Salvation is more than a "get out of jail free" card. It is more than a ticket into heaven. Eternal life begins the moment you believe, and God's desire is for you to experience the abundant life here on earth (John 10:10).
When the disasters of life strike, our only real refuge is God—nothing else.
Security is not the absence of danger,
but the presence of God.
There’s a correlation between ignoring God’s guidance and ending up in trouble: the one who stumbles off course has trusted his own “sense of direction”—his emotions, desires, or personal version of morality. He’s been pursuing what feels good or looks right instead of seeking the Lord’s will.
God has mapped out the path before you. He is aware of every obstacle and miry pit, and He knows exactly which sidetracks will tempt you. What’s more, He has committed to walk beside you as a Guide and Comforter so that you never face the twists and turns of this life alone.
You and I were made to bear fruit. For the Christian, our "fruit" is changed lives…our own, and others. Yet some believers' lives are "barren" for long periods, bearing no fruit at all.
Some of us need a jolt to remember that we were made to produce good fruit for the kingdom of God. And sometimes pain or hardship is the "nail" that reminds us. You'd be surprised at how many of us bloom and bear fruit in places where we once felt the sting of a nail.
Our churches should by discipline divide the light from the darkness, and we should by our distinct separation from the world do the same. In judgment, in action, in hearing, in teaching, in association, we must discern between the precious and the vile, and maintain the great distinction that the Lord made upon the world's first day. Jesus said,
Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
I am teaching on Achan's sin tomorrow and I just love how Joshua went before the Lord in prayer to plead his case and the Lord told him to get up Joshua there is sin in the camp. Is your camp your home, work, car, your life over all. Is God telling you to put it to death and you refuse. Achan was put to death, him and all his house, his tent. Make no bones if God gives command, He will not stand by and let His children blaspheme His name. The Bible tells us it is better to obey than to sacrifice.
Many times people don’t criticize you because they are evil; they do it because they’ve been trained to think anyone who doesn’t perceive and see things in the same manner is an enemy.
What is the overall message of God's law? How could a person summarize the law of God? In this statement to Moses, the Lord mentions a few of the commandments from His holy law. He speaks of proper treatment of parents. He calls for a weekly day of rest. He prohibits the worship of idols. Then, He provides a two-word summary of His law: "be holy."
“A cut flower civilization” by Christopher Dawson
“We have entered on a new phase of culture—we may call it the Age of the Cinema—in which the most amazing perfection of scientific technique is being devoted to purely ephemeral objects, without any consideration of their ultimate justification. It seems as though a new society was arising which will acknowledge no hierarchy of values, no intellectual authority, and no social or religious tradition, but which will live for the moment in a chaos of pure sensation.
Such a society is by no means inconceivable. It had its counterpart in the great cities of the Roman Empire, which lived for the games of the amphitheatre and the circus. But it is obvious that civilization of this kind holds no promise for the future save that of social disintegration.
Moreover, the fact that religion no longer finds a place in social life does not necessarily involve the disappearance of the religious instinct. If the latter is denied its normal expression, and driven back upon itself, it may easily become an anti-social force of explosive violence.”
–Christopher Dawson, Progress and Religion: An Historical Inquiry
Any culture without Christ will die ( Pastor Dennis Davenport )
In this day and age more attend church on Sunday and don't live it Monday through Saturday than ever before. Every one wants to do there own thing because they lack the fear of God.
I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.
Martin Luther
In the midst of whatever temptation you may be struggling with, remember this truth: You were made for more than being stuck in a vicious cycle of defeat.
"You are either a Christian or you are not a Christian; you cannot be partly a Christian. You are either "dead" or "alive"; you are either "born" or "not born". ~ Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Fear sees Jesus as distant and not intimate......
Fear causes you to look at longevity instead of Jesus who is Lord of all!
God's presents does not depend on my feelings, God's presents is all about the promises in His word...
We have to be mindful of people and not numbers Be faithful to your calling and pour your whole heart into it ~ Pastor Brian Brodersin
Be Faithful~
Feed the flock the word~
Tend to them with personal attention. ~
Lead God's people in the direction of the vision that God has given you to further God's ministry.~
As we stay connected to God, His hand will be on our lives to bring about His purposes, not only in our lives but also in the lives of our children.
Let God have your life, He can do more with it than you can. ~ Dwight L. Moody~
Anyone or anything that takes the place of the true and living God in your life can potentially become an idol. But here is the bottom line: When crisis hits, is that god going to save you? No, but the Lord will.
Greg Laurie
You know you have grown when you can talk about it.
We need to be Transparent people!
The cache of Christianity is Christ! Not money in the bank or a car in the garage or a better self-image. The Fort Knox of faith is Christ! Fellowship with him…walking with him…pondering him. The heart-stopping realization that in Christ you are part of something endless, unstoppable, unfathomable! And that he, who can dig the Grand Canyon with his pinkie, thinks you’re worth his death on Roman timber. Christ is the reward of Christianity.
My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.
~Abraham Lincoln~
We ought to be able to identify trends in the world and hard news items but the world is blind. The world sees evil as good and good as evil until it happens to them.
Ready or not, Jesus is coming!
Anticipate your battles, fight them on your knees before temptation comes and you will always have the victory.
~R. A.Torrey~
Even in times of victory, never let your guard down and be vigilant against the enemy of your soul.
Flirtation with sin Can lead to a Romance With satan! You Can't worship two masters.
When a person is hurting, when a person is suffering, one of the best things we can do as Christians is to simply be there with them.
Greg Laurie
When disaster strikes, the human spirit responds by reaching out to help those afflicted. People stand in line to give blood. Rescue teams work for endless hours. But the most essential effort is accomplished by another valiant team. Their task? To gird the world with prayer.
The enemy won’t go down without a fight. But God’s promises outweigh personal problems. Victory becomes, dare we imagine, a way of life. Isn’t it time for you to change your mailing address from the wilderness to the promised land? Are you ready to march?
Max Lucado
Will you be committed to intercede for people whom God has placed on your heart, those who are far away in a foreign country?
Before we came to faith in Jesus Christ, we were under the dominion of sin. We were condemned before God because of our sin. Others may not have been aware of our truly sinful condition. Still, we were so controlled by sin that God called us "slaves of sin" ( Romans 6:6 ). The law brought us no hope of escape. In fact, the law condemned us. Our relationship with the Lord is based upon grace, not upon law. We began a walk with the Lord by His grace at work for us. We continue walking with Him by His grace working in our lives.
Bob Hoekstra
To guard against being led astray by false or incomplete teachings, we would be well served to always place the authority of the written Word of God over the opinions of men. When listening to men, always ask: "Where is that in the Bible?"
Disagree with the Bible all you want. It’s still right and you’re still wrong.
Dustin Benge
Release! Signed in tears, sealed in blood, written on heavenly parchment, recorded in eternal archives. The black ink of the indictment is written all over with the red ink of the cross: ‘the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.’
~T. De Witt Talmage~
The Incarnation is, ultimately, a mystery. But it is the mystery on which every other mystery of the Christian faith depends. Let’s live as we believe it.
In the beginning of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge was an unkind boss, one who fails to treat his employee, Bob Cratchit, justly. But, after he was transformed, Scrooge became an altogether different sort of boss, offering both justice and kindness to Bob. Scrooge illustrates the biblical principle of treating employees fairly. We can keep Christmas well by seeking justice for those with whom we work.
It’s good to remember that our times are in God’s hand (Psalm 31:15). There is so much in life that we can’t control. But we can entrust ourselves to God and God’s gracious care. Knowing that our times belong to God reassures us, even as it also motivates us to live with purpose and joy.
the cost of becoming whole is great, more than you could ever afford. But Jesus paid the price, giving up his life so that you might be healed from all the brokenness in your life.
When we became Christians, Paul, you, and I were all "set apart for" something that God had planned for us. In Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord declares, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The problem with plans is they only prosper us when we act upon them and if we follow the plan.
“Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank…But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.”—John Piper
Are you among those who are looking for redemption? Jesus Christ is both the only price and sacrifice by which eternal redemption is obtained for believers.
~Jonathan Edwards~
I believe God brings forth revivals and new teachers to preach the Word -- His Word -- when old teaching and teachers go off track. In the '70s and 80's God brought forth just such a revival to bring His church back on track. At that time, His love and plan for salvation became (as well it should have) the point of preaching rather than condemnation for sin. "You are free!" Now that's truly good news. Unfortunately, as with all blessings from God, Satan will attempt to pervert the message.
Today, many preachers, teachers, authors, and media programs have diluted Christianity to the point where it is nothing more than just good advice. For example, take some of the best selling Christian books -- there is a lot of "good advice" in them about relationships, child-rearing, and finances. But if you removed Jesus from the text -- would the book even change? I would encourage each of you to be on guard against preachers, churches, or authors who give only a feel-good type of advice. If you can take Jesus out of a sermon then you are pretty much wasting your time listening.
The "Gospel of God" is good news -- in fact, it's a story of the Father's unending love for you and me. But it's not all warm and cuddly as some would have us think. Love also involves responsibility, discipline, and consequence which sometimes is not pleasant. Many people don't want to hear the whole story
I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief; as a devote musing upon the subject of the Godhead.
~Charles Spurgeon~
God’s working in your life is to trim you back, so that you may grow up.
Don’t be deceived into thinking He’s tearing you down so that you would die out.
We prune back fruitful vines and trees so that they would produce MORE!
When is a revival needed? When carelessness and unconcern keep people asleep.
~Billy Sunday~
Though all is required from you to have Jesus —They who gain Him, lose nothing
When we shift our perspective from our puny self-interest, which often fuels our disgruntlement toward the church, she not only becomes precious to us but also becomes a treasure of eternal joy, beauty, and love.
Dustin Benge
Just as God has been faithful and trustworthy in His dealings with Israel -- past, present, and future -- the same is true for us as well. Philippians 1:6: "...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." That's His promise -- what God began He will finish. I rest in His promise even when I struggle with my flesh from time to time.
Life as a Christ-follower will always be a learning process of depending less on our own strength and more on God’s power.
No, God is not always “safe.” He doesn’t allow us to remain as we are. He challenges us to grow and stretch and deal with problems head-on. He takes us places we’re not sure we want to go. But, as Mrs. Beaver said, He is good! We can trust Him. We can abandon our fears and pursue intimacy with our heavenly Father because we can trust in His goodness.
Ray Bently
The story of Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Aslan the lion is an allegorical figure representing Christ. One of the main characters, Lucy, asks Mrs. Beaver about Aslan: “Then he isn’t safe?”
“Safe?” said Mrs. Beaver. “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
The war against sin must be fought daily and it must be approached with a take-no-prisoners attitude.
Nouthetic Counselor
"On the cross, God treated Jesus as if He lived your life so that He could treat you as if you lived His life."
-John MacArthur.
Reading the whole Bible is how you become a whole Christian. -
JC Ryle
The gospel is not a philosophy.
The gospel is not a social program.
The gospel is not a new law.
The gospel is Jesus Christ crucified, resurrected, and ascended.
Jesus Christ is the author, architect, and foundation of our faith. He has incalculable value to us, and His foundation will never let us down.
Grief turns the world upside down, inside out, shakes it around, and unsettles every sense of normalcy possible. It requires the community of faith to come alongside us to hold onto us and believe for us when we can’t muster faith on our own.
Every one of us will utter our last words someday. It doesn’t matter whether you are an opera singer or a business executive, a world leader or a gang member, or someone famous or unknown. We all will take our final breath.
Today you are living one of two ways. You are living either the right way or the wrong way, taking either the narrow road that leads to life or the broad way that leads to destruction. You are living the happy Christian life, the joyful life, the life with purpose and meaning, or you are living the miserable, empty life separated from God.
Milk is hearing about the life of Jesus. Meat is LIVING the life of Jesus.
Our spiritual "muscle" can only be developed by exercising God's Word in our lives.
What good will it do a man when he is in hell, that others think he is gone to heaven?
—Thomas Watson, on Hypocrisy in professing Christ
It is not our hold of Christ that saves us; it is Christ.
The Christian life is impossible apart from the animating, helping, and beautifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Leonard Ravenhill said We’re so far removed from Apostolic Christianity, we’re so satisfied to 'play church', we can go without any signs of supernatural power.
We need to understand sin is the cause...
The man who is living right with God is always praising Him. The blessings He showers upon us are more numerous than the hairs of our heads.
D.L. Moody
Being a Christian is not about knowing all the scriptures, its about applying them to your life
What is the overall message of God's law? How could a person summarize the law of God? In this statement to Moses, the Lord mentions a few of the commandments from His holy law. He speaks of proper treatment of parents. He calls for a weekly day of rest. He prohibits the worship of idols. Then, He provides a two-word summary of His law: "be holy."
“To live in prayer together is to walk in love together.” Margaret Moore Jacobs
All our vows and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to carry them out. When we have come to the end of ourselves, not in imagination but really, we are able to receive the Holy Spirit. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” — the idea is that of invasion. There is only one lodestar in the life now, the Lord Jesus Christ. OSWALD CHAMBERS
Worry won’t solve that anxiety on your mind.
The Bible clearly teaches that Christians are not to worry. So why do we still struggle with it? Let's shrug it off and have faith!
“Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt,”
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