Pride vs Faith -Charles Leiter

"To not believe Christ is wickedness"~Charles Leiter
Rom 11:19-21 "You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith Do not be conceited, but fear for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either."


See also: Prideful Men Will Perish -Tim Conway, 12 Steps In Romans 9

Settle it in Your Mind Now, Get Rid of Alternatives & Be Resolved to Follow the Lord ~Conrad Murrell

"Ally [of saving faith]: Singleminded Steadfastness. Get rid of all your alternatives and set your mind toward the Lord alone. Put all your eggs in one basket. You will not truly trust the Lord until that is done.

A few years ago a pastor brought a troubled man to me for counseling. When I asked him about his problem, he replied, "I want to serve the Lord but I am having a terrible time." "What seems to be hindering you?" I asked. "Everything and everybody it seems," he said. "Let's get down to particulars," I insisted. This is his story.

"I have a smoking problem. I know I shouldn't be smoking. It's harmful to me and a blight on my testimony but I am having a hard time giving it up. Then there is my wife. She thinks I am a fanatic and she says if I insist on living a Christian life, she is going to leave me. She wants to have some fun, and I don't want to go back into that kind of life; but I don't want to lose my wife. Then there is my business partner. He is not a Christian and we are having a conflict over some unethical business deals he wants to pull. He says I am holding back the business with my stupid morals and if I don't shape up he is going to force me out. Then, last week I was down in Tuscon in a restaurant feeling sorry for myself and this young divorcee approached me. She liked me and made some obvious suggestions and approaches. I almost fell into what she was proposing. But, I don't want to live like that. I'm just in a terrible mess." "You surely are," I said, "but, maybe I can help you get some things settled. It seems to me you have about four options here. You can only take one of them so you may as well eliminate the other three. Let's find out which ones you can take and which ones you cannot and see what we have left. Here is your first option. You can walk out the door the same way you came in with nothing changed and nothing settled. Can you do that?"
"I don't want to."
"But can you?"
"If I had not wanted help I would not have come here."
"But can you leave without it? Are you willing to walk out of here the same way you came in? Can you do that? Can you go on living the way you are now? Think about it. Because if you can, you will. There is no use of me wrangling around here with for two or three hours only to have you refuse to do what you must and leave the same way you came in. If you can do that, then go ahead and do it now. Let's not waste anymore time.

He looked at me, saw I meant it, thought about it a bit and then said, "No, I can't do that. I have got to have some help. I cannot live any longer the way I am. Something has to be settled."

"Then we can eliminate that option. It no longer exists. Something has to be settled before you leave here tonight. Now we have only three left. Here is your second option: Forget about being a Christian and serving the Lord. Put the thought of it out of your mind and go ahead and do what you like. If you want to smoke, stop feeling guilty about it and puff away. If your wife wants you to go out and get drunk and raise hell with her, go ahead. If your partner wants to pull some fast deals that can make you rich and won't get you in jail, go to it. Take advantage of anybody you can, make as much money as you can, do what you like and live it up. If you see the divorcee again, take her up on the proposition. Whatever you feel like doing, help yourself."
He stared at me incredulously.
"Can you do that?" I asked.
He shook his head, "No, I can't do that. I can't live that way."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Think about it now and settle it. If you can do that then you ought to go ahead because you will sooner or later. But if you can't, then settle it in your mind that you can't and forget about it. It's no use you ever thinking about it anymore. It is an utter impossibility."
"I can't do that."
All right, that eliminates two options and two more are left. Here is your third one: Go home. If you do not have one at home, stop off at a pawn shop and pick yourself up a pistol. Get out in the yard so that you won't make a mess in the house for someone to clean up, take good aim so that you don't miss and put a bullet in your brain."

He jerked his head back and stared at me. "I can't do that. I'd go to hell."
"Probably so," I said, "but at least you wouldn't have to live in this hell till you get to the next one. "
"No, I can't do that."
"Then it looks like you have only one course left. Follow the Lord. Obey Him. If your wife leaves you, follow the Lord. If you lose your business and all your money, follow the Lord. If it costs you all your pleasures, follow the Lord. You really don't have any other option. You cannot do anything else. Live, die, swim or sink, you must follow Him."
He thought a while and lifted up his head and then slowly as the truth began to dawn upon him, a relieved smile spread across his worried face. "That's right isn't it. It's really very simple. He is my only hope of life. There is nothing else to do."

...Nearly two years later I was back in the same city and this man came to the meeting. His wife was with him, clinging to his arm. They had been, it seemed, through hell itself. His faith had been tried in the fire. The devil had exhausted his resources in his attempt to shake him from the commitment he made that night. But when he had left that counseling session, he was a single-minded man with only one place to go. His eyes were steadfastly fixed upon God as his deliverer. He and his wife both wore the broad sweet smiles of a victory that endures. They had learned indeed that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Such as these can give unerring testimony that God is indeed worthy of our trust. That is faith." ~Conrad Murrell taken from Faith Cometh (recommended)

Podcast problem Resolved - Recent Sermons Now Available

Over the last 24 hours or so, we've experienced a problem with our podcast which has now been resolved. The following sermons/Bible Studies have now been restored:

Click on blue links to play or download mp3's.

Sol 1:9-11 - Song of Sol pt 10-You're The Horse Of The King Fitted For Battle-Kevin Williams -65 min

Acts 4:11-12+var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 9-The Way Of Salvation-Kevin Williams - 58 min

Sol 1:8 - Song of Sol pt 9-Be Assured Of Christ's Great Love For You Believer-Kevin Williams - 55 min(Watch Video HERE)

Rom 9:10-15+Var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 8-Election-Kevin Williams - 66 min

Sol 1:6-8 - Song of Sol pt 8-Finding Rest From The Noon Day Heat-Kevin Williams - 63 min

Rom 5:12+var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 7-The Depravity of Man-Kevin Williams - 56 min

Rom 10:1-5+var - Don't Go On With False Hope, Surrender To The Love Of Christ-Kevin Williams -75 min

Sol 1:6 - Song of Sol pt 7-Too Busy Neglecting Your Own Soul-Kevin Williams - 47 min(Watch Video HERE)

John 15:26+var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 6-God the Holy Spirit-Kevin Williams - 69 min

Sol 1:5 - Song of Sol pt 6-Don't Listen To The Slander, I am beautiful in Christ-Kevin Williams - 69 min

John 1:1+Var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 5-God the Son-Kevin Williams - 61 min

Sol 1:4 - Song of Sol pt 5- 8 Principles To Live In The Inner Chambers With Christ-Kevin Williams -66 min(Watch Video HERE)
Gal 4:6+var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 4-God the Father-Kevin Williams - 71 min

Sol 1:4 - Song of Sol pt 4: You Cannot Gatecrash Into The King’s Chambers-Kevin Williams - 48 min(Watch Video HERE)

Mat 28:19 - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 3-The Trinity-Kevin Williams - 72 min

You Cannot Be Neutral Toward God ~Conrad Murrell

"No man can serve two masters. He will love one and despise the other. You cannot be neutral toward God. He must be to you either God or nothing. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. For they that come to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. You cannot believe the first "He is" without the second. If God is then He is the God that rewards those that diligently seek Him. You cannot, therefore, really believe that He is without diligently seeking Him in faith that He is your rewarder. They who do not so seek Him despise Him. They seek another god whom they suppose will reward them." ~Conrad Murrell

Sol pt 10-You're The Horse Of The King Fitted For Battle-Kevin Williams

Part 10 of our Christ centered series on the Song of Solomon

Play or download mp3:

Sol 1:9-11 - Song of Sol pt 10-You're The Horse Of The King Fitted For Battle-Kevin Williams -65 min

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(Bible Study)Statement of Faith pt 9-The Way Of Salvation-Kevin Williams

Continuing our Friday night Bible Study in which we are looking at our new statement of faith (for the notes to this Bible Study click on blue link), which contains excellent doctrine.

Part 9, the way to Heaven explained

Play or download mp3:

Acts 4:11-12+var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 9-The Way Of Salvation-Kevin Williams - 58 min

Listen this and other Puritan Fellowship Sermons on itunes here:

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You can now download our sermons on your mobile phone,

our mobi address is:

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You can also download our sermons HERE.

God's Love Will Motivate Us To The Extent We Experience It ~Octavius Winslow

"God so loves us, as to make love the great controlling motive power of our religious life. "love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 13:10) "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Such is the teaching of His Word. The religion we receive from Christ is the religion of love, and the religious life to which it is to give birth in us is to be a life of love to God, securing our obedience, enlisting our service, and constraining us, by the mercies of God, to yield our bodies living sacrifices; thus teaching and strengthening us to "deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live godly, righteously, and soberly in this present evil world" (Titus 2:12).

The love of God will become a motivating power in our lives to the extent that we experience it in our souls. The outward holy life of a believer is the result of an inward principle of love to God. "The love of Christ constrains us" (2 Cor 5:14). For this cause the apostle breathed that precious prayer in behalf of the Thessalonian saints: "The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God" (2 Thess 3:5). Standing on the shore of this boundless, fathomless ocean, he prays that the Lord, the Spirit, might lead their hearts into its infinite depths. What a necessary, holy prayer! What a vast and precious blessing! Their hearts were sinful, sad, and weary; guilt tainted them, bereavement shaded them, conflict and service exhausted them; and now, the apostle prays that they might be led into the sanctifying, soothing, life-refreshing love of God.

Into this ocean of divine love, my reader, let your heart plunge, just as it is. Take all its sin, and sorrow, and weariness, to no other purifying, comforting source, but to the shoreless, soundless sea of the love of God in Christ Jesus. Descend, in simple, child-like faith, into its depths, and lose yourself amid its infinitude! With this love of God filling and overflowing your heart, all will be well. Winter will bloom into spring, and spring will blush into summer, and summer will ripen into the golden fruit of autumn. Oh, how the love of God changes the aspect of everything! Afflictions are then revealed to be disguised blessings; trials, proofs of divine faithfulness; clouds, chariots paved with love and penciled with light, in which the Savior comes to us." ~Octavius Winslow

Christian Maturity - Faith - Part 5 - Tim Conway

"If I could show you now what it will be like for lost people at the judgment, how would that effect how you think about evangelism?.... if you could see now what it will be like for YOU at the judgment then you would live your life differently"~Tim Conway

In the 5th part of the Christian Maturity series Tim talks about faith... and living a life of faith and trusting in the Lord, is this how your life appears? Oh may it be so. Romans 14:23 says that anything not done in faith is a sin! - May God examine us all! www.ILLBEHONEST.com

Download the MP3 Audio HERE.

The Central Attribute of God is Love ~Octavius Winslow

"Had not God's love resolved to save man, all His other perfections must have been employed and displayed in destroying man. Love set its heart upon man, yearned to save man, and resolved to embark in the expedient of his salvation; and this it did by conceiving a plan which should harmonize all the other attributes of His nature, and engage them in the divine and wondrous work of redeeming mercy....

This [love] is the central perfection, around which, as satellites, all the others revolve, and from which, as harmonized in the salvation of man, they derive their position and luster. Thus, for example omnipotence is the power of love; omniscience is the eye of love; omnipresence is the atmosphere of love; holiness is the purity of love; justice is the fire of love; and thus might we travel the circle of the Divine perfections, and each one would be found to be but another form of the essential perfection of love." ~Octavius Winslow

Memorize All of the Scripture You Can! - Bob Jennings

It Is Not The Measure of Faith That Saves You, It Is The Blood It Grips ~John Welsh

"It is not the quantity of faith that shall save you. A drop of water is as true water as the whole ocean. So a little faith is as true faith as the greatest. A child eight days old is as really a person, as one of sixty years; a spark of fire is as true fire as a great flame; a sickly man is as truly living as a well man. So it is not the measure of your faith that saves you; it is the blood that it grips to, that saves you. As the weak hand of a child that leads the spoon to the mouth will feed as well as the strongest arm of a man- for it is not the hand that feeds you, albeit it puts the food into your mouth, but it is the food carried into the stomach that feeds you- so if you can grip Christ ever so weakly, He will not let you perish. All that looked to the brazen serpent, be they ever so far off- they were healed of the sting of the fiery serpent; yet all saw not alike clearly, for some were near at hand, and some were far off. Those that were near at hand might see more clearly than those that were far off; nevertheless, those that were far off were as soon healed of the sting when they looked to the serpent as those that were near at hand; for it was not their look that made them whole, but He whom the serpent did represent. So if you can look to Christ ever so dimly, He can take away the sting of your conscience if you believe. The weakest hand can take a gift as well as the strongest. Now Christ is the gift, and weak faith may grip Him as well as strong faith; and Christ is as truly yours when you have weak faith, as when you have come to these triumphant joys through the strength of faith." ~John Welsh

Thy works, not mine, O Christ - Horatius Bonar

by Horatius Bonar

Thy works, not mine, O Christ, speak gladness to this heart;

They tell me all is done; they bid my fear depart.

To whom, save Thee, who canst alone

For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy pains, not mine, O Christ, upon the shameful tree,

Have paid the law’s full price and purchased peace for me.

To whom, save Thee, who canst alone

For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy cross, not mine, O Christ, has borne the awful load

Of sins that none in Heav’n or earth could bear but God.

To whom, save Thee, who canst alone

For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy death, not mine, O Christ, has paid the ransom due;

Ten thousand deaths like mine would have been all too few.

To whom, save Thee, who canst alone

For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy righteousness, O Christ, alone can cover me:

No righteousness avails save that which is of Thee.

To whom, save Thee, who canst alone

For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Get The Tram To Our Meetings - Details - Middleton Puritan Fellowship

If you live near a Metrolink Tram Stop then you can get a tram to attend our meetings. We can pick up from Crumpsall station (Make sure you contact us first so we know to pick you up and to arrange a pick up time). The trams are every few minutes and start from before 6am. See line details here.

Bury

Radcliffe

Whitefield

Besses o’th’ Barn

Prestwich

Heaton Park

Bowker Vale

Crumpsall

Woodlands Road

Shudehill

Market Street

Piccadilly

Gardens

Piccadilly Station

Mosley Street

Southbound only

St Peter’s Square

G-Mex

Trafford Bar

Old Trafford

Stretford

Dane Road

Sale

Brooklands

Timperley

Navigation Road

Altrincham

Pomona

Exchange Quay

Salford Quays

Anchorage

Harbour City

Broadway

Langworthy

Weaste

Ladywell

Eccles

Victoria

Cornbrook

Are Mormons and Catholics Christians? - Tim Conway

Tim is asked a question on whether or not a person who claims to be now born-again, is able to stay in the Mormon church he was part of or not. This applies to anyone in a false church.

See also: Paul Washer - Saved People Will Leave Heretical/Liberal/Carnal 'Churches'

A Look Of Full Forgiveness - Octavius Winslow

"The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter" —Luke 22:61

"It was a look of full forgiveness. Who can doubt but that, at this moment, Jesus, by his blessed Spirit, did secretly write upon the heart of his backsliding disciple the free pardon of his sin. And such is ever the look of Christ to us. Be it a look expressive of wounded love; be it a look of mournful remembrance; or be it a look of searching reproof; it yet is always a look of most free and full forgiveness. “I have pardoned,” is its language. And this is the meaning of Christ’s look now penetrating the dark cloud of your heart’s grief, suffering believer. It may revive the recollection of past offences; it may search, and rebuke, and alarm; yet beware of interpreting it all of displeasure; it is a look of loving forgiveness. The sharpest reproof the look of Christ ever conveyed to a believer, spake of pardoned sin. It must be so, since the covenant of peace provides, and the atonement of Jesus secures, the entire canceling of all his sin. Meet the eye of Jesus, then, with confidence and love. There may be self-reproach in your conscience; there is no harsh reproach in his look. The uplifted glance of your eye may be sin-repenting, the downward beaming of his is sin-forgiving. O! press to your heart the consolation and joy of this truth,—the glance of Jesus falling upon his accepted child ever speaks of pardoned sin. Chastened, sorrowful, and secluded, you may be, yet your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. O! I know not a truth more calculated to light up the gloom of a lone chamber, to lift up the drooping spirit of a heart-sick child of God, than the announcement that God, for Christ’s sake, has pardoned all his transgressions and his sins, and stands to him in the relation of a reconciled Father. Suffering child of God! with this divine declaration would I come to you in your sorrow and seclusion:—“O Israel! thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins. Return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” O! that the Spirit, the Comforter, may sweeten your solitude and cheer your gloom, and give you this song to sing in the night season of your grief: “Bless the Lord, O my soul! and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies.” Forget not that the look of Christ is ever, to his saints, a look of pardoning love." ~Octavius Winslow

Need Assurance? Don't Look For Feelings Look To Christ - Kevin Williams (excerpt)

10 min video excerpt.

Listen to or watch the full sermon HERE: Sol pt 9-Be Assured Of Christ's Great Love For You Believer-Kevin Williams.

Sol pt 9-Be Assured Of Christ's Great Love For You Believer-Kevin Williams

Part 9 of our Christ centred series on the Song of Solomon,

How to walk in confident assurance of the love of God.

Play or download mp3:

Sol 1:8 - Song of Sol pt 9-Be Assured Of Christ's Great Love For You Believer-Kevin Williams - 55 min

Sol pt 9-Be Assured Of Christ's Great Love For You Believer-Kevin Williams from Puritan Fellowship on vimeo

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Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 8-Election-Kevin Williams

Continuing our Friday night Bible Study in which we are looking at our new statement of faith (for the notes to this Bible Study click on blue link), which contains excellent doctrine.

Part 8, the truth of election, that God chooses who He will save and who He will not.

Play or download mp3:

Rom 9:10-15+Var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 8-Election-Kevin Williams -66 min

Listen to this and other Puritan Fellowship Sermons on itunes here:

http://sermon.net/PuritanFellowship/rss/

You can now download our sermons on your mobile phone,

our mobi address is:

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You can also download our sermons HERE.

Don't Use Man Centered Apologetics - UPDATE to Guidelines To Open Air Preaching pdf- Kevin Williams

The Guidelines To Open Air Preaching PDF article has been updated with a new section regarding apologetics, in place of the old one. You can read the full updated version online Here, or download the pdf below. Here is the new section:

Don't Use Man-Centered Apologetics

There seems to be an increasing number of people today who spend so much time using apologetics to answer objections - and going into such depth with their answers - that the Gospel (which is "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16) is not preached. I've seen open air preachers with good crowds spend 30 minutes answering objections before moving on to the Gospel, but in that time many people have come and gone; people who listened to an objection or two being answered but never heard how they may be saved.

There was a time when I myself used apologetics to draw a crowd. However, I have since changed my view, since much of what is called apologetics today is man-centered and unbiblical. If a man on trial in a human court said “I don’t believe in judges and law," the judge would not say, “Hold the proceedings! We must first spend whatever time necessary to convince this man that judges and law exist before we can go on with the trial.” Or if a policeman was pointing his gun at a criminal and telling him to raise his hands, and the criminal replied, “I don’t believe in guns," the policeman would not respond by putting his gun away! Yet this is exactly what many Christians do today. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17), and yet when an unbeliever says to a Christian, “I don’t believe the Bible," the Christian will often put his sword back into its sheath and stop using it, resorting instead to man’s reasoning.

You cannot intellectually argue someone into the Kingdom of God. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:17 that if we attempt to preach the Gospel with cleverness of speech, we empty the cross of its power. In contrast to that, a good description of Biblical apologetics is found in Acts 18:28, which tells how Apollos “powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” Biblical apologetics is not about cleverness of speech, but the simple proclamation of what the Scriptures say about Jesus! Again, when Jesus Himself was preaching and teaching, He answered objections by saying, “Have you not read?” always directing people to what the Word of God said. If you attempt to use human reasoning to persuade people, then their argument is against you. However, if you simply declare to them what God says in His Word, then their argument is with God, and God never has any problem defending Himself. As Charles Spurgeon once said, "Scripture is like a lion. Who ever heard of defending a lion? Just turn it loose; it will defend itself."

For a long time I used apologetics to gain a crowd, and though I often preached to large numbers of people in that time, I never saw anyone converted. However, from the first day that I switched to answering objections the more Biblical way - by simply declaring what the Scriptures say - I started to see people converted and joining our church. And even though I no longer use apologetics to gain a hearing as I once did, the crowds that gather to listen in the open air are just as large as before.

My point here is not to draw attention to results, because no matter how evangelism is done it is God who must cause the growth (1 Cor. 3:6). But on the other hand, we need to realize that it is when we do God's work God's way that we can expect to see God's blessing. There is a growing number of Christians today who don't seem to expect God to do much of anything when His Word goes forth, and their lack of faith in God has a damaging effect on their evangelism. We should expect to see God convert people when His Word is faithfully proclaimed, and we should never come to the point where we're surprised when He does.

Kevin Williams

Live For Eternity -Paul Washer (3 min video from I'll Be Honest)

A religion without love, is a religion without soul, without life ~Octavius Winslow

"Christianity is the experience, as it is the embodiment, of love. A religion destitute of the love of God in the heart is a vain religion. A religion without love, is a religion without soul, without life. All real, vital, saving religion resolves itself into love- love to God in Christ, and love to man. Your religion, beloved, may be lacking in some of the more visible attributes of profound knowledge, brilliant gifts, costly offerings; yet, is there in that heart of yours the deep, silent, gentle, throbbing of a true and sincere love to Christ? Then your religion is real. You have no eloquence, perhaps, to speak for Christ, and you have no power to labor for Christ; but you have love enough to suffer for Christ, yes, if need be, to die for Christ. Enough! "Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you." "Enough, my disciple," says your Lord; "go and feed my lambs." Lord! I go; Your love constrains me to the lowliest service in Your Church!" ~Octavius Winslow

3 WINNERS of our t-shirt Giveaway + Special June Price

3 WINNERS of OUR T-Shirt Giveaway have now been drawn. Thanks again to Nigel at Refine Trade, for donating them.

Thanks to the 24 people who took part in the draw. For all those who didn't win, you can also purchase a t-shirt at the special June price of £11.99 HERE.

THE 3 WINNERS ARE:

1. Brad Kelly, from Ferndale, W.A. U.S.A

2. Cassie Beary, from Garfield Heights, O.H. U.S.A

3. Ben Stultz, Sedailia, M.O. U.S.A

Puritan Fellowship T-Shirts, by Refine Trade.
With a clearly visible evangelistic message on.
Printed on Unisex Ethical t-shirts, hoods or polo shirt.
2 DESIGNS
(Click on front & back to enlarge.)

Enoch- He Walked With God-Clint Leiter

Here Clint Leiter (who is a co-Pastor with Bob Jennings at Highway M Chapel, Sedalia, M.O.) gives some wonderful insights into Enoch walking with God.

Click on blue link to play or Right-Click/Save-as to download mp3:

He Walked With God-Clint Leiter

Also worth listening to is:

Faith Is-Clint Leiter

The Love Of Christ Is The Love Of Deity ~Octavius Winslow

"Let us now descend from the shore and dip our line of faith into the depths, and endeavor to "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height" of this infinite ocean of love which has flowed down to us from God through Christ- an ocean which has its shallows for the babe, and its depths for the mature man in Christ Jesus.

The love of Christ is a divine emotion. Were it the most exquisite, profound, and pure that could possibly find a home in the human heart, and yet were created, it would still be but a finite affection: and a mere finite love could not have met the requirements of God's moral government, by the perfect satisfaction and honoring of which sinful man is saved. Why is it a love that passes knowledge? Why cannot the deep line sound it- the swift wing reach it- the eagle eye pierce it- the eloquent tongue describe it? Why are there depths and heights, lengths and breadths, which distance all thought, imagination, and measurement? Because it is the love of deity. The love of Christ is the love of God. We employ no rhetorical exaggeration, we speak not in hyperbole, but the words of truth and soberness; when we declare, on the authority of revealed truth, Christ to be the eternal and essential Son of God- "God over all, blessed for evermore." Listen to the argument. "God has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son- the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person." "Unto the Son He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom." All the names, attributes, and works predicated of Deity are ascribed to Him, which, were He not God, essential, absolute God, would be the most vicious blasphemy. Hear the voice of prophecy: "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Do we speak of Creation? "By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him." Do we speak of Providence? "By Him all things are held together." Do we speak of Universal Dominion? "He is Lord of all." Do we claim for the Scriptures of truth Divine Inspiration? "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." Do we speak of Omniscience? "All the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts." Do we speak of Omnipotence? "Christ, the power of God." Do we speak of Omnipresence? "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Do we speak of Immutability? "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Is it the office and power of Judge? "We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ." Is He to be loved with a love belonging only to Deity? "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema! [accursed]"~Octavius Winslow

The Family According To Jesus -Tim Conway

"If you have a short amount of time I would greatly encourage you to listen to the last 30 minutes... Tim was about to stop the sermon and kept going and it was a GREAT blessing."-James Jennings(IllBeHonest.com)

What Jesus says about the family is often not what Christians today are saying about the family.

Listen to the other sermons in this series here:

The Infinite Ocean of Christ's Love ~Octavius Winslow

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge" Eph 3:19b

"The infinite ocean of Christ's love. Of all the sympathetic emotions of our Lord's humanity, the emotion of Love must be regarded as the parent source. We would have known nothing of Christ, or of His redemption, but for love. The stupendous fact that Christ loves us- loves man, sinful man- admits us to the secret of all that He has done, and is still doing, for man. There is no other solution to the marvellous mysteries of His Incarnation and Sacrificial Death but this- Christ has loved us. Love originated all, explains all, illustrates all- love is the interpreter of every Divine mystery. There is not a circumstance of our Lord's history which is not another form or manifestation of love. His incarnation, is love stooping; His sympathy, is love weeping; His compassion, is love succouring; His grace, is love acting; His teaching, is the voice of love; His silence, is the repose of love; His patience, is the restraint of love; His obedience, is the labor of love; His suffering, is the travail of love; His cross, is the altar of love; His death is the burned offering of love; His resurrection, is the triumph of love; His ascension into heaven, and His sitting down at the right hand of God, is the enthronement and the intercession of love. Such is the deep, the vast, the boundless ocean upon which our thoughts are now about to launch. The soul muses in silent awe as it gazes upon this fathomless, limitless sea. Like the eternity of God, we cannot fathom where His love begins, or where it terminates. It has neither beginning nor ending. Like the peace of God, "it passes all understanding;" like itself, "it passes all knowledge." And yet there exists not an emotion of Christ of which the saints of God have a more truly blessed experience." ~Octavius Winslow

Music Recommendation - A Free Man's Song, Stephen Gates

Stephen Gates album A Free Man's Song has been really blessing my family. I believe the music and film made by the church should be a better a standard than that of the world, but unfortunately a lot of modern Christian music is just a poor imitation of the world. However this by Stephen Gates is excellent, Christ glorifying and far excels what the world has to offer. You can download Stephen Gates album a Free Man's Song HERE.

3 Days To Enter-Puritan Evangelism T-Shirt 3 to Giveaway & June Special Price

There are 3 more days to enter our t-shirt draw (draw this Thur)

Nigel at Refine Trade, who makes our evangelism t-shirts/hoods is offering three prizes for a FREE T-Shirt Giveaway Draw, and also a special June price of £11:99 for our t-shirts. (WE NOW HAVE TWO DESIGNS, incl' a new one)

To enter the draw to win one of the 3 FREE T-shirts (anywhere in the world) simplyEMAIL ME, your name, postal address, and which design/colour/size you want. 3 winners will be drawn on Thur 17th June.

You can also purchase a t-shirt at the special June price of £11.99 HERE.

Puritan Fellowship T-Shirts, by Refine Trade.
With a clearly visible evangelistic message on.
Printed on Unisex Ethical t-shirts, hoods or polo shirt.
2 DESIGNS
(Click on front & back to enlarge.)

Sol 1:7 - Song of Sol pt 8-Finding Rest From The Noon Day Heat-Kevin Williams

Part 8 of our Christ centred series on the Song of Solomon, we look at:

-That Christ alone must be Lord over another believers conscience.

-How to pray to Christ to be brought into His presence.

-Take your eyes off self believer and look at how Christ sees you.

Play or download mp3:

Sol 1:6-8 - Song of Sol pt 8-Finding Rest From The Noon Day Heat-Kevin Williams -63 min

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Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 7-The Depravity of Man-Kevin Williams

Continuing our Friday night Bible Study in which we are looking at our new statement of faith (for the notes to this Bible Study click on blue link), which contains excellent doctrine.

This week we look at the depraved condition that men are born with into this world, guilty in Adam with a depraved nature

Play or download mp3:

Rom 5:12+var - Bible Study-Statement of Faith pt 7-The Depravity of Man-Kevin Williams - 56 min

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You can now download our sermons on your mobile phone,
our mobi address is:
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You can also download our sermons HERE.

Song of Solomon (Prayer as Communion) - Paul Washer

See also: Song of Solomon Sermon Series- Kevin Williams (Our Current Series)

Special Pre-Release Price for Pilgrim of the Heavenly Way (review by Charles Leiter)

Currently Available for pre-release special price. See HERE

Granted Ministries Press is pleased to announce the republication of Daniel Smith’s autobiography, Pilgrim of the Heavenly Way. Though out of print for nearly thirty years, this remarkable account of one man’s spiritual pilgrimage is of tremendous value to today’s Christian reader. The book has a conversational tone and its author is a great storyteller. These two features combine to make the book a very easy and enjoyable read. New to this edition is an appendix by Dan’s eldest son, Martyn, who wrote briefly on several topics at our request. Also new to this edition are several photos of the Dan Smith and his family not previously published.

Review:
"It is a delight to see this autobiography of Dan Smith being reprinted for a new generation of readers. From beginning to end, its pages exude the fragrance of authentic New Testament Christianity. There are miraculous healings, direct divine leadings, and supernatural deliverances from death. The God of Dan Smith was a living God. Yet, at the same time, humility, sanity, and lack of sensationalism characterize everything that is written. The man whom God used in special ways among the Nosu tribesmen of China was a painfully shy youth who knew quite well his own weakness in the midst of God’s power. I highly recommend this book.”
—CHARLES LEITER, pastor and author, Justification and Regeneration

Currently Available for pre-release special price. See HERE

Christ Cures Are Not Half-Cures, He Entirely and Forever Pardons ~Octavius Winslow

"It was a perfect cure. "And his hand was restored whole as the other." (Mark 3:5) "Whole as the other!" Christ's cures are not half cures. Perfection traces all that He does- whether He paints a lily or rears a mountain, heals the body or redeems the soul, like Himself, all His ways and works are perfect. When God justifies the sinner, it is a perfect justification- he is "justified from all things." When He adopts the soul, He fully and inalienably adopts- "Now are we the sons of God." When He pardons the guilty, He entirely and forever pardons- "having forgiven you all trespasses." The Lord has left nothing in our salvation for us to supply, nothing in the gospel plan for man to supplement. It is on the basis of a finished work the believer stands- his Lord and Surety having done all, suffered all, given all that law and justice demanded for the present redemption and the future glory of His Church. "When we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." " Without strength." When the arm was paralyzed and withered, Jesus then undertook the cure; and, undertaking, He perfected it, Nothing has He left for us to add- not a tear of repentance to His tears of grief; not a groan of sorrow to His groans of agony; not a drop of blood to His vital stream; not an atom of merit to His infinite and all-sufficient worthiness. Lift up your heart, then, depressed child of God- rejoice in the Lord greatly. He has perfected the cure of your soul. All your salvation is in Christ, and God has pardoned and accepted you without a single work of your own, rests in His love, and rejoices over you with singing." ~Octavius Winslow

Listen also to this song believer: Pleased-Melissa Yakes - 3 min

The Family According to Jesus (Different to what Christians today say) -Tim Conway

What Jesus says about the family is often not what Christians today are saying about the family.

Listen to the other sermons in this series here:

Stretch Forth Your Withering Soul Unto Christ & Don't Mingle His Righteousness By Looking At Self ~Winslow

"And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other" (Mark 3:5)

"...let us trace ITS SPIRITUAL TEACHING. In this withered hand we behold the emblem of the moral withering of the soul of man. The moment our first father stretched forth his hand to partake of the forbidden fruit, all his original righteousness, strength, and love withered, decayed, and dried up; and we, his posterity, are the spiritually paralyzed and shriveled limbs of a once stately tree God smote and destroyed. "It is written, There is none righteous, no, not one there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one." It is of the utmost moment to our salvation that we should know our nature just as it is. Essentially defective views of original and actual depravity lie at the root of essentially defective views of the Atonement. There floats before the imagination of man an unreal conception of natural goodness and power, which it is of infinite importance we should dislodge and dispel from the mind. The sacrificial work of Christ is built upon the spiritual ruin of the creature- the glory of the divine upon the utter wreck of the human. Nothing of man shall mingle with the work of God. We see the foreshadowing of this in the law given to the children of Israel, "You shall not sow your field with mingled seed; neither shall a garment mingled with, linen and woollen come upon you." The law, too, defining the construction of an altar, illustrates the same idea, "If you will make an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone for if you lift up your tool upon it, you have polluted it." God would here teach that the divine garment of Christ's justifying righteousness is not to be interwoven with the fabric of man's righteousness; and that in the uprearing of that one Altar upon which the Atoning Sacrifice of Christ was to be laid, no human weapon was to be employed. In the stupendous matter of our salvation Christ shall be the Alpha and the Omega. With Him the gospel plan originated- by Him it was revealed- by Him it was executed- and in His undivided glory and endless praise it shall forever terminate. From every tongue in glory, and through the high arches of heaven, the anthem shall peal, "Worthy is the Lamb!" Believer in Christ! Does not your soul pant to join in that song? and does not your spirit exult in the truth that salvation, from first to last, is of God?

Oh, how precious is this truth in the consciousness of our many failures and defects! Our salvation is all in Christ- our righteousness is all in Christ- our merit is all in Christ- our completeness is all in Christ- in Christ our Covenant Head, our Surety and Mediator; and no flaw in our obedience, no defect in our love, no failure in our service, should so cast us down as to shut our eye to our acceptance in the Beloved. Imperfections we would not overlook, sin we would not allow, disobedience we would not indulge, temptation we would not encourage; nevertheless, we would ever remember, for our encouragement that, in default of perfection in the most perfect of our own doings, we are fully and eternally complete in Jesus. "~Octavius Windslow

I Finally Trusted in Christ, and He Saved Me! - Testimony & Tim Conway

After Eddie's testimony Tim mentions how wrong it is for others to give people assurance that they are saved, and how it almost led Eddie deceived to hell.

Eddie was a member of Grace Community Church and one night after a bible study told Tim Conway that he was actually lost, and a couple weeks after this Eddie finally came and trusted in the work of Christ personally! My friends so many people are in the same situation as Eddie was in, and my friends, the answer is simple... CHRIST! It is in Christ alone, that is how one is saved, we can have the knowledge and be nice and seem genuine, but are you trusting in Christ for salvation?

True Friendship & A Home That Jesus Delights in Visiting ~Octavious Winslow

This wonderful insight by Octavious Winslow really caught my mind:
"Homeless in a world which He had filled with homes for all but Himself, He loved to steal away from its rudeness and turmoil, and nestle His sad and weary spirit in the warm bosom of the home of Bethany [home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary]"~Winslow

How we must make sure our homes and lives are a welcome place for Jesus. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Mt 25:40b

Here is the full Winslow quote:

"[At the tomb of Lazarus one of whom He loved and was about to die for] JESUS WEPT!
The love of bereaved friendship would enter deeply into this expression of Christ's sensibility. His affection for this family, to whom He was now proving Himself the "Friend that sticketh closer than a brother," was of the tenderest character. He seemed to have found in them another existence, a second self. If this be a correct definition of true friendship, then Jesus realized it in its fullness. Homeless in a world which He had filled with homes for all but Himself, He loved to steal away from its rudeness and turmoil, and nestle His sad and weary spirit in the warm bosom of the home of Bethany,

"And share the inward fragrance of each other's heart."

Gently lifting its latch, He might say, "No disappointment here! No upbraidings here! No coldness or unkindness here!" And as He entered, Lazarus would advance to welcome Him, Martha would hasten to spread the evening repast, and Mary would quietly take her place at His feet to hear His words. All loved Him, and each testified their affection in their own way. The first, would illustrate the courtesy of the Christian host; the second, the hospitality of the Christian home; the third, the devout earnestness of the Christian disciple. Hallowed home, where Jesus is a guest! Happy, happy family, all whose varied gifts and spheres of duty are consecrated to His service! Reader, see that your home has attractions for Jesus. See that He has good entertainment when He comes-the first of your time, the best of your powers, the supremest of your love. He is worthy,––oh, how worthy!––of the highest honour and the sweetest service." ~Octavius Winslow

How To Remove Sensual Dating Ads from hotmail and other email accounts

The dating adverts on free hotmail and other email accounts are becoming increasingly perverted and sensual. There is an easy way to be free of them:
1. Simply select the options section on your email account.
2. Go into change personal details.
3. Change your year of birth (perhaps the year you were born again if you were converted less than 16 years ago) so that you are registered underage to receive such ads.

MUST HEAR: John Dees- I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever

John Dees (you can watch his testimony HERE) on his last Sunday at Lake Road Chapel, M.O. before leaving on Thursday to go to Bangladesh as a missionary, delivered this wonderful sermon encouraging believers to set their minds on Heaven where we wil be living in the presence of Jesus forever, and a Gospel invitation for unbelievers to come to the eternal blessings in Christ. Please make it a point to daily keep John in prayer as he serves the Lord in Bangladesh

Play or download mp3:
Psa 23:6 - I Will Dwell In The Lord Forever-John Dees - 59 min

Don't Go On With False Hope, Surrender To The Love Of Christ-Kevin Williams

This Gospel sermon: explains the way of salvation in simple terms and the amazing love that God has for those who trust in His Son.
You must truly see that getting to Heaven is all of Christ and trust Him.

Are you real? Are you sincere in your faith in Christ Jesus? Or do you find yourself constantly putting on a front when you're around other believers. Are you still trying to present yourself to God and earn favour with Him based on your performance?
Don't continue in a vain hope, come clean and run to mercy in Christ.

Play or download mp3:
Rom 10:1-5+var - Don't Go On With False Hope, Surrender To The Love Of Christ-Kevin Williams -75 min

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Everyone Dies, Where Are YOU Going? - Kevin Williams (12 Minute video)

Everyone dies. Where are you going? Are you saved? Do you know what saves a person? it sure is not self, but it is Christ alone! Oh how we must cling to Christ and hope in Christ alone! HT: I'll Be Honest

Watch on: vimeo
or On Youtube:

Tell Them Of Jesus ~Charles Spurgeon

"Do you want arguments for soul winning? Look up to Heaven, and ask yourself how sinners can ever reach those harps of gold and learn their everlasting song, unless they have someone to tell them of Jesus, who is mighty to save. But the best argument of all is to be found in the wounds of Jesus. You want to honor Him, you desire to put many crowns upon His head, and this you can best do by winning souls for Him. These are the spoils that He covets, these are the trophies for which He fights, these are the jewels that shall be His best adornment." ~C.H. Spurgeon

HT: No Cross No Crown.

Little gods in Psalm 82:6/John 10:34 & Word Faith, Prosperity Movement / mormons/ JW's etc

The Word of Faith/Prosperity cult movement often claim that they are 'gods, little 'g''. This heretical doctrine leads to much heartache of other false teachings like, 'if you're a god then you must be rich, well, etc, and it is lack of faith to be otherwise'. (See Justin Peters-A Call for Discernment). The prosperity movement cites John 10:34 and Psalm 82:6 to claim they are 'little gods' (these texts are also used by the mormons/JW cults) and I recenlty received this email (below) asking for clarification on those texts: (My reply is below it).

Dear bro Kevin,
I need some clarity on Psalm82/6 and John 10/34. If it does not mean they are little gods literally, what does it mean then?. I have thought about it, I can't seem to find another explanation for it. In Psalm 82/6 God may be referring to them as 'gods' as in 'rulers' but when Christ repeated it, the 'rulers' explanation does not seem to fit.

Hope you can shed more light on this.

Regards
******

My reply:
Hi ******, good to hear from you.

Firstly; it does not say 'little gods literally', there is no mention of 'little'. It says 'gods'.

Secondly; Jesus is not speaking to or referring to believers when he quotes Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34, but He is speaking to unsaved Jewish leaders on their way to Hell.

Thirdly; the context of those called gods in Psalm 82:6 is people:
v5 'who know not, neither do they understand'
v5 'walk in darkness'
v4 are 'wicked'
v3 they are afflicting the needy, poor and fatherless,
v1 they are judging unjustly
v7 are sentenced to death by God

So whether you call them 'gods' or 'little gods', these people are not believers, but as lost as can be and on their way to Hell.

The context of Psalm 82:6 is a rebuke to the people to whom the Scriptures were given to. The Old Covenant was given to the Old Testament nation of Israel. That is why they are called 'children of the most high' and gods-as in God's representatives on earth/or judges, magistrates. They were supposed to represent God and execute justice, defend the needy etc, but they were wicked, unjust and lost.

So when Jesus quotes Psalm 82 in John 10, He is giving a threefold rebuke to the Jewish leaders:
Firstly; He shows there was nothing wrong with His use of language. Just as there is nothing wrong with a believer today, saying he or she is a child of God.
Secondly; He is applying Psalm 82 to the Jews, to show them that they 'know not' and are 'walking in darkness'; and are unjust leaders etc who are under the judgment of God.
Thirdly, Jesus takes it one step further in verse 37 and 38 of John 10, to show that He is the One true God.

So I guess you could also apply this text to the leaders of the Word of Faith, prosperity movement.

Kevin Williams.

Your Righteousness Is In Heaven ~John Bunyan

"But one day as I was passing into the field, with some dashes on my conscience, fearing yet that all was not right, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul, "Your righteousness is in heaven." I thought I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God's right hand. There was my righteousness. Wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me that I lacked His righteousness, for that was ever before Him. Moreover, I saw that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, "the same yesterday, today, and for ever".

"Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons, my temptations also fled away. From that time those dreadful Scriptures of God quit troubling me; now I went home rejoicing for the grace and love of God." ~John Bunyan

Make It Your Aim to Fear God - Tim Conway (6 min) Excerpt from Recommended Series

NOTE, PLEASE READ: The above excerpt is taken from Tim Conway's sermon: Trembling at the word of God (video on link) which is part 1 of his current series God, Church, Family (other sermons here), which I recommend every Christian to listen to. This is a series that deals with both singles and married people in the church.

Most 'family teaching' out there today results in a long list of rules and regulations done 'to the letter of the law' 'in the flesh' and often ends up isolating families further away from the church (and thus also Christ). However Tim's series puts the Biblical emphasis on doing things in the Spirit, faith working through love, and that the Biblical context of the family is the church.