Gospel Centered Thought Life
Introduction
Rejoice
Chairete (rejoice) is a present imperative, calling believers to the continual, habitual practice of rejoicing
There is a certain breed of Calvinists, whom I do not envy, who are always jeering and sneering as much as ever they can at the full assurance of faith. I have seen their long faces. I have heard their whining periods, and read their dismal sentences in which they say something to this effect—“Groan in the Lord always, and again I say, groan! He that mourneth and weepeth, he that doubteth and feareth, he that distrusteth and dishonoreth his God, shall be saved.” That seems to be the sum and substance of their very ungospel-like gospel. But why is it that they do this? I speak now honestly and fearlessly. It is because there is a pride within them—a conceit which is fed on rottenness, and sucks marrow and fatness out of putrid carcasses. And what, say you, is the object of their pride? Why, the pride of being able to boast of a deep experience—the pride of being a blacker, grosser and more detestable backslider than other people. “Whose glory is in their shame,” may well apply to them. A more dangerous, because a more deceitful pride than this is not to be found. It has all the elements of self-righteousness in it.
CHARLES SPURGEON
No created powers in hell, or out of hell, can mar the music of our Lord Jesus, nor spoil our song of joy. Let us then be glad, and rejoice in the salvation of our Lord; for faith had never yet cause to have wet cheeks, and hanging down brows, or to droop or die.
SAMUEL RUTHERFORD
Genuine Christian joy is not inward-looking. It is not by concentrating on our need for happiness, but on the needs of others, that we learn to rejoice.
Over all, and not ascending,
Under all, but not depending;
Over all the world ordaining,
Under all, the world sustaining.
HILDEBERT OF TOURS
Because of God’s nearness, believers should not be fearful, anxious, or wavering. They should not collapse, but be strong and stable
Be Anxious For Nothing
believers often seem to forget what they know about God. They lose their confident trust in Him, lose their self-control and spiritual stability, and are defeated.
is not because he makes light of the troubles that they face but because he knows that God is greater than all their troubles
Prayer is the Christian’s antidote for anxiety.
Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.
JOHN BUNYAN
Whatever...
Paul seems here to be referring to the tranquility of God’s own eternal being (Caird), the peace that God himself has (Barth), the calm serenity that characterizes God’s very nature and that grateful, trusting Christians are welcome to share
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son