I'm spiritually dead, and blind, and quite honestly I'm not sure what to do. I keep looking to the Bible, to the Gospel, to my church, etc. and yet I find myself growing more and more hostile to God/Jesus. I know I'm a sinner under God's righteous wrath, yet I can't see it. I know Jesus is gentle and lowly in heart and invites all to come to Him (though one must be drawn by God) yet I do not love Him. I fear I have committed the unpardonable sin, or that I AM committing it, but I can't seem to ever find real, lasting, saving faith. Please, if you read this and are a believer, please pray a quick prayer that I might see and believe, if it is God's will.
Wait on the LORD like King David says in the Psalms. And remember that verse which states, "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him." O how merciful God is through the Lord Jesus! More than we realize. Ask Him to work in you to will & to do of His good pleasure. Exercise what faith you have and trust that He will indeed multiply it. My second grade Sunday School Teacher told us long ago to exercise what weak faith we had and God would multiply it. I came across a panther close up one time and had no place to go and had no choice but to exercise what little faith I had. I was surprised that the Lord used that to make me fearless before that panther. Surely the Lord strengthened me for I did not possess such courage. I dare not doubt that He girded me up just like in some story from out of the Bible. He used that as a lesson which I will always remember to exercise my weak faith and He will multiply it. Even what weak faith we may have - has He not provided us grace of circumstances to even possess that? And what knowledge we may have - didn't He bring that to pass in our lives? Does He not stir our hearts to want Him - even if at first it's weak? Does He not convict us of our indifference when we are that way? Don't ever give up! Let us pour our hearts out to Him for He delights to have mercy in us pitiful, weak creatures. Let us humble ourselves before Him - even if we may not feel like doing so. Let us confess that to Him because again He delights in showing mercy to sinners (and that's what we all are) that we may come to Him and bask in the Son. He has given you grace till this point. He shall surely see you through. God bless you and strengthen you that you may persevere and abide in Him. Trust in Him first and don't go by feelings. Let us trust in Him and He will multiply our faith and work in us to will & to do of His good pleasure -- for we know that is His will for us. Trust in Him first and foremost and feelings will eventually follow. Seek His strength to overcome all sin - regardless how small. Jesus has said to His followers, "I will never leave thee nor farsake thee." Also, "Draw near unto God and He will draw near unto you."
Ma'am, may I say that the fact that you are experiencing such turmoil is an evidence that you are "already" born of the Spirit of God! The unregenerate, who are dead in trespasses and sins, do not experience this inner conflict. Paul, quoting Psalm 36:1, states a basic characteristic of the wicked: "There is no fear of God before their eyes." The fear of God is an attribute of those who are born again. And yet because we still retain our fallen nature, inherited from Adam, there is this internal conflict between the "flesh (our fallen nature) and the Spirit (the Holy Spirit, who indwells us when we are born again). Read Paul's account of his own experience with this struggle (Romans 7:10-25). We are given a new nature when we are born again. That new nature loves Christ and is enabled to serve and honor Him. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, we will learn how to depend upon the Holy Spirit to enable us to overcome the flesh, and walk in the Spirit. But we will never be entirely free from this struggle until we are glorified in the perfect likeness of our Savior, at His second coming. The Lord wants His believing children to have assurance, and to know that we are His, even though we continue to stumble and falter on our journey to our eternal home. God will no more cast one of His children, who is redeemed by the blood of Christ, out of His family because of personal failure, than a loving father would disown a child who struggles to obey the rules of the household. (Consider the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The son never ceased being a son of his father, even when he was in the "far country", wasting his inheritance with "riotous living"). A loving father helps the child to learn how to obey, while all-the-while loving, helping, and encouraging him in the process. And when the child fails, the father gives the necessary correction, and guides the child in the right direction again. Our salvation is entirely by grace. Grace means "unmerited favor". We cannot earn grace. Otherwise it is no longer grace. Salvation is not a mixture of God's grace and our works. It is entirely the result of what God does for us, from beginning to end. This is the heart of the gospel. Christ did for sinners what we could nor would have ever done for ourselves. He bore the punishment our sins deserved. He was our substitute who died in our place. As a result, those for whom He died are "justified" (declared righteous). "Justified" is the believer's standing before God. Nothing can ever change that standing. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:33-34). When we believe the truth of the gospel of the grace of God, we can have assurance of our salvation. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13). I pray that our gracious Lord will enable you to experience this blessed assurance.
@@timcunningham8842 Blessing the Lord Jesus! Thanks to God ! Only Holy Spirit dwell on the heart knows who is sinner , Only ask , cry out loud to Holy Spirit what to pray and how to pray , He will lead you to the Light , where Jesus is !
True servant of the Lord that is humble enough to learn from His anointed servants as well. The Spirit speaks directly and through His servants ( like the Reformers and present day anointed servants ). I guess some people use their intellect to reject the gift of Spirit led intellectuals and in the process contradict themselves? Using your intellect to criticize and reject a humble intellectual is self defeating. Lol. Peach on brother! It clearly offends some blind unsaved people who was convicted enough to leave a negative comment. I guess the Truth offended them. No need to address them directly! Love this ministry!
Yep, it's so sad...., no one was raised from the dead. No fire tunnels or persons laughing uncontrollably. Just an elderly gentleman just like RC, and Alistair, and MacArthur. These are boring old guys that have no scandals to share, no broken marriages to steam up the press, and only life long ministries. The shame of it all...., all they talk about is Jesus, and how wonderful He is, how great and true grace really is. Isn't that just like a Reformer?
@@davidnutt8517 David, since you asked I will respond as honestly as I know how. I am sure of this conviction about the men whom I mentioned. But I could, of course, be wrong. However, when I met Dr. Sproul for the first time I was experiencing a most exciting and passionate time of my life in Christ as a young college age man. Jesus was as real to me as the keyboard upon which I now write. But coming into an understanding of the truths about which R.C. taught, and which Dr. Ferguson has here so beautifully detailed took my life in Christ to a much deeper, more sincere, and more satisfying level. I have been married now for 43 years. I am having major victories over habitual sins, I share my faith, read, study, and memorize long passages of the Scriptures. I am knowing and confronting the depth of my own wickedness, and yet finding a greater knowledge of God's love for me personally. If R.C., and John MacArthur, and Alistair Begg are being used of God in my life in this way can you blame me for loving how they inspire me to love Jesus?
You cannot listen to this mam and not feel the Holy Spirit ministering to you . He preaches with his heart. Such a joy to listen to him.
Yes, he is a saved speaker. So in tuned with the Words-the Bible. I love to hear him teach.👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🙏
Very true!
Please pray for me everyone that reads this I need the intercession of Gods Children thank you for considering
❤
What a, Gospel indeed
I'm spiritually dead, and blind, and quite honestly I'm not sure what to do. I keep looking to the Bible, to the Gospel, to my church, etc. and yet I find myself growing more and more hostile to God/Jesus. I know I'm a sinner under God's righteous wrath, yet I can't see it. I know Jesus is gentle and lowly in heart and invites all to come to Him (though one must be drawn by God) yet I do not love Him. I fear I have committed the unpardonable sin, or that I AM committing it, but I can't seem to ever find real, lasting, saving faith. Please, if you read this and are a believer, please pray a quick prayer that I might see and believe, if it is God's will.
Heather, I will pray for you! Thank you for being honest about how you feel. I have been there, truly. Can I do anything?
Wait on the LORD like King David says in the Psalms. And remember that verse which states, "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him." O how merciful God is through the Lord Jesus! More than we realize. Ask Him to work in you to will & to do of His good pleasure. Exercise what faith you have and trust that He will indeed multiply it. My second grade Sunday School Teacher told us long ago to exercise what weak faith we had and God would multiply it. I came across a panther close up one time and had no place to go and had no choice but to exercise what little faith I had. I was surprised that the Lord used that to make me fearless before that panther. Surely the Lord strengthened me for I did not possess such courage. I dare not doubt that He girded me up just like in some story from out of the Bible. He used that as a lesson which I will always remember to exercise my weak faith and He will multiply it. Even what weak faith we may have - has He not provided us grace of circumstances to even possess that? And what knowledge we may have - didn't He bring that to pass in our lives? Does He not stir our hearts to want Him - even if at first it's weak? Does He not convict us of our indifference when we are that way? Don't ever give up! Let us pour our hearts out to Him for He delights to have mercy in us pitiful, weak creatures. Let us humble ourselves before Him - even if we may not feel like doing so. Let us confess that to Him because again He delights in showing mercy to sinners (and that's what we all are) that we may come to Him and bask in the Son. He has given you grace till this point. He shall surely see you through. God bless you and strengthen you that you may persevere and abide in Him. Trust in Him first and don't go by feelings. Let us trust in Him and He will multiply our faith and work in us to will & to do of His good pleasure -- for we know that is His will for us. Trust in Him first and foremost and feelings will eventually follow. Seek His strength to overcome all sin - regardless how small. Jesus has said to His followers, "I will never leave thee nor farsake thee." Also, "Draw near unto God and He will draw near unto you."
Ma'am, may I say that the fact that you are experiencing such turmoil is an evidence that you are "already" born of the Spirit of God! The unregenerate, who are dead in trespasses and sins, do not experience this inner conflict. Paul, quoting Psalm 36:1, states a basic characteristic of the wicked: "There is no fear of God before their eyes." The fear of God is an attribute of those who are born again. And yet because we still retain our fallen nature, inherited from Adam, there is this internal conflict between the "flesh (our fallen nature) and the Spirit (the Holy Spirit, who indwells us when we are born again). Read Paul's account of his own experience with this struggle (Romans 7:10-25).
We are given a new nature when we are born again. That new nature loves Christ and is enabled to serve and honor Him. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, we will learn how to depend upon the Holy Spirit to enable us to overcome the flesh, and walk in the Spirit. But we will never be entirely free from this struggle until we are glorified in the perfect likeness of our Savior, at His second coming. The Lord wants His believing children to have assurance, and to know that we are His, even though we continue to stumble and falter on our journey to our eternal home.
God will no more cast one of His children, who is redeemed by the blood of Christ, out of His family because of personal failure, than a loving father would disown a child who struggles to obey the rules of the household. (Consider the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The son never ceased being a son of his father, even when he was in the "far country", wasting his inheritance with "riotous living"). A loving father helps the child to learn how to obey, while all-the-while loving, helping, and encouraging him in the process. And when the child fails, the father gives the necessary correction, and guides the child in the right direction again.
Our salvation is entirely by grace. Grace means "unmerited favor". We cannot earn grace. Otherwise it is no longer grace. Salvation is not a mixture of God's grace and our works. It is entirely the result of what God does for us, from beginning to end. This is the heart of the gospel. Christ did for sinners what we could nor would have ever done for ourselves. He bore the punishment our sins deserved. He was our substitute who died in our place. As a result, those for whom He died are "justified" (declared righteous). "Justified" is the believer's standing before God. Nothing can ever change that standing. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:33-34). When we believe the truth of the gospel of the grace of God, we can have assurance of our salvation. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13). I pray that our gracious Lord will enable you to experience this blessed assurance.
@@timcunningham8842
Blessing the Lord Jesus!
Thanks to God !
Only Holy Spirit dwell on the heart knows who is sinner ,
Only ask , cry out loud to Holy Spirit what to pray and how to pray ,
He will lead you to the Light , where Jesus is !
I'm am experiencing the same thing; I'm feeling the same way. Please pray for me.
Thanks for uploading these valuable resources!
Please play more of Sinclair Ferguson.
Amen!! Thank u
Thank you!
So true, and beautiful
True servant of the Lord that is humble enough to learn from His anointed servants as well.
The Spirit speaks directly and through His servants ( like the Reformers and present day anointed servants ).
I guess some people use their intellect to reject the gift of Spirit led intellectuals and in the process contradict themselves?
Using your intellect to criticize and reject a humble intellectual is self defeating.
Lol.
Peach on brother!
It clearly offends some blind unsaved people who was convicted enough to leave a negative comment.
I guess the Truth offended them.
No need to address them directly!
Love this ministry!
Wow! Amen!
No
Yep, it's so sad...., no one was raised from the dead. No fire tunnels or persons laughing uncontrollably. Just an elderly gentleman just like RC, and Alistair, and MacArthur. These are boring old guys that have no scandals to share, no broken marriages to steam up the press, and only life long ministries. The shame of it all...., all they talk about is Jesus, and how wonderful He is, how great and true grace really is. Isn't that just like a Reformer?
Are you sure about your conviction without knowing all these men's personel walks with God?
@@davidnutt8517 David, since you asked I will respond as honestly as I know how. I am sure of this conviction about the men whom I mentioned. But I could, of course, be wrong. However, when I met Dr. Sproul for the first time I was experiencing a most exciting and passionate time of my life in Christ as a young college age man. Jesus was as real to me as the keyboard upon which I now write. But coming into an understanding of the truths about which R.C. taught, and which Dr. Ferguson has here so beautifully detailed took my life in Christ to a much deeper, more sincere, and more satisfying level. I have been married now for 43 years. I am having major victories over habitual sins, I share my faith, read, study, and memorize long passages of the Scriptures. I am knowing and confronting the depth of my own wickedness, and yet finding a greater knowledge of God's love for me personally. If R.C., and John MacArthur, and Alistair Begg are being used of God in my life in this way can you blame me for loving how they inspire me to love Jesus?
To all the naysayers and haters of reformist
Your lack of love reveals your wickedness
Read John 21 slowly... worry about you.
I get it 007 accent but still Replacement Theology Born in the throne of Pergamon
Thank you!