God will be glorified in the punishment of sin as well as in the reward
of obedience.
~Thomas V. Moore~
- God's word shows us the standard of purity, so we know what is
right and what is wrong. - God's word shows us the reasons for purity, so we understand the
wisdom and goodness of God's commands. - God's word shows us the difficulty of purity, and reminds us to be on guard. - God's word shows us the blessings of purity, and gives us an
incentive to make the necessary sacrifices.
At the very heart of the whole issue of giving money to God is whether or not He can be trusted. The answer is "yes!" God can be trusted!
Go to God. Strengthen yourself in the Lord your God. It worked for David and He will work for you.
where hunger, poverty, sexual abuse, drug addiction, murder, and AIDS are not just headlines -- but real facts of life.
In times of silence and reflection of your wants, goals, needs and beliefs, really listen to your intuition for I believe it is then that you hear GOD's wisdom and direction.. Be still and hear the answers you seek.. God Bless you all.. Letting go of negative people, and toxic thinking is STOMPING on the DEVIL.. Give back to GOD and you too will be blessed beyond imagination...
There shall be no time for parting words or a change of mind
when the Lord appears.
~J. C. Ryle~
Triumphant living is one of the characteristics that God wants to develop in us by the work of His grace. Even when we are in difficult situations, the Lord wants us to learn to walk in the victory that is available to us in Christ.
Success isn’t never falling, but rising every time you do.
“Stop stewing and start doing!”
— Denis Waitley
Sin begins with our departure from God; it ends with our
departure from God.
~James Philip~
If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. Jim Rohn calls leadership the great challenge of life.
1. Learn to be strong but not rude.
2. Learn to be kind but not weak.
3. Learn to be bold but not a bully.
4. You’ve got to learn to be humble but not timid.
5. Be proud but not arrogant.
6. Develop humor without folly.
7. Lastly, deal in realities
Can you be more saved than you were the first day of your salvation? No. But can a person grow in salvation? Absolutely. Like marriage, it’s a done deal and a daily development. Do you feel so saved, you never serve? The fact is, you and I are here for a reason, and that reason is to grow and glorify God in our service.
They are Watching
Seekers may not understand all that happens in a house of worship. They may not understand the meaning of a song or the significance of communion, but they know joy when they see it. By the way, wouldn’t the opposite be equally true? What happens when a seeker sees boredom on your face? Others are worshiping and you’re scowling? Others are seeking God’s face while you’re seeking the face of your watch?
As long as I’m getting personal—parents, what are your children learning from your worship? Do they see the same excitement as when you go to a baseball game? Do they see you hungry to see the face of your Father? Or do they see you content to leave the way you came? They’re watching. Believe me…they are watching! May I urge you to be just like Jesus…and prepare your heart for worship.
Wisdom must be from God, because it can be found
only in relation to Him.
~Edmund P. Clowney~
A Big View of God
Exactly what is worship? I like King David’s definition in Psalm 34:3, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Worship is the act of magnifying God, enlarging our vision of him, and observing how he works.
Of course his size doesn’t change, but our perception of him does.
It is impossible to be faithful to Jesus Christ and not incur the opposition of the world.
~William Still~
My brothers and sisters, I urge us all to stay in line with our Lord, keeping ourselves accountable to Him and to one another.. Let our actions, our speech towards others always reflect His grace so that we are his living examples..
treat the most intimate relationship given to us by God above all others… Do we treat the world better on the outside and then show wrath to our spouse because we know that there is a safety in that relationship? Let us think before we speak and before we act.. Let us not hold onto grievances but be united in all things.. Yes, we may not always agree with one another but our words and actions reflect who we are.. Have you been saved by Grace? Let us show Grace….
in the 1986 movie Top Gun, Mavric had a problem with being a wingman. By the end of the movie, he had learned his lesson.
Each of us is called to come alongside our brothers and sisters as wingmen to comfort, support, and pray for them.
Oswald Chambers said it like this " be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing, to be absolutely devoted to your co-worker/ team".
The devil is content that people should excel in good works, provided he can but make them proud of them.
~William Law~
When we consider all the ways God has blessed us, when we open our hearts to people in need, then the Spirit of God will move us to give generously to others. It “just happens” as we live in the flow of God's gracious Spirit.
Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor would ask his Tool Time
studio audience, “Men if we want a job done
quick, and we want it done right, what do we
need?” They’d answer loudly in unison, “More
power!” He’d then use a tool so powerful it
destroyed the project or it blew up in his face.
• In almost every episode of the original Star Trek,
Captain Kirk would call down to Scotty and
demand “More power!”
• In The Matrix Reloaded, Neo asks the Oracle,
“What does he want?” The answer: “He wants
what all men want. More power!”
The great apostle Paul wanted to “know Jesus and
the power of His resurrection.” He already knew the Lord; he was already saved when he wrote those words. He’d been saved for at least twenty years. He must have meant something
else by “know.” Scholars tell us the word translated as “know” is to
know by experience. Paul was talking about
experiencing the power of the resurrection in his
daily life. If Paul experienced but also longed to go on
experiencing, the power of the resurrection in his life
- so can, and so should, every believer.
Jesus is called the firstfruits of many brethren. His
bodily resurrection from the dead was the first time a
dead man rose in a glorified, heavenly body. But it
won’t be the last time. All of the righteous - all
believers - from all of human history will, in stages,
be raised in a great harvest.
An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil are sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly.
~A.W. Tozer~
In the world today, many believe man is the measure of all things, the center of the universe. That’s why when uncontrollable issues arise, their only hope is to look deeper inside their thoughts and feelings to determine what makes good common sense. When those efforts fail to bring peace, a downward spiral of anxiety can lead people to do unwise—even desperate—things.
God sits at the center of the universe and genuine hope is discovered in the character of His perfection. When He is enthroned as righteous and deserving of glory, world events can be seen through His Sovereignty rather than raw fear. And you can trust “he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16).
Confession is like a hidden treasure when we have lost our way in the storms of life. It may be hard to do or hard to believe that it will lead to a positive outcome, but trusting God through confession is incredibly rewarding. We will be sad, sad, and glad, or overjoyed depending on our willingness to believe in and take hold of the riches of confession. 1 John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."
Too often Christians are more concerned with studying difficult doctrines, but indifferent about loving difficult people.
-George Sweeting
Instead of having a strong testimony, we see in Joshua 18:12 that the Israelites became comfortable living with the Canaanites as “the Canaanites were determined to dwell in the land.” And that’s a good picture for us as we begin 1 Corinthians this weekend.
The city of Corinth was a major port city in biblical times—known for its idol worship and worldly influences. What a challenge for the young church at Corinth as Paul instructed the group of carnal believers to live holy lives in the midst of a pagan society. And how appropriate is his message to us today as we desire to shine the light of Jesus in an increasingly dark world!
Being a disciple of Christ means the world’s agenda will increasingly be against you.
Dustin Benge
God can bear the full weight of our pain and give us strength and life when we feel only weakness and death. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)
Randy Alcorn
“Without The Spirit of God, we can do nothing. We are like ships without wind or chariots without steeds. Like branches without sap or coals without fire”
— C.H. Spurgeon
Triumphant living is one of the characteristics that God wants to develop in us by the work of His grace. Even when we are in difficult situations, the Lord wants us to learn to walk in the victory that is available to us in Christ.
We must wrestle earnestly in prayer, like men contending with a deadly enemy for life.
~J.C. Ryle~
Once we are honest about our feelings, they can be submitted to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, who desires for our emotions to be rooted in His love, reflecting the fruits of His Spirit in healthy, healing ways.
The greatest adventure in life – knowing God – begins at the Cross of Christ and ends with a “Hallelujah!”
~David Jeremiah~
Keep going! What are you waiting for right now? What are you in the middle of that’s stretching your faith? The Lord is with you in the messy middle and He will strengthen you to endure. Keep seeking the Kingdom of God!
Triumphant living is one of the characteristics that God wants to develop in us by the work of His grace. Even when we are in difficult situations, the Lord wants us to learn to walk in the victory that is available to us in Christ.
Backsliding is a coldness of heart, a loss of love. In a state where sin takes precedence over your relationship with the Lord, you lose the joy of your salvation and find yourself like the adulterous wife in Hosea, alone and naked. Or, like the prodigal son of the New Testament, living in a pig sty. Backsliding has consequences.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
Our danger is to water down God’s word to suit ourselves. God never fits His word to suit me; He fits me to suit His word.
f you truly believed that God’s grace was never-ending like the oceans’ tides, how would it affect your life? How would it change the way you interact with others? How might it alter the way you view yourself?
Sometimes we think that believing something means acknowledging it is true. However, that is not believing in the biblical sense. The word “believe” means to put your complete faith in something.
It is a very natural thing that man should fear death, for man was not originally created to die." — Charles Spurgeon
"I would sooner be a Christian than an emperor; sooner have Christ than a crown." — Charles Spurgeon
"Men might be willing for Christ to save them, but not for him to reign over them." — Charles Spurgeon
"We shall not grow weary of waiting upon God is we remember how long and how graciously he once waited for us." — Charles Spurgeon
"The very essence of anxiety is the imagining that we are wiser than God." — Charles Spurgeon
"Find true rest through the divine omnipotence of the Holy Spirit and through the sprinkling of the precious blood of the Lamb of God." — Charles Spurgeon
"Follow the Captain of your salvation! Forward to the fight, to the victory, and to the crown!" — Charles Spurgeon
"We look forward with joyful confidence to a heaven of holiness with which we shall be satisfied eternally." — Charles Spurgeon
"Though God is infinite love, he is also infinite justice." — Charles Spurgeon
"Our business is not to think of our own idea of what God should be, but to find out what God really is." — Charles Spurgeon
"Christ has lighted us that we may enlighten the world." — Charles Spurgeon
"Whether or not we teach our children, the devil will be sure to teach them error." — Charles Spurgeon
"It is never right to distrust God, and never vain to trust him." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"God does not save an unwilling man, but he makes him willing in the day of his power." — Charles Spurgeon
"You are often sinning, but he is always forgiving you." — Charles Spurgeon
"If our faith is to grow, we must maintain constant communication with God." — Charles Spurgeon
“When you are arguing against God you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.” - C.S. Lewis
The natural man can’t understand the joy of living in fellowship with God, but we who are born again by the Spirit know full well the blessing of walking with Jesus—and the peace that comes from being forgiven and cleansed. Chuck Smith
In God’s kingdom, character has everything to do with fitness for leadership. We must understand that if we allow any compromise in this area, we are putting our God-given destinies at risk. Robert Morris
Backsliding is a coldness of heart, a loss of love. In a state where sin takes precedence over your relationship with the Lord, you lose the joy of your salvation. Ray Bentley
Let men feed for a month on the promises of God and they will not be talking their “leanness.” It is not leanness, it is laziness. There is an abundant supply for us if we will only rouse ourselves to take it. Moody
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
In the midst of death, we live. Martin Luther
"Lord of all pots & pans & things.. Make me a saint by getting meals And washing up the plates!" -Brother Lawrence.
A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips and sympathy in his heart. Charles Spurgeon
"When the enemy points to everything I’M NOT, I point to everything GOD IS."
"BELIEVERS waiting for SINNERS to visit the CHURCH is like the POLICE OFFICER waiting for CRIMINALS to visit the STATION."
Times are bad, God is good. Richard Sibbes
Satan gives Adam an apple, and takes away paradise. Therefore in all temptations consider not what he offers, but what we shall lose. Richard Sibbes
In this generation there is a great noise of religion, yet there is little evidence of the fruit of true mortification of sin. -John Owen -
We have been once born sinners: we must be born again, that we may be saints. -Thomas Boston -
"We are not free to do what we want with the Bible. It is sovereign. It must win. Always." -David R. Helm
We have not learned true Christian contentment unless and until we have truly learned to be content in any and every situation that we face in life. William Barcley
Say much of what the Lord has done for you, but say little of what you have done for the Lord. Charles Spurgeon
"How do we endure in ministry and the Christian life? We endure as Christ endured, by His grace and His strength." – Joel Beeke
Beginners in the way of grace, it is a great and solemn truth that every child of God will hold on until the end, but it is an equally solemn truth that many who profess to be the Lord's are self- deceivers, and will turn out apostates after all. C.H. Spurgeon
Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. Charles Spurgeon
You will not find one godly man who came out of affliction worse than when he went into it. Though for a little while he was shaken yet at last he was better for an affliction. But a great many godly men have been worse for their prosperity. Jeremiah Burroughs
It is no special mark of God's favor when Christians have no trials. They are spiritual medicines, which poor fallen human nature absolutely needs. -J.C. Ryle
God hath joined His glory and our happiness together. Richard Sibbes
"We bear the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for our badge." John Calvin
If you will not have death unto sin, you shall have sin unto death. There is no alternative, if you do not die to sin you shall die for sin; and if you do not slay sin, sin will slay you. C. H. Spurgeon
For as the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves, so the only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom, than to follow the Lord wherever he leads. John Calvin
If God be not enough for you, you will never have enough. Richard Baxter
The resurrection of Christ is the most important article of our faith, and without it the hope of eternal life is extinguished John Calvin
God holds every human being personally accountable to him. R.C. Sproul
There is no substitute for submission to Scripture. Your spiritual health depends on placing the utmost value on the Word of God and obeying it with an eager heart. John MacArthur
“It seems to me that if the Great Commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, the Great Transgression is the failure to keep this commandment.” R.C. Sproul
Sin will make you stupid. Steven Lawson
Great as my sins have been, they are not as great as His Love. Charles Spurgeon
Scripture everywhere holds forth the most animating promises. - William Wilberforce
Truth is the agreement of our ideas with the ideas of God. -Jonathan Edwards -
The only business in the world bigger than gambling is religion...but gambling is not nearly so corrupt. -J.R. Miller -
“We need the gospel just as much today as the day we were converted.” — Justin Purdue
The church is like a river. If it gets wider instead of deeper it will lose its power. —Puritan Thomas Manton
Whoever shares in the grace of Christ in this world, shall be sure to share in the joy of Christ in the next world… —Matthew Mead, Sermons of Matthew Mead, Pg. 382
When I look at myself, I don't see how I can be saved. But when I look at Christ, I don't see how I can be lost. Martin Luther
We need to hear the Gospel every day, because we forget it every day. Martin Luther
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
Comments