Love doesn't try to prove how great it is. It doesn't require acknowledgment or recognition. It works inside of us, and for the most part, is hidden from view. God's kind of love does not brag about -- nor promote itself.
By the free gift of God's grace, ministry is given to us. "I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me" (Ephesians 3:7). By His grace at work in us, our ministry can be marked with courage and selflessness. "None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself" (Acts 20:24). This pattern of grace fits the entire plan of God, because His plan is a comprehensive, freely giving plan.
Paul was given ministry by the grace of God. "I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me" (Ephesians 3:7). To put it another way, he received his ministry from the Lord: "the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus." Paul's bountiful ministry was developed by the grace of God. "I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). Also, his ministry was to declare God's grace: "to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Paul's life demonstrates that such "grace-saturated" service leads to courageous, selfless ministry.
As we have seen, "give" is the language of grace. "I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus" (1 Corinthians 1:4). Our heavenly Father wants to give us all the blessings of His kingdom as a gift of His grace. "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). No wonder then that we are given ministry by the grace of God.
The grace of God (which produces boldness in those who live by it) is a gift from God. "I have written more boldly to you on some points… because of the grace given to me by God." In fact, "give" is basic to the language of grace.
When the grace of God is at work in the lives of His people, spiritual boldness is a common result. This was clearly the testimony of the early church. "They spoke the word of God with boldness …And great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:31, 33).
We deserve punishment, yet the Lord continues to love and forgive. His instructions for us are to follow Him. (John 13:15: "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.")
Those who serve God acceptably must do so by grace. "Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably" (Hebrews 12:28). Those who serve by grace find that the boldness of grace develops in their lives.
n 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul writes: "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." It takes humility, faith and love to give. When we apply this approach to our giving, it becomes an acceptable offering to the Lord and releases all the blessings God has promised in His Word. Proverbs 11:24-25: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Have you been tithing? If you don't, God still loves you. You just aren't reaping all the blessings God has in store for you. It is also true that if we give with the wrong motive, we also gain nothing. What is your motivation? Is it giving founded in love?
We who follow Jesus dwell in a unique kingdom, the kingdom of God. "For our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20). In order to serve the Lord acceptably, we must learn to serve in a unique, heavenly manner-by grace.
Paul told the Galatians: "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:6b)." In other words, faith works by love and God can only entrust real faith to those who love truly.
God's word (which is "the word of His grace") is characterized by heavenly ability: "which is able…and is profitable for." By God's grace at work, the Scriptures take us into the wholeness that is ours in Christ, as well as fully equip us for service unto Christ.
The present verses again point us to our current theme, continuing in the word of God's grace. Only the grace of God can provide what is needed for the life we are called to live. This necessary grace is appropriated through "the word of His grace." This life-giving grace is to be lived in day by day (ideally, from childhood through old age).
Pastor Chuck Smith commented, “The fact that Mary and Joseph brought birds instead of a lamb reveals their poverty…. Jesus wasn’t born in the lap of luxury.”
Chuck Smith, The Word for Today Bible, New King James Version, (Nelson Bibles, Tennessee, 2005) p. 1319.
we must start thinking for ourselves. We must recognize that nothing this world has to offer us will fill the void in our lives that was created to be filled by God Himself. No experience, no possession, and no accomplishment will fill it. Not even religion or morality will fill it. What we need is Jesus.
A lot of people are okay with God—if He stays out of their lives. They want God assisting them, someone to call in case of an emergency. But that is the extent of their faith. They wrongly believe they make their own luck, are the captains of their own ships, and the masters of their own destinies.
Jesus is all right, as long as He stays in the manger as a baby. But they don’t like the idea of Jesus dying on a cross for them and rising from the dead. They don’t like the idea of Jesus saying they need turn from their sins and put their faith in Him. Like Herod, they see Jesus as a threat.
When the world goes wild, He stays calm.
Jesus’ incarnation, His becoming a tiny Baby in the womb of a teenage girl, was grace for the entire world. It was for you. It was for all of us. God came near.
“To the region where he goes, the man enters newly born. We forget that it is a birth and call it death. And as the childbed is watched on earth with anxious expectancy, so the couch of the dying, as we call it, may be surrounded by the birth-watchers of the other world, waiting like anxious servants to open the door to which this world is but the windblown porch.”
George McDonald, Robert Falconer,1868.
When C.S. Lewis mourned the death of his wife, he wrote, “It is hard to have patience with people who say, ‘There is no death.’ There is death. And whatever is matters…I look up into the night sky. Is there anything more certain than that in all those vast times and spaces…I should nowhere find her face, her voice, her touch? She died. She is dead. Is the word so difficult to learn?”
C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (Harper One, 2001, originally 1961) p. 15.
If you worship a god of your own making, then it will disappoint you. But if you worship the true and living God, He never will.
Yes, the world is terrifying, but the Good News is that God is not afraid.
Maybe Advent felt misplaced even that first Christmas. Maybe it’s meant to feel misplaced. Advent is all about waiting in hope, trusting in Jesus even when our circumstances don’t offer comfort or peace. God is with you here and now. He’s not afraid!
Surrounded by the glories of Heaven, Jesus chose to leave for our sakes.
Christmas is here and there may be so much still left to be done before the Big Day, but let’s pause and say “Thank You” for the overwhelming Gift of Jesus in our lives, our Mighty God who came as a humble Baby to bring us peace. Amen and Amen!
Our prayers when placed in the hands of our loving God move mountains... even when we don’t see it right away. Let’s pray for our children and grandchildren this Christmas and upcoming year! Who are you praying for?
Peace does not come naturally. It’s God’s supernatural gift to us. This season, stop and ask Him – all day long – to show you His love and give you His peace that passes understanding.
You either have all of the Holy Spirit or you have none of the Holy Spirit.
Mary willingly gave the Lord her body and her life. She miraculously came under the power of the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit living within us! Let’s follow her lead and give ourselves to Him just as fully!
How does understanding who Jesus is change how you go through your days, weeks, months, and years? How does Him being God change challenging and painful times for you? Let’s praise Jesus today for who He is!
Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the heavy door, opens the prison, and empowers us to walk away from bitterness and anger.
God longs to pour blessings into receptive hearts. He desires to lavish us with His holy gifts—the best of the season!
Don’t ignore the tug of the Holy Spirit if you are being nudged to reconcile with someone—or with God.
"Your life may be morally sound and you may be a good churchgoer with all the right theology, but if the result is not a clean, free conscience overflowing with pure love, then something is wrong," Mike Mason.
The quality of our spiritual life is no better than the quality of our human relationships, and how we connect with people is a picture of our connection to God.
"Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts." ~Author Unknown
“The New Testament world is unable to imagine living out a healthy family life apart from the context of a healthy church life," writes Peter Scazzero. “The local church becomes the place where I am, in a very real sense, reparented."
“Gloria in excelsis Deo” means, in English, “Glory to God in the highest,”
Isn’t it a lovely thought that a song we sing probably every single year may have been sung by our brothers and sisters in Christ since nearly the beginning of the Church? Since very near to the time of Jesus Himself? And, it’s meaning is powerful and rejoicing! Join us in singing “Angels We Have Heard on High” this Christmas and remembering to rejoice!
Not all our friends will always stand by us. But God, who wants to be your friend, always will keep your confidence. You can reveal your heart to Him. You can share your secrets with Him. You can share anything with Him. He understands you. He loves you and cares about you. And He always will be there for you.
Jesus was called the friend of sinners. (And that wasn’t a compliment.) He was—and still is—the friend of sinners. He demonstrated His desire to have friendship with us when He went to the cross and died in our place while we were still His enemies.
It’s amazing to think that the almighty God would offer us His friendship. It’s amazing that He effectively says, “I don’t want to be a casual acquaintance or someone you check in with periodically. I want to be your friend. And I want to be involved in your life. I want to guide and direct you and listen to you and speak to you. I want you to bare your heart to Me, and I want to bare Mine to you.”
It seems that God goes out of His way to choose the most unexpected people to accomplish His plans. The Bible is filled with examples of the most ordinary individuals being chosen by God to do the most extraordinary things.
When we think of certain men and women of the Bible, we see them in their greatness because of what God did. But remember, when God called David, he was a shepherd boy whose father didn’t even acknowledge him. Yet God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel.
When God chose Gideon, he was hiding from his enemies. And when God called Simon Peter, he was out catching fish. But the Lord raised him up to be one of the great apostles. And God chose Mary to bring about the arrival of the Messiah.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NLT).
We want to know the perfect will of God. But God is saying, “Submit yourself to Me, and I will tell you. First, give yourself over to Me.” Mary did that. She submitted her will to God.
Too many people are worshipping a Jesus, shaped by their own opinions and preferences, but not the Jesus of the Bible. That is called idolatry.
Because Jesus was born, we can be born again.
Jesus… to the broken, He is healer to the lonely, He is ever-present to the poor, He is provider to the anxious, He is counselor to the hurting, He is comforter to the sinner, He is savior to the lost, He is rescuer to the created, He is life He is God with us.
With a shortage of Youth Leaders & Collegiate Leaders, if you have a good one, do everything you can to keep them. Here are 4 practical ways: 1. Value their family 2. Treat them like they’re a minister, not a babysitter 3. Pay them the best you can 4. Protect them from wolves
"MOSES HAD FLAWS, BUT GOD STILL USED HIM. DAVID HAD FLAWS, BUT GOD STILL USED HIM. EVEN SAUL, PAUL, PETER AND JUDAS HAD FLAWS, AND STILL GOD USED EACH OF THEM TO SERVE A PURPOSE. KNOW THIS: EVEN FLAWED...GOD CAN AND WILL STILL USE YOU TOO!"
YOU DON'T GET TO WEAR THE CROWN WITHOUT BEARING THE CROSS!
YOU CAN'T BIND SATAN AND OBEY HIM AT THE SAME TIME.
"EVERYBODY LOVES THE IDEA OF BEING MENTORED …UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR CORRECTION."
If They Have to Talk to Three People About the Same Problem, They Don’t Need Assistance, They Want Attention.
“GOD ALREADY HAS A PLAN IN PLACE FOR YOU. PRAY FOR PATIENCE TO WAIT ON IT; KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW WHEN ITS ARRIVED, WISDOM TO CARRY IT CORRECTLY, AND OBEDIENCE TO FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIONS WITHOUT DELAY.
IF GOD'S NOT IN IT, MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT IN IT EITHER...
NEVER GO BACK ALWAYS LEVEL UP
BROKE MINDED PEOPLE BUY TWO PAIRS, WEALTH MINDED BUY TWO SHARES. DON'T JUST BUILD A CLOSET FULL OF CLOTHES AND SHOES, BUILD A PORTFOLIO FULL OF STOCKS AND BONDS! DON'T PUT YOUR MONEY ON YOUR BACK, PUT IT IN THE BANK!
"THE VINEDRESSER PRUNES THE BRANCH NOT TO MULTIPLY HURT, BUT TO MULTIPLY FRUIT!" (JOHN 15:2)
“Regardless of whether people see or care, NEVER FORGET that GOD sees every little detail of your life. NOTHING goes unnoticed by Him. Even if you feel like you are invisible to the world, YOU are NEVER invisible to HIM.”
Leaning upon the sustaining grace of God, Paul courageously endured great hardship and danger in the service of the gospel of grace.
"But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings" (2 Corinthians 6:4-5).
It's amazing to me how people can toss around words like Pentecostal/Charismatic and think this in front of the word Christian means something. Is Christ divided. Do not all Christians receive the Holy Spirit. So some are a little wiser and receive one gift verses another but are not all believers set apart to the Lord. The church is universal, it's time to wake up Christian and love as true brothers and sisters. The division in the body of Christ is sad. If we feel the need to say what and who we are then maybe it would not be seen in our walks.
On the Christian journey, there will be temptations to stray, falsely promising to satisfy longings. Stay closely connected to Jesus through prayer and Scripture. Be listening so you can obey immediately when He calls you to change course. In the long run, living God’s way brings the greatest joy.''
Sin hurts you. It hurts those you care about. And most of all, it displeases God and separates you from him.
We must declare the love of God in Christ Jesus. Always keep His abounding mercy connected to His unerring justice. Never exalt one attribute at the expense of another. Let boundless mercy be seen in calm consistency with stern justice and unlimited sovereignty.
To place ourselves in range of God’s choicest gifts, we have
to walk with God.
~Corneluis Plantinga~
Do not worry about pleasing man. You will never please man because everyone has their own opinion, but you can please God by seeking Him and His spiritual gifts.
Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV).
I believe we can change our inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy into unshakable confidence by understanding who we are, what we have, and where we are as a child of God.
I am not advocating confidence in self, but confidence in God - confidence in who you are because of what Jesus has done for you and what the Holy Spirit can do through you.
Time is an emotion. A feeling. A way of looking at life that provides an emotional state. Think about it. How do you know how long something really takes other than by how it feels? A minute can feel like eternity when you're not fulfilled.
Somebody once said, "Jesus Christ is God spelling Himself out in a language we can understand." Not only can we understand it, but we can worship our great God for His immeasurable love to us!
Jesus is the Lord for all. He is also the Lord of all. Jew or Gentile, it doesn't matter, all can be rescued by Him and brought to Him, into His kingdom, the church. This doesn't mean there are many paths. Rather there is only one path which all are invited to take. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) All -- that means everyone. You and me. If we are to be saved, we must come the same way to Christ. There doesn't seem to be much room for misinterpretation. Yet some still read and understand what they choose. God doesn't say, "Come to me, but do it your way." He says, "My grace and mercy are available to anyone who trusts and believes in My Son Jesus." How firmly are your feet set on the path to righteousness? Is your faith placed on the solid foundation of Jesus only?
It’s against God’s nature to remember forgiven sins. He is the God of perfect grace. Grace forgets. Period.
Church greatness consists in being greatly serviceable.
~Richard Baxter~
When we truly love each other and show each other the same love that Jesus has shown us, the devil has to leave the building--he can't stand in the presence of godly love. So, if you're tired of having satan hanging around you, remember these three sure-fire ways to keep him away.
the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and loving others more than we love ourselves.
Often, the more money you make the more money you spend; that’s why more money doesn’t make you rich – assets make you rich.
"When the Gospel is presented to the sinner, not only is his understanding completely ignorant of its glorious contents, but the will is utterly perverse against it. Not only is there no desire for Christ, but there is inveterate hostility against Him. Nothing but the almighty power of God can overcome the enmity of the carnal mind."
~ Arthur Pink, "Spiritual Union and Communion"
When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.
Each of us is to do our part. It’s why God has given us different gifts, interests, and passions. Use them for His glory.
When leading people, don't be afraid to take a chance on someone. The best way to find out if you can "trust someone" is to trust them.
As you go about this holiday season, pray for an attitude of giving, not only to those special in your life but to those you meet in your daily routine. It may simply be giving a listening ear, a hug, a smile or a helping hand. What has God graced you with to bless others?
The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.
~C.S. Lewis~
God hates sin and can never look with pleasure upon iniquity, but where men seek to do God's will He responds in genuine affection.
~A.W. Tozer~
“The New Testament world is unable to imagine living out a healthy family life apart from the context of healthy church life,". “The local church becomes the place where I am, in a very real sense, reparented."
If the demons know the authoritative names of Jesus, how much more should we?
Christ was God, not because he was virgin born.
He was virgin born because he was God.
~Robert Clarke~
The angels must often be astonished at us and think we are the strangest creatures that well can be, yet they love us, and therefore they take a great interest in that Gospel that promotes our highest good.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in the resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendor.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
“The purpose of the Bible? Salvation. God’s highest passion is to get His children home. His book, the Bible, describes His plan of salvation. The purpose of the Bible is to proclaim God’s plan and passion to save His children.”—Max Lucado
We can have our own truth and follow our own way and lose everything. Or we can accept God’s truth —His Word — and follow Him and gain it all. The choice is ours.
Ray Bently
The death of Christ is our assurance of having the comprehensive dimensions of God's grace fully available to us:
Our loving and generous Father has not held back from us the sacrificial gift of His beloved Son, who died for our sins. Now, if He did not hold back His most prized treasure (His own beloved Son), there is no way that the Father will hold back any lesser gift from us. "How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
God knows we wouldn't and couldn't get it right so He exchanged His perfect righteousness for our sin. I am so relieved. Now I can guiltlessly answer in love, "Yes Lord," whenever he calls.
The death of Jesus may not be frequently talked about at Christmastime, but may we never forget that the miracle of the cross was made possible by the miracle of the incarnation.
Randy Alcorn
𝟓 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 1. Forgiven Souls Hate Sin 2. Forgiven Souls Love Christ 3. Forgiven Souls Are Humble 4. Forgiven Souls Are Holy 5. Forgiven Souls Are Forgiving -J.C. Ryle, 𝑂𝑙𝑑 𝑃𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑠, “Forgiveness”
Let us therefore set a high price upon God's ordinance of preaching. Preaching is the chariot that carries Christ up and down the world. The ordinance of preaching is a great gift. God esteems it so, Christ esteems it so, and so should we esteem it. — Richard Sibbes
“Grant Lord, we ask you, that we may learn to have our hopes and fears, our joys and sorrows, all grounded on your holy Word, that we may learn to love what you love, and to hate that which you hate. Amen.” — William Wilberforce
“The Father is first not because He is more God than the Son but because He begets the Son. The Spirit is listed finally not because He is less God than the others but because He proceeds from the Father and the Son.” — Glorifying and Enjoying God
RHB_Books
"Private interpretation never meant that individuals have the right to distort the Scriptures. With the right of private interpretation comes the sober responsibility of accurate interpretation. Private interpretation gives license to interpret but not to distort." – R.C. Sproul
“Take away... the doctrine of the Trinity, and... there can be no purpose of grace by the Father in the Son—no covenant for the putting of that purpose in execution: and so the foundation of all fruits of love and goodness is lost to the soul.” — John Owen
“To say the Father and the Son are one substance means that whatever is true of the Father is true of the Son, except the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father.” - Athanasius
“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in the world that is not intended to make you rejoice.” — John Calvin
"In view of His office, the Surety has various names. He is called: - 'Deliverer,' because He delivers from whatever makes man miserable. - 'Savior,' because He actually imparts to man all that can eternally and perfectly make him happy." - Wilhelmus a Brakel. TCRS, 1:483.
“In the doctrine of the Trinity beats the heart of the whole revelation of God for the redemption of humanity." — Herman Bavinck
“Each day we are becoming a creature of splendid glory or one of unthinkable horror.” - C.S. Lewis
“There are only two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’” - C.S. Lewis
"He gave His life to save you. He sacrificed Himself, He gave everything for you. You don't have to earn His love to receive it! He gives this to you for free."
Just as Jesus died for us, He asks that we lay down our lives to serve Him. Many do not want this, to their own detriment. "Whoever finds his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39).
“Our hearts have been made for you, O God, and they shall never rest until they rest in you.” — Augustine
“There are not a million holy spirits for a million Christians, and there’s not even two holy spirits, one for Jesus and one for me. The Spirit Christ has given to me is the Spirit that the Father gave to him.” — Dr. Sinclair Ferguson
"The more money you have, the more troubles you will have." — Charles Spurgeon
"Nothing can happen but what God ordains; and, therefore, why should we fear?" — Charles Spurgeon
"If Jesus' blood be yours, you owe him much more than others." — Charles Spurgeon
"He loves us too well to let us perish or suffer a single needless pang." — Charles Spurgeon
"May he come who will end all war, the Prince of Peace himself." — Charles Spurgeon
"Trust Jesus, and prove your trust by doing whatever he bids you." — Charles Spurgeon
"Be on God's side, for that is the winning side." — Charles Spurgeon
"To enter into debate is never as profitable as to enter into devotion." — Charles Spurgeon
"In the depths of tribulation, the Bible will comfort." — Charles Spurgeon
"The greatest moments in history are not battles of conquerors, but the preaching of the gospel." — Charles Spurgeon
"When the devil is most angry, God is most pleased." — Charles Spurgeon
"Many people have burned their fingers by taking hold of the world." — Charles Spurgeon
"If I was purchased by the Son's blood, I cannot be lost." — Charles Spurgeon
"You cannot bring others to Christ unless you have first been with him." — Charles Spurgeon
"All desire for God and all delight in him die out where sin reigns." — Charles Spurgeon
"You have either to believe in Jesus or die; there is no hope for you but in him." — Charles Spurgeon
"Faith as big as a grain of mustard seed will bring salvation." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"May we reflect on the wounds of Jesus until they wound our sins to death." — Charles Spurgeon
"Be on God's side, for that is the winning side." — Charles Spurgeon
The greatest illustration you know of His long-suffering is the way He has been so long-suffering towards you. Sinclair Ferguson
You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. Joel Beeke
Kindness is being caring, thoughtful, gentle, treating others better than they deserve; it is generosity; kindness is… One thing kindness is not: it is not spectacular. It isn’t showy. Sinclair Ferguson
Remember that if you are a child of God, you will never be happy in sin. Charles Spurgeon
Until He has emptied our hands He cannot fill them, lest it should be supposed that we shared in the supplying. Charles Spurgeon
Whenever there is a cross to be carried by any of Christ's followers, He always bears the heavy end on his shoulders. Charles Spurgeon
Leave out the cross and you have killed the religion of Jesus. Atonement by the blood of Jesus is not an arm of Christian truth; it is the heart of it. Charles Spurgeon
The most important daily habit we can possess is to remind ourselves of the Gospel. Charles Spurgeon
Till we get rid of selfishness, we shall never feel constant joy. Charles Spurgeon
The present age is so flippant that if a man loves the Savior he is a fanatic and if he hates the powers of evil he’s a bigot. Charles Spurgeon
Don’t go where it is all fine music and grand talk and beautiful architecture; those things will neither fill anybody’s stomach, nor feed his soul. Go where the gospel is preached, the gospel that really feeds your soul, and go often. Charles Spurgeon
You stand before God as if you were Christ, because Christ stood before God as if He were you. Charles Spurgeon
At this very moment, he may be trying to seize us with hostile attacks. Still, this is our security: “The Lord is our shield” (Ps. 28:7). Though earth and hell should blend their malice, we are safe when God protects. Spurgeon
"The Holy Spirit is acknowledged as the one who spoke ‘through David’ in the writing of Psalm 95. He continues to speak to subsequent generations of Christians through this scripture, warning them to make each day a fresh ‘Today’ in which to hear His voice & live. -David Peterson
Love came to the world in humble manner, blessing us beyond measure. So try not to worry about what you can or cannot afford. Let God’s love bless you and help you give freely to those who need the love of God as the greatest gift. Ray Bentley
"O for a holy ignorance of our shining." -Robert Murray M'Cheyne.
Q. May we not speak of the sins of others? A. Speak not 𝘰𝘧 him, but 𝘵𝘰 him. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:212-13
Christ hath taught us to pray for the pardon of sin; which gives unquestionable security that it may be attained. —Puritan John Owen, Works 6:468
Where no promise of #God is, there can be no #faith, nor justifying, nor #forgiveness of #sins -William Tyndale -
Practically feeling and living, that to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. - William Wilberforce
Isaiah is an Old Testament Paul, and Paul a New Testament Isaiah. —Geerhardus Vos, Grace and Glory, Pg. 260
“To say the Father and the Son are one substance means that whatever is true of the Father is true of the Son, except the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father.” - Athanasius
J.C.Ryle, on comparing the Bible with other 'sacred books': "You might as well compare the sun with a candle, or Mount Everest with a molehill. God seems to have allowed the existence of these pretended revelations in order to prove the immeasurable superiority of His own Word."
When a preacher preaches the law, he binds all consciences; and when he preaches the #gospel, he looses them again. -William Tyndale -
To do so no more is the truest #repentance. -Martin Luther -
A family divided… is a family defeated.
"The great danger of private interpretation is the clear and present danger of subjectivism in biblical interpretation." –– R. C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture, 41.
Prepare yourself now, for temptation will surely come. Plan your steps before you face the choice. When God’s Word says one thing and Satan says another, what will you do? Chuck Smith
"The more you know of him, the more you wish to know; and the more you taste of him, the sweeter he becomes till, in heaven, the sweetness will be far more intense than it is now[…]" - Charles Spurgeon
Why was Jesus born? 1. Messianic fulfillment (Is 7:14) 2. Establish a righteous kingdom (Jer 23:5) 3. Salvation and forgiveness (Is 53:5) 4. Light to the nations (Is 49:6) 5. To show God's faithfulness (Mic 5:2) 6. Reconciliation with God (Dan 9:24) 7. Bring peace (Is 9:6)
To live by grace is to live solely by the merit of Jesus Christ. To live by grace is to base my entire relationship with God, including my acceptance and standing with Him, on my union with Christ.
Q: 34. Why do you call him "our Lord"? A. Because—not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood—he has delivered and purchased us body and soul from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, to be his very own. — Heidelberg Catechism
Jesus made eternal life a reality. Death has been conquered! The robber is robbed. Life was taken back. And the greatest gift, eternal life, was given to humankind. Ray Bentley
In our own sight we should be the worst of men. —Thomas Manton, works 6:212
It is a cheap zeal to let fly at the miscarriages and sins of others, and to allow our own. Consider, thou hast enough to observe already in thyself. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:212
Don’t tamper with the Bible. Let it say what it says and yield to it.
It is not strange to see, not only the wicked multitude, but also judges and rulers who should defend the godly, act as their enemies. —David Dickson, Geneva Series of Commentaries: Psalms, Pg. 353
Be much in secret prayer. Converse less with man, and more with God. George Whitefield
God commands [the gospel] to be offered indiscriminately to all. —John Calvin, Gen. I:503
"Cicero collected together what he found good in the books of all the Greek writers." -Martin Luther.
If #God offered us no other way of #salvation, no man from the beginning of the world could be saved. -Jonathan Edwards -
You can see #God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him. -A.W. Tozer
"The Word of God is creative. It is a hammer that crushes the hardness of our insubordination. It is medicine that heals the broken-hearted. And it is light that gives us guidance and hope on our way." - John Piper
Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible speak from within its own worldview rather than merely our own. - Vern Poythress
"Salvation is all of grace that there might be no boasting, for God cannot endure pride." — Charles Spurgeon
The #Bible was not meant to be learned only, but obeyed. -A.W. Tozer -
If #God doth such great things to teach us, we ought not to do little to learn. -Jonathan Edwards
God’s calling on your life is bigger than what you can see. Walk by faith.
A little faith is no less faith than a great faith; yea, a little faith will carry a man as safely to heaven, though not so comfortably, nor so fruitfully, as great faith. —John Owen, Works 9:27
He that would be saved by Christ, and not ruled by him, shall not be saved by him at all. —Puritan John Owen, Works 9:25
Four ways the world holds men back from coming to Christ: 1. By darkening their sight. 2. By deadening their senses. 3. By engaging their hearts. 4. By furnishing them with excuses for their neglect of Christ. — Puritan Richard Alleine
"True religion is that which is repentant, which looks to the cross for salvation, and which asks the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to pursue a life of controlled speech, genuine concern, and a pursuit of purity." —Alistair Begg
Every new discovery must necessarily raise in us a fresh sense of the greatness, wisdom, and power of #God. -William Tyndale -
Why was Jesus born? 1. Messianic fulfillment (Is 7:14) 2. Establish a righteous kingdom (Jer 23:5) 3. Salvation and forgiveness (Is 53:5) 4. Light to the nations (Is 49:6) 5. To show God's faithfulness (Mic 5:2) 6. Reconciliation with God (Dan 9:24) 7. Bring peace (Is 9:6)
"The more you know of him, the more you wish to know; and the more you taste of him, the sweeter he becomes till, in heaven, the sweetness will be far more intense than it is now[…]" - Charles Spurgeon
All our fruit is found in Jesus. Remember his own words, “Without me ye can do nothing.” OUR power to work comes wholly from HIS power.
“The obedient Christ-follower will make a daily attempt to love and respect people as Jesus commanded.” ―Tim Stratton
I believe that, in glory, the saints will often lift up their hands, and say, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”" - Charles Spurgeon
"Never had a master such poor, weak servants as believers are to Christ — but never had servants such a compassionate and tender Master as Christ is to believers!" –– J.C. Ryle
"You have to prune because you want beautiful flowers or beautiful fruits trees or beautiful vines. And that is exactly why God has to prune you and me. He wants us to grow up and be fruit-bearers." ~ Elisabeth Elliot
"The Voice of God is the most powerful force in nature, indeed the only force in nature, for all energy is here only because the power-filled Word is being spoken." - A.W. Tozer
"We can tell you, dear hearers, that God’s words of promise are very, very sweet; but we can convey to you no sort of idea of how great that sweetness is. Oh, taste for yourselves, and see that the Lord is good!" - Charles Spurgeon
“Husband and wife are not so near, soul and body are not so near, as Christ and the believing soul, are near to each other.” — John Flavel
We may judge of the state of the spiritual life in our hearts by attending to this circumstance: When the mind becomes cold & worldly & the spiritual life weak, then do we delight less in the power & glory of God as seen in the sanctuary; the closet loses its attractions -Watson
"I am throwing all my good works overboard, and lashing myself to the plank of free grace; for I hope to swim to glory on it." (Charles Spurgeon)
“To say the Father and the Son are one substance means that whatever is true of the Father is true of the Son, except the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father.” - Athanasius
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