A Stolen Throne

"Sin has many manifestations but its essence is one. A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own selfhood and from that elevated position declares, "I AM". That is sin in its concentrated essence; yet because it is natural it appears to be good. It is only when in the gospel the soul is brought before the face of the Most Holy One without the protective shield of ignorance that the frightful moral incongruity is brought home to the conscience.

In the language of evangelism the man who is thus confronted by the fiery presence of Almighty God is said to be under conviction. Christ referred to this when He said of the Spirit whom He would send to the world, "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment".

The earliest fulfillment of these words of Christ was at Pentecost after Peter had preached the first great Christian sermon. "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" This "What shall we do?" is the deep heart cry of every man who suddenly realizes that he is a usurper and sits on a stolen throne. However painful, it is precisely this acute moral consternation that produces true repentance and makes a robust Christian after the penitent has been dethroned and has found forgiveness and peace through the gospel".
--A. W. Tozer

Spurgeon on the mind

Mr. Spurgeon either some how tapped into something that we, in 2010, need to hear. Or this has always been an issue (I think its the second one personally).

Sin! From your fruitful womb what myriads of ills proceeded! What countless hosts of evils are the fruits of sin! How many are the sins themselves! Sins of thought–rebellious thoughts, proud thoughts, blasphemous thoughts, atheistic thoughts, covetous thoughts, lustful thoughts, impatient thoughts, cruel thoughts, false thoughts, thoughts of ill memory, and dreams of an unholy future; what swarms are there! However, the omission of thoughts, which should have been such as thoughts of repentance, gratitude, reverence, faith, and the like–these are equally numerous. With the double list, my roll is written within and without with a hideous catalogue. As the gnats that swarm the air at eventide, so numerous are the transgressions of the mind.- Charles Spurgeon

Yet I Sin

I love how God works in the hearts of sinners for His glory. The revelation of a broken, bent to sin heart that is desperate and dirty is such a wonderful grace to behold. God is so merciful to show us our sin and then allows us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to change our desires and conform more to Him. Oh the beauty of sanctification and workings of Christ in us.

I had been thinking of a song that talks about our sinful condition and our need for God and that led me to a book i have called the Valley of Vision which is a collection of Puritan Prayers. This prayer that i am about to type is so sweet to describe the goodness and holiness of God and our sinful state, i just couldn't resist typing it for all to see.

Enjoy.
sarah B.

Yet I Sin

Eternal Father,
Thou art good beyond all thought,
But i am vile, wretched, miserable, blind;
My lips are ready to confess, but my heart is slow to feel, and my ways reluctant to amend.
I bring my soul to thee;
break it, would it, bend it, mold it.
Unmask to me sin's deformity, that i may hate it, abhor it, flee from it.
My faculties have been a weapon of revolt against thee;
as a rebel i have misused my strength, and served the foul adversary of thy kingdom.
Give me grace to bewail my insensate folly, grant me to know that the way of transgressors is hard, that evil paths are wretched paths, that to depart from thee is to lose all good.
I have seen the purity and beauty of thy perfect law, the happiness of those in whose heart it reigns, the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls, yet I daily violate and contemn its precepts.
Thy loving Spirit strives within me, brings me Scripture warnings, speaks in starling providences, allures by secret whispers, yet i choose devices and desires to my own hurt, impiously resent, grieve, and provoke him to abandon me.
All these sins i mourn, lament, and for them cry pardon.
Work in me more profound and abiding repentance;
Give me the fullness of a godly grief that trembles and fears, yet ever trusts and loves, which i ever powerful, and ever confident;
Grant that through the tears of repentance i may see more clearly the brightness and glories of the saving cross.