Bifrost Arts–Psalm 46 Exclusive preview streams from the third Bifrost Arts album via hopefulrealism.com. Read the two part interview with Isaac Wardell and sign up for the April conference in Philadelphia, “The Cry of the Poor” featuring Makoto Fujimura, John Witvliet, Sandra McCracken, the Welcome Wagon, Frere Emmanuel, Greg Thompson, Philadelphia Choral Arts and more, at bifrostarts.com.

(Source: hopefulrealism.com)

2 months ago - 1

Watch in all things; endure afflictions; do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of your ministry and when other thoughts rise in your mind (for you have no door to shut them quite out), run with them to the throne of grace, and commit them to the Lord. Satan will perhaps try to force them upon you unseasonably and inordinately; but if he sees they drive you to prayer, he will probably desist, rather than be the occasion of doing you so much good.

John Newton, Wise Counsel, 92-3

If you are a son of God, by grace, you may call him ‘Abba, Father.’ Christ [gives] us access to the presence of his Father, and [says] to us: ‘You may now speak to him as I speak to him; with the same right of access, with the same sense of intimacy, with the same assurance that he loves you.’ This is, of course, what Jesus means when he tells us, ‘Pray in my name’. He means that we may speak with the Father just as he speaks with the Father, for the Father’s ear will open as readily to our cries as it does to the voice of his own Son.

Sinclair Ferguson, Children of the Living God, 33

Perhaps into the minds of the disciples came another occasion when they had crossed the Sea with Jesus, and had given violent expression to the distrust and fear in their hearts by asking him: ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ (Mk 4:38) In essence that question revealed the same kind of unbelief which characterised the Pharisees and Herod: the refusal to yield to the tender mercy of God in Jesus; the desire to hold on to one’s own life and rule it, rather than abandon oneself to the rule and provision of the Lord.

Sinclair Ferguson, Let’s Study Mark, 123

Amazing cover of Led Zeppelin’s “The Battle of Evermore,” replete with LOTR references. 

Found a little bit of home out here in St. Louis!
Oh, land of Goshen, NY… how I miss you!

Found a little bit of home out here in St. Louis!

Oh, land of Goshen, NY… how I miss you!

Grace will no more cure a depraved nature than it will cure a lame leg. But it will make us sensible of our depravity, humble us for it, enable us to strive against it, and lead us to Jesus for renewed supplies of pardon and strength.

John Newton, Wise Counsel, 86

You are now commencing a preacher and the prayer of my heart goes with you, that the Lord may bless you with wisdom, humility, and success. Let me advise you to aim at plain and experimental things, and endeavor rather to affect your hearers’ hearts with a sense of the evil of sin, and the love of Jesus, than to fill their heads with distinctions… I pray the Lord to give you a gentle and loving spirit towards all men, and a practical conviction that grace alone has made you to differ. It is easy to acknowledge this in words, but it is a great thing to act suitably to such an acknowledgement.

John Newton, Wise Counsel, 15

Took me about 5 listens to realize this is a cover of a David Crowder song…

(Source: vimeo.com)

If I were qualified to search out the best Christian in the kingdom, I should not expect to find him in a professor’s chair or in a pulpit. I should give the palm to that person who had the lowest thoughts of himself, and the most admiring and cordial thoughts of the Saviour. And perhaps this person may be some bedridden old man or woman, or a pauper in a parish workhouse. But our regard to the Lord is not to be measured by our sensible feelings, by what we can say or write, but rather by the simplicity of our dependence, and the uniform tenor of our obedience to his will.

John Newton, Letters of John Newton, 364