Month: November 2010

My hope is built on nothing less…

Q. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.

Q. How is justification an act of God’s free grace?
A. Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in the behalf of them that are justified; yet in as much as God accepteth the satisfaction from a surety, which he might have demanded of them, and did provide this surety, his own only Son, imputing his righteousness to them, and requiring nothing of them for their justification but faith, which also is his gift, their justification is to them of free grace.

Q. What is justifying faith?
A. Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

Q. How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?
A. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.

(Questions LXX, LXXI, LXXII and LXXIII of the Westminster Larger Catechism.)


…bacon tastes good. Pork chops taste good…

After a lunchtime conversation with my work colleagues about the price of meat, I thought I’d have a look to see how much different meats actually cost per kg. The prices are a snapshot of the prices at Tesco on 24-Nov-2011.

Beef Mince £3.28/kg
Burgers £4.39/kg
Stewing steak £5.19/kg
Casserole steak £7.50/kg
Shoulder joint £7.50/kg
Rump Steak £8.61/kg
Rib roast £9.88/kg
Sir loin £15.47/kg
Fillet steak £22.98/kg
Chicken Whole chicken £2.43/kg
Legs £2.96/kg
Thighs £3.62/kg
Breast quarter £4.16/kg
Breast fillet £9.63/kg
Fish Mussel meat £4.45/kg
Seafood sticks £5.00/kg
River Cobbler £6.46/kg
Whole trout £6.99/kg
Haddock fillets £7.96/kg
Cod fillets £8.70/kg
Plaice fillets £9.17/kg
Cooked and peeled prawns £9.53/kg
Raw king prawns £13.96/kg
Salmon fillets £16.89/kg
Trout fillets £18.19/kg
Scallops £18.75/kg
Tuna steak £19.98/kg
Lamb Mutton mince £3.18/kg
Shoulder £5.00/kg
Mince £6.73/kg
Leg £8.99/kg
Shanks £8.99/kg
Steak £11.34/kg
Shoulder fillets £12.50/kg
Chops £14.15/kg
Pork Shoulder joint £2.19/kg
Leg joint £2.99/kg
Pork mince £3.00/kg
Ribs £3.36/kg
Belly slices £3.78/kg
Shoulder steaks £3.89/kg
Boneless Streaky slices £4.78/kg
Trimmed rib rack £4.99/kg
Pork chops £5.97/kg
Smoked back bacon £6.88/kg
Loin Steaks £7.71/kg
Fillet £7.99/kg
Escalopes £11.67/kg
Medallions £11.67/kg

The Lord’s my Shepherd

The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
in pastures green; He leadeth me
the quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again,
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
e’en for His own name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through death’s dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill;
for Thou art with me, and Thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head Thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me;
and in God’s house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

Scottish Psalter, 1650