Satan can't stand the Word of God and he can't stand up to the Word of God. Evil is something to be aware of, it is nothing to be afraid of. Greater is the One that is in you than the One that is in the world.
Praise and worship can sometimes be a sacrifice because we don't want to do it. That might be because we are depressed or because things aren't going well. But the Bible does not say we are to give thanks to the Lord because we feel good. It says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" (Psalm 107:1). Sometimes we need a change of perspective.
To experience peace in the midst of a disintegrating world, you need God's love. Always remember, God wants to talk to you and help you through what might now seem like a confused tangle of rubble and a field of insurmountable obstacles.
The poet Milton said that a person with an ungrateful spirit only has one vice, because all of the rest of his vices are virtues compared to ingratitude.
During a low period in the life of noted author Andrew Murray, he wrote the following words: "He brought me here. He will keep me here. He will make this trial a blessing. He will bring me out again. Therefore, I am here by God's appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time."
Like sands from an hourglass, time passes; life is wasted by driblets, and seasons of grace lost by little slumbers. Oh, to be wise, to catch the fleeting hour, to use the passing moments! May the Lord teach us this sacred wisdom, because otherwise a poverty of the worst kind awaits us—eternal poverty that will want even a drop of water and beg for it in vain. Like a robber steadily pursuing his victim, poverty overtakes the lazy, and ruin overthrows the undecided: Each hour brings the dreaded pursuer nearer; he doesn't pause on the way, for he is on his master's business and must not delay. As an armed man enters with authority and power, in similar fashion want will come to the idle, and death to the impenitent, and there will be no escape.
O that men would become wise and would diligently seek the Lord Jesus, before the solemn day will dawn when it will be too late to plow and to sow, too late to repent and believe. In harvest, it is useless to lament that the seedtime was neglected. As of now, there is still time for faith and holy decision. May we obtain them tonight.
by Alistair Begg
Routine Orders
A recruit was all a fluster. He didn’t know what to do. He approached his Commanding Officer. "Sir! I don’t know where I should be right now, or what I should be doing."
The officer was not pleased, but he could sense the young soldier was trying. So he said patiently: "Private, all that you ask has been clearly written in Routine Orders. Every soldier has been commanded to become familiar with those orders. Read them and follow the instructions. In future, do not bother me with questions that you should already know the answer to."
Often, we Christian soldiers are very flippant with our prayers to our Heavenly Commanding Officer. He will always be patient with us, but we must remember God has written our Routine Orders in the Bible. It has all the answers to life’s problems.
Good Christian "soldiers" should become familiar with their orders. When we continuously ask God for answers to things alread answered in the Bible, we will not be reprimanded, but it may indicate we are taking the easy route!
Life isn't about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
You will never have a problem-free life. Pigs might fly. A kangaroo might swim. Men might surrender the remote control. Women might quit buying purses. It’s not likely, but it’s possible. But a problem-free, no-hassle existence of smooth sailing? Don’t hold your breath. All people have problems, but not all people see problems the same way. Some are left bitter; others are left better. Some face their challenges with fear, others with faith. What about you?
Sin disqualifies people; obedience to God brings blessings.
No sin against God is little, because it is sin against the great God of heaven and earth.
~John Bunyan~
God needs to look at our good intentions. He should not punish us if we break a couple of rules for a good cause. Right?
That way of thinking is completely wrong. God cannot ignore sin, just because we have good intentions. He desires we do the right thing all the time. We never have to sin in order to do something good.
"Wives submit to your own husbands as unto the Lord." - Ephesians 5:22
Yeah, that's a good one for us, husbands, right!? Well, my question is this, "how easy are you making it for your wife to be obedient to this command?"
Be careful that you are not causing your wife to stumble in this area by not fulfilling your part from Ephesians 5:25. You cannot make your wife be obedient, but you can make it easier or harder for her to be.
Sometimes arguments can be resolved with a little affection.
When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
Just because they’re not “your person” doesn’t mean they’re not a good person.
And just because they’re a good person doesn’t mean they’re “your person.”
“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”—
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Progression in the Christian life is exactly equal to the growing knowledge we gain of the Triune God in personal experience.
~A.W. Tozer~
We need to share with the people of this world the wonder of a personal creator; God who has revealed Himself in Jesus. The only hope is the redemption of their lives, not the instruction of their minds. If we think we will win by shouting louder than them, we are crazy.
Keep your praise up so your struggles go down.
Your greatest lessons in faith will be learned in the dark.
Don't go looking for the plan, look for God. When you seek God with all your heart, you will discover His plan for your life.
Any Gospel that allows you to keep on sinning, without being convicted by the Holy Spirit… is not the Gospel.
We don’t change God, He changes us.
How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose! Augustine
For there is some danger of falling into a soft and effeminate Christianity, under the plea of a lofty and ethereal theology. Charles Spurgeon
Whosoever wants ”hope” let him go to Christ. J.C. Ryle
Why should we be thankful? 1. God's Unfailing Love “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1. 2. God’s Steadfast Presence in Trials “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18. 3. Provision of Needs “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. 4. Salvation through Jesus ChristThanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15. 5. Hope and a Future “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. 6. God's Creation and Majesty “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1. 7. Peace that Surpasses Understanding “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7.
“No less a person than God is needed to assure us of God's love.” — Richard Sibbes
Yet, woe is me! how do I every day behold reasonable souls most unreasonably disaffected to my lovely Lord Jesus! denying love to One, who is able to compel love from the stoniest heart! yea, though they can never make so much of their love as Christ bids for it. — John Flavel
“Reformed confessions and theology seek to summarize and teach what the Bible teaches. God's inspired Word is the only infallible rule for faith and life.” — Brown and Keele, Sacred Bond, 48. “God's justice seeks a worthy object, God's grace seeks an unworthy object, but God's mercy seeks a needy object.” — George Swinnock
“He that sees the grounds and reasons of his peace and comfort most clearly, is like to maintain it the more constantly.” — John Flavel
“God is giving you grace, give him thanks.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “How rich is the grace which supplies us so continually, and does not refrain itself because of our ingratitude.” — Charles Spurgeon
“If we cannot give God anything else, let us give him our thanks.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “To give thanks to God is but a small return for the great benefits which he daily gives us.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “We do not give thanks to ourselves, but to God, for we were helpless and he heard our cry.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “For God's infinite goodness there should be measureless thanks.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Let gratitude move you to holy living.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “Let your heart be full of gratitude to God, who has graciously heard your poor weak prayers.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “Let our hearts clap with thanksgiving, for God has rescued us from the power of darkness.” — Charles Spurgeon #Thanksgiving “Thank God that you know you are a sinner and Christ is your savior.” — Charles Spurgeon
"As for his failing you, never dream of it. The God who has been sufficient until now should be trusted to the end." — Charles Spurgeon "To pursue union at the expense of truth is treason to the Lord Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon "One drop of Christ's blood upon a prayer must make it prosper." — Charles Spurgeon "Let us measure ourselves by our Master, and not by our fellow servants, then pride will be impossible." — Charles Spurgeon "No life can surpass that of a man who quietly continues to serve God in the place where providence has placed him." — Charles Spurgeon “Let us be thankful, even when our lot is hard, if we are the Lord’s.” — Charles Spurgeon
"The word of God is always most precious to the man who most lives upon it." — Charles Spurgeon
"The saints shall persevere in holiness, because God perseveres in grace." — Charles Spurgeon "The Christian should work as if all depended upon him, and pray as if it all depended on God." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon "How rich is the grace which supplies us so continually, and does not refrain itself because of our ingratitude." — Charles Spurgeon
“When Christ died, he died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only person in the world.” - C.S. Lewis
On gluttony: "Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. 𝘌𝘢𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘵." —Lewis Bayly (1575-1631)
—Psalm 119:11 Either a man forgets the word or hath lost his affection to it, before he can be drawn to sin. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:102
For what must you give thanks and be thankful [for]? I answer, 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. For look how far God’s goodness reaches; so far our thanks should. —Thomas Goodwin, A Discourse of Thankfulness, Works 9:506
It is unthankfulness when Christians are always whining and complaining, and discontented for what they want, but never praising God for what they have. —Thomas Goodwin, A Discourse of Thankfulness, Works 9:512
With my lips I have declared all the judgements of thy mouth. (Psalm 119:13) No part of God’s counsel must be forborne, either out of fear or favour. Our work is not to look what will please or displease, but what is commanded. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:121 If the gifts of private Christians* were managed without pride, vainglory and without despising of the weak, it would be of exceeding honour to God, use and comfort to the saints. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:128 *private Christians = not ordained ministers When the work of God is written upon a man’s mind, and laid up in his heart, he will be declaring and speaking of it to others. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:124 Conversing with sinful, cold people casts a damp upon us. But let us labour, if we will be wise for our own souls, when we find any coldness of affections, to converse with those that have sweet and heavenly affections. It will marvelously work upon our hearts. —Richard Sibbes
The church is like a river. If it gets wider instead of deeper it will lose its power. —Puritan Thomas Manton
Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. We are all facing battles that can seem overwhelming. But God promises us His presence and His victory, where we will experience the “fullness of joy.” Ray Bentley
"Jesus' preaching and teaching was characterized by simplicity and specificity. His goal was to communicate truth, not to impress His audience." - Jimmy O'Keefe
"If you feel quite weak and ordinary – if you feel like a mess but have the Spirit – you have the right credentials. You are one of the ordinary people God uses to help others." - Ed Welch
"Pastors, our ultimate aim isn't the conference circuit, but the counseling room, the hospital bed, the graveside, the local church, being faithful in the daily little things, the ordinary life of a servant." -Burk Parsons
As the saints in heaven are advanced to the highest pitch of happiness-so the damned in hell arrive at the height of misery -Thomas Boston -
The leading desires of every person under the influence of Gospel principles-will be 2 maintain a habitual communion with God -John Newton -
“When a man is filled with the Word of God you cannot keep him still. If a man has got the Word, he must speak or die.” – D. L. Moody
"While the difference between a bad sermon and a good sermon is mainly the responsibility of the preacher, the difference between good preaching and great preaching lies mainly in the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the listener as well as the preacher." - Tim Keller
"Praise is more dangerous than contempt." -George Whitefield.
It is only the grace of God can teach us to be content in any possible situation of life. - John Newton
In the kingdom of God, the surest way to lose something is to try to protect it, and the best way to keep it is to let it go. -A.W. Tozer - Cultural Christianity is a stench in the nostrils of a Holy God and an insult to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. -James White -
John Flavel writes: "Whatever the condition or complaint of any Christian is, the beholding of the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, may give him strong support and sweet relief."
When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you'd been the only man in the world. C. S. Lewis
If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world. C. S. Lewis
“Preaching is not the performance of an hour but the overflow of a life.” -Shaneen Clarke
"Keep away from the theatre." -Horatius Bonar
“Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it.” – Matthew Henry
"As Jesus gave the blind man sight, so Jesus can give us life. Just as surely He opened the man's eyes physically, so Jesus can open the spiritual eyes of men and women." —Alistair Begg
The Church has a right to judge, in fact it is commanded to judge a man on the content of what he believes and teaches -Francis Schaeffer - The love of the Bible will show itself in a believer's actions. -J.C. Ryle -
"Don’t preach grace disconnected to Jesus Himself, it is not a commodity or a substance, it can only be found in a Person. Never offer the benefits of the gospel without the Benefactor Himself." - Sinclair Ferguson
“Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” — Charles Spurgeon
Ah Lord! this mercy I humbly beg, that whatever you give me up to, you will not give me up to the ways of my own heart - Thomas Brooks
There is mercy for a sinner, but there is no mercy for the man who will not own himself a sinner. -C.H. Spurgeon - Additional rules made to govern men's conduct added nothing to the perfection already found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. -John Wycliffe -
The law is 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 (1 Tim. 1:8), but the gospel [is] 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 (1 Tim. 1:11)… —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:112
To love at all is to be vulnerable. C. S. Lewis
"Gratitude is the memory of the heart." — Jean Baptiste Massieu
"Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse."
"God does not give us overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome." — Oswald Chambers
The grace of God is "much more" than our sin and our failure. It is "much more" than our personal inadequacy. It is "much more" than our comprehension of it. God's grace is "much more" than necessary to radically change our lives. In the limitless resources of God, there is exceedingly abundant grace for transformation. The Apostle Paul is a distinctive example of this transforming grace of God. The Lord took him from religious enmity into spiritual service.
By His bountiful grace, Jesus Christ transformed Saul of Tarsus into the Apostle Paul. The Lord did this by enabling Paul, making him a man of faith, and putting him into ministry. As we consider what Paul was before the Lord began to change his life, we will see even more on exceedingly abundant grace for transformation.
Little things lead to big things. That’s why we can’t make deals with the devil. We can’t negotiate with Satan. There can be no compromise. If you are not prepared to go far away from him, then you’re never going to make it, because he will manipulate you. It’s time to break free.
‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hands.
Take a break regularly to stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and refreshed by the Word of God!
When I experience and express gratitude, I know I am moving closer to God. We are being wooed and won over by Him when we experience a deep sense of thankfulness for all the benefits and blessings in our lives.
The purest form of gratitude to God is thanking Him for Himself alone.
A THANKSGIVING DANCE
I own nothing but these arms, So I swing them, So I clap them. I have nothing but these legs, So I lift them in dance. I have nothing but my own hips, So I sway them in a trance. Except I may not even own this body — but I move. Even still I may not say where I go, Yet I possess my soul. “Dance, dance. Dance,” said He. “I am Lord of the Dance” said He. For all these I give thanks To the One I owe, (O my soul dance) the fact that I exist, that I breathe and that I know the One from Whom all blessings flow.1
(Used by permission)
William Backus and Marie Chapian, Telling Yourself the Truth
“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”— Dietrich Bonhoeffer
For the Christian, every day is Thanksgiving Day!
On this day set aside for giving thanks, let’s offer the One who has everything our verbal praise.
Maybe you’re thinking that you don’t have all that much to be thankful for today. You may be going through a hardship right now or a time of crisis. But perhaps you need to put things into perspective.
If you’re married, don’t you like to hear “I love you” from your husband or wife? There is a place for saying “I love you.” In the same way, when we come into God’s presence, we should praise Him. We should let Him know that we love Him.
Our rejoicing on Thanksgiving Day and, really, every day should not be based on what we have materially. It should be based on who we know. Possessions come and go. Friends come and go. So does time. But God does not come and go. He remains.
We need to remember to give thanks to God. We might set an alarm to remind us to get up at a certain hour of the day, or we ask someone to remind us to do something.
Researchers have discovered that gratitude actually has a positive effect on health. Dr. Robert Emmons of UC Davis said, “Gratitude blocks toxic, negative emotions, such as envy, resentment, regret, and depression, which can destroy our happiness. There’s even recent evidence . . . showing that gratitude can reduce the frequency and duration of episodes of depression.”
Thanksgiving originally was a day to give glory to God, and for Christians, every day should be a day of thanksgiving, minus the turkey. Every day we should be giving thanks to the Lord. We should have an attitude of gratitude.
Today we celebrate Thanksgiving. This is a uniquely American holiday. It doesn’t commemorate a battle or anyone’s birthday or anniversary. Rather, it’s a day set aside with the specific purpose of giving thanks to God Almighty.
Jesus Christ is life. He is Joy and Love and He took our place on the cross. That's why we can give thanks when it seems as if there is nothing for which to be thankful.
“Without constant activity, the threats of life will soon overwhelm the values.” – Jim Rohn
“When you know what you want, and you want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.’” – Jim Rohn
Don't add to the Gospel and make Christianity a bunch of religious jargon and nonsense. Read the Word of God and live by what it says. When you start falling in love with the Bible, you fall in love with Jesus. It's all about Him. The Scriptures bring the heart of God to us and bring our heart to God. They open us up and they speak to us. And today more than ever we need the Word of God in our hearts, stirring us up to live our lives with purpose and meaning.
“I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change.” Jim Rohn
*** “If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? Not much.” Jim Rohn
*** “The reason why most people face the future with apprehension instead of anticipation is because they don't have it well designed.” Jim Rohn
*** “The guy says, ‘When you work where I work, by the time you get home, it's late. You've got to have a bite to eat, watch a little TV, relax and get to bed. You can't sit up half the night planning, planning, planning.’ And he's the same guy who is behind on his car payment!” Jim Rohn
I’ve never been surprised by God’s judgment, but I’m still stunned by His grace for me..
Those of us who don’t forget who we used to be before we experienced God’s grace will almost certainly have a clearer understanding of who we are now.
Reality is obscured every day. When our perceptions are rooted in God’s Word, we are living the truth. When our vision gets skewed, lacking God’s perspective, we see events and circumstances through a deceptive prism—and all the junk begins to look “normal.”
If your worldview is anything other than being rooted and grounded in Christ and His sovereign will your reality is obscured.
Whatever season you're going through in your marriage, your spouse is one of God's most obvious blessings. The beauty of lifelong covenant is that it gives love enough time and room to mature into something truly lasting.
Through conflict, you can be sanctified. Through joy, you can give thanks. Through hardship, you can learn to lean on Jesus together. Every season of marriage (every season of life, really) is an opportunity to love and trust Jesus more completely.
It's easy to take your spouse for granted, if for no other reason than just being around each other every single day.
Your spouse is a gift! Make sure to remember what a blessing he/she is and let them know you appreciate them regularly.
The church at Corinth became a vivid illustration of what the grace of God can do in lives. God's grace was so mightily at work among them that believers in other parts of the church world were drawn by the exceeding grace of God: "who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
Too often mankind looks upon God's mercy as recognition or reward for the work we've done. We think our efforts cause God to look upon us with more favor. However, if God rewarded our desire or effort with His Mercy, then we would be filled with pride because of what we had accomplished. The election of God is not something we can run for, earn or win. It does not depend on anything we do.
Gratitude never comes from avoiding difficulty, but from finding yourself sustained through it. The degree of joy rises to the degree of gratitude, and the level of gratitude corresponds to the level of God’s grace experienced in our suffering.
Randy Alcorn
God gave us the physical evidence of certain events to help those who need "proof." For example, the many prophecies in the Old Testament that have come to pass. However, while some people have no problem believing in faith alone, some personally needed a balance of both to come to Christ. What does your faith rest upon? The wisdom of man, the power of God, or both?
The grace of God is "much more" than our sin and our failure. It is "much more" than our personal inadequacy. It is "much more" than our comprehension of it. God's grace is "much more" than necessary to radically change our lives. In the limitless resources of God, there is exceedingly abundant grace for transformation.
Everywhere we look today there are challenges – economic, social, political, moral - you name it! So, how do we navigate life, not just by ‘hanging on so to speak, but by walking with God in victory? The victory that is real despite the world situation or even despite what may be going on in our own lives. Jesus said, “the Spirit gives life; the flesh (our thoughts and ways) counts for nothing.” (John 6:63).
Our lives are messy, often full of chaos. While getting through daily living, we can be sure of one thing: God’s presence is with us.
“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.”—C.S. Lewis
Jesus doesn’t tell me to fight harder or stay busy; He tells me to give my sorrow to Him and be still. Give Him the hurt, the questions, the fear, and watch Him work.
Miracles are not meant to be understood, they are meant to be believed.
~D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones~
“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”
G.K. Chesterton
When people start to praise you, the right thing to do is give God the glory. Never take the glory away from Jesus Christ. Whatever gifts and talents you possess, give all the glory to God and not to yourself. Every gift and talent God has given to you came from Him.
“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”— Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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