Tag Archives: fellow christians

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – God’s Jealousy For Believers

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God.

Nahum 1:2

Believer, your Lord is very jealous of your love. Did He choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another. Did He buy you with His own blood? He cannot endure that you should think you are your own or that you belong to this world. He loved you with such a love that He would not remain in heaven without you; He would sooner die than have you perish, and He cannot endure that anything should stand between your heart’s love and Himself.

He is very jealous of your trust. He will not permit you to trust in yourself. He cannot stand the thought of you hewing out broken cisterns and neglecting the overflowing fountain that is always free to you. When we lean upon Him, He is glad; but when we transfer our dependence to another, when we rely upon our own wisdom or the wisdom of a friend-worst of all, when we trust in any works of our own-He is displeased and will chasten us, that He may bring us to Himself.

He is also very jealous of our company. There should be no one with whom we converse so much as with Jesus. To remain in Him alone, this is true love; but to commune with the world, to find sufficient satisfaction in our earthly comforts, to even prefer the company of our fellow Christians to secret fellowship with Him, this grieves our jealous Lord. He longs to have us abide in Him and enjoy constant fellowship with Himself; and many of the trials that He sends us are for the purpose of weaning our hearts from created things and fixing them more closely on Him who created everything. Let this jealousy that would keep us near to Christ also be a comfort to us, for if He loves us so much as to care about our love, we may be sure that He will allow nothing to harm us and will protect us from all our enemies. May we have grace today to keep our hearts in holy purity for Christ alone, with sacred jealousy closing our eyes to all the fascinations of the world!

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Spiritual Muscle Building

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Bodybuilding isn’t an easy discipline. Muscle men and women must first understand their bodies, establish a system of regular caloric input, progressively increase the demands placed on themselves, and accept that the results may not always be what they’d hoped.

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak. Romans 15:1

Developing your spiritual “muscle” has its parallels. You need to understand who and Whose you are as a Christian. You’ve been bought with a price and are not your own (I Corinthians 6:20). You need regular time in God’s Word (II Timothy 2:15). Then you need to progressively respond to the commands and challenges of the Lord (Psalm 119:11-13 and today’s verse).

A strong body of believers is formed when Christians exercise their “spiritual muscle.” Looking after your own self is a start, but you are under obligation, not just a suggestion, to encourage those who may be weaker.

There are fellow Christians in government – praying men and women – who need building up by the Lord and His Word. As they develop, they can become bolder in the halls of Congress, the nation’s courtrooms, and in agencies all across Washington, D.C. Give special prayer for them today, as you boldly approach the throne of God.

Recommended Reading: Romans 15:1-13 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – No Place for Pride

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. —1 John 2:15–16

Some people always have to get the most attention, always have to be the star, always have to be better than everyone else.

But the Bible says, “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy” (Romans 13:13, emphasis added).

“Strife” refers to persistent contention, bickering, petty disagreement, and enmity. This reflects a spirit of antagonistic competitiveness that fights to have its own way, regardless of the cost to itself or others. It is really the desire to prevail over other people. This is the person who wants the highest prestige, the greatest prominence, and the most recognition. This is someone who must be the top dog.

The word “envy” refers to someone who can’t stand being surpassed and begrudges others success and position. They are pretty happy with the way things are going until someone else gets something they want. It has been said that envy shoots at another and wounds itself. In the end, the only one who gets hurt is you. The person you envy probably doesn’t even know (and probably could care less).

A crab fisherman was once asked why he didn’t put a lid on the bucket that held his day’s catch. He replied, “The moment one of them climbs out, the others reach up and pull it back down again.”

We do the same thing, don’t we? You come back down here with the rest of us! How dare you succeed? How dare you do well?

The apostle Paul warned, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:15).

As believers, our competition is with the world, the flesh, and the devil (see 1 John 2:15–16), not with fellow Christians.

Uncategorized

Charles Stanley – Missing God’s Will

2 Comments

 

Psalm 119:17-24

How would you describe the process of discovering God’s will? Would you call it . . .

Fantasy (“I do not believe God has a plan for specific areas of my life”)?

Mystery (“God has a plan, but it is so hard to figure out”)?

Biography (“I know Scripture reveals who God is and what His plans are, but at times I get confused”)?

Let’s look at some of the reasons that we might miss God’s will.

• Handling God’s Word improperly. When our days become jam-packed with commitments and activities, we have trouble maintaining a steady intake of Scripture. Without significant time in the Word, we tend to forget what matters to God. When we start mixing the world’s lies with the Father’s truth, we will step out of His plan. Other times we will incorrectly use Scripture to bolster decisions we have already made. Or, when the Bible does not match what we want, we might reject it and do things our own way.

• Picking the wrong guide. When making decisions, we sometimes rely too heavily on other peoples’ opinions. We think that the easiest and quickest way to get answers is to ask fellow Christians or unbelievers who seem “wise.” In other instances, we use our friends’ lifestyle as a yardstick for God’s will: we decide that if they can act a certain way, so can we. Or we might assume that if our way is better than their choices, God will approve.

Making Scripture your daily companion is the best way not to miss God’s plan. Be prepared to spend time reading and listening while the Spirit teaches you what God’s will is for your life.

 

Uncategorized

Our Daily Bread — No Loose Laces

Leave a comment

 

Joshua 7:1-12

The children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan . . . took of the accursed things. —Joshua 7:1

One person’s actions can affect an entire group. This truth became clear to journalist Sebastian Junger as he followed a platoon of soldiers. Junger watched a soldier accost another soldier whose bootlaces were trailing on the ground. He didn’t confront him out of concern for his fashion. He confronted him because his loose laces put the entire platoon at risk—he couldn’t be counted on not to trip and fall at a crucial moment. Junger realized that what happens to one happens to everyone.

Achan’s “bootlaces were loose,” and we learn from his story that sin is never private. After the great victory at Jericho, God gave Joshua specific instructions on how to deal with the city and its loot (Josh. 6:18). The people were to “abstain from the accursed things” and to put all the silver and gold “into the treasury of the LORD” (vv.18-19). But they disobeyed his command to them (7:1). The interesting thing is, not all of Israel sinned; only one person did—Achan. But because of his actions, everyone was affected and God was dishonored.

As followers of Jesus, we belong to one another and our individual actions can impact the entire body and God’s name. Let’s “tie up our laces” so that we may individually and together give God the honor He deserves. —Marvin Williams

Lord, we know our sin is never private, though we

may try to hide it. Help us to remember that we

belong to You and to one another and that what we do

individually grieves You and impacts fellow Christians.

Private sins will inevitably have public impact.

 

Uncategorized

The Joy of Participation – John MacArthur

1 Comment

 

“In view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil. 1:5).

In recent years the Greek word koin[ma]onia has become familiar to many Christians as the New Testament word for fellowship. However, it is also translated “partnership” and “participation.” In Philippians 1:5, Paul uses it to emphasize the participation of the Philippians in common ministry goals.

 

Romans 12:13 gives one aspect of that partnership and participation: monetary contributions. That’s one aspect of fellowship that the Philippian church eagerly shared with Paul. As he says in Philippians 4:15-16, “At the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.” They were partners in his ministry because their financial support made it possible for him to preach the gospel more effectively.

The Philippians knew that Paul carried a tremendous burden in his heart for all the churches. In listing many of the trials he endured as an apostle, then added, “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). The Philippian church eased that burden somewhat by being committed to Paul, to his teaching, and to godly living. That brought great joy to him.

How about you? Do your leaders derive encouragement and joy from your participation in the gospel? Remember, you share in a sacred partnership with Christ and your fellow Christians in the advancement of the gospel, just as the Philippians shared a partnership with Paul. Rejoice in that privilege and make the most of it today.

Suggestions for Prayer:   Thank the Lord for the Christian fellowship you enjoy.

Ask for wisdom on how you might advance the gospel more effectively.

Always seek to ease the burden of your spiritual leaders by faithfully participating in the ministry of your church as God has gifted you.

 

For Further Study:  Read Ephesians 4:11-16.

What is the goal of Christian ministry?

What is the role of a pastor/teacher in achieving that goal?

What is your role (see also Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4- 11; 1 Pet. 4:10-11)?