Let Us Reason Together Part 8 – God Sustains Us

by Mike Ratliff

Zayin. Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. (Psalms 119:49-56)

The doctrinal extremists out there really get under my skin sometimes. It seems they cannot handle the fact that our sovereign, holy, omnipotent, omnipresent, immutable and omniscient God wants to have a personal relationship with those He has saved by His grace. God is sovereign and yet He is gracious. He knows that left to our own abilities we could never come to salvation. He knows that, even if He declares us righteous, we need Him to extend His grace to us continually to sanctify our hearts and draw us to Him. He also reveals Himself to us, speaks to us, and sustains us through the sanctification process that matures us unto Christlikeness.

Let Us Reason Together Part 6 – God Teaches Us

by Mike Ratliff

He. Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! (Psalms 119:33-40)

Being a Bible teacher for many years has been a wonderful blessing. One thing that really blesses my Soul is when I encounter disciples who have a deep hunger for the truth. Some I have taught just want to have their ears tickled or just to be part of the class. On the other hand, some have a deep and desperate hunger for God. He placed that within them. I do the best I can as God gives me grace, but I am a lousy teacher compared to God Himself.

Let Us Reason Together Part 5 – God Regenerates Us

by Mike Ratliff

Daleth. My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! (Psalms 119:25-32)

We must understand that God draws us into maturity by His grace. Without God extending His grace to us, we could not be saved. We would not even seek Him. God calls those who are in Christ to grow unto Christ-likeness. That means we must grow in grace as God develops our character to resemble Jesus Christ’s character. The method God uses to mature one believer will be different than it will be for others. We are all unique and God has His own plans for each one of us according to His will. We do not choose any of it. God is in complete control of the whole process.

Let Us Reason Together Part 3 – Personal Holiness

by Mike Ratliff

Beth. How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalms 119:9-16)

The concept that God would somehow be satisfied with those who call themselves Christians, but who live their lives totally apart from Him, seems very strange to me. The idea that the Lord is only after converts who say a quick sinner’s prayer, but never really change must really insult Him. Look at the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us on the cross. How could anyone really think He went through all that to accomplish only the possibility of salvation for all people or, even worse, automatically save all people including those who continue to live reprobate lives after hearing the gospel? Those who believe either of those are deluding themselves. Of course, their hearts are Soul-led and they are suffering from a severe case of hardheartedness. God’s values are not apparent to their hearts so they live the way they want. Many of them compartmentalize their lives to the point they give God those couple of hours on some Sunday mornings, but the rest of their time is theirs.

Let Us Reason Together Part 2 – Walking in Truth

by Mike Ratliff

Aleph. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! (Psalms 119:1-8)

About a year ago I had a discussion at work with a co-worker about the upcoming publication of Walking the Walk by Faith and the contract I just received from my publisher for Possessing the Treasure. This co-worker has always been supportive of my writing because she is an avid reader. However, she is also a non-believer even though she does not see things that way. She believes salvation is universal because God loves everyone too much to send anyone to hell. She believes my stance on my Puritan doctrines is silly. I tried to explain the attributes of God to her and our part in walking this walk and she laughed as she left my cubicle and went back to hers. Those of us who are Spirit-led know better…don’t we?

Let Us Reason Together Part 1 – Introduction

by Mike Ratliff

If we learn nothing else, let us make sure we understand the vital link the Word of God has to our personal holiness. That link, of course, will be effective only to the level we live in it and by it. If we neglect feeding from it on our own by relying on teachers, preachers, or writers to spoon feed us then we drastically limit our spiritual nourishment we should be getting. Good Bible teachers will lead their hearers to dig for themselves from the treasure of God’s Word. When I rediscovered my Puritan roots, I started reading those great old writers. Their teachings did that very thing. The great Reformation and Puritan theologians stand head and shoulder above their modern and post-modern brethren. 

My own personal revival has been completely God directed and empowered by His grace. Last summer I began researching to write about deeper devotional and growth techniques to facilitate our deep walk with our Lord. This was to be the basis for my third book. However, as I did that research I kept finding myself reading things by John Owen, John Bunyan and other Puritan writers. These studies lead me to study Reformation Theology. As God changed my heart about Reformed Theology, I became convinced that the missing piece the Western Church is lacking is adherence to the doctrines of grace. The fact this is missing in the majority of our churches means the poor sheep in them are spiritually malnourished so they remain self-focused and self-directed. They are not maturing in grace because God’s glory is an afterthought to them. This is a direct indictment against the shepherds of the flock. These shepherds feed their sheep a counterfeit gospel that is man-focused instead of God glorifying. The emphasis is on church growth at the expense of personal holiness and God-centered worship.