"Faith is not believing that God can, it's knowing that He will." — Ben Stein
Prayer is the inclination to draw near to God.
For those who are wondering how to be filled with the Spirit, the prayer in Ephesians 3 offers excellent insight. The precise relevance of this passage for our present subject is obvious when the concluding purpose of the prayer is noted: "that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
If I am ever confused about whether one of my friends is a good influence on me or not, I need to look no further than my wife Liz Terrazas Raimo. Let's face it, our spouses know us better than we know ourselves. I may not always like her input regarding my relationships, but she is rarely wrong.
John Newton knew what he was talking about when he wrote the words “Amazing Grace.”
He knew where he had been and what he had done. Prior to becoming a Christian, Newton was the captain of a slave ship. It took a near-death experience, the faithful witness of his wife, and some literature on the life of Christ to result in his conversion. He then joined forces with William Wilberforce and became an abolitionist. His hymn shows that like Paul before him (Romans 7:24), Newton was very much aware of his own wretchedness. He lived his lyrics.
While Newton’s slave-trader-to-salvation story and Paul’s murderer-to-missionary testimony are exceptional, the grace given to you or me is no less amazing. It is an absolute miracle that anyone would be saved. We were all wretched, lost, and blind before Christ. There is no one worthy of salvation, and that is why “Amazing Grace” has resonated with believers for over two hundred years.
Has the grace of Jesus overwhelmed you to amazement? We, wretches, were lost and then we were found, blind, and then given sight! How amazing! Thank You, Jesus!
"It is first in knowing peace with God that we discover the peace of God—and that peace has been granted in the person and work of Jesus." —Alistair Begg
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can either have the sovereignty of God on the one hand or you can have the free decision of Mordecai and Esther on the other. No, you have both.
—Alistair Begg
"You're not outside of God's will being where you are today. He has you exactly where He wants you for purposes that He has foreordained for you to do." —Alistair Begg
The church represents salt and light to a lost and confused society.
God’s love is infinite, His guidance unpredictable, and His blessings astonishing. —
When you start to see healing as unfolding layers of unexpected strength and richly revealed insights... it doesn’t feel so unfair. It starts to feel like the sweetest secret God ever whispered into the depth of your soul.
Sometimes things in our life become so broken there aren’t parts to glue back together. The shattering is severe. You can’t glue dust. But dust happens to be one of God’s favorite ingredients. Dust doesn’t signify the end. It’s often what must be present for the new to begin.
Honesty that isn’t true isn’t honesty at all. It may just be emotional spewing. That's why we need peacemaking honesty — honesty reined in by the Holy Spirit — if we’re going to have authentic soul integrity.
“Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer than all the angels heaven can boast.”
Hymns of Grace #107
All I have done is sin and you could have left me in my sin, Lord. But you chose me to be your people.'
"A proud reformed preacher ought to be the ultimate oxymoron on the planet. How can we have our noses in the air? How can we be arrogant and strut around? Every one of us should say, 'Why me?...
"The Lord is a real God, infinitely more real than things, more real even than ourselves." — Charles Spurgeon
"We believe in a God of purposes and plans. He has not left a blind fate to terrorize the world." — Charles Spurgeon
"God, If I cannot see the brightness of your face, the shadow of your wings will be enough for me." — Charles Spurgeon
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