As servants of the new covenant of grace, the Lordship of Jesus is part of our message. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5). The early church proclaimed Jesus as Lord. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ…The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all… believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…Then Paul dwelt two whole years… teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:36; 10:36; 16:31; and 28:30-31).
As Christians, we must rely on each other; we are to love and serve each other so that we can function as a unified body for the glory of God. But Satan thrives on separating us from each other; he is the ultimate divider of our relationships, our families, our communities, our nation, and our world.
The Christian worker must be sent;
he must not elect to go.
~Oswald Chambers~
The people God uses are being molded and shaped by the Holy Spirit and by God Himself. That is what the Bible teaches.
The Scriptures often emphasize the fact that Jesus is our Lord. The opening verses of Paul's first letter to Corinth is a clear example. "Paul…to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus…with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…
"We shall never have friends if we expect to find them without fault." - Thomas Fuller
Today's Forecast~ God reigns and the Son shines.. AMEN!!
the Lordship of Jesus is part of our message. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5).
The early church proclaimed Jesus as Lord.
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ…
When we acknowledge God's great mercies, we are able to offer Him praise--even in pain.
Four powerful little words: learn, try, stay and care. What difference can you make in your life today by putting these words to work?
Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experiences and invest them in the future.
Don’t let the learning from your own experiences take too long. If you have been doing it wrong for the last ten years, I would suggest that’s long enough!
Life is not just the passing of time. Life is the collection of experiences and their intensity.
It’s easy to carry the past as a burden instead of a school. It’s easy to let it overwhelm you instead of educate you.
Be like a sponge when it comes to each new experience. If you want to be able to express it well, you must first be able to absorb it well.
“Life is part positive and part negative. Suppose you went to hear a symphony orchestra and all they played were the little, happy, high notes? Would you leave soon? Let me hear the rumble of the bass, the crash of the cymbals, and the minor keys.” – Jim Rohn
“Some things you have to do every day. Eating seven apples on Saturday night instead of one a day just isn't going to get the job done.” – Jim Rohn
God gives mercy in exchange for every mistake.
"When the church preaches the gospel as the power of God, as spiritual dynamic that can operate in men and change them, it is THEN that she deals with the social problem; not when she is talking about the social problem, and giving statistics and making moral appeals. That is a waste of time, and we must reject it as a temptation from the devil! I do not hesitate to say so. The devil is perfectly satisfied as long as the church is just reading, Sunday by Sunday, little moral essays, trying to give a little moral uplift, and making an appeal to people to be decent. I am certain that at such times the devil rejoices, because he knows that his kingdom will not be affected." Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Ephesians - Darkness And Light) Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Library
Reverent fear of God is the key to faithfulness in any situation.
~Alan Redpath~
Habitual, continual prayer--walking and talking with God--will cause you to grow closer to Him.
We see a perfect mess; God sees a perfect chance to train, test, and teach. We see a prison…God sees bootcamp! What Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good!
From You’ll Get Through This
I believe that in any setting, the tendency to place personal feelings above the Scriptures is always an insult to God.
~A. W. Tozer~
If you compromise continually by watching pornography, there will come a time -- if you don't repent -- that your heart will become hardened and you will not be able to stand and resist the pornography. If you keep drinking alcohol and God has told you to quit, there's going to come a time when you will not be able to stand, and your system will trick you into thinking that you need it to feel good. It's the same with drugs or anything that can control your body. But you are the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:16) and you don't want anything controlling your ears, your eyes, your heart, your big toes, or your big thumbs. You want God's Word to wash over you, guide you, and look after you.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work (1 Thessalonians 2:15-17).
Believers don't need luck they only need to believe by faith....!
Albert Camus once wrote, “Truth, like light, blinds. Falsehood, on the contrary, is a beautiful twilight that enhances every object.”
“Christ was a complete man.” —Augustine of Hippo
Redemption is the great gift of God to us through Jesus.
Our lives, with all our mistakes, foolish choices, and sin can start over, with purpose and meaning...complete
It took David only a few minutes to dispose of Goliath, but he had beaten the giant long before in the person of the lion and the bear.
~A.W. Tozer~
The cross of Christ calls all of us, including those who have power in our workplaces, to a life of self-sacrifice and holy love.
Jesus warned in Mark 13:33-37, "Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come [the second coming of Christ]. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge [that's us], each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. He goes on to say, "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back -- whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "
Keep Watch Over Yourself
When men no longer fear God, they transgress His laws without hesitation. The fear of consequences is no deterrent when the fear of God is gone.
~A.W. Tozer~
An unholy church! It is useless to the world—and of no esteem among men. It is an abomination, Hell's laughter, and Heaven's abhorrence. The worst evils which have ever come upon the world—have been brought upon her by an unholy church.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
“Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; long-suffering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love in school, and temperance is love in training.”
—Dwight L. Moody
When the church is silent on issues that the culture is screaming about, then a whole generation only hears one worldview. The church must speak up, disciple up, and train up a generation to navigate through cultural issues with truth and love. Silence is not an option.
If you live by obedience to the Word, you'll live contrary to the world. If you live by obedience to the world, you'll live contrary to the Word.
We’re not being a good steward of truth or love when we affirm and celebrate a lie.
No matter how much a culture tries to affirm, celebrate, and normalize sin... it doesn't stop being sin.
Any “Christian celebrity”, who isn’t connected to a local church personally, should not be influencing the church universally.
Jesus didn't come to affirm us in our sin, and celebrate our lifestyles. He came to save us from our sin, and transform our lifestyles.
The reason a lot of people don't think they need a Savior at the end of a sermon is because they never heard about sin during the sermon.
1/3 of the calendar year now is recognized as LGBTQIA+ National holidays! Bisexual Health Awareness Month (Mar) National GLBT Health Awareness Week (Last week of Mar) International Transgender Day of Visibility (Mar 31) International Asexuality Day (Apr 6) Day of Silence against LGBTQIA+ bullying (Apr 17) Nonbinary Parents Day (Apr 18) Lesbian Visibility Day (Apr 26) International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (May 17) Harvey Milk Day (May 22) Pansexual & Panromantic Awareness & Visibility Day (May 24) LGBTQIA+Q Pride (Jun) LGBTQ Families Day (Jun 1) Pulse Night Remembrance (Jun 12) Stonewall Riots Anniversary (Jun 27) Queer Youth of Faith Day (Jun 30) Nonbinary Awareness Week (Week of Jul 14) International Drag Day (Jul 16) Gay Uncles Day (Aug 14) Celebrate Bisexuality Day (Sep 23) National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (Sep 27) LGBTQIA+Q History Month (Oct) International Lesbian Day (Oct 8) National Coming Out Day (Oct 11) Spirit Day (Oct 17) National LGBT Center Awareness Day (Oct 19) International Pronouns Day (3rd Wed in Oct) Asexuality Awareness Week (Oct - Nov Dates vary every year) Intersex Awareness Day (Oct 26) Transgender Parent Day (1st Sun of Nov) Transgender Awareness Week (Nov 13-19) Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov 20) World AIDS Day (Dec 1) Pansexual/Panromantic Pride Day (Dec 8) (121 days total) There isn't a community of people more celebrated by culture right now than those who identify as LGBTQIA+, and yet suicide rates, depression rates, & hopelessness continue to skyrocket. It's not a lack of celebration and affirmation that is dangerous to people, but rather, the ideology itself.
In light of "pride month” - here are two things to remember. Do Love: Behind every self-identified label is a person that God loves. People are more than labels. Don't Affirm: One of the most unloving things we can do is affirm and celebrate what the Bible calls sinful.
Every congregation is a counseling center. Whether it is a good one or not, or whether it is operative or not, is another issue. – Jay Adams
Scripture never separates motive and behavior. The mirror of Scripture exposes both. The lamp of Scripture guides both. – David Powlison
Preach the Word. Teach the Word. Counsel the Word. Live the Word.
Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man. Dwight L. Moody
The deepest lessons come out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires. Elisabeth Elliot
The world’s perception of life is satanic. Seymour Helligar
We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown. John Calvin
"When you are arguing against God you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.” - 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
“If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where should I be now?” - 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
“Give me family prayer. Give me the Bible read each and every day.” — Charles Spurgeon
“There is no spiritual disease that can withstand the wondrous remedy of the love of God.” — Charles Spurgeon
“It pleased God to bring me in, to rescue me from all my sin.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Do not stay in the grave of doubt when your Master has left the grave of death.” — Charles Spurgeon
“As long as you look to yourself there is no hope for you.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The Christian’s comfort is on the cross. There hangs our hope.” — Charles Spurgeon
“He who has loved you and pardoned you, shall never cease to love and pardon.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The bleeding hands of Jesus drip with mercy.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The atonement never fluctuates. It never rises or falls in value.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Jesus does not need you. His army is not short of soldiers.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Those who seek the treasures of this world miss out on inestimable treasures in God.” — Charles Spurgeon
“You must never be satisfied merely with Scripture. You must get to the Christ of Scripture.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The Lord himself will personally reward those who give to the poor.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Your great sin is that you do not serve God.” — Charles Spurgeon
“It is what a preacher says, not how he says it, that is the vital thing.” — Charles Spurgeon
“If the love of God alone can save, then he alone shall have my love.” — Charles Spurgeon
“We live by clinging to Jesus.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Let us rest in hope. We belong to one whose mercy endures forever.” — Charles Spurgeon
“When men of God are mighty in prayer, we owe much to them.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Lord, I am feeble, you are strong; Help me guard against the wrong.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The religion of Jesus Christ is not a religion of performances.” — Charles Spurgeon
“In the end, we shall be like Jesus, pure and perfect.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Faith grows through the exercise of prayer.” — Charles Spurgeon
“We are one with Jesus, knit to him, united to him, never to be separated.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Lord, the more we have of you, the more we want you.” — Charles Spurgeon
“In the New Testament we find Jesus Christ the one constant theme of every page.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Even before creation, God sat as a king on his throne, forever to be worshiped.” — Charles Spurgeon
“As God is all-sufficient, our defense is equal to any emergency.” — Charles Spurgeon
“To live by faith is far happier than to live by works.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Come to Jesus just as you are. Don't delay to cleanse yourself; come to him to do it all.” — Charles Spurgeon
“However far your children are at present, still press toward the throne of grace.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Since God will not fail me, my faith shall not fail.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Let the whole church preach Christ more, and live Christ more.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Only omnipotence itself keeps off the fiery darts of Satan.” — Charles Spurgeon
“When parents read the Bible every day, we laugh at all the powers of the devil.” — Charles Spurgeon
“If I go upon the Lord’s errand, it is certain that he will be with me.” — Charles Spurgeon
“To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in the world.” — Charles Spurgeon
“God invites us to make requests, but our prayers are shadowy and unreal instead.” — Charles Spurgeon
“It is vain to look for deliverance anywhere else; but with God, I shall find it.” — Charles Spurgeon
“All the books of the Bible cry to sinners, ‘Come to Jesus.’” — Charles Spurgeon
“God can make a spark set a world on fire.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Every day, we need God’s goodness to supply our needs and his mercy to blot out our sins.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Too often the Holy Spirit is not sufficiently honored.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Your hope must not be based on anything you feel, but on the cross.” — Charles Spurgeon
“He who lives for himself practically worships himself.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Belief in God’s promises sustains us through dark times.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Jesus is the Lamb of God. He bore your sins, now you must bear his praises.” — Charles Spurgeon
“When the Lord withholds his aid, the work will cease; but not until then.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Let my name perish, but let Christ’s name last forever!” — Charles Spurgeon
“Live entirely upon Christ. Living by feelings is a deadly form of life.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Increase in the knowledge of Christ is the cause of true growth in grace.” — Charles Spurgeon
“With God on our side, fear is irrational.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The Holy Spirit is on earth, at work.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Why do I not call on God? Why do I worry and invent plans?” — Charles Spurgeon
“When joys depart, it is no evidence that God's love is departed too. We must always beware of living by feeling.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Let not one sinner go to hell unwarned and unprayed for.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The more you read the Bible, the more you will be astonished with it.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Poetry is, after all, the grandest form of truth.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Pastors are servants. Our rule is not that of lordship, but of love.” — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
“Even the blood of Jesus Christ does not save any except those who believe in it.” — Charles Spurgeon
“He who lives only to make money is a worshiper of the golden calf.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Complaining is contagious and so is praise.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Beloved, if it had been possible to destroy the church of God on earth, it would have been destroyed long ago.” — Charles Spurgeon
Since God will not fail me, my faith shall not fail. Charles Spurgeon
To live by faith is far happier than to live by works. Charles Spurgeon
“We were not drowning, in need of being thrown a life-preserver; we were stone-dead at the bottom of the ocean.” — Dane C. Ortlund, Deeper, 27.
Let every man of whatsoever craft or occupation he be of... serve his brethren. -William Tyndale -
I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. -Martin Luther -
"For the Bible, as it sets down the good properties of great men, so it conceals not their faults. The Holy Spirit is the true historiographer, and the Bible the only true history." -Robert Bruce.
The Redeemer is mighty, and his redemption is sure. He is able to save to the uttermost. - John Newton
“Every Christian is called to be a soldier of the cross. We must advance to the frontlines of spiritual warfare. There can be no conscientious objectors, no spiritual pacifists, no part time warriors." Steven Lawson
We cannot all preach; we cannot all rule; we cannot all give gold and silver, but we can all contribute our prayers. Charles Spurgeon
“In praying for his enemies not only did Christ set before us a perfect example of how we should treat those who wrong and hate us, but He also taught us never to regard anyone as beyond the reach of prayer.” A.W. Pink
I exhort all who reverence the Word of the Lord to read it and diligently imprint it on their memory. John Calvin
And what is a man's true position? He is never in his right position till he has turned his back upon sin, and turned his face towards God. J.C. Ryle
“It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor.” Martin Luther
It is not a brave thing to trust God: to true believers it is a simple matter of sweet necessity. C.H. Spurgeon
The road that leads to life is narrow, demanding, and sparsely traveled, but is paved with abundant blessings and takes us home. Steven Lawson
“The doctrines of grace are God’s sweet lullaby wherewith he singeth his children to sleep, even in storms” Charles Spurgeon
No learning is commendable which is not dipped in the love of God. John Calvin
There is only one in all the world on whose face God can look and say, "He is altogether lovely." Jesus is that one. Robert Murray M'cheyne
When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He sets the terms. There is no room for negotiation. Either we follow, or we do not, and follow we must. Steven Lawson
The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but in that we want it too much. -John Calvin -
The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh. —John Owen, Works 3:9
“To preach a sermon is a great and awful task. Woe to that man, who slights it with a perfunctory preparation and a careless heart.” —R.L. Dabney
"The great battles of history have been fought in the intellect and the heart." -D.C.MacNicol.
When a man walketh questionably, he obscureth the life of God in himself, or, like a string that is out of tune, spoileth the harmony. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 7:286
A man is never more fit to comfort, to relieve, to satisfy others in their fears, than when he hath been in fears, and doubting himself. —Puritan William Bridge, Works 2:128
God wants us to speak to men so that they will feel it, so that they will never forget it. God means every Christian to be effective, to count in the actual records and results of Christian work. AB Simpson
OSWALD CHAMBERS
Wherever the providence of God may dump us down, in a slum, in a shop, in the desert, we have to labour along the line of His direction. Never allow this thought—“I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly can be of no use where you are not! Wherever He has engineered your circumstances, pray.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self–assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
The Christian Church should not be a secret society of specialists, but a public manifestation of believers in Jesus.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
God engineers circumstances to see what we will do. Will we be the children of our Father in heaven, or will we go back again to the meaner, common–sense attitude? Will we stake all and stand true to Him? “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” The crown of life means I shall see that my Lord has got the victory after all, even in me.
“God always answers us in the deeps. Never in the shallows of our soul.” —Amy Carmichael
When I pray faithfully and fervently for someone, I find myself loving that person in a nonjudgmental, genuine, and less selfish way—for how can we be otherwise when we are in God’s presence?
“Lighthouses don’t fire guns or ring bells to call attention to their light, they just shine.” —Sherwood E. Wirt
Whether our witness is verbal or through our actions, may it be laced with love and genuine caring for the other person, as a true reflection of God’s love for us.
“Despair is a greater sin than all the sins which provoke it,” C.S. Lewis
God will give you the strength to look up, see the person of Jesus again, and pray for a fresh vision of God, who He is, and how much He loves you!
Our Lord Jesus wants His followers to live in obedience to His will: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20a). Our Lord is with us in every step of our pilgrimage, granting us His grace unto obedience. "I am with you always…through whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith" (Matthew 28:20b and Romans 1:4-5). This is also the way that Jesus lived here on earth in relationship with His heavenly Father. "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." The Father was with the Son, as the Son lived to please the Father.
As servants of the new covenant of grace, the Lordship of Jesus is part of our message. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5). The early church proclaimed Jesus as Lord. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ…The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ-He is Lord of all… believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…Then Paul dwelt two whole years… teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:36; 10:36; 16:31; and 28:30-31).
When we placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were born again. We were made new in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). We received a new spiritual heart, as promised of old. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26).
God's law demands wholehearted obedience. "This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 26:16). When the Israelites heard this summary requirement of the law, they confidently promised that they would obey. "Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice." Forty years earlier, when the Lord first gave His law to His people, they responded in a similar fashion. "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.'"
To live in obedience to the will of God, man needs more than his own best efforts and intentions. The history of Israel emphatically demonstrates this. God gave His law. He commanded them, saying, "Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 20:19). Israel had promised to obey. "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" (Exodus 24:7). Nevertheless, they failed miserably. "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments" (Ezekiel 20:21).
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