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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — “I’m . . . Uh . . . Sorry”

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 51:1-17

Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. —Psalm 51:1-2

The news is quick to report all the details of famous people’s wrongdoings and their subsequent confessions. Perhaps it’s an athlete who was arrested for driving while drunk. Or it could be a politician caught in an indiscretion. Only God knows the heart, but when we hear a stuttered “I’m . . . uh . . . sorry,” we may wonder if they are truly repentant or just sorry they got caught.

When we read the confession of the famous King David we see what looks like genuine contriteness. In his public discussion of his sins in Psalm 51, this disgraced monarch—who had an embarrassing record of flagrant sins which he had kept hidden (2 Sam. 12:1-13; Ps. 32:3-5)—pleads for mercy.

He recognized that his sin was an affront to God—not just to people—and that God alone can judge him (Ps. 51:1-6). He realized that he must be cleansed by God (vv.7-10), and he celebrated his restoration through service and worship (vv.11-17).

All of us sin and fall short of God’s glory. When we feel the heavy burden of sin weighing us down, we have the blessing of confession and forgiveness (1 John 1:9) to lift us up. Isn’t it just like our great God to turn even our sins into an opportunity to grow in His grace and power and love! —Dave Branon

Dear Lord, please give me a humble heart

and the courage to confess my sins before You

and others. Thank You for Your promise to be

faithful to forgive my sins and to cleanse me.

Confession is agreeing with God about our sin.

Bible in a year: Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Don’t Idolize the Past

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Alistair Begg

Oh, that I were as in the months of old.    Job 29:2

Many Christians are able to view the past with pleasure but regard the present with dissatisfaction. They look back upon the days that they have spent in communing with the Lord as being the sweetest and the best they have ever known; but as to the present, it is as if they were smothered by a heavy blanket of gloom and dreariness. Once they lived near Jesus, but now they feel that they have wandered from Him, and they say, “Oh, that I were as in the months of old.” They complain that they have lost their evidences, or that they no longer have peace of mind, or that they have no enjoyment in the means of grace, or that their conscience is hardened, or that they are no longer as zealous for God’s glory as they once were.

The causes of this mournful state of things are many. It may arise through a comparative neglect of prayer, for a neglected closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline. Or it may be the result of idolatry. The heart has been occupied with something else, more than with God; the affections have been set on the things of earth instead of the things of heaven. A jealous God will not be content with a divided heart; He must be loved first and best. He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold, wandering heart. Or the cause may be found in self-confidence and self-righteousness. Pride is busy in the heart, and self is exalted instead of lying low at the foot of the cross.

Christian, if you are not now as you “were . . . in the months of old,” do not be content to simply wish for a return of your former happiness, but go at once to seek your Master and tell Him your sad state. Ask His grace and strength to enable you to walk more closely with Him; humble yourself before Him, and He will lift you up and allow you once more to enjoy the light of His countenance. Do not sit down to sigh and lament; while the beloved Physician lives there is hope; there is a certainty of recovery even for the worst cases.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The Christian—a debtor

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“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.” Romans 8:12

Suggested Further Reading: Luke 7:36-50

Christian, stop and ponder for a moment! What a debtor thou art to divine sovereignty! Thou art not as some, who say, that thou didst choose thyself to be saved; but thou believest that God could have destroyed thee, if he had pleased, and that it is entirely of his own good pleasure that thou art made one of his, while others are suffered to perish. Consider, then, how much thou owest to his sovereignty! If he had willed it, thou wouldst have been among the damned; if he had not willed thy salvation, all thou couldst do would have been utterly powerless to deliver thee from perdition. Remember how much thou owest to his disinterested love, which rent his own Son from his bosom that he might die for thee! Let the cross and bloody sweat remind thee of thine obligation. Consider how much thou owest to his forgiving grace, that after ten thousand affronts he loves thee as infinitely as ever; and after a myriad sins, his Spirit still resides within thee. Consider what thou owest to his power; how he has raised thee from thy death in sin; how he has preserved thy spiritual life, how he has kept thee from falling, and how, though a thousand enemies have beset thy path, thou hast been able to hold on thy way! Consider what thou owest to his immutability. Though thou hast changed a thousand times, he has not changed once; though thou hast shifted thy intentions, and thy will, yet has he not once swerved from his eternal purpose, but still has held thee fast. Consider thou art as deep in debt as thou canst be to every attribute of God. To God thou owest thyself, and all thou hast. “Brethren, we are debtors.”

For meditation: The reasonable response to forgiven debt is love to God and to one another, but we will always be in debt (Romans 13:8).

Sermon no. 96

11 August (Preached 10 August 1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Martyrdom Without Love

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John MacArthur

“If I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3).

So far in his denunciation of loveless ministries, Paul has addressed what we say, what we know, what we believe, and how we give. Now he comes to the apex of his argument: how we die. Many Christians have made the ultimate sacrifice of martyrdom, but even that is useless without love.

In Paul’s time, many slaves were branded with a hot iron to identify them as belonging to their master. For that reason, some interpreters believe Paul was referring to becoming a slave when he spoke of delivering his body to be burned (1 Cor. 13:3). Others think he was speaking of burning at the stake–a death that many Christians suffered at the hands of their persecutors.

Although death by burning wasn’t a common form of persecution until after Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I believe that’s what he had in mind in this passage. In verses 1-2 he used extremes to make his point: speaking with the tongues of angels; knowing all mysteries and knowledge; having all faith, and giving all one’s possessions to feed the poor. The horrible, agonizing pain associated with death by fire is consistent with those extremes.

Jesus called martyrdom the highest expression of love (John 15:13). But it isn’t always a godly or loving thing to do. Many people have died for lesser reasons. You may recall stories of the Japanese kamikaze pilots of World War II, or more recently of monks or students who burned themselves in protest of some political or social injustice.

Even Christians aren’t exempt from wrong motives. It is reported that many Christians in the early church developed a martyr complex, wanting to die for the faith so they could become famous like the martyrs before them. Many deeds that look sacrificial on the surface are really the products of pride.

If the ultimate sacrifice is useless without love, so is every lesser sacrifice. But love sanctifies them all. So let God’s love govern everything you do!

Suggestions for Prayer:

Memorize Romans 5:8 as a reminder to praise God for the many sacrifices He has made for you.

For Further Study:

Read Revelation 2:1-7.

What strengths did the church in Ephesus have?

What did the Lord say about its one glaring weakness?

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P.- Determine to be Determined

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Harry Truman was an example of determination. He was a quiet, unassuming man who found a huge responsibility dropped in his lap when he inherited the presidency. He believed in ending World War II (enough to release the atomic bombs), hoped for America’s recovery, and endured tensions with the Soviet Union and many other problems. “America was not built on fear,” he said. “America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”

Love…believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.   I Corinthians 13:7

In the Bible, Daniel interceded for his country, fasting and praying for 21 days, persistently committed to receiving an answer. Ultimately, a man with “eyes like flaming torches” told Daniel his prayers were heard immediately, even though he and Michael were hindered by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia.” (Daniel 10) Even against spiritual opposition, Daniel’s prayers were being honored by God.

In today’s verse, we see three characteristics of love. With God’s love dwelling in you, you can have the determination to believe God can do anything; hope because He answers prayers, and endure to see His answers for this country. In love, determine to be as determined as Daniel and courageous as Truman, praying for America – believing, hoping and enduring.

Recommended Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – God’s Grace and Our Finances

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Charles Stanley

Ephesians 2:1-10

Ice cream is popular in the summer. But not all stores serve portions of the same size. Some establishments are generous with their scoops, others are fair, and one or two seem stingy with the frozen treat. It doesn’t take long for customers to learn the “standard” that is used by a particular store.

God uses a very generous measure with us, making His grace abound to us so we have all we need to serve and obey Him (2 Cor. 9:8). And He ensures that His grace—in other words, His unmerited favor and goodness—will affect all areas of life, including our finances. He does this so we can generously invest in His kingdom with our resources and our lives.

But the definition of generosity varies greatly. Some Christians understand God’s principles and give willingly and liberally. These believers have learned that God applies grace to our finances so we can be generous toward others rather than concerned simply about our own prosperity. For others, giving is “fair”—they faithfully give an “adequate amount.” But sadly, too many of God’s children appear stingy toward Him: they either refuse to share much of what they have or spend most of it on themselves.

Generosity is a matter of the heart and a way of life. With a focus on others, giving is to be done freely and cheerfully. People with this attitude trust God to meet their needs and are set free to give away even what they long to keep. No matter how little we have, the Lord wants us to be magnanimous people. Do you know someone who is considered generous? Is it you?

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Power Of Compassion

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Our Daily Bread

Isaiah 42:1-9

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench. —Isaiah 42:3

Francis Schaeffer, author and Christian apologist, struggled to spell words correctly because of dyslexia. At the college he attended, spelling errors lowered the grade on all written assignments. During his first year, a professor told Schaeffer, “This is the best philosophy paper I’ve ever read, but it’s the worst spelling. What am I going to do? I can’t pass you.”

Francis replied, “Sir, I could never spell. Could you please just read what I’m saying and not worry about the spelling?”

After a long pause, the professor replied, “You know, Mr. Schaeffer, I think we’ll do that.” His wise, compassionate response encouraged a gifted young man who would later help many of the searching generation during the 1960s and 70s to find their way to faith in Christ.

Isaiah said of the promised Messiah, “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth” (Isa. 42:3). The image is of a gentle, yet powerful Person who sets prisoners free and encourages those who are fainthearted and tempted to despair.

Jesus came to free us from sin, not to condemn us for our condition. Today, He offers salvation and encouragement to all who turn to Him. —David McCasland

No condemnation now I dread,

I am my Lord’s and He is mine;

Alive in Him, my living Head,

And clothed in righteousness divine. —Wesley

When we come to Christ in our brokenness, He makes us whole.

Bible in a year: Psalms 79-80; Romans 11:1-18

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Our Life

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Alistair Begg

Christ who is your life.  Colossians 3:4

Paul’s marvelously rich expression indicates that Christ is the source of our life. You has He quickened who “were dead in . . . trespasses and sins.”1 The same voice that brought Lazarus out of the tomb raised us to newness of life. He is now the substance of our spiritual life. It is by His life that we live; He is in us, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought that moves every other thought. Christ is the sustenance of our life. What can the Christian feed upon but Christ, the living bread? “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”2 Remember, weary pilgrims in this wilderness of sin, that you will never get a morsel to satisfy your spiritual hunger unless you find it in Him!

Christ is the solace of our life. All our true joys come from Him; and in times of trouble, His presence is our consolation. There is nothing worth living for but Him; and His loving-kindness is better than life! Christ is the object of our life. As the ship speeds toward the port, so hurries the believer toward the haven of his Savior’s heart. As the arrow flies to its target, so the Christian flies toward the perfecting of his fellowship with Christ Jesus. As the soldier fights for his captain and is crowned in his captain’s victory, so the believer contends for Christ and gets his triumph out of the triumphs of his Master. “For [him] to live is Christ.”3

Christ is the exemplar of our life. Where the same life is found inside, there will, there must be, to a great extent, the same developments outside; and if we live in close fellowship with the Lord Jesus we shall grow like Him. We will set Him before us as our divine example, and we will seek to follow in His footsteps, until He shall become the crown of our life in glory. How safe, how honored, how happy is the Christian since Christ is his life!

1Ephesians 2:1

2John 6:50

3Philippians 1:21

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The day of atonement

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“This shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.” Leviticus 16:34

Suggested Further Reading: Hebrews 9:6-14

Jesus Christ “died, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.” That day of atonement happened only once a year, to teach us that only once should Jesus Christ die; and that though he would come a second time, yet it would be without a sin offering unto salvation. The lambs were perpetually slaughtered; morning and evening they offered sacrifice to God, to remind the people that they always needed a sacrifice; but the day of atonement being the type of the one great propitiation, it was but once a year that the high priest entered within the veil with blood as the atonement for the sins of the people. And this was at a certain set and appointed time; it was not left to the choice of Moses, or to the convenience of Aaron, or to any other circumstance which might affect the date; it was appointed to be on a peculiar set day, as you find at the 29th verse: “In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month;” and at no other time was the day of atonement to be, to show us that God’s great day of atonement was appointed and predestined by himself. Christ’s expiation occurred but once, and then not by any chance; God had settled it from before the foundation of the world; and at that hour when God had predestined, on that very day that God had decreed that Christ should die, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers, he was dumb. It was but once a year, because the sacrifice should be once; it was at an appointed time in the year, because in the fulness of time Jesus Christ should come into the world to die for us.

For meditation: Daily and annual sacrifices of animals could never bring salvation from sin—that required only the single sacrifice of Christ on a single day (Zechariah 3:9; 12:10; 13:1; Hebrews 9:25,26; 10:11,12).

Sermon no. 95

10 August (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Benevolence Without Love

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John MacArthur

“If I give all my possessions to feed the poor . . . but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3).

If you’ve ever donated to your church or another charitable organization out of obligation, peer pressure, legalism, guilt, a desire for recognition, or simply a tax deduction, you know what it means to give without love. In our society it’s easy to fall prey to that kind of giving because the needs are so great and fund raisers appeal to every conceivable motive. In addition, many cults and false religions encourage the giving up of possessions and other sacrificial gestures as a supposed means of earning God’s favor. But God is more interested in why you give than what you give.

Paul’s hypothetical illustration in 1 Corinthians 13:3 is of someone who sacrificed everything he had to feed the poor. The Greek word translated “to feed” means “to dole out in small quantities.” Apparently this guy didn’t simply write out a check for a food distribution program; he was personally involved in a long-term, systematic program that would eventually consume every resource he had.

Paul doesn’t mention motives–only that this person lacked love. Consequently, the benefits of his benevolence were limited to the physical realm. Any spiritual benefits were forfeited.

Jesus, making a similar point, said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1). If your motive for giving is to gain the approval of men, their accolades will be your only reward. If you’re motivated by love for God, He will reward you abundantly (vv. 2-4).

When you give to the Lord, what is your motive? Do you want others to think more highly of you? Do you feel obligated? Those are subtle influences, so be sure to guard your motives carefully. Remember, the only acceptable motive is love.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you sensitive to the needs of others, enabling you always to give out of genuine love.

For Further Study:

Read Luke 18:9-14.

How did the Pharisee’s prayer differ from the tax- gatherer’s?

How did God respond to each prayer?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Express Your Faith

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Joyce meyer

Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation. —ROMANS 10:9,10

This is a very important principle that we are in danger of missing. We are saved by faith, but James said that faith without works is dead. I can believe in my heart that God is worthy of worship; but if I don’t take action to worship Him, it doesn’t do much good. I can say I believe in tithing; but if I don’t tithe, it won’t help me financially. Be bold—take some action and be expressive in your praise and worship. A lot of people even refuse to talk about God. They say, “Religion is a private thing.” I cannot find anyone in the Bible who met Jesus and kept it private.

When we are excited about praising and worshipping Him, it is difficult to have no outward expression. When He fills our hearts, the good news about Him comes out of our mouths.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – True Spiritual Life

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“Only the Holy Spirit gives eternal life. Those born only once, with physical birth, will never receive this gift. But now I have told you how to get this true spiritual life” (John 6:63).

A businessman called to ask if he could bring one of his associates to talk to me about receiving Christ. As the three of us talked together, it became apparent that the businessman who arranged the meeting was not a Christian either. So after his friend had received Christ, I asked him if he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.

“Yes,” he said.

“Do you believe that He died for your sins?”

“Of course.”

“Have you ever received Him into you life as your Savior and Lord?”

“No,” he said, “I haven’t.”

“Wouldn’t you like to do so?”

“Yes,” he said, “I would. But I have been waiting for that peculiar time when God would speak to me in a very emotional way.”

He explained that this was the way his mother had become a Christian, and he felt that this was the way he should become a Christian, too.

Once again I reviewed very simply the plan of salvation, explaining that only the Holy Spirit gives eternal life and there may or may not be an emotional experience accompanying the moment of salvation. I explained that salvation is a gift of God, which we receive by faith on the basis of His promise.

So together we prayed, and though I had explained that he should not expect any emotional experience, God graciously touched him in a very dramatic way emotionally, contrary to my own experience and that of the majority of people with whom I counsel and pray.

Bible Reading: John 6:60-65

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Realizing that no one can enter the kingdom of God apart from a spiritual birth, I will today pray for many opportunities to share the good news of God’s love and forgiveness in Christ with others.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Stench of Sin

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greglaurie

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. —Ephesians 2:1–2

Years ago I had a German Shepherd named Irlo. One night when Irlo and I were out walking, we saw a cat. Now, I believe that it’s a dog’s right to chase a cat, so I said to Irlo, “Go get it!” As I watched him take off in pursuit, I noticed the cat had suddenly stopped. I thought, That’s a pretty bold cat. But then I heard a loud pssshhh! and saw Irlo racing toward me. I looked at the cat again and realized something: It wasn’t a cat at all.

Irlo had taken a direct hit of skunk spray to the face. I started running, knowing that Irlo was headed for home. I tried to outrun him, but as we got to the door, he pushed right past me into the house. Immediately the entire place reeked of skunk.

It took a long time to get that smell out of the house.

That is what sin is like, too. It seems as though your whole world is infected with the stench of sin, with no remedy in sight. You can try to escape it, but it doesn’t work.

The Bible calls the devil “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). The devil is behind all the wickedness, depravity, and violence in this world. All of the horrible things you hear about are orchestrated by or motivated by Satan himself. He wants to wreak havoc. He wants to bring as much destruction as he can.

Why does the devil want our destruction? Answer: because Jesus Christ is coming back. For the devil, that is bad. But for us, that is good. And it is an incentive for us to share our faith and live a holy life.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Prevailing Faith

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Charles Stanley

Romans 4:18-25

Continuing yesterday’s study of faith that conquers, let’s look at other elements of this type of godly trust.

• Confession of Faith. David declared, “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts” (1 Sam. 17:45) and stated his trust in God’s deliverance. Whenever we face difficulties, we, too, must proclaim our faith, expressing thanks to the Lord for who He is, who we are in Christ, and what we have through His Spirit.

• Reliance on the Lord’s power. Not once did David claim he was going to defeat the enemy. Instead, he pointed out that the battle was the Lord’s; it was by the power of the Almighty that victory would be gained. In the hand of God’s servant, a simple stone was mightier than the weapons of the Philistine army.

• Assumption of Victory. Prevailing faith reckons the victory before the battle even begins. When the young shepherd looked at Goliath, he saw him as a dead man. In fact, because of David’s relationship with the Lord, he understood that all giants— whether bears, lions, or Goliaths—were the same.

How does this reckoning take place? First, we fight the “battle before the battle.” Through prayer and meditation on Scripture, we work through any uncertainties and fears. We reaffirm in our heart that this is the Lord’s battle, declare He has won the victory, and wait for His timing. When we act, we do it God’s way, with trust in His presence and provision.

For what area of your life do you need prevailing faith? Approach the throne of grace with faith to receive what you need (Heb. 4:16).

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Standoff

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Our Daily Bread

1 John 4:1-6

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1 John 4:4

When a local bookstore rearranged its shelves, I noticed an increase in the number of titles relating to sorcery and witchcraft. In fact, the religion section had become a virtual “standoff” between light and darkness. Christian titles flanked one side of the aisle, while roughly the same number of occult books lined the other side.

Sometimes we may think of God and Satan in the same way I thought of the books in that bookstore. We see them as opposing but equal forces with the same unlimited power. However, God is God and Satan is not. God is stronger than any force of darkness. He does what He pleases (Ps. 135:6), while Satan’s power is limited to what God allows. When Satan supposed that misfortune would make Job curse God, God told Satan, “Behold, all that [Job] has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person” (Job 1:12). Satan had to play by God’s rules.

Because God is in charge over everything, as Christ’s followers we don’t need to be paralyzed by fear of Satan’s power over our lives or the lives of the believers around us. He tempts us and tries to influence us, but the Bible assures us, “He who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!

Let angels prostrate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all! —Perronet

The powers of evil around you are no match for the power of Jesus within you.

Bible in a year: Psalms 70-71; Romans 8:22-39

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Answer to Prayer

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Ravi Z

Just type the word “prayer” into an internet search engine as I did the other day and you’ll find almost 100 million different articles, sites, books, and periodicals on prayer! Discussions about prayer are as ubiquitous as the praying football player in the end zone after a touchdown. Every major world religion has some form of prayer, and Christians are exhorted to pray “without ceasing” in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.

And yet if we’re honest, prayer is often a source of confusion and deep mystery. Confusion comes not only with questions concerning what to pray and how to pray unceasingly, but also with wondering whether or not prayers make a difference or are being heard at all. Phillip Yancey’s book Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? attempts to address many of these questions about prayer. Why does God seem silent so much of the time to our prayers? Why does God seem to answer prayers for some and not for others? And when we receive one after another ‘no’ responses to our prayers, how are we to understand both its efficacy, and the God who loves us?(1)

If these questions aren’t difficult enough, Jesus’s own bold statements about prayer make us all the more confused.  After all, wasn’t it Jesus who proclaimed, “I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and the one who knocks, it shall be opened.” Likewise, Jesus promises that like our earthly fathers, God longs to give us what is good in response to the asking, seeking, and knocking of prayer.(2)

Luke’s gospel narrative makes explicit what Matthew’s gospel keeps implicit about God’s gift given in response to prayer. Jesus tells his disciples, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:11-13). According to Jesus, the goal of all prayer is the Holy Spirit at work in our lives and in the world. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate “good gift” that God gives in response to our asking, seeking, and knocking.

So, too, prayer is about relationship with God. The more a relationship grows and develops, the more one wants of it.   Hence, God promises to give us more of the Holy Spirit-in and through all the circumstances of life-as the deep answer and the good gift in response to prayer.

The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit as the “comforter,” and the one who comes alongside. This is the same Spirit the apostle Paul suggests “intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words,” and “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”(3) Therefore, when difficulties come, when our prayers seemingly go unanswered, there is the assurance that we are not alone. God longs to come near to us and to come alongside us with the comforting presence of God’s Spirit.

M. Craig Barnes former pastor of the National Presbyterian Church adds:

“Sometimes life gets overwhelming, and we realize we could use a little help. So we pray for our health to get better, for our marriage to work out, for success in our work that has taken a turn for the worse. There is nothing wrong in praying for these things, but they are not what our salvation is about. Don’t expect Jesus to save us by teaching us to depend on the things we are afraid of losing! He loves us too much to let our health, marriage, or work become the savior of our lives. He will abandon every crusade that searches for salvation from anything or anyone other than God. So he delays, he watches as we race down dead-end streets, he lets our mission du jour crash and burn. To receive Jesus as Savior means recognizing him as our only help. Not our only help for getting what we want. But our only true help.”(2)

 

In God’s promise to be present with us through the power of the Holy Spirit, God suggests that God’s presence with us is the deepest answer to prayer. It is God’s “yes” even if God answers our specific requests with “no.” Ultimately, God desires to bring comfort, not from dependence on the things of this world, but in God’s presence with us and alongside us through the Spirit.

Through the power and presence of the Spirit, God longs to be the very answer to our prayers. Ask, and the Holy Spirit will be given to you. Seek, and you will find the Holy Spirit with you. Knock, and the door of God’s kingdom will be opened to you. For how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?

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

(1) Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

(2) Matthew 7:7-11.

(3) See John 14:16, 26; Romans 8:26b-27.

(4) M. Craig Barnes, When God Interrupts (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 124-125.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Know Your Enemies

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Alistair Begg

Watchman, what time of the night? Isaiah 21:11

What enemies are around? Errors abound, and new ones appear every hour: Against what heresy am I to be on my guard? Sins creep from their lurking places when the darkness reigns; I need to climb the watchtower and give myself to prayer. Our heavenly Protector anticipated all the attacks that are about to be made upon us, and when the evil designed for us is still in the desire of Satan, He prays for us that our faith will not fail when we are sifted as wheat. Continue then, gracious Watchman, to warn us of our foes, and for Zion’s sake do not remain silent.

“Watchman, what time of the night?” What weather is coming for the Church? Are the clouds rolling in, or is it all clear and fair overhead? We must care for the Church of God with sincere and thoughtful love; and now that empty religion and irreligion both threaten, let us observe the signs of the times and prepare for conflict.

“Watchman, what time of the night?” What stars are visible? What precious promises are relevant to our circumstances? You sound the alarm and also give us the consolation. Christ, like the North Star, is always fixed in His place, and all the stars are secure in the right hand of their Lord.

But, watchman, when comes the morning? The Bridegroom delays. Are there no signs of His appearing as the Sun of Righteousness? Hasn’t the morning star arisen as the pledge of day? When will the day dawn and the shadows flee away? O Jesus, if You don’t come in person to Your waiting Church today, still come in Spirit to my sighing heart, and make it sing for joy.

Now all the earth is bright and glad

With the fresh morn;

But all my heart is cold, and dark and sad:

Sun of the soul, let me behold Thy dawn!

Come, Jesus, Lord,

O quickly come, according to Thy word.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Vessels of mercy—a sermon of self-examination

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CharlesSpurgeon

“And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” Romans 9:23,24

Suggested Further Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-6

Like every potter he first of all makes the outlines in the clay. You may have seen a man at work executing designs in glass. Perhaps at the very first moment you may form a rough guess of what the whole thing is to be, though the ornament and elaboration which constitute the main part of the beauty you cannot yet discover. Certain it is, that the moment a man begins to be prepared for heaven by the grace of God in his soul, you may see the outlines of what he is to be, although it is but the bare outlines. Shall I tell you what those outlines are? There is first of all in him—faith in Christ; a simple, child-like trust in him that did hang upon the tree. There is next in him another mark of the potter’s hand—that is love to Christ—a love that is strong as death, though sometimes it seems to be feeble as a worm. There is in him also a hope that makes not ashamed, and a joy which makes glad his countenance. It is but the bare outline, as I have said, for the glory which excels is not there. The vase is only in its embryo, but yet sufficiently developed to give prophecy of its finished form; as for the pictures that shall be inlaid, as for all the many colours that shall be used on it, you cannot guess as yet, nor could you, unless you could climb to the potter’s seat and see the plan upon which he looks as the clay revolves upon the wheel. Dear brothers and sisters, have you anything in you as yet of the great outlines? Can you say in truth, “I believe on the Lord Jesus?” Fear not then, my hearer, you are a vessel of mercy.

For meditation: We have no right to talk rebelliously against our Maker (Isaiah 45:9), but the Christian has the right to pray to “Our Father and Potter in Heaven” (Isaiah 64:8).

Sermon no. 327

6 August (Preached 5 August 1860)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Prophecy Without Love

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John MacArthur

“If I have the gift of prophecy . . . but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).

The word prophecy as used in 1 Corinthians 13:2 is the ability to publicly proclaim God’s truth accurately and authoritatively. It’s a greater gift than tongues because tongues were given as a sign to unbelieving Israel in the first century (1 Cor. 14:21-22), whereas prophecy instructs and edifies believers throughout the centuries. Paul said, “one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation [and] edifies the church (1 Cor. 14:3-4).

Prophecy has two aspects: revelation and reiteration. When an Old or New Testament prophet received new information directly from God, that was revelation. Whenever that information was repeated through preaching or teaching, it was reiteration. For example, the sermons of Peter and Paul combine new revelation with a reiteration of Old Testament truth. That’s a common element in New Testament preaching.

With the close of the New Testament canon, direct revelation from God ceased. All preaching and teaching today is reiteration. New Testament prophets policed one another to ensure that every prophecy was truly from God (1 Cor. 14:32). Today, Scripture itself is the standard by which we test someone’s message. As the prophet Isaiah said, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no [light]” (Isa. 8:20).

Paul is saying 1 Corinthians 13:2, “If I have the ability to speak direct revelation from God, or to reiterate divine truth forcefully and dramatically, but lack love, my ministry is meaningless.” In its broadest sense, that principle applies to every believer because we all are proclaimers of God’s Word. You might not teach a class or preach a sermon, but whenever you tell someone about Christ or share a biblical principle, you’re reiterating divine truth. That’s why you must always speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Then the Holy Spirit can empower your words to minister to others.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God to help you guard your words so that everything you say will be clothed in His love.

For Further Study:

Read Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:20-22.

What tests did Moses give for determining false prophets?

What punishment did false prophets receive?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Live with Purpose

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Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Life without purpose is vanity. Webster’s definition of purpose is “something set up as an object or end to be attained.” Christians ought to be people with purpose. We are all purposed to seek the kingdom of God, which is His righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (See Romans 14:17).

Today is an opportunity to willfully and deliberately seek God with the intent to know Him better than we knew Him yesterday. Today we can deliberately move forward with the intent to accomplish good things for the kingdom.