Is Your "Baby" Dead?

How Are We Doing?

Tragically, the element of worship is largely missing amid all the activity that goes on in the church! A number of years ao i read a newspaper account of a christening party in a wealthy Boston suburb. The parents had opened their palatial home to friends and relatives, who had come to celebrate the wonderful event. As the party was moving alon and the people were having a wonderful time eating and drinking and celebrating and enjoying one another, somebody said, "By the way, where is the baby?"
The heart of that mother jumped, and she instantly left the room and rushed into the master bedroom, where she had left the baby asleep in the middle of the massive bed. The baby was dead, smothered by the coats of the guests.
I've often thought about that in reference to how the Lord Jesus Christ is treated in His own church. We are busy supposedly celebrating Him, while He is smothered by the coats of the guests.
We have many activities and little worship.


John MacArthur
The Ultimate Priority
p. 21

John Owen on Psalm 130

Verses 7,8
"Herein have I found that rest, peace, and satisfaction unto my soul, that I cannot but invite and encourage others in the like condition to take the same course with me. Let, then, all the Israel of God, all that fear Him, learn this of me, and from my experience. Be not hasty in your distresses, despond not, despair not, turn not aside unto other remedies; but hope in the Lord: for I can not, in an especial manner, give testimony unto this, that there is mercy with Him suited unto your relief. Yea, whatever your distress be, the redemption that is with Him is so bounteous, plenteous, and unsearchable, that the undoubted issue of your performance of this duty will be, that you shall be delivered from the guilt of all your sins and the perplexities of all your troubles."

The Works of John Owen, Vol. 6, pp. 328,329

John Owen on Psalm 130

Verse 6
"Yea, in the performance and discharge of this duty, my soul is intent upon Thee, and in its whole frame turned towards Thee, and that with such diligence and watchfulness in looking out after every way and means of Thy appearance, of the manifestation of Thyself, and coming unto me, that I excel therein those who, with longing desire, heedfulness, and earnest expectation, do wait and watch for the appearance of the morning; and that either that they may rest from their night watches, or have light for the duties of Thy worship in the temple, which they are most delighted in."

The Works of John Owen, Vol. 6 (p.328)

John Owen on Psalm 130

Verse 5
"And herein, upon the account of the forgiveness that is with Thee, O Lord, do I wait with all patience, quietness, and perseverance. In this work is my whole soul engaged even in an earnest expectation of Thy approach unto me in a way of grace and mercy. And for my encouragement therein hast Thou given out unto me a blessed word of grace, a faithful word of promise, whereon my hope is fixed."

The Works of John Owen, Vol. 6 (p.328)

John Owen on Psalm 130

Verse 4
"But, O Lord, this is not absolutely and universally the state of things between thy Majesty and poor sinners; Thou art in Thy nature infinitely good and gracious, ready and free in the purposes of Thy will to receive them. And there is such a blessed way made for the exercise of the holy inclinations and purposes of Thy heart towards them, in the mediation and blood of Thy dear Son, that they have assured foundations of concluding and believing that there is pardon and forgiveness with Thee for them, and which, in the way of thing appointments, they may be partakers of. This way, therefore, will I, with all that fear Thee, through my fears, discouragements, and despondencies; but will abide constantly in the observation of the worship which Thou has prescribed, and the performance of the obedience which Thou dost require, having great encouragements to do so."


The Works of John Owen; Vol. 6, (p. 328)

John Owen on Psalm 130

Verse 3
"It is true, O Lord, Thou God great and terrible, that if Thou shouldst deal with me in this condition, with any man living, with the best of Thy saints, according to the strict and exact tenor of the law, which first represents itself to my guilty conscience and troubled soul; if Thou shouldst take notice of, observe, and keep in remembrance, mine, or their, or the iniquity of any one, to the end that Thou mightst deal with them, and recompense unto them according to the sentence thereof, there would be, neither for me nor them, any the least expectation of deliverance. All flesh must fail before Thee, and the spirits which Thou hast made, and that to eternity; for who could stnad before Thee when Thou shouldst so execute Thy displeasure?"

The Works of John Owen; Vol. 6 (pp. 327,238)

John Owen on Psalm 130

Verses 1,2 "O Lord, through my manifold sins and provocations, I have brought myself into great distresses. Mine iniquities are always before me, and I am ready to be overwhelmed with them, as with a flood of waters; for they have brought me into depths, wherein I am ready to be swallowed up. But yet, although my distress be great and perplexing, I do not, I dare not, utterly despond and cast away all hopes of relief or recovery. Nor do I seek unto any other remedy, way, or means of relief; but I apply myself to Thee, Jehovah, to Thee alone. And in this my application unto Thee, the greatness and urgency of my troubles makes my soul urgent, earnest, and pressing in my supplications. Whilst I have no rest, I can give Thee no rest. Oh, therefore, attend and hearken unto the voice of crying and supplications!"

The Works of John Owen, Vol.6 (p.327)

Leggings and Wisdom

Tonight I found the application of philosophy (simply the love of wisdom) even to a game night at our house. We actually spent almost 20 minutes discussing wether you can have pairs or sets of leggings. Now, did we really care to define our terms? Not really, in essence we were really just worried about receiving points for a game. But one thing remained true for everyone involved: in order to convince others of your position and its merit, you had to be able to define your terms in a manner that was understandable. This seems to be the goal of philosophy. Even though it seems tenuous at times, it really is desiring to define things and give people a better understanding of what’s going on and a better grasp of what wisdom is. In finding the truth and in finding wisdom there is great delight. (Proverbs 24:14)
If we can spend this much time talking about leggings, how much more must we be consumed by the beauties of Christ. (Revelation 1:12-18)