We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

It is important to realize that in all its deliberations about the books that make up the canon of Scripture, the church did not sovereignly “determine” or “choose” the books it most preferred. It saw itself as empowered only to receive what God had provided, in books handed down from the apostles and their immediate companions. “Apostolicity,” “antiquity,” and “orthodoxy,” are not criteria by which the church autonomously judged which documents it wanted, but qualities the church recognizes in the voice of its Savior. Likewise, “liturgical use” and “church consensus” are reflections of the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church.
Charles Hill

There are many things concerning this work [of revival] that are well known. These are sufficient to determine it to be the work of God… The Spirit who is at work takes people’s minds off the vanities of the world. He engages them in a deep concern about eternal happiness. He puts their thoughts on earnestly seeking their salvation. He convinces them of the dreadfulness of sin and of their own guile and miserable natural state. The Spirit awakens men’s consciences and makes them aware of God’s awful anger. He causes in them a great desire and earnest care and endeavor to obtain God’s favor. He causes them to be more diligent in the use of His appointed means of grace. Especially, this is seen in a greater desire to hear and read the word of God. And it is well known that the Spirit who is at work operates as the Spirit of truth. He makes people more aware of what is really true in those things that concern their eternal salvation. He impresses on them that they must die and that life is very short and uncertain. He shows them there is a great sin-hating God to whom they are accountable and who will fix them in an eternal state in another world. He shows them they stand in great need of a Savior. He makes persons more aware of the value of Jesus who was crucified and their need of Him. And this awareness moves them earnestly to seek an interest in Him.
Jonathan Edwards

XCVI. The Tears of Jesus.

JOHN xi. 35. “Jesus wept.”

ON three occasions during His life on earth, we read of
Jesus weeping. First, when He visited the bereaved
sisters of Bethany, next when He wept over the city, and
last when He wept in Gethsemane.
I. Jesus wept in sympathy for others.
1. It is not sinful to weep under bereavement.
2. The Christian mourner may always count upon the
sympathy of Jesus.
3. When our friends are mourning, we should, like Jesus,
weep with them.
II. The tears of Jesus over the Holy City were tears of
pity. They suggest to us two things.
1. The responsibility of privilege. Much had God done
for the nation of Israel.
2. The pity of the Redeemer for the lost.
III. The Redeemer’s tears in Gethsemane were tears of
suffering.
1. Christians should expect suffering.
2. Do not imagine that you are weak and rebellious
under trial because it makes you weep.
3. Let us learn in suffering the benefit of prayer.
W. M. Taylor, D.D.