If you have a stubborn streak in you, stop thinking about it as some genetic trait you inherited from your mother or father, or from your grandparent. The Bible says that stubbornness leads to a hardness of heart. And this leads to rebellion; and rebellion always leads to doing things contrary to what God wants for your life.
The Word will be plastered on the wall of your soul and imprinted in your mind if you will take the time to review it time after time after time.
churches today are filled with people who feel insignificant. Upon seeing the successful work of others, they decide they’re not really needed or assume they haven’t got the “right” talents to make a worthwhile contribution. Those are lies from the Devil.
You and I are not the only ones who have to wait and hope, friend! God’s will is God’s will. It bends for no man. Yet ours can bend to His. When we submit to His perfect plan, we will find the hope we are looking for, even in the waiting—or perhaps especially in the waiting.
When discouragement sets in and you feel unheard, when you are forced to wait on God, when you find yourself caught between faith and a hard place, when there is nothing there—no evidence of God’s miracle on the horizon—remember that God is faithful, powerful, and responsive.
The number one way to resist the enemy is through prayer. Though the attacks against our mind can be subtle, God gives us wisdom when we ask Him. He will reveal to us what we are not always capable of discerning apart from His help:
As we come to Jesus and begin to understand who we are in him, it is time to learn from the past, put it behind and move on ahead.
On a journey to Jesus, to accomplishing his purpose for us. If we try to drag the hurts and mistakes of the past along with us on the journey, our progress will be slowed … or come to a stop altogether. We need to give all that baggage to Jesus and receive his healing and forgiveness. We need to keep our eyes on him and run forward.
Puritan reformer and preacher Jonathan Edwards married Sarah Pierpoint, and they had 11 children. Every day Jonathan and Sarah Edwards would sit down with each one of those children alone, and say "Let's talk a little about you." Also, every day, this husband and wife rode on horseback together for an hour or more. And 150 years after Edwards' death, his family was still growing strong. By 1900, the Edwards clan included 13 college presidents, 66 professors, a law school dean, 100 attorneys, 32 judges, 56 physicians, a medical school president, over 80 public office holders, over 100 missionaries, and a whole platoon of clergymen. Edwards' legacy was not his writings or the sermons he preached. It was the family he loved and led.
What about you? Is your family your number one priority? Do they know it? Tell them today, and let your actions prove that it is true.
God set all the members as He pleased. He knows what is needed and who is best in what position. The only one really needed for the ministry is God. We are all just members of His body. When we make Him first, we remember our place. There are no insignificant members in the church.
~Herbert M. Carson~
The well-known words from the Lord's Supper in Luke 22:20 remind us that the glorious riches of grace found in the new covenant are all provided by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, as He died on the cross for us. "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." Customarily, we think of forgiveness of sins when we hear these words. Forgiveness is certainly included in the blessings secured by the death of our Lord. Notice, however, that Jesus did not say "this cup is forgiveness in My blood." He said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood."
It's romantic to want to "be completed" by each other in marriage, but that sentiment causes all sorts of problems. Only Christ can complete you... make you whole.
When Martin Luther’s co-worker became ill, the reformer prayed boldly for healing. “I besought the Almighty with great vigor,” he wrote.
As John Wesley was crossing the Atlantic Ocean, contrary winds came up. When he learned the winds were knocking the ship off course, he responded in prayer. “Almighty and everlasting God. . .command these winds and these waves that they obey thee, and take us speedily and safely to the haven whither we would go.”
Boldness in prayer…it’s an uncomfortable thought for many. Storming heaven with prayers? God invited us to pray as such. Scripture says, “so let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need” (Hebrews 4:16 TLB).
It is important to keep your eyes on the Lord and not on the people, or you will become stumbled by their bad behavior.
It isn't miracles that people necessarily need to see. The real reason people do not believe today was given by Jesus in John 3:19: "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
People can say, "I'm just not convinced" or "There are too many hypocrites," but at the core of rejection for most unbelievers is the fact that they love darkness rather than light.
People today don't like accountability so they abstain from the bible, and the gathering together of the saints. They think staying on the fence gives them more choices to do good. When there thoughts and ways all lead back to self.
Satan will go whichever direction people choose. If someone wants to be dark, angry, sinister, devious, self-serving, and otherwise devilish -- he'll meet them there. On the other hand, if a person chooses to be principled, upstanding, moral, ethical, and always deciding upon the higher road, then he'll meet them there as well. Satan will say, "You don't have to admit you're a sinner and need a Savior -- all that is necessary is to be morally correct."
Have you added anything to the message of Grace? Have you begun to make your faith more complex than the simple message you first heard? Is your joy growing or retreating?
As I say all the time The Word says in the last days God's very elect will be deceived. Because of a lack of the word, rooted and grounded in there heart. It is okay to quote people as long as there quote lead you back to the word of God.
I don’t know what seemingly impossible situation you’re dealing with right now. I don’t know what crazy steps of obedience God is currently calling you to take. But let me be the gentle whisper in your ear encouraging you to keep going. Keep trusting. Keep taking step after step after obedient step.
We don’t have to understand the “why” of God’s ways. But we do need to keep choosing to follow them.
We should approach God not assuming our take on matters is accurate.
Maureen Schaffer
Faith that lacks wisdom is not blind it is ignorant!
While the rest of the world is intent on climbing up—up the corporate ladder, up to a better neighborhood, up to higher education, higher office—Jesus stepped down, for us.
Ray Bently
“He who obeys the command 'rejoice in the Lord,' has a hallelujah in his soul every minute of the day and night.” —A. C. Dixon (1854-1925)
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~
It is not how much or how little sin has been forgiven that matters because our destiny is either heaven or hell.
The Gospel is open to all; the most respectable sinner has no more claim on it than the worst.
~David Martyn Lloyd-Jones~
What has God revealed to you recently? Nothing or something of great value? The difference has to do with how much time you have been involved, studied, contemplated, and prayed about Scripture.
The afflictions didn’t feel good, but they worked for my good. It was good that I was afflicted!! Had I not, I wouldn’t know Him as I do.
Are you feeling a little off course? Jesus left us the greatest map of all it's called the Bible!
In what seems to be a paradoxical statement, there is very clear logic: by loving God more than anyone else, we develop a new love for others that we have never known.
“He who obeys the command 'rejoice in the Lord,' has a hallelujah in his soul every minute of the day and night.” —A. C. Dixon (1854-1925)
The well-known words from the Lord's Supper in Luke 22:20 remind us that the glorious riches of grace found in the new covenant are all provided by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, as He died on the cross for us. "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." Customarily, we think of forgiveness of sins when we hear these words. Forgiveness is certainly included in the blessings secured by the death of our Lord. Notice, however, that Jesus did not say "this cup is forgiveness in My blood." He said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood."
Our Christian faith is based on what God did and continues to do for us—His completed work on the cross, where He gave the ultimate in loving sacrifice. Watch out for anyone who tells you otherwise!
The loved one you miss isn’t in your arms hugging you today. It’s painful. There’s a huge void where he or she should be! The Lord knows and He has compassion for our pain. Let’s ask Him to fill us in the meantime.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
A fanatic entrenches himself in invincible ignorance.
Every Christian will be tempted. And if you’re being tempted, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it could indicate that you’re on the right track spiritually and that Satan is trying to take you down. The problem isn’t being tempted. The problem is giving in to it.
Satan will use different kinds of bait for different kinds of fish, so to speak. Here’s what we need to remember: It isn’t the bait that constitutes sin; it’s the bite. In other words, it is not a sin when we face temptation. It is only a sin when we give in to that temptation.
We need to understand that sin doesn’t take anyone against their will. We might hear someone say, “I didn’t want to do this, but I couldn’t resist. The devil overcame me. He overpowered me and made me do it.”
There is no question that the devil will tempt us. He will bring appealing temptations our way. However, there must be an interest on our part for those temptations to work.
“I sometimes wonder if all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.” - C.S. Lewis
“When you are arguing against God you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.” - C.S. Lewis
We are more sure to arise out of our graves than out of our beds. -Thomas Watson -
To search for wisdom apart from #Christ means not simply foolhardiness but utter insanity. -John Calvin -
There is no healing a man till the law has wounded him, no making him alive till the law has slain him. -C.H. Spurgeon -
We can never know who or what we are till we know at least something of what God is. -A.W.
Tozer -
Steven Lawson
John the Baptist called the religious leaders of Israel a “brood of vipers.” That is, they are poisonous snakes, who inject lethal venom into human souls. What would He call today’s false teachers?
A humble and prayerful person will find a thousand things in the Bible, which the proud student will utterly fail to discern. J.C. Ryle
The fear of man weakens, the fear of God strengthens. Charles Spurgeon
When a man admires himself he never adores God. Charles Spurgeon
A proud man complains that he has no more; a humble man wonders that he has so much. Thomas Watson
Sometimes a still tongue proves a wise head. Charles Spurgeon
My name is now Christian, but my name used to be Graceless. John Bunyan
My chief desire in all my writings, is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him beautiful and glorious in the eyes of people; and to promote the increase of repentance, faith, and holiness upon earth. J.C. Ryle
“The beauty of love is the crown of a well taught church.”-Ray Ortlund
"It is better to make a thousand failures than to be too cowardly to ever undertake anything." – Clovis G. Chappell
"People today need good expository preaching to help them understand, experience and apply the text." - Jim Wilson
Expository Preaching Enables Transformative Encounters With God Himself - Brother Jim Wilson
You are not enough. Jesus is enough. You need Him.
You'll always feel like something is missing in your life as long as Someone is missing. His name is Jesus.
There is a lot of talk about having a heart for ministry, but we also need a spine for ministry too. Be loving. Be courageous.
"Prayer is the preface to blessing." — Charles Spurgeon
"Be all for Christ, since he is all for you." — Charles Spurgeon
"A saint is often under a cross, but never under a curse." – Charles Spurgeon
"A calm hour with God is worth a lifetime with man." — Charles Spurgeon
"Christ is not loved at all if not loved above all." — Charles Spurgeon
"Change not your faith with changing times." — Charles Spurgeon
"Carnal men love the god that they make, but not the God that made them." — Charles Spurgeon
"Believers in Jesus are receivers from Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"Prayer is the breath, the comfort, and the strength of a Christian." — Charles Spurgeon
"This is the first and last of true delight—to love him who is the first and the last." — Charles Spurgeon
"May God’s kingdom come not here only, but in every land and nation." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you say to kids, ‘Be good boys and girls and God will love you,’ you are telling lies." — Charles Spurgeon
"The nature of the Lord Jesus should inspire us with the fullest confidence." — Charles Spurgeon
"We should view everything in this world by the light of redemption." — Charles Spurgeon
"It is an insult to the Savior to dream that our works can save us." — Charles Spurgeon
"Jesus would not have died to save us if we could have been rescued at less expense." — Charles Spurgeon
"We cannot too often tell someone that the only hope for salvation lies in Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"Men are not saved by our word, but by God's word." — Charles Spurgeon
"Where Scripture is silent, you be silent." — Charles Spurgeon
"All that you can possibly need is in Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"You must be saved as a sinner or not at all." — Charles Spurgeon
So far as we are void of GOD, so far we are miserable. - George Whitefield
We are brought to Heaven under the covenant of grace by a way of love and mercy. Richard Sibbes
“We don’t actually work with Christ in producing our holiness, but we receive holiness from Christ. We put holiness into practice by using what we already received from Christ.” - Joel Beeke. Intro to The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall.
On causing God to withdraw his favourable presence, which includes the diminishing of our assurance: “Great sins work a shyness of God.” —Thomas Manton, Works 6:330
Good King Jehoshaphat demonstrated the power of praise, believing in God and His Word, and believing that He will fight our battles against great odds—and bless us with victory. Ray Bentley
We disguise the majesty of God by our unbelieving thoughts; we come to him as to a bear and lion that is ready to tear us in pieces, and then we cannot have that cheerfulness and delight in his service. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:331
"The true cure for self-righteousness is self-knowledge." -J.C.Ryle.
Those that look to be happy must first look to be holy. Richard Sibbes
Weakness, with acknowledgement of it, is the fittest seat and subject for God to perfect His strength in; for consciousness of our infirmities drives us out of ourselves to Him in whom our strength lies. Richard Sibbes
"True preaching is not a discussion, but a proclamation; not dialogue, but the asserting of 'Thus saith the Lord!'" -Arnold Dallimore.
“Once united with Christ, the bond remains forever. He never leaves the heart where he has taken residence. Nobody can break this blessed connection.” — Thomas Boston, “Union With Christ”
The psalmist of old said, that ‘rivers of waters ran down his eyes because men did not keep the Law of God.’ And you know that God doth set a special mark upon those that mourn for the abominations that are in the midst of us. —John Owen, Works 9:366
Christ fulfiled all righteousness, and suffered, that our imperfection of obedience might not be our ruin. — Thomas Manton, Works 11:430
If you find any strong acting of faith and love stirred up to follow hard after God, to pursue him close in holy duties, when you feel any of these vigorous and lively motions, ascribe it not to yourselves, but to God’s right hand. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:330
Christ does not choose you because you are good, but to make you good. Richard Sibbes
Ed Taylor
The will of God is discovered & revealed NOT planned & scheduled.
Tony Evans
Never let your yesterdays keep you from your tomorrow. Learn from yesterday, just don’t live in it.
Evil is best stopped in the beginning. And, therefore, when you begin to be cold, careless in the profession of godliness, and not to have the like savour as you ought to have, take heed. It is easier to crush the egg, then kill the serpent. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:320
It is a destructive addition to add anything to Christ. Richard Sibbes
Self-emptiness prepares us for spiritual fullness. Richard Sibbes
God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives. Richard Sibbes
Our Christian faith is based on what God did and continues to do for us—His completed work on the cross, where He gave the ultimate in loving sacrifice. Watch out for anyone who tells you otherwise! Ray Bentley
To think light of sin, is to think light of Christ and His blood. —Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), Works 3:213
Atheism is the work of the devil; he studies to persuade men that there is no God to call them to an account, no judgment to come, no hell or heaven. —Ebenezer Erskine, The Works of Ebenezer Erskine, 2:176
Nouthetic Counselor
If someone who has a false understanding of Jesus wants to talk about Jesus, talk to them about Jesus. Do not give them a philosophy lecture.
God is ever wanting to add to us, to develop us, to enlarge us, to teach us more and more, but it is ever in the line of things which He has already taught us, and in which we have been established. AB Simpson
Jonathan Edwards
If it should be enquired what God is, it might be answered that he is an infinite and incomprehensible fountain of love as is said in the text that God is love.
Steven Lawson
The difference between dead religion and true Christianity is the difference between merely knowing about Christ and actually knowing Him.
Do we profess to love #Christ? Then let us show it by our lives. -J.C. Ryle -
The loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer's growth in #grace -A.W.
Pink -
See a flame in a spark, a tree in a seed. See great things in little beginnings. Richard Sibbes
"It requires as much wisdom to know what is not to be put into a sermon as what is." -Richard
Cecil.
When you trust in God, you have sweet rest in danger or pain. Oh, to be in God’s hand. What a place—in the hands of God. Spurgeon
The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession. Richard Sibbes
God can pick sense out of a confused prayer. Richard Sibbes
If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot. -John Bunyan -
Un-converted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering. -Jonathan Edwards -
"Was it not a lad, a ruddy faced lad, who slew Goliath the giant, thereby giving deliverance to Israel? Yes. And was it not a lad by whose lips God reproved the aged and hoary-headed Eli? Yes. Why then despise a lad?" -William Jay.
"David said of his foes, 'They were too strong for me,' but they were not too strong for the Lord to overthrow." — Charles Spurgeon
BE PATIENT AND TRUST GOD'S PROCESS.
BE CAREFUL! THE TABLE YOU SO DESPERATELY WANT TO BE INVITED TO SIT AT, MAY VERY WELL FEED YOUR FLESH, BUT STARVE YOUR SPIRIT TO DEATH!
"WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE PULPIT OR THE PEW, IN PUBLIC OR IN PRIVATE, IN LEADERSHIP OR LAITY, ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU'RE SERVING TO BE OF SERVICE, NOT JUST SERVING TO BE SEEN. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE."
IN SOME FRIENDSHIPS/RELATIONSHIPS YOU NEED TO STOP CALLING FOR C.P.R. (CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION) AND START ANNOUNCING C.O.D. (CAUSE OF DEATH) AND MOVE ON WITH LIFE!
"SOME PEOPLE AROUND YOU WANT YOUR FAVOR, BUT NOT YOUR FRIENDSHIP! THE LORD GIVES YOU WISDOM TO DISCERN BETWEEN LEECHES AND LOYALTY!
"IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL, BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT WISHES THEY HAD YOUR WORST DAY."
Again, we have the opportunity to compare justifying grace and sanctifying grace, initial grace and ongoing grace. This is always an edifying and valuable exercise, since we tend to forget that we are sanctified through the same means that we are justified.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
Re–state to yourself what you believe, then do away with as much of it as possible, and get back to the bedrock of the Cross of Christ.
“Praise is God’s sunlight in the heart. It destroys sin germs. It ripens the fruits of the Spirit. It is the oil of gladness that lubricates life’s activities. There can be no holy life without it. It keeps the heart pure and the eye clear. Praise is essential to the knowledge of God and His will.” — Smith Wigglesworth
Sometimes we try to overspiritualize things that have an obvious solution. Sometimes, the way of escape is as simple as walking out the door. Samson flirted with sin, and it destroyed him. We need to take practical steps to resist temptation.
Sin blinds us, and we do completely irrational things. That’s what happened to Samson. Sin blinded him.
Sin finds us. There may be an initial excitement that comes with crossing the line in a certain area. But we need to be aware that eventually, our sin will find us out (see Numbers 32:23).
Lastly, sin will grind us. Ultimately, we will pay the miserable price for our sin, whether it’s a broken marriage or a betrayed trust or a damaged witness and reputation.
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