“Joy is the serious business of heaven,” wrote C.S. Lewis.
In his book Jesus Man of Joy, Sherwood Wirt celebrated joy this way: “Joy is more than…earthly pleasure, more than what we call happiness. Joy is the enjoyment of God and the good things that come from the hand of God… For many, pleasure and happiness are but fleeting experiences. But joy! Now we move into a different dimension…Joy is not happiness, it is the joy of salvation, the exultation of God’s Spirit in men and women, ‘good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.’ Joy becomes the ecstasy of eternity in a soul that has made peace with God.”
OSWALD CHAMBERS
We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim is to pour out a whole–hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”
How freeing this kind of love is! We are set free to obey Jesus with abandon because we are not hindered or inhibited by stopping to scrutinize and judge people. I love what Oswald Chambers wrote: “Jesus says regarding judging…Don’t.“
When we experience deep relationship with God, there is nothing else our soul longs for more than Him.
Do you want to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Let’s stop and pray today that God would fire up our faith as we seek to follow His greatest command to love Him that way! The Shema isn’t something we can do on our own, so ask God for His help and encouragement! ~
OSWALD CHAMBERS
The truth is we have nothing to fear and nothing to overcome because He is all in all and we are more than conquerors through Him. The recognition of this truth is not flattering to the worker’s sense of heroics, but it is amazingly glorifying to the work of Christ.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
Always keep in contact with those books and those people that enlarge your horizon and make it possible for you to stretch yourself mentally.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
The place for the comforter is not that of one who preaches, but of the comrade who says nothing, but prays to God about the matter. The biggest thing you can do for those who are suffering is not to talk platitudes, not to ask questions, but to get into contact with God, and the “greater works” will be done by prayer (see John 14:12–13).
OSWALD CHAMBERS
We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim is to pour out a whole–hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”
OSWALD CHAMBERS
The fiery furnaces are there by God’s direct permission. It is misleading to imagine that we are developed in spite of our circumstances; we are developed because of them. It is mastery in circumstances that is needed, not mastery over them. The Love of God
We have, behind our lips, a tool that gives us the ability to encourage, exalt, and empower — or discourage, damage, and defeat.
Our words are so powerful! God gave us this 3-inch muscle so we can use it for good, not evil. Are you using your words to bless, edify, encourage, and help others? Who needs to hear good words from you today?
If you’re wondering where God is, praise Him. Suddenly, you will be in His presence.
Have you been looking for God and wondering where He is? Well, have you put on your garment of praise? He’s there!
This is the gift of letting go... of relinquishing all we have, even our lives, to a God who sees.
Healthy people seek to understand your concerns, discuss any issues that the need for the boundary reveals, and respect your limits.
No amount of spiritual posturing, religious rituals, or even ministry work can replace the raw humanity of a believer pouring his or her heart out to God. Allowing ourselves to be honest and real, we can let God take all that pain and sorrow—all the messiness of life— and transform them into His blessing, healing, life lessons, and His plan of redemption for our lives.
“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
Dr. Karl Menninger said, “Love is the key to the entire therapeutic program of the modern psychiatric hospital.”
James 1:19 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
Jail inmates dream of freedom. The sudden thump of a wrecking ball knocking down the walls would be happy music to their ears. Multitudes are jailed behind massive walls that aren’t physical, but spiritual, emotional and mental. They are locked into addictions and behaviors that limit them as much as the strongest prison bars. The walls of such fortresses can’t be knocked down by physical powers. God’s covenant people have spiritual weapons through Jesus Christ that no fortress can withstand.
we become “examples of the incredible wealth of God’s favor and kindness toward us!” We are His masterpiece!
"We are a Team of Winners, Forever Committed to Setting the Standard in Creating Greatness in People's Lives. We Create Greatness by Focusing on Integrity, Personal Balance and Timeless Values....And by Providing Top 1% Vision, Leadership and Training for Our Journey through Life."
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage. ~Lao-Tsu
Never get off the beaten path. It's beaten because it's traveled...
Once again, let's reflect on previously studied passages that show how obedience to God is related to His grace. Galatians 3:3 fits in this helpful category.
To live by faith is a far surer and happier thing than to live by
feelings or by works.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
Who do you know that leads an extraordinarily happy or passionate life? What words do they consistently use to describe their life's experience that you could model, and thereby adopt some of their positive emotional patterns?
"Every storm is an opportunity for us to make the discovery that Jesus Christ is Lord of all." –Alistair Begg
Sometimes our footsteps follow an unfamiliar path... so we step out in faith and move forward.
Success is not a matter of luck, an accident of birth, or a reward for virtue. It is a matter of decision, commitment, planning, preparation, execution, and recommitment. Success doesn’t come to you; you go to it. The trail is well-traveled and well-marked. If you want to walk it, you can.
“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say, ‘Me, too!’ versus ‘So what?’”
— Jim Rohn
“Poor or fuzzy communications are major time-wasters. Take the time to be crystal-clear in your communications with others.”
— Brian Tracy
“The organization that can’t communicate can’t change, and the corporation that can’t change is dead.”
— Nido Qubein
“There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.”
— Dale Carnegie
“The first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds have the most impact in a presentation.”
— Patricia Fripp
"Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley."
-The Valley of Vision
"Women confront to connect. The typical response from a man, however, is that he thinks his wife is confronting to control."
~Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, in "Love & Respect:
To achieve greatness you have to start right where you are....
There are no disappointments to those whose wills
are buried in the will of God.
~Frederick W. Faber~
There is no such a thing as chance or accident;
the words merely signify our ignorance of some
real and immediate cause.
~Adam Clarke~
Complacency is the deadly enemy of spiritual progress.
~A. W. Tozer~
“The Lord spoke” is used 560 times in
the first five books of the Bible and at least 3,800
times in the whole of the Old Testament. Isaiah claims
at least 40 times that his message came directly from
God; Ezekiel, 60 times; and Jeremiah, 100 times.
There are about 3,856 verses directly or indirectly
concerned with prophecy in Scripture. Mormons,
Buddhists, and Muslims have what they consider
their own sacred writings, but the element of proven
prophecy is absent in them. Neither do any other
books in any of the world’s religions (Vedas, BhagavadGita,
Koran, etc.) contain scientific truth. In fact,
they contain statements that are clearly unscientific.
Most people are not aware that the Bible was written
over a period of 1,600 years, by more than 40
authors, who wrote on three different continents in
three different languages. They spoke on hundreds of
controversial subjects, and yet they penned their words
with agreement and harmony.
Feelings come and go, but love remains. When we commit to the covenant of marriage, we are making a lifelong promise to love.
Authentic love does not depend on emotion to exist; it's relentlessly present, always fighting on behalf of the one loved.
Most Christian couples say that they place a high value on "Spiritual Intimacy". Meaning, they want to be connected with their spouse when it comes to spiritual things. They have a high desire to go to church together, pray together, read the Bible together, and talk about God together.
The love of Jesus will calm the storm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We are not promised smooth sailing but Jesus will always get us to safe harbor.
In shunning a trial we are seeking to avoid a blessing. Spurgeon
Your marriage needs advocates, not adversaries. While it is nice to have friends around you who will watch out for you and take your side, those same friends should understand that oftentimes the best way they can love you well is to contend for you AND the health of your marriage.
Have you ever felt you weren't being used effectively by God? Perhaps you've felt your gifts were under-utilized? Your talents over-looked? You just had not found your passion for or in ministry? You might want to look at -- think about -- where God has directed you but you haven't gone.
God is not looking for men of great faith; He is looking for common men to trust His great faithfulness.
~Hudson Taylor~
If you are trying to get through life without God, YOU ARE TRIPPING! YOU NEED GOD! When you call on God he gives you the tools to handle the peaks and valleys.
Often, adoring God will lift more of your burdens than understanding your burdens. —Dale Ralph Davis
Always beware of folks who cite the sovereignty of God in order to 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦 but not to 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘦. —Dale Ralph Davis
On Thursday, June 11, 1936, the hopes of many long years were realized. We became members, at last, of a true Presbyterian Church; we recovered, at last, the blessing of true Christian fellowship. -J. Gresham Machen
The layman has a large field in which he may minister to his fellow man, even if he is not called to full time ministry. —William Gurnall (1617-1679), The Christian in Complete Armour, 1:300
“From every text in the Bible, there is a road to Jesus.” — Charles Spurgeon
“In Christ, we are free. We are under bonds no longer.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Cast yourself simply on Jesus; let nothing but faith be in your soul towards Jesus.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Warm-hearted saints keep each other warm, but cold is also contagious.” — Charles Spurgeon
“A man is respectable for his character, not for the money he has in his pocket.” — Charles Spurgeon
“You must be plunged into that sea of sorrow; but it will not drown you, it will only wash and cleanse you.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Because life is a gift, the living must all praise God and not themselves.” — Charles Spurgeon
“Sin is a questioning of God’s goodness. It implies that he denied us something beneficial.” — Charles Spurgeon
“To live by faith is far happier than to live by feelings.” — Charles Spurgeon
The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
“Salvation is all of grace, but not an excuse for human laziness.” — Charles Spurgeon
“The general religion of mankind is 'do,' but the religion of the Christian is 'done.'” — Charles Spurgeon
“You are afraid that sin will conquer your soul. How can it, when Jesus died for you?” — Charles Spurgeon
“For love of Christ, love Christ’s poor people.” — Charles Spurgeon
God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C.S. Lewis
Although the administration of the covenant [of grace] was very different in both testaments, this covenant, as far as essence is concerned, existed as well in the Old Testament—being initiated with Adam—as presently in the New Testament. —Wilhelmus à Brakel, TCRS 1:451
Whensoever we are called to bear witness unto Christ and the gospel, we abandon our strength and betray our cause if we do not use all means appointed of God unto that end to engage [The Holy Spirit] in our assistance. —John Owen, Crossway Works, 8:191
New creatures and the most accurate walkers are not so free from sin, but they still stand in need of mercy. —Thomas Manton, Works 7:311
Lord, water and blood flowed together out of your pierced side, so let them ever flow together into my wounded soul, justification and sanctification—those things that you have joined let me not ever put asunder. — Puritan Thomas Manton
Nothing is ours but sin, all other things are the free gift of God. Shall the wall boast [of] itself because the sun shines upon it? Or the pen assign to itself the praise of fair writing? —Thomas Manton, Works 7:329
“Truth must be spoken, though the greatest on earth be offended.” — John Flavel
“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” - C.S. Lewis
“God is his own attributes. God doesn't have goodness or love that he might dispatch them; he is goodness and love. God sends these attributes after us as a way of giving us himself.” — David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23, 125.
“In him {Jesus} I have an offering, an altar, a temple, a priest, a sun, a shield, a Savior, a Shepherd, a hiding place, a resting place, food, medicine, riches, honor, wisdom, righteousness, holiness; in short, everything.” —John Newton
A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit. -John Owen -
If my life is fruitless, it doesn't matter who praises me, and if my life is fruitful, it doesn't matter who criticizes me. -John Bunyan -
“We are not our own: let not our reason nor our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds…we are God’s: let us therefore live for him and die for him… let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions.” — John Calvin
“Everything God does to you is done in mercy and truth.” — Charles Spurgeon
"An avoidable absence from church is an infallible evidence of spiritual decay." -Frances Ridley Havergal.
Here is a sovereign elixir of unspeakable comfort to those who are the called of God. Their salvation rests upon God's purpose. Thomas Watson
Pastors are servants. They aren’t to be like the Pharisees but like Jesus. It’s easy to tell the difference.
"The ministry of preaching is the central labor of my life. My prayer is that through that ministry & everything else I do the great glory of our God & Savior Jesus Christ would be magnified as more and more people come to live out the obedience of faith more and more deeply" -JP
But patient endurance is enriching. Satan tempts us that he might bring out the worst in us, but God permits it that he might bring out the best in us. Wiersebe
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 -
If you find yourself cold in #prayer, then start by first thanking #God that you're not already in #hell. -A.W. Pink -
"Make all your theological studies religious exercises." -B.B.Warfield.
Jesus didn’t create joy to be half-hearted, partial, or merely wished for. He went to the cross “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2) so that our joy “may be full.” Ray Bentley
There shall not a single thing come to us in all the future in which we may not be able to see the King in His beauty. Let us be very sure that we do not see anything else. AB Simpson
“The sheep is wayward, but the shepherd is watchful.” — Jonathan Gibson on Psalm 23.
The purpose and the power of prayer is to get the Lord’s blessing on your life, not to get your way for your life. The prayers Paul requested on his behalf were truly answered in the best possible way. Jon Courson
Today, if your anxiety amps up, try saying, “I am feeling anxiety” rather than “I am anxious.”
Anxiety doesn't define you! Give control over to God and trust that He is who He is and you are who He says you are. You are loved and cared for by the God who created you and is with you every moment of your life.
OSWALD CHAMBERS
We begin our Christian life by believing what we are told to believe, then we have to go on to so assimilate our beliefs that they work out in a way that redounds to the glory of God. The danger is in multiplying the acceptation of beliefs we do not make our own.
“The Christian has a deep, silent, hidden peace, which the world sees not, like some well in a retired and shady place…What he is when left to himself and to his God, that is his true life.” —Joh
n Henry Newman, 18431
He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." ( Hebrews 8:6-8 )
These verses contrast the old covenant of law ("that first covenant") with the new covenant of grace ("a second"). The old covenant of law was good, but the new covenant of grace is far better. The law is ordained of God, but it can never bring what God desires people to experience.
Once again, let's reflect on previously studied passages that show how obedience to God is related to His grace. Galatians 3:3 fits in this helpful category.
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