed whatever happens before the beginning of time.  But Jesus taught his disciples to ask, “Until now, you have asked nothing in my name.  Ask and you shall received that your joy may be made full” (John 16:24).  James likewise tells us, “Ye have not because ye ask not” (James 4:2).  Clearly passages like this remind us of the importance of praying.  In this issue, John Calvin’s essay on Prayer addresses many of these concerns.

For others, Spurgeon’s two sermons may provide much needed encouragement in the area of prayer.  In the “The Golden Key of Prayer,” Spurgeon reminds us of the importance of calling upon the Lord in prayer.  His “Comfort for Those Whose Prayers Are Feeble” is an excellent encouragement for those who struggle in prayer.

We have also included two articles that provide some practical exhortation on prayer.  Whitefield’s sermon on Intercession challenges believers to become involved in the work of prayer and Pink’s “Family Worship” provides a call to believers to consider meeting together and praying together as a family.

Most important in this issue on prayer are the two articles on the nature of God, one by Jonathan Edwards and the other by A. W. Pink.  At the heart of any theology of prayer is a right theology of God.  In both of these articles, we are reminded of the type of God to whom we pray—He is a “Prayer-Hearing God” and “The God of All Grace.”  Both keep us god-centered in our view of prayer.

We hope this issue provides you an encouragement to pray—boldly, regularly, and expectantly.  But no greater encouragement is really needed than the invitation of our Father, “Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not.”

By His Grace, Jim & Debbie

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“Grace, grace! Marvelous grace!  Grace that will pardon and cleanse within.  Grace, grace!  God’s grace!  Grace that is greater than all our sin.”

The grace of God is the heart of the gospel.  Without God’s grace, there would have never been a promise in the Garden to send a Redeemer to save man.  Without grace, God’s chosen nation of Israel would have been destroyed long before the promised Messiah ever arrived.  If it were not for God’s grace, Jesus would have never given up His glory and taken on flesh and blood.  Without grace, there would have been no cross to atone for our sins.  Without grace, there could be no free offer of salvation in the gospel call.  Without grace, there would be no reason that anyone of us would have been drawn by the Spirit to hear and receive the good news of Jesus Christ.  Without grace, not a one of us would ever have any hope (much less assurance!) of eternal life.  Without grace, none of us can ever “approach the throne of grace and find mercy and grace in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).  Without grace, we would be “without hope, and without God in this world” (Ephesians 2:12).

Certainly, the grace of God is an essential to the gospel message.  The Reformers thought so – they spoke of sola Fide, sola scriptura, soli Deo gloria, and sola gratia.  Unless salvation was all by the grace of God (sola gratia), then God could not receive all the glory alone (soli Deo gloria).  They preached and taught about a grace that was truly greater than all our sin!

In this issue, we are but scratching the surface of God’s wonderful grace.  Each article deals with an aspect of God’s grace.  Some consider God’s grace as an attribute of God (Pink, Vincent).  One article examines the abundance of grace found in God (Spurgeon).  Others consider the effects of grace on our lives (Calvin, Watson).  Our final article by Charles Spurgeon, “Grace, The Only Way of Salvation,” provides an excellent reminder of the fact that we are all saved only through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray that you may know His grace and that you may grow in His grace and give Him praise for all that He has done for sinners such as us!

By His Grace, Jim & Debbie

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Those who hold to the doctrines of grace are often accused of not being evangelistic. We are told that the idea that God predestined some to be saved before the foundation of the world precludes any need for evangelism. But nothing could be farther from the truth. The apostle Paul provides a perfect example. In Romans 9, he advances the strongest explanation of election found in the scriptures. There can be no doubt that Paul believed in God’s sovereign choice in election! But he follows this explanation with a reminder of the reality of human responsibility in Romans 10, culminating with “How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?”

God’s election does not remove our responsibility; it assures our success when we share. It does not promise that all will respond to the gospel and come to faith, but it does promise that some will. And that God uses our sharing the gospel as a means for bringing them to faith.

In this issue, we have attempted to provide some of the best reformed thinking on the issue of evangelism. The articles by Pink and Spurgeon remind us of our responsibility in sharing the gospel. Both men stood against the twin foes of Arminianism and Hyper-Calvinism in their day to preach the gospel to all who would hear. They believed that their responsibility was to be obedient to the one who had saved them. They believed that the results were in the hands of a sovereign, merciful God.

The articles by Watson, Bridge, and Brooks are intended to stir those who have received God’s grace to become instruments of His grace in bringing others to Christ. We have also include a list of books that might be helpful for you, both in coming to a more biblical approach to evangelism, and in providing booklets to give to those who are interested. Finally, we have included on article by Thomas Boston, “Ye Must Be Born Again,” for those who are seeking to come to the knowledge of Christ. May God use these resources in all our lives to bring many others into His glorious kingdom!

By His Grace, Jim & Debbie

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The theme of this issue is that of suffering. Suffering is an experience that is common to all men. Job said, “Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). James tells us to “count it all joy” not if we fall into trials, but when! Certainly the New Testament does not promise the “health, wealth, and prosperity” preached by many today. Instead, early Christians were reminded, “all who intend to live godly will face persecution,” and “through much tribulation we enter the kingdom” (2 Timothy 3:12; Acts 14:22).

The articles in this issue all remind us of the reality of suffering for believers and teach us to trust in the sovereign work of God in the trials that we are facing. In “Tried by Fire,” A. W. Pink looks at Job’s declaration and shows us the divine purpose and result of suffering. Other articles include the first chapter from Richard Sibbes’ classic, The Bruised Reed and the final chapter from Horatius Bonar’s The Night of Weeping (recently reprinted as When God’s Children Suffer). Both provide excellent encouragement for suffering believers. Also included is an article by Jeremiah Burroughs which provides a number of exhortations to enable believers to find contentment in the midst of suffering. Additionally, we have included an article by George Whitefield encouraging us to glorify God in our times of suffering.

Finally, you will find the three messages by Charles Spurgeon especially uplifting and encouraging. Spurgeon himself was no stranger to suffering. He suffered at the hands of the press and the liberals, and even eventually at the hands of his own Baptist brethren. He not only experienced persecutions from the outside; both he and his wife were tried with many physical hardships. The messages included deal specifically with the question of the suffering of believers. “Beloved, and Yet Afflicted” was preached to invalids at Mentone, France, where Spurgeon went annually for physical rest. “The Sick Man Left Behind” was preached from his own sick bed! Surely Spurgeon knows the suffering of saints about which he teaches us!

By His Grace, Jim & Debbie

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The crucifixion and the resurrection of our Lord rightly occupy the central place in Christian theology. Without the cross, we have no reason to celebrate the birth of Christ. Regardless of who He is and in spite of his great act of humility in coming to earth, if Jesus does not go to the cross for us, then He may be called great, but He is only our great judge and not our great savior.

The birth of Christ should occupy a very special place in the hearts of believers. It should remind us of God’s great love for us in sending His Son to die on our behalf. It should remind us of the Son’s love for us in “taking the form of a servant,” voluntarily, because of His desire to be our Mediator and Savior. Likewise, the circumstances of His birth should remind us of His humility in coming to our world. Should we have made arrangements for His coming, we certainly would have chosen better for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But, as the Sovereign of the Universe, He chose to be born in humble circumstances. All our meditations of the coming of Christ should lead to wonder, amazement, and awe. And like the angels who announced His birth, it should provoke a spirit of great joy in all our hearts over what the Lord has done in sending His son.

This issue is dedicated to the study of the Incarnation. A. W. Pink’s article, “Christ, the Word Incarnate,” provides an excellent exposition of John 1:14. Through it, Pink supplies us with valuable insights into the importance of Christ’s two natures. He also explores the ideas of His “tabernacling among us,” His glory, and His grace. This essay also has an excellent exposition of the relationship between law and grace. No understanding of Christmas is complete without an examination of the meaning and message of “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The lead article in this issue provides a very helpful examination. In the brief article on “The Mediation of Christ,” Pink shows why our salvation is dependent upon Christ becoming man. He cannot be our Mediator unless be is one like us. The Incarnation was God’s method for allowing Jesus to be the perfect mediator between God and man.

John Owen’s “The Glory of Christ’s Humbling Himself,” furnishes a valuable treatment of the necessity of Christ’s two natures. In his essay, Owen examines the various heresies that have arisen over the nature of Christ’s deity and humanity. His treatment of this topic shows why Christ had to be both God and man to be the “mediator between God and man.”

We have also included two sermons by Spurgeon. His “The Great Birthday and our Coming of Age” is a message on Galatians 4:4-6 in which Spurgeon examines the perfect timing in the coming of Christ. This message also includes some very helpful observations about the reason for His coming and the results that it has brought to mankind. His “The First Christmas Carol” is magnificent reading! In it, Spurgeon delves into the message of the angels that appeared to the shepherds. He shows us the reasons for their great joy and provides encouragement to worship the Lord with the same type of joy that they displayed.

Finally, this issue ends with the first chapter from Octavius Winslow’s The Sympathy of Christ. This article explores the importance of Christ’s humanity, not merely from a theological perspective, but also from a practical, personal perspective. The Incarnation is not only essential for our salvation; it provides us with the confidence that we have a High Priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” and to whom we can go in times of trouble (Hebrews 4:15-16). Thus, we have a Savior, a Mediator, a High Priest who is like us. What a glorious truth is the Incarnation!

As you approach this Christmas season, we pray that your thoughts about the birth of Christ lead you to a season of great joy because we have a great Savior who “humbled himself and became obedient, even to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8).

By His Grace, Jim & Debbie

Copyright Jim Ehrhard, 2000. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International

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