The Mute Christian

[Mary]

I downloaded this little book, written hundreds of years ago, from the Preachtheword.com website. It is quite challenging and well worth the read so far. The full title is: The Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod with Sovereign Antidotes against the Most Miserable Exigents (:6788 by Richard Brooks.

---

The book is dedicated to:

"To all afflicted and distressed, dissatisfied, disquieted, and discomposed Christians throughout the world."

The author calls us to a prudent, gracious , holy silence before the Lord in our afflictions. Such a silence reflects that we acknowledge that God is the author of our afflictions and that we recognise that we are under the acting hand of God and are awed by his sovereignity; that we are calm in mind and spirit because we trust God. such silence clears God of injustice and blame. The author discusses Lamentations 3: 22-33

# It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
# They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
# The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
# The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
# It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
# It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
# He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
# He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
# He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
# For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
# But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
# For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

A holy, prudent silence reflects that we are surrendered to God, and resigned to His control, and also that we will wait patiently for His deliverance.

Psalm 62:

1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
5. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
7. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
10. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
12. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

I recommend this book as being worth reading and thinking deeply about.

---

From what I have read so far, I think the message of the book can be summed up in Psalm 46:

1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
6. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
10. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
11. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.


with the message of verse 10: Be still, and know that I am God

[Mary]

and here is an example of one who learned to be a mute Christian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrudw6SEYic

[heb13-13]

(12-18-2010 06:40 PM)Mary Wrote:  and here is an example of one who learned to be a mute Christian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrudw6SEYic

Thanks I will go and read it. I am curious if he addresses trials and pain and chastisement we bring on ourselves through our sin and disobedience.

Rick

[Mary]

(01-04-2011 11:49 AM)heb13-13 Wrote:  

(12-18-2010 06:40 PM)Mary Wrote:  and here is an example of one who learned to be a mute Christian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrudw6SEYic

Thanks I will go and read it. I am curious if he addresses trials and pain and chastisement we bring on ourselves through our sin and disobedience.

Rick

an extract:

"Thirdly, A holy, a prudent silence doth not exclude men's being kindly affected and afflicted with their sins as the meritorious cause of all their sorrows and sufferings, Lam. iii. 39, 40, 'Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord;' Job xl. 4, 6, ' Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, thrice, but I proceed no further;' Micah vii. 9, 'I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned.' In all our sorrows we should read our sins; and when God's hand is upon our backs, our hands should be upon our sins.
It was a good saying of one, 'I hide not my sins, but I shew them; I wipe them not away, but I sprinkle them; I do not excuse them, but accuse them. The beginning of my salvation is the knowledge of my transgression.’ "

[heb13-13]

(01-05-2011 07:22 AM)Mary Wrote:  

(01-04-2011 11:49 AM)heb13-13 Wrote:  

(12-18-2010 06:40 PM)Mary Wrote:  and here is an example of one who learned to be a mute Christian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrudw6SEYic

Thanks I will go and read it. I am curious if he addresses trials and pain and chastisement we bring on ourselves through our sin and disobedience.

Rick

an extract:

"Thirdly, A holy, a prudent silence doth not exclude men's being kindly affected and afflicted with their sins as the meritorious cause of all their sorrows and sufferings, Lam. iii. 39, 40, 'Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord;' Job xl. 4, 6, ' Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, thrice, but I proceed no further;' Micah vii. 9, 'I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned.' In all our sorrows we should read our sins; and when God's hand is upon our backs, our hands should be upon our sins.
It was a good saying of one, 'I hide not my sins, but I shew them; I wipe them not away, but I sprinkle them; I do not excuse them, but accuse them. The beginning of my salvation is the knowledge of my transgression.’ "

So true. "Wherefore doth a living man complain?"

"In all our sorrows we should read our sins".

I have learned to look to my own heart, words and actions first when I come into some kind of difficulty or tribulation. I have taught my kids the same thing. Look to your own heart, first.

"I do not excuse them".
So far I like this guy. He is not a blameshifter and seems to desire truth in the inward parts.

"The beginning of my salvation is the knowledge of my transgression."

Yeah, when we face the true cause of our problem is when we have a chance for deliverance from it (through repentance).

Thanks for the sampling Mary. I had not had a chance to get to it yet, but this encourages me to get to it sooner rather than later.

Rick

[heb13-13]

Mary,

My family and I meet every week and sometimes more often with 4-5 other families.

One of the Sisters in our group is fighting 4th stage lung cancer. I thought I would share an email I just received from her husband. It has a lot to do with suffering the Cross and the grace of God.


Mary and I are thankful for another year of the Lord’s grace and goodness to experience. As always, we are grateful to you all for your loving prayers and for the many visits and food and practical help of all sorts. A few even visited from out of states and from abroad!

Since it’s been a while from my last update, I’ll give a summary report. The November X-Ray showed a slight reduction in her primary cancer in the lung, but since the doctor did not order a CT-Scan, the blurry image of the X-Ray was deemed inconclusive. So we did not want to give anyone false hopes, and we kept it mostly to ourselves and a few others.

The December tests did include the CT, and it showed a slight shrinkage in the same area, but Dr. Arnold said it may be the effect from an earlier radiation treatment. It could possibly be a distortion than actual shrinkage. However, he pulled up another image of a small round tumor from the October scan. When placed next to the December scan in the exact same spot, the small round tumor was no longer there. Dr. Arnold was very happy about it and attributed it to the Tarceva that Mary has been taking daily.

We had another routine appointment in Dec. with Dr. Azim, the surgeon who fixed Mary’s neck back when it all started. He was satisfied with the latest image from the MRI. There was no spread in the neck area, and the work that he did held up well.

All the latest reports, i.e. lungs and neck, suggest improvement, but we have not had a visit with Dr. Edith Williams for several months (she is the Radiation Oncologist who supervised the radiations on the shoulder and rib area). And it is precisely the right scapula that gives Mary the most trouble and pain. We won’t know what is going on in this area until the next scan/appointment with Dr. Williams in late March.

The other item that we’d appreciate your prayers for is her weight loss. Her appetite is fine, but the loss continues slowly. We need her to regain the weight so she can withstand the wearing down from both the cancer cells and the chemo drug.

Overall, Mary and I are amazed and grateful that the Lord has kept her relatively active. She is able to attend one worship/fellowship gathering every Sunday for which she is most grateful. And the joy and peace that radiate from her face always lift the spirit of the saints who saw her. The monthly Book Club fellowship that we attend is another source of encouragement for her. The Lord is so gracious to give her some mobility, and we are thankful.

Throughout her ordeal, she did not question the Lord about this affliction nor bemoan her misfortune. And, probably to the consternation of some dear brothers and sisters, she did not beseech the Lord for miraculous healing. Do we want the Lord to heal her? Absolutely and emphatically! But her overriding desire is to lay hold of the Lord and His perfect will first and foremost. So, each day we press on, by the Lord’s mercy and enabling grace, to walk with Him one step at a time. It’s a precious journey, and it’s made smooth by your prayers and cares.

I came across a verse in II Chron. 29:27 that I’d like to share it with you: “…and when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord also began….” Many Christian teachers preach on the cross, but instill fear in the hearts of the listeners. It need not be so. True experience of the cross must always be accompanied by songs of grace. Though tears indeed must flow, as He leads us through the valley of Baca, He also makes the valley a place of spring. Those upon whom the cross cuts the deepest, have the richest melody to offer. Then the question is not whether to pray for healing, but whether one has been made into a healing balm that others may touch and find anointing.

A few years ago, I saw a video of an old man sitting under a frankincense tree in the desert of Oman. He makes an incision with a sharp knife just deep enough for the sap to ooze. After some time, the sap crystallizes into little round balls which the old man collects into a sack.

The question of the day, nay, of the AGE, is not whether we have been given miraculous power to heal, but whether we have allowed the Lord to have His way in us so that we may give off sweet fragrances and songs, and melodies. These are the true worshippers. They are not on stage somewhere leading songs; they are in the valley, in the desert, in hidden crevices letting the Composer write rare melodies of grace. These are true worshippers, “for the Father seekest such….”

May the Father bless you with His presence,

[Mary]

(01-05-2011 04:14 PM)heb13-13 Wrote:  Mary,

My family and I meet every week and sometimes more often with 4-5 other families.

One of the Sisters in our group is fighting 4th stage lung cancer. I thought I would share an email I just received from her husband. It has a lot to do with suffering the Cross and the grace of God.


Mary and I are thankful for another year of the Lord’s grace and goodness to experience. As always, we are grateful to you all for your loving prayers and for the many visits and food and practical help of all sorts. A few even visited from out of states and from abroad!

Since it’s been a while from my last update, I’ll give a summary report. The November X-Ray showed a slight reduction in her primary cancer in the lung, but since the doctor did not order a CT-Scan, the blurry image of the X-Ray was deemed inconclusive. So we did not want to give anyone false hopes, and we kept it mostly to ourselves and a few others.

The December tests did include the CT, and it showed a slight shrinkage in the same area, but Dr. Arnold said it may be the effect from an earlier radiation treatment. It could possibly be a distortion than actual shrinkage. However, he pulled up another image of a small round tumor from the October scan. When placed next to the December scan in the exact same spot, the small round tumor was no longer there. Dr. Arnold was very happy about it and attributed it to the Tarceva that Mary has been taking daily.

We had another routine appointment in Dec. with Dr. Azim, the surgeon who fixed Mary’s neck back when it all started. He was satisfied with the latest image from the MRI. There was no spread in the neck area, and the work that he did held up well.

All the latest reports, i.e. lungs and neck, suggest improvement, but we have not had a visit with Dr. Edith Williams for several months (she is the Radiation Oncologist who supervised the radiations on the shoulder and rib area). And it is precisely the right scapula that gives Mary the most trouble and pain. We won’t know what is going on in this area until the next scan/appointment with Dr. Williams in late March.

The other item that we’d appreciate your prayers for is her weight loss. Her appetite is fine, but the loss continues slowly. We need her to regain the weight so she can withstand the wearing down from both the cancer cells and the chemo drug.

Overall, Mary and I are amazed and grateful that the Lord has kept her relatively active. She is able to attend one worship/fellowship gathering every Sunday for which she is most grateful. And the joy and peace that radiate from her face always lift the spirit of the saints who saw her. The monthly Book Club fellowship that we attend is another source of encouragement for her. The Lord is so gracious to give her some mobility, and we are thankful.

Throughout her ordeal, she did not question the Lord about this affliction nor bemoan her misfortune. And, probably to the consternation of some dear brothers and sisters, she did not beseech the Lord for miraculous healing. Do we want the Lord to heal her? Absolutely and emphatically! But her overriding desire is to lay hold of the Lord and His perfect will first and foremost. So, each day we press on, by the Lord’s mercy and enabling grace, to walk with Him one step at a time. It’s a precious journey, and it’s made smooth by your prayers and cares.

I came across a verse in II Chron. 29:27 that I’d like to share it with you: “…and when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord also began….” Many Christian teachers preach on the cross, but instill fear in the hearts of the listeners. It need not be so. True experience of the cross must always be accompanied by songs of grace. Though tears indeed must flow, as He leads us through the valley of Baca, He also makes the valley a place of spring. Those upon whom the cross cuts the deepest, have the richest melody to offer. Then the question is not whether to pray for healing, but whether one has been made into a healing balm that others may touch and find anointing.

A few years ago, I saw a video of an old man sitting under a frankincense tree in the desert of Oman. He makes an incision with a sharp knife just deep enough for the sap to ooze. After some time, the sap crystallizes into little round balls which the old man collects into a sack.

The question of the day, nay, of the AGE, is not whether we have been given miraculous power to heal, but whether we have allowed the Lord to have His way in us so that we may give off sweet fragrances and songs, and melodies. These are the true worshippers. They are not on stage somewhere leading songs; they are in the valley, in the desert, in hidden crevices letting the Composer write rare melodies of grace. These are true worshippers, “for the Father seekest such….”

May the Father bless you with His presence,

thank you - that is indeed a life of worship, blessing and evidence of His grace.

[heb13-13]

Yeah, this brother and sister are such a great blessing to our little group of God's grace and purposes in our lives. I changed the Doctor's names to protect the innocent. :-^

In the Christian life and our walk with Jesus, we all have to transition from Martha's to Mary's. From "doing" to "being". We have to learn that Christianity is not about getting God's stamp of approval for our ideas, methods and works, but rather to learn His ways and allow Him to do His work in us. To follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes, not getting Him to follow us and endorse us and our ideas.

The true work of God in our lives is conforming us to the image of Christ and perfecting us in love, not racking up lots of outward works and activities (brownie points with God). If the true work of God is being accomplished in our heart, then the outward will take care of itself. Meaning, we will love, show mercy, be patient, be longsuffering, tenderhearted, kind, lovers of truth, obedient, faithful unto death, etc, etc.

I think of Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:

How many of us don't understand that this walk called Christianity, involves affliction, sorrow, bruising, and grief. Much of it takes place in the "wilderness". Very little takes place on the mountaintop. There are many valleys in our walk. Yet the Cross is not completely negative. Oh, it is to the flesh nature, to be sure. It is completely and totally against the flesh nature, but the wonderful paradox of the Cross is that it is meant to bring us into sweet communion with the Lord and reveal more and more of Him in us, so that when we are crushed in life, we release a precious fragrance that is pleasing to God, just as our example, Jesus did.

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Eph 1:12

There is so much at stake in this life related to our we carry ourselves, how we walk this walk.

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

The Lord perfects us in love through sufferings, also. We don't often hear about this.

As He is, so are we in this world.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

May we understand His ways more and more, and allow Him to conform us (by the Cross) to that which is pleasing to Him.
Rick

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

[sheep wrecked]

(01-06-2011 12:42 PM)heb13-13 Wrote:  I think of Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:

How many of us don't understand that this walk called Christianity, involves affliction, sorrow, bruising, and grief.

I'm wondering if you can help me out a bit here. I am not quite grasping how Isaiah 53:10 refers to Christians. I had always believed it was a prophecy referring to Christ. Could you clarify a bit? thanx

[heb13-13]

(01-06-2011 06:21 PM)sheep wrecked Wrote:  

(01-06-2011 12:42 PM)heb13-13 Wrote:  I think of Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:

How many of us don't understand that this walk called Christianity, involves affliction, sorrow, bruising, and grief.

I'm wondering if you can help me out a bit here. I am not quite grasping how Isaiah 53:10 refers to Christians. I had always believed it was a prophecy referring to Christ. Could you clarify a bit? thanx

Yes, it speaks of Christ. It refers specifically to Jesus.

I am talking about the principle of suffering in the Christian life.