Mike Petillo
From ev'ry stormy wind that blows,
From ev'ry swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
'Tis found beneath the mercy-seat.
There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all besides more sweet;
It is the blood-stained mercy-seat.
There is a spot where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend,
Tho' sundered far; by faith they meet
Around the common mercy-seat.
Ah, whither could we flee for aid,
When tempted, desolate, dismayed,
Or how the hosts of hell defeat,
Had suff'ring saints no mercy-seat?
There, there on eagle wings we soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
And heav'n comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy-seat.
O may my hand forget her skill,
My tongue be silent, cold, and still,
This bounding heart forget to beat,
If I forget the mercy-seat. (TH, 528).
From ev'ry swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
'Tis found beneath the mercy-seat.
There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all besides more sweet;
It is the blood-stained mercy-seat.
There is a spot where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend,
Tho' sundered far; by faith they meet
Around the common mercy-seat.
Ah, whither could we flee for aid,
When tempted, desolate, dismayed,
Or how the hosts of hell defeat,
Had suff'ring saints no mercy-seat?
There, there on eagle wings we soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
And heav'n comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy-seat.
O may my hand forget her skill,
My tongue be silent, cold, and still,
This bounding heart forget to beat,
If I forget the mercy-seat. (TH, 528).
James 4:4 NASB
1.) Physical adultery involves ungodly friendship with a godless world, because a holy Triune God is testing our Christian allegiance.
2.) Sexual immorality is a characteristic of the occult.
3.) Christians may fail in regard to a good morality before God.
4.) Friendship with the world is enmity against a holy God.
5.) Friendship with the world is opposed to Christian fellowship.
6.) Hostility with the world is to defy complete lawlessness.
7.) Hostility against Christ is siding with the world by sin.
8.) Friendship with the world is omission and commission of sin.
9.) There are different levels of friendship with the world: namely, letting besetting sins in thought-life or behavior get by without contrite repentance and allowing a lawless habitual sinning. The latter is worse than the former, but the former is possible for a Christian yet the later is likely for a unbelieving reprobate.
10.) The ultimate friendship of Christ is the most important.
11.) Christians are called to love our neighbor and enemies.
12.) Angel armies are the friends of the elect people of God in Christ, because Jesus has told them the names of God's chosen.
13.) Elect angels rejoice over true repentance of God's people.
14.) No one is spiritually saved apart from the redemptive friendship of the Triune Majesty regarding His pre-converted elect people chosen in time and space.
15.) Evil friendship is like jumping into the pig-pen of fornication.
16.) There should be no Christian described as a "piggy with wings" because fornication is friendship with a straying world.
17.) A description of a reprobate is someone who does not have the Spirit of Christ because of the Father's design.
18.) There is a "unfriendship friendship" among the pre-converted with a head-knowledge about Christ and a holy Triune God leading them to Himself at His own appointed timing.
19.) There is a civil friendship among the people of God and the people of the world: namely, a civil friendship is not a true Christian friendship because a friendship is positional and experiential in His sovereign grace through Incarnate Deity.
20.) There is a true Christ-honoring friendship among the people of God, elect angels and a holy Triune God Himself.
21.) There is "a hate-filled and furthered friendship" among the many different religions regarding the reprobates, demons and Satan (Muslims vs. Jews). That is, many in civil religion are not always aware of their allegiance to Satan unless providentially awakened (see Rom 1:19).
22.) Enemies of Christ are not friends of God in a redemptive sense, but a holy Triune God as their Superlative Holy Creator furthers a civil benevolence upon the non-elect (air, rain, food, etc).
23.) Christian woman should not be like the woman of Esau.
24.) Reprobate woman have no place to marry a Christian.
25.) Fornication is something that must be avoided at all costs.
26.) Christian men and women must keep the marriage bed pure.
27.) Friendship with the world is like spitting in the face of Jesus.
28.) Worldly friendship is a characteristic of the non-elect.
29.) Worldly friendship takes the Christian away from Christ in a experiential sense, but not in a God-established positional sense.
30.) No sin can break the positional peace of the Christ, because this is based on God's oath who cannot lie. How are we to take this? God has done this our of graciousness for whoever He chooses, so it simply means we are to practice the outward fruits of the Spirit in Christ-honoring obedience that adds nothing to the matchless alien righteousness of Jesus Christ in justification by faith alone.
31.) The true friendship of the Christian is based on grace, faith, Christ, Scripture and God's glory alone.
32.) There was never a God-honoring friendship or fellowship with Balaam and Moses: namely, the latter was of God and the former was of Satan.
33.) There is no friendship between the prophets of Baal and Elijah, because the former was non-elect and the latter elect.
34.) There is no friendship with the new Balaam and Daniel. That is, the Loin roars with a drawn sword at Balaam but the prophet Daniel has the lions as his friends who partake of Noah's fellowship.
35.) Any sin by anyone is in some sense friendship with the world.
36.) What do you do with your sin? True repentance of sin or refusal to acknowledge sin? To the one it is of the Spirit and to the other it is the pride of a spiritual Saul in OT history.
37.) Satan seeks a destructive friendship with fallen man.
38.) The friendship of Satan is like being immersed in poison.
39.) Satan and the reprobate are spiritual friends, but every false religion in some sense will denounce him while in self-deception they practice his doctrinal, anthropological and spiritual deeds.
40.) Satan's friends are like Balaam who says "I have sinned" because he fears the drawn sword of Jesus Christ.
41.) Satan's friends deny that Christ alone is the grounds for how someone is right with a holy Triune God.
42.) Satan also furthers a corrupt belief that he does not exist like his atheistic and agnostic friends in a "unreligion religion."
43.) Every reprobate no matter what religion is revealed by God about God's handiwork in creation and Reformed truth.
44.) The friendship of the world hates a predestinarian God who works out everything for the glory of Jesus Christ.
45.) Those who have fully come to their senses know that they have done nothing to apprehend a holy Triune God, because He was the only One capable of bring spiritual salvation.
46.) The sword of Christ is drawn with those who are friends of the world, because He judges the sinfulness of sin.
47.) Those of God's people have their sin in the deepest sea.
48.) Those of God's people have their sins removed as far as the east is from the west and Christ alone has appeased the wrath of God the Father.
49.) Friendship of the world is a disregard of Christ-honoring holiness that comes from a good Triune God.
50.) The enemies of Christ would murder Him again.
51.) The enemies of Christ saw the face of Jesus: namely, in the story Gandalf's fight with Balrog ended in his departure from earth (death resulted in resurrection) but Frodo and Sam's quest to destroy the ring of sin happened in light of what is right. Do you doubt this a true story in the concepts? Surely you know! It really is a true story. Here it is (click here): "Lord of the RIngs - Gandalf vs Balrog (Crisp 480p"
52.) The people of Christ suffer because of friendship with the world, because of remaining corruption.
53.) The enemies of Christ benefit from friendship with the world like Esau's wealth, but it leads to eternal damnation.
54.) The people of God that benefit from Satan and Balaam-like practice compromise the obedience of the gospel.
55.) Friendship with the world is disobedience to Jesus.
56.) There is no compromise with a world at war with God.
57.) So-called grey areas should be captive to the sinless obedience of Jesus Christ, but with a motivation to honor Christ even in the darkest grey area.
58.) No redemptive friend of Christ will end up in hell, but it is possible for a minister of the Gospel to "reach out" to a people who are practicing the pit of hell in their lives even if it is a set up by fallen man and Satan.
59.) The enemy comes to bring God as our greatest strength into our greatest weakness. How? Simply by sin. There are clever devils out there that take the appearance of an angel who use their power to destroy especially children, orphans, widows and young people.
60.) God's people become at peace with their enemies not through compromise, but through a God-caused approbation of peace.
61.) There is no ultimate peace between reprobates and God's people, because Christ bought His people and Satan has the enemies of Jesus under his captivity to do his will.
62.) The people of God ought to always do right to honor Jesus.
63.) Dishonoring Jesus is like murdering Jesus again, because every sin is in some basic sense from our own volition.
64.) Satan is involved in enhancing and influencing people to sin.
65.) A holy Triune God and Satan are at cosmic war where no peace abides, because the former is good and the latter is evil.
66.) A holy Triune God is accused by Satan "You did this to me!"
67.) There is no just accusation against the Sovereign Potter.
68.) God is at war with Satan, demons and reprobates. That is, there is never agreement nor fellowship. Think on that, dear Christian, because God will test your motives.
69.) Outwardly advancement through fornication is contrary to a holy Triune God, but advancement through prayer and godly living is Christ-honoring to a holy Triune God.
70.) A friend of Christ is not man-centered in spiritual salvation.
71.) A friend of Christ who sins against another friend knows that all things are right between them because they have brought it to a holy Triune God and made peace: namely, brothers in Christ have all things right if they are a child of God.
72.) A friend of Christ seeks to redeem the time.
73.) A friend of Christ seeks good morals not bad morals.
74.) A friend of Christ seeks foredetermined good works.
75.) A friend of Christ seeks to be a living sacrifice like Jesus.
76.) A friend of Christ seeks the right over the wrong.
77.) A friend of Christ prays for his enemies.
78.) A friend of Christ loves the supreme written Word.
79.) A friend of Christ seeks the glory of Jesus alone.
80.) An enemy of Christ seeks strife and cruel hatred.
81.) An enemy of Christ hates God's elect angels.
82.) A lover of sin is friendship with the world.
83.) A lover of fornication is enmity with Jesus.
84.) A lover of advancement through out-right evil is Baal worship.
85.) A Christian is someone who loves worshiping God alone.
86.) A practicing Muslim does not have friendship with God.
87.) A practicing Jew does not have friendship with God.
88.) A view of gods beside the self-existent Triune God is friendship with Satan and harmony with his idolatry.
89.) Friendship with the world is the darkness of sin.
90.) Friendship with Christ is the approbation of the Spirit.
91.) No one is a friend of Christ by nature.
92.) No one can choose Christ because of blindness.
93.) Jesus is one His throne and working out His purpose.
94.) Somewhere there are a pre-converted elect people who are yet the redemptive friends of Christ by the work of the Spirit, but at God's appointed time they will all respond through the Word accompanying the Spirit and the Spirit accompanying the Word.
95.) True friendship is in the body of Jesus Christ: namely, we ought to be able to share our sins and burdens with brothers and sisters in Christ, but even in an AGE OF GRACE this is sometimes a foreign notion because of the sinfulness of sin.
96.) Cover-ups are against a true repentance and it is much like Satan's fall: namely, he presents himself as a "being" of good.
97.) To use Satan for good among the people of God or even reprobates through a human instrument is selling your soul for advancement that violates the First Commandment.
98.) Some Christians will reject their repentance if it means a cover-up, but the Reformers and Puritans knew nothing of this.
99.) If the world hates you because you have repented of wrongdoing and everyone is aware of that wrongdoing, it is not the fault of a professing and possessing Christian of repentance that he or she is hated and the threat manifests itself. It is cosmic villainy to accuse a believer in Christ after repentance if what is right has been done. I have seen Christians have fellowship with the world and the greatest crimes happen because these people are suppose to be the greatest instruments of true justice. The world knows that even Christians have "worldly weakness" and they come to exploit that and cause that because of their wrongdoing. Instead of saying "I have repented" they cover it up. A Puritan once said if repentance costs you everything it is because of the honor of Christ. Justice is not a subjective interpretation, but there is a right understanding of justice. There is only not a right understanding of justice when everyone is involved because of criminal, legal and civil wrongdoing even when it is clearly true at face value. Eyewitness testimony does not matter, but in the end God's justice will be vindicated. There will be more victims because of the new Balaam but it is put aside, and nobody cares anymore. The church that is suppose to be God's example on earth has sided with the world because a fear of wrong interpretation. I have a higher view of the church: namely, why can't the church be what it will be before the time in a practical sense but not adding to Christ? The world will not be won by a church that preaches repentance but does not follow it. If America cannot solve its religious civil wars, the world will not come along. I have seen the opposite view established through the very means it disapproved but yet it lingers in a dark universe where a spinning global is isolated to Christians through silencing-tyranny even before the time. The fact is the very people who support the law disregard the truth by their very presence in claiming to support the law while denying the law. That is, it does not matter if credible sources are found to show a war against His name's sake pre-, at-the-time and after, because there is always a way out for the world. The world sides with the world because it is opportune. Dear Christian, how are you different from the world?
100.) I am Treebeard in Lord of the Rings. Listen to what he says:
'Hoom, hum, I have not troubled about the Great Wars', said Treebeard; 'they mostly concern Elves and Men. That is the business of Wizards: Wizards are always troubled about the future. I do not like worrying about the future. I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side, if you undertand me: nobody cares for the woods as I care for them, not even Elves nowadays.' "
" 'Saruman is a Wizard,' answered Treebeard. '[...] I told him many things that he would never have found out by himself; but he never repaid me in like kind. I cannot remember that he ever told me anything. And he got more and more like that; his face, as I remember it - I have not seen it for many a day - became like windows in a stone wall: windows with shutters inside. [...] Curse him, root and branch! Many of those trees were my friends, creatures I had known from nut and acorn; many had voices of their own that are lost for ever now. And there are waste of stump and bramble where once there were singing groves. I have been idle. I have let things slip. It must stop!' "
....“You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.”
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus he bound me to him;
And round my heart still closely twine
Those ties which nought can sever,
For I am his, and he is mine,
For ever and for ever.
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
He bled, he died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life,
But his own self he gave me!
Nought that I have mine own I'll call,
I'll hold it for the Giver,
My heart, my strength, my life, my all
Are his, and his for ever.
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
All pow'r to him is given,
To guard me on my onward course,
And bring me safe to heaven:
Eternal glory gleams afar,
To nerve my faint endeavor:
So now to watch, to work, to war;
And then to rest for ever.
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
So kind and true and tender,
So wise a Counselor and Guide,
So mighty a Defender!
From him who loves me now so well
What pow'r my soul can sever?
Shall life or death, shall earth or hell?
No! I am his for ever. (TH, 433).
He loved me ere I knew him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus he bound me to him;
And round my heart still closely twine
Those ties which nought can sever,
For I am his, and he is mine,
For ever and for ever.
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
He bled, he died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life,
But his own self he gave me!
Nought that I have mine own I'll call,
I'll hold it for the Giver,
My heart, my strength, my life, my all
Are his, and his for ever.
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
All pow'r to him is given,
To guard me on my onward course,
And bring me safe to heaven:
Eternal glory gleams afar,
To nerve my faint endeavor:
So now to watch, to work, to war;
And then to rest for ever.
I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
So kind and true and tender,
So wise a Counselor and Guide,
So mighty a Defender!
From him who loves me now so well
What pow'r my soul can sever?
Shall life or death, shall earth or hell?
No! I am his for ever. (TH, 433).
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