Crewnecks

“Theology enables God's people to think correctly and live rightly. What we do always flows from what we believe, and a sound theology helps us think clearly, rightly, and, most importantly, biblically about God. It is important that we love God with our heart, but it is also imperative that we love the Lord with our mind as well.”

—Danny Akin

Being Reformed should make us incredibly humble, gracious and tender-hearted, not Reformed jerks.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”(Ephesians 2:8-9)

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” (1 Peter 3:8)

“Post tenebras lux” is a phrase in Latin from the Protestant Reformation that means “after darkness, light.”

“The phrase ‘post tenebras lux’, a rallying cry of Protestant Reformers, refers to the rediscovery of biblical truth in a time of spiritual darkness. Because the darkness of heresy and immorality constantly creeps in, the church must always be seeking to rediscover the light.”

           —Ligonier

We are in a what seems to be a corporate time of trial in the Church, a forfeiture of truth in exchange for comfort and unbiblically defined “love”. Though things appear bleak at times, Scripture tells us how the story ends and who the Victor is—we can fight the good fight knowing that.

Psalm 30:5b

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

“Weeping may endure for a night; but nights are not for ever. Even in the dreary winter the day star lights his lamp. It seems fit that in our nights the dews of grief should fall. When the Bridegroom's absence makes it dark within, it is meet that the widowed soul should pine for a renewed sight of the Well beloved.

But joy cometh in the morning. When the Sun of Righteousness comes, we wipe our eyes, and joy chases out intruding sorrow. Who would not be joyful that knows Jesus? The first beams of the morning brings us comfort when Jesus is the day dawn, and all believers know it to be so. Mourning only lasts to morning: when the night is gone the gloom shall vanish. This is adduced as a reason for saintly singing, and forcible reason it is; short nights and merry days call for the psaltery and harp.”

         —Spurgeon

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ball the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:23-25

⁣⁣⁣⁣Be encouraged, saint—the One who calls you to obedience is the One who equips you for it. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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You may have heard the phrase “do the next thing” before—it was largely made popular by Elisabeth Elliot so she is often credited with the quote, however—she was actually quoting from a longer poem by Minne E. Paull, crediting old Saxon legend.⁣
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This is the original poem:⁣⁣⁣⁣
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“From an old English parsonage down by the sea⁣⁣⁣⁣
There came in the twilight a message to me;⁣⁣⁣⁣
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.⁣⁣⁣⁣
And on through the doors the quiet words ring⁣⁣⁣⁣
Like a low inspiration: “DO THE NEXT THING.”⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Many a questioning, many a fear,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.⁣⁣⁣⁣
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.⁣⁣⁣⁣
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Do it immediately, do it with prayer;⁣⁣⁣⁣
Do it reliantly, casting all care;⁣⁣⁣⁣
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand⁣⁣⁣⁣
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.⁣⁣⁣⁣
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Leave all results, do the next thing.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Looking for Jesus, ever serener,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;⁣⁣⁣⁣
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,⁣⁣⁣⁣
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,⁣⁣⁣⁣
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.⁣⁣⁣⁣
Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.”⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Philippians 4:13-14⁣⁣⁣⁣
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“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Whenever a believing friend loses a baby, the first thought that comes to mind is how that baby, no matter how long he or she was carried in her womb, was loved. In a world where babies and children are not cherished by their mothers/parents, what a beautiful thought—that their baby was loved and wanted every moment of his or her life. This is a testament to the value, sanctity and love of life Scripture instilled in their hearts that brings awe and thankfulness for those godly parents.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

Whenever a believing friend loses a baby, the first thought that comes to mind is how that baby, no matter how long he or she was carried in her womb, was loved. In a world where babies and children are not cherished by their mothers/parents, what a beautiful thought—that their baby was loved and wanted every moment of his or her life. This is a testament to the value, sanctity and love of life Scripture instilled in their hearts that brings awe and thankfulness for those godly parents.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

 “It is a covenant of pure grace. There was nothing in Noah why God should make a covenant with him…He was one of the best of men; but the best of men are but men at the best, and can have no claim upon the favour of God. He was saved by faith as the rest of us must be, and faith we all know is inconsistent with any claim of merit... As a preacher of righteousness he understood well enough that on grounds of justice he had no claim upon the Most Holy God, and he would not venture to plead any merit of his own. But out of pure favour—just as out of the mountain’s side the sparkling fountain gushes freely without the labour or art of man, so this covenant of sparing mercy sprang spontaneously from the overflowing, ever bounteous and loving heart of God.”

--Spurgeon on Genesis 9:16, “The Rainbow”

We live in a world where the rainbow does not exist in the minds of men as representing the truth we see in God’s Word—instead representing love of sin and self.

Our hope is that the Lord may give you (and your children!) opportunities to share the goodness of God in his mercy to grant faith to those who repent and believe in Christ with this design—highlighting his kindness to extend mercy and grace to sinners. It was purposely designed to graciously share the truth of what the rainbow does represent in a sea of people that may have never heard or seen it apart from “pride”.

Genesis 8:21a-b

“…the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth…”

Genesis 9:11-17

“”I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:  I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.  When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’  God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’”

Romans 5:8

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”