Knowing the Will of God

December 4, 2009

The first step in knowing the will of God is the surrender principle.  It’s an insult to tell God, “I want to know Your will, but I’m not willing to do your will.”  Couched in a passage about serving our “masters” is the phrase “the will of God” See this principle in Ephesians 6:5-8. A portion of that passage reads, “…in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men….”

Another principle in knowing the will of God is the Scripture principle. Jesus said, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”(John 15:7) First surrender – “you abide in Me,” then, Scripture – “My words abide in you.”

Do you want to know God’s will? Then here’s your test: How much time do you spend in God’s Word? Do you think God really believes you when you say “I want to know the will of God,” but you don’t read the one book above all books that God has specifically written to show you His will, to reveal His will to you, to unfold His will to you?

Romans 12:2 tells us, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Adrian Rogers

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It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness. In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ they should do all in their power to put an end to war.

The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love. Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9,38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38; Romans 12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2.

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Persecution

The beating Pastor Bandoni endured put him in the hospital for two days.

Jesus promised His followers that the world would hate and persecute them. Many Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries have come to know the harsh reality of Jesus' words.

Persecution is a part of life for many GFA workers. Beatings, death threats and imprisonment are a few of the things they encounter on a daily basis. But despite great hostility, they continue to press onward as they proclaim the Good News of Christ to the unsaved souls of Asia. They are not willing for any man to perish without hearing the name of Jesus, even if that means that they might physically perish.

Read more stories
of persecution.

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Why the old time gospel, what's wrong with todays gospel? What's the difference anyway? Well, the simple truth is, todays gospel, for the most part, is another gospel altogether. Paul wrote, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:"   Galatians 1:6

What Paul said, (according to Strongs Concordance) was that the Galatians had removed themselves from the truth, to a strange and altered gospel, unfamiliar with the teachings of Christ. Brass had replaced the gold, "...and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields..." 1 Kings 14:26-27.

There is alot of brass in the church today, sadly most professing christians don't know the difference, they don't know the God they have come to worship. We have self proclaimed prophets and apostles that live by their own wisdom and are directed by their own greed.

The old time gospel worked, when people got saved, they stayed saved, they stayed holy, they stayed humble, giving all the glory to God. "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls"   Jeremiah 6:16.

The short story below, is a good example of the new modern thinking of religion verses the old time gospel that is alive in a man's heart.

Have You Tasted My Jesus?

At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year they have what is called Baptist Day. It is a day when all the Baptists in the area are invited to the school because they want the Baptist dollars to keep coming in. On this day each one is to bring a sack lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every Baptist Day the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center.

One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.

After about thirty seconds, an old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. "Docta Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating it. "Docta Tillich..." CRUNCH, MUNCH... "My question is a simple question," CRUNCH, CUNCH... "Now I ain't never read them books you read..." CRUNCH, MUNCH... "and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek..." CRUNCH, MUNCH... "I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr and Heidegger..." CRUNCH, MUNCH... He finished the apple. "All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate-was it bitter or sweet?"

Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple."

The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither have you tasted my Jesus."

The one thousand plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.

— Source unknown

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taken from a message given by Adrian Rogers

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope. Romans 5:3-4

When you receive Christ as your personal Savior, God begins to work in you. Nobody is born fully grown, so God has to build your Christian character.

The Bible says in Philippians 1:6, “ . . . He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it. . .” When you are saved, God simply begins a good work in you. You are not a finished product.

God will build Christian character, but first you must receive Christ. Some people try to develop character, but they have no foundation. And that foundation is Jesus Christ.

How does God build Christian character?

God will allow pressures to come. The word tribulation literally means “ressure.” It is a word that was used to describe crushing grapes in the vat for wine or crushing olives for oil. God wants the oil of gladness and the wine of joy in your character. He wants that which will sustain and give strength, but the only way that God will get it out of you is to press it out. Is something bad happening to you right now? Are you having trouble? Are you feeling pressure? These are not obstacles; they are opportunities! They are things that God has engineered to build character into your life.

You're going to have tribulation whether you're a Christian or not, but a child of God sees what happens and can, “glory in tribulations.”

 The Bible teaches that God wants to work a character quality in your heart known as patience. The word patient here is not one of passivity. Actually the word means “endurance or constancy.” What are some reactions when troubles come?

• Some may try to escape with a plane ticket, a pill, a bottle, a needle, or even a gun.
• Others may even get cynical and shake their fist in the face of God
• Some may recognize that God wants to teach endurance and it is His way of building Christian character.

How do you respond?

One of the greatest marks of your faith and your confidence in the Almighty is your endurance, your perseverance, and your constancy when trouble comes.

The word experience is translated in many Bibles as character and it has to do with the idea of purity. This word was used to speak of gold that had been put in the fire and refined until it was pure. It speaks of a character that has gone through the experiences of tribulation and perseverance. And through them, God begins to burn out the dross.

Many of us don't want that, but I want God to continue to work in my heart and my life until He burns out that dross. They say that a refiner of silver or gold knows when the gold is pure when he can see his own face reflected in it. Our Lord wants to see His character reflected in us.

Have you grown in your Christian life when you were faced with trouble, heartache, pressure, pain, misunderstanding, or bewilderment? Did you grow when you had nowhere to go but to God, and you had to keep searching your heart and saying, “Oh God, what's wrong? God what are you trying to tell me? What are you trying to teach me? What do you want me to confess?” God uses those difficulties to produce growth in us.

We call this hope. Hope doesn't mean “to wish or desire.” It means, “a rock-ribbed assurance based on the Word of God and the character of God.” When we go through pressures, tribulations, and afflictions and we come out the other side, we have learned that God is faithful. God saw us through and my friend – that is hope.

I want you to know that Jesus Christ is hope. Hebrews 6:19 speaks of hope when it says, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, . . .” Let the storms rage, the waves buffet us, and the wind blow—for my Anchor holds.

If you don't have hope, you don't have anything. Faith believes, but hope expects. A person who lives by confidence in God alone and looks to God alone has Christian character.

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The LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Blessed [is] every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy [shalt] thou [be], and [it shall be] well with thee.--Trust in the LORD, and do good; [so] shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.--Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [is] with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.-- Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day; . . . and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of [mine] hand hath gotten me this wealth.

[Is] not the LORD your God with you? and hath he [not] given you rest on every side?

Ge 39:3 Ps 128:1,2 37:3,4 Jos 1:9 Mt 6:33 2Ch 26:5 De 8:11,17 1Ch 22:18

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Looking For LionsJune 5, 2009

If you were walking through a jungle infested with ravenous lions, would you look where you walked? Would you be serious? That’s what Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan is the bitterest enemy of God and His people.

If you do not understand how bitter your enemy is, you’re not going to be prepared to defend yourself. You see, the devil’s cleverest trick is to make you believe he doesn’t exist.

Today we laugh about the idea of a devil. We name football teams various kinds of devils. We name food – deviled ham, devil’s food cake. We get the idea that the devil is a comic book character wearing long red underwear with horns and a forked tail carrying a pitch fork to pierce someone from behind.

Let me set the record straight. The devil is behind all of that business to make us believe that he doesn’t exist.

Adrian Rogers

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Our Family

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"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."-Romans 8:37

We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins. Paul thus rebukes us, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Take your sins to Christ's cross, for the old man can only be crucified there: we are crucified with Him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus. To give an illustration-you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go to work? It is very possible you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it. How did I get salvation? I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted Him to save me. I must kill my angry temper in the same way? It is the only way in which I can ever kill it. I must go to the cross with it, and say to Jesus, "Lord, I trust Thee to deliver me from it." This is the only way to give it a death-blow. Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil so long as you please, but if it be your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any way but by the blood of Jesus. Take it to Christ. Tell Him, "Lord, I have trusted Thee, and Thy name is Jesus, for Thou dost save Thy people from their sins; Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it!" Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification. Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears-the whole of them put together-are worth nothing apart from Him. "None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good;" or helpless saints either. You must be conquerors through Him who hath loved you, if conquerors at all. Our laurels must grow among His olives in Gethsemane.

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The LORD bless thee, and keep thee.

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.--Thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as [with] a shield.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand.--The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.--I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest [any] hurt it, I will keep it night and day.

Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are]. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept.

The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve [me] unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Nu 6:24 Pr 10:22 Ps 5:12 121:3-5,7,8 Isa 27:3 Joh 17:11,12 2Ti 4:18

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"The precious blood of Christ."-1 Peter 1:19

Standing at the foot of the cross, we see hands, and feet, and side, all distilling crimson streams of precious blood. It is "precious" because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it the sins of Christ's people are atoned for; they are redeemed from under the law; they are reconciled to God, made one with Him. Christ's blood is also "precious" in its cleansing power; it "cleanseth from all sin." "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Through Jesus' blood there is not a spot left upon any believer, no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. O precious blood, which makes us clean, removing the stains of abundant iniquity, and permitting us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God. The blood of Christ is likewise "precious" in its preserving power. We are safe from the destroying angel under the sprinkled blood. Remember it is God's seeing the blood which is the true reason for our bei!
ng spared. Here is comfort for us when the eye of faith is dim, for God's eye is still the same. The blood of Christ is "precious" also in its sanctifying influence. The same blood which justifies by taking away sin, does in its after-action, quicken the new nature and lead it onward to subdue sin and to follow out the commands of God. There is no motive for holiness so great as that which streams from the veins of Jesus. And "precious," unspeakably precious, is this blood, because it has an overcoming power. It is written, "They overcame through the blood of the Lamb." How could they do otherwise? He who fights with the precious blood of Jesus, fights with a weapon which cannot know defeat. The blood of Jesus! sin dies at its presence, death ceases to be death: heaven's gates are opened. The blood of Jesus! we shall march on, conquering and to conquer, so long as we can trust its power!

www.christiansunited.com

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DevotionAnd after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 1 Kings 19:12 Elijah was exhausted, tired, and worn out. He thought that he had nothing to show for his long and troubled ministry. God loved Elijah. He wanted to assure him that his faithful and loving service to Him was not in vain. It was all part of His work and His plan to save souls. Elijah was now standing on the edge of a great reformation and re-vival. He could rejoice that God worked through him to lay the groundwork. God’s assurance did not come in powerful and earthshaking signs. God’s assurance came to Elijah in a gentle whisper of His Word. God’s assurance for us still comes from God, the Holy Spirit, in His humble and unassuming Word. If $50 bills fell out of Bibles, if diamonds were found at the bottom of baptismal fonts, and if little treasure chests were waiting in the pew after each Communion, the whole world would flock to these means of grace. But why are common words and common substances cherished by God’s people? Because by the work of the Holy Spirit, they transform weari-ness for God and His will into joy for Him and His glorious plan for our lives that will sustain us until the day of Christ’s returning.

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Mine eyes fail [with looking] upward. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I [am] weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.--My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! [for then] would I fly away, and be at rest. Ye have need of patience. While they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.--Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.--That blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Isa 38:14 Ps 6:2-4 Ps 55:4-6 Heb 10:36 Ac 1:10,11 Php 3:20 Tit 2:13

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Today's Bible reading is from Philippians 4:4-9. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 NIV | Print · Listen to Today's Devotional: Flash Player or MP3 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 | Print KJV

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Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness. My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, . . . so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 2Pe 3:8,9 Isa 55:8-11 Ro 11:32,33

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He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. ( 1 JOHN 4:21 *NIV ) Dear Friend, Our Savior Jesus Christ said; "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ( John 13:34 ) So, Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:9-10 ) Thus, If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. Now just; Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,"but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? After all Jesus also said: 'I tell you the truth, what ever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' ( 1 John 3:17-18 ) ( James 2:15-16 ) ( Matthew 25:40 ) Therefore, Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:9-10) and God will Bless you for it! Amen. All My Love & Prayers, Pastor Allen

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"He was numbered with the transgressors."-Isaiah 53:12 Why did Jesus suffer Himself to be enrolled amongst sinners? This wonderful condescension was justified by many powerful reasons. In such a character He could the better become their advocate. In some trials there is an identification of the counsellor with the client, nor can they be looked upon in the eye of the law as apart from one another. Now, when the sinner is brought to the bar, Jesus appears there Himself. He stands to answer the accusation. He points to His side, His hands, His feet, and challenges Justice to bring anything against the sinners whom He represents; He pleads His blood, and pleads so triumphantly, being numbered with them and having a part with them, that the Judge proclaims, "Let them go their way; deliver them from going down into the pit, for He hath found a ransom." Our Lord Jesus was numbered with the transgressors in order that they might feel their hearts drawn towards Him. Who can be afraid of one who is written in the same list with us? Surely we may come boldly to Him, and confess our guilt. He who is numbered with us cannot condemn us. Was He not put down in the transgressor's list that we might be written in the red roll of the saints? He was holy, and written among the holy; we were guilty, and numbered among the guilty; He transfers His name from yonder list to this black indictment, and our names are taken from the indictment and written in the roll of acceptance, for there is a complete transfer made between Jesus and His people. All our estate of misery and sin Jesus has taken; and all that Jesus has comes to us. His righteousness, His blood, and everything that He hath He gives us as our dowry. Rejoice, believer, in your union to Him who was numbered among the transgressors; and prove that you are truly saved by being manifestly numbered with those who are new creatures in Him.

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I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name (Isaiah 45:3).

"I have never been in this place before. It is new ground for me and I find I am way out of my comfort zone. I am scared to death to trust Him at this level. I had to confess to the Lord I have not been able to accept or believe His love for me in this area." Those were the words I expressed to a friend when I was in a difficult place in my life. It was that day when I confessed those words that God led me to this passage of scripture.

What we perceive as dark periods in our lives are designed to be treasures from God. They are actually riches stored in secret places. We cannot see those times in this light because of the often-accompanying pain or fear that prevents us from accepting these times as treasures. They have a particular purpose from God's viewpoint; "so that you may know that I am the Lord who summons you by name."

You see, unless we are cast into times in which we are completely at the mercy of God for breakthroughs in our lives we will never experience the faithfulness of God in those areas. We will never know how personal He is or that He can be trusted to meet the deepest needs in our lives. God wants each of us to know that we are "summoned by name." Every hair of our head is numbered. Every activity we are involved in He knows. His love for you and me knows no bounds, and He will take every opportunity to demonstrate this to you and me.

Has God brought you into a place of darkness? Trust Him today to allow Him to reveal that hidden treasure that can be found in this darkness. Let Him summon you by name.

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Serving God Full Time March 13, 2009

So many people tell me, "What I would really like to do is get out of this job and serve God full time." Have you ever thought that?

Oh God, help me to teach you today that if you are a Christian living in the Spirit, you are serving God full-time. Wherever you work – as long as it is an honorable occupation – you are serving God full-time. You are no less a minister because you wear a fast-food uniform. You are no less a teacher, because you push a broom. You are no less a prophet because you fly an airplane.

We want to neatly divide life into the secular and the sacred. But God doesn't do that. Our work is to be the temple of our devotion to God, and it is to be the platform of our witness.

Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."

Adrian Rogers

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"Ye must be born again."-John 3:7

Regeneration is a subject which lies at the very basis of salvation, and we should be very diligent to take heed that we really are "born again," for there are many who fancy they are, who are not. Be assured that the name of a Christian is not the nature of a Christian; and that being born in a Christian land, and being recognized as professing the Christian religion is of no avail whatever, unless there be something more added to it-the being "born again," is a matter so mysterious, that human words cannot describe it. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." Nevertheless, it is a change which is known and felt: known by works of holiness, and felt by a gracious experience. This great work is supernatural. It is not an operation which a man performs for himself: a new principle is infused, which works in the heart, renews the soul, and affects the entire man. It is not a change of my name, but a renewal of my nature, so that I am not the man I used to be, but a new man in Christ Jesus. To wash and dress a corpse is a far different thing from making it alive: man can do the one, God alone can do the other. If you have then, been "born again," your acknowledgment will be, "O Lord Jesus, the everlasting Father, Thou art my spiritual Parent; unless Thy Spirit had breathed into me the breath of a new, holy, and spiritual life, I had been to this day 'dead in trespasses and sins.' My heavenly life is wholly derived from Thee, to Thee I ascribe it. 'My life is hid with Christ in God.' It is no longer I who live, but Christ who liveth in me." May the Lord enable us to be well assured on this vital point, for to be unregenerate is to be unsaved, unpardoned, without God, and without hope.

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March 2, 2009

If God were to ask you what you want Him to do for you, what would you ask Him? Well, if you were hungry, you might ask for food. If you were sick, you might ask for help. If you were an egotist, you might ask for wealth and power.

God came to Solomon and asked him that question. And how did Solomon respond? He didn’t ask for health or wealth. He did not ask for power over his enemies or honor from his country. Instead, he asked for wisdom.

There is nothing greater that you could ask for than wisdom because so many other things are included in wisdom. As a matter of fact, Proverbs 8:11 says, “For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” Now, that’s a pretty big statement. Everything that is to be desired is not to be compared with wisdom.

Adrian Rogers

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2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

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DEFINING LIBERTY, PART TWO by Charles R. Swindoll Romans 7:24--25 NLT Without becoming needlessly academic, I want to define a term that I've been tossing around. What do I mean when I declare that the Christian has liberty? Essentially, liberty is freedom . . . freedom from something and freedom to do something. Today I will concentrate on what liberty gives us the freedom to do. Grace brings a freedom to do something else---a freedom to enjoy the rights and the privileges of being out from under slavery and allowing others such freedom. It's freedom to experience and enjoy a new kind of power that only Christ could bring. It is a freedom to become all that He meant me to be, regardless of how He leads others. I can be me---fully and freely. It is a freedom to know Him in an independent and personal way. And that freedom is then released to others so they can be who they are meant to be---different from me! You see, God isn't stamping out little cookie-cutter Christians across the world so that we all think alike and look alike and sound alike and act alike. The body has variety. We were never meant to have the same temperaments and use the same vocabulary and wear the same syrupy smile and dress the same way and carry on the same ministry. I repeat: God is pleased with variety. This freedom to be who we are is nothing short of magnificent. It is freedom to make choices, freedom to know His will, freedom to walk in it, freedom to obey His leading me in my life and you in your life. Once you've tasted such freedom, nothing else satisfies. Perhaps I should reemphasize that it is a liberty you will have to fight for. Why? Because the ranks of Christianity are full of those who compare and would love to control and manipulate you so you will become as miserable as they are. After all, if they are determined to be "cramped, somber, dull, and listless," then they expect you to be that way, too. "Misery loves company" is the legalists' unspoken motto, though they never admit it.

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DEFINING LIBERTY, PART TWO
by Charles R. Swindoll

Romans 7:24--25 NLT

Without becoming needlessly academic, I want to define a term that I've been tossing around. What do I mean when I declare that the Christian has liberty? Essentially, liberty is freedom . . . freedom from something and freedom to do something. Today I will concentrate on what liberty gives us the freedom to do.

Grace brings a freedom to do something else---a freedom to enjoy the rights and the privileges of being out from under slavery and allowing others such freedom. It's freedom to experience and enjoy a new kind of power that only Christ could bring. It is a freedom to become all that He meant me to be, regardless of how He leads others. I can be me---fully and freely. It is a freedom to know Him in an independent and personal way. And that freedom is then released to others so they can be who they are meant to be---different from me!

You see, God isn't stamping out little cookie-cutter Christians across the world so that we all think alike and look alike and sound alike and act alike. The body has variety. We were never meant to have the same temperaments and use the same vocabulary and wear the same syrupy smile and dress the same way and carry on the same ministry. I repeat: God is pleased with variety. This freedom to be who we are is nothing short of magnificent. It is freedom to make choices, freedom to know His will, freedom to walk in it, freedom to obey His leading me in my life and you in your life. Once you've tasted such freedom, nothing else satisfies.

Perhaps I should reemphasize that it is a liberty you will have to fight for. Why? Because the ranks of Christianity are full of those who compare and would love to control and manipulate you so you will become as miserable as they are. After all, if they are determined to be "cramped, somber, dull, and listless," then they expect you to be that way, too. "Misery loves company" is the legalists' unspoken motto, though they never admit it.

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December 26, 2008

I was witnessing to a man who was standing in front of his house. I couldn’t get very far with him as he was seemingly satisfied with his life. He said, “Mister, I’ve got a good income. You see that house? I own that house. It’s paid for. You see that car? I own it, it’s paid for. My wife is in that house. She loves me.”

I said, “Sir, alright. I want to ask you a question. Will you be absolutely honest with me? Do you have peace in your heart?” His chin started to quiver, his eyes brimmed with tears. He said, “No, I don’t have peace in heart, how did you know?”

I said, “Because the Bible says, ‘There is no peace sayeth my God to the wicked.’ These things cannot fill the longing of your heart. You need Jesus. If you have Jesus, you have the peace of God that passeth understanding. If you have that, you are a rich person.”

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Adrian Rogers

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What to Do with Your Burdens

Galatians 6:1-5
(Program 2020, Airing on 08.17.08 & 08.24.08)

1. BURDENS WE WILLINGLY TAKE UP  (Galatians 6:1)
   1. The ministry of restoration
      1. A broken person doesn’t need
         1. A lecture
         2. To be ignored
         3. To be reported
         4. To be shot down
         5. To be cut off or cast away
   2. The manner of restoration  (Galatians 6:1-2)
      1. Do it gently
      2. Do it humbly
      3. Do it sympathetically
         1. A person needing restoration experiences
            1. A broken fellowship with God  (Psalm 51:4)
            2. A guilty conscience  (Psalm 32:4)
            3. Satanic accusation
            4. Public shame
   3. The motives of restoration
      1. He’s our brother  (Galatians 6:1)
      2. We’re members of the same family
      3. To fulfill the law of Christ which is love  (Galatians 6:2)
      4. To mend the broken net; to repair our witness for Christ
2. BURDENS WE FAITHFULLY STAY UNDER  (Galatians 6:4-5)
   1. This type of burden is one that is necessary and useful
   2. There are certain responsibilities that nobody can do for us
      1. It is our responsibility to repent and trust Christ
      2. Prayer burdens
      3. To be a witness for Christ
3. BURDENS WE GLADLY LAY DOWN  (Psalm 55:22)
   1. Cast your burden upon the Lord; He will sustain you

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Life is often very trying whether you are a Christian or not. Difficult circumstances fall on the righteous and unrighteous alike. However, the Christian life often adds to our difficulties. We may be discriminated against because of our faith, or our beliefs may eliminate the "easy" ways out of a problem. But Christ does not ask us to suffer anything for Him that He was not willing to suffer for us. Someday we will be rewarded for our diligence and faith.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that He is completely in control of your life:
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple. . . .
Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law (Psalm 119:129-130, 134-136).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:1-2)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
(1 Peter 3:13-16)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
wisdom and discernment,
Christian radio ministries.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
By Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
(Hebrews 13:15)

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1. Uzbekistan: Student Prays for Teacher Who Threatened Her

Ruth and her family have been through many years of struggle. People in their town make fun of them for their faith in Christ. “Please pray for me,” Ruth wrote in a 2008 e-mail to a VOM worker. “At school the teacher asked me to tell about the ancient Greek gods. I said, ‘There are no gods. There is only one God.’

“The teacher said to me, ‘Be quiet. And quit telling your fairy tales at school or I will take you to the principal and you will be expelled.’”

Ruth’s e-mail continued, “I feel sorry for the teacher. She is a good person, but she does not know that Jesus loves her. She has her own children. I wish I could tell them stories from the Bible. Please pray for my teacher.”

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Jesus Christ offers every believer His life. It is like the life of a vine whereby the branches draw their life from the trailing plant. The believer shares in the life of the Vine.

The soul of the believer is in Christ and through our vital union with Him we receive spiritual nourishment. The Christian life is like the entwined vine with every fiber “like the ivy in an ancient wall.”

The Christian is permitted to enjoy “such ravishing tastes of heavenly joys” in Christ.

Brainerd described the life in the Vine as “lively actings of a holy temper and heavenly disposition, such vigorous exercise of that divine love which cast out fear.”

The apostle Paul described this deep entering into the divine life of Christ for him as to live and to die, “for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” It is, “Not I, but Christ.”

Jonathan Edwards described it as “a calm, sweet abstraction of soul from all the concerns of this world; and sometimes a kind of vision or fixed idea of being alone in the mountains, or some solitary wilderness far from all mankind, sweetly conversing with Christ, and rapt and swallowed up in God.”

Uninterrupted communion with Christ is the hunger and desire of every born again Spirit-filled believer in Christ Jesus.

We are in Christ by faith and therefore one with Him in unchangeable justification which enwraps the root, branches, leaves and fruit into one vine.

Christ our Vine is not limited, and we are only limited by our being available to Him. Why should we therefore limit God? It is easy to get involved in “show and tell” forms of legalism that emphasize seeking fruit from without instead from within. We look for adornments instead of the fruit of the Spirit.

“All that Christ has now becomes the property of the believing soul; all that the soul has, becomes the property of Christ,” writes Luther. We are one with Christ.

The secret to fellowship and fruitfulness in the Christian life is abiding in Christ. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” This is not salvation; it is communion. We are to live such lives that Christ will continue to abide in us. This is our responsibility. You cannot separate these two abidings because it is necessary for this vital union in Christ.

We abide by being available to Him and obedient to His Word. We can never be kept from sin and in intimate fellowship with Him except by careful attention to God’s Word. The Holy Spirit applies His word to our daily lives and the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us of all sin. This is the Father’s pruning effort upon our daily lives.

“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Without Christ the most eloquent preaching and Bible discussion will be like a bottle of mist that quickly evaporates into thin air.

Without Him we can do nothing. Let those words penetrate to the depths of your soul.

I am nothing; Christ is everything.

To “abide in Christ” is a conscious experience. The fact that our lives are producing the fruit of the Spirit demonstrates that we are “in” Christ and abiding in Him. The fruit of Christ’s character in us is expressed in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we look into the face of Jesus that is what we see.

When our Lord says: Abide in Me He is talking about the will, about the choices and the decisions we make. It is a volitional choice we make whereby we decide to do that which exposes us to Him and keeps us in contact with Him. We have been placed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. Now we must choose to maintain that fellowship by the decisions we make. We choose to expose ourselves to His Word in order to learn about Him and to relate to Him.

To remain in union with Christ, to abide in Christ, to dwell or continue in Him means you are already in Him. To “abide in Christ” is for those who are “in Christ.” Have you come to a saving knowledge of Christ? Are you in Him?

Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

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"And will manifest myself to him."—John 14:21. HE Lord Jesus gives special revelations of Himself to His people. Even if Scripture did not declare this, there are many of the children of God who could testify the truth of it from their own experience. They have had manifestations of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in a peculiar manner, such as no mere reading or hearing could afford. In the biographies of eminent saints, you will find many instances recorded in which Jesus has been pleased, in a very special manner to speak to their souls, and to unfold the wonders of His person; yea, so have their souls been steeped in happiness that they have thought themselves to be in heaven, whereas they were not there, though they were well nigh on the threshold of it—for when Jesus manifests Himself to His people, it is heaven on earth; it is paradise in embryo; it is bliss begun. Especial manifestations of Christ exercise a holy influence on the believer's heart. One effect will be humility. If a man says, "I have had such-and-such spiritual communications, I am a great man," he has never had any communion with Jesus at all; for "God hath respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off." He does not need to come near them to know them, and will never give them any visits of love. Another effect will be happiness; for in God's presence there are pleasures for evermore. Holiness will be sure to follow. A man who has no holiness has never had this manifestation. Some men profess a great deal; but we must not believe any one unless we see that his deeds answer to what he says. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked." He will not bestow His favours upon the wicked: for while He will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He respect an evil doer. Thus there will be three effects of nearness to Jesus—humility, happiness, and holiness. May God give them to thee, Christian!

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Maintain the Difference And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be. (Exodus8:23) Pharaoh has a people, and the Lord has a people. These may dwell together and seem to fare alike, but there is a division between them, and the Lord will make it apparent. Not forever shall one event happen alike to all, but there shall be great difference between the men of the world and the people of Jehovah's choice. This may happen in the time of judgments, when the Lord becomes the sanctuary of His saints. It is very conspicuous in the conversion of believers when their sin is put away, while unbelievers remain under condemnation. From that moment they become a distinct race, come under a new discipline, and enjoy new blessings. Their homes, henceforth, are free from the grievous swarms of evils which defile and torment the Egyptians. They are kept from the pollution of lust, the bite of care, the corruption of falsehood, and the cruel torment of hatred, which devour many families. Rest assured, tried believer, that though you have your troubles you are saved from swarms of worse ones, which infest the homes and hearts of the servants of the world's prince. The Lord has put a division; see to it that you keep up the division in Spirit, aim, character, and company.

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The ways of the LORD [are] right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. Unto you . . . which believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be disobedient, . . . and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.--The way of the LORD [is] strength to the upright: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.--Whoso [is] wise, and will observe these [things], even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.--The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.--If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.--Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.--Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.--My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Ho 14:9 1Pe 2:7,8 Pr 10:29 Mt 11:15 Ps 107:43 Mt 6:22 Joh 7:17 Mt 13:12 Joh 8:47 5:40 10:27 www.christiansunited.com

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Faith's Checkbook by C.H. Spurgen Because of Us For the elect's sake those days be shortened. (Matthew 24:22) For the sake of His elect the Lord withholds many judgments and shortens others. In great tribulations the fire would devour all were it not that out of regard to His elect the Lord damps the flame. Thus, while He saves His elect for the sake of Jesus, He also preserves the race for the sake of His chosen. What an honor is thus put upon saints! How diligently they ought to use their influence with their Lord! He will hear their prayers for sinners and bless their efforts for their salvation. He blesses believers that they may be a blessing to those who are in unbelief. Many a sinner lives because of the prayers of a mother, or wife, or daughter to whom the Lord has respect. Have we used aright the singular power with which the Lord entrusts us? Do we pray for our country, for other lands, and for the age? Do we, in times of war, famine, pestilence, stand out as intercessors, pleading that the days may be shortened? Do we lament before God the outbursts of infidelity, error, and licentiousness? Do we beseech our Lord Jesus to shorten the reign of sin by hastening His own glorious appearing? Let us get to our knees and never rest till Christ appeareth.

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As some may not be familiar with prophecy in the church. We want to share this short explanation of Biblical prophecy before we share an actual prophecy from God.

First, what is Godly prophecy? It can be summed up as words that are spoken on behalf of God. A prophet or prophetess is one who is a spokesman for God. It is a divine utterance that comes from the Holy Spirit. (Note: Just as there are prophetic words from God, there are also false prophecies that the Lord warned us about in the Bible. In Matthew 7:15-16a, Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruit...." We must prove the source of prophecy before accepting it as coming from the Lord.)

God is raising up many prophetic voices in the earth today. His gifts of prophecy are basically of two types. One is the "simple gift of prophecy" which every believer can express under the unction or direction of the Holy Spirit after they have been filled with the Holy Ghost.

The other is the "office gift" of the spirit which is given to a prophet or prophetess who is called to the "five-fold" ministry office as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:28 which says "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." Also Ephesians 4:11-12 which says

"And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

The basic difference between these two types is, the simple gift of prophecy is given to all spirit filled believers as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 14:31, "For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted."

It is for the purpose of edification, exhortation and comfort as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 14:3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."

The "office gift" of a prophet or prophetess is given to speak to the body of Christ at large. The ministers who are called to the office of a prophet or prophetess will deliver messages also which include edification, exhortation and comfort but their messages can also be directive in nature and futuristic in content as well (Ephesians 4:11-15).

Presently, God is leading His people with prophetic preaching and teaching. A prophetic movement is taking place in the world.

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My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken.
Psalm 62:1-2


Be still, and know that I am God;
Psalm 46:10

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The Divine Home September 22, 2008

Psalm 127:1a says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”
The Bible says that your home cannot, will not, and shall not be built by human ingenuity, wit, and wisdom.

Now there are a lot of people who think they know how to do it. Some of them are preachers. And some of us have created our own ideas which are not from the Word of God. There are even some people who lecture on how to build a home who have never been married. I heard of one preacher who said, “Before I got married, I had four sermons on the home and no children.” He said, “After a while, I had four children and no sermons.”

Building a home is a very complicated matter. Your wit, wisdom, and ingenuity will not be able to help you to build a happy, fruitful, and prosperous Christian home. You need a divine blueprint and builder. And that builder and that plan is Christ and His Word.

Adrian Rogers

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Playing The Judge - Part 2 September 10, 2008

Do you ever play the game “Judge, Jury, and Executioner” in your house? Let me give you some phrases that will come into your conversation if you do:

 “I told you so.”
“You’re just like your father!”
“You’re just like your Mother!”
“You’re always in a bad mood.”
“You just don’t think!”
“It’s your fault.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“All you ever do is complain!”
“I can’t do anything to please you!”
“Why don’t you ever listen to me?”
“I don’t know why I put up with you.”
“If you don’t like it, you can just leave.”
“That was stupid!”
“All you ever do is think of yourself.”
“You’re such a baby!”
“You think you’re always right!”

You don’t have to say all of these in one conversation, but let me ask you, Are any of these statements sneaking their way into your home? If they, are, then stop it! That’s right, button up! Don’t let these painful words of accusation disrupt the love that God desires for your home.

James 1:19-20 says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

Adrian Rogers

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The accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.



They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.--Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth. Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.--That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.--In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.--Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. . . . And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.--But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Re 12:10,11 Ro 8:33,34 Col 2:15 Heb 2:14,15 Ro 8:37 Eph 6:11,17 1Co 15:57

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First Peter 3:13 says, “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” You say, “Oh boy, I love that verse. Nobody can harm me.” Let’s keep reading to the first part of verse 14: “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye.”

"Now wait a minute," you might be saying. "The Bible seems to contradict itself. One verse says, 'who is he that will harm you,' and the next verse talks about our suffering."

Yes, that is true. Peter is saying that people may hurt you, but they can’t harm you. As a matter of fact, your suffering for Christ’s sake is going to make you happy.

I have not suffered a lot for Christ, but I want to tell you that those times that I have suffered and I knew it was for Jesus, have been some of the happiest times of my entire life. I cannot tell you the indescribable joy that has come into my heart and my life.

Now, we shouldn’t seek suffering. But if we suffer for righteousness sake, we should be happy. Jesus Christ will never be more near, then when we take a stand for Him.

Adrian Rogers

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1 Samuel 16:7
The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Thoughts on today's verse

Have you ever wondered how many friends you may have lost simply by judging them on their first appearance or impression? I'm amazed at how the first impression very seldom tells us much of substance about another. We're not really going to be able to evaluate people properly until the Lord reveals at judgment what is really in their heart. Don't you think that we should give them time for their heart to show before we make a decision about them, too?!

Prayer:

Father, who alone knows each heart, help me be more patient with others before forming an opinion about them. Please give me eyes to see them as Jesus does. Through him I pray. Amen.

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An Appeal; Deliverance/>
"And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me"   (Psalm 50:15).

This is a promise indeed!

Here is an urgent occasion -- "the day of trouble." It is dark at noon on such a day, and every hour seems blacker than the one which came before it. Then is this promise in season: it is written for the cloudy day.

Here is condescending advice, "Call upon me." We ought not to need the exhortation: it should be our constant habit all the day and every day. What a mercy to have liberty to call upon God! What wisdom to make good use of it! How foolish to go running about to men! The LORD invites us to lay our case before Him, and surely we will not hesitate to do so.

Here is reassuring encouragement: "I will deliver thee." Whatever the trouble may be, the LORD makes no exceptions but promises full, sure, happy deliverance. He will Himself work out our deliverance by His own hand. We believe it, and the LORD honors faith.

Here is an ultimate result: "Thou shalt glorify me." Ah, that we will do most abundantly. When He has delivered us we will loudly praise Him; and as He is sure to do it, let us begin to glorify Him at once.

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008  -   Standing Against the World  -  1 John 4:4-6

An example of the antichrist movement is the campaign to remove Christian symbols from public places. Advocates use buzzwords like “religious freedom” to mean freedom from religion. Those listening, even some believers, are fooled into agreeing that worship should be private. The subtle motive often goes unnoticed to push Jesus out of society.

The world finds Christ offensive. Many people today claim we each can design our own belief system. But Jesus said faith in Him is the only way to a relationship with the Father.

Another worldly, antichrist idea is doing what feels right is fine, as long as no one gets hurt. Yet, Jesus taught that sin of any action, thought, or attitude contrary to God’s principles has consequences.

Antichrist philosophies will often sound persuasive because Satan designs lies to appeal to human nature. Therefore, believers must know right from wrong. The Lord has provided three guides for safely navigating through life.

First, the Holy Spirit enables us to discern God’s facts from Satan’s fiction. Next, Scripture explains the truth about the Trinity and the divine plan for mankind. Finally, we have access to righteous people who preach and teach authentic Christianity.

Even if some unbelievers try to erase Jesus Christ’s name from society, they can’t remove all of His followers. We need to stand firmly rooted in Scripture and proclaim the gospel. God can work through us and win souls for His glory.

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Psalm 5: 'You Hear My Voice'Psalm 5

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
Give ear to my words, O LORD;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

Max Lucado on why you can't hold onto your children too much.

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.

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God is the ultimate Giver. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place. Jesus gave us the right to be called children of God. He provided us with the riches of eternal life at no cost. In return, He asks us to follow His example and be generous.

It all starts with biblical thinking. We’re to acknowledge God owns all of the world’s resources. Whatever we have is a gift from His hand. Remember His goodness and love, which prompted Him to sacrifice His Son. Accept that belonging to Him means releasing our grip on our finances and trusting Him to meet our needs.

The next step is to adopt God’s priorities as our own. We then must invest in His kingdom work. Old Testament law required a tithe, which is one tenth of all income, be given. Now, we’re under the new covenant of grace. Romans 12:1 states our entire life, which includes our time, talent, and treasure, is to be offered to the Lord. The tithe is just the minimum.

God established the church as a primary means for spreading His good news. The church is meant to help those hurt. The church is a way to worship Him as one body for the people. As His children, we’re to give faithfully to the local church.

The Lord promises great return on our investment in His work. Sometimes it comes in the form of financial prosperity. More often, it will be through greater intimacy with Him. The reward will be peace of mind, harmonious relationships with others, and satisfaction of spirit. These blessings have a greater value than anything our material world has to offer.

 [ send green star]

Proverbs 29:2
(Program 1939, Airing on 06.22.08 and 06.29.08)

1. THE CHARACTER GOD REQUIRES IN LEADERSHIP 
1. Godliness
1. Psalm 148:11-13
2. Romans 13:4
3. Proverbs 16:12
2. Wisdom 
1. Proverbs 8:12-16
2. 2 Chronicles 1:7-11
3. Honesty
1. Proverbs 17:7
2. Proverbs 20:28
3. John 8:44
4. Discrimination
1. Proverbs 25:4-5
2. Proverbs 29:12
5. Sexual morality
1. Proverbs 31:1-3
6. Sober
1. Proverbs 31:4-5
7. Protective 
1. Proverbs 31:5, 8-9
2. Psalm 94:20-21
3. Jeremiah 22:2-5
4. Habakkuk 2:12
2. THE CHOICE GOD RESPECTS
1. Hosea 8:4
2. 1 Samuel 8:18-21
3. THE CONSEQUENCES GOD REVEALS
1. Proverbs 29:2
4. THE CONTROL GOD RESERVES 
1. Isaiah 40:23-24
2. Psalm 47:7-8
3. Psalm 29:10
4. Psalm 33:10-12
5. Isaiah 14:26-27
6. Proverbs 21:1
5. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
   1. Pray for revival
   2. Prepare for suffering and survival
   3. Prepare for His arrival

 [ send green star]

"Thy Redeemer."-Isaiah 54:5

Jesus, the Redeemer, is altogether ours and ours for ever. All the offices of Christ are held on our behalf. He is king for us, priest for us, and prophet for us. Whenever we read a new title of the Redeemer, let us appropriate Him as ours under that name as much as under any other. The shepherd's staff, the father's rod, the captain's sword, the priest's mitre, theprince's sceptre, the prophet's mantle, all are ours. Jesus hath no dignity which He will not employ for our exaltation, and no prerogative which He will not exercise for our defence. His fulness of Godhead is our unfailing, inexhaustible treasure-house.

His manhood also, which he took upon him for us, is ours in all its perfection. To us our gracious Lord communicates the spotless virtue of a stainless character; to us he gives the meritorious efficacy of a devoted life; on us he bestows the reward procured by obedient submission and incessant service. He makes the unsullied garment of his life our covering beauty; the glittering virtues of his character our ornaments and jewels; and the superhuman meekness of his death our boast and glory. He bequeaths us his manger, from which to learn how God came down to man; and his Cross to teach us how man may go up to God. All His thoughts, emotions, actions, utterances, miracles, and intercessions, were for us. He trod the road of sorrow on our behalf, and hath made over to us as his heavenly legacy the full results of all the labours of his life. He is now as much ours as heretofore; and he blushes not to acknowledge himself "our Lord Jesus Christ," though he is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Christ everywhere and every way is our Christ, for ever and ever most richly to enjoy. O my soul, by the power of the Holy Spirit! call him this morning, "thy Redeemer."

 [ send green star]

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 We think rightly or wrongly about prayer according to the conception we have in our minds of prayer. If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on. We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect joint with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life. Beware of anything that stops ejaculatory prayer. "Pray without ceasing," keep the childlike habit of ejaculatory prayer in your heart to God all the time. Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer, He had the boundless certainty that prayer is always answered. Have we by the Spirit the unspeakable certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when God does not seem to have answered prayer? "Every one that asketh receiveth." We say - "But . . . , but . . ." God answers prayer in the best way, not sometimes, but every time, although the immediate manifestation of the answer in the domain in which we want it may not always follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer? The danger with us is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with common sense; if it were only common sense, it was not worth while for Him to say it. The things Jesus says about prayer are supernatural revelations.

 [ send green star]

Filled with the Holy Spirit May 20, 2008

Ephesians 5:18-21 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you are controlled by the Holy Spirit – your walk, your talk – everything is changed by the Holy Spirit of God.

Our verse today tells us not to become drunk with wine. Well, how does someone get drunk? He drinks. How does he stay drunk? He has to keep drinking. And that is the problem with many Christians who are Spirit-filled – they have become sober.

We need to continually depend upon the Holy Spirit by faith.

 [ send green star]

 Daily Strength for Daily Needs
Compiled by Mary W. Tileston

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.--PS. xxxvii. 7.

Trust in Him at all times.--PS. lxii. 8.

  Dost thou ask when comes His hour?
    Then, when it shall aid thee best.
  Trust His faithfulness and power,
    Trust in Him, and quiet rest.

ANON.

I had found [communion with God] to consist, not only in the silencing of
the outward man, but in the silencing also of every thought, and in the
concentration of the soul and all its powers into a simple, quiet watching
and waiting for the food which its heavenly Father might see fit either
to give or to withhold. In no case could it be sent empty away; for, if
comfort, light, or joy were withheld, the act of humble waiting at the gate
of heavenly wisdom could not but work patience in it, and thus render it,
by humility and obedience, more "meet to be a partaker of the inheritance
of the saints in light," and also more blessed in itself.

M. A. KELTY.

"REST IN THE LORD; WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM." In Hebrew, "be silent to God,
and let Him mould thee." Keep still, and He will mould thee to the right
shape.

 [ send green star]

"All that believe are justified."-Acts 13:39

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith, it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts Him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified now?-so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and sing melodious praises to celestial harps. The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are to-day accepted in the Beloved, to-day absolved from sin, to-day acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There are some clusters of Eshcol's vine which we shall not be able to gather till we enter heaven; but this is a bough which runneth over the wall. This is not as the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now-even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of His people. Who dareth to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth. Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus.

 [ send green star]

"He that was healed wist not who it was."-John 5:13

Years are short to the happy and healthy; but thirty-eight years of disease must have dragged a very weary length along the life of the poor impotent man. When Jesus, therefore, healed him by a word, while he lay at the pool of Bethesda, he was delightfully sensible of a change. Even so the sinner who has for weeks and months been paralyzed with despair, and has wearily sighed for salvation, is very conscious of the change when the Lord Jesus speaks the word of power, and gives joy and peace in believing. The evil removed is too great to be removed without our discerning it; the life imparted is too remarkable to be possessed and remain inoperative; and the change wrought is too marvellous not to be perceived. Yet the poor man was ignorant of the author of his cure; he knew not the sacredness of His person, the offices which he sustained, or the errand which brought Him among men. Much ignorance of Jesus may remain in hearts which yet feel the power of His blood. We must not hastily condemn men for lack of knowledge; but where we can see the faith which saves the soul, we must believe that salvation has been bestowed. The Holy Spirit makes men penitents long before He makes them divines; and he who believes what he knows, shall soon know more clearly what he believes. Ignorance is, however, an evil; for this poor man was much tantalized by the Pharisees, and was quite unable to cope with them. It is good to be able to answer gainsayers; but we cannot do so if we know not the Lord Jesus clearly and with understanding. The cure of his ignorance, however, soon followed the cure of his infirmity, for he was visited by the Lord in the temple; and after that gracious manifestation, he was found testifying that "it was Jesus who had made him whole." Lord, if Thou hast saved me, show me Thyself, that I may declare Thee to the sons of men.

 [ send green star]

"Thy life will I give thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest." Jeremiah 45:5

This is the unshakable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him - "I will give thee thy life." What more does a man want than his life? It is the essential thing. "Thy life for a prey" means that wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life, nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in the shows of things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings. All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can go - the life that is "hid with Christ in God."

Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay no more attention to what you call the great things? Are you prepared to abandon entirely and let go? The test of abandonment is in refusing to say - "Well, what about this?" Beware of suppositions. Immediately you allow - What about this? - it means you have not abandoned, you do not really trust God. Immediately you do abandon, you think no more about what God is going to do. Abandon means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you abandon entirely to God, He says at once, "Thy life will I give thee for a prey." The reason people are tired of life is because God has not given them anything, they have not got their life as a prey. The way to get out of that state is to abandon to God. When you do get through to abandonment to God, you will be the most surprised and delighted creature on earth; God has got you absolutely and has given you your life. If you are not there, it is either because of disobedience or a refusal to be simple enough.

 [ send green star]

If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him."-Revelation 3:20

What is your desire this evening? Is it set upon heavenly things? Do you long to enjoy the high doctrine of eternal love? Do you desire liberty in very close communion with God? Do you aspire to know the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths? Then you must draw ear to Jesus; you must get a clear sight of Him in His preciousness and completeness: you must view Him in His work, in His offices, in His person. He who understands Christ, receives an anointing from the Holy One, by which He knows all things. Christ is the great master-key of all the chambers of God: there is no treasure-house of God which will not open and yield up all its wealth to the soul that lives near to Jesus. Are you saying, "O that He would dwell in my bosom "Would that He would make my heart His dwelling-place for ever"? Open the door, beloved, and He will come into your souls. He has long been knocking, and all with this object, that He may sup with you, and you with Him. He sups with you because you find the house or the heart, and you with Him because He brings the provision. He could not sup with you if it were not in your heart, you finding the house; nor could you sup with Him, for you have a bare cupboard, if He did not bring provision with Him. Fling wide, then, the portals of your soul. He will come with that love which you long to feel; He will come with that joy into which you cannot work your poor depressed spirit; He will bring the peace which now you have not; He will come with His flagons of wine and sweet apples of love, and cheer you till you have no other sickness but that of "love o'erpowering, love divine." Only open the door to Him, drive out His enemies, give Him the keys of your heart, and He will dwell there for ever. Oh, wondrous love, that brings such a guest to dwell in such a heart!

 [ send green star]

"And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Genesis 32:12

When Jacob was on the other side of the brook Jabbok, and Esau was coming with armed men, he earnestly sought God's protection, and as a master reason he pleaded, "And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Oh, the force of that plea! He was holding God to His word—"Thou saidst." The attribute of God's faithfulness is a splendid horn of the altar to lay hold upon; but the promise, which has in it the attribute and something more, is a yet mightier holdfast—"Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." And has He said, and shall He not do it? "Let God be true, and every man a liar." Shall not He be true? Shall He not keep His word? Shall not every word that cometh out of His lips stand fast and be fulfilled? Solomon, at the opening of the temple, used this same mighty plea. He pleaded with God to remember the word which He had spoken to his father David, and to bless that place. When a man gives a promissory note, his honour is engaged; he signs his hand, and he must discharge it when the due time comes, or else he loses credit. It shall never be said that God dishonours His bills. The credit of the Most High never was impeached, and never shall be. He is punctual to the moment: He never is before His time, but He never is behind it. Search God's word through, and compare it with the experience of God's people, and you shall find the two tally from the first to the last. Many a hoary patriarch has said with Joshua, "Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass." If you have a divine promise, you need not plead it with an "if," you may urge it with certainty. The Lord meant to fulfil the promise, or He would not have given it. God does not give His words merely to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for awhile with the intention of putting us off at last; but when He speaks, it is because He means to do as He has said.

 [ send green star]

"You will search for Me and finde Me"

when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jer. 29:13

It was noon when Jesus finished His long walk. He was sitting by a water well, when a Samaritan woman came by. Jesus asked her for a drink. As they talked, she realized she was spiritually thirsty, spiritually needy and searching for God. So Jesus offered her "living water." She was eager for this "living water." She desired to never be spiritually thirsty again.

 [ send green star]

to flee fornication

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Eph 5:1-20 (KJV)

 [ send green star]

"All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head."-Psalm 22:7

Mockery was a great ingredient in our Lord's woe. Judas mocked Him in the garden; the chief priests and scribes laughed Him to scorn; Herod set Him at nought; the servants and the soldiers jeered at Him, and brutally insulted Him; Pilate and his guards ridiculed His royalty; and on the tree all sorts of horrid jests and hideous taunts were hurled at Him. Ridicule is always hard to bear, but when we are in intense pain it is so heartless, so cruel, that it cuts us to the quick. Imagine the Saviour crucified, racked with anguish far beyond all mortal guess, and then picture that motley multitude, all wagging their heads or thrusting out the lip in bitterest contempt of one poor suffering victim! Surely there must have been something more in the crucified One than they could see, or else such a great and mingled crowd would not unanimously have honoured Him with such contempt. Was it not evil confessing, in the very moment of its greatest apparent triumph, that after all it could do no more than mock at that victorious goodness which was then reigning on the cross? O Jesus, "despised and rejected of men," how couldst Thou die for men who treated Thee so ill? Herein is love amazing, love divine, yea, love beyond degree. We, too, have despised Thee in the days of our unregeneracy, and even since our new birth we have set the world on high in our hearts, and yet Thou bleedest to heal our wounds, and diest to give us life. O that we could set Thee on a glorious high throne in all men's hearts! We would ring out Thy praises over land and sea till men should as universally adore as once they did unanimously reject.
Thy creatures wrong Thee, O Thou sovereign Good!
Thou art not loved, because not understood:
This grieves me most, that vain pursuits beguile
Ungrateful men, regardless of Thy smile.

 [ send green star]

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint." Psalm 22:14

Did earth or heaven ever behold a sadder spectacle of woe! In soul and body, our Lord felt Himself to be weak as water poured upon the ground. The placing of the cross in its socket had shaken Him with great violence, had strained all the ligaments, pained every nerve, and more or less dislocated all His bones. Burdened with His own weight, the august sufferer felt the strain increasing every moment of those six long hours. His sense of faintness and general weakness were overpowering; while to His own consciousness He became nothing but a mass of misery and swooning sickness. When Daniel saw the great vision, he thus describes his sensations, "There remained no strength in me, for my vigour was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength:" how much more faint must have been our greater Prophet when He saw the dread vision of the wrath of God, and felt it in His own soul! To us, sensations such as our Lord endured would have been insupportable, and kind unconsciousness would have come to our rescue; but in His case, He was wounded, and felt the sword; He drained the cup and tasted every drop.

"O King of Grief! (a title strange, yet true

To Thee of all kings only due)

O King of Wounds! how shall I grieve for Thee,

Who in all grief preventest me!"

As we kneel before our now ascended Saviour's throne, let us remember well the way by which He prepared it as a throne of grace for us; let us in spirit drink of His cup, that we may be strengthened for our hour of heaviness whenever it may come. In His natural body every member suffered, and so must it be in the spiritual; but as out of all His griefs and woes His body came forth uninjured to glory and power, even so shall His mystical body come through the furnace with not so much as the smell of fire upon it.

 [ send green star]

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its
hiding place in the closet

She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three
times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance there for
mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap,
she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's
Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the doo r.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but
he was too busy at this moment Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing
noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound
she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and
banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of
voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in
ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in
the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick...and I want to buy a
miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head
and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a
miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I
can't help you ,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't
enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped
down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your
brother need?'

'I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's
really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't
pay for it, so I want to use my money.'

'How much do you have?' asked the man fromChicago

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly.

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven
cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.'

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her
mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother
and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well dressed man was D Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing
in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it
wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led
them to this place.

'That surgery, her Mom whispered, was a real miracle. I
wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and
eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.


In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the
operation of a higher law. I know you'll keep the ball moving!

Here it goes. Throw it back to someone who means something to
you!

A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keeps us together
like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure inside for you to see
is the treasure of friendship you've granted to me.

Today I pass the friendship ball to you.

Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you.


MY OATH TO YOU..

When you are sad.....I will dry your tears.

When you are scared.....I will comfort your fears.

When you are worried.....I will give you hope.

When you are confused.....I will help you cope.

And when you are lost....And can't see the light, I shall be
your beacon....Shining ever so bright.

This is my oath.....I pledge till the end.

Why you may ask? ......Because you're my friend.

Signed: GOD

INSTANTLY WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO
SEND IT TO AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO SENT IT TO
YOU.


Robert G. Arnold

 [ send green star]

That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of
God.--ROM. xii. 2.
Thou knowest what is best;
And who but Thee, O God, hath power to know?
In Thy great will my trusting heart shall rest;
Beneath that will my humble head shall bow.
T. C. UPHAM.
To those who are His, all things are not only easy to be borne, but even to
be gladly chosen. Their will is united to that will which moves heaven and
earth, which gives laws to angels, and rules the courses of the world. It
is a wonderful gift of God to man, of which we that know so little
must needs speak little. To be at the centre of that motion, where is
everlasting rest; to be sheltered in the peace of God; even now to dwell in
heaven, where all hearts are stayed, and all hopes fulfilled. "Thou shalt
keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."
H. E. MANNING.
Study to follow His will in all, to have no will but His. This is thy duty,
and thy wisdom. Nothing is gained by spurning and struggling but to hurt
and vex thyself; but by complying all is gained--sweet peace. It is the
very secret, the mystery of solid peace within, to resign all to His will,
to be disposed of at His pleasure, without the least contrary thought.
R. LEIGHTON.

 [ send green star]

1 John 4:6
We
are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God
does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the
spirit of error

People who know they are having spiritual
problems usually have severe perceptual problems too. Satan seems to be
more present, real and powerful to them. These types of people usually
hear opposing arguments in their head. They are constantly confronted
with lies, told to get out of the counseling setting, or threatened
with harm or embarrassment.

One dear lady I was ministering to suddenly bolted for the door. "Tell me what you're hearing," I said.

"You're going to hurt me," she answered fearfully.

"That's a lie," I assured her. Slowly she returned to her chair.

Some people experience internal
interference when demonic powers are confronted by the truth. They may
become dizzy or glassy-eyed. If you proceed without regard for their
reaction, they may lapse into catatonia.

The goal in helping people find freedom
in Christ is to avoid all demonic activity which would short-circuit
their ability to participate in the process. With this in mind, I
usually begin the time of ministry with prayer, acknowledging God's
presence, claiming His authority, and binding the enemy to silence.

I require one major point of cooperation
from all those who want help: They must tell me what inner opposition
they are experiencing. If they have a thought that is contrary to what
we are doing, they are to share it with me. Some thoughts can be very
hostile or threatening. Others will be very deceptive, such as "This
isn't going to work." The power of Satan is in his lie. The moment the
counselees bring the contrary thought to light, the power of it is
broken. The power for the Christian is in the truth. That is why it is
truth that sets us free.

Prayer:

Lord, I desire to be a committed student
of Your Word. I know the truth of Your Word dispels the darkness in my
life. Thank You for this powerful weapon.

 [ send green star]

2 Corinthians 11:3
I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ

Hostility is a stronghold. Plan A from God develops the character and the knowledge to love your enemy, pray for him, and turn the other cheek. If you cannot help being pugnacious or argumentative in a threatening situation, it's because you have learned to cope that way and your Plan B response has become entrenched as a stronghold.

Inferiority is a stronghold. Plan A says that you are a child of God, a saint who is inferior to no mortal. If you are constantly shrinking back from people because of feelings of inferiority, it's because the world, the flesh and the devil have carved a negative, Plan B groove in your mind over the years.

Manipulation is a stronghold. Do you feel like you must control the people and circumstances in your life? Is it nearly impossible for you to give a problem to God and not worry about it? Somewhere in your past you developed a pattern of control which now masters you. It's a stronghold.

Homosexuality is a stronghold. In God's eyes there is no such thing as a homosexual. He created us male and female. There is homosexual behavior, which can usually be traced to past negative experiences. Such experiences prompted these individuals to doubt their sexual adequacy and they began to believe a lie about their sexual identity.

Anorexia and bulimia are strongholds. A 99-pound woman stands in front of a mirror believing that she is fat. She is the victim of negative thought patterns about herself which have been burned into her mind and direct all her activities concerning her body and the proper use of food.

Somewhere in the past you may have consciously or unconsciously formed patterns of thinking and behaving which now control you. That's a stronghold. Satan works through strongholds to keep our minds from focusing on Christ. But, thank God, as we appropriate God's truth we are set free.

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ISTANBUL, February 8 (Compass Direct News) – The Iranian parliament may mandate the death penalty for citizens who leave Islam, a human rights group announced this week.

For the first time in Iranian history, a proposed penal code demands the death penalty for “apostates,” according to a February 5 statement by the Institute on Religion and Public Policy (IRPP).

“Apostasy was always illegal, but the court could hand down a jail term, hard labor or the death penalty,” said IRPP President Joseph Grieboski. “Now apostasy [would only] get the death penalty.”

Iran has used the “apostasy” law to target Muslim converts to Christianity, liberal thinkers and members of Iran’s Baha’i religious minority.

“This is not something new, they just want to be more harsh towards those who are leaving Islam,” an Iranian pastor told Compass.

No converts to Christianity have been convicted of “apostasy” since international pressure forced officials to drop the death sentence of Christian convert Mehdi Dibaj in 1994. But in the years following the convert’s release, Dibaj and four other Protestant pastors, both converts and those working with converts, have been brutally murdered.

The murderers of the Christians have never been brought to justice. Local believers suspect the government played a role in the killings.

“They began assassinating pastors and Christian workers,” said the Iranian pastor, who requested anonymity. “Legally, they did not take them to court, but they just killed them and said that they hanged themselves and gave some other excuses.”

The penal code proposal, already approved by the Iranian cabinet a month ago, appears to have the necessary parliamentary backing to be passed, an Iranian Christian told Compass.

Article 225 of the draft, posted on the IRPP website, stipulates two kinds of “apostasy,” “innate and parental,” both of which warrant the death penalty.

Innate “apostates” are those who grow up with at least one Muslim parent, are Muslims at the age of maturity and then later leave the faith, the article states.

“Punishment for an Innate Apostate is death,” section seven of the article stipulates.

Known as “parental apostates,” citizens who grow up in non-Muslim homes, convert to Islam as adults and then later decide to leave are to be given a chance to repent before their execution, the draft states.

“… After the final sentencing for three days, he/she would be guided to the right path and encouraged to recant his/her belief,” the article stipulates. “… If he/she refused, the death penalty would be carried out.”

Though sections of the draft appear to indicate that both men and women can be executed for apostasy, others limit execution to males who leave Islam. Section 225-10 states that convicted female “apostates” will be imprisoned for life.

The proposed law stipulates that “hardship” will be exercised on a female “apostate,” who will be immediately released if she recants. “The condition of hardship will be determined according to the religious laws,” the draft states.

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Serving the Lord with all humility of mind. Acts 20:19

Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matt. 20:26-28

If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. Gal. 6:3

I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man.... not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Rom. 12:3

When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Luke 17:10

Our rejoicing is this.... that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. II Cor. 1:12

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. II Cor. 4:7

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"I will strengthen thee."—Isaiah 41:10.

OD has a strong reserve with which to discharge this engagement; for He is able to do all things. Believer, till thou canst drain dry the ocean of omnipotence, till thou canst break into pieces the towering mountains of almighty strength, thou never needest to fear. Think not that the strength of man shall ever be able to overcome the power of God. Whilst the earth's huge pillars stand, thou hast enough reason to abide firm in thy faith. The same God who directs the earth in its orbit, who feeds the burning furnace of the sun, and trims the lamps of heaven, has promised to supply thee with daily strength. While He is able to uphold the universe, dream not that He will prove unable to fulfil His own promises. Remember what He did in the days of old, in the former generations. Remember how He spake and it was done; how He commanded, and it stood fast. Shall He that created the world grow weary? He hangeth the world upon nothing; shall He who doth this be unable to support His children? Shall He be unfaithful to His word for want of power? Who is it that restrains the tempest? Doth not He ride upon the wings of the wind, and make the clouds His chariots, and hold the ocean in the hollow of His hand? How can He fail thee? When He has put such a faithful promise as this on record, wilt thou for a moment indulge the thought that He has outpromised Himself, and gone beyond His power to fulfil? Ah, no! Thou canst doubt no longer.
O thou who art my God and my strength, I can believe that this promise shall be fulfilled, for the boundless reservoir of Thy grace can never be exhausted, and the overflowing storehouse of Thy strength can never be emptied by Thy friends or rifled by Thine enemies.

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"For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." --- Exodus 33:16.

Reader, do you adopt the language of Moses, and request with him that in all your removals, God's presence may go with you? that you be not permitted to stir without this distinguishing testimony that you are in the path of duty? Are you waiting upon the Lord in earnest to serve him in sincerity and truth; "not being conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind," and desirous to be numbered with his separate people? Then you may expect the Divine blessing, and your way to be prosperous.

It was a distinguishing privilege of the Israelites, that they were to dwell alone, and not to be reckoned among the nations; and it is the privilge and duty of the spiritual Israel to be separate and distinct from the world; they are a separate people in the love of God; in their election in Christ; in the covenant of grace made with them in him; in effectual vocation; in their being seated with him to all eternity. Nor are they reckoned among the nations, but as they are called out of them, and generally treated as the refuse and offscourings of all things; they do not reckon themselves to be of the world, but as pilgrims and strangers in it. Lord, let me be among thy separate people, the righteous, both here and for evermore.

Among the righteous let me dwell,
And cast my lot with them;
Dead to pleasure, dead to wealth,
And to the world's esteem.

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"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43:18-19).

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings" (Isaiah 58:11-12).

I felt like Peter, after that rooster crowed three times. My heart was torn in two, because I realized that I had not listened to my Lord. I had not heeded any of His words. I had not felt the urgency of His call. I had simply brushed off His words as my own wild imaginings, of voices I had made up in my head.

 I felt the hand of God rest heavily upon my sinful nature, rightly judging my frivolity, my pride, my apathy. The Words of the Bible seared my soul, spurring me on to good works in Christ Jesus. I had never felt the urgency of the Kingdom of God and the mandate 'the fields are white for harvest' quite like I did at that moment. I had never felt the presence of a powerful and yet merciful King as I did then. He, indeed, reigns on high. He will be exalted in all the earth!

God is setting us apart, Christians. He is setting the stage for a mighty work. And we, like Moses before the burning bush, must take off our sandals, because God is making this holy ground.

God is in the process, as never before, of exalting every valley and making every hill low. He is straightening out the crooked roads. He is making the rough places smooth. This applies to our nation and to our own hearts. God is re-establishing His balance of justice, correcting our priorities.

Several days ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with a spirit of fear hanging over my head. I couldn't sleep, because my heart was pounding, so I prayed. But I struggled to stay awake, as the disciples likewise fought to keep watch while the Lord Jesus awaited death on the Cross. Prayer at this hour was so imperative that God would not let any sleep befall me. So I prayed more, for a total of a half an hour, until the peace of Christ returned.

The next day, I learned that several others in my office had also been woken up by the Lord to pray for our nation. Who knows how many more were praying that night? Ten? Twenty? A thousand? And who knows how those prayers redirected the course for our nation? Only God knows. But we do know that ultimately it is that kind of prayer that changes the course of history. It is that kind of fervent prayer that turns back our enemies. It is that kind of action on the part of Believers that will bring a revival -- not of our pocketbooks, not of our lips, not of our government, but ultimately a revival of our hearts and souls.

I pray that God would show you and I how to live in this season to His glory. And I pray that we would be ever tuned in to what He says, however foolish it may sound at the time. We do not know what tomorrow shall bring.

In the meantime, I know that He will give us the words to say. He will bring us comfort so that we can comfort those who mourn. He will be, as He has always been, our strong tower, our refuge, our strength, and our fortress. He can be trusted, because He is a good Father. Though we may not understand it all, God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Now go and do the work God has called you to in all fervor and humility.

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In the knowledge of Christ there is an excellency above all other knowledge in the world; there is nothing more pleasing and comfortable, more animating and enlivening, more ravishing and soul contenting; only Christ is the sun and centre of all divine revealed truths, we can preach nothing else as the object of our faith, as the necessary element of your soul's salvation, which doth not some way or other, either meet in Christ, or refer to Christ; only Christ is the whole of man's happiness, the Sun to enlighten him, the Physician to heal him, the Wall of Fire to defend him, the Friend to comfort him, the Pearl to enrich him, the Ark to support him, the Rock to sustain him under the heaviest pressures, ""And a MAN (Christ) shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of waters in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isaiah 32:2).

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