Archive for the 'Devotions' Category
April 27th, 2010 by Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Verse
“Underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deut 33:27
Thought
God-the eternal God-is himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, child of God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet “underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.” Sin may drag thee ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the uttermost”; and to the uttermost he saves. Again, the Christian sometimes sinks very deeply in sore trial from without. Every earthly prop is cut away. What then? Still underneath him are “the everlasting arms.” He cannot fall so deep in distress and affliction but what the covenant grace of an ever-faithful God will still encircle him. The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”-they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing.
This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” We shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be upheld by the “everlasting arms”-arms that neither flag nor lose their strength, for “the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is weary.”
Sourced from: Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Originally posted 2009-11-11 17:30:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
April 27th, 2010 by John
“For I am not ashamed of the good news of the Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to every one who is believing, both to Jew first, and to Greek. For the righteousness of God in it is revealed from faith to faith, according as it hath been written, `And the righteous one by faith [in Christ] shall live,’ ”
Romans 1:16-17
Although this ministry is totally committed to carrying out good works in the name of Jesus Christ, in order that people may “see the good works and give glory to our Heavenly Father Mat 5:16” , we are totally aware that in themselves they hold no power at all, other than to divert the gaze of the outsider towards God. To think otherwise would be to allow glory to be given to man, and acredit ourselves as somehow being able to bring others to saving faith.
The verse above, along with many others too, shows that the power of God to save souls from destruction, is found in the power of the Gospel message. Though our good works may be as sign posts pointing towards the One in Whom we place our trust, His Spirit alone is able to place the gift of faith in the heart of an individual, that they may hear His voice and believe upon the One that was sent.
No man, no matter how clever, can convince someone to believe in Christ. He may have skilled language and powers of persuasion, intelligent strategies that can cause people to come to him, and even listen to what he has to say. But only the Holy Spirit alone can convict the heart of man of their wretchedness without the sacrifice of Christ to cleanse them, and only the Holy Spirit is able to grant the power for a man to truly believe upon Jesus Christ as Saviour, even to the dying to themself. Which every true believer in Christ must daily do.
It is the Righteousness of God, revealed through the undiluted Word that needs to be conveyed, Spirit to spirit. Convicting the sinner of their sinfulness, their need to repent, their need to pick up their own cross daily, and their need for the power of God’s Spirit to empower them to do so. And the only way this will happen, is when the undiluted, full gospel of Christ crucified for our sins and risen again, is preached to the lost.
I have heard many times in church that we are fortunate to live in a nation where the Gospel can be freely preached, and whilst I too am thankful to the Lord for this, I also truly believe that we may be missing the point a little. If we were faithful in preaching the true Gospel to the lost, according to the bible it would bring conviction of sin amongst those who listen. To some it will be treated as foolishness and rejected, and to others it will be the wisdom of God, and embraced unto their salvation. But if we are faithful in delivering our message, their will be a reaction, and we will face persecution as a result. Could it be in all our efforts to preach a message of our best life now, a life on earth filled with prosperity and health, and a name it and claim it lifestyle; that we have been preaching a different gospel to that which Christ commissioned us to preach?
Let us no longer deceive ourselves into thinking that our good works can draw souls to Christ, or even miraculous signs and wonders as many today place so much hope in. The only way that we can become the fishers of men that we long to be is first of all die to our own flesh daily, for the life and power of Christ to dwell within us fully. We must choose to stand alone in the place where Stephen stood, preaching the undiluted Word for all to hear, that no-one is unaware that their own sin is the very thing that nailed Christ to the tree. That each of us are by nature born an enemy of God, standing in a place that awaits the hammer of His wrath to fall without mercy, unless we accept the offer of Jesus Christ alone to stand in our place. We must be willing to see people cut to the core, that when they cry out as they did to Peter, “What must we do?!” . We must be ready to give a confident answer; that they too must repent and be baptized into His death, not just a one of dunk in water, but that their water baptism would be a daily testimony to the way they are willing to share in His death and sufferings, that they may enter into His life and glory.
I urge you, don’t cast this message aside because it makes you feel uncomfortable. If it does, it is by the conviction of the Spirit of God, that in His mercy He is calling us to repent and live our lives out on this earth in the way He has called us to, not the way we feel is best.
God bless,
John.
Originally posted 2009-04-17 03:22:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
April 19th, 2010 by John
How I love my sweet, sweet princess Holly. And oh how beautiful it is to think that my love for her cannot even compare to the love that my Father has for me. Thank You Lord. 
Originally posted 2010-03-04 22:04:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
February 15th, 2010 by John
To follow on from the previous message; The Gospel Holds the Power, I would like to encourage those reading this message to consider how to administer the power of the Gospel effectively. For if it is true what I shared from the scriptures previously, that the Gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation, as believers we must learn how to avoid hindering its power towards those we preach.
I will keep this message very short, as I am providing a youTube video of a sermon preached by Paul Washer, entitled “The Idolatry of Decisional Evangelism”. In this message Mr. Washer makes a strong case against the common way in which unbelievers are invited to make a decision for Jesus, and invite Him into their heart through the sinners prayer. I know from personal experience that it was so in my own conversion, and as a result, much of what is discussed in this video was very true in my own life too. Not particularly that it is wrong to be led in a prayer of repentance, but that the source of ones assurance of salvation is anchored often on the sincerity of the decision we make, rather than the work that the Holy Spirit has begun within our heart.
One thing we must remember is that the power to save lies solely in the Hands of God, and must be a work solely carried out by the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 2:8,9 we are told that it is “by grace we are saved, through faith; and that not of ourselves, but it is a gift from God, not of works that anyone should boast.” We are also told in John 6:44 that “no-one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws (from root word meaning – to drag), and I will raise him up at the last day.”
As Christians responding to the Great Commission of Christ made to all of us to preach the Gospel, we must learn to preach it correctly, and learn promptly how to administer it correctly too, when people respond in faith. We must take extreme care to maintain the attitude of Jesus, and say and do that which we have seen our Father do, and the prime way of doing this is by labouring in His Word, that we may rightly divide and discern the truth from all that we hear.
I pray earnestly that all who read this message will find the time to listen to this video, for as hard hitting and uncomfortable that it may be to some, it is a message I believe all Christians must take heed to. For if we continue to attempt to preach the Gospel in our own power, dampening down the words of the bible to make them more palatable to men, and sharing only part of the message, we are in danger of nullifying its power. Not only that, but we are also in severe danger of finding ourselves making promises on behalf of God that He has never made, having the blood on our own heads of those we failed to warn of His judgement of sin; and becoming guilty of preaching a different gospel than that which we have been given through the bible.
Galatians 1:8-12
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shxQcczYuAA]
Source of video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shxQcczYuAA
Originally posted 2009-04-22 09:02:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
February 14th, 2010 by John
In light of it being Valentine’s day, I just thought it good to ponder for a moment what Jesus commands His own.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
(John 15:9-12)
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
This love is sacrificial, freely and graciously given even to those undeserving of it, and something we are commanded each day to offer, not just one day a year. Oh for the grace of God to enable us to love one another as He loves us!
(John 15:9-12)
February 9th, 2010 by The Daily Spurgeon
O beloved, what glorious names our Lord deservedly wears! Whichever of his names you choose to dwell upon for a moment, what a mine of wealth and meaning it opens up to you! Here is this name, “El Shaddai;” “El,” that is, “the strong one,” for infinite power dwells in Jehovah. How readily may we who are weak become mighty if we draw upon him! And then, “Shaddai,” that is to say, “the unchangeable, the invincible.” What a God we have then, who knows no variableness, neither shadow of turning, against whom none can stand! “El,” strong; “Shaddai,” unchangeable in his strength; always therefore strong in every time of need, ready to defend his people, and able to preserve them from all their foes.
Come, Christian, with such a God as this why needest thou abase thyself to win the good word of the wicked man? Why gaddest thou abroad to find earthly pleasures where the roses are always mixed with thorns? Why needest thou to put thy confidence in gold and silver, or in the strength of thy body, or in aught that is beneath the moon? Thou hast El Shaddai to be thine.
From a sermon entitled “Consecration to God – Illustrated By Abram’s Circumcision,” delivered December 13, 1868. Image by Tony under Creative Commons License.
Sourced from: The Daily Spurgeon
