More Directions for Mortification

by | May 8, 2007 | Christian Living

Chapter 11 [Kapic and Taylor edition] of John Owen’s Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers Third Direction: Load your conscience with the guilt of [sin] (103). Begin with generals and so descend to particulars: Charge your conscience with that guilt which appears in it from the rectitude and holiness of the law. Bring your lust to the gospel – not for relief, but for further conviction of its guilt. . . Descend to Particulars Consider the infinite patience and forbearance of God toward you in particular (105). All God’s gracious dealings with you, in providential dispensations, deliverances, afflictions, mercies, enjoyments, all ought here to take place (106). While the conscience has any means to alleviate the guilt of sin, the soul will never vigorously attempt its mortification. Fourth: being thus affected with your sin, in the next place get a constant longing, breathing after deliverance from the power of it (106). Fifth: Consider whether the distemper with which you are perplexed be not rooted in your nature, and cherished, fomented, and heightened from your constitution (107). This is not in the least an extenuation of the guilt of your sin. That you have to fix upon this account, in reference to your walking with God, is, that so great an advantage is given to sin, as also to Satan, by this your temper and disposition, that without extraordinary watchfulness, care, and diligence, they will assuredly prevail against your soul. For the mortification of any distemper so rooted in the nature of a man, unto all other ways and means already named or further to be insisted on, there...

An Average Week in the Life of An Average Pastor: The Lord’s Day

by | May 7, 2007 | Pastoral Ministry, Personal, Time/Life Management

The Lord’s Day is my favorite and most exhausting day of the week: 3:00 a.m. Awoke to shower and dress, with one major change – Brie woke up and was ready to eat. She has been sleeping until 5:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m. but not this morning. So I fed her, had her changed and back in bed asleep by 3:30 a.m. 3:30 a.m. Showered and dressed. 4:00 a.m. Devotional Time 5:00 a.m. Prepared for leading the music Sunday morning and finalized preparations for teaching my Sunday School Class. 5:30 a.m. Worked on my sermon manuscript for preaching Sunday PM. 7:00 a.m. Finished dressing and preparing to leave 7:20 a.m. Left for church 7:30 a.m. Rehearsal with our instrumentalists 8:00 a.m. Rehearsal with our choir 8:15 a.m. First Worship Service. I lead the music which included leading our choir in an anthem. 9:45 a.m. Sunday School class. I lead a group of young adults in a dialogue teaching format. We discussed how to Study the Bible inductively as we prepare to launch into a new inductive study of Genesis. 10:30 a.m. Prepared choir for our Second Worship Service 10:45 a.m. Second Worship Service. Our two morning services are identical in format. The service ended this morning about 10 minutes after noon. I stayed to talk with people after the service until almost 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Back at home – had lunch with a young couple from our church. 3:30 p.m. In my study, I caught up on the day’s news and a few blog headlines. I then began finalizing my sermon manuscript and preparing for the evening service....

Be Mindful of the Guilt, Danger and Evil of Sin

by | May 6, 2007 | Christian Living

From Chapter 10 in John Owen’s Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers Owen’s second direction on overcoming sin: Get a clear and abiding sense upon your mind and conscience of the guilt, danger, and evil of that sin wherewith you are perplexed (97). Of the guilt of it (97). Though the power of sin be weakened by inherent grace in them that have it, [so] that sin shall not have dominion over them as it has over others, yet the guilt of sin that does yet abide and remain is aggravated and heightened by it (98). Consider the danger of it: of being hardened by the deceitfulness Can a sadder thing befall you? Is it not enough to make any heart to tremble, to think of being brought into that estate wherein he should have slight thoughts of sin? Slight thoughts of grace of mercy, of the blood of Christ, of the law, heaven, and hell, come all in at the same season. Take heed, this is that [which] your lust is working toward – the hardening of the heart, searing of the conscience, blinding of the mind, stupefying of the affections, and deceiving of the whole soul (99). loss of peace and strength all a man’s days (99) the danger of eternal destruction Consider the evils of it (101). It grieves the holy and blessed Spirit The Lord Jesus is wounded afresh by it (102) It will take away a man’s usefulness in his generation . . . many men harbor spirit-devouring lusts in their bosoms, that lie as worms at the root of their obedience, and...