Archive for the Puritans category
A Prayer we should all pray
Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 3:44 PM by David Zavadil
O LORD, I am shell full of dust, but animated with an invisible rational soul and made anew by an unseen power of grace; Yet I am no rare object of valuable price, but one that has nothing and is nothing, although chosen from thee from eternity, given to Christ, and born again; I am deeply convinced of the evil and misery of a sinful state, of the vanity of creatures, but also of the sufficiency of Christ.
When thou wouldst guide me I control myself, When thou wouldst be sovereign I rule myself.
When thou wouldst take care of me I suffice myself.
When I should depend on thy providings I supply myself, When I should submit to thy providence I follow my will, when I should study, love, honour, trust thee, i serve myself; I fault and correct thy laws to suit myself, Instead of thee I look to man's approbation, and am by nature an idolater.
Lord, it is my chief design to bring my heart back to thee.
Convince me that I cannot be my own god, or make myself happy, nor my own Christ to restore my joy, nor my own Spirit to teach, guide, rule me.
Help me to see that grace does this by providential affliction, for when my credit is god thou-dost cast me lower, when riches are my idol thou doest wing them away, when pleasure is my all thou dost turn it into bitterness.
Take away my roving eye, curious ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart; Show me that none of these things can heal a wounded conscience, or support a tottering frame, or uphold a departing spirit.
Then take me to the cross and leave me there. (bold and italics mine)
The Vision of Valley - "Man of Nothing"
Edited on: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 3:44 PMComments Restored
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 3:28 PM by David Zavadil
I have restored the comments on this blog. It is a new account so all of the previous comments, including the spam have been deleted. I plan on writing more and moderating the comments tighter. I pray that at some time this site will be used by people around the world for edification and growth.
Edited on: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 4:03 PMPosted in Bible Study (RSS), Books (RSS), Commentary (RSS), Family happenings (RSS), Fear of God (RSS), Just For Fun (RSS), Locarb (RSS), Ministry (RSS), Mortification (RSS), Psalm 119 (RSS), Puritans (RSS), Stupid Movie Quotes (RSS), The Church (RSS), TNT (RSS)
Comments Spammed
Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008 at 6:27 PM by David Zavadil
My comments were spammed recently so I have eliminated them until I can find a better system.
Posted in Bible Study (RSS), Books (RSS), Commentary (RSS), Family happenings (RSS), Fear of God (RSS), Just For Fun (RSS), Locarb (RSS), Ministry (RSS), Mortification (RSS), Psalm 119 (RSS), Puritans (RSS), Stupid Movie Quotes (RSS), The Church (RSS), TNT (RSS)
Carpe Blogdom
Posted on Saturday, March 01, 2008 at 5:18 PM by David Zavadil
Here are few sites worthy of checking out
The Puritan Library Just what it says, a library of puritan works. most are in pdf format.
The Bible Centre An online Library. A great resource for students and preachers on a limited budget. There is an annual fee to be able to access the library. It is well worth the price. ($20).
UnVeilinGlory The teaching ministry of some very old friends of mine (They are not old, I have just known them since 1981). They are based out of Richmond, Virginia. Check out their seminars entitled "Cat and Dog Theology."
Lyrical Theology This is the personal blog of Shai Linne. Shai is a Reformed Hip Hop artist. His new CD, "Atonement" has just been released. Check out this blog to read the lyrics and see what "Reformed Hip Hop" looks like. You can listen to samples on ITunes, just search for "Atonement" or Shai Linne.
Posted in Just For Fun (RSS), Puritans (RSS)
Puritan Challenged
Posted on Monday, February 04, 2008 at 12:18 PM by David Zavadil
As most of you know, I have been taking part in a modified form of The Puritan Challenge . I January I began reading, Grace Abounding for the Chief of Sinners. I have to confess that this has been a tougher read than I first expected. Though it is not an easy read, compared to the latest Olsteen book, it has been most challenging. I spent the first two weeks wondering, "When am I going to get to the slave trade?" Only after reading a while did it click that this is Bunyan's story not Newton's. After beating myself up for my idiocy, I pressed on.
Bunyan's constant struggle with doubt and his own selfish lusts proves convicting. I am amazed how many of his struggles and issues were similar to those we experience. Like Bunyan, I have often wondered how God could love and forgive a sinner such as I am. Like Bunyan, I seek God's grace as the chief of sinners. It is so amazing to see the truth of Scriptures revealing to my heart, as it did to Bunyan, the abundant grace of God.
Though I have not finished this wonderful book, I will continue to plug
on at the same time beginning Flavel's Mystery
of Providence (Puritan Paperbacks) (Puritan Paperbacks)
Posted in Commentary (RSS), Ministry (RSS), Puritans (RSS)
John Bunyan
Posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 at 4:25 PM by David Zavadil
Since I am reading Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners as part of the The Puritan ReadingChallenge , I thought I would post a few links to some Bunyan sites.
Acacia John Bunyan Online Library
Edited on: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 4:33 PMPosted in Books (RSS), Puritans (RSS)
Ponderings on Sin
Posted on Monday, January 14, 2008 at 1:43 PM by David Zavadil
As I sit at my desk and eat my Bacon Ranch Salad ( It is time to buy
groceries, I am forced to forage at McDonalds), I am thinking about the
changes I have gone through in recent weeks. In late October I received
the Doctoral dictate, "lose some weight and begin exercising," due to a
high Cholesterol report. In November I began Men's
Health TNT Diet
I have reached a point where I am now disciplined in my body, though my family would love for me to loosen up a bit. I am concerned about what I eat and making sure I workout, almost to the point of legalism. (Just to keep myself honest, I have not worked out today.) Why does it seem that I, and those around me, are not as disciplined when it comes to sin in our lives? Now this is by no means a new thought. Reading through The Mortification of Sin , Owen's is beginning to address the issue. In Chapter 7 of the book, he points to our faith. He writes, "Unless a man be a believer—that is, one that is truly ingrafted into Christ— he can never mortify any one sin; I do not say, unless he know himself to be so, but unless indeed he be so." To deal with my sin, like with my body, I have to admit to the heart problem. If my heart is not set upon Christ I can not deal with my sin. The Psalmist put it like this, Ps 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (ESV) To discipline ourselves against sin, we must begin with a heart that is focus on God, given over to God. Too often we begin dealing with sin incorrectly, we try to master the sin, with out ever coming to the Master. Owen has this helpful reminder for us, "It is true, it is—it will be—required of every person whatsoever that hears the law or gospel preached, that he mortify sin. It is his duty, but it is not his immediate duty; it is his duty to do it, but to do it in God’s way." God's way begins with our hearts set upon Him. Do you know Christ or know about Christ? You will never deal with the sin that haunts you without Christ.
Owen offers some help for those of us who are already believers. Our heart is set upon Christ, we desire to be rid of the sin in our lives and yet we still struggle. We are to run to the cross in obedience. I confess to be a rabid, "I can do it myself" guy. It doesn't matter what it is, I don't want help, "I can do it myself." Jesus says, "No you can't." Listen to Owen on this,
"Hatred of sin as sin, not only as galling or disquieting, a sense of the love of Christ in the cross, lies at the bottom of all true spiritual mortification...If you hate sin as sin, every evil way, you would be no less watchful against everything that grieves and disquiets the Spirit of God, than against that which grieves and disquiets your own soul. It is evident that you contend against sin merely because of your own trouble by it."
I can tell you that I hate sin as sin but struggle, too often, to turn to the cross. I am troubled by sin, and this often leads to trouble, but struggle with turning to Christ for the strength to be rid of it. How about you? Do struggle with sin but find it hard to really confess and repent? Have you truly mortified that which plagues you? On Sunday we will be looking at Matthew 6:24 which reads, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."(ESV) Jesus is using the illustration of the world and money to illustrate what I am talking about here. Where sin is concerned, we must serve one master, the Lord Jesus Christ. We can not serve both sin or Christ or we will find ourselves loving the one and hating the other.
So, now back to the discipline in my physical life and the discipline in my spiritual life. Why do I find it so much easier to workout and eat right than to mortify and put away my lusts and sins? I think one reason may be that with my phsyical body I can see results, sometimes quickly. When I am dealing with the spiritual, the results are not always as vivid. We are in a visual world and tend toward those things we can see. I, we, need to learn to open the eyes of our heart and truly see Christ and the work He is doing within us. As we begin to see our Lord in all His majesty, begin to cling to the cross in all its glory, then we will begin to see those things we hate most in this world, falling to the way side. I think I need a good dose of some Godly protein and a workout in His Word and Prayer.
Edited on: Monday, January 14, 2008 1:46 PMPosted in Commentary (RSS), Mortification (RSS), Puritans (RSS)
Puritan Reading list for 2008
Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 at 4:36 PM by David Zavadil
As I stated earlier, I am posting my reading list for 2008. The list of The Puritan Reading Challenge at Timmy Brister dot com reads like this.
January- Sibbes, Bruised Reed
February- Flavel, Mystery of Providence
March -Watson, Godly Man's Picture
April -Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
May -Bunyan, Come and Welcome
June -Owen, Mortification of Sin
July -Bridge, Lifting Up
August -Burroughs, Rare Jewel
September- Bolton, True Bounds
October -Guthrie, Christian's Great Interest
November -Baxter, Reformed Pastor
December -Alleine, Sure Guide
Reformation Heritage Books has a deal where you can buy all of these at a reduced price just for this reading challenge. Trust me, they are worth the investment.
Since I have read a few of these books, or am reading a few currently, I will be making some changes. My list will read as follows:
January- Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
February- Flavel, Mystery of Providence
March -Watson, Godly Man's Picture
April -Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
May -Love, Effectual Calling and Election
June -Owen, The Glory of Christ
July -Bridge, Lifting Up
August -Venning, Learning in Christ's School
September- Bolton, True Bounds
October -Guthrie, Christian's Great Interest
November -Baxter, Dying Thoughts
December -Alleine, Sure Guide
The folks at Banner of Truth have a deal for many of these books. Purchase 5 for $34 .
Posted in Books (RSS), Puritans (RSS)
The Puritan Challenge
Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 at 10:41 AM by David Zavadil
It seems I was not the only one who felt called to the challenge of reading a puritan a month. The Puritan Reading Challenge has a plan for the monthly readings. I will be adapting, slightly, the list of readings as there are a few on the list I have already read. In the next day or two I will post my reading list for year. Won't you join me on this quest?
Edited on: Monday, January 07, 2008 10:44 AMPosted in Bible Study (RSS), Books (RSS), Commentary (RSS), Just For Fun (RSS), Puritans (RSS)
A Puritan a Month
Posted on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 3:24 PM by David Zavadil
Thinking about the past year and about the coming year, I came to the conclusion that I have not been reading enough. This hurts my preaching and teaching and those who read or hear me. To combat this lack of reading I have resolved to increase my reading volume. One of the ways I am going to do this is by reading a Puritan a Month. I would like to invite you to join me on this adventure. during January I will be reading Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyon. I plan to purchase a copy of each book but will also make sure that there is an ecopy of each book so that those who may not have access to these books can still join us in reading. Leave me some comments with suggestions for February.
Edited on: Monday, January 07, 2008 10:44 AM