CQOD: 09/04/06 -- Owen: the necessary forerunner

Christian Quotation of the Day

September 4, 2006

Commemoration of Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester (Oxon), Apostle of Wessex, 650

Meditation:
    More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
    -- Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

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Quotation:
    I have seen and read somewhat of the writings of learned men concerning the state of future glory; some of them are filled with excellent notions of truth, and elegancy of speech, whereby they cannot but much affect the minds of those who duly consider what they say. But—I know not well whence it comes to pass—the things spoken do not abide nor incorporate in our minds. They please and refresh for a little while, like a shower of rain in a dry season, that soaketh not unto the roots of things; the power of them doth not enter into us. Is it not from hence, that their notions of future things are not educed out of the experience which we have of the beginnings of them in this world? Yea, the soul is disturbed, not edified, in all contemplations of future glory, where things are proposed to it whereof in this life it hath neither foretaste, sense, experience, nor evidence. No man ought to look for anything in heaven, but what one way or other he hath some experience of in this life.
    ... John Owen (1616-1683), The Glory of Christ [1684]

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Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I praise You for that daily taste of Heaven You send to me.

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See Believer's Desktop Companion 2004
    http://www.cqod.com/cqoddtcb.html

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