Counsel From The Cross

This week-end I had the wonderful privilege to attend a conference with our secretary from church.  She invited and paid for me to go and hear a recorded conference of Elyse Fitzpatrick speak on Counsel From the Cross.  Wow!!!  I was brought to the cross this week-end and I wanted to share with you some of my notes from her speaking.  I know this is not the same as attending the conference, but I do hope that it encourages someone today.  Plus, I would highly encourage anyone to purchase a copy of her book, Counsel From the Cross or Because He Loves Me.


     "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children" (Ephesians 5:1)

- When we see this verse, our thoughts are often focused on the imperative (command) to be imitators of God.  We either try to keep this command and fall into self-righteousness (pride) or into despair.
- Often when we read verses like these they become as "white noise" to us.
- Our christianity becomes what we should do instead of what God has done for us in Christ.

- Christ is wonderful and I am in Him!!!
- Are we beloved children or begrudging slaves?  We are beloved children as the verse in Ephesians tells us.
- God is pleased with Christ!!!
- We can tell if we are a Pharisee if we judge others and expect them to hold to the law that we don't even hold to.
- Christ is making us into His image.  I am an image-bearer of Christ.
- I am sinful and flawed, yet I am beloved and welcome!!!


- God loves me with the same intensity as He love the Son.
- Christ became man for me so that I could be beloved by the Father.
- We are beloved children, not houseguests, foster children, or slaves.
- The law crushes us and brings us to Christ.  It is our schoolmaster.

- We see Christ in the Word preached and that is why it is important to be present in the Lord's Day services each week.  Lean forward and engage yourself in the preached Word of God.  It is Christ speaking to us.
- Don't shift aside from the hope of the gospel.
- When we don't witness to others it is because we are not in love with Christ.  When we are in love with someone, we speak often of them and it is no problem because they just flow into our every conversation.
- Only the gospel can transform us!


- When we don't pray it is because we are not really sure what God thinks of us.
- Jesus is the wrath-bearer.
- We see God's glory in the means of grace that He has given us: preaching of the Word, baptism, and the Lord's Supper.
- The Lord's Supper is Christ's hospitality to me.  His blood cleanses me and His body was broken for me.
- Don't ever move past the gospel or think it too elementary!!!

These we only my notes from the first night of the conference.  I want to put my notes from today on here also, but will have to do so on another day.