Another Interesting Book...

I found a book that's so interesting, thought provoking, and well written that I wonder it hasn't been republished in recent years. Here's the opening paragraph... 

"There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." 

~ Galatians 3:28 ~

"Woman was the finishing grace of creation. Woman was the completeness of man's bliss in Paradise. Woman was the cause of sin and death to our world. Woman was the means of our redemption. Woman is the mother of the human race; our companion, counselor, and comforter in the pilgrimage of life; or our tempter, our scourge, and our destroyer. Our sweetest cup of earthly happiness, or our bitterest draught of sorrow, is mixed and administered by her hand. She not only renders smooth or rough our path to the grave, but helps or hinders our progress to immortality. In heaven we shall bless God for her aid in assisting us to reach that blissful state, or amid the torments of unutterable woe in another region, we shall deplore the fatality of her influence."

What Shall I Do To Be Saved?

"And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved..."

~ Acts 16:29 ~

"Whatever you may gain, life will be a lost adventure, if you do not gain salvation. The condition of the poorest creature that ever yet obtained, though he had but a mere glimmering of intellect, just enough of understanding to apprehend the nature of repentance; although he lived out his days amidst the squalid poverty and repulsive scenes of a hovel or a workhouse; although he was unknown even among the poor; and although when he died he was buried in the pauper's grave on which no tear was ever shed - the condition of even this poor outcast of society is infinitely to be preferred to that of the most successful merchant, the greatest conqueror, the profoundest philosopher, or the sublimest poet that ever existed, if he lived and died without salvation. 

The lowest place in heaven is infinitely to be preferred to the highest place on earth.

Go on then to urge the question, "What shall I do to be saved?" Let no one turn your attention from this matter. As long as you covet this, your eye and heart and hope are fixed on the sublimest object in the universe; and when officious but ignorant friends would persuade you that you are too anxious, point them to the bottomless pit, and ask them if any one can be too anxious to escape its torments.

Point them to heaven, and ask them if any one can be too anxious to obtain its glories.

Point them to the cross of Christ, and ask them if any one can be too anxious to secure the object for which he died." 

~ John Angell James, Exerpt from 'The Anxious Inquirer After Salvation' ~ 

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

~ Romans 5:8 ~

The Effects of Listening to 'In Freedom's Cause'

If you have never listened to this amazing rendition of In Freedom's Cause you really should. They have done an amazing job with their productions so far. Here is a video we made for a contest they put together. Please vote for our video at the link below! The voting ends on August 7th, 2015. I hope you all enjoy it. We had fun putting it together. http://www.ifcvideocontest.com/watch.php?vid=bedef6a69

If you want to check out In Freedom's Cause or other audio dramas that Heirloom audio has put together click HERE to check them out. With Lee in Virginia is the newest one and I hear that they will be doing The Dragon and The Raven next.... I know I can't wait to hear them! Let me know what you think of our little video and maybe if you've listened to some of their dramas you could share what you thought of them!

The Effects of Listening to "In Freedom's Cause" by Leanne Bryan

A Moment In the Life of John Foxe

This is an except from the beginning of the book he wrote on the history of the Christian martyrs through out history. Below you will find the link if you want o read more about his life or read his book. This short story you are about to read is an amazing show of Providence. I hope you enjoy this little story.

"John Foxe traveled to London in the later part of the reign of Henry the VIII. Here, being unknown, he was in much distress, and was even reduced to the danger of being starved to death, had not Providence interfered in his favor, in the following manner:

One day as Mr. Foxe was sitting in St. Paul's church, exhausted with long fasting, a stranger took a seat by his side, and courteously saluting him, thrust a sum of money into his hand, and bade him cheer up his spirits; at the same time informing him, that in a few days new prospects would present themselves for his future substance. Who this stranger was, he could never learn; but at the end of three days, he received an invitation from the duchess of Richmond to undertake the tuition of the children of the earl of Surrey, who, together with his father the duke of Norfolk, was imprisoned in the Tower, by the jealousy and ingratitude of the king. The children thus confided to his care were, Thomas, who succeed to the dukedom; Henry, afterwards earl of Norfolk; and Jane, who became countess of Westmoreland. In the performance of his duties he fully satisfied the expectations of the duchess, their aunt."

John Foxe stayed with the eldest, Thomas until the reign of Queen Mary who was the notorious Bloody Mary.

To read further about John Foxe and his life you can go to this link : Foxe's Book of Martyrs

This is me in 1989 climbing the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in London...

Crawling in the steps of great men... with my trusted binky of course! :) 

Why I started this blog...

Some of you might wonder, "why did she name her blog 'The Opportunity"? Well, it all started with this poem and others like it.
Opportunity
By Edward R. Still
This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:-
There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;
And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged
A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords
Shocked upon swords and shields,
A prince’s banner wavered, then staggered backward hemmed by foes.
A craven hung along the battle’s edge,
And thought, “Had I a sword of keener steel –
That blue blade that the king’s son bears– but this
Blunt thing!”– he snapped and flung it from his hand.
And lowering crept away and left the field.
Then came the king’s son, wounded, sore bestead,
And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,
Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,
And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout
Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,
And saved a great cause that heroic day.

After I had read this I thought about how much we have changed from the way in which the Reformers and Puritans lived. How we have strayed so far from having that straight line drawn between right and wrong, godly and sinful. We, as Christians, should stand up for our faith, not run when the battle gets hard or looks like we will loose! What kind of example are we to the world if we just shrug our shoulders and say "we'll just live and let live"? Did Christ do that when He spoke to the Pharisees? No, very much the opposite. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." Matthew 23:27

So what then should we do as His ambassadors? 

For myself I enjoy writing and talking about issues and at times a bit too much. So I chose to have a blog where I can share what God has put on my hear. I hope this blog is an encouragement and exhorts you in your God given roles. Please feel free to leave a note or thought. Is there something that you disagree with or something that you would like to hear my opinion on? I'd love to hear from you!

I hope you all enjoy my Opportunity. 

The Wicked Always Despise the Godly

'The wicked hate the godly; there is enmity between the seed of the woman and the serpent Gen. 3:15. As in nature there is an antipathy between the vine and the bay tree, the elephant and the dragon. Vultures have an antipathy against sweet smells: so in the wicked there is an antipathy against the people of God; they hate the sweet perfumes of their graces. It is true the saints have their infirmities; but the wicked do not hate them for these, but for their holiness; and from this hatred ariseth open violence: the thief hates the light, therefore would blow it out.’
Thomas Watson

Our Sword and Our Guide

There is a wonderful blog that posts quotes daily of J. C. Ryle: 
jcrylequotes.com

Here is one of the most recent postes. It is a wonderful reminder for us Christians to be steadfast in the Word lest we stumble or loose our way....

"We must to be diligent readers of our Bibles. The Word is the sword of the Spirit. We shall never fight a good fight, if we do not use it as our principal weapon. The Word is the lamp for our feet. We shall never keep the king’s highway to heaven, if we do not journey by its light. There is not enough Bible-reading among us. It is not sufficient to have the Book. We must actually read it, and pray over it ourselves. It will do us no good, if it only lies still in our houses. We must be actually familiar with its contents, and have its texts stored in our memories and minds. Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be obtained by diligent, regular, daily, attentive, wakeful reading."

Oh, that we be as David in Psalm 119:10-16, 

"With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

Your word I have hidden in my heart,

That I might not sin against You.

Blessed are You, O Lord!

Teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I have declared

All the judgments of Your mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,

As much as in all riches.

I will meditate on Your precepts,

And contemplate Your ways.

I will delight myself in Your statutes;

I will not forget Your word."

Puritan Poetry

The Puritans have been poorly portrayed as stern, legalistic, and in general an over bearing group. But in reality a more God honoring people there never was. The poetry that came from them is amazing! I was lent this book for some research and found it to be treasure trove!

Here is a couple of poems that show how fully they trusted in God as their Lord and Master. I hope these poems inspire you to look more fully to God as the merciful, gracious Saviour that He is.

Election - Sovereign and Free

Behold the potter and the clay,

He forms His vessels as He please;

Such is our God, and such are we,

The subjects of His high decrees.

Doth not the workman's power extend

Over all the mass, which part to choose

And mold it for a nobler end,

And which to leave for viler use?

May not the sovereign Lord on high

Dispense His favors as He will,

choose some to life, while others die,

And yet be just and gracious still?

What if , to make His terror known,

He lets His patience long endure,

Suff'ring vile rebels to go on,

And seal their own destruction sure?

What if He means to show His grace,

And His electing love employs

To mark out some of mortal race,

And form them fit for heav'nly joys?

Shall man rely against the Lord,

And call his Maker's ways unjust,

The thunder of whose dreadful word

Can crush a thousand worlds to dust?

But, O my soul, if truths so bright

Should dazzle and confound thy sight,

Yet still His written will obey,

And wait the great decisive day.

Then shall He make His justice known,

And the whole world before His throne

With joy or terror shall confess

The glory of His righteousness.

Isaac Watts

From The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts

The Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God

What wisdom, majesty, and grace,

Through all the gospel shine!

'Tis God that speaks, and we confess

The doctrine most divine.

Down from His starry throne on high,

The almighty Savior comes;

Lays His bright robes of glory by,

And feeble flesh assumes.

The mighty debt that sinners owed,

Upon the cross He pays;

Then through the clouds ascends to God,

'Mid shouts of loftiest praise.

There He, our great High Priest, appears

Before His Father's throne;

Mingles His merits with our tears,

And pours salvation down.

Great God, with reverence we adore

Thy justice and Thy grace;

And on Thy faithfulness and pow'r

Our firm dependence place.

Samuel Stennett

From The Works of Samuel Stennett, D.D.

A Resolute Generation

There was a time when men were men of a resolute mind. Resolute to do what they thought to be right. Resolute in the carrying out of the difficult and, at the time, life threatening tasks. Resolute to stand firm on God's laws and commands.
Unfortunately, today we have left that determination to do what is right and just and have rather chosen to blend into the world around us. Christians in the last century have failed in being examples of Christ to the world. Instead of standing firm on the Word of God we have been blending with the world and its ideologies (See John 17:14; John 15:18-19; James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15). The Christian men that lived at the time of the American Revolution had that steadfastness that so many Christians of today have lost. So I thought it only fitting to give you a taste of that resolve and trust with the following quotes that you may be encouraged to stand firm on God's Word and principles.

Alexander Hamilton

"The Fundamental source of all your errors, sophisms, and false reasoning, is a total ignorance of the natural rights of mankind. Were you once to become acquainted with these, you could never entertain a thought, that all men are not, by nature, entitled to a parity of privileges. You would be convinced, that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator, to the whole human race; and that civil liberty is founded in that; and cannot be wrested from any people with out the most manifest violation of justice."

"I have carefully examined the evidences of the Christian religion, and if I was sitting as a juror upon its authenticity I would unhesitatingly give my verdict in its favor. I can prove its truth as clearly as any proposition ever submitted to the mind of man"

Shortly after the Constitutional Convention of 1787 Mr. Hamilton stated this;

"For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests."

Noah Webster

"Education is useless without the Bible."

"The Bible was America's basic text book in all fields."

In 1832 Noah Webster published "History of the United States". In it he states this;

"The brief exposition of the Constitution of the United States, will unfold to young persons the principles of republican government; and it is the sincere desire of the writer that our citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion."

"God's Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct."

Samuel Adams

As the Declaration of Independence was being signed Mr. Adams declared,

"We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come."

"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader .... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security."

"Neither the wisest Constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt."

John Adams

On June 21st, 1776 John Adams wrote;

"Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which Freedom can securely stand.

The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure, than they have it now, they may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty."

In retorting Thomas Paine's assertions, John Adams stated in his diary, July 29th 1796;

"The Christian religion is, above all the Religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of Wisdom, Virtue, Equity, and Humanity. Let the Blackguard Paine say what he will, it is Resignation to God, it is Goodness itself to Man."

George Washington

"We may, with a kind of grateful and pious exultation, trace the finger of Providence through those dark and mysterious events, which first induced the States to appoint a general Convention and then led them one after another into an adoption of the system recommended by that general Convention; thereby in all human probability, laying lasting foundation for tranquillity and happiness."

"I am sure that never was a people, who had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that agency, which was so often manifested during our Revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God who is alone able to protect them."

I could go on with many more such quotes, but I hope that these will encourage you to hold God's standards higher than any other and to look at everything you face in life through the eyes of God's Word.