"An Arminian Prayer"

I know that probably everone has read this but just in case... I think Spurgeon makes a great point.

Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon called Free Will -  A Slave. In it he gave an example of an Arminian prayer. If an Arminian were to be consistent with what he believes this is what he would pray:

"Lord, I thank thee I am not like those poor presumptuous Calvinists. Lord, I was born with a glorious free-will; I was born with power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace that I have, they might all have been saved. Lord, I know thou dost not make us willing if we are not willing ourselves. Thou givest grace to everybody; some do not improve it, but I do. There are many that will go to hell as much bought with the blood of Christ as I was; they had as much of the Holy Ghost given to them; they had as good a chance, and were as much blessed as I am. It was not thy grace that made us to differ; I know it did a great deal, still I turned the point; I made use of what was given me, and others did not—that is the difference between me and them."

However, Spurgeon explains that even an Arminian prays like a Calvinist.

Quote from John MacArthur

Listen, beloved, only one thing matters in the whole wide world. That's all. Only one thing matters from the moment you become a Christian till the moment you see Jesus and that is that you walk worthy. Right? It's all that matters, that you live up to who you are. It doesn't matter that you make money. It doesn't matter that you dress nice. It doesn't matter that you have a nice house, a nice car, get promotions. It doesn't matter that you buy that extra little thing that you need and want. It doesn't matter what your education is. It doesn't matter what your profession is. It doesn't matter how many honors you get. Only one thing matters ‑ walk worthy. It doesn't matter that you missed the big game, missed the television programs, missed the little trips you want to take, it only matters that you walk worthy.

That's all that matters. It doesn't matter how many times you come to church, it doesn't matter how many calls you make on people, it doesn't matter how you try to serve the Lord in the flesh, it only matters that you walk worthy.

The Way to Wealth

In reading for my American lit class I came across some interesting quotes from Benjamin Franklin.

"the taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our prid, and four times as much by our folly"

"early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

" 'tis easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it."

" 'tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright"

Quotes taken from "The Way to Wealth" aka "Poor Richard Improved" aka "Father Abraham's Speech"
Anyways  I found them interesting.