Coneflower June 2026

June 15, 2026

7 “So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” -1 Corinthians 3

The words above were written to a young church in the city of Corinth. Paul, an instrument of the Holy Spirit, had also written:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Corinth was already an ancient city when these words were written. It was an important commercial center with two harbors and had long been a rival to Athens which is about 50 miles to the East. Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality. It was permitted under the widely popular worship of Aphrodite (also known as Venus, the goddess of fertility and sexuality).

The message in 1 Corinthians is clear. Even if the death and resurrection of Jesus is unimportant to the world, it is at the center of the Christian message. The words in this letter were particularly powerful for a new group of believers struggling to let go of worldly things and learning to follow Jesus.

So, how is it dear friend that you are able to let go of worldly things?

If you are trying to do it in your own strength, may I suggest that you are going about it the wrong way?

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We must remain in Him. Read God’s Word for the strength to help you through what you are facing. Continue in His Word.

The Bible says: “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is verse that Christians lean upon heavily.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what God would have you learn as you read the scriptures.

May God bless you as you continue on.

Chris Reimers

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Giving Thanks with Charles Haddon Spurgeon

November 18, 2024

For Charles Spurgeon, life was to be lived coram Deo, “in the presence of God.” Indeed, Spurgeon believed that “no joy is like the joy of Christ’s presence with his people.” A presence sweet enough to “[drown] every note of sorrow” and tune every heart “to the loudest notes of thankfulness.”

Spurgeon believed it was “a heavenly thing to be thankful.” After all, it was gratitude which “ought to teach us the divine object of grace.” Accordingly, he longed for his heart to burn with the “sacred flame of thankfulness.”

For the world being happy was a prerequisite to being grateful, but Spurgeon knew that “God’s people are always happy when they are grateful” to Him. In fact, Spurgeon was so certain he said, “We should be ten times more full of bliss if we were proportionately more full of thankfulness.”

For Spurgeon, living with thankfulness was an all-encompassing commitment. Whether for richer or for poorer, even in sickness and in health. Indeed, he would often remind his congregation that “you have received all you have from God the Father through Christ.” This truth made every enjoyment an avenue for God glorifying gratitude.

Thus, in all “our eating, our drinking,” and “social meetings” Spurgeon claimed “we should give thanks unto God the Father.” The same “Father of Lights” from whom all blessings did, and do, indeed flow.

But gracious gratitude was not to be limited by the circumstances of this life. To make his point Spurgeon reminded his congregation of the story of a poor “godly preacher,” who one evening could only offer his children a dinner consisting of “a potato and a herring.” Nonetheless, the preacher “thanked God that he had ransacked sea and land to find food for his children.” Truly, the God who fed the sparrows and the ravens would not forget his people.

Indeed, while God’s temporal provision was a sweet blessing, his eternal provision of salvation through Jesus Christ was beyond comparison. Even after pastoring for many years, Spurgeon still marveled that “God should condescend to make a covenant with man, and ordain faith in Jesus as the great way of obtaining reconciliation.”

Spurgeon believed that the substitutionary, penal, atoning death of Christ on the cross provided Christians cause for “daily adoration and hourly thankfulness.” In Spurgeon’s view, “since Jesus has loved us so well,” it was impossible not to “give to him all that we are, and all that we have.” As a result, Spurgeon challenged his church to “let your gratitude compel you to do everything for Jesus.”

There is much in life for which to be thankful. Family, friends, food, and the changing color of the fall leaves are sweet gifts to be savoured and enjoyed. But, the best gift to be thankful for is Jesus Christ. This Thanksgiving Spurgeon would have us contemplate Christ and let Christ “flood the whole of [our] faculties” with thankfulness.

From all of us at The Spurgeon Library, Blessed Thanksgiving!

Phillip Ort, Director of The Spurgeon Library

Source: https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/blog-entries/giving-thanks-with-charles-haddon-spurgeon/

A Short Biography of Charles Spurgeon: The Life and Times of Charles H. Spurgeon

I know I’m a bit early here but I haven’t posted for quite some time. I do have posts backed up so I hope to be more active in the near future.

May God bless each of you this Thanksgiving as we think of our great God and His amazing love.

Chris Reimers

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‘In the name of the Mother, Daughter and Holy Spirit’: Catholic women advocate change

March 8, 2024

In a news article out of Vatican City yesterday, this was printed:

“On Thursday, women theologians, experts and leaders met for a one-day discussion on female leadership, asking the tough questions facing the Catholic Church on the issue. In her presentation, ordained missionary and theologian Maeve Louise Heaney questioned Catholic theology that attempts to ‘essentialize’ women. ‘They speak of complementarity and name the contribution of women as essentially different to that of men,’ she explained, ‘pitching love, spirituality and nurturing against authority, leadership and intellect.’

Heaney challenged Catholics to reconsider their idea of God and the Holy Spirit as neither male nor female, quoting her ‘yoga-loving’ niece who prays to ‘the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And the Mother, the Daughter and the Holy Spirit.’”

Clicking on this sentence will take you to the article.

I know I normally focus on the questionable things going on in Protestantism, but this is an example of Catholic theology gone awry. It seems to me that many Protestants and Catholics are getting away from obvious Biblical teachings that have been central to Christianity for two millennia.

There are these verses:

Ephesians 4:4-6
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

and this verse:

Matthew 3:16,17
16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

and this verse among many others:

Matthew 28:19
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . . .”

No where in scripture do we see the Father described as the mother or Jesus described as the daughter.

This type of thing reminds me of 2 Timothy 4:3 which states:

“For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires…”

Many Protestants and Catholics need to get back to the basics found in the scriptures alone. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone that we are saved.

Chris Reimers

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How Faith is Strengthened II

August 5, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Yn4b9iClE&t=22s


“The people that do know their God shall be strong.” Da 11:32

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to “have an unction from the Holy One”, and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the “knowledge” of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)
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The video about Derek Redmond was one of the first videos I ever put on this blog. I think it is fitting for two reasons: 1) Our world faces great challenges and 2) the 2016 Summer Olympics begin today. We must look to a source higher than ourselves for our answers. This message is clear in both the video and the devotion written by Charles Spurgeon.

I published this devotion just before the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in 2012. There were many reactions to the Opening Ceremonies in London. Since those games, articles have been written about the meaning of the four hour long event that most Americans never saw in full.

Only a few hours remain until the 2016 Opening Ceremonies take place in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Once again, millions of people will be connected worldwide by an Opening Ceremony in a “Summer” Olympics. Four years ago, many had questions about so many odd and unexplained items in the Opening in London. Since then, I’ve read several articles about the meaning behind many of the things in the London opening. They are a real mix of opinions, some connected with official and some with unofficial sources. None of the sources I could find seem to be specifically explanatory of many things in the London Opening Ceremonies in 2012. If anyone can find a script (which I have looked for) that helps one to understand the intent of the entire Opening in 2012, I would love to see it. There should be a very good explanation somewhere as the money spent on the opening would warrant one I should think.

Once very interested in Olympic games for the games themselves, I have become more interested because of the different cultures involved. I do appreciate the talent of the athletes but this has become less of a draw to me the older I’ve become. I will join millions to watch the opening this year. I’m curious to see if the Opening ceremonies are as odd as those in London in 2012. I wish the best to all in Rio. I hope that each athlete comes to understand from where his/her talent comes. It is a humbling and wonderful thing.

CR

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A STATEMENT OF FAITH

February 14, 2013

(The following is an article I read at Pastor Silva’s Appraising Ministries website.  He found it at another website which is listed below. – CR)

By Jon Cardwell, pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama

“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.” —Hebrews 13:9

I am a creedal Christian; and I believe that in the latter portion of these last days, it must be so.

Someone says, “Give me Jesus.”

I must ask, “Which one?”

Someone says, “I follow Christ?”

I must ask, “To whom do you refer?”

Someone says, “I believe the Bible.”

I must quote the Old Book and reply, “Thou doest well: the devils believe, and tremble.” Many Unitarians, for example, say they believe the Bible, but the denomination denies its authority and sufficiency.

On Dwight Moody’s trip across the Atlantic Pond to England, one British clergyman desired a statement of faith in print from the American evangelist. He responded quickly, “My creed is in print.”[1]

“Where?” was the general inquiry from the assembly.

“In the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah,” was Mr. Moody’s reply.

Now this may have been perfectly acceptable in 1875 (which it was for the ministry leaders of London in that day because Mr. Moody held a series of meetings with the assembly’s approval), but this just won’t suffice five quarter centuries later. Tell me that your creed is the 1689 London Baptist Confession and I can have a better idea of where you’re coming from; or the Westminster Confession; or the Belgic Confession; or the Thirty-Nine Articles; or the Apostle’s Creed; or the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message of the SBC; etc. These, at least, tell us something.

Yet, though I also say I am a creedal believer, at the same time we must note that sometimes the creeds still do not weed out the false confessors, such as Simon the Samaritan. He was even baptized.[2] Yet, Peter said that Simon was in the “bond of iniquity,”[3] a mark of an unbeliever since believers are slaves to Christ and righteousness.[4]

Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Then for discernment’s sake, tell me what you believe about His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and the consummation at His return.

Remember, the Pharisees believed the Word but they didn’t want the crucified Christ and His bloody cross:

“Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him” (Mark 15:31-32).

The Sadducees believed the Law of Moses but they denied a resurrection:

“The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection” (Matthew 22:23).

What do we believe about the Word of God? Does it speak to us of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ? Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). If the scriptures testify of Christ, and in them is found eternal life, then the truth of Christ, and Him crucified, is on every page, for in Him alone is life everlasting.

The doctrine of justification by grace is the truth of Christ crucified. Christ crucified is the one essential discernment tool given men from heaven. Any doctrine, be it Arminian, Calvinistic, free will, predestination, whatever; if it does not have Christ crucified as its foundation; if Jesus Christ dying for sinners and rising again in power is not its guide as the chief cornerstone; if the incarnation of almighty God and Christ’s life lived and sacrificed as the perfect substitute is not its preeminent center; if the risen Savior’s ascension to the right hand of Majesty and His promised return is not part and parcel of the gospel incarnation and crucifixion; then that doctrine is prone to perversion and susceptible to corruption.

[1] William R. Moody, The Life of Dwight L. Moody, 1900

[2] Acts 8:13

[3] Acts 8:23

[4] Romans 6:18-20

The original appears here.

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MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD

November 13, 2012

“…the trial of your faith, being more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ..” 1 Peter 1:7

Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: tempests are her trainers, and lightnings are her illuminators. When a calm reigns on the sea, spread the sails as you will, the ship moves not to its harbour; for on a slumbering ocean the keel sleeps too. Let the winds rush howling forth, and let the waters lift up themselves, then, though the vessel may rock, and her deck may be washed with waves, and her mast may creak under the pressure of the full and swelling sail, it is then that she makes headway towards her desired haven. No flowers wear so lovely a blue as those which grow at the foot of the frozen glacier; no stars gleam so brightly as those which glisten in the polar sky; no water tastes so sweet as that which springs amid the desert sand; and no faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs in adversity. Tried faith brings experience. You could not have believed your own weakness had you not been compelled to pass through the rivers; and you would never have known God’s strength had you not been supported amid the water floods. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious, and its trial is precious too.

Let not this, however, discourage those who are young in faith. You will have trials enough without seeking them: the full portion will be measured out to you in due season. Meanwhile, if you cannot yet claim the result of long experience, thank God for what grace you have; praise him for that degree of holy confidence whereunto you have attained: walk according to that rule, and you shall yet have more and more of the blessing of God, till your faith shall remove mountains and conquer impossibilities.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

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It’s rare that I put up two of Mr. Spurgeon’s works back to back.  Only, when I read this yesterday, I felt it speaking to the church today.  No one knows exactly what lies ahead.  After this last U.S. election, there are some very gloomy stories out there.  I’ve read more than one.

I would like to add a few of the verses that precede this one to close this post.  – CR

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  (1 Peter 3:5)

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