glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- it is a heavenly light which doth illuminate our understanding It is 1:52 PM Sunday afternoon in the flow. I am down in the lower level (basement) writing on my lap top. The football game we want to watch comes on an hour. Carol is sleeping and I am reading "The Christian Warfare" by John Downame. I am enjoying once again reading Downame's treatise on spiritual warfare. I discovered in reading last year's diary I was reading this treatise January 2012. I should make it a point to read "The Christian Warfare" over and over till I am in Heaven. We as Christian soldiers do not lay down our spiritual weapons till we are in Glory. I find in reading "The Christian Warfare Against the Devil, World and Flesh" I enjoy solid gospel preaching. This book by John Downame is filled with solid gospel preaching. Also John Downame was a wise Christian pastor. It is a blessing to have a Christian pastor that loves you and seeks your spiritual well-being. One of the reasons I stop going to a visible church was that I never received any pastoral care. I thought I would quote from "The Christian Warfare" on the work of the Holy Spirit in bring assurance of salvation to a Christian. I find this material to be filled with gospel truth. "But here the tempter objective, that we cannot know and discern whether we have the spirit of God, unless it should bring forth in us some extraordinary effects: and though it should be granted that we were induce therewith, yet we cannot discern the testimony thereof from our own thoughts, unless it be by some special revelation. To the first I answer, that though many lulled asleep with carnal security, do vainly dream that they have God's spirit, and so are deluded with their own phantasies; yet this hindereth not, but that he who hath the spirit of God indeed, may certainly be assured that it dwetheth in him; for it sealeth in us the assurance of God's covenant, and who can receive this seal and not feel the impression?it is an earnest, and who receiving an earnest cannot know whether he hath received it? for otherwise how can it assure us of our bargain, if of it self we have no assurance? it is a pawn of God's love and our salvation, and who having a pawn in his custody cannot know that he possesseth it? it is a heavenly light which doth illuminate our understanding, which were blind and ignorant in the knowledge of God's truth, and who cannot discern between blindness and sight, light and darkness? it is a water which purgeth us from our corruption, and who that is thus washed and cleanse, can doubt that this water hath touched him? it is a fire which inflameth our cold frozen hearts with a zeal for God's glory, and love of our brethren, and how can fire which is carried in our breasts be hidden from us? . . ." pg. 215 John Downame I have to close because my right arm is in pain. "[13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 2:18 p.m. - 2013-01-20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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