Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible.”

1 Peter 1:23

Peter most earnestly exhorted the scattered saints to love each other “with a pure heart fervently” and he wisely fetched his argument, not from the law, from nature, or from philosophy, but from that high and divine nature which God hath implanted in his people. Just as some judicious tutor of princes might labour to beget and foster in them a kingly spirit and dignified behaviour, finding arguments in their position and descent, so, looking upon God's people as heirs of glory, princes of the blood royal, descendants of the King of kings, earth's truest and oldest aristocracy, Peter saith to them, “See that ye love one another, because of your noble birth, being born of incorruptible seed; because of your pedigree, being descended from God, the Creator of all things; and because of your immortal destiny, for you shall never pass away, though the glory of the flesh shall fade, and even its existence shall cease.” It would be well if, in the spirit of humility, we recognized the true dignity of our regenerated nature, and lived up to it.

What is a Christian? If you compare him with a king, he adds priestly sanctity to royal dignity. The king's royalty often lieth only in his crown, but with a Christian it is infused into his inmost nature. He is as much above his fellows through his new birth, as a man is above the beast that perisheth. Surely he ought to carry himself, in all his dealings, as one who is not of the multitude, but chosen out of the world, distinguished by sovereign grace, written among “the peculiar people” and who therefore cannot grovel in the dust as others, nor live after the manner of the world's citizens. Let the dignity of your nature, and the brightness of your prospects, O believers in Christ, constrain you to cleave unto holiness, and to avoid the very appearance of evil.

 

[beensetfree]

My Little Brother



It was a stormy Saturday afternoon when my mother took my five-year-old brother, Christopher, and me to a new enormous toy store she had read about in the newspaper. "So many toys," the advertisement had shouted in full and flashy color, "that we had to get a huge warehouse to fit them all!" Christopher and I couldn't have been more excited. We ran across the parking lot, through the cold and biting rain, as fast as our little legs could carry us. We left our mother outside to battle with the frustrating umbrella, which never worked when she wanted it to.

"Christine! I'm going to find the Lego section! There's a new pirate ship I want, and I have four dollars! Maybe I can buy it!" Christopher exclaimed and ran off excitedly. I only half heard him. I took a right turn and, to my wide-eyed delight, found myself in the midst of Barbie World.

I was studying a mini mink coat and doing some simple math in my head when suddenly an earthshaking clap of thunder roared from the storm outside. I jumped at the noise, dropping the accessory to the floor. The warehouse lights flickered once and died, covering the stuffed animals, matchbox cars and board games in a blanket of black. Thunder continued to shake the sky and whips of lightning illuminated the store for seconds at a time, casting frightening shadows that played tricks on my mind.

Oh no, I thought, as my stomach twisted and turned inside of me. Where's Christopher? I ran up and down the aisles through the darkness, panic filling my small chest and making it difficult to breathe. I knocked into displays of candy and tripped over toys, all the while frantically calling my brother's name. I needed to know he was all right, but I could barely see. Tears of frustration and fear trickled down my face, but I continued to run. I found Christopher in the Lego aisle. He was standing alone, perfectly still, clutching tightly to the pirate ship set. I threw my arms around him and hugged him until he couldn't breathe. Then, I took his hand in mine and we went to find our mother.

Years later, on a beautiful Tuesday morning, I was leaving my computer class on my way to sociology. As I drove, the radio filled my ears with horrendous news: A hijacked plane had crashed into the Pentagon and two other planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. Fires, destruction and chaos echoed across the east coast from Washington to New York City. My first thought was of Christopher.

My brother had joined the Air Force just a year earlier, and he was stationed in Washington. I had grown used to seeing him for a few days every five months or getting 2:00 a.m. telephone calls just to let me know he was alive and well. But as the Towers collapsed and newscasters began to cry, I was overcome with the need to see Christopher, to hug him and make certain he was all right. I pulled over to the nearest pay phone and frantically dialed my grandmother's number. Christopher would call her to let the family know what was happening. The operator asked me to hold; it seemed as if everyone in the nation was on the telephone, trying to get through to loved ones. I felt the familiar panic steal my breath as I waited for a connection. Finally, I heard my grandmother's voice.

"He's fine. He's okay. They might have to move him out. He might be called to help somewhere in some way, but he's fine, Christine. He called and told us he was fine."

I spoke with my grandmother for a few more minutes. Boston was evacuating its tallest buildings. Schools were closing. Some workers were being sent home. All airplanes were grounded. The sky was silent and crystal clear. As I hung up the phone, I began to cry from relief. It was silly of me to worry about Christopher, I scolded myself. He was an adult. He stood 6'2" while I, his big sister, never hit 5'5". He could fit both of my hands into one of his. Christopher could take care of himself. But I realized at that moment that there is still a piece of my heart that will always run to try to protect him, no matter how big he may be or where in the world he is located. That same piece will always remember the five-year-old boy standing in the dark toy store with the pirate ship clutched to his chest, saying, "I knew if I just waited here, Christine, you would find me."

 

[beensetfree]

Live for His Glory!
The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

For the LORD will rebuild Zion
and appear in his glory.

Psalm 102:15,16 NIV

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All the ends of the world
shall remember and turn unto the LORD:
and all the kindreds of the nations
shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORD's:
and he is the governor among the nations.

Psalm 22:27,28 KJV

__________________

A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Isaiah 40:3-4 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.”

Proverbs 16:20

Wisdom is man's true strength; and, under its guidance, he best accomplishes the ends of his being. Wisely handling the matter of life gives to man the richest enjoyment, and presents the noblest occupation for his powers; hence by it he finds good in the fullest sense. Without wisdom, man is as the wild ass's colt, running hither and thither, wasting strength which might be profitably employed. Wisdom is the compass by which man is to steer across the trackless waste of life; without it he is a derelict vessel, the sport of winds and waves.

A man must be prudent in such a world as this, or he will find no good, but be betrayed into unnumbered ills. The pilgrim will sorely wound his feet among the briers of the wood of life if he do not pick his steps with the utmost caution. He who is in a wilderness infested with robber bands must handle matters wisely if he would journey safely. If, trained by the Great Teacher, we follow where he leads, we shall find good, even while in this dark abode; there are celestial fruits to be gathered this side of Eden's bowers, and songs of paradise to be sung amid the groves of earth.

But where shall this wisdom be found? Many have dreamed of it, but have not possessed it. Where shall we learn it? Let us listen to the voice of the Lord, for he hath declared the secret; he hath revealed to the sons of men wherein true wisdom lieth, and we have it in the text, “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.” The true way to handle a matter wisely is to trust in the Lord. This is the sure clue to the most intricate labyrinths of life, follow it and find eternal bliss. He who trusts in the Lord has a diploma for wisdom granted by inspiration: happy is he now, and happier shall he be above. Lord, in this sweet eventide walk with me in the garden, and teach me the wisdom of faith.

 

[beensetfree]

One to Another

by Kate Harmon (From the Taste Berries for Teens book series co-authored by Bettie B. Youngs and Jennifer Leigh Youngs)



I was in Cambodia last summer, walking through the city streets jam-packed with people. The humidity was so high I could hardly breath. The noise-horns honking, police whistles screaming at cars and people, and just the rumbles of people all going about their days was so loud my head hurt. I looked around and asked myself, "Why exactly had I come?" I was ready to return home.

With this thought on my mind, I looked down and noticed a small boy at my side, trying as best as he could to keep up with my stride. His shirt was as tattered and as dirty as his shorts. His battered sandals were tied to his feet by frayed chords. But it was his face that looked the most worn: He looked to be a very weary old soul, a boy far older than his years.

I have never known poverty, hunger or despair, but something about this young boy told me he was no stranger to these things. I stopped, and he quickly ran in front of me, and began to beg for some food. He was so gaunt and frail, even sickly. I wondered when he had eaten his last meal. With eyes pleading, he offered up a faint smile. My heart went out to him. I wondered if there was anyone who loved him, or if he was homeless as so many children here were. Though there was a small spark of hope in his eyes, I wondered how much-if any-joy or laughter was his. Hoping akin to begging, the small boy put his thin hands together, as if to say, "I pray you will help me." It made me wonder if he knew of the "peace that passes all understanding." He was such a young boy, a little boy in desperate need of so much. Surely I could help him. I decided to begin by talking about God's love. After all, it was what I had come here with a group of youth to do: help these children learn of God's love. He walked along side of me until I reached my destination, a large military hospital. From the appearance of this building, one could easily mistake it for a garbage dump. The walls were peeling and trash was piled high on all sides of the building. I stood in disbelief as my eyes took in more than my heart could handle. Malnourished children, some of them very sick, struggled to keep their place in line so as to receive a small portion of soup for the day.

The boy, his hand in mine, stood looking at this dismal scene of poverty, loss, pain and suffering, and then looked to me as though I would somehow make it all go away. I was overwhelmed. I couldn't make it go away; in fact, I felt paralyzed from just seeing it all. Worse, I wanted to go away. But I had come here with a mission. And in that moment, I wanted more than anything to speak their language and to somehow show the love that compelled me to travel across the world, to share the message of God. But then doubt assailed me: Who was I to come to this abused and strife-filled land with words of hope? Somehow the Gospel takes on new meaning in such a setting. Either the Gospel is everything, truly having the power to heal the broken hearted, or it can seem like a luxury-which for a fleeting moment crossed my mind as being true for this setting. Here food and water ranked first in terms of dire needs. I felt so helpless. I wanted to talk about God, but how could I? I was so young and there were so many hungry and sick people who needed food and medicine. I didn't even speak their language. Instead of praying for them, I stood in frustration and prayed for wisdom and understanding for me -- which came in the squeeze on my hand. I looked down into the big brown eyes of the little boy whom I had befriended. He pointed to the soup line in the far corner of the hospital where sick children stood patiently waiting for their daily meal. The boy was famished, possibly even starving to death, but the food was for the children who were sick, and not just hungry. I watched as the little boy looked on, longing for a bowl of soup.

I pulled from my bag a sandwich I had brought for my lunch, and gave it to him. Then, I sat down and placed him in my lap so he could feel secure. The boy rested his head on my shoulder and began to eat. Then, we noticed a tiny malnourished girl watching us, a little soul too frail to get up and join in the soup line. Instantly, the boy got up out of my lap and went to her, and then, sitting cross-legged in front of her, he fed her the remaining sandwich he had.

One starving child feeding another.

It was a life-changing moment.

My intention had been to teach of God's love. Instead, I was shown it. I was student that day; not the teacher. It was on that day that two little children showed me the essence of God's love: serving each other. It wasn't about good deeds, but rather, serving and caring for each other. I was taught this not by an eloquent sermon, but by two little hungry children turned out in the streets of Cambodia, children who knew how to be God's love for each other. It was an action I'll never ever forget, one that filled me with humility, serenity and strength, too. Watching the little boy's instinctual sharing gave me a newfound love and respect for all people, and gave me greater courage to have empathy for all people.

I am forever grateful for that trip-for the little boy who tugged at my hand and heart that day showed me a deeper meaning of love than I had ever experienced. For sure, that day changed my concept of love -- and how we can best witness to others God's love for all his children.

 

[beensetfree]

We Need a Savior
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:25b-27 KJV

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I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 10:9-11 NASB

__________________

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Matthew 1:21 NIV

__________________

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Galatians 6:14 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“All the days of my appointed time will I wait.”

Job 14:14

A little stay on earth will make heaven more heavenly. Nothing makes rest so sweet as toil; nothing renders security so pleasant as exposure to alarms. The bitter quassia cups of earth will give a relish to the new wine which sparkles in the golden bowls of glory. Our battered armour and scarred countenances will render more illustrious our victory above, when we are welcomed to the seats of those who have overcome the world. We should not have full fellowship with Christ if we did not for awhile sojourn below, for he was baptized with a baptism of suffering among men, and we must be baptized with the same if we would share his kingdom. Fellowship with Christ is so honourable that the sorest sorrow is a light price by which to procure it.

Another reason for our lingering here is for the good of others. We would not wish to enter heaven till our work is done, and it may be that we are yet ordained to minister light to souls benighted in the wilderness of sin. Our prolonged stay here is doubtless for God's glory. A tried saint, like a well-cut diamond, glitters much in the King's crown. Nothing reflects so much honour on a workman as a protracted and severe trial of his work, and its triumphant endurance of the ordeal without giving way in any part. We are God's workmanship, in whom he will be glorified by our afflictions.

It is for the honour of Jesus that we endure the trial of our faith with sacred joy. Let each man surrender his own longings to the glory of Jesus, and feel, “If my lying in the dust would elevate my Lord by so much as an inch, let me still lie among the pots of earth. If to live on earth for ever would make my Lord more glorious, it should be my heaven to be shut out of heaven.” Our time is fixed and settled by eternal decree. Let us not be anxious about it, but wait with patience till the gates of pearl shall open.

 

[beensetfree]

Is It Sinful To Have Fear And Doubt?


Almost everyone’s had a time of doubt and fear, so what does the Bible say about fear and doubt? Is it sinful?
Doubt
Doubt is a feeling of not knowing what to believe or what to do, or the condition of being uncertain or it’s an uncertainty about something or someone, or even having difficulty believing in something or someone, but fear is more debilitating than doubt because fear is a feeling that can be induced by a perceived danger or a real threat. This causes a change in our metabolic and organ functions and can ultimately create a change in our behavior, so as you can see, doubt isn’t the same thing as fear. Fear can create a dysfunctional life, affecting work, family, and other personal relationships, but doubt is something that we all experience from time to time. Doubt isn’t exactly cynicism, but it’s more about having an uncertainty about a particular expectation or upcoming event, but both fear and doubt can creep into a believer’s life and stymie their walk with Christ…and as we shall read, fear and doubt are contagious.

Fear
As I said, fear is contagious, and perhaps the reason why is given when Israel was being oppressed by the Midian’s. God called Gideon to lead a small force to rid the nation of Midianite raiding parties. When Gideon had assembled over 30,000 men, “The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me’” (Judge 7:2), so God tells Gideon, “’Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’ Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained” (Judges 7:3). I believe the reason why God removed the men who were fearful was because fear in contagious but more importantly, God wanted a small number to fight against the Midianites so that God would receive all the glory. When you see the battles between nations in the Bible, quite often, when one army flees, the others do too, so fear is like a disease…if you are around it, you can “catch it,” so this may be why God sent all 22,000 of the fearful men home.

Self-Preservation
Even though doubting is not as bad as being fearful, doubt can still rob you of your joy, assurance, and self-confidence. When we begin to doubt ourselves, and perhaps even doubt others, we’re projecting defeat before it ever happens. It’s like we wave the white flag of surrender before the battle begins. That’s how doubt can affect us, but when that doubt grows into fear, it can be especially crippling, however not all fear is bad. In some cases, fear can actually be a good thing and for several reasons. It can keep us from taking unnecessary risks or placing ourselves in danger.

Fear can keep us alive. There’s a natural tendency for self-preservation in every one of us, and that type of fear is not debilitating, but is life-preserving, so fear is good for some things, but it can be bad when there’s no real reason to fear. If it’s a rational fear, it can keep us alive, but an irrational fear can make our lives miserable, and perhaps the lives of those around us.

The Wisdom of Fear
One type of fear that is beneficial is the fear of the Lord, because the fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10). This kind fear isn’t the fear that comes from the judgement of God. The Apostle John wrote, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18), so if you fear God’s judgment, you are either unsaved or you don’t understand that Jesus took the judgement that was due us. Some fear kept people from being receiving eternal life, like many of the Jews who believed in Jesus, but “for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him” (John 7:13).

Even though many “of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue because they’d be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42), so fear can be good, but fear can also be very bad, and yes, fear can be sinful. The only thing we should fear is God, but if someone’s rejected Jesus Christ, Jesus warned them, saying “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28). On one occasion, the disciples were in a boat with Jesus when “a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling” (Mark 4:37), but Jesus “awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”

And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him” (Mark 4:39-41)? At first, they feared the storm, but when Jesus rebuked the storm, calming it, they feared Jesus more, but this was not a sinful fear but a fear of Who they were with…and it was God!

Conclusion

Fear and doubt are normal for some things, but when fear and doubt join hands in our minds, they can be debilitating, and these two can be exceedingly hard to get out of your mind. It takes the Word of God to calm the fear of man and bring him peace…and it’s a peace that surpasses all human understanding (Phil 4:7). The peace of God comes from being at peace with God, and when we’re at peace with God, we have no reason to fear. Jesus left us with His own peace, telling the disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). If you have trusted in Christ, you have no more reason to fear.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it is the fulfillment of wisdom, but that’s a healthy fear, not one of being struck down by God or fearing His judgment. To fear God means to reverence the Word of God and God Himself. The day is coming when God says, “I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD” (Jer 23:4). Today is the day to remove all doubt and fear, and you can do that when you repent and put your trust in Christ. Then, there is no more reason to fear, and I can say that with absolutely certainty, and without a doubt.

 

[beensetfree]

God Gives Wisdom and Understanding
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD.

Hosea 6:3 KJV

__________________

My people shall know my Name;
therefore they shall know in that day
that I am He that doth speak.

Isaiah 52:6 KJV

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I thank thee o Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent and hast revealed them unto babes.

Matthew 11:25

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And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:20

__________________

"Coincidence... When God chooses to remain anonymous."

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

John 5:8

Like many others, the impotent man had been waiting for a wonder to be wrought, and a sign to be given. Wearily did he watch the pool, but no angel came, or came not for him; yet, thinking it to be his only chance, he waited still, and knew not that there was One near him whose word could heal him in a moment. Many are in the same plight: they are waiting for some singular emotion, remarkable impression, or celestial vision; they wait in vain and watch for nought.

Even supposing that, in a few cases, remarkable signs are seen, yet these are rare, and no man has a right to look for them in his own case; no man especially who feels his impotency to avail himself of the moving of the water even if it came. It is a very sad reflection that tens of thousands are now waiting in the use of means, and ordinances, and vows, and resolutions, and have so waited time out of mind, in vain, utterly in vain. Meanwhile these poor souls forget the present Saviour, who bids them look unto him and be saved. He could heal them at once, but they prefer to wait for an angel and a wonder.

To trust him is the sure way to every blessing, and he is worthy of the most implicit confidence; but unbelief makes them prefer the cold porches of Bethesda to the warm bosom of his love. O that the Lord may turn his eye upon the multitudes who are in this case to-night; may he forgive the slights which they put upon his divine power, and call them by that sweet constraining voice, to rise from the bed of despair, and in the energy of faith take up their bed and walk. O Lord, hear our prayer for all such at this calm hour of sunset, and ere the day breaketh may they look and live.

Courteous reader, is there anything in this portion for you?

 

[beensetfree]

The Stranger

A few months before I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer, and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later.

As I grew up I never questioned his place in our family. Mom taught me to love the Word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger was our storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating tales. Adventures, mysteries, and comedies were daily conversations. He could hold our whole family spell-bound for hours each evening. He was like a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, Bill, and me to our first major league baseball game. He was always encouraging us to see the movies and he even made arrangements to introduce us to several movie stars.

The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn't seem to mind, but sometimes Mom would quietly get up -- while the rest of us were enthralled with one of his stories of faraway places -- go to her room, read her Bible, and pray. I wonder now if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave. You see, my dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions. But this stranger never felt an obligation to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our house-not from us, from our friends, or adults. Our longtime visitor, however, used occasional four letter words that burned my ears and made Dad squirm. To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted. My Dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in his home -- not even for cooking. But the stranger felt like we needed exposure and enlightened us to other ways of life. He offered us beer and other alcoholic beverages often. He made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (too much, too freely) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I now know that my early concepts of the man/woman relationship were influenced by the stranger. As I look back, I believe it was the grace of God that the stranger did not influence us more. Time after time he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave.

More than thirty years have passed since the stranger moved in with the young family on Morningside Drive. But if you were to walk into my parents' den today, you would still see him sitting over in a corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name? We always just called him...TV.

 

[beensetfree]

The Company You Keep
Be not deceived, bad company corrupts good morals

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or
walk in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn
from it and go on your way.

Proverbs 4:14-15 NIV

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For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

2 Timothy 2:2-5 NASB

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Depart from me, ye evildoers:
for I will keep the commandments of my God.

Uphold me according unto thy word,
that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Psalm 119:115-116 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Acquaint now thyself with him.”

Job 22:21

If we would rightly “acquaint ourselves with God, and be at peace,” we must know him as he has revealed himself, not only in the unity of his essence and subsistence, but also in the plurality of his persons. God said, “Let us make man in our own image”—let not man be content until he knows something of the “us” from whom his being was derived. Endeavour to know the Father; bury your head in his bosom in deep repentance, and confess that you are not worthy to be called his son; receive the kiss of his love; let the ring which is the token of his eternal faithfulness be on your finger; sit at his table and let your heart make merry in his grace.

Then press forward and seek to know much of the Son of God who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and yet in unspeakable condescension of grace became man for our sakes; know him in the singular complexity of his nature: eternal God, and yet suffering, finite man; follow him as he walks the waters with the tread of deity, and as he sits upon the well in the weariness of humanity. Be not satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Friend, your Brother, your Husband, your all.

Forget not the Holy Spirit; endeavour to obtain a clear view of his nature and character, his attributes, and his works. Behold that Spirit of the Lord, who first of all moved upon chaos, and brought forth order; who now visits the chaos of your soul, and creates the order of holiness. Behold him as the Lord and giver of spiritual life, the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter, and the Sanctifier. Behold him as, like holy unction, he descends upon the head of Jesus, and then afterwards rests upon you who are as the skirts of his garments. Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experimental belief in the Trinity in Unity is yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge brings peace indeed.

 

[beensetfree]

GodThink


"At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him." (Acts 7:57-58a).

Groupthink or Godthink? Which do you choose? It all comes down to where your heart lies and what's inside your head. If you choose to follow the group, the dangers that you're entertaining include trampling on your own convictions, ignoring God's wisdom, and flat-out getting hurt.
A recent study at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health unveiled the not-so-surprising finding that the more teenagers a teen driver has in the car, the more likely he or she will be killed in an accident. A 16-year-old driving with three or more passengers is nearly three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than a teen driving solo.
Why does this happen? Two things come to mind: First, groupthink leads people to do things they normally would not (driving fast and recklessly, for example). And second, when you're in a group it's easy to get distracted. Distraction can lead to death. When groupthink dominates your life, it can also lead to spiritual death.
One person who didn't follow the mob was Stephen. Read Acts 7:54-60.

What an incredible, courageous dude! He didn't flinch when an angry mob flexed. He didn't shrink when those who hated him stirred up others to join in a cruel crime against him.
It's not easy to stand out from the crowd. Sometimes it will hurt--I hope not as severely as the stoning of Stephen, but the words and actions of others can still be painful.
So why leave the acceptance of the group? Why turn your back on people you value as friends? Here's why: The more you let others shape your values and the more you leave moral decisions to others, the less you walk with God.
Stephen had it right. When he was about to die from the wounds inflicted by the mob, he said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60).
He loved God enough to die for Him. He loved the crowd enough to stand up and tell them they were wrong.
Do you?
Here are some questions to ask yourself: ~ In what ways do I let others set my values and agenda? ~ What will help me reject the pressure of the crowd and do what God wants?

 

[beensetfree]

Let us be diligent to Obey Him
Christ is Coming Again!

Your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

Revelation 11:18 NIV

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And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

John 17:22-24 KJV

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I saw no temple in it (heaven), for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Revelation 21:22,23 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field ... let us see if the vine flourish.”

Song of Solomon 7:11,12

The church was about to engage in earnest labour, and desired her Lord's company in it. She does not say, “I will go,” but “let us go.” It is blessed working when Jesus is at our side! It is the business of God's people to be trimmers of God's vines. Like our first parents, we are put into the garden of the Lord for usefulness; let us therefore go forth into the field. Observe that the church, when she is in her right mind, in all her many labours desires to enjoy communion with Christ. Some imagine that they cannot serve Christ actively, and yet have fellowship with him: they are mistaken.

Doubtless it is very easy to fritter away our inward life in outward exercises, and come to complain with the spouse, “They made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept:” but there is no reason why this should be the case except our own folly and neglect. Certain is it that a professor may do nothing, and yet grow quite as lifeless in spiritual things as those who are most busy. Mary was not praised for sitting still; but for her sitting at Jesus’ feet. Even so, Christians are not to be praised for neglecting duties under the pretence of having secret fellowship with Jesus: it is not sitting, but sitting at Jesus’ feet which is commendable.

Do not think that activity is in itself an evil: it is a great blessing, and a means of grace to us. Paul called it a grace given to him to be allowed to preach; and every form of Christian service may become a personal blessing to those engaged in it. Those who have most fellowship with Christ are not recluses or hermits, who have much time to spare, but indefatigable labourers who are toiling for Jesus, and who, in their toil, have him side by side with them, so that they are workers together with God. Let us remember then, in anything we have to do for Jesus, that we can do it, and should do it in close communion with him.

 

[beensetfree]

Love: The Greatest Apologetic


How will everyone know who Jesus’ disciples are?
Loving One Another
It is difficult to reconcile the fact that someone hates their brother or sister and yet professes to be Christ’s. That is not my opinion, but what Scripture clearly teaches. Hating a brother or sister is dangerous ground to tread as Jesus said, “whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire” (Matt 5:22). Hating others is contrary to Scriptural teaching. The Apostle John states that “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them” (1 John 2:9-11).

Whoever hates their brother or sister may think they’re in the light, but they’re walking in pitch black. God calls anyone a liar who claims to be a believer and yet hates their brother or sister. John writes, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21). I want to quote that again…“he who loves God must love his brother also.” Must! It’s not should or ought, but must.

The Silent Lamb
One of the greatest differences between the way of the world and the teachings of Jesus is the response to enemies. To vividly mark this contrast, Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28). This means we don’t give people what they deserve (payback, revenge, etc.) but we give them what they need, and that is love. Jesus showed God’s mercy, amazingly while being nailed to the cross.

Even then, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34a), so when Jesus “was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet 2:23). The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, “was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

Many I have come to know have put their trust in Christ because they were shown love…especially when they didn’t deserve it, but that’s what God did for us. Jesus understood that loving others makes a huge impact, but it’s also a strong indicator of who a child of God is and who is not (1 John 2, 4). John was so bold as to write that whoever “says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).


Apologetics
In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another,” so that explains why the Apostle John emphasized love so much, and the type of love Jesus is talking about is not the greeting card kind of love or pouring out “I love you’s,” but pouring out of self. It is showing love to others when they don’t deserve it, as God did for us (Rom 5:6-10). Jesus knew that love would make His disciples known, and that it would be a powerful magnet that draws people to Christ, or at least some. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

By what? It is by this love for one another that “everyone will know,” and that surely includes non-believers. John MacArthur said, “We might be the only Bible some people read,” and he’s right! An important part of this passage is where Jesus said, it is “By this” that others will know we’re His disciples. This indicates that people will know we’re His disciples by our love for one another. They won’t know we are His disciples by our theology, our seminary training, our Sunday school lessons, or doing good for others. It is love that convinces, so by loving one another, everyone will know that we’re Jesus’ disciples. If we’re less than loving to one another, people will have a hard time knowing we’re His, and there’ll be doubts, and they’ll be well founded


Love is Tangible
Love is exceedingly more than just a feeling or a verbal expression. Love is a verb…it’s what you do. The Apostle Paul gave one of the most beautiful definitions of love in the entire Bible. He wrote, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:4-7).

Love is not some greeting card or “I love you,” as much as it is patience, humility, bearing with others, believing or giving people the benefit of the doubt, hoping for the best in people, and is able to endure all things. Faith and hope are essential, but love is the greatest (1 Cor 13:13), so instead of focusing on the gifts of the Spirit, why not focus on the fruits of the Spirit, and the greatest of these is love….so what does that look like? You express it when you “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:14-15). That’s tangible, physical evidence of the love of God. You hurt when they hurt and rejoice when they rejoice.

Conclusion
Just as God did to us, we must do to others, and that is, we don’t give people what they deserve…we give people what they need, and that is love. God has sent us the greatest love letters of all time – 66 books that show His love for us, and several of these books tells us to love others because love is how believers and non-believers will know that we belong to Christ. John writes, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Love without deeds is hypocrisy; a deed without love is legalism. Love must be “in deed and in truth.”

 

[beensetfree]

Christ Is Coming Again!
He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.

Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 72:8,11,17,19 NIV

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It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say:

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 2:2-4 RSV

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All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, O Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.

For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

Psalm 86:9-11 NIV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

Believer, you can bear your testimony that Christ is the only begotten of the Father, as well as the first begotten from the dead. You can say, “He is divine to me, if he be human to all the world beside. He has done that for me which none but a God could do. He has subdued my stubborn will, melted a heart of adamant, opened gates of brass, and snapped bars of iron. He hath turned for me my mourning into laughter, and my desolation into joy; he hath led my captivity captive, and made my heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let others think as they will of him, to me he must be the only begotten of the Father: blessed be his name.

And he is full of grace. Ah! had he not been I should never have been saved. He drew me when I struggled to escape from his grace; and when at last I came all trembling like a condemned culprit to his mercy-seat he said, ‘Thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee: be of good cheer.’ And he is full of truth. True have his promises been, not one has failed. I bear witness that never servant had such a master as I have; never brother such a kinsman as he has been to me; never spouse such a husband as Christ has been to my soul; never sinner a better Saviour; never mourner a better comforter than Christ hath been to my spirit. I want none beside him.

In life he is my life, and in death he shall be the death of death; in poverty Christ is my riches; in sickness he makes my bed; in darkness he is my star, and in brightness he is my sun; he is the manna of the camp in the wilderness, and he shall be the new corn of the host when they come to Canaan. Jesus is to me all grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of truth and grace he is full, infinitely full. My soul, this night, bless with all thy might ‘the only Begotten.’”

 

[beensetfree]

Just a Moment


IT ALL happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.

As moments go, that one appeared no different that any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.

But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The Omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla.

Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts.

Angels watched as Mary changed God's diaper. The universe watched with wonder as The Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. And had the synagogue leader in Nazareth known who was listening to his sermons...

Jesus may have had pimples. He may have been tone-deaf. Perhaps a girl down the street had a crush on him. It could be that his knees were bony. One thing's for sure: He was, while completely divine, completely human.

For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached.

To think of Jesus in such a light is--well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It's not something we like to do; it's uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.

He's easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable.

But don't do it. For heaven's sake, don't. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out.

Listen to him.

"Love your neighbor" was spoken by a man whose neighbors tried to kill him.

The challenge to leave family for the gospel was issued by one who kissed his mother goodbye in the doorway.

"Pray for those who persecute you" came from the lips that would soon be begging God to forgive his murderers.

"I am with you always" are the words of a God who in one instant did the impossible to make it all possible for you and me.

It all happened in a moment. In one moment...a most remarkable moment. The Word became flesh.

There will be another. The world will see another instantaneous transformation. You see, in becoming man, God made it possible for man to see God. When Jesus went home he left the back door open. As a result, "we will all be changed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."

The first moment of transformation went unnoticed by the world. But you can bet your sweet September that the second one won't. The next time you use the phrase "just a moment,"... remember that's all the time it will take to change this world.