Just sharing.

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What Is True Success



God does want us to be successful, but what God’s idea of success as opposed to the worlds?
Worldly Success
As far as the world is concerned, success is the achievement of a social status, completing a goal, reaching an objective, or achieving a specific action, but God see success differently than we do because it’s radically different than the way the world sees it. Success is so much more than money, friends, power, or influence. Worldly success generally means accomplishing something useful in this life, however God sees it as something totally opposite. Our focus is on the life to come, although not to the exclusion of those around us.

Success in Work
Genesis 39:2-6 says that “The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.” You might notice that success is not connected to wealth or power, but it’s the Lord being with us. That does not mean that everything will go perfectly because Joseph was later unjustly thrown in prison, but even with this, Joseph was faithful to God and God blessed all those around him.

Seated with Scoffers
If you are not walking in the counsel or advice of the wicked, nor standing in the way of sinners, or the way that sinners are going, but also not sitting in the seat of scoffers, then you are successful. It says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3). When people scoff at you because of your faith, you are blessed (Matt 5:10-12; 1 Pet 4:13-14), because the man and woman of God will delight in God Himself and in His Word. It will be their meditation, day and night (all the time). The effect is like being a tree planted by a stream of living water; you will never whither or die, but will always produce godly fruit. That’s success in God’s eyes.

Prayer and Success
God told Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). If you’re careful to observe what it says, you’ll be prosperous and have success, as far as God is concerned. And the way God defines success is the only definition that counts. When Nehemiah wanted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, he prayed, “O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king.” (Neh 1:11). Success is more readily achieved if you are in prayer like Nehemiah was, and as a result, God used Nehemiah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah’s humility is evident as he said that he was God’s servant and feared (or respected or revered) God’s name, which assured him of success. The Proverbs say, “He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless” (Prov 2:7). James said that we cannot be near to God in prayer unless we have clean hands and a pure heart (James 4:8), so this explains why success comes to those who are blameless in God’s eyes. Keep short accounts with the Lord by confessing your sins daily, and like Isaac, “The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way” (Gen 24:20a).

David’s Success

David may not have looked successful because even though God had anointed him as the next king of Israel, he was running for his life. David let God work this out in His own time and in His own way and didn’t try to force God’s hand, and even though David had at least two opportunities to kill King Saul, he knew success was only possible if the Lord was with him and He waited upon Him. It said that “David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him” (1 Sam 18:14). Even though God had already established David as the next king of Israel, David waited on the Lord to establish his rule. That’s one of the reasons that David had success “in all his undertakings.”
Honoring Parents
The Bible says that success is not possible if you and I don’t honor our parents. In fact, the 4th Commandment contains a promise from God. It says, “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Deut 5:16). Families are the foundation of any nation and if the family breaks down, in time, so will the nation, but if a child does honor their parents, “it may go well” with them and their “days will be prolonged,” so things will go much better we’ll live a longer life if we honor our parents, and it doesn’t only say “if they deserve it” or were good parents.

Acknowledging God
Solomon was the wisest man on earth at the time, and few approached his wisdom even years afterwards, and he wrote, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov 3:6). What this means is we must give glory to God for all our blessings (Psalm 115:1; 1 Cor 4:7). When God straightens your paths, it’s easier to walk the path of life. Maybe one of the greatest sins of mankind is not being thankful, but when we acknowledge that God has blessed us and are thankful, He will straighten the crooked paths so that we won’t stumble.

Financial Success
In the last book in the Old Testament, Malachi wrote, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Mal 3:6). Here we see that financial blessings or financial success is tied to being generous. God cannot pour blessings into hands that are clinching tight their possessions, but if we release our blessings with open hands, only then can God pour back blessings into our hands all that we will ever need, or as Malachi says, “until there is no more need” or room to receive it. David told Solomon to “keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Kings 2:4). It is the Lord “who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:18).

Conclusion
Jesus told Nicodemus that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). At first glance, this may not seem to be about success, but how much greater can success be than to receive eternal life? If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved. Although there is no promise of escaping trials in our present life, this will ensure success in this life and the life to come. That is the greatest possible success anyone could ever hope for. That is my prayer for you today.

 

[beensetfree]

Observe His commands carefully Let us be diligent then to Obey Him and seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Deuteronomy 4:1,6 NIV __________________ Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. Leviticus 25:18,19 KJV __________________ All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. Psalm 25:10 NASB __________________ If they hearken and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness. Job 36:11 RSV __________________ 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]

“Thou crownest the year with thy goodness.”

Psalm 65:11

All the year round, every hour of every day, God is richly blessing us; both when we sleep and when we wake his mercy waits upon us. The sun may leave us a legacy of darkness, but our God never ceases to shine upon his children with beams of love. Like a river, his lovingkindness is always flowing, with a fulness inexhaustible as his own nature. Like the atmosphere which constantly surrounds the earth, and is always ready to support the life of man, the benevolence of God surrounds all his creatures; in it, as in their element, they live, and move, and have their being.

Yet as the sun on summer days gladdens us with beams more warm and bright than at other times, and as rivers are at certain seasons swollen by the rain, and as the atmosphere itself is sometimes fraught with more fresh, more bracing, or more balmy influences than heretofore, so is it with the mercy of God; it hath its golden hours; its days of overflow, when the Lord magnifies his grace before the sons of men. Amongst the blessings of the nether springs, the joyous days of harvest are a special season of excessive favor. It is the glory of autumn that the ripe gifts of providence are then abundantly bestowed; it is the mellow season of realization, whereas all before was but hope and expectation. Great is the joy of harvest. Happy are the reapers who fill their arms with the liberality of heaven.

The Psalmist tells us that the harvest is the crowning of the year. Surely these crowning mercies call for crowning thanksgiving! Let us render it by the inward emotions of gratitude. Let our hearts be warmed; let our spirits remember, meditate, and think upon this goodness of the Lord. Then let us praise him with our lips, and laud and magnify his name from whose bounty all this goodness flows. Let us glorify God by yielding our gifts to his cause. A practical proof of our gratitude is a special thank-offering to the Lord of the harvest.

 

[beensetfree]

Can a Christian Lose Salvation?


Can I be sure I am going to Heaven?
In one of my recent articles, a pastor from the 1600s offered the suffering Christian the encouragement that whatever they are suffering here on earth is “all the hell you shall ever know.” A commentator on that post asked “can a Christian lose their salvation?”
Lets make this personal:
What if I slip up and fall? What if I commit a big sin?
What if I ‘backslide’ on my faith, perhaps even renouncing it?
Can I lose my salvation?
Having once followed Jesus can we end up being cast aside?
At risk of being accused of offering a spoiler, I will quote at the outset one of my first blogging buddies, David Wayne who said:

“It is true that, if you are truly saved, you cannot lose your salvation, but it is equally true that there are many who think they are saved and who aren’t.” David Wayne

There is a vital question we must ask ourselves, therefore, before we get into this subject of losing salvation:
1. Am I really a Christian at all?
Often when we worry about whether we can lose our salvation it really reflects a concern about whether we ever had it in the first place. I wrote a piece a while back now on these dreadful words of Jesus:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-27

So before we turn to the backslider we need to look at ourselves. No matter how religious we seem to others. No matter how ‘good a christian’ people might think we are, only Jesus can answer the most important question we ask ourselves:

Does Jesus really KNOW me?
We must not be complacent about this. And if we feel our heart beginning to grow cold towards Jesus it should drive us to these words and to ask ourselves are we known by Jesus. I would encourage you to read the meditation I wrote on this:

• How not to hear “away from me I never knew you!”

There is no question that pursuing an intimate relationship with Jesus will help us feel confident we are saved, or to put it another way give us the assurance of salvation.
Many Christians get by without much experience in their relationship with God. I would urge you not to settle for a mere intellectual belief but that Jesus would pour out more of his Holy Spirit on you in a way that you can recognise and receive.
I believe that the Bible very clearly says that there is an experience of the Holy Spirit available to us. This amounts to the love of God being poured out into our hearts as a seal acknowledging that we belong to God. Much anxiety about whether or not we are saved can be erased by this experience. This receiving of the Spirit has to be an experience for it to function as a deposit that helps us know for sure we are saved:

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:13-14)

Without it no wonder many Christians spend their whole lives worrying about the question of whether they are really saved. I would encourage you to read my post about this:

• Jesus commands: receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

Knowing Jesus requires obedience to him.
Jesus makes it clear, in the verse we quoted a few paragraphs ago that anyone who wants to know Jesus must do the will of God. Many Christians don’t like talking about commands. But here Jesus makes it quite clear that obeying him is vital for salvation.
This clear demand from Jesus that we obey him led to me setting myself a New Year’s resolution at the beginning of 2018. I would urge you to join me in this determination:

To look more closely at the commands of Jesus. And to learn to obey them.

I decided to go on a journey, partly guided by Piper’s book on the subject, but also seeking to create my own reflections on Jesus’ commands. I invite you to join me on this journey, and if you have missed the first steps to go back and look at them now. I aim to walk my way slowly through all the key commands of Jesus. This is not some kind of cute series. This is critical to our spiritual wellbeing, and even our salvation.
If we do not obey the commands of Jesus, we risk hearing that Jesus doesn’t know us.
We risk not losing our salvation, but never having had it in the first place.
As we have been seeing the commands of Jesus are very different to the Ten Commandments. We have been looking at them for more than half a year and have yet to move on from the commands of Jesus about our relationship with him and the other members of the Trinity. If we want to be known by Jesus and accepted by him here are some of the critical posts I have written so far:
Jesus Commands:

• Be Born Again
• Repent and Believe
• Come to Me
• Listen to My Voice
• Abide in Me
• Follow Me
• Love Me
• Worship Me
• Receive the Holy Spirit

I would urge you to look at these articles carefully, and the Scriptures they reference and ask yourself am I a Christian at all?
As you do so you will realise that Jesus is speaking to our hearts and demanding a much deeper response than simply putting up a hand at an evangelistic meeting (as much as that can often be the first step on our journey).
As we have been looking more deeply at the question of losing our salvation we can see that some backsliders may in fact never have been Christians at all.
And so I have urged us all to ask this first crucial question of ourselves. But part of our evangelism effort is to try and help others be sure of their own salvation too. If you suspect that someone who is not now walking with Jesus was actually never a Christian, what is your responsibility? To share the gospel with them and try to help them find the way back to Jesus.
But what then of the question, assuming we actually HAVE our salvation, can we ever LOSE it?
There are a series of questions we should be asking ourselves if we are concerned that we are at risk of losing our salvation. The first we have already explored, the second, which we will get to in a moment is closely related.
There is a phrase Jesus uses which at first sight would seem to be a slam dunk. He says those who “look back” are out:

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Jesus (Luke 9:62)

However it is not as simple as it first seems. As is often the case we must look carefully at the context of these words. As we do it immediately becomes clear Jesus is talking about someone at the beginning of their journey with Jesus who ‘looks back’ rather than making an initial firm decision to follow him. This verse is not the clear answer to the ‘can I lose my salvation?’ question that it initially seems:

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)

So the looking back is about someone who never truly decides to follow Jesus, and so should lead us to ask another question:
2. Did I ever make a proper decision to follow Jesus?
At the outset of our faith it is vital that we look carefully at the claims of Jesus, and decide if we are willing to renounce all and follow him. Some people seem to think that can accept Jesus as saviour without following him as their Lord. These words would strongly suggest that is NOT true.
The quality of our initial response to to the gospel is also explored by Jesus in the parable of the Sower. Anyone who has been a Christian for a few years will recognise that there are some who seem to make an excited response but they have no real root and their apparent faith disappears. Jesus explains that not everyone who hears the gospel and apparently responds is genuine, and that a little bit of time will reveal this:

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

It is so vital that we make sure our hearers truly UNDERSTAND the words of Jesus and appropriate them. Those that don’t fully grasp the nature of Jesus’ demands on us risk losing the apparent faith they might display to difficulties, the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches.
Actually it is crucial that WE make sure we understand the gospel fully ourselves. The gospel is simple but we over-complicate it. This is why Tope and myself wrote a book called Hope Reborn – How to Become a Christian and live for Jesus.
Of course understanding is not merely intellectual, it is a decision of the heart based on believing the eternity altering message of the gospel.
This same idea is expressed another way by Jesus. He says ,

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24, NIV).

As we have already seen becoming a Christian is a decision to OBEY Jesus. And at the risk of sounding repetitive, if you fear you are backsliding then get back to the foundation, and determine once again that you will build you life on this sure foundation. For them when the storms come you may be shaken but you won’t be destroyed. I have written about this verse previously:

• Establishing a Firm Foundation in Your Life

Sadly, many who turn away from Jesus never to return simply prove they never knew him at all:

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19)

3. Am I experiencing a spiritual or physical malaise?
In my recent article on my journey with Leukaemia I explained how I felt I was backsliding myself even before I was officially diagnosed. My story is an example of how complicated this can be since a large part of my issue was my physical health strongly affecting my mental and spiritual health. I was experiencing spiritual malaise:

In the early days of my diagnosis my low energy, fatigue, and general feelings of apathy, together with my emotional upset at the diagnosis made me withdraw from God.

I found prayer, Bible reading, and attending Church all lost their comfort. It all became just an effort that I didn’t have the energy for. I felt like I was backsliding. And my hope began to fade, as at times I felt as if this “early” disease had already destroyed my whole life.
To be honest, my faith had not been in a good way for a few months before I became unwell. My energy and enthusiasm levels were already low for me, and although I had no way to realise it at the time, perhaps my body had actually already been struggling for a while. If I noticed at all I’d just assumed it was the fact I was commuting for the first time in years. Although I’d gradually given up most of my hobbies such as preaching and writing, I was able to work as normal.

Once I began to realise that there was a physical reason for my low energy and enthusiasm, I gradually began to find my way back to Jesus.
Now, once again, my faith is hope giving and so precious to me. Indeed God has used my sickness to draw me closer to Him than ever before. He really does turn all things around for our good.

Suffering will either drive you deeper in your relationship with God or turn you away from him. Your call which.
Sometimes it is only a physical illness that reveals we have a spiritual malaise that we have been hiding for years. When suffering comes it tests our faith, reveals its true character. And can cause us to make that journey back to Jesus and find a deeper confidence in him.

4. Am I a backslider who will find their way back to Jesus?

“keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude)

When dealing with a backslider they may need mercy and kindness to draw them back to God. Or they may need to be warned.
Imagine if you will two people both of whom had committed some sexual sin.
One said “I am terrified I am on my way to hell, that God can never forgive me”
I hope you would tenderly take them to the story of King David when he committed adultery and murder but was forgiven. Then you would show them Psalm 51 and show them how to express their repentance to God. When our hearts are dirty, they need to be cleaned.
I trust that you would then explain to them the very fact that their tender heart feels conviction of sin is a mark that God has not finished with them yet. And, having led them through repentance, I hope you would have confidence to declare that

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Imagine however that the other backslidden Christian said something like this:
I know that God is my father. It doesn’t matter what I do with my mortal body, I can do whatever I like, he will still accept me into heaven.


I hope that instead of offering comfort you would offer strong warnings. The warnings of Hebrews are not for the tender-hearted christian who thinks they may lose their salvation, they are for the cocky over-confident pretend Christian who is clearly on the way to hell. Perhaps God will use you to arrest someone in their path to condemnation and offer them the way back to God.

Some verses that may help the casual and continuous sinner to realise they have no right to presume on God’s grace:

• No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:6)
• “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it . . . how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:1-4)
• “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12)
• “It is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. . .Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.” (Hebrews 6:4-9)
• “If we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. . .It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:26-31)
• “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

You will notice that five of these warning passages come from Hebrews. You can read them all in context at Bible Gateway.

How to return to Jesus
The way back to God for any backslider is simply by going back to the Gospel and respond to it as you did in the beginning. I have found when spiritually dry that to re-read Hope Reborn, the book I wrote summarising the gospel reminds me afresh of things I’ve always believed, and draws out renewed commitment from my heart to Jesus.
I find a similar effect by listening to a playlist I’ve put together on both Spotify and Apple Music. which I’ve called “Gospel hope”. These songs are often written out of an emotional place, but for those of us with a faith gently take our hearts, and point them back to trusting again in what we believe Jesus has done for us.
Christian friends and church attendance are also part of God’s plan to encourage us and help us find strength in him.
The final thing that will help is getting more serious about prayer and Bible reading.

If you are a Christian who has backslidden, stop fighting the inevitable and return to Jesus.
5. Have I only got just enough faith to get into heaven?
Some people who appear to all intents and purposes to have lost their faith still have enough faith to enter heaven. After all the core of the gospel response is very simple:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

But why would you want to be saved but only “as through fire”. Some liken this to those who do not “inherit” the kingdom of God and hence get fewer rewards in heaven:

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

Some people say but I would be glad to just scrape into heaven and I don’t need rewards. But such an answer is dangerous. How can you know just how much you need to follow Jesus to “make it”. Surely it is better to be sold out for him so we can have confidence not just of getting in by the skin of our teeth, but of a warm welcome and a “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23)
Surely the questions is not what is the least commitment we can get away with? But rather if Jesus has done so much for us, how much can we do for him?
There are some important verses that stand firmly against the idea that a Christian can finally be lost. But to apply them we first need confidence that we really are walking as a Christian.

Why a True Christian can Never Lose their Salvation
We have seen that it can certainly look like someone has lost their salvation. But as we draw towards the end of this article, let me share some verses that prove this simply cannot be the case.
Can anything separate us from the love of God?

• Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

Can a new creation be un-created?

• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Cor 5:17)

Can anyone be un-born again?

• But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

Could the price paid by Jesus be too little?

• ” redeemed . . . with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19)

Can we be un-declared righteous?

• we have been justified through faith (Romans 5:1)

Can the gift of eternal life prove to be temporary?

• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)

Can the sovereign chain of salvation be broken?

• “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Can God break his word and be proven untrustworthy?

• I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Tim 1:12, NIV)

Will God forget to finish his work of salvation?

• “May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely . . . at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 These 5:23-24)
• “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Philippians 1:6).

Will God not keep us from turning away from him?

• “I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” (Jer 32:40)
• “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling.” (Jude 24)

Can the irrevocable be made revocable?

• For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:28)

Will God lie for the fist time ever in your case and break all these promises?

• . . .in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began (Titus 1:2)

The way to have confidence that you are saved
Perhaps this passage in Philippians sums this issue up more than any others

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:12-16)

Note that this passage teaches us

1. To obey
2. That there is a work we are meant to do in walking with Jesus
3. That we should have a healthy fear and trembling not smug complacency about our spiritual state
4. That as we play our part we should be confident that actually it is GOD at work in us to save and restore us.
5. If we learn not to grumble and argue and to hold fast to God’s word we will be lights in the world and be found blameless because of the gospel.

There is a need for perseverance in our faith. The writer to the Hebrews points back to a true salvation decision and says that the evidence that we were ever a Christian is that we still are at the end of our lives:

“We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (Hebrews 3:14)

Jesus doesn’t call us just to a momentary decision to follow him, but to a lifetime of abiding in him.
But we are not dependent on ourselves alone to keep ourselves int he Faith. The one we have entrusted ourselves to will himself keep us safe. Jesus himself has promised us clearly:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40)

He will keep you in his hand and will never let you go.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)

Paul has great confidence in Jesus’ ability to keep him saved:

I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12, NASB)

This promise is similar in some ways to another found in the Old Testament which Piper says is the promise he has clung to most throughout his life as a Christian:

“Fear not, for I” — this is God talking — “I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10:

No wonder the writer to the Hebrews encourages us strongly:

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:22-23)

The writer to the Hebrews also gives us great confidence in the following quote which I will end with, and I trust this article has prepared us for the next article in my Jesus commands series on the demand of Jesus that we both fear and trust him:
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

I will leave you with this prayer I am praying today having read all the Scriptures that prompted this article:

Lord Jesus, many years ago I made a decision to follow you. Yet you predestined me before the foundation of the World to be prefect in you.
I have wandered from you. Yet you have never wandered from me.
I have sinned, yet you go on forgiving me.
At times I still wonder if I am even a Christian at all.

Yet, you promise that you will never leave me, never forsake me, that no one can ever snatch me from your hand.
Please pour out more of your Holy Spirit on me that I would know full assurance of salvation, and be transformed more and more into your image.
Teach me how to obey your commands.
Take my weakness and make me strong for you.
Abide with me whatever life throws my way.

Give me great confidence that I am yours.
Take my life completely and use it for your glory.
Let me walk without grumbling or arguing.
Make me a light in this world.

Help me show others the way to you.
Raise up an army of true believers who will walk with you and body declare your word.
Bring revival to my heart, and to the church in my nation and elsewhere in the world.

Let your kingdom come
Let your will be done
In my life as it is in heaven.
Please direct my path and give me a great hope and future.

Thank you for living for me, dying for me, rising again for me, pouring out your Spirit on me, and for preparing a place for me.

 

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We have passed out of death into life. Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:9,10 NIV __________________ Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 NASB __________________ We proclaim Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29 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.

 

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“I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands.”

Haggai 2:17

How destructive is the hail to the standing crops, beating out the precious grain upon the ground! How grateful ought we to be when the corn is spared so terrible a ruin! Let us offer unto the Lord thanksgiving. Even more to be dreaded are those mysterious destroyers—smut, bunt, rust, and mildew. These turn the ear into a mass of soot, or render it putrid, or dry up the grain, and all in a manner so beyond all human control that the farmer is compelled to cry, “This is the finger of God.”

Innumerable minute fungi cause the mischief, and were it not for the goodness of God, the rider on the black horse would soon scatter famine over the land. Infinite mercy spares the food of men, but in view of the active agents which are ready to destroy the harvest, right wisely are we taught to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” The curse is abroad; we have constant need of the blessing. When blight and mildew come they are chastisements from heaven, and men must learn to hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it.

Spiritually, mildew is no uncommon evil. When our work is most promising this blight appears. We hoped for many conversions, and lo! a general apathy, an abounding worldliness, or a cruel hardness of heart! There may be no open sin in those for whom we are laboring, but there is a deficiency of sincerity and decision sadly disappointing our desires. We learn from this our dependence upon the Lord, and the need of prayer that no blight may fall upon our work. Spiritual pride or sloth will soon bring upon us the dreadful evil, and only the Lord of the harvest can remove it. Mildew may even attack our own hearts, and shrivel our prayers and religious exercises. May it please the great Husbandman to avert so serious a calamity. Shine, blessed Sun of Righteousness, and drive the blights away.

 

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Where Is Your Treasure? There Is Your Heart


God gives us the ability to have wealth, so what will you and I do with it? What we do with it reveals where our heart is.
Treasures
One pastor said that you can tell where a person’s heart is, or their devotion to Christ by looking at their checkbook ledger or credit card statement, and he based this upon Jesus’ teaching where He commanded, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19-21). Treasures here on earth are anything but safe.

A medical emergency could bankrupt a family. A portfolio could crumble, bringing your 401-K with it. There could be a fire, earthquake, tornado, flood, hurricane, or some other natural disaster that could put any one of us in the street, so to trust in riches is to trust in the uncertainty of this world. Solomon wrote, “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf” (Prov 11:28), so material things can come and material things can go, but God never forsakes us or leaves us. Job “said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). The late Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, “Money talks…mostly it says, ‘Bye, bye,’” and he was right.

Possessions
Treasures don’t have to be about money. It can be a job, a position, or having a powerful influence in the community. Possessions can be owned, but owners can be possessed…by their wealth. What we end up owning, may end up owning us. How much becomes enough? The answer is, “Just a little bit more.” The Apostle Paul addresses our nature in writing to Timothy, and says that “godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim 6:7-8). It sounds like Paul has been reading the Book of Job.

The author of Hebrews writes, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5). I notice that contentment was placed in contrast to things (money, clothing, food), as if saying, “Money may come and money may go,” but the Lord “has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Money can leave; but God? Never! What the author of Hebrews and Paul are saying is that contentment cannot be based upon things; godly contentment is based upon God Himself being trustworthy and faithful.

The danger is that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Tim 6:9-10). Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matt 6:24), and whoever “loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Eccl 5:10).

The Deceitfulness of Riches
Christians are taught that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35b), but we know it’s difficult to give, which is why we need to “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Interestingly, abundance often comes from releasing possessions. Solomon wrote that there is “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (Prov 11:24-25). All we need to focus on is to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to” us (Matt 6:33).

“All these things” is in the context of possessions; food, clothing, and water, because in Jesus’ day, that was wealth, and the irony is, the more we try to hold on to our possessions, the tighter the grip they have on us, and so it’s no wonder that Jesus said, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23b)! He didn’t say it was impossible, but difficult. That’s because money can be a god of sorts; it can buy anything we need, it can buy anything we want, it can satisfy all our desires; and it can give us security as far as our finances are concerned, but again, the danger is, it can be all taken away in a flash. When we trust in money, we are building on sand.

Conclusion
There is a deceitfulness of riches that most of us won’t ever have to worry about, but even the poor can covet money and never be content with what they have, but contentment is not based upon circumstances or things; it’s based on our faith in Christ. All things, no matter what they look like today, will work out for our best in the end (Rom 8:28), and someday, we won’t even be able to compare this suffering because of the glory we’ll behold in Christ (Rom 8:18).

That day is coming. The day of His visitation and judgment; for believers, a time for rewards or withholding of rewards; for those who have rejected Christ, it’s a time to stand before God and try to justify yourself before Him…but without Christ, it is useless (Rom 3:10-12, 23). If you trust in the Savior today, you won’t mourn but rejoice at His appearance (Rev 1:7). Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matt 12:30). You cannot be neutral with Jesus. There are only saints and “aint’s.” Which one are you?

 

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Keep His Commandments Let us be diligent then to Obey Him and seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. John 15:10 KJV __________________ He became the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey Him. Hebrews 5:9 KJV __________________ If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; Isaiah 1:19 NIV __________________ "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' Matthew 7:21-23 RSV __________________ We proclaim Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29 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.

 

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“But as he went.”

Luke 8:42

Jesus is passing through the throng to the house of Jairus, to raise the ruler's dead daughter; but he is so profuse in goodness that he works another miracle while upon the road. While yet this rod of Aaron bears the blossom of an unaccomplished wonder, it yields the ripe almonds of a perfect work of mercy. It is enough for us, if we have some one purpose, straightway to go and accomplish it; it were imprudent to expend our energies by the way. Hastening to the rescue of a drowning friend, we cannot afford to exhaust our strength upon another in like danger. It is enough for a tree to yield one sort of fruit, and for a man to fulfill his own peculiar calling.

But our Master knows no limit of power or boundary of mission. He is so prolific of grace, that like the sun which shines as it rolls onward in its orbit, his path is radiant with lovingkindness. He is a swift arrow of love, which not only reaches its ordained target, but perfumes the air through which it flies. Virtue is evermore going out of Jesus, as sweet odors exhale from flowers; and it always will be emanating from him, as water from a sparkling fountain. What delightful encouragement this truth affords us! If our Lord is so ready to heal the sick and bless the needy, then, my soul, be not thou slow to put thyself in his way, that he may smile on thee.

Be not slack in asking, if he be so abundant in bestowing. Give earnest heed to his word now, and at all times, that Jesus may speak through it to thy heart. Where he is to be found there make thy resort, that thou mayst obtain his blessing. When he is present to heal, may he not heal thee? But surely he is present even now, for he always comes to hearts which need him. And dost not thou need him? Ah, he knows how much! Thou Son of David, turn thine eye and look upon the distress which is now before thee, and make thy suppliant whole.

 

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When Life Drags You Down

I hate it when life drags me down—don’t you? The day can start off so very swimmingly, and then within minutes…
…a parent yells at you
…a friend texts with bad news
…you feel a cold coming on
…the car breaks down
…the weather stinks

And before you know it, what seemed like a day that would be a walk in the park turns into a sluggish journey through the muck.
Perhaps that’s what the lads from One Direction were thinking about when they wrote the song Drag Me Down. Check out these lyrics:
All my life

You stood by me
When no one else was ever behind me
All these lights
They can't blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down

This song was released with zero pre-marketing, and yet it still hit #1 like a bullet. Although much of the song’s success is due to the power of the 1D fandom (as in they would all download a recording of the boys brushing their teeth—right?), there is a common connection that we all have with the need for someone to pick us up when we have been dragged down.
The problem, though, is the fact that everyone on the planet is often in a state of being dragged down themselves, therefore we are depending on the dragged down to drag us up, even though they are in a state of draggedness—what a drag!

So while the song is a very complimentary shout out to whoever is helping Harry, Liam, Louis and Niall out of the grind and strain and drudgery of their circumstances, perhaps there is another source of hope and strength to which we could turn when life drags us down?
My advice would be to ask the person in the Bible who was pretty much dragged as low as any human being could get. His name is David—who you may know as King David. But did you know he was also pauper David, hunted David and heartbroken David? He hung out with disgusting and dirty sheep, and he reigned as the monarch of Israel. He was a skilled warrior, but he knew defeat and despair.

And on top of all his life experiences, he was a songwriter who composed a range of poetic refrains that ranged from an overjoyed heart, to music that reflected a heart that had been dragged down into the pit.

But the common theme to all his songs was his constant and abiding faith in the God who would never leave Him or forsake him.
You could say that David’s psalms were all pointed one direction!
And here is one of the songs he wrote while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that I turn to when life drags me down:

I look to the mountains;
where will my help come from?
My help will come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let you fall;
your protector is always awake.
The protector of Israel
never dozes or sleeps.

The Lord will guard you;
he is by your side to protect you.
The sun will not hurt you during the day,
nor the moon during the night.

The Lord will protect you from all danger;
he will keep you safe.
He will protect you as you come and go
now and forever (Psalm 121:1-8, GNT).

What an amazing reminder of this truth from God’s word! Not even the strength of the mighty mountains compares with the power and might of God in our lives, so why would we trust in any single person when the Creator of the universe stands ready to help us?

I like One Direction’s contention that at the heart of giving them strength is the love of another person. Love is like an all powerful magnet that pulls us out of the yuck and muck of life’s ever changing circumstances, but there is no love on earth that matches the love from the God who made heaven and earth.
So the next time life drags you down, lift your eyes out of your circumstances and remember these encouraging instructions:

Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor (Hebrews 12:2, The Voice).
With Your love, Jesus, nothing can drag us down!

When life drags you down this week, look up to Jesus, who loves us with an everlasting love!

PRAY: Jesus, thank You even for the times when life drags us down, because it is then we are reminded of Your great love for us. Please give us opportunities to help others out of life’s pits as well.

READ: Jeremiah 31:3.
Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself..."

 

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Walk In His Ways Let us be diligent then to Obey Him and seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness Observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go. 1 Kings 2:3 NIV __________________ See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; in that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Deuteronomy 30:15,16 KJV __________________ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever. 1 John 2:15-17 RSV __________________ We proclaim Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29 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.

 

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“Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?”

Numbers 32:6

Kindred has its obligations. The Reubenites and Gadites would have been unbrotherly if they had claimed the land which had been conquered, and had left the rest of the people to fight for their portions alone. We have received much by means of the efforts and sufferings of the saints in years gone by, and if we do not make some return to the church of Christ by giving her our best energies, we are unworthy to be enrolled in her ranks. Others are combating the errors of the age manfully, or excavating perishing ones from amid the ruins of the fall, and if we fold our hands in idleness we had need be warned, lest the curse of Meroz fall upon us.

The Master of the vineyard saith, “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” What is the idler's excuse? Personal service of Jesus becomes all the more the duty of all because it is cheerfully and abundantly rendered by some. The toils of devoted missionaries and fervent ministers shame us if we sit still in indolence. Shrinking from trial is the temptation of those who are at ease in Zion: they would fain escape the cross and yet wear the crown; to them the question for this evening's meditation is very applicable.

If the most precious are tried in the fire, are we to escape the crucible? If the diamond must be vexed upon the wheel, are we to be made perfect without suffering? Who hath commanded the wind to cease from blowing because our bark is on the deep? Why and wherefore should we be treated better than our Lord? The firstborn felt the rod, and why not the younger brethren? It is a cowardly pride which would choose a downy pillow and a silken couch for a soldier of the cross. Wiser far is he who, being first resigned to the divine will, groweth by the energy of grace to be pleased with it, and so learns to gather lilies at the cross foot, and, like Samson, to find honey in the lion.

 

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Words That Help and Heal

"Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34)

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Some people may still say it, but very few think it's true. Not anymore.
Psychology professor Marla Brassard of Teachers College at Columbia University has done extensive research on aggression in schools. "When I started in this field," she says, "people really believed the old saying about sticks and stones breaking bones but words never harming. But today there is a growing body of research that shows that the core element of abuse is psychological. Getting picked on at school can be the most damaging."
After a 14-year-old girl hanged herself in a high school restroom, friends said she had suffered continual verbal abuse from classmates. Tragically, similar suicides have been on the rise in recent years.

When we look at the harm being done by words to people around us, we have to ask ourselves if we're part of the problem. The Bible gives us this command: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:29-30).

What if we decided to live by those words? Instead of bad-mouthing others and putting them down, our daily conversations could make people feel valued and encouraged. The place to begin is not with our lips but with our hearts. "For out of the overflow of the heart," Jesus said, "the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34).
Every day we speak thousands of words and none of them are neutral. They either build up or tear down the people who hear them. One of the most radical choices we can make in life is to determine that from a heart yielded to the Lord, we will speak words that help and heal.
(Dave McCasland)

Here are some questions to ask yourself:
~ What is the state of my heart toward God and other people today?
~ When am I most likely to say harmful things to others?
~ Is there someone I can ask to pray with me about learning to speak words that help and heal?
Let your words build up, not tear down.

 

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He has delivered us from the wrath to come Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness If any man keep my saying, he shall never see death. John 8:51 KJV __________________ Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV __________________ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:8,9 NIV __________________ Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ And if any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:6 and 15 RSV __________________ 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.

 

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“Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.”

Psalm 72:19

This is a large petition. To intercede for a whole city needs a stretch of faith, and there are times when a prayer for one man is enough to stagger us. But how far-reaching was the psalmist's dying intercession! How comprehensive! How sublime! “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.” It doth not exempt a single country however crushed by the foot of superstition; it doth not exclude a single nation however barbarous. For the cannibal as well as for the civilized, for all climes and races this prayer is uttered: the whole circle of the earth it encompasses, and omits no son of Adam.

We must be up and doing for our Master, or we cannot honestly offer such a prayer. The petition is not asked with a sincere heart unless we endeavor, as God shall help us, to extend the kingdom of our Master. Are there not some who neglect both to plead and to labour? Reader, is it your prayer? Turn your eyes to Calvary. Behold the Lord of Life nailed to a cross, with the thorn-crown about his brow, with bleeding head, and hands, and feet. What! can you look upon this miracle of miracles, the death of the Son of God, without feeling within your bosom a marvelous adoration that language never can express?

And when you feel the blood applied to your conscience, and know that he has blotted out your sins, you are not a man unless you start from your knees and cry, “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.” Can you bow before the Crucified in loving homage, and not wish to see your Monarch master of the world? Out on you if you can pretend to love your Prince, and desire not to see him the universal ruler. Your piety is worthless unless it leads you to wish that the same mercy which has been extended to you may bless the whole world. Lord, it is harvest-time, put in thy sickle and reap.

 

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Ivy's Cookies

The clank of the metal door and the echo of their footsteps rang in the ears of Ivy and Joanne as they walked down the dingy corridor behind the prison guard toward the "big room." The aroma of Ivy's homemade chocolate chip cookies wasn't enough to override the stench of ammonia from the recently mopped floor or the bitterness and anger that hung in the air. Women's Correctional Institute was not the kind of place where seventeen-year-olds go for an outing, but Ivy had a mission.
She didn't know what she was getting into, but she had to try. With trembling fingers, she dialed the number for an appointment at the prison. Warden Baylor was receptive to Ivy's desire to visit and referred her to Joanne, another teen who had expressed interest.

"How do we do this?" Ivy asked.
"Who knows? Maybe homemade cookies would break the ice," Joanne suggested.
So they baked their cookies and here they were, bearing gifts to strangers. "I put almonds in these," Ivy rambled nervously as they moved along. "The dough was gummier than usual . . . "
"Don't chatter," the guard snapped. "It gets the prisoners riled."

The harsh words made Ivy jump and her heart pound. She walked the rest of the distance in silence.
"Okay. Here we are," the guard grunted, keys rattling." You go in. I'll lock the door behind you. Be careful what you say. They have a way of using your words against you. You have fifteen minutes. Holler if you have any trouble." Ivy noted the prisoners' orange jumpsuits and felt overdressed. Maybe we shouldn't have worn heels, she thought. They probably think we're snobs.

Remembering the guard's admonition, the girls put the cookies on the table next to plastic cups of juice without a word. Some prisoners leaned against the wall; others stood around -- watching. Studying. Thinking. Staring. Nobody talked. Ivy smiled at one of the women, and she scowled back. From then on, she avoided eye contact. After five minutes of strained silence, Joanne whispered, "Let's move away from the table. Maybe they'll come over."
As they stepped back, one of the prisoners blurted out, "I'm gettin' a cookie." The others followed and began helping themselves. Soon they heard the rattle of keys. Time was up.

"What a relief to get outta there," Joanne sighed as a gust of fresh air caressed their perspiring faces.
"Yeah," Ivy agreed. "But there's a tug inside me that we're not done. Would you be willing to go back?"
Joanne nodded with a half-smile. "How about Thursday after school?"
Week after week they came. And week after week the prisoners ate the cookies, drank the juice and stood around in silence. Gradually, antagonistic looks were replaced by an occasional smile. Still, Ivy couldn't bring herself to speak -- not a word.
Then one Thursday, an evangelist walked in. Her step was sure, her chin was high, and she glowed with the love of God. But she meant business. "I've come to pray with you," she announced. "Let's make a circle."

Ivy was awed by the inmates' compliance. Only a few resisted. The others, although murmuring, inched their way toward the middle of the room and formed a lopsided circle, looking suspiciously at one another.
"Join hands," the evangelist instructed. "It's not gonna hurt ya, and it'll mean more if you do." Slowly they clasped hands, some grasping hard, others barely touching. "Now, bow your heads." Except for the orange outfits, it could have been a church meeting.
"Okay. We're gonna pray," she continued, "and prayer is just like talking, only to God. I want to hear you tell the Lord one thing you're thankful for. Just speak it out. Don't hold back."

Ivy's palms were sweaty. I can't pray out loud, Lord. I can't even talk to these women. Guess I should set an example, but they probably don't even like me -- think I'm better than them 'cause of my clothes.
The words of an inmate jolted from her thoughts.
"I'm thankful, God, for Miss Ivy bringing us cookies every week."
Another voice compounded the shock, "God, thanks for bringing a black lady to see us, not just Quakers and Presbyterians."

Ivy's eyes brimmed with tears as she heard, "Thank you, God, for these two ladies givin' their time every week even though we can't do nothin' to pay 'em back."
One by one, every inmate in the circle thanked God for Ivy and Joanne. Then Joanne managed to utter a prayer of gratitude for the prisoners' words. But when it came Ivy's turn, she was too choked up to speak. Her eyes burned in humble remorse over how wrong she'd been about these women. She wished she could blow her nose, but the inmates were squeezing her hands so tightly, she resorted to loud sniffles and an occasional drip.
The following week, Ivy and Joanne returned, bright-eyed, to find the prisoners talkative.

"Why do you bring us cookies every week?" a husky voice inquired from the corner of the room. When Ivy explained, she inched a few steps closer. "Can you get me a Bible?" she asked. Others wanted to know more about the Jesus who inspires teenagers to visit prisoners.
A ministry was born from Ivy's cookies. What started as a silent act of kindness and obedience turned into a weekly Bible study at the prison which eventually grew so big it split into several groups that continue to this day. After Joanne married and moved away, Ivy continued to minister to the inmates alone for years. Eventually Prison Fellowship picked up the baton.

Ivy is a grandmom now. Her radiance has increased over the years, and she brightens any room she enters. But last Thursday afternoon she indulged herself in a good cry. Curled up on the couch, wrapped in the afghan her daughter had made, she wept. Deep sobs wracked her body as she remembered it had been one year since her daughter died of asthma. She ached over the loss and felt, for the first time, the full weight of her words, "The kids can live with me." The baby was asleep in his crib and the two girls were in school when the doorbell rang.

There stood a young woman, probably seventeen, with a plate of homemade cookies.
"Are you Ivy Jones?" she asked.
"Yes," she answered, dabbing her eyes with a wadded tissue.
"These are for you," the girl said as she handed the cookies to her with a shy, sad smile, turning to leave without another word.

"Thank you," Ivy whispered in a daze. The girl was halfway down the sidewalk when Ivy called out, "But why?"
"My grandmother gave me her Bible before she died last week, and her last words were, 'Find Ivy Jones and take her some homemade cookies.'"
As the girl walked away, a wave of precious memories, uncertainties and younger days flooded Ivy's soul. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she choked back a sob and headed toward the phone. Its been a long time since I talked with Joanne.

 

[beensetfree]

He has delivered us from the wrath to come Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness If any man keep my saying, he shall never see death. John 8:51 KJV __________________ Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV __________________ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:8,9 NIV __________________ Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ And if any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:6 and 15 RSV __________________ 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]

Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.”

Psalm 72:19

This is a large petition. To intercede for a whole city needs a stretch of faith, and there are times when a prayer for one man is enough to stagger us. But how far-reaching was the psalmist's dying intercession! How comprehensive! How sublime! “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.” It doth not exempt a single country however crushed by the foot of superstition; it doth not exclude a single nation however barbarous. For the cannibal as well as for the civilized, for all climes and races this prayer is uttered: the whole circle of the earth it encompasses, and omits no son of Adam.

We must be up and doing for our Master, or we cannot honestly offer such a prayer. The petition is not asked with a sincere heart unless we endeavor, as God shall help us, to extend the kingdom of our Master. Are there not some who neglect both to plead and to labour? Reader, is it your prayer? Turn your eyes to Calvary. Behold the Lord of Life nailed to a cross, with the thorn-crown about his brow, with bleeding head, and hands, and feet. What! can you look upon this miracle of miracles, the death of the Son of God, without feeling within your bosom a marvelous adoration that language never can express?

And when you feel the blood applied to your conscience, and know that he has blotted out your sins, you are not a man unless you start from your knees and cry, “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.” Can you bow before the Crucified in loving homage, and not wish to see your Monarch master of the world? Out on you if you can pretend to love your Prince, and desire not to see him the universal ruler. Your piety is worthless unless it leads you to wish that the same mercy which has been extended to you may bless the whole world. Lord, it is harvest-time, put in thy sickle and reap.

 

[beensetfree]

The Thief

A few years ago there was a man named Garcia who lived in a communist country. He was the leader of a group of people who were trying to overthrow the dictator. His group lived in tents out in the country and were constantly on the move. One night Garcia's lieutenant told him that someone had stolen food from the supply tent. Garcia was outraged at this act because food was in such short supply. He summoned everyone and told them that from then on, anyone caught stealing food would be whipped. Not long after that, the lieutenant came to Garcia and told him that more food had been stolen. The thief had been caught, but there was just one problem. The thief was Garcia's mother.

What a predicament. If Garcia whipped his mother, she would die; however, he would lose his authority if he failed to carry out the sentence. Everyone assembled to see what would happen. Garcia pronounced the crime and punishment. Then, he removed his shirt and ordered his lieutenant to whip him instead of his mother. In this way, Garcia's need for justice was satisfied, and at the same time, he proved his love for his mother.
This is just how God chose to solve the situation with us. We are in the position of Garcia's mother, and God is like Garcia. He could neither stop loving us, nor deny His own justice. He solved this problem in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

[beensetfree]

God Is For Us Who Will Stand Against Us? The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him: and the Lord shall cover him all the day long. Deut. 33:12 KJV __________________ The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 KJV __________________ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 NIV __________________ I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8 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.