Homeward Bound

2020 thus far looks like something out of a dystopian novel. We have been in various stages of quarantine and shutdown due to COVID19 since March. Riots mirroring revolutions of a former era are taking to the streets. The city of Portland looks like Falujah. The government appears to be enjoying flexing muscle to see just how far they can go in the name of public health and safety. All of these are ominous indications of what is to come. Bear in mind we have an election this year as well. As Christians there is always bad news it seems. Prominent figures "de-convert" with frequency. Christians everywhere are being taken up with the latest cultural political movements. A Supreme Court ruling LGBT discrimination from businesses to be unconstitutional looks to be disastrous for churches and schools that wish to remain orthodox. And our nation is still aborting hundreds of unborn children every day in the name of choice.  In light of all this, I am so encouraged. This past Sunday

I ran across this from Thomas Manton’s sermon on Psalm 119:1. I thought I would share: "But now you must know, there is a twofold keeping of God's testimonies--legal and evangelical. Legal keeping is in a way of perfect and absolute obedience, without the least failing; so none of us can be blessed. Moses will accuse us; there will be failings in the best. But now evangelical keeping--that is, a filial and sincere obedience is accepted, and the imperfections Christ pardoneth. If God's pardon help us not, we are forever miserable. The apostles had many failings; sometimes they manifested a weak faith, sometimes hardness of heart, sometimes passionateness when they met with disrespect, Luke 9; yet Christ returns this general acknowledgment of them when he was pleading with his Father, 'Holy Father, they have kept my word.' When the heart is sincere, God will pass by our failings, James 5:11, 'Ye have heard of the patience of Job.' Ay! and of his impatience