The life of Abraham is an illustration of two things: of unreserved surrender to God, and of God’s complete possession of a child of His for His own highest end. OSWALD CHAMBERS
God knows best. And if the Lord says no, then it is for our own benefit.
The first question here in Galatians 3 again brings to mind issues of justification. "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" We received the Holy Spirit of God to dwell in our lives when we were born again, when we became children of God. This is also when the Lord declared us justified, righteous in His sight.
To hear God's voice in this world we must tune every other voice out and I come to the conclusion that means even people who sometimes mean well but cast much doubt. Faith means we believe the things we can not see and trust what God is doing this day. Never give up hope.
Paul never changed the Word of God. He was bold for Jesus. He was not afraid to rebuke people. He was not afraid to call people heretics and false teachers. We should never be afraid to stand on truth and to stand on righteousness.
Speak boldly and speak truly. Shame the devil!
~John Fletcher~
Happiness takes courage.
There is a common misconception that believers should be perfect. Pretending to have our lives in order, many of us wear happy faces and speak words that sound acceptable. At times we’re ashamed to admit our shortcomings, as if they should not exist. Salvation through Jesus, however, doesn’t change the fact that sin is present in our life. When we’re born again, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. Yet our battle with sin continues till we arrive in heaven.
The world sees successful individuals as powerful and self-sufficient, but Jesus didn’t care about these qualities. Instead, He wants people to be aware of their own brokenness. This is the foundation for godliness.
Be careful not to cover up your sins in order to look like a “good Christian.” Without recognition and confession of our sinfulness, we are unable to rely fully on God. It is only with this awareness that we can passionately seek Him, obey in His strength, and confess with repentance when we miss the mark.
Sometimes forgiving a large offense seems easier than being gracious about those little day-to-day annoyances. Almost everyone has habits or mannerisms that others might find irritating. And let's face it - that includes us!
If we aren't willing to make allowances for other people's faults, we will greatly limit our ability to develop meaningful relationships - relationships that God could use to help fulfill his plan for our church or ministry.
Pessimism and skepticism are just code words for "I don't want to be disappointed again." If you don't get your hopes up about what you want or if you don't put your entire focus and emotion in the direction of what you want in life, you are going to miss out on all that you desire and deserve. You must learn to see things as they are.
Legalism is self-righteousness. It is the belief that God is
satisfied with our attempt to obey a moral code.
~Erwin W. Lutzer~
The problem is the world and the traditions of the world. The problem is law instead of the Word of God and His grace. Know God’s Word, so you will not be in bondage to the traditions of the world. Obey God, not man.
Mother Teresa once said don't try to rid the world of hunger but rather just feed one person at a time......
"You cannot kill time without injuring eternity."
~ Henry David Thoreau
"Time is what we want most, but what we use worst."
~ William Penn
"Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions."
~ John Randolph
"Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can't afford to lose."
~ Thomas Edison
"To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing."
~ Eva Young
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
~ Michael Altshuler
Serving the Lord is always a blessing. I love that I get to do it. Random acts of kindness, paying it forward, Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. And if I was a man who set the bible aside or knew nothing of God's word, it still just makes sense. So think about something you can do for someone else. Then thank God that you get to serve Him.....
Tony Evans
The Lord can be with you when things seem to be against you because God is looking at where you're going, not where you are.
With each new dawn, God puts on our doorstep a package called 'today' & He gives us all the grace we need to live out that day.
“God notices when we suffer injustice, and He will one day right all wrongs and reward those who remained obedient and faithful to Him on this earth.” - Brian Brodersen
It is interesting how many Christians would like for God to make them successes so they can be witnesses for the Lord and how few really are once God does.
Clearly, Christians in business can be used by the Lord but only if the correct priorities have been pre-established.
If you weren’t meant to pursue your dream, it would have been given to someone else - Ben Arment
Be a light source that illuminates, not one that blinds others.
Tony Evans
In God’s kingdom, the way up the ladder is down it.
Jack Canfield
One of the best things you can do to move further and faster along your success path is to fix, replace, mend, or get rid of those daily irritants that annoy you and stay on your mind.
Every marriage starts with the words, "I do", but all lasting marriages are filled with countless, daily "I dos". To choose to truly love, we must choose "I do" in the day-to-day interactions of life.
I do...make you a priority.
I do...speak to you kindly.
I do...practice integrity when you're not around.
I do...honor you.
I do...make time for you.
I do...stop and listen to you.
I do...forgive.
I do...choose to never give up.
I do...choose put my phone down and have a real conversation with you.
This list could go on forever. Healthy marriage is filled with a lifetime of love as demonstrated through actions.
Feelings of love are great, and words expressing love are romantic. But make sure your feelings and words of love are always supported by actions of love.
Your perspective on what makes a good marriage (in general) will impact your real-life marriage in profound ways.
If you believe you can "find" the ideal marriage, you will grow hopeless if/when you realize that yours isn't perfect. Instead of looking for ways forward, you'll look for ways out.
Only Jesus can give you an unshakeable identity through his love, forgiveness, and grace.
Filling our homes/cars with music that praises God pushes back oppressive forces and contributes to an environment of peace, power and an awareness of His presence!
It is not good-bye forever; it is see you later. We will see our loved ones again.
Our chastity should be as dear to us as our lives, and we should be as much afraid of that which defiles the body as of that which destroys it.
~Matthew Henry~
The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.
~D.L. Moody~
“Man, made in the image of God, has a purpose—to be in relationship to God, who is there. Man forgets his purpose and thus he forgets who he is and what life means.” —Francis Schaeffer
The power to live a new life depends upon daily communion
with the living Lord. ~John Eadie~
Are you more concerned about the blessing rather than simply enjoying the ride? If you this sounds like you -- I have a very light yet deep piece of advice -- relax -- most of the fun in life is the struggle in getting there -- that is indeed the blessing we are all so earnestly seeking.
A tongue that is set on fire from hell shall be set on fire in hell.
~Thomas Manton~
Worship is the conscious recognition of God’s sovereign greatness and resplendent, holy beauty, and our ascribing honor, adoration, reverence, and glory to him.
What a tremendous privilege we have each Lord’s Day!
Dustin Benge
“You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” Psalm 3:3
Protection.
Radiance.
Hope.
JohnPiper:
Our great initial need before God is to be justified, to have God Himself declare us not guilty, to have the Lord pronounce us righteous in His sight. At first glance, this appears to be an impossible situation for a man. God, our Judge, is holy by His nature. Man (because of sin) is unholy by nature.
Bob Hoekstra
We need to allow God to open our spiritual eyes so we may see things from His perspective. Too often fear gets in the way. We think we're alone -- standing against all the prophets of Baal -- whether at work, in our neighborhoods, as parents of children in the public school system, or on the soccer field. But we're not alone. The Lord says, "Look around, there are many who have not bowed their knee to this evil world."
In his book The Eclipse of Heaven, A. J. Conyers argues that until recently the doctrine of Heaven was not just a nice auxiliary sentiment. It was a central, life-sustaining conviction. Sadly, even for countless Christians, that is no longer true.
If you truly know who God is, it’ll change the way that you live
Jason Powell
Just as we could never secure justification by our own best efforts, so it is true that we can never increase personal sanctification by our own best efforts. Yes, "The just shall live by faith," initially and continually!
Bob Hoekstra
The Bible tells us nothing exists that God hasn't created. Colossians 1:16: "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."
I’ve never found the need to argue over what is so abundantly clear in Scripture.
God found Gideon in a hole,
Joseph in a prison,
and Daniel in a lion's den.
The next time you feel unqualified to be used by God, remember this...
He tends to recruit from the pit, not the pedestal.
Jason Robinson
The law was for the condemnation of sinners; the gospel was for the saving of sinners and the ministration of forgiveness.
~C. J. Ellicott~
“We can do little things for God: I turn the cake that is frying on the pan, for love of Him; and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before Him who has given me the grace to work; afterward I rise happier than a king.” —
Brother Lawrence
The church can't stop Biblically teaching about sexuality & gender, because the world won't stop talking about it. When the world is screaming about something and the church is silent, then a whole generation only hears one worldview. If the Bible speaks, the church must speak.
If students can understand algebra chemistry geometry biology literature physics history They can also understand depravity Christology justification repentance faith sanctification great commission Don’t hold back the young minds that God created to muse upon His greatness!
Never underestimate the intellectual capacity of students when it comes to matters of faith and theology. In fact, maybe teach at a higher level to them then you would adults.
STOP TRYING TO BE IMPRESSIVE TO PEOPLE AND START BEING EFFECTIVE FOR GOD!
GOD OFTEN CHOOSES OUR WORST EXPERIENCES TO DO HIS BEST WORK!
FAITH HAS THE ABILITY TO SEE GOD WORKING, EVEN WHEN FEAR TRIES TO PERSUADE US HE'S TAKEN THE DAY OFF!
YOU CAN LOVE THEM, FORGIVE THEM, WANT GOOD THINGS FOR THEM, AND NO LONGER EVEN BE MAD AT THEM...AND STILL VERY COMFORTABLY MOVE ON WITHOUT THEM!
YOU DIDN'T FIGHT THIS HARD, TO COME THIS FAR, TO GET THIS CLOSE, TO QUIT NOW!
When an ordinary man or woman meets an extraordinary God, normal life takes on a whole new meaning.
People are desperately looking for ordinary men and women
like you and me whose lives have been changed by an extraordinary God to see the word of life that has come down from heaven, as John put it.
Prayer, whether filled with joy or anguish, is heard by God. It is communication. It is walking and talking together with God. It is an altar of sacrifice, where we meet God and lay ourselves down before Him in total honesty with Him.
Sin is not a cultural phenomenon. It is a divine revelation of what is absolutely unacceptable before God in light of His holy character.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Bible!"
40 divinely inspired writers
Books 66 old 39 ~New testament 27
over 1600 years to write
Inspired by God
And it says to
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15
Coach Vince Lombardi
Duty makes us do things well,
but love makes us do them beautifully.
~Phillips Brooks~
No one is really spiritual unless you truly believe in the work of God’s love moving through your life. When you have God’s love moving through your life, all your gifts and talents are beautiful in the eyes of the Lord.
Character means doing the right thing, even when no one's looking.
"Winners never quit, and quitters never win" ~ Vince Lombardi
We cannot fix the problem until we fix ourselves and we don't have power apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and the word of God.~
Getting rid of guns will not get rid of evil people and evil people will find a way to get them. ~
Satan loves religion and despises relationship.~
In joyful moments Thank Him, in busy moments Bless Him, in trying moments Trust Him, in quiet moments Praise Him
God has called us a people who bear His name. I consider it to be a great responsibility. How are you handling yourself in the workplace, in the supermarket, in the parking lot? Would God be pleased with your behavior? Would anyone want to know God because of your actions, or would the reverse be true?
If a man says he is a Christian but has no love he is simply
deluding himself.
~Geoffrey Thomas~
Bring all of those pressures and problems to Jesus . Forget the critics and the naysayers, and any past failures that the enemy keeps in the forefront of your mind. Just step forward and let Him do the work in your life. It won't be easy but it will be worth it.
“Without constant activity, the threats of life will soon overwhelm the values.” – Jim Rohn
“I used to say, ‘I sure hope things will change.’ Then I learned that the only way things are going to change for me is when I change.” – Jim Rohn
To be enterprising is to keep your eyes open and your mind active. It's to be skilled enough, confident enough, creative enough and disciplined enough to seize opportunities that present themselves...regardless of the economy.
God's law speaks to those who are under the law. This would certainly include the Jews, for the law of God was given to them in writing (first engraved on stones by God, then written on parchment in the Holy Scriptures). Yet, the law speaks to the Gentiles as well, since they have it inscribed upon their consciences. " [The Gentiles] show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness" (Romans 2:15). Thus, every Jew and every Gentile begins life under the law.
Remember, when the law speaks, it is saying, "be holy, be loving, be perfect." The result of all people having received this message (either externally in writing, or internally upon the conscience) is that "every mouth [is] stopped."
Satan never wants you to be happy with equality. Instead, he wants you to engage in a process of comparison that constantly drives you to buy those “top-of-the-line” brands, those that make you appear slightly better than those with lesser brands. Doing so may help you feel better about yourself, but it can put you on a treadmill that demands higher and higher levels of spending.
Chuck Bentley
Conviction of sin is essentially an awareness of a wrong relationship with God.
~J. C. Ryle~
Focus your time and energy on Jesus and all the good and positive things He has done.
"When I think I don’t deserve it, I think about Jesus
And the fact that he was perfect and he thinks that I’m worth it" DMX
We need to be ready to hear what our King has to say to us every day, through His Word. When you wake up will your first response to God be, “Here is your servant”?
What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the ground?
~John Milton~
C. S. Lewis described earth as the shadowlands, because earth is a shadow of the real thing. Earth is a pale version of heaven, not the other way around. Heaven is the original. Earth is the copy.
When we look to anyone other than God to complete us and define our lives, it's idolatry. Any struggle with sin almost always began with idolatry. The sin itself is like a tangible fruit but if you dig deep enough, idolatry is always at the root. -Kyle Idleman
This year, commit to drawing closer to God through worship and reading His Word. Consistently present your needs to Jesus through prayer.
In the Greek language, the noun “logos,” translated “word,” most often refers to either oral or written communication. The primary use of logos is to denote divine revelation in some form or another. In the Gospel of John, Word is a title for Jesus as the communicator and the ultimate revelation of God the Father. Jesus is the living word.
When God foresees that we must meet a deadly opponent, he assures our victory by bringing us down in humbleness at His own feet. After that, everything is easy. We have put ourselves in a position where God can fight for us, and in a situation like that, the outcome is decided from eternity.
~A.W. Tozer~
A living God needs to be served in a living way.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
The only way to get through anything is to submit to the word of God. You must do what it says and live by faith!
“To live in prayer together is to walk in love together.”
Margaret Moore Jacobs
Develop a relationship with a Christian brother or sister who is as different from you as the east from the west -- you will be blessed!
It should be carefully noted that Jesus did not say, "I am one of the equally good ways" or "I am a better way than the others, I am an aspect of truth; I am a fragment of the life." Instead, His claim was absolute, and allegiance to Him as the Savior of the world was to take precedence over all the claims of men and religions.
~Walter Martin~
Jesus has sent us out to proclaim the kingdom of God. We have the responsibility and privilege of inviting people to live under God’s authority in every part of life. As we proclaim this message, we live it, acknowledging God’s reign over all of our life.
A profession of faith doesn't justify anybody. It's the possession of faith that justifies.
R.C. Sproul
"A sermon without Christ as its beginning, middle, and end is a mistake in conception and a crime in execution."
C.H. Spurgeon
Don’t be content if your relationship with God is -
“I know God is real”
“I believe that God exists”
If a man only knows Christ in the head but does not trust him with the heart, what is the good of his knowledge? It will rather ruin than save him.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
Satan’s greatest success is in making people think they have plenty of time before they die to consider their eternal welfare.
John Owen
Let us pray for those who do not want our prayers. God is able to reach them.
Prayer is the mightiest weapon that God has placed in our hands.
J. C. Ryle
If you have no love for souls, it is greatly to be feared that your own soul is in imminent danger. -A.W. Pink
“Our Lord did not come to tell us what we have to do in order to save ourselves; He came to save us.
He came to do something for us, to act on our behalf. That is the very essence of the gospel.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones |
A marriage based on feelings cannot survive the storms of life.
But God's grace keeps marriages healthy.
Until we give God our heart, we give Him nothing at all.
J. C. Ryle
Prayer needs neither learning, wisdom or book knowledge to begin it. It needs nothing but heart and will.
J. C. Ryle
Christ is not ‘the end of the Law’ in the sense that he has done away with it.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
God does not have opinions. He is the Truth.
The Gospel is good news, not good advice. Advice=what we should do. News=report of what was done for us.
"It doesn't take great wealth or social influence to be faithful, but it does take obedience and endurance." Billy Graham
allow God’s Word into your life consistently. It will change you, inspire you, and lead you to a greater understanding of your God, yourself, and your world.
World: “Believe in yourself.” Bible: “You were created to believe in Someone bigger than yourself. His name is Jesus. World: “Be your authentic self.” Bible: “Your authentic self is a sinner in need of a Savior. His name is Jesus.” World: “There is no truth. Just my truth and your truth.” Bible: “There is absolute Truth. His name is Jesus.”
Saying Jesus is the only way to Heaven is not hateful, being silent about it is.
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