Dealing with difficult circumstances

Some practical and Biblical advice from John Flavel for dealing with difficult Providences...

John Flavel

Do not murmur and complain under new straits. This is a vile temper, and yet how natural to us when wants press hard upon us! Ah, did we but rightly understand what the demerit of sin is, we would rather admire the bounty of God than complain of the straithandedness of Providence. And if we did but consider that there lies upon God no obligation of justice or gratitude to reward any of our duties, it would cure our murmurs (Gen. 32. 10). 

Do not show the least discontent at the lot and portion Providence carves out for you. O that you would be well pleased and satisfied with all its appointments! Say: ‘The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage’ (Ps. 16. 6). Surely that is best for you which Providence has appointed, and one day you yourselves will judge it so to be. 

Do not neglect prayer when straits befall you. You see it is Providence dispenses all, you live upon it; therefore apply yourselves to God in the times of need. This is evidently included in the promise (Isa. 41. 17) as well as expressed in the command (Phil. 4. 6). Remember God, and He will not forget you. 

Do not worry your hearts with sinful cares. ‘Behold the fowls of the air’ (Matt. 6. 26), says Christ; not the fowls at the door that are daily fed by hand, but those of the air, that do not know where the next meal is coming from; and yet God provides for them. Remember your relation to Christ, and His engagements by promise to you, and by these things work your hearts to satisfaction and contentment with all the allotments of Providence.

Flavel, John (2011-11-02). The Treasures of John Flavel (Kindle Locations 1062-1063). Monergism Books. Kindle Edition.

John Flavel and Union with Christ

Last September the Reformed Forum crew had a fascinating and enlightening podcast concerning John Flavel & Union with Christ. Well worth listening to. And while you are there perhaps you can support the RF guys with a small donation.

From the Reformed Forum website...

Rev. William R. Edwards speaks about John Flavel and union with Christ. Edwards has written an article titled “John Flavel on the Priority of Union with Christ: Further Historical Perspective on the Structure of Reformed Soteriology” in Volume 74 (2012) of the Westminster Theological Journal. In the article, Edwards demonstrates several interesting 17th c. formulations of the doctrine of union with Christ. In doing so, Edwards brings his findings into present discussion on the subject.

Share It - Don't Stuff it -- Proverbs 17:17

    A friend loves at all times,
        and a brother is born for adversity.
(Proverbs 17:17 ESV)

"We may also make our complaint to men. So did Job; "Have pity, have pity on me, O my friends; for the hand of God has touched me' (Job 19:21). And it is a mercy if we have any friends that are wise, faithful, and experienced; they are born for such a time as this (Prov. 17:17) ...

I may burden the heart of my friend; but how little does that ease my own! Yet the very opening of the heart to an experienced, tender Christian, is some relief, and the engaging his prayers is more. Thus far you moan safely; in all this there is no danger." (Taken from Facing Grief: Counsel for Mourners by John Flavel, Banner of Truth Trust, pg. 18.)

When you attend worship this Sunday, share those burdens and afflictions you've been shouldering on your own. Church should be a safe place to be yourself, not hide those trials and find some relief in  godly Christian friends who are willing to listen and share your struggles.

S.D.G.

In His Perfect Timing

We find a multitude of providences so timed to a minute, that had they occurred just a little sooner or later, they had mattered little in comparison with what now they do. Certainly, it cannot be chance, but counsel, that so exactly works in time. Contingencies keep to no rules. . . . The angel calls to Abraham, and, shows him another sacrifice just when his hand was giving the fatal stroke to Isaac (Genesis 22:10–11). A well of water is shown to Hagar just when she had left the child, as not able to see its death (Genesis 21:16, 19). Rabshakeh meets with a blasting providence, hears a rumor that frustrated his design, just when ready to make an assault upon Jerusalem. (Isaiah 37:8) - John Flavel

On Worry...

Surely one of our greatest issues is that of worry. It certainly is for me. But as believers in a sovereign, loving God it really has no place in our thoughts. Consider the words of John Flavel:

Believe firmly that the management of all the affairs of this world, whether public or personal, is in the hands of your all-wise God... Resign up yourselves to the wisdom of God, and lean not on your own understanding.... When Melancthon was oppressed with cares and doubts about the distracting affairs of the church in his time, Luther thus chides him out of his despondency ... do not presume to be the governor of the world, but leave the reins of government in the hands that made it, and best knows how to rule it. (John Flavel, The Works of John Flavel, Banner of Truth, 4:336-337.)

So be encouraged. Our sovereign Lord reins and all is in his hands.

Flavel on Proverbs 4:23

John Flavel's work on Proverbs 4:23, Keeping the Heart, is unsurpassed. It is a book I refer to often and never cease to be blessed by it. Below are a few thoughts on the six special means for keeping the heart.

USE OF DIRECTION. Six special means for keeping the heart:

Means 1: Furnish your hearts richly with the Word of God, which is their best preservation against sin.

How can we ever disagree with this direction? We need to bury ourselves in the Word at every opportunity. We enhance our understanding in further study by listening to sermons and lectures and reading good literature like this book we're looking at today.

Means 2: Call your hearts frequently to an account.

When was the last time any of us have done this or performed this on a regular basis? Not often enough is my own confession and that's probably a good guess for most of us. Its difficult to take a hard look at one's self and be honest. We must also be on guard against morbid introspection as well.

Means 3: Take heed of plunging yourself into such a multiplicity of earthly business that you cannot manage without neglecting your main business.

In other words, are we so involved in the world, i.e., job, friends, material goods, hobbies, yes - even family, that we have no time to keep our hearts? Sadly its often the case for us all.

Means 4: Carefully observe your heart's first declinings from God and stop the there.

This takes much vigilance. Monitoring your heart in the midst of our busy lives takes much work.

Means 5: Take heed of losing the liveliness and sweetness of your communion with God, lest thereby your hearts be pulled off from God.

Is your devotional time boring, is church losing its attraction, local Bible studies just too hard to attend? Its time to take a look at your heart.

Means 6: Habituate your hearts to spiritual meditations if you would have them free from those burdensome diversions.

We need to focus on what is truly important in this world and not on what is passing (Matthew 6:19-21). As difficult as these means are we must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us through.

Flavel closes the outline by citing three comforts for those who have such hearts:

Comfort 1: This argues your heart to be upright and honest, whatever your gifts and abilities are.
Comfort 2: Know further, for your comfort, that God would never leave you under so many heart-troubles and burdens if He intended not your real benefit thereby.
Comfort 3: God will shortly put a blessed end to all these troubles, cares, and watchings.
- From Keeping the Heart by John Flavel.

Flavel on the Soul

When the Spaniards came first among the poor Indians, they thought the horse and his rider to be one creature, as many ignorant ones think the soul and body of man to be nothing but breath and body. Whereas indeed they are two distinct creatures, as vastly different in their natures as the rider and his horse, or the bird and his cage. While the man is on horseback he moves according to the motion of the horse; and while the bird is encaged, he eats and drinks, and sleeps, and hops and sings in his cage. But if the horse fail and die under his rider, or the cage be broken, the man can go on his own feet, and the bird enjoy itself as well, yea, better, in the open fields and woods than in the cage; neither depend, as to being or action, on the horse or cage. - JOHN FLAVEL

A Christmas Thought

Oh when will sinners be weary of their bondage, and sigh after deliverance? If any such poor soul shall read these lines, let him know, and I do proclaim it in the name of my royal Master, and give him the word of a King for it, he shall not be rejected by Christ. John 6:37. Come poor sinners, come; the Lord Jesus is a merciful King, and never will condemn the poor penitent that submits to his mercy. -Taken from The Fountain of Life by John Flavel, pg. 192.

We should well remember that the meaning of Christmas is that a Saviour came to save the unrighteous. The Incarnation should remind us of this and forever should we be grateful. And, never should we neglect our privilege in sharing the gospel with those who so desperately need to hear it.

Ferguson & Flavel on Union with Christ

A few salient thoughts from Sinclair Ferguson on union with Christ...



To follow that up we have a new book published, The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety, John Flavel's Doctrine of Mystical Union with Christ by J. Stephen Yuille. This looks to be another must buy, at least for me and maybe for you as well. Tony Reinke throws in his two cents on this here. This is an often overlooked doctrine which many of us, myself included, should spend some time studying.

Flavel on Union with Christ

I often return to the works of John Flavel. He just had such a way of putting his thoughts on paper with such clarity that to me he had few rivals. Below is one such instance that I'd like to share on the Union with Christ found in the Method of Grace:

It is a most comfortable union; yea, the ground of all solid comfort, both in life and death. Whatever troubles. wants, or distresses befall such, in this is abundant relief and support: Christ is mine, and I am his: what may not the redeemed soul make of that? If I am Christ's, he will care for me, and indeed, in so doing, he does but care for his own. He is my head, and to him it belongs to care for the safety and welfare of his own members. Eph. 1:22-23. He is not only a head to his own by way of influence, but to all things else by way of dominion, for their good. How comfortably may we, under this cheering consideration, repose ourselves upon him at all times and in all difficulties.

Heart-Work is Hard Work

Heart-work is hard work, indeed. To shuffle over religious duties with a loose and needless spirit will cost no great pains, but to set yourself before the Lord, and tie up your loose and vain thoughts to a constant and serious attendance upon him, will cost you something. To attain a facility and dexterity of language in prayer and put your meaning into apt and descent expressions is easy; but to get your heart broken for sin while you are confessing it and melted with free grace while you are blessing God for it, to be really ashamed and humble through the apprehensions of God's infinite holiness, and to keep your heart in this frame not only in, but after duty will surely cost you some groans and travailing pain of soul. - John Flavel from Keeping the Heart.

Our lives as Christians are no walk in the park as Flavel here points out. It is hard work and takes much thought and great pains all the day to persevere. May I encourage you to read John Flavel's, Keeping The Heart. Digest it, savor it and apply it to your own life. It is a great encouragement to me and I often refer back to it to be reminded and strenghtened what the Word says about keeping the heart (Prov. 4:23).

How Unreasonable....

How unreasonable and wholly inexcusable in believers is the sin of backsliding from Christ? Have you found rest in him when you found it in no other? Did he receive and give peace to your soul when all other persons and things were physicians of no value? And will you after this backslide from him? O what madness! No man in his right mind would leave the pure, cold, refreshing stream of a crystal fountain to go to a filthy puddle or an empty cistern; such are the best enjoyments of this world in comaprison with Jesus Christ. - The Method of Grace by John Flavel, page 219.

Make One Theologian Your Life's Interest...

In the recent interview of Derek Thomas by the Exiled Preacher, Thomas said he was once told by Iain Murray that he should “make one theologian your life’s interest and hobby.” That really started me thinking. Who would that be for me? I’m not sure I could narrow that down to just one or even one living and one dead. I’ve always been of the belief to study as much as possible of everyone to get an over-arching understanding of the subject(s). I guess if I had to narrow it down to one, it would be John Flavel but I just don’t think I can limit myself to one. Looking at modern day theologians I would go with John Piper. I have found Flavel’s Keeping the Heart and Mysteries of Providence most helpful in my life and I return to these works often. Piper has such a good balance of intellect and heart that few are his equal and thus I continue to buy his books and listen to his sermons and lectures. We should not overlook the fact that desiringgod.org has the best internet policy for listening and downloading of any Christian site I have come across. So who is your life's interest and hobby?