Monthly Archives: December 2012

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God Would Have Us Use Money – Charles Stanley

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Charles Stanley

1 Timothy 6:6-11

The world attaches far more significance to money than God ever intended it to have. Instead of simply being a means of exchange for goods and services, it has become an object of greed, a source of power and prestige, and a means of achieving status, happiness, and security. With so many false hopes pinned to wealth, we must be careful not to fall for the lies. God’s Word warns us of the dangers of giving money too much importance in our lives and advises us how to use it according to His purposes.

For personal needs: God wants the able-bodied to earn money to meet their own personal and family needs (2 Thess. 3:10). Christians should live within their means so they won’t be a burden to others.

For God’s work: Since everything we have comes from the Lord, He commanded us to give the first part of our income to Him as an act of obedience and gratitude (Prov. 3:9). Our contributions allow the gospel to be proclaimed both locally and internationally, changing the eternal destiny of countless people.

For helping others: When someone experiences a financial crisis and is truly in need, the Lord commands us to help by sharing what we have (Prov. 19:17). He never overlooks generosity and promises to repay us.

The important thing isn’t how much money we have but whether we’re using it as God commands. Acquiring more is never the way to achieve happiness and security. Yet as we obey the Lord’s instructions about finances, we’ll find the joy and contentment our hearts truly desire.

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The Manner of Waiting – Ravi Zacharias

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Ravi Z

Waiting is never easy. In our day of high speed internet, instant messaging, and fast food, waiting for anything longer than ten minutes can seem like an eternity. I remember the days as a child, when the seemingly endless fall season turned the corner towards Christmas day, how difficult it was for me and my siblings to wait to open our presents. We had such a hard time waiting that we would often coax our parents into allowing us to open some, or all of our presents on Christmas Eve. We couldn’t wait any longer, and our parents couldn’t abide another day of our whining and begging!

For Christians, the season of Advent begins a season of waiting. It marks the beginning of the liturgical church year and asks for expectant waiting of those who anticipate the coming of Christ, the King. Each new Advent season stirs expectations as Christians wait. How will the coming Lord be experienced this Advent season? Yet, perhaps more importantly, the season asks those who wait to reflect on the manner of waiting. Waiting, by its very nature, is demanding and difficult for even the most patient person. Like children who clamor to open their presents because they cannot wait any longer, we often wait impatiently, or can fall into despair as the season of waiting seems to have no end in sight.

Waiting for God is difficult; the Hebrew Scriptures tells of a whole history of Israel in waiting; waiting in the wilderness to enter the Promised Land, waiting for a king, waiting in exile for return to the land of Israel, and waiting for God to deliver them from all their oppressors. The psalmists elaborate this cry and give voice to all who cry out waiting: “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?”

Imagine, then, how their hearts stirred with expectation when a glimmer of promise arose. The prophet Isaiah cried out: “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low…Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together” (Isaiah 40:3-5). Yet, generations came and went and the years ebbed and flowed with no sign of the promised one. Israel went into exile, and the voice of the prophets became silent. Would there be a way in the wilderness, and a smooth path cut through the desert? Or would God leave the people as exiles in the wastelands?

For over two-thousand years since that time, generations have seen Advent seasons come and go, each year igniting hope and expectation as Christians anticipate Christ’s return. Unfortunately, as can happen, human beings are apt to lose hope and heart in waiting. We grow tired and weary, and we like doubters and skeptics of old ask, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). The trial in the exile of waiting involves clinging to hope and not growing weary or faint, to hold on rather than to give up. For those who would wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.

The Advent season calls all who would watch and wait to expect the Lord’s return ultimately, but also to look for the ways in which his presence comes to strengthen and uphold all who traverse every season of Advent waiting.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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CharlesSpurgeon

Morning  “I have much people in this city.” / Acts 18:10

This should be a great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among

the vilest of the vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an

elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so

because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and

they must receive it, for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as

much redeemed by blood as the saints before the eternal throne. They are

Christ’s property, and yet perhaps they are lovers of the ale-house, and

haters of holiness; but if Jesus Christ purchased them he will have them. God

is not unfaithful to forget the price which his Son has paid. He will not

suffer his substitution to be in any case an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of

thousands of redeemed ones are not regenerated yet, but regenerated they must

be; and this is our comfort when we go forth to them with the quickening Word

of God.

Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ before the throne.

“Neither pray I for these alone,” saith the great Intercessor, “but for them

also which shall believe on me through their word.” Poor, ignorant souls, they

know nothing about prayer for themselves, but Jesus prays for them. Their

names are on his breastplate, and ere long they must bow their stubborn knee,

breathing the penitential sigh before the throne of grace. “The time of figs

is not yet.” The predestinated moment has not struck; but, when it comes, they

shall obey, for God will have his own; they must, for the Spirit is not to be

withstood when he cometh forth with fulness of power–they must become the

willing servants of the living God. “My people shall be willing in the day of

my power.” “He shall justify many.” “He shall see of the travail of his soul.”

“I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil

with the strong.”

 

Evening  “Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit,

the redemption of our body.” / Romans 8:23

This groaning is universal among the saints: to a greater or less extent we

all feel it. It is not the groan of murmuring or complaint: it is rather the

note of desire than of distress. Having received an earnest, we desire the

whole of our portion; we are sighing that our entire manhood, in its trinity

of spirit, soul, and body, may be set free from the last vestige of the fall;

we long to put off corruption, weakness, and dishonour, and to wrap ourselves

in incorruption, in immortality, in glory, in the spiritual body which the

Lord Jesus will bestow upon his people. We long for the manifestation of our

adoption as the children of God. “We groan,” but it is “within ourselves.” It

is not the hypocrite’s groan, by which he would make men believe that he is a

saint because he is wretched. Our sighs are sacred things, too hallowed for us

to tell abroad. We keep our longings to our Lord alone. Then the apostle says

we are “waiting,” by which we learn that we are not to be petulant, like Jonah

or Elijah, when they said, “Let me die”; nor are we to whimper and sigh for

the end of life because we are tired of work, nor wish to escape from our

present sufferings till the will of the Lord is done. We are to groan for

glorification, but we are to wait patiently for it, knowing that what the Lord

appoints is best. Waiting implies being ready. We are to stand at the door

expecting the Beloved to open it and take us away to himself. This “groaning”

is a test. You may judge of a man by what he groans after. Some men groan

after wealth–they worship Mammon; some groan continually under the troubles

of life–they are merely impatient; but the man who sighs after God, who is

uneasy till he is made like Christ, that is the blessed man. May God help us

to groan for the coming of the Lord, and the resurrection which he will bring

to us.

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Progressive Revelation – John MacArthur

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John MacArthur

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son” (Heb. 1:1-2).

When Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets [the Old Testament]; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17), He was affirming that Scripture progressed from promise to fulfillment, from partial to complete. We call that progressive revelation.

For example, the Old Testament anticipated Christ’s coming; the New Testament records His coming. The Old Testament writers didn’t understand everything they wrote because it didn’t always apply to their day. That’s why Peter said, “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit” (1 Pet. 1:10-12).

Progressive revelation doesn’t at all imply that the Old Testament is inaccurate. The distinction isn’t in the rightness or wrongness of the revelation, but in its completeness. Just as a child progresses from letters to words to sentences, so God’s revelation progressed from types, ceremonies, and prophecies to final completion in Jesus Christ and the New Testament.

Thought incomplete by New Testament standards, the Old Testament is nonetheless fully inspired by God. That’s affirmed often in the New Testament. Peter tells us that no human writer of the Old Testament wrote of his own will, but only as he was directed by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). Paul added that “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, [and] for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16, emphasis added).

The Old Testament isn’t all of God’s truth, but all of it is true. And as you progress from the Old to the New, you see God’s character and redemptive plan unfolding in greater detail.

Suggestion for Prayer: Praise God for the fullness of revelation you enjoy in Scripture.

For Further Study:  Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

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Simply Wrapped – Greg Laurie

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greglaurie

And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. —Luke 2:12

Some people will go to great lengths to wrap a Christmas gift. They will create beautiful, ornate packages. I have no wrapping ability whatsoever. My wrapped packages look horrible. For men, wrapping paper is merely an obstacle to keep us from what we really want. We don’t care about wrapping paper. We just want to know what’s inside the package.

God’s gift did not come to us in elaborate wrapping; it came in simple wrapping. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a very humble environment. Think how difficult the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was for Mary and Joseph. Then when they arrived, they had to stay in a little stable or cave where the animals were kept. The manger was just a feeding trough for the animals. And I think that place was very cold that night. I think it smelled like any other stable. It was a very unsanitary environment in which to bring a child into the world.

I don’t say that to detract from the beauty of Christmas. Rather, I say it to add to the beauty of what God did for us. The Creator of the universe, the Almighty God who spoke creation into existence, came and humbled himself to become a little baby, born in a stable in Bethlehem.

He was not laid in the manger in satin sheets, but in rags. He was not laid in a bed of gold, befitting a king, but in a feeding trough for animals. There He was—the greatest gift of all—in simple wrapping. Jesus took His place in a manger so that we might have a home in heaven.

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Unashamed to Share the Gospel – Charles Stanley

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Charles Stanley

2 Timothy 1:6-12

The apostle Paul understood the awesome responsibility of being entrusted with the gospel. Since he considered this calling a stewardship for which he would one day give an account to the Lord, he was willing to suffer for Christ’s sake in order to complete the task. As believers, we have this same obligation to share the gospel with whomever God places in our lives. However, we must ask ourselves if we have a similar level of commitment.

Paul felt compelled to tell people about Christ. In fact, he said, “Woe is me if I do not” (1 Cor. 9:16). No matter how anyone treated him, he wasn’t ashamed of the message of Christ. The prophet Jeremiah had a similar experience (Jer. 20:7-9). Even though he became a laughingstock and was persecuted for delivering the Lord’s message of coming judgment, he discovered that not speaking created a worse feeling inside—like fire in his bones (v. 9).

We may not want to warn people about God’s judgment for fear of driving them away from Him. But in reality, the lost are already far from the Lord and need to hear about His offer of forgiveness. Paul was willing to die to get the message out, yet too often we’re not even willing to face a little discomfort in order to share our faith.

We are surrounded by people who are desperately hungry for something, and they don’t even know what. Yet we have the answer to their need—and the responsibility to share it. Never be ashamed of the best news ever offered to mankind. It can change someone’s eternal destiny.

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Christmas Triumphant – Ravi Zacharias

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Ravi Z

Triumph, this time of year, seems to come in many shades of success. Try as we may to keep a perspective of cheer or charity or readiness for the coming of Christ, many of us feel most ready for Christmas when we have met every shipping deadline, reciprocated every Christmas card, and averted every scheduling conflict. Victories that we might otherwise find slight seem to become great feats during the holidays—finding a parking spot, getting the last box of Christmas lights in stock, beating the mailman to the mailbox. Other battles continue to brew over the accepting or rejecting of manger scenes, messiahs, and “Merry Christmases” in the face of less specific holiday tales and greetings. Though we may oscillate between who or what we are fighting against—the clock, the perfect hostess, the family stressors, the agendas of others—we seem to work toward Christmas one small feat at a time.

But as I sang the lyrics to a song during the lighting of the first Advent candle, I was silenced by the image of a victory we need do nothing but join.

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th’angelic host proclaim,

“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

The triumph we are invited to join as we celebrate Christmas is far bigger than our best Christmases and more real than our worst. There are generations of believers offering the same cries of victory shouted on the very first Christmas night: Christ was born! God came near. God is with us! The birth of Jesus was orchestrated at the hands of God long before the inn would be full or the shepherds would be in their fields by night, long before my traditions would seem etched in stone, or my culture would remove the Nativity from the public arena.

While there are perhaps some victories to rightfully seek this season, many others can likely be forsaken; for the triumph of a God who came near to bridge a separation forged long ago in the garden is a victory already won.  The triumph Christians ask the world to join as we celebrate Christ’s birth is a triumph known from the beginning, foreseen by the prophets, heralded by John the Baptist, and cherished by witnesses whose voices still cry out the incredible news of the Christmas story:

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying:

‘Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”

ill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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CharlesSpurgeon

Morning “There is no spot in thee.” / Song of Solomon 4:7

Having pronounced his Church positively full of beauty, our Lord confirms his

praise by a precious negative, “There is no spot in thee.” As if the thought

occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate that he had

only mentioned her comely parts, and had purposely omitted those features

which were deformed or defiled, he sums up all by declaring her universally

and entirely fair, and utterly devoid of stain. A spot may soon be removed,

and is the very least thing that can disfigure beauty, but even from this

little blemish the believer is delivered in his Lord’s sight. If he had said

there is no hideous scar, no horrible deformity, no deadly ulcer, we might

even then have marvelled; but when he testifies that she is free from the

slightest spot, all these other forms of defilement are included, and the

depth of wonder is increased. If he had but promised to remove all spots

by-and-by, we should have had eternal reason for joy; but when he speaks of it

as already done, who can restrain the most intense emotions of satisfaction

and delight? O my soul, here is marrow and fatness for thee; eat thy full, and

be satisfied with royal dainties.

Christ Jesus has no quarrel with his spouse. She often wanders from him, and

grieves his Holy Spirit, but he does not allow her faults to affect his love.

He sometimes chides, but it is always in the tenderest manner, with the

kindest intentions: it is “my love” even then. There is no remembrance of our

follies, he does not cherish ill thoughts of us, but he pardons and loves as

well after the offence as before it. It is well for us it is so, for if Jesus

were as mindful of injuries as we are, how could he commune with us? Many a

time a believer will put himself out of humour with the Lord for some slight

turn in providence, but our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well

to take any offence at our ill manners.

 

Evening   “The Lord mighty in battle.” / Psalm 24:8

Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of his people, seeing that he has

wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. For them, the Lord Jesus

upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces

by his finished work of satisfactory obedience; by his triumphant resurrection

and ascension he completely overturned the hopes of hell, leading captivity

captive, making a show of our enemies openly, triumphing over them by his

cross. Every arrow of guilt which Satan might have shot at us is broken, for

who can lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? Vain are the sharp swords

of infernal malice, and the perpetual battles of the serpent’s seed, for in

the midst of the church the lame take the prey, and the feeblest warriors are

crowned.

The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the

arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion

broken. What victories has grace won in our evil hearts! How glorious is Jesus

when the will is subdued, and sin dethroned! As for our remaining corruptions,

they shall sustain an equally sure defeat, and every temptation, and doubt,

and fear, shall be utterly destroyed. In the Salem of our peaceful hearts, the

name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he has won our love, and he shall wear

it. Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. We are more than

conquerors through him that loved us. We shall cast down the powers of

darkness which are in the world, by our faith, and zeal, and holiness; we

shall win sinners to Jesus, we shall overturn false systems, we shall convert

nations, for God is with us, and none shall stand before us. This evening let

the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for to-morrow’s fight.

Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

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Penetrating the Box – John MacArthur

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John MacArthur

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son” (Heb. 1:1-2).

Since the beginning of time, man has deceived himself by thinking he can discover God through various religions. But in reality, man lives in a box enclosed within the walls of time and space. God is outside the box, and man senses He’s there but can’t get to Him. Each new religion is but another futile attempt to penetrate the walls of the box and catch a glimpse of God.

Man’s only hope is for God to enter the box, which Hebrews 1:1-2 declares He did: first by letter (the Old Testament), then in person (in Jesus Christ). Regarding God’s Word David said, “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:2). Jeremiah added, “The Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth'” (Jer. 1:9). Of Christ, the apostle John said, “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him” (John 1:14, 18).

The irony of people thinking they can discover God on their own is that apart from the Holy Spirit’s leading, no one really wants to find Him. They merely want to add a cosmic good luck charm to their lives or satiate their guilty consciences. Paul said, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God” (Rom. 3:10-11, emphasis added).

God could have left us in our sin and ignorance, but He penetrated the box and revealed everything we need to know for redemption and fellowship with Him. What a privilege we have to study His Word and live by its principles! Be diligent to do so each day.

Suggestion for Prayer: Praise God for granting you the ability to appreciate His Word.

For Further Study: Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, noting how natural (unregenerate) people respond to divine revelation.

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Are You Prepared? – Greg Laurie

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greglaurie

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.—1 John 2:28

When the first Christmas came, when Jesus was born, most people missed it. Of course, there were no telltale signs like reindeer on front lawns. No Christmas songs had been written. There were no colorful, twinkling lights or sales at the downtown market. Children did not find it hard to sleep that night, because it was a night like any other night.

But the first Christmas was not without its signs, which dated back a few centuries. The Hebrew prophets had predicted the Messiah was coming, and they were very specific in pointing out that he would be born of a virgin in the little village of Bethlehem: ” ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting’ ” (Micah 5:2).

On the first Christmas, it was pretty much business as usual. Things had been bleak for the Jewish people for some time. There had been an icy silence from heaven. Four hundred years had passed, and there had not been a single prophet to speak for God. There had been no miracles performed. They were under the tyranny of Rome. Things were very dark. It was time for the Messiah.

Yet when He finally arrived, so many missed it: The innkeeper. The people of Bethlehem. The scholars. Herod. All of Rome. Only a handful of people got it and were ready.

Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth again. The question is, have we done more to prepare for the celebration of a past event than we have for a future one? We may all be ready for Christmas, but are we ready for the return of Christ?

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Secure Saving Faith – Charles Stanley

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Charles Stanley

Those who believe salvation can be lost often ask an insightful question about the relationship between salvation and faith. The question goes something like this: If our salvation is gained through believing in Christ, doesn’t it make sense that salvation can be lost if we quit believing?

To answer this question, we must see what saves us. Paul tells us that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8–9). The instrument of salvation is grace. God came up with a plan and carried it out through Christ. We didn’t take part in it; we didn’t deserve any part of it. It was grace from start to finish. We are saved by grace through faith. “Through faith” is important, but often misunderstood. “Through” is translated from the Greek word dia, which carries the idea of “means” or “agency.” Faith was the agent whereby God was able to apply His grace to the life of the sinner.

Faith is simply the way we say yes to God’s free gift of eternal life. Faith and salvation are not one and the same any more than a gift and the hand that receives it are the same. Salvation stands independently of faith. Consequently, God does not require a constant attitude of faith in order to be saved—only an act of faith in Christ.

You and I are not saved because we have enduring faith. Faith is not a power we tap into or a button we push to prod God into action. Rather, faith is confidence that God will do what He has promised. We are saved because we’ve expressed trust that the Lord Jesus has really saved us.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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CharlesSpurgeon

Morning  “Thou art all fair, my love.” / Song of Solomon 4:7

The Lord’s admiration of his Church is very wonderful, and his description of

her beauty is very glowing. She is not merely fair, but “all fair.” He views

her in himself, washed in his sin-atoning blood and clothed in his meritorious

righteousness, and he considers her to be full of comeliness and beauty. No

wonder that such is the case, since it is but his own perfect excellency that

he admires; for the holiness, glory, and perfection of his Church are his own

glorious garments on the back of his own well-beloved spouse. She is not

simply pure, or well-proportioned; she is positively lovely and fair! She has

actual merit! Her deformities of sin are removed; but more, she has through

her Lord obtained a meritorious righteousness by which an actual beauty is

conferred upon her. Believers have a positive righteousness given to them when

they become “accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6). Nor is the Church barely

lovely, she is superlatively so. Her Lord styles her “Thou fairest among

women.” She has a real worth and excellence which cannot be rivalled by all

the nobility and royalty of the world. If Jesus could exchange his elect bride

for all the queens and empresses of earth, or even for the angels in heaven,

he would not, for he puts her first and foremost–“fairest among women.” Like

the moon she far outshines the stars. Nor is this an opinion which he is

ashamed of, for he invites all men to hear it. He sets a “behold” before it, a

special note of exclamation, inviting and arresting attention. “Behold, thou

art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair” (Song of Sol. 4:1). His opinion he

publishes abroad even now, and one day from the throne of his glory he will

avow the truth of it before the assembled universe. “Come, ye blessed of my

Father” (Matt. 25:34), will be his solemn affirmation of the loveliness of his

elect.

 

Evening  “Behold, all is vanity.” / Ecclesiastes 1:14

Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord’s love and the Lord’s own

self. Saints have tried to anchor in other roadsteads, but they have been

driven out of such fatal refuges. Solomon, the wisest of men, was permitted to

make experiments for us all, and to do for us what we must not dare to do for

ourselves. Here is his testimony in his own words: “So I was great, and

increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom

remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I

withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour:

and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that

my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and,

behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under

the sun.” “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What! the whole of it vanity? O

favoured monarch, is there nothing in all thy wealth? Nothing in that wide

dominion reaching from the river even to the sea? Nothing in Palmyra’s

glorious palaces? Nothing in the house of the forest of Lebanon? In all thy

music and dancing, and wine and luxury, is there nothing? “Nothing,” he says,

“but weariness of spirit.” This was his verdict when he had trodden the whole

round of pleasure. To embrace our Lord Jesus, to dwell in his love, and be

fully assured of union with him–this is all in all. Dear reader, you need not

try other forms of life in order to see whether they are better than the

Christian’s: if you roam the world around, you will see no sights like a sight

of the Saviour’s face; if you could have all the comforts of life, if you lost

your Saviour, you would be wretched; but if you win Christ, then should you

rot in a dungeon, you would find it a paradise; should you live in obscurity,

or die with famine, you will yet be satisfied with favour and full of the

goodness of the Lord.

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Jesus: Our Great HighPriest – John MacArthur

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John MacArthur

The point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb. 8:1).

Access to God was always a problem for the Jewish people. Exodus 33:20 declares that no man can see God and live. Once each year, on the great Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Jewish high priest entered into the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelt in a unique sense, to approach God on behalf of the people.

God’s covenant with Israel was the basis for their communion with Him. And the sacrificial system that accompanied the Old Covenant gave the people an outward act to represent their inner repentance. But their sacrifices were incessant because their sin was incessant. They needed a perfect priest and sacrifice to provide access to God permanently. That’s exactly what Jesus was and did.

Hebrews 10 says that Jesus offered His body as a sacrifice for mankind’s sins once for all, then sat down at the right hand of the Father (vv. 10, 12). That was a revolutionary concept to Jewish thinking. A priest on duty could never sit down because his work was never done. But Jesus introduced a new and wonderful element into the sacrificial system: one sacrifice, offered once, sufficient for all time. That was the basis of the New Covenant.

Our Lord’s priesthood is permanent and perpetual: “Because He abides forever, [He] holds His priesthood permanently. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:24-25). That’s the central message of the book of Hebrews.

It wasn’t easy for the Jewish people to accept the need for a new covenant. Most rejected Christ outright. Similarly, many people today reject His priesthood, supposing they can gain access to God on their own terms. But they’re tragically mistaken. Jesus Himself said, “No one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).

Suggestion for Prayer:   Praise God for receiving you into His presence through His Son, Jesus Christ.

For Further Study:   Read Hebrews 10:19-25, noting how God wants you to respond to Christ’s priesthood.

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The Reason for Our Boldness – Charles Stanley

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Charles Stanley

Romans 1:14-15

Even though most Christians are very familiar with the gospel, many are reluctant to share their faith because they just don’t feel capable of explaining it to someone else. When we lack confidence in our knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ, fear of negative reactions or possible questions can keep us from opening our mouths. What if we don’t have the answers or end up looking like a fool? It’s just too intimidating.

But remember, God has given us the most important message in the world. Since we are confronted by so many unscriptural philosophies and religious deceptions, we need to understand the gospel and be able to present it with confidence and boldness. We can’t let fear or ignorance keep us from giving a lost world the only message that can change a person’s eternal destiny.

The apostle Paul welcomed every opportunity to tell people about Christ, because he focused on the gospel’s life-changing power rather than the negative reactions he might encounter. Oftentimes, the reason we are ashamed to talk about our faith is that we’re concerned about ourselves. But if we begin to look at the hurting people around us, express genuine interest in them, and ask God to open a door for us to share our faith, He will answer that prayer.

We tend to be motivated by temporal activities that eventually fade away. But people are forever, and they need to know the Savior. Look for opportunities to reach out: notice their expressions; ask how they’re doing. When their need stirs your heart, you’ll be eager to offer them the gospel.

2000 post for this site!

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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CharlesSpurgeon

Morning  “Thou hast made summer and winter.” / Psalm 74:17

My soul begin this wintry month with thy God. The cold snows and the piercing

winds all remind thee that he keeps his covenant with day and night, and tend

to assure thee that he will also keep that glorious covenant which he has made

with thee in the person of Christ Jesus. He who is true to his Word in the

revolutions of the seasons of this poor sin-polluted world, will not prove

unfaithful in his dealings with his own well-beloved Son.

Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee

just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely,

that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds

of expectation: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant

meadows of our joy: he casteth forth his ice like morsels freezing the streams

of our delight. He does it all, he is the great Winter King, and rules in the

realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses,

heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord’s

sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put

a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soil. O

that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!

How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in

the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and

comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to him, and in him find joy

and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of his

promises, and go forth to labours which befit the season, for it were ill to

be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold; for he shall beg

in summer and have nothing.

 

Evening  “O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful

works to the children of men.” / Psalm 107:8

If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would

be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies–common as we

frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are

ready to perish. Let us bless God for the eyes with which we behold the sun,

for the health and strength to walk abroad, for the bread we eat, for the

raiment we wear. Let us praise him that we are not cast out among the

hopeless, or confined amongst the guilty; let us thank him for liberty, for

friends, for family associations and comforts; let us praise him, in fact, for

everything which we receive from his bounteous hand, for we deserve little,

and yet are most plenteously endowed. But, beloved, the sweetest and the

loudest note in our songs of praise should be of redeeming love. God’s

redeeming acts towards his chosen are forever the favourite themes of their

praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our sonnets of

thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions,

uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have

been led to the cross of Christ–our shackles of guilt have been broken off;

we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can antedate the

period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or

any such thing. Even now by faith we wave the palm-branch and wrap ourselves

about with the fair linen which is to be our everlasting array, and shall we

not unceasingly give thanks to the Lord our Redeemer? Child of God, canst thou

be silent? Awake, awake, ye inheritors of glory, and lead your captivity

captive, as ye cry with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is

within me, bless his holy name.” Let the new month begin with new songs.

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Christ is superior to everyone and everything. – John MacArthur

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John MacArthur

“God . . . has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:1-3).

The book of Hebrews was addressed to an audience composed of Jewish Christians, Jewish non-Christians who were intellectually convinced about Jesus but hadn’t yet committed themselves to Him, and Jewish non-Christians who didn’t believe the gospel at all.

The author’s goal was to demonstrate Christ’s superiority over everyone and everything that had preceded Him, whether Old Testament persons, institutions, rituals, or sacrifices. He specifically contrasted Christ with angels, Moses, Joshua, Aaron and his priesthood, the Old Covenant, and the sacrificial system.

The Jewish believers needed this focus on Christ’s superiority because most of them were suffering some form of persecution because of their Christian testimony. Some were in danger of confusing the gospel with Jewish ceremonies and legalism, and drifting back into their former practices.

Those who were intellectually convinced but spiritually uncommitted needed to be warned not to stop at that point, but to go all the way to saving faith. They were in danger of committing the greatest sin any person can commit: rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Those who didn’t believe in Christ as all needed to see that Jesus was in fact who He claimed to be. To such people the author explains the unique priesthood of Christ, and the urgency of turning to Him in faith.

Within your circle of friends and associates, you probably have Christians who are weak of faith and need your encouragement and instruction. Be available to minister to them whenever possible.

Undoubtedly you also know people who are intellectually convinced that Jesus is who He claimed to be, but aren’t willing to embrace Him as their Lord. Don’t be shy about urging them to move on to salvation.

To those who reject Christ outright, boldly proclaim the gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to convict their hearts.

Suggestion for Prayer: Praise Christ for His preeminence and surpassing grace.

For Further Study: Read Hebrews 1-2. To whom does the writer compare Christ? Be specific.

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God’s Christmas Gift – Greg Laurie

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greglaurie

Over the years, the legendary Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog has featured some pretty extravagant gifts.

The 1963 catalog offered his-and-her submarines for $18,000. In the 1964 catalog, you could buy a hot air balloon for $6,000. In 1967, the catalog’s offerings included a pair of camels for $4,000. And in 1971, an actual mummy case was selling for $16,000. But in 2006, Neiman Marcus upped the ante with a trip to outer space for $1.7 million.

Maybe a ticket to space isn’t at the top of your wish list this year, but perhaps you have certain expectations of what you hope to find waiting for you under the Christmas tree. If you put your hope in what Christmas offers, however, you will be very disappointed.

But if you can get past that to what Christmas is really all about, it truly can be “the most wonderful time of the year.”

The wise men brought the rather unusual gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. But the first Christmas gifts were not gifts to the Child. The first Christmas gift was the gift of the Child.

Christmas, at its best and purest state, is a promise of something else, something that no holiday or experience or earthly thing can satisfy. Galatians 4:4–5 says, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (NIV). Isaiah 9:6 offers a description of what God has given to us:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (NKJV)

Each of the above names of Jesus deals with an important area of our lives. They are like five Christmas gifts that we can open, and each is special and unusual.

First, His name is Wonderful. That takes care of the dullness of life. “Wonderful” comes from the root word “wonder.” The word used here could also be translated as “amazing, surprising, astonishing, or awe-inspiring.” And as I contemplate the fact that the Almighty God made this sacrifice for me, it will produce in my heart a sense of bewilderment, awe, and, finally, worship.

Second, His name is Counselor. That takes care of the decisions of life. We all have very important decisions that we have to make. The God who is Wonderful wants to give us counsel and direction. God has a plan for each of our lives—an individual plan, not a one-size-fits-all plan. When you are overwhelmed with the decisions of life, remember that there is a God who wants to counsel you.

Third, He is the Mighty God. That takes care of the demands of life. We need to be reminded that Jesus was not just a good man. He was the God-man. And this God who is Wonderful, this God who wants to be your Counselor, will give you the strength to live the life He has called you to live.

Fourth, His name is Everlasting Father. That takes care of the destiny of life. We believe in an Everlasting Father with no beginning and with no end. It reminds us that life on Earth is temporal, that heaven is so much better than anything this world has to offer.

Also, this hope of an Everlasting Father resonates with those who have never had an earthly father. Because of what Jesus did for us, we can now refer to the Almighty God, Creator of the universe, as our Father who is in heaven.

Fifth, His name is the Prince of Peace. That takes care of the disturbances of life. Life is filled with disturbances and, quite frankly, Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Old problems are often brought back to the surface. Friction, stress, and problems that you are having with various family members can be at the forefront of your life at this time of year.

But here is One who is the Prince of Peace, One who will help you with the disturbances of life.

Whatever gifts you may have waiting for you this Christmas, they pale in comparison to God’s gift for you. It is better than anything the Neiman Marcus catalog can offer. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving: the gift of eternal life