Reformed Pastor Pt 2

Chapter 1 - Section 2 - Part A
-Is this perverting my judgment? Weakening my resolutions? Cooling my zeal? Abating my diligence? (good questions to ask about everything)

-As overseers we are blessed with more available restraint because we are up in front of people. The elevated position should humble rather than puff up. People can and should keep us from sin by confronting and rebuking us. We should in turn be thankful and receive their dealing with our sin. Any help in exposing and ending our sin should be wanted and welcomed.

-As learned men we cannot commit a small sin. The Lord in His grace has blessed us with knowledge and wisdom, and we spit upon that blessing when we sin.

-How often do I secretly cherish what I publicly disgrace? My shame should be great for the odious things that I cling to in the dark. Why does the wretched smell of sin become sweet in the dark? Because the light of Christ makes the Word taste sweet and our sin bitter. Oh that I would cling to the feet of Christ that the most lustrous sin would look like a rusting corpse of poison.

-If I seek to rescue men from Satan's grasp, a careless approach will not do. Great diligence and reliance on God's moving must be in place. How often we rush in headlong to speak of Christ's power and drain our very words of their efficacy by drowning them in mindless zeal.

Reformed Pastor Pt 1

** Time for a new series **

My thoughts after reading The Reformed Pastor

Chapter 1 - Section 1
-Deal plainly with sin and rebuke. You are the best friend to the man you plainly rebuke. Temporary disapproval from men means nothing compared to the eternal approval of God.

-All studies, even theological and Biblical ones, are worthless if we aren't doing so to seek and know God more.

-Everything we have didn't just come from God out of kindness and grace. Everything we have exists only because God does. Yes He graces us and blesses us, but the very things by which He blesses us only exist because He is God. View all things, especially ourselves, in light of this.

-Men will have less prejudice toward a meek and humble man. The proud man puts of such a stiff air that the very air for open minded listeners is choked and evaporated from the room. Put off pride if you wish men to hear you. Put on humility if you wish men to see Christ rather than yourself.

-"It is easier to chide at sin than to overcome it." We pick and chisel at sin, thinking if it be less frequent that we've had some type of victory. The death of a sin is the only true victory over it. Not that sin can cease in this life, but that our election would be made sure by a distaste and a disenchantment with our most favorite sin. Oh that Christ would sweeten our tongue making sin taste like dung.