Jesus is the medicine

“The Holy Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If we may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician, but Jesus is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by applying the holy ointment of Christ’s name and grace. He takes not of his own things, but of the things of Christ. So if we give to the Holy Spirit the Greek name of Paraclete, as we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our blessed Lord Jesus the title of Paraclesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other is the Comfort.

Now, with such rich provision for his need, why should the Christian be sad and desponding? The Holy Spirit has graciously engaged to be thy Comforter: dost thou imagine, O thou weak and trembling believer, that he will be negligent of his sacred trust? Canst thou suppose that he has undertaken what he cannot or will not perform? If it be his especial work to strengthen thee, and to comfort thee, dost thou suppose he has forgotten his business, or that he will fail in the loving office which he sustains towards thee? Nay, think not so hardly of the tender and blessed Spirit whose name is the Comforter. He delights to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Trust thou in him, and he will surely comfort thee till the house of mourning is closed for ever, and the marriage feast has begun.”

- Charles Spurgeon, Morning & Evening, October 12

(HT: Of First Importance)

Filed under: CH Spurgeon, Christ-centred, Devotional, Doctrine, Evangelical, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, The Christian Life

Jerry Bridges on Power in Prayer

“[W]e must keep in mind that the Spirit of God is sovereign over when and how he works through the instruments of prayer. He certainly hears our requests and responds to them. But it’s not for us to question the purposes and actions of his sovereign will. Instead we’re to submit to and accept whatever he has for us. And as we respond to his answers to our prayers, we must continue to acknowledge our dependence on him through more prayer. As we cycle through our prayers and his answer in this way, our dependency grows. No wonder those who regularly practice this spiritual discipline often speak of there being power in prayer. The more prayer, the more dependency; the more dependency, the more power. The source of power is not the prayer; it is the Holy Spirit, who uses prayer as a means of grace through which he provides the power.” – Jerry Bridges & Bob Bevington,The Bookends of the Christian Life

(HT: Josh Harris)

Filed under: Devotional, Discipleship, God's grace, Jerry Bridges, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, The Christian Life

Free D. A. Carson Books

Andy Naselli has posted a comprehensive bibliography of D. A. Carson’s wittings. He also links to seven free PDF books. Enjoy:

• Letters Along the Way: A Novel of the Christian Life (Crossway, 1993)

• Holy Sonnets of the Twentieth Century (Baker, 1994)

• For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word, Vol. 1. (Crossway, 1998)

• For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word, Vol. 2. (Crossway, 1999)

• The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (Crossway, 2000)

• Love in Hard Places (Crossway, 2002)

• Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson(Crossway, 2008)

(HT: Tony Reinke)

Filed under: Books, DA Carson, Devotional, Doctrine, Theology