Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: God, the second title in The Good Portion series.
The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works.
Monday, June 9, 2014 at 3:41PM 
Question 39. Is there anything more in Christ’s being crucified than if he had died in a different way?
Answer: Yes there is. Thereby I am assured that he took on himself the curse which lay on me, (a) for someone who is crucified was cursed by God. (b)
(Click through to see scriptural proofs.)
Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 8:13PM Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
To his feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me, his praise should sing?
Praise him, praise him,
Praise him, praise him,
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise him for his grace and favor
To our fathers in distress;
Praise him still the same for ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless;
Praise him, praise him,
Praise him, praise him,
Glorious in his faithfulness.
Father-like, he tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame he knows;
In his hands he gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes;
Praise him, praise him,
Praise him, praise him,
Widely as his mercy goes.
Angels, help us to adore him;
Ye behold him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Praise him, praise him,
Praise him, praise him,
Praise with us the God of grace.—Henry F. Lyte
Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:
Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.
Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 9:03PM 
From the very last chapter of From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective
[O]ne of the promises made in the new covenant is that the condition of faith itself will be given by God. This means that the new covenant people are created and preserved by God. “I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me” (Jer. 32:40). God puts the fear of God in us in the first place. And God keeps us from turning away. He creates his new people and keeps his new people. And he does this by the blood of the covenant, which Jesus said was his own blood (Luke 22:20).
The upshot of this understanding of the new covenant is that there is a definite atonement for the new covenant people. In the death of Christ, God secures a definite group of unworthy sinners as his own people by purchasing the conditions they must meet to be part of his people. The blood of the covenant—Christ’s blood—purchases and guarantees the new heart of faith and repentance. God did not do this for everyone. He did it for a “definite” or a “particular” group, owing to nothing in themselves. And since he did it through Jesus Christ,1 the Great Shepherd, who laid down his life for the sheep, we say, “to him be glory forever and ever.” This achievement is a significant part of the glory of the cross of Christ.
If saving faith is a blood-bought benefit of the new covenant (Piper argues from scripture that it is.), then the atonement must be definite. There’s really no way around it.
Previously posted quotes from this book:
1See Hebrews 13:20-21 where it says God is “working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ… .”