Have you been a witness of Jesus throughout your life, yet your friend or family member remains non-committal? I think this is probably one of the more frustrating experiences I have had -- a close, dear friend who lives a moral life so he doesn't observe the need for a Savior. I pray regularly for my friend -- that God might introduce him to Jesus. I invite you to begin to pray regularly for your friends and family.
"A Great Awakening"
"The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He awakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed." So..."Wake up...." ~ Isaiah 50:4, Revelation 3:2
What is a Fig Tree Lesson?
During my devotional time in Mark 11:12-14, 20-25, I was impressed that as Jesus walked with His disciples, He taught them lessons from nature. Because my exercise of choice is walking, I have asked the Lord if He would teach me lessons in the same way. He has! Each time something has caught my attention and a verse has come to mind, I’ve tried to record it on my camera or phone. Some are subtle…some are obvious. All are what I’ve called “Lessons From The Fig Tree.” Every few weeks, I share one with you on my Facebook page. Enjoy learning with me…Anne
You are Loved. 1 John 3:1
You are Forgiven. 1 John 1:9
You are Redeemed. Ephesians 1:7
You are A New Creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are Holy. Hebrews 10:10
You are Set Apart. Romans 8:30-39
You are A Temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 3:6:19-20
You are Made with Purpose. 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Peter 4:10
Allow His Word to light your way, and the wilderness will not seem so daunting. Let His Word guide your feet, and you will never get lost.
“The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God.”― Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place
What did Jesus do? He preached, taught, and healed. Preaching was for the nonbeliever, whereas teaching was for the believer. There are some ministries that place more emphasis on healing than the Word of God. People like emotionalism. They go home excited, but remain empty; they have nothing to sustain them during the week.
The greatest of all miracles is the salvation of a soul.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
The Holy Spirit’s work has not ceased among believers today. We can all fit into the book of Acts, as the book does not have a conclusion. We are still a part of the story––a part of Christian history.
The gospel must be preached afresh and told in new ways to each generation since every generation has its own unique questions. The gospel must constantly be forwarded to a new address because the recipient is repeatedly changing his place of address.
~Helmut Thielicke~
Many people want to be used by God, but they must live a crucified life. They cannot be torn between two opinions––serving their flesh or submitting to the Spirit. God says to us, “Son, Daughter––give me all of your heart; be a living sacrifice so I can use you for My glory.”
The crucified life is a life absolutely committed to following Christ Jesus. To be more like Him. To think like Him. To act like Him. To love Him. ~A.W. Tozer~
Invest your time don't waste it!
If God assigned you to it, He will assist you in it.
Doctrine is never meant merely to make us knowledgeable, but to make us godly.
~James Philip~
Intemperate anger deprives men of their senses.
~John Calvin~
Resentment is like a sludge that contaminates the mind, clogs the heart, and poisons the soul. Untreated anger turns into bitterness which hinders our relationship with Christ and others and leaves us vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. The ONLY remedy is forgiveness.
Pray for those who have hurt you or your family & friends... Etc
There are seasons & roller coasters in life. Take just 15 minutes a day to repent & let God work in you... His ways are not our ways until we spend time with him, to understand him, to know that our circumstances are for us to draw nearer to him, and to learn what we need to be taught.
You cannot build God’s reputation if you are not willing to risk yours. Mark Batterson
Great people are those unselfish enough to express thanks and encouragement to others.
The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives…But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:1, 6)
Heaven must be in thee before thou canst be in heaven.
~George Swinnock~
You can take the safe route. Or you can hear the voice of adventure—God’s adventure. Adopt the child. Teach the class. Change careers. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what is?
*It always seems impossible until it’s done.
“Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling.” — Vincent Van Gogh
“There is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether it’s the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent or a business person.” — Anthony Robbins
“Chase your passion, not your pension!” — Denis Waitley
“Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don’t do that by sitting around.” — Katharine Hepburn
“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe.” — Winston Churchill
“Never underestimate the power of passion and excitement in moving you toward (or keeping you from) your vision.
Ask yourself what it is that you value. What is important to you? How will fulfilling my current vision fulfill my desire to do something important and worthwhile for myself, my family, my employees, and my community? Break the vision down into easy-to-achieve steps. This helps us see that the vision is attainable. It lets us know the end result, but focus intently on achieving the next goal. This, step by step, moves us toward the vision.”
*You can have faith or you can have control, but you can’t have both.
Have you ever felt like you already miss church on Monday and can't wait to be back with brothers and sisters in the Lord? We are so blessed in the USA.
God does not want a bunch of murmurers and complainers. He wants thankful sons and daughters. Unless we feel it is an honor and a joy to give, God does not accept the offering. ~Charles Hodge~
Prayer is not meant to change God’s mind, but to change ours. Prayer aligns our thinking with God’s will. When we begin our prayer with praise, we take the focus off of ourselves and put it on God. When we pray for God’s will to be done, we take the focus off of our desires and put it on God’s desires for our lives.
Praise is often just seen as worship in the form of song but Jesus told the woman by that well true worshipers will worship in Spirit and in truth.
Here's to the chigger, the bug that's no bigger Then the end of a very small pin; But the itch that he raises simply amazes, And that's where the rub comes in!
Pride and chiggers have a lot in common. Pride comes in little ways, unseen actions, subtle thoughts, or inconspicuous comments. Unguarded attitudes and random thoughts are prime breeding grounds for pride. We must take charge of those thoughts, discipline our attitudes, training our thinking processes to give up and obey God.
Pride loves to take up residence in an undisciplined thought life, changing the setting and dictating attitudes with little or no resistance. When Paul encouraged the believers in Rome to cultivate “sober judgment,” he was warning them to take charge of the mind, refusing to allow the entrance of any thoughts that would entertain pride.
"DON'T ALLOW PEOPLE, INCLUDING YOU, TO HOLD YOU HOSTAGE TO THE MISTAKES OF YOUR PAST. IT WAS A LESSON NOT A LIFE SENTENCE!"
"WHEN JESUS IS YOUR FIRM FOUNDATION, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T BUILD!"
"GOD IS TRYING TO SPEAK TO YOU IN PRIVATE, BUT YOU’RE WAITING FOR THE PROPHET TO CALL YOU OUT IN PUBLIC AND GIVE YOU A WORD SO YOU CAN LOOK “CHOSEN ” IN FRONT OF THE CROWD! LISTEN, DON'T MISS THE MESSAGE YOU NEED WAITING FOR A MOMENT YOU WANT!"
DON'T MISS YOUR CALLING MESSING WITH THOSE WHO DON’T EVEN HAVE ONE!
REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO HELP EVERYONE, EVERYONE ISN'T YOUR ASSIGNMENT! GET SPECIFICS FROM GOD BEFORE YOU DEPLETE YOUR STRENGTH TRYING TO HELP THOSE WHO LOVE THE ATTENTION THEIR WEAKNESS BRINGS.
"STAY IN RECOVERY, YOU MAY NOT SURVIVE THE NEXT RELAPSE."
"God did not give us His gospel just so we could embrace it and be converted. Actually, He offers it to us every day as a gift that keeps on giving to us everything we need for life and godliness." –– Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer, 5.
All the powers in the world cannot interrupt God's gracious progress. What is begun in grace will end in glory. Where the foundation is laid, God will be sure to put up the roof. He never repents of his beginnings.” — Richard Sibbes
Like the Bible, this book should be read once a year, and consulted often." – J.I. Packer
"O how the grace of God amazes me! It loosed me from my bonds and set me free! What made it happen so? His own will, this much I know, Set me, as now I show, at liberty." —Emmanuel T. Sibomana, "O How the Grace of God Amazes Me" Hymn lyrics:
"Anything that we have is a gift. The very faith that we have is the gift of God." —Alistair Begg
"It is only to our shame when we try to present to the world a crossless Christianity, one that esteems success, wealth, comfort, and strength. Such a message is futile, useless, and even dangerous!" —Alistair Begg
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"Books about the Bible are read, I fear, more than the Book itself." — Charles Spurgeon
"God has so made man's heart that nothing can ever fill it but God himself." — Charles Spurgeon
I risk my soul's eternal fate upon the truth of the gospel, and I know that there is no risk in it." — Charles Spurgeon
Me-Centered view of the Bible: -Jesus exists for me -Jesus needs me -The Bible is about me -Heaven is about me God-centered view of the Bible: -I exist for God -I need God -Jesus is the hero of the Bible -Heaven is about Jesus My flesh points to me, the Spirit points to Jesus.
If you are not feasting on God’s Word, seeking Him daily in prayer, and fellowshipping with His saints, you are starving yourself. You will become spiritually malnourished and weak—and sadly, begin to lose your appetite. Don't wait for Sunday church to crack open a Bible. Feed yourself every day! Ray Bentley
Christ is able to support the heart under the heaviest sorrows and to give light in the greatest darkness. Jonathan Edwards
“If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where should I be now?” - C.S. Lewis
"No sins will hide the brightness of Jehovah’s glory from our eyes, no doubts disturb the deep calm of our enjoyment of Jehovah’s love when once we folly enter upon our portion." -
Charles Spurgeon
"So long as I abide in this body I shall be fed upon thy goodness, and when I shall fall asleep, and shall afterward awaken in the likeness of my Redeemer, I shall find myself in eternal possession of my God, who is mine all in all." - Charles Spurgeon
By godly sorrow, he means when we not only tremble at the punishment but hate and abhor the sin b/c we know it is displeasing 2 God -Calvin -
"[…]but concerning heaven this is the believer’s chief thought, that he will be with God, and that God will be forever his joy and bliss." - Charles Spurgeon
We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as the natural and expected thing -A.W. Tozer -
Faith is the champion of grace, and love the nurse, but humility is the beauty of grace. -
Thomas Brooks -
"We shall be forever with the Lord, and nothing more or better can be imagined." -
Charles Spurgeon
In order to believe the lie that you can lose your salvation, You must first believe the lie that you have earned your salvation.
“The Bible is the source of the preacher’s authority. The task of the preacher is to enable people to hear God speak to them.” -Paul Beasley-Murray
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