A Wonderous Promise

Posted on May 17, 2012 by admin

I will never leave thee. Hebrews 13:5

No Biblical promise was ever made to just one person. Whatever God has said to any one saint, He has said to all. When He opens a well for one, all may drink. When He opens a door to give food to a starving man, all may come and be fed. Whether He gave the word to Abraham or to Moses, it doesn’t matter, He has given it to each of us. There is not a blessing too great for you, or a mercy too wide. There is not a stream of living water from which you cannot drink. If the land flows with milk and honey, eat the honey and drink the milk, for both are yours. Believe this, for He said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Put everything in Him, and there is nothing else you can want, there is nothing else you can ask for, there is nothing else you can need in time or in eternity, there is nothing living, nothing dying, nothing in this world, nothing in the next world, nothing now, nothing in the morning, nothing in heaven which is not for thee. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

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Always Have Hope

Posted on May 14, 2012 by admin

The hope you have in Christ is the source of your greatest joy. It is through the sufferings of Christ that you are enabled to come to God; without Christ and his death on the cross there could be no gospel. Through his blood your sins are cleansed so that you are made holy in the sight of God. As God’s child you have a glorious hope of eternal life, a hope not only of eternal existence, but that you become a joint heir with Christ. You are reconciled with God when you believe in his Son, grow in your faith and are not swayed from the truth of the gospel – those who believe in what they cannot see shall inherit an everlasting life. Always have hope.

And we are happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory. We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us. Romans 5:2-5

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19

But now God has made you his friends again. He did this through Christ’s death in the body so that he might bring you into God’s presence as people who are holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty. This will happen if you continue strong and sure in your faith. You must not be moved away from the hope brought to you by the Good News that you heard. Colossians 1:22-23

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Now we hope for the blessings God has for his children. These blessings, which cannot be destroyed or be spoiled or lose their beauty, are kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

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All Things are Possible

Posted on May 10, 2012 by admin

All things are possible for him who believes. Mark 9:23

Many Christians are filled with doubt and fear. This is a mistake, for all things are possible for him who believes. It is possible to conquer doubt and fear so that they never linger in your thoughts. But you must first submit yourself to God. You cannot both believe and rely on your own devices to accomplish anything.

You hear of brave and miraculous things holy men have done for Jesus; of how much they have been like Him; how they have been able to endure great persecutions for His sake; and you say, “I could never do that.” But there is nothing one holy man ever was that you cannot be also. There is no level of grace, no measure of spirituality, no confidence of assurance, no duty, which is out of your reach if in your heart you are filled with a belief evidenced by obedience.

Lay aside your doubt and fear, and rise to the boldness of a true believer! The Lord of assurance is waiting for you! Wrap yourself in faith, and face every day with the confidence afforded one yielding to the will of God. When you do, your land land will flow with milk and honey, and your soul shall be satisfied, for all things are possible to him who believes!

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Believe in Tomorrow

Posted on May 7, 2012 by admin

If the day of the Lord seems delayed it is not due to His idleness. Rather, it is because God is long suffering and is giving time to all his people to come to repentance. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped your neighbors and continue to help them. Continue your work of love, and show an equal effort in attaining the full assurance of hope found in Christ. By God’s promise those who believe in his Son will see a new heaven and a new earth. Do more than believe in God, believe God. Believe in tomorrow.

Remember, God is the One who makes you and us strong in Christ. God made us his chosen people. He put his mark on us to show that we are his, and he put his Spirit in our hearts to be a guarantee for all he has promised. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

When you heard the true teaching – the Good News about your salvation – you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised. That Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive what God promised for his people until God gives full freedom to those who are his – to bring praise to God’s glory. Ephesians 1:13-14

The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised – the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives. 2 Peter 3:9

But God made a promise to us, and we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth where goodness lives. 2 Peter 3:13

 

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Live in Today

Posted on May 1, 2012 by admin

Do not rest on what you have done in the past, or bank on what you plan to do in the future, for yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. Live as if it were your last day, surrendering every aspect of your life to God, seeking to live more and more as Christ lived, even in your final moments. Don’t wait for tomorrow; live in today.

Don’t worry and say, What will we eat? or What will we drink? or What will we wear? The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34

God says, At the right time I heard your prayers. On the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you that the right time is now, and the day of salvation is now. 2 Corinthians 6:2

I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough. I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Some of you say, Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money. But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a mist. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away. So you should say, If the Lord wants, we will live and do this or that. James 4:13-15

 

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Yield to Wisdom.

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

The foolishness of God is wiser than your wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than your strength. If you rely on your own wisdom in all things you fail to seek the will of God. If you seek the will of God you will have divine wisdom in your thinking and peace in your heart. In all matters, ask Christ to go with you and bless you in what you are about to undertake. Yield to His wisdom.

Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25

And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths to spiritual people. 1 Corinthians 2:13

Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and instruct each other by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

Now, brothers and sisters, we ask you to appreciate those who work hard among you, who lead you in the Lord and teach you. 1 Thessalonians 5:12

Obey your leaders and act under their authority. They are watching over you, because they are responsible for your souls. Obey them so that they will do this work with joy, not sadness. It will not help you to make their work hard. Hebrews 13:17

But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to all people, so he will give you wisdom. James 1:5

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Conquer Your Will

Posted on April 23, 2012 by admin

This is the confidence you have in approaching God: that if you ask for anything according to his will, he hears you. Submit yourself, then, to God; come near to him and he will come near to you. Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is, that you turn away from your own will which, being of the flesh, always leads you astray. Conquer your will.

Jesus answered, If people love me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23

So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians 5:17

So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure. James 4:7-8

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17

And this is the boldness we have in God’s presence: that if we ask God for anything that agrees with what he wants, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

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Psalm 25:18

Posted on April 16, 2012 by admin

Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.

It is best when our prayers about our troubles are linked with our confessions about our sins, when we are not only concerned with our pain but also remember our offences against God. It is best to take both sorrow and sin to the same place. It was to God that David carried his sorrow: it was to God that David confessed his sin. Like David, we must take our sorrows to God. Go to Him, whatever your troubles may be, and you will find Him able and willing to relieve you. But, like David, we must also take our sins to God. We must carry them to the cross so that they may be washed away with the blood. David asks for relieve from his suffering, but the next breath he asks to be forgiven his sins. He cries, “Lord, I would be glad to have my pain removed, but do as Thou will; but as for my sins, Lord, I know I must have them forgiven; I cannot endure their curse for a moment.” Like David, a Christian counts his sorrow less than his sin; he can bear with what troubles should continue, but he cannot support the burden of his transgressions.

Based on an original writing of Charles Spurgeon.

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Proverbs 15:33

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

Before honor is humility.

Humiliation always brings a positive blessing with it. If we empty our hearts of self, God will fill us with His love. He who desires close communion with Christ should remember His words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Stoop if you would climb to heaven. Jesus descended so that He could ascend; so must you. You must grow downwards if you are to grow upwards; the sweetest fellowship in heaven is for humble souls. God will deny no blessing to a humbled spirit. All riches and treasures of God will be given to the soul which is humble enough to receive it without growing proud because of it. God blesses us to the full measure of what it is safe for Him to do. If you do not get a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one. Our heavenly Father knows if He were to let your proud spirit win a victory, you would pilfer the crown for yourself. When a man is sincerely humble, and never reaches for a grain of praise, there is no limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace, and qualifies us to deal rightly with our fellow men. The salt of humility cannot be used in excess.

based on an original writing of Charles Spurgeon

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Accept What Comes

Posted on April 10, 2012 by admin

Always be prepared to give an answer when asked to explain the hope that you have. Even if you should suffer for doing or saying what is right, you are blessed. If it is God’s will, a harvest of righteousness and peace is your reward for not becoming weary of what is right. Evil will try to undo good works, but boldly facing evil strengthens what is good. Do not surrender, and be strengthened by your faith. Accept what comes.

Jesus looked at his followers and said, You people who are poor are happy, because the kingdom of God belongs to you. You people who are now hungry are happy, because you will be satisfied. You people who are now crying are happy, because you will laugh with joy. People will hate you, shut you out, insult you, and say you are evil because you follow the Son of Man. But when they do, you will be happy. Luke 6:20-22

We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

We have all had fathers here on earth who disciplined us, and we respected them. So it is even more important that we accept discipline from the Father of our spirits so we will have life. Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us, so we can become holy as he is. We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way. Hebrews 12:9-11

A person might have to suffer even when it is unfair, but if he thinks of God and stands the pain, God is pleased. 1 Peter 2:19

If you are trying hard to do good, no one can really hurt you. But even if you suffer for doing right, you are blessed. Don’t be afraid of what they fear; do not dread those things. But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. 1 Peter 3:13-15

 

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