Boxed No More

A Christian Perspective on All of Life

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If we fear God and repent...

"Upon my return from the army to Baltimore in the winter of 1777, I sat next to John Adams in Congress, and upon my whispering to him and asking him if he thought we should succeed in our struggle with Great Britain, he answered me, 'Yes - if we fear God and repent of our sins.'" - Benjamin Rush

Benjamin Rush, Letters of Benjamin Rush, ed. L. H. Butterfield (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1951), Vol. I, p. 534, to John Adams on February 24, 1790. via The Founders' Bible (Shiloh Road Publishers, LLC, 2017), p. 366.

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Setting the Record Straight: American History in Black & White

February is black history month, so I thought that I would share with you a series of radio programs from Wallbuilders Live on black history here in the US.

These programs really surprised me. I found that this part of our history is much better and much worse than I had previously thought. One of the new things that I learned was that slavery was outlawed in Massachusetts (and another colony or two) prior to the Revolutionary War, but then they were overturned by King George. I learned a lot of other facts as well, but you will need to listen to them for yourself to learn about them.

Once you listen to the first program, you will want to listen to the rest of them.

Here is the list of programs taken from Wallbuilders DVD program titled "Setting the Record Straight: American History in Black & White":

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

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Give God Your Whole Heart

If you take the ordinary standard of Christian life around you, you will find that wholeheartedness, intense devotion to God and His service, is hardly thought of. How to make the best of both worlds, innocently to enjoy as much as possible of this present life, is the ruling principle, and, as a natural consequence, the present world secures the larger share of interest. To please self is considered legitimate, and the Christlike life of not pleasing self has little place. Wholeheartedness will lead you, and. enable you too, to accept Christ's command and sell all for the pearl of great price. Though at first afraid of what it may involve, do not hesitate to speak the word frequently in the ear of your Father: with my whole heart. You may count on the Holy Spirit to open up its meaning, to show you to what service or what sacrifice God calls you in it, to increase its power, to reveal its blessedness, to make it the very spirit of your life of devotion to your Covenant God. - Andrew Murray, Covenants and Blessings, pg 139

If you want to experience the fullness of Christ, if you want to have victory in your daily life, you must give God your whole heart. Stop dabbling in Christianity. Cry out to God to give you the strength to surrender your all to Him.

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If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward. - Charles Spurgeon

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In his work on Sanctification, Marshall, in the twelfth chapter, on "Holiness through faith alone," puts with great force the danger in which the Christian is of seeking sanctification in the power of the flesh, with the help of Christ, instead of looking for it to Christ alone, and receiving it from Him by faith. He reminds us how there are two natures in the believer, and so two ways of seeking holiness, according as we allow the principles of the one or other nature to guide us. The one is the carnal way, in which we put forth our utmost efforts and resolutions, trusting Christ to help us in doing so. The other the spiritual way, in which, as those who have died, and can do nothing, our one care is to receive Christ day by day, and at every step to let Him live and work in us.

"Despair of purging the flesh or natural man of its sinful lusts and inclinations, and of practising holiness by your willing sand resolving to do the best that lieth in your own power, and trusting on the grace of God and Christ to help you in such resolutions and endeavours. Rather resolve to trust on Christ to work in you to will and to do by His own power according to His own good pleasure. They that are convinced of their own sin and misery do commonly first think to tame the flesh, and to subdue and root out its lusts, and to make their corrupt nature to be better-natured and inclined to holiness by theirstruggling and wrestling with it; and if they can but bring their hearts to a full purpose and resolution to do the best that lieth in them, they hope that by such a resolution they shall be able to achieve great enterprises in the conquests of their lusts and performance of the most difficult duties. It is the great work of some zealous divines in their preachings and writings to stir up people to this resolution, wherein they place the chiefest turningpoint from sin to godliness. And they think that this is not contrary to the life of faith, because they trust in the grace of God through Christ to help them in all such resolutions and endeavours. Thus they endeavour to reform their old state, and to be made perfect in the flesh, instead of putting it off and walking according to the new state in Christ. They trust on low carnal thins for holiness, and upon the acts of their own will, their purposes, resolutions, and endeavours, instead of Christ; and they trust to Christ to help them in this carnal way; whereas true faith would teach them that they are nothing, and that they do but labour in vain."

From Day 29 of Andrew Murray's devotional book Abide in Christ

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Perhaps some drooping souls find their hearts fail them, when they see their enemies so strong, and they so weak; so numerous, and they so few; so well appointed, and they so naked and unarmed; so skilful and expert at arms, but they green and raw soldiers. Let not these or any other thoughts dismay you; but with undaunted courage march on, and be strong in the Lord, on whose performance the battle depends, and not on your skill or strength. - William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armor

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We must remember the true Source of our rights.

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5 Facts About Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch

Furthur Reading

Neil Gorsuch: In the Mold of Antonin Scalia

Who Is Neil Gorsuch? 10 Things You Need to Know About Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee

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A Letter to My Friends Who Are Appalled by Trump's Presidency

To my friends who are appalled that Trump is president:

America is a great nation, and I thank God for the peaceful transfer of power.

I know how you feel right now. For 8 years, we have had a president and Congress whose actions have gone against many of my beliefs and there were times when I despaired when thinking about the future of America.

Now we have a new president. It is my hope that he will be able, along with Congress, to move the country (in my humble opinion) in a better direction.

I know you do not like the new president (I know how you feel. I didn't like our last president.), but let's wait and see what he does before we pass judgment. I doubt he will be as good as I hope he will be (I'm sure that he will do some things that will make my blood boil.), and I doubt he will be as bad as you think he will be.

Instead of fighting, let's talk.

What is your hope for America?

What do you fear might happen to America?

Love, John

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Nothing Is Too Difficult for God

Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You. – Jeremiah 32:17

Nothing is too difficult for God.

Let this truth really sink in.

Let it go beyond a head knowledge. Let it affect your life.

Don’t live your life as a practical atheist, knowing God but living as if He has no bearing on your everyday existence.