Tag Archives: Bible

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – The Body of Divinity in Miniature

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

I will love them freely.

Hosea 14:4

This sentence is a body of divinity in miniature. Whoever grasps its meaning is a theologian, and whoever is able to dive into its fullness is a learned professor! It is a summary of the glorious message of salvation that was delivered to us in Christ Jesus our Redeemer.

The sense hinges upon the word “freely.” This is the glorious, the suitable, the divine way by which love streams from heaven to earth, a spontaneous love flowing out to those who neither deserved it, purchased it, nor sought after it. It is, indeed, the only way in which God can love such as we are.

The text is a death-blow to all sorts of fitness: “I will love them freely.”

Now, if there were any fitness necessary in us, then He would not love us freely; at least, this would be a hindrance and a drawback to the freeness of it. But it stands: “I will love them freely.”

We complain, “Lord, my heart is so hard.”

“I will love them freely.”

“But I do not feel my need of Christ as I ought to.”

“I will not love you because you feel your need; I will love you freely.”

“But I do not feel that softening of spirit that I should desire.”

Remember, the softening of spirit is not a condition, for there are no conditions; the covenant of grace has no conditionality whatever. So we without any fitness may rest upon the promise of God that was made to us in Christ Jesus when He said, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned.”1 It is blessed to know that the grace of God is free to us at all times, without preparation, without fitness, without money, and without price!

“I will love them freely.” These words invite apostates to return: Indeed, the text was specially written for such-“I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely.”

Apostate, surely the generosity of the promise will immediately break your heart, and you will return and seek your injured Father’s face.

1John 3:18

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The High Priest standing between the dead and the living

1 Comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.” Numbers 16:47, 48

Suggested Further Reading: Hebrews 4:14-5: 10

Jesus, the propitiator, is to be looked upon as the ordained one—called of God as was Aaron. Settled in eternity as being the predestined propitiation for sin, he came into the world as an ordained priest of God; receiving his ordination not from man, neither by man; but like Melchisedec, the priest of the most high God, without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, he is a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Stand back, sons of Korah, all of you who call yourselves priests. I can scarce imagine that any man in this world who takes to himself the title of a priest, unless he takes it in the sense in which all God’s people are priests,—I cannot imagine that a priest can enter heaven. I would not say a thing too stern or too severe; but I do most thoroughly believe that an assumption of the office of priest is so base an assumption of the priestly office of Christ, that I could as well conceive of a man being saved who called himself God, as conceive of a man being saved who called himself a priest; if he really means what he says, he has so trampled upon the priestly prerogative of Christ, that it seems to me he has touched the very crown jewels, and is guilty of a blasphemy, which, unless it be repented of, shall surely bring damnation on his head. Shake your garments, you ministers of Christ, from all priestly assumption; come out from among them; touch not the unclean thing. There are no priests now specially to minister among men. Jesus Christ and he only is the priest of his Church. He has made all of us priests and kings unto our God.

For meditation: Because the Christian has a Father in heaven, he is not to call any man his spiritual father on earth (Matthew 23:9); because the Christian has a great High Priest in heaven (1 Timothy 2:5), he is not to regard any man as his priest on earth. We are no longer living in Old Testament times!

Sermon no. 341

22 October (Preached 21 October 1860)

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Simple, Believing Prayer

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking…. For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.—Matthew 6:7–8

We must develop confidence in simple, believing prayer. We need the confidence that even if we simply say, “God, help me,” He hears and will answer. We can depend on God to be faithful to do what we have asked Him to do, as long as our request is in accordance with His will. We should know that He wants to help us because He is our Helper (Hebrews 13:6).

Too often we get caught up in our own works concerning prayer. Sometimes we try to pray so long, loud, and fancy that we lose sight of the fact that prayer is our conversation with God. The length or loudness or eloquence of our prayer is not the issue; it is the sincerity of our heart and the confidence we have that God hears and will answer us that is important.

Sometimes we try to sound so devout and elegant that we get lost. We don’t even know what we are trying to pray about. If we could ever get delivered from trying to impress God, we would be a lot better off.

Lord, free me from the belief that my prayers must be eloquent and just right. Keep reminding me that what You really want from me is a heartfelt conversation. Amen.

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – No Longer Slaves

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“And you are My friends if you obey Me. I no longer call you slaves, for a master doesn’t confide in slaves; now you are My friends, proved by the fact that I have told you everything the Father told Me” (John 15:14,15).

How many really close friends do you have? Not many, I think you will agree, for a close friend is one in whom you confide regularly. who knows you just as you are and loves you just the same.

So it is with our heavenly Friend, the one who “sticks closer than a brother.” And how do we earn the right to become that kind of intimate friend? Simply by obeying His commands, “which are not grievous,” but really are necessary to keep us in the straight and narrow path and to give us a happy, blessed life.

In a sense, of course, we are still His bondslaves, His servants, but He deigns to call us His friends if we love Him enough to obey His commands. And He proves His friendship by sharing with us all that the Father has shared with Him. What greater friend could we have?

Jesus not only called His disciples friends, but He also treated them as friends. He opened His mind to them, made known His plans and acquainted them with the plan of His coming. His death, His resurrection and ascension. He followed this proof of His friendship with the actual title of friend.

Oh, that you and I might see Him today truly as our friend – one who sticks closer than a brother or sister or mother or father.

Bible Reading: John 15:11-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: As I take inventory of my real friends today, I will especially include the one Friend above all friends, the Lord Jesus Christ, the source of the supernatural life which God has commanded me to live.

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R.- Another Fine Mess

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Film comic Stan Laurel of “Laurel and Hardy” was hugely successful as an actor. As a husband…not so much. Here is the short version of his biography – but be warned: it’s difficult to follow. Stan first married Lois. Then he married Virginia. Then he married Vera, a Russian singer he said had “a terrific temper.” There were questions about whether their earlier divorces were legal, so he actually married Vera three separate times. They divorced after Stan dug a hole in their backyard and tried to bury her alive. Then he married Virginia for a second time, divorced her again, and married Ida.

Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”

Psalm 118:4

Laurel and Hardy’s trademark phrase “another fine mess” could certainly describe Stan’s personal life, but really, that’s true for all of us. We live in a fear-filled world filled with messed up and broken relationships. For many people, love is fleeting, not permanent. But thank God, His love “endures forever.” Nothing can ever shake it.

Today, pray for help in loving others faithfully and unconditionally. The state of things in Washington might be “another fine mess,” but with God’s blessings, that won’t be the state of your home or your heart.

Recommended Reading: I John 3:11-23

 

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Solemn Witnesses

Leave a comment

greglaurie

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

—Acts 5:29

When there is an accident, police officers will try and locate witnesses to ask them what they saw and heard. A witness’s objective is not to make up something or to try and make the story better than it actually was. No, a witness is simply to state what he or she saw—plainly. Just the facts, ma’am.

That is what believers are to do. We are to give testimony to what we know is true. The apostle John wrote in his epistle, “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you” (1 John 1:3).

If you walk in fellowship with God, He will be working in your life. He will be showing you things from His Word that will help you to grow spiritually. You will find that these things will overflow, sort of like wringing out a sponge. When we are full of the things of God, it comes out because we are sharing what we know is true.

There is also a seriousness to it, however. The word testify means to solemnly give witness. As we tell others about Christ, there is a gravity to it. Yes, we want to talk about how God loves us and will forgive us and come into a relationship with us. But the heavy part is the fact that there is a judgment, and there is a hell for the person who rejects God’s offer of forgiveness. We are to share this truth with all seriousness.

Yet in a lot of evangelistic presentations today, there is no message of hell or judgment. We sort of edit out that part because we are afraid we might offend someone. But my concern is that if I don’t include it, then I will offend God. And I would rather offend a person than God.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Make a Plan

Leave a comment

Max Lucado

You can’t control the weather. You aren’t in charge of the economy. You can’t un-wreck the car. But you can map out a strategy. Remember, God is in this crisis. Ask Him to give you a plan, two or three steps you can take today.

Seek counsel from someone who’s faced a similar challenge. Ask friends to pray.  Look for resources. Reach out to a support group. Make a plan!

You’d prefer a miracle?  You’d rather see the bread multiplied or the stormy sea turned to glassy calm in a finger snap? God may do this. Then again, He may tell you, “I’m with you. And I can use this for good. Now, let’s make a plan.”

God’s sovereignty doesn’t negate our responsibility. Just the opposite.  It empowers it. Trust God to do what you can’t. Obey God and do what you can! You’ll get through this.

From You’ll Get Through This

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — O Glorious Day!

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Matthew 27:27-31;28:1-6

He is not here; for He is risen. —Matthew 28:6

It was the day after. My favorite team had just lost its final game and the dream of a championship was now over. It was cold out and a bit gloomy as I got in the car to go to work. None of this should have mattered much, but it was shaping up to be a blue Monday.

But then a song came on the radio that transformed my perspective. It was Casting Crowns singing “Glorious Day.” “One day they led [Christ] up Calvary’s mountain, one day they nailed Him to die on a tree.” Nothing encouraging yet. “Suffering anguish, despised and rejected”—more bad news. But then the song describes the good news of Christ’s resurrection and His victory over death.

Out of that worst of days—out of the noontime darkness on that Jerusalem hillside—has come the only true hope for mankind. Because Jesus “took the nails for me,” as the song says, “He carried my sins far away.” And one day He’s coming back—“O glorious day!”

Perhaps today did not start out well for you. Maybe you face a host of trouble that threatens to turn this into a day of despair. Turn your attention to Jesus. Review what He did for you at Calvary and how He conquered death by His resurrection: “He is not here; for He is risen”! (Matt. 28:6). That can make any day a glorious day! —Dave Branon

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever;

One day He’s coming—O glorious day! —Chapman

Christ’s empty tomb fills us with hope.

Bible in a year: Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1

 

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – How Much Do You Owe?

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

For the love of Christ controls us.

2 Corinthians 5:14

How much do you owe to my Lord? Has He ever done anything for you? Has He forgiven your sins? Has He covered you with a robe of righteousness? Has He set your feet upon a rock? Has He established your goings? Has He prepared heaven for you? Has He prepared you for heaven? Has He written your name in His Book of Life? Has He given you countless blessings? Has He laid up for you a store of mercies, which eye has not seen nor ear heard?

Then do something for Jesus that is worthy of His love. Do not give a mere wordy offering to a dying Redeemer. How will you feel when your Master comes if you have to confess that you did nothing for Him but kept your love shut up, like a stagnant pool, neither flowing out to the poor nor to His work? Be done with that kind of love! What do men think of a love that never shows itself in action? Why, they say, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.”1 Who will accept a love so weak that it does not stir you to a single act of self-denial, generosity, heroism, or zeal?

Consider how He has loved you and given Himself for you! Do you know the power of that love? Then let it be like a rushing, mighty wind to your soul to sweep out the clouds of your worldliness and clear away the mists of sin. For Christ’s sake let this be the tongue of fire that sits upon you: For Christ’s sake let this be the divine excitement, the heavenly empowerment to bear you up from earth, the divine spirit that will make you bold as lions and swift as eagles in your Lord’s service. Love should give wings to the feet of service and strength to the arms of industry. Fixed on God with a constancy that is not to be shaken, determined to honor Him with a zeal that is not to be turned aside, and pressing on with a passion that doesn’t waver, let us display the constraints of love for Jesus. May the divine magnet draw us toward heaven itself.

1Isaiah 40:27

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Christ’s prayer for his people

2 Comments

CharlesSpurgeon

“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” John 17:15

Suggested Further Reading: Philippians 1:19-26

We never have any encouragement to ask God to let us die. Christians are always wanting to die when they have any trouble or trial. You ask them why? “Because we would be with the Lord.” O yes, they want to be with the Lord, when troubles and temptations come upon them. But it is not because they are yearning to be with the Lord, it is because they desire to get rid of their troubles. They want to get home, not so much for the Saviour’s company, as to get out of the little hard work. They did not wish to go away when they were in quiet and prosperity. Like lazy fellows, as most of us are, when we get into a little labour we beg to go home. It is quite right sometimes that you should desire to depart, because you would not prove yourself to be a true Israelite if you did not want to go to Jerusalem. You may pray to be taken home out of the world, but Christ will not take up the petition. When your prayers come to the Lord, this little one may try to get amongst them, but Christ will say, “I do not know anything about you, ‘I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.’” You may wish it sincerely, and really desire it, but you will not at present get your Master to pray with you. Instead, then, of crying, or wishing to be away from the battle, brace yourself up in the name of the Lord. Every wish to escape the fight is but a desertion of your Master.

For meditation: Elijah prayed it while he was afraid for his life (1 Kings 19:3,4)! But God had a different departure planned for him (2 Kings 2:11). Jonah prayed it twice when he was angry (Jonah 4:3,9) soon after begging God to deliver him from drowning (Jonah 2:2,7). What a good thing God rejects our foolish requests when we or they are outside his will. Paul had the mind of Christ on this matter.

Sermon no. 47

21 October (1855)

 

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Obeying God’s Commands

1 Comment

John MacArthur

“The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Ps. 19:8).

It isn’t popular these days to speak of God’s Word as a book of commandments. Commands imply law and we’re accustomed to grace. But the fact is, both the Old and New Testaments contain many commandments that all God’s people are to obey.

The apostle John said, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected” (1 John 2:3-5). John equated the commandments of God with the Word of God.

Jesus Himself said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father” (v. 21). If you truly love Christ, your life will be characterized by a pattern of obedience to His Word.

Every commandment of God is “pure”, the psalmist said (Ps. 19:8). Its effect is “enlightening the eyes.” God’s Word brings spiritual truth into clear focus. Not every passage of Scripture is easy to understand, but taken as a whole, the message of the Bible is clear to the regenerate mind.

But as clear as the Bible is to believers, unredeemed people can’t understand it. To them it’s foolishness because their minds are unenlightened (1 Cor. 2:14). In their spiritual blindness they choose humanistic philosophical speculations over God’s Word. But as a believer, you are continually being enlightened by the truths of God’s Word as the Holy Spirit enables you to understand and apply them to your life.

Your ability to understand the Word is a priceless gift. Take advantage of it daily by expanding your Bible knowledge and increasing your obedience.

Suggestions for Prayer:

•  Thank the Lord for opening your mind to the truths of His Word.

•  Commit yourself to discovering at least one additional truth from Scripture each day.

For Further Study:

Read 1 Corinthians 2:14-16. What comparison did Paul make between the natural (unregenerate) man and the spiritual (regenerate) man?

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Proper Recognition

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

A phobia is an inexplicable and illogical fear of something. If you look up types of phobias, you will find an A to Z list of fears ranging from aerophobia, the fear of flying, to zoophobia, the fear of animals. Some fears seem almost comical, but they’re anything but funny to the person experiencing them.

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. II Timothy 1:7

Phobias, anxiety, worry, or a sense that a disaster or crisis is about to occur are all forms of the “spirit” of fear. Today’s verse says this does not originate with God. It comes from the enemy, Satan, with the specific purpose of paralyzing Christians and keeping them from the purpose the Lord intends for them. When you find yourself plagued by fear, remember God has commanded His followers countless times in His Word to “fear not.”

What is it you are afraid of? Recognize it doesn’t come from God and pray for His help to use the power and self-control He gives you to overcome it. Pray also for the nation’s leaders and Christians to overcome their fears and stand up for what is right.

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 41:8-13

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God is in the Crisis

Leave a comment

Max Lucado

Do you recite your woes more naturally than you do heaven’s strength?  No wonder life’s tough. You’re assuming God isn’t in this crisis.

Isabel spent her first three and a half years in a Nicaraguan orphanage. As with all orphans, her odds of adoption diminished with time. And then the door slammed on her finger! Why would God permit this innocent girl to feel even more pain? Might He be calling the attention of Ryan Schnoke sitting in the playroom nearby? He and his wife had been trying to adopt a child for months! Ryan walked over, picked her up, and comforted her. Several months later, Ryan and Christina were close to giving up, and Ryan remembered Isabel. Little Isabel is now growing up in a happy, healthy home.

A finger in the door? God doesn’t manufacture pain, but He certainly puts it to use!  Your crisis?  You’ll get through this!

From You’ll Get Through This

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How do I maintain my hope in the midst of adversity?

1 Comment

Charles Stanley

Maintaining Hope

Have you ever felt ignored by God? Have you wondered why others are blessed, while the Lord continues to allow suffering, disappointment, and hardship in your life?

Scripture records the stories of faithful believers who were able to maintain their hope in the midst of painful circumstances. The apostle Paul is a perfect example. He experienced persecution, beatings, unfair trials, imprisonment, and sickness, among other frustrations. Let’s explore what he discovered about rising above adversity.

  1. Fulfillment in life does not hinge on our circumstances.
    A. A change in scenery will never bring lasting joy. Some people believe that personal contentment is linked to one’s circumstances. Consequently, when they become frustrated with life, they might quit their job, sell their house, divorce their spouse, or buy a new car. A little while later, they begin to feel unsatisfied again.
    • Have you ever believed a certain circumstance would bring you contentment, and then been disappointed when it arrived and didn’t satisfy? Describe the situation and how you felt.
    • From this experience, what did you learn and how can you apply that to your current circumstances?

B. Paul discovered that the “secret” to contentment was not found in things, but in a Person (Phil. 4:11-12). As believers, we find joy in our relationship with the Lord, not in our circumstances.

    • What hardships did Paul experience, according to 2 Corinthians 11:24-27?
    • Having experienced all that, why did Paul say he was content? Read 2 Corinthians 12:10 and Romans 15:13.

God can show us how to be satisfied, regardless of our circumstances, if we will rely on Him. When we don’t find our joy in the Lord, we’ll spend the majority of our time trying to improve circumstances (or escape trial) rather than serving Christ.

  1. God’s grace is sufficient during adversity.
    A. Paul discovered that God’s power is most evident when we are weak. God did not remove Paul’s thorn. But what the Lord gave him was far better in the long run. God granted Paul the grace he needed to endure his hardship victoriously (2 Corinthians 12:9). Weakness forces us to depend on God’s power.

    • Have you ever experienced God’s power at a time when you had little strength of your own? If so, describe that situation.

B. God’s grace is more than sufficient for anything we will encounter. Paul left his home and family to plant churches in hostile environments, and as a result, he was persecuted, imprisoned, stoned, and left for dead. Yet, somehow he was content.

    • In what area of life do you need God’s strength?
    • Write a prayer, asking God to show you how to depend on His strength to overcome this difficulty or weakness.
  1. The key to advancing through adversity is to view it as suffering for Christ’s sake.
    A. Paul understood his purpose in life—to bring glory to God by preaching the gospel.     Therefore, anything that happened to him in the process of obeying God was really for Christ’s sake. He wrote:

Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10).

    • Think about a recent hardship or disappointment in your life. How does the point above give you a new perspective on that trial?

B. Like Paul’s mission in life, yours is to glorify God through spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily serve God full-time vocationally. But when you become consumed by His call, everything will take on new significance. You will begin to see every facet of your life—including pain—as a means through which God can work to bring others to Him.

    • God may choose to delay your deliverance so He can use your suffering for His sake—either now or in the future. What hardship are you currently experiencing?
    • How can others see Christ in you through that situation?

Closing: God’s grace is sufficient for whatever you’re facing. If you’ll draw near to Him, suffering will ultimately bear spiritual fruit in your life and in the lives of others. As part of the Father’s divine plan, you can experience hope and joy, regardless of your circumstances.

Prayer: Father, how grateful we are that You accept us where we are. You can use every experience of our lives. Teach us to find hope in You. Make us effective vessels through whom others will find You as their Savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

________________________________________ This study was adapted from “How to Handle Adversity” by Charles F. Stanley. 1989. pp. 162,164-168.

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Are You Growing?

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

We are to grow up in every way into him.

Ephesians 4:15

Many Christians remain stunted and limited in spiritual things and never seem to make progress from year to year. No surge of growth and spiritual interest is seen in them. They exist but do not “grow up in every way into him.”

Should we be content with being in the green blade when we might advance to the ear and eventually ripen into the full corn in the ear? Should we be satisfied to believe in Christ and to say, “I am safe” without wishing to know in our own experience more of the fullness that is to be found in Him?

It ought not to be so; we should long as good traders in heaven’s market to be enriched in the knowledge of Jesus. It is all very well to keep other men’s vineyards, but we must not neglect our own spiritual growth and ripening. Why should it always be wintertime in our hearts? We must have our seedtime, it is true, but oh, for a springtime-yes, a summer season that will give promise of an early harvest.

If we would ripen in grace, we must live near to Jesus-in His presence-ripened by the sunshine of His smiles. We must hold sweet communion with Him. We must leave the distant view of His face and come near, as John did, and rest our head upon His shoulder; then we will find ourselves advancing in holiness, in love, in faith, in hope-in every precious gift. As the sun rises first on mountaintops and gilds them with its light and presents one of the most charming sights to the traveler’s eye, so is it one of the most delightful contemplations in the world to observe a spiritual glow on the head of some saint who has risen in stature, like Saul, above his fellows until, like a mighty snow-capped Alp, he reflects among the chosen the beams of the Sun of Righteousness and bears the glow of His radiance high for all to see, and seeing it, to glorify his Father who is in heaven.

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Christ’s estimate of his people

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb; honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.” Solomon’s Song 4:10,11

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

When he comes and begins to praise you, and tells you, “That your lips drop as the honeycomb, that all your actions smell of myrrh, and that your love is better than wine, and that the thoughts under your tongue are better to him than wine and milk,” what will you say? “Oh, Lord, I cannot say thou art mistaken, for thou art infallible; but if I dared so think thou art mistaken, I should say, “Thou art mistaken in me;” but Lord I cannot think thou art mistaken, it must be true. Still, Lord, I do not deserve it; I am conscious I do not and I never can deserve it; still if thou wilt help me, I will strive to be worthy of thy praise in some feeble measure. I will seek to live up to those high praises which thou hast passed upon me. If thou sayest, “My love is better than wine;” Lord, I will seek to love thee better, that the wine may be richer and stronger. If thou sayest, “My graces are like the smell of ointment,” Lord, I will try to increase them, so as to have many great pots filled with them; and if my words drop as the honeycomb, Lord, there shall be more of them, and I will try to make them better, so that thou mayest think more of such honey; and if thou declarest that the thoughts under my tongue are to thee like honey and milk, then, Lord, I will seek to have more of those divine thoughts; and if my daily actions are to thee as the smell of Lebanon, Lord, I will seek to be more holy, to live nearer to thee; I will ask for grace, that my actions may be really what thou sayest they are.”

For meditation: Do you serve God because you feel you ought to, out of a sense of duty? Or because you want to, out of a sense of his love and acceptance of you in Christ? God’s grace should motivate us to obey him even more than God’s law does (Romans 6:15).

Sermon no. 282

20 October (Preached 23 January 1859)

 

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Living a Joyous Life

1 Comment

John MacArthurLiving a Joyous Life

“The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart” (Ps. 19:8).

What brings you joy? Your answer will reveal much about your priorities and the direction your life is heading spiritually.

The psalmist wrote, “How blessed [happy] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:1-3).

That psalmist knew that true joy and happiness come from knowing God and abiding in His Word. That was David’s confidence when he wrote, “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart” (Ps. 19:8).

“Precepts” in that verse speaks of divine principles and guidelines for character and conduct. God created you and knows how you must live to give glory to Him. And He revealed in His Word every precept you must know to do so.

Every divine precept is “right.” It shows you the path that is right and true. What a wonderful confidence that is! While many around you may be discouraged or despondent because of their lack of direction and purpose, God’s Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Ps. 119:105). It guides you through the difficult mazes of life and gives your life eternal significance. Don’t live simply for your own pleasures. Your life has a high and holy purpose, and each day can be filled with joy as you see that purpose unfold.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God to help you be mindful of your eternal purpose today and every day.

Ask Him to direct you to someone who needs Christ and is sensing a lack of purpose in his or her life.

For Further Study:

Read Colossians 3:1-4.

How did Paul describe Christ?

What should be the focus of your thinking?

Are you heeding Paul’s exhortation?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Confident Heart

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident!—Psalm 57:7

Notice that this passage says that not only must our heart be fixed and steadfast, it must also be confident. I have discovered that staying confident at all times is vital to successful ministry.

I have found that even while I am busy ministering, even while I am up in front of an audience teaching, the devil will try to introduce thoughts into my head to make me lose confidence. For example, if two or three people look at their watches, the devil whispers to me, “They’re so bored they can’t wait to get out of here.” If a couple of people get up and leave to go to the restroom, the devil will say, “They’re leaving because they don’t like your preaching.”

Whatever we do for the Lord, the devil will try to do something to cause us to lose confidence. He doesn’t want us to have confidence in our prayers. He doesn’t want us to believe we can hear from God. He doesn’t want us to have any confidence concerning the call on our life. He wants us to go around feeling like a failure. That is why we need to keep a confident heart within us all the time. We shouldn’t drag ourselves out of bed each day in fear or discouragement. Instead, we should get up every morning prepared to keep Satan under our feet.

How do we do that? We do it by confidently declaring what the Word says about us such as, “I am more than a conqueror through Jesus. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. I am triumphant in every situation because God always causes me to triumph.” As we will see, that not only causes the devil to leave us alone, but it also strengthens our confidence.

 

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Life’s Greatest Investment

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“And anyone who gives up his home, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, or property, to follow Me, shall receive a hundred times as much in return [in this life], and shall have eternal life” (Matthew 19:29).

I can tell you on the authority of God’s Word and from personal experience and observation that this promise is true. From my own commitment – made more than 30 years ago – and after having spoken with hundreds of Christian leaders and humble servants of God around the world, and observed thousands who I have counseled, I do not know of anyone whom God is using in any significant way who would say that this spiritual law has not been true in his life.

The time to invest your time, talent and treasure for Christ and His kingdom is now. The powerful tide of secular humanism, atheism, materialism, communism and other anti-God forces us threatening to engulf the world. From the human perspective, on the basis of what I see and hear, I could be very pessimistic about the future freedom of mankind.

On the contrary, I am very optimistic, not on the basis of what I see and hear, but on the basis of what I believe God is saying to my heart and of what I am observing that He is doing throughout the world. I am constantly reminded and assured, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4, KJV). Satan and his demonic forces were defeated 2,000 years ago.

Do you want a safe formula for success? Then recognize and practice the following:

First, remember that everything entrusted to our care actually belongs to God. We are His stewards here on earth.

Second, God does not want us to hoard His blessings.

Third, “As you sow, you reap.”

Fourth, invest generously – above the tithe in time, talent and treasure.

Fifth, invest supernaturally – by faith.

Bible Reading: Matthew 25:35-40

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Recognizing myself as God’s steward, I will prayerfully seek to learn what He would have me to do to maximize my life for His glory through the investment of my time, talent and treasure.

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; G.C. – Bodyguard

1 Comment

ppt_seal01

Today, the ultimate status symbol for executives, politicians and celebrities is not a luxurious home, a custom gold watch or a designer dog; more likely, it’s a tall, hulk of a man standing silently over their left shoulder. Because of paparazzi and the incessant notoriety the Internet brings, the rich and famous often live in constant fear, so their most prized possession has become a trusted bodyguard. Personal protection, they feel, is the best way to discourage or confront the threats against them.

You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

Psalm 115:11

The Bible is full of examples of ordinary people who faced their fears – by trusting in God’s protection. Daniel prayed in public even though it was against the law. Peter was told not to preach about Jesus Christ by the most powerful court in the land, yet he did it anyway. Neither of these men were immune to mortal fear, but they chose to act in faith.

The first step in conquering your fears is to acknowledge God’s supremacy. There is no force or power of evil that is not already conquered by His Spirit. Today, as a Christian American, if He asks you to stand for Him, be assured He is standing with you…just over your shoulder.

Recommended Reading: Mark 13:5-11