The True and Living Way

2009-03-09T14:31:00.000Z

On PRAYER:
Occasionally, God's silences are His Answers - is that okay with us?
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On SILENCE:
- - ALL Hear Silence! Most run from it, terrified. Many rail at it, contemptuously. Others wander about whining. God Speaks and also Hushes. ***The fear of silence is but another symptom of a soul running from an Encounter with Divinity.***

- - 'There are three kinds of silence. Silence from words is good, because inordinate speaking tends to evil. Silence, or rest from desires and passions is still better, because it promotes quietness of spirit.

But the best of all is silence from unnecessary and wandering thoughts, because that is essential to internal recollection, and because it lays a foundation for a proper reputation and for silence in other respects.'

...Madam Guyon, [1648-1717], French, Christian 'Mystic'
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'It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little. Do what you can!' --Sydney Smith

'Rebellion against your handicaps gets you nowhere. Self-pity gets you nowhere. One must have the adventurous daring to accpet oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world - making the most of one's best!' --Harry Emerson Fosdick"
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On ZEAL:
Let us take heed we do not sometimes call that
'zeal for God and His gospel' which is nothing else
but our own tempestuous and stormy passion.
True zeal is a sweet, heavenly, and gentle flame,
which makes us active for God--but always within
the sphere of love. It never calls for fire from heaven
to consume those who differ a little from us. It
strives to save the soul--but hurts not the body.
True zeal is a loving thing, and makes us always
active to edification, and not to destruction. --Cudworth, 1647.
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POEM

"It is His Will that I should cast my cares on Him each day; He also tells me not to cast my confidence away --

But oh!, how foolishly I act, when taken unawares; I cast away my confidence, and carry all my cares!"

--Anonomous
(worry is sin against trust, which is mutiny against Love)
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"I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God!"

--Helen Keller
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On FAITH

"There is no way of learning Faith except by trial. It is God's school of faith and it is far better for us to learn to trust God than to enjoy life." From Streams in the Desert vol 1 March 7th.

"Faith grows but by exercise in circumstance impossible" Miss Mary Butterfield (From Streams in the Desert vol 1 March 9th.)

2008-04-23T18:21:00.003+01:00

Things to do ALWAYS

Luk 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged. GOOD NEWS BIBLE

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my dear brethren, be firm, unmovable, busily occupied at all times in the Lord's work, knowing that your toil is not fruitless in the Lord. WEYMOUTH NT

Gal 4:18 But it is right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you. DARBY

Eph 5:20 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father. GOOD NEWS BIBLE

Php 4:4 Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION.

Col 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. ESV

1Th 5:15 And beware, lest any of you return evil for evil, but always follow good deeds, towards one another, and towards all men. MURDOCK

1Th 5:16 Be rejoicing always! ANALYTICAL-LITERAL TRANSLATION

2007-09-22T09:28:00.000+01:00

TODAY'S EXCERPT:

What are life's unnumber'd cares
Sorrow, torment, passing measure?
O'er my short-lived pains and fears
Surely ruleth Thy good pleasure.
Boundless is Thy Love for me
Boundless then my trust shall be.

from a Hymn the first line of which begins: Love of love and Light of light.

2007-09-21T10:15:00.000+01:00

TODAY'S EXCERPTS:

The surrender to a full obedience to all His will is the secret to full access to all the blessings of His fellowship.

From Waiting On God chapter 12 by Andrew Murray. The text for this chapter was Psalm 37:34 - Wait on (or, 'with') the LORD and keep His Way and He shall exalt you to inherit the land... (KJV).

You must be crucified not only in desires and habits which are sinful but in many more which appear innocent and right.

From entry from Streams in the Desert for 21st September which was itself taken from 'In the Hour of Silence'. The text for this entry was Philippians 3:8 - I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord (KJV).

2007-09-11T12:04:00.000+01:00

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
now above the sky he's King, Alleluia!
where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Easter Hymn (Lyra Davidica, 1708;
arranged by William Henry Monk, 1823-1889)

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 PETER 5 (KJV)

2007-09-09T19:46:00.000+01:00

JESUS CHRIST PROMISES:

Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

2007-08-22T08:51:00.000+01:00

Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!

PSALM 106:3 RSV

O Lord, enlarge our scanty thought
To know the wonders thou hast wrought;
Unloose our stammering tongues, to tell
Thy love immense, unsearchable.

What are our works but sin and death,
Till thou thy quickening Spirit breathe?
Thou giv'st the power thy grace to move:
O wondrous grace! O boundless love!

How can it be, thou heavenly King,
That thou shouldst us to glory bring;
Make slaves the partners of thy throne,
Decked with a never-fading crown?

Hence our hearts melt, our eyes o'erflow,
Our words are lost; nor will we know,
Nor will we think of aught beside,
My Lord, my Love is crucified!

First-born of many brethren thou;
To thee, lo! all our souls we bow;
To thee our hearts and hands we give;
Thine may we die, thine may we live!

Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, 1700-60 (verse1);
Johann Nitschmann, 1712-83 (verses2-4);
Anna Nitschmann, 1715-60 (verse5);
tr. by John Wesley, 1703-91.

2007-08-19T11:51:00.000+01:00

I bring my sins to Thee,
The sins I cannot count,
That all may cleansed be
In Thy once opened Fount;
I bring them Saviour, all to Thee;
The burden is too great for me.

I bring my griefs to Thee,
The grief I cannot tell;
No words shall needed be,
Thou knowest all so well;
I bring the sorrow laid on me,
O loving Saviour, all to Thee.

My joys to Thee I bring,
The joys Thy love has given,
That cause me here to sing
And make me think of heaven,
I bring them, Saviour, all to Thee,
Who hast procured them all for me.

My life I bring to Thee,
I would not be my own;
O Saviour, let me be
Thine ever, Thine alone,
My heart, my life, my all I bring
To Thee, my Saviour and my King.

By Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-79

2007-08-17T10:54:00.000+01:00

For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
Refrain:
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light, Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and brain's delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight, Refrain

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, Refrain
For each perfect gift of thine
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven, Refrain

For thy Bride that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
this pure sacrifice of love, Refrain

For the martyrs' crown of light,
for thy prophets' eagle eye,
for thy bold confessors' might,
for the lips of infancy, Refrain

For thy virgins' robes of snow,
for thy maiden Mother mild,
for thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesus,Victim undefiled, Refrain

Words: Folliot Sandford Pierpoint, 1864

2007-08-13T12:33:00.000+01:00

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

by Charles Wesley, 1707-88

2007-08-12T17:40:00.000+01:00

Jesus, my Strength, my Hope,
On Thee I cast my care,
With humble confidence look up,
And know Thou hear’st my prayer.
Give me on Thee to wait
Till I can all things do;
On Thee, almighty to create,
Almighty to renew.

I want a sober mind,
A self-renouncing will,
That tramples down and casts behind
The baits of pleasing ill;
A soul inured to pain,
To hardship, grief, and loss,
Bold to take up, firm to sustain
The consecrated cross.

I want a godly fear,
A quick discerning eye
That looks to Thee when sin is near
And sees the tempter fly;
A spirit still prepared
And armed with jealous care,
Forever standing on its guard
And watching unto prayer.

I want a heart to pray,
To pray and never cease,
Never to murmur at Thy stay,
Or wish my sufferings less.
This blessing, above all,
Always to pray, I want,
Out of the deep on Thee to call,
And never, never faint.

I want a true regard,
A single, steady aim,
Unmoved by threat’ning or reward
To Thee and Thy great Name.
A jealous, just concern
For Thine immortal praise;
A pure desire that all may learn
And glorify Thy grace.

I rest upon Thy Word;
The promise is for me;
My comfort and salvation, Lord,
Shall surely come from Thee.
But let me still abide,
Nor from my hope remove,
Till Thou my patient spirit guide
Into Thy perfect love.

I want with all my heart
Thy pleasure to fulfill,
To know myself, and what Thou art,
And what Thy perfect will.
I want I know not what,
I want my wants to see,
I want—alas! what want I not,
When Thou art not in me?

Words by Charles Wesley

2007-08-07T09:35:00.000+01:00

1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

O Love, who formedst me to wear
The image of Thy Godhead here;
Who soughtest me with tender care
Thro’ all my wanderings wild and drear;
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

O Love, who ere life’s earliest dawn,
On me Thy choice hast gently laid;
O Love, who here as Man wast born,
And wholly like to us wast made;
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

O Love, who once in time wast slain,
Pierced through and through with bitter woe;
O Love, who wrestling thus didst gain
That we eternal joy might know;
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

O Love, of whom is truth and light,
The Word and Spirit, life and power,
Whose heart was bared to them that smite,
To shield us in our trial hour:
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

O Love, who thus hast bound me fast
Beneath that easy yoke of Thine;
Love, who hast conquered me at last,
Enrapturing this heart of mine—
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

O Love, who lovest me for aye,
Who for my soul dost ever plead;
O Love, who didst that ransom pay
Whose power sufficeth in my stead;
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

O Love, who once shalt bid me rise
From out this dying life of ours;
O Love, who once o’er yonder skies
Shalt set me in the fadeless bowers;
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

Johann Scheffler, 1624 - 77;
Tr. by Catherine Winkworth, 1829 - 78.

2007-07-27T15:02:00.000+01:00

Jesus, still lead on, till our rest be won,
And, although the way be cheerless,
We will follow calm and fearless,
Guide us by Thy hand to our fatherland.

If the way be drear, if the foe be near,
Let no faithless fears o’ertake us,
Let not faith and hope forsake us,
For through many a woe to our home we go.

When we seek relief from a long felt grief;
When temptations come alluring,
Make us patient and enduring;
Show us that bright shore where we weep no more.

Jesus, still lead on, till our rest be won;
Heavenly Leader, still direct us,
Still support, control, protect us,
Till we safely stand in our fatherland.

Amen.

Nicolaus Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, 1700-60;
tr. by Jane Laurie Borthwick [H.L.L], 1813-97.

Hear the tune of the above hymn here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/s/jstilllo.htm

Grace and Glory

2007-07-20T20:22:00.000+01:00

Most of us have probably heard that we have all sinned and come short or fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23) and I think most of us are willing to admit it. How many of us have heard that we are to look diligently lest we fail (same word translated as come short in Rom 3:23) of the Grace of God??? Do you think this could happen through neglecting our salvation???

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; KJV

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; KJV

Heb 2:1 We must give our full attention to what we were told, so that we won't drift away.
Heb 2:2 The message spoken by angels proved to be true, and all who disobeyed or rejected it were punished as they deserved.
Heb 2:3 So if we refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord himself was the first to tell about it, and people who heard the message proved to us that it was true. CEV

Lord God, I don't want to miss out on the Grace you have given me, please help me to walk worthy of it and attain to the Resurrection to Life Eternal. Amen.

2007-06-25T10:09:00.000+01:00

1John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. KJV.

What does it mean to call you Lord of my life if I ignore the things that you say.

2007-06-23T22:03:00.000+01:00

Jesus Christ: God's Man and man's God!

2007-06-22T09:46:00.000+01:00

Psa 85:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. LORD, thou hast been favorable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
Psa 85:2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
Psa 85:3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
Psa 85:4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
Psa 85:5 Wilt thou be angry with us forever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
Psa 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Psa 85:7 Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
Psa 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
Psa 85:9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Psa 85:11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Psa 85:12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
Psa 85:13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Come down, O love divine, seek Thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing.
O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear,
And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, til earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
And let Thy glorious light shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling;
For none can guess its grace, till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.

Bianco Da Siena

Lord, I'm not much of a singer at all, or a musician or a song writer! Help me to appreciate skillful vocalists and musicians and song writers and to enjoy the gift you have given them to share with us. Bless my Brethren that have these gifts and cause them to increase in skill to the Glory of Your Name, Amen. Save even Lord, souls that have these gifts from you but do not Know you as Saviour and Lord - Holy Spirit move amongst communities and individuals with these talents to convict them of their sins and of the Truth of the Gospel so that they might Repent! Amen.

2007-06-21T09:39:00.001+01:00

1 O HEAVENLY King, Look down from above!
Assist us to sing Thy mercy and love:
So sweetly o'erflowing, So plenteous the store,
Thou still art bestowing, And giving us more.

2 O God of our life, We hallow thy name!
Our business and strife Is thee to proclaim;
Accept our thanksgiving For creating grace;
The living, the living Shall show forth thy praise.

3 Our Father and Lord, Almighty art thou;
Preserved by thy word, We worship thee now;
The bountiful donor Of all we enjoy,
Our tongues to thine honour, And lives we employ.

4 But O! above all, Thy kindness we praise,
From sin and from thrall Which saves the lost race;
Thy Son thou hast given The world to redeem,
And bring us to heaven Whose trust is in him.

5 Wherefore of thy love We sing and rejoice,
With angels above We lift up our voice:
Thy love each believer Shall gladly adore,
For ever and ever, When time is no more.

Charles Wesley.

Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, --they, in whose heart are the highways. PSALM 84:5

Lord, help me to appreciate just what you have done through your Blood! and to learn to become less and less self centered and self conscious. Amen.

His Blood

2007-06-20T09:17:00.000+01:00

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me
He speaks, and listening to his voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe

A verse from O For A Thousand Tongues to sing, by Charles Wesley.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Father thankyou for sending Jesus to die for our sins. I'm glad He chose to die because if He didn't I would still be a slave to sin. Help me each day to overcome and put my sin nature to death, I know it is possible because of Jesus' Blood and the Power of the Holy Spirit you have given me. Help all my Brethren do the same. Have mercy on us, protect us and guide us and strengthen and confirm us until the end, amen!

2007-06-19T09:47:00.000+01:00

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

HYMN:

1 COME, all whoe'er have set Your faces Zion-ward, In Jesus let us us meet, And praise our common Lord; In Jesus let us still go on, Till all appear before his throne.

2 Nearer, and nearer still, We to our country come, To that celestial hill, The weary pilgrim's home, The new Jerusalem above, The seat of everlasting love.

3 The ransomed sons of God, All earthly things we scorn, And to our high abode With songs of praise return; From strength to strength we still proceed, With crowns of joy upon our head.

4 The peace and joy of faith Each moment may we feel; Redeemed from sin and wrath, From earth, and death, and hell, We to our Father's house repair, To meet our elder Brother there.

5 Our Brother, Saviour, Head, Our all in all, is he; And in his steps who tread, We soon his face shall see; Shall see him with our glorious friends, And then in heaven our journey ends.

Charles Wesley, 1707-88

PRAYER:

Lord, Help me remember that my greatest delight is following Your Commands and give me strength to stand and be a doer of Your Word!

2007-05-26T11:19:00.000+01:00

Psa 71:1 In You, O Jehovah, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; bow down Your ear to me, and save me.
Psa 71:3 Be a rock of refuge for me, to which I may always go; You have commanded to save me; for You are my Rock and my Fortress.
Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Psa 71:5 For You are my hope, O Lord God, my trust from my youth.
Psa 71:6 On You I have rested from the womb; You are He who took me out of my mother's bowels; my praise always shall be of You.
Psa 71:7 I am like a wonder to many, but You are my strong tower.
Psa 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, with Your honor all the day.
Psa 71:9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.
Psa 71:10 For my enemies speak against me; and those who watch for my soul plot together,
Psa 71:11 saying, God has forsaken him; pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
Psa 71:12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste for my help.
Psa 71:13 Let them be ashamed; let those who are enemies of my soul be consumed; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, those who seek my hurt.
Psa 71:14 But I will hope without ceasing, and I will add more in all Your praise.
Psa 71:15 My mouth shall show forth Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day; for I do not know how many they are.
Psa 71:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord Jehovah; I will speak of Your righteousness, of Yours alone.
Psa 71:17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; and before now I have declared Your wonderful works.
Psa 71:18 And now when I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not leave me; until I have declared Your strength to this generation, and Your power to everyone who is to come.
Psa 71:19 And Your righteousness, O God, is very high, who have done great things. O God, who is like You,
Psa 71:20 who has shown me great and evil distresses; You will turn me; You will make me live. You will turn me from the depths of the earth, You will bring me up.
Psa 71:21 You will increase my greatness and surround and comfort me on every side.
Psa 71:22 I will also praise You with a harp. O my God, I will sing Your truth; to You I will sing with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
Psa 71:23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed.
Psa 71:24 My tongue also shall muse on Your righteousness all the day long; for those who seek my evil have turned pale, they are brought to shame.

2007-05-10T14:55:00.000+01:00

The following verses are taken from the KJV concerning the poor.

Pro 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

Pro 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: [and] he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

Prov 19:1 Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Prov 19:22 The desire of a man [is] his kindness: and a poor man [is] better than a liar.

Prov 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.

Prov 28:6 Better [is] the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than [he that is] perverse [in his] ways, though he [be] rich.

Prov 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Prov 14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

Prov 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Prov 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Prov 22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Prov 22:16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches, and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.

Prov 28:8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

Prov 29:7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: [but] the wicked regardeth not to know [it].

Prov 14:21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy [is] he.

Prov 31:20 She [a virtuous woman] stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

2007-05-09T16:35:00.000+01:00

Joh 5:14 Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "You are now restored to health. Do not sin any more, or a worse thing may befall you." WEYMOUTH NT.

Joh 8:11 And she said, No one, sir. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. DARBY.

Rom 6:1 To what conclusion, then, shall we come? Are we to persist in sinning in order that the grace extended to us may be the greater?
Rom 6:2 No, indeed; how shall we who have died to sin, live in it any longer?
Rom 6:3 And do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Rom 6:4 Well, then, we by our baptism were buried with Him in death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from among the dead by the Father's glorious power, we also should live an entirely new life.
Rom 6:5 For since we have become one with Him by sharing in His death, we shall also be one with Him by sharing in His resurrection.
Rom 6:6 This we know--that our old self was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our sinful nature might be deprived of its power, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin;
Rom 6:7 for he who has paid the penalty of death stands absolved from his sin.
Rom 6:8 But, seeing that we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him;
Rom 6:9 because we know that Christ, having come back to life, is no longer liable to die.
Rom 6:10 Death has no longer any power over Him. For by the death which He died He became, once for all, dead in relation to sin; but by the life which He now lives He is alive in relation to God.
Rom 6:11 In the same way you also must regard yourselves as dead in relation to sin, but as alive in relation to God, because you are in Christ Jesus.
Rom 6:12 Let not Sin therefore reign as king in your mortal bodies, causing you to be in subjection to their cravings;
Rom 6:13 and no longer lend your faculties as unrighteous weapons for Sin to use. On the contrary surrender your very selves to God as living men who have risen from the dead, and surrender your several faculties to God, to be used as weapons to maintain the right.
Rom 6:14 For Sin shall not be lord over you, since you are subjects not of Law, but of grace.
Rom 6:15 Are we therefore to sin because we are no longer under the authority of Law, but under grace? No, indeed!
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that if you surrender yourselves as bondservants to obey any one, you become the bondservants of him whom you obey, whether the bondservants of Sin (with death as the result) or of Duty (resulting in righteousness)?
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were once in thraldom to Sin, you have now yielded a hearty obedience to that system of truth in which you have been instructed.
Rom 6:18 You were set free from the tyranny of Sin, and became the bondservants of Righteousness--
Rom 6:19 your human infirmity leads me to employ these familiar figures--and just as you once surrendered your faculties into bondage to Impurity and ever-increasing disregard of Law, so you must now surrender them into bondage to Righteousness ever advancing towards perfect holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when you were the bondservants of sin, you were under no sort of subjection to Righteousness.
Rom 6:21 At that time, then, what benefit did you get from conduct which you now regard with shame? Why, such things finally result in death.
Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from the tyranny of Sin, and have become the bondservants of God, you have your reward in being made holy, and you have the Life of the Ages as the final result.
Rom 6:23 For the wages paid by Sin are death; but God's free gift is the Life of the Ages bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus our Lord. WEYMOUTH NT.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death. DARBY.

Rom 8:12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh:
Rom 8:13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. REVISED VERSION.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. KJV.

1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. KJV.

Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your earthward inclinations--fornication, impurity, sensual passion, unholy desire, and all greed, for that is a form of idolatry.
Col 3:6 It is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming,
Col 3:7 and you also were once addicted to them, while you were living under their power.
Col 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of every kind of sin--angry and passionate outbreaks, ill-will, evil speaking, foul-mouthed abuse--so that these may never soil your lips.
Col 3:9 Do not speak falsehoods to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its doings,
Col 3:10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self which is being remoulded into full knowledge so as to become like Him who created it. WEYMOUTH.

2Ti 2:19 Yet the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are his; and, Let every one who names the name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity. DARBY.

1Pe 1:14 as children of obedience, not conformed to your former lusts in your ignorance; DARBY.

1Pe 2:11 Beloved, I exhort you , as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; DARBY.

1Pe 2:24 who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed. DARBY.

2007-04-02T14:08:00.000+01:00

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS

1 As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!"
2 "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down."
3 He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him,
4 "Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?"
5 So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you.
6 Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many.
7 But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet.
8 For NATION WILL RISE IN ARMS AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.
9 "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me.
10 But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes.
11 When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
12 "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and CHILDREN WILL RISE AGAINST THEIR PARENTS and have them put to death.
13 You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.
14 "As soon, however, as you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words-- "then let those in Judaea escape to the hills;
15 let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it;
16 and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment.
17 And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!
18 "But pray that it may not come in the winter.
19 For those will be times of SUFFERING THE LIKE OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN FROM THE FIRST CREATION OF GOD'S WORLD UNTIL NOW, and assuredly never will be again;
20 and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days.
21 "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it.
22 For THERE WILL RISE UP false Christs and false PROPHETS, DISPLAYING SIGNS AND PRODIGIES with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People.
23 But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.
24 "AT THAT TIME, however, after that DISTRESS, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT SHED HER LIGHT;
25 THE STARS WILL BE SEEN FALLING FROM THE FIRMAMENT, AND THE FORCES WHICH ARE IN THE HEAVENS WILL BE DISORDERED AND DISTURBED.
26 And then will they see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.
27 Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky.
28 "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.
29 So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door.
30 I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
31 Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.
32 "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
33 Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen.
34 It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty--and has ordered the porter to keep awake.
35 Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at cock-crow, or at dawn.
36 Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep.
37 Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!" MARK 13 (Weymouth Translation)

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
3 He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised.
4 Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, LORD, for you are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.
5 You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim.
6 I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live. PSALM 23 (Good News Bible Translation)

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY:

"...to devote this money to the work of God glorifies the name of Jesus more than to keep it in the savings bank for a time of sickness or old age. If such times come, the same Lord who has cared for him in health and strength will also care for him then."
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN QUOTE:

There is no smooth transition from the Spirit to the flesh - it is always a case of stumbling [Greek = skandalon] and only takes a split second.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

God, help me and my Brethren to stay watchful and awake, to believe our prayers and learn to trust in You and Your Word with all our hearts. Amen.

2007-03-26T09:41:00.000+01:00

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

1 (A special psalm by David.) Protect me, LORD God! I run to you for safety,
2 and I have said, "Only you are my Lord! Every good thing I have is a gift from you."
3 Your people are wonderful, and they make me happy,
4 but worshipers of other gods will have much sorrow. I refuse to offer sacrifices of blood to those gods or worship in their name.
5 You, LORD, are all I want! You are my choice, and you keep me safe.
6 You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright.
7 I praise you, LORD, for being my guide. Even in the darkest night, your teachings fill my mind.
8 I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear.
9 With all my heart, I will celebrate, and I can safely rest.
10 I am your chosen one. You won't leave me in the grave or let my body decay.
11 You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful. PSALM 16

12 When Jesus and his disciples left Bethany the next morning, he was hungry.
13 From a distance Jesus saw a fig tree covered with leaves, and he went to see if there were any figs on the tree. But there were not any, because it wasn't the season for figs.
14 So Jesus said to the tree, "Never again will anyone eat fruit from this tree!" The disciples heard him say this. MARK 11

20 And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.
24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them. MARK 11

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY:

"What a difference there is when the soul is refreshed in fellowship with God early in the morning! Without spiritual preparation the service, the trials and the temptations of the day can be overwhelming."
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Lord, help me to be faithful to you today and to walk worthy of you. Amen.

2007-03-24T11:16:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

42 But Jesus called them and said to them, You know that they who are accounted rulers over the nations exercise lordship over them. And their great ones exercise authority on them.
43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant [G1249 Diakonos].
44 And whoever of you desires to become first, he shall be slave [G1401 Doulos] of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. MARK 10

1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, they have done abominable works: there is none that doeth good.
2 Jehovah looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3 They have all gone aside, they are together become corrupt: there is none that doeth good, not even one.
4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, eating up my people as they eat bread? They call not upon Jehovah.
5 There were they in great fear; for God is in the generation of the righteous.
6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the afflicted, because Jehovah was his refuge.
7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When Jehovah turneth again the captivity of his people, Jacob shall be glad, Israel shall rejoice. PSALM 14

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN TESTIMONYS:

"The primary business I must attend to every day is to fellowship with the Lord."
"It often astonishes me that I did not see the importance of meditation upon Scripture earlier in my Christian life. As the outward man is not fit for work for any length of time unless he eats, so it is with the inner man. What is the food for the inner man? Not prayer, but the word of God - not the simple reading of the word of God so that it only passes through our minds just as water runs through a pipe. No, we must consider what we read, ponder over it and apply it to our hearts."
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Lord, Spring is in the air, brighter days and budding plants. Thank you for this time of year and for the creation we see around us. Thank you for THIS day and for the Fellowship I can have with you in it.

2007-03-23T11:38:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

23 Then looking round on His disciples Jesus said, "With how hard a struggle will the possessors of riches enter the Kingdom of God!"
24 The disciples were amazed at His words. Jesus, however, said again, "Children, how hard a struggle is it for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."
26 They were astonished beyond measure, and said to one another, "Who then *can* be saved?"
27 Jesus looking on them said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for everything is possible with God."
28 "Remember," said Peter to Him, "that we forsook everything and have become your followers."
29 "In solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that there is no one who has forsaken house or brothers or sisters, or mother or father, or children or lands, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News,
30 but will receive a hundred times as much now in this present life--houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, lands--and persecution with them--and in the coming age the Life of the Ages.
31 But many who are now first will be last, and the last, first." MARK 10 Weymouth Translation.
[Related texts: MATTHEW 6:19-21,24; LUKE 12:15-21; 1 TIMOTHY 5:17-19; JAMES 5:3.]

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? forever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. PSALM 13 KJV

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN EXCERPT:

It appears to me that believers generally have expected far too little present fruit from their labors among children. They hope that the Lord will some day confirm their instruction and answer the prayers which they offer up on the children's behalf. The Bible assures us that in everything we do for the Lord, including bringing up children in the fear of the Lord, our labor is not in vain. We have to guard against thinking that it does not matter whether we see present fruit or not. On the contrary, we should give the Lord no rest until we see fruit. Therefore, in persevering yet submissive prayer, we should make our requests known to God. I am now looking for many more children to be converted.
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for the Bible; for the Words, miracles and ministry of Jesus that have been recorded by eye witnesses, written down for us in what we call the Gospels. Thank you for the faithfulness of those first disciples of yours that were involved in creating the New Testament documents whether directly or indirectly. Please supply Bibles and edifying Christian literature to those Brothers and Sisters of mine - your Children - around the world that don't have them and are stopped from having them. Amen.

2007-03-20T09:50:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. PSALM 11

42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that NEVER shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that NEVER shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth NOT, and the fire is NOT quenched.
49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. MARK 9

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN EXCERPT:

"The chief object of our work is to demonstrate the reality of power with God in prayer. As we hoped and as it has been our prayer, the Lord gives us the joy of seeing one child after another brought to Him."
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

2007-03-19T10:19:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

14 You have seen it; for You behold mischief and vexation, to repay it with Your hand. The poor commits himself to You; You are the Helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil one; seek out his wickedness, until You find none.
16 Jehovah is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land.
17 Jehovah, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart, You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, so that the man of the earth may no more terrify. PSALM 10

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY:

If anyone thinks that on account of our trials of faith during this year we have been disappointed in our expectations or discouraged in the work , my answer is that the very opposite is true. Such days were expected from the beginning. The chief end for which the institution was established is that the church would see the hand of God stretched out on our behalf in answer to prayer. Our desire therefore is not that we may be without trials of faith, but that the Lord would graciously support us in the trial and that we may not dishonor Him by distrust.

This way of living brings the Lord remarkably near. Morning by morning He inspects our supplies that He may send help as it is needed. I have never had a greater awareness of the Lord's presence than when after breakfast nothing was left for dinner, and then the Lord provided the dinner for more than one hundred people; or when, after dinner, there was nothing for the tea, and yet the Lord provided the tea - all this without one single human being having been informed about our need. One thing is certain - we are not tired of doing the Lord's work in this way.

Many people have commented that such a way of living must cause the mind to continually think of how to obtain food and clothes, and thus become unfit for spiritual work. I answer that our minds are seldom concerned about the necessities of life because the care for them is laid upon our Father. Because we are His Children, He not only allows us to do so but wants us to do so.

Do not think that these answers to prayer are only for us and cannot be enjoyed by all the saints. Every Child of God is not called by the Lord to establish schools and orphan houses and to trust in the Lord for means for them. Yet, there is no reason why you may not experience, far more abundantly than we do now - His willingness to answer the prayers of His Children.

Prove the Faithfulness of God by carrying your every want to Him. Only maintain an upright heart. But if you live in sin and if you willfully and habitually do things which you know are contrary to the will of God, then you cannot expect Him to hear you. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer." (Psalm 66:18,19).
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

2007-03-18T15:23:00.000Z

Jesus and the Apostles taught: 'stop sinning!'

Later, Jesus met the man in the temple and told him, "You are now well. But don't sin anymore or something worse might happen to you." JOHN 5:14 CEV

"No sir," the woman answered. Then Jesus told her, "I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don't sin anymore." JOHN 8:11 CEV

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:34 KJV

12 Don't let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don't obey its desires
13 or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God. ROMANS 6:12,13 CEV

1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 1 PETER 4:1-5 KJV

2007-03-18T11:21:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

7 But the LORD shall endure forever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. PSALM 9:7-10

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY:

"If we were to lean upon man we would surely be disappointed; but in leaning upon the living God alone we are beyond disappointment and beyond being forsaken for any reason."
From The Autobiography of George Muller.

8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. PSALM 118:8,9

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. PSALM 146:3

THOUGHT ON CHRISTIANITY:

If you are in the routine of going to a church building at least every Sunday to hear a preacher or teacher for the purpose of maintaining a spiritual life in relation to Jesus Christ you should only need to hear one thing preached - "follow Me!" If you don't want to hear that and if indeed you can't DO that then you are not a Christian.

2007-03-16T09:36:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. PSALM 7:1

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 TIMOTHY 3:12

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ROMANS 8:28

And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. MARK 7:37

A CHRISTIAN'S TESTIMONY:

"...there is reality in dealing with God alone ('only' or 'personally'.)" Excerpted from his autobiography by George Muller.

2007-03-15T09:27:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXT:

The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. PSALM 6:9

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"He is mindful of the smallest wants and comforts of his child." George Muller, from his autobiography.

2007-03-14T10:47:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS:

Psa 5:11 And all that trust in thee shall rejoice: for ever shall they shout joyously, and thou wilt protect them; and they that love thy name shall exult in thee.
Psa 5:12 For thou, Jehovah, wilt bless the righteous man ; with favour wilt thou surround him as with a shield.

TODAY'S EXCERPT (From Waiting On God by Andrew Murray):

Beware lest any earthly satisfaction or enjoyment, however innocent it appears, keep you back from saying, "I will go to God, my exceeding joy"...Pleasing self in little things may be strengthening it to assert itself in greater things.

2007-03-09T21:12:00.000Z

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

I thought a bit about those verses and I reckon when Jesus says the wise man who built his house on the rock is like the man who does what Jesus says it is because both labor diligently with confidence and patience to secure a lasting dwelling.

2007-03-05T08:59:00.000Z

The verse used for today's entry in Streams In The Desert daily devotional is Hebrews 3:14 which says,

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

What is the beginning of our confidence? Is it not that in-Christ God forgives sins and grants the power to overcome the world and stop sinning by our Faith? Is it not that God will sustain, nurture, guide, instruct, teach, protect, correct, mature and complete this New Life being Faithful to His Word e.g., sending the Holy Spirit, the Helper/Comforter to be with us always and lead us into all Truth - never to forsake us?

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. MATTHEW 28:20

Verily, verily, I say to you, He that believes on me has life eternal. JOHN 6:47

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. JOHN 8:12

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes on me, though he have died, shall live;
and every one who lives and believes on me shall never die. Believest thou this? JOHN 11:25,26

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:16-18

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. JOHN 16:13

And it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ACTS 2:21

Having therefore been exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which ye behold and hear. ACTS 2:33

And Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptised, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins, and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For to you is the promise and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God may call. ACTS 2:38,39

To him all the prophets bear witness that every one that believes on him will receive through his name remission of sins. ACTS 10:43

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (or, complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ. PHILIPPIANS 1:6

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23,24

Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. HEBREWS 2:17

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. HEBREWS 13:5

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1 PETER 4:19

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 JOHN 1:7

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

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; REVELATION 3:14

2007-02-09T11:10:00.000Z

WHY DID I BECOME A CHRISTIAN?

Because I came to the realization one day that I was spiritually dead because of my sinfulness and lack of Jesus Christ in my life! I was left with a choice, either choose to continue in sin and misery and death or turn to God for the Forgiveness and New Life He promised through Faith in Jesus. I chose the later - I wanted to live and not die.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ROMANS 6:4

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

2007-02-08T11:04:00.000Z

HE will silently plan for thee,
Object thou of omniscient care;
God Himself undertakes to be
Thy Pilot through each subtle snare.

He WILL silently plan for thee,
So certainly, He cannot fail!
Rest on the faithfulness of God,
In Him thou surely shalt prevail.

He will SILENTLY plan for thee
Some wonderful surprise of love.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard,
But it is kept for thee above.

He will silently PLAN for thee,
His purposes shall all unfold;
The tangled skein shall shine at last,
A masterpiece of skill untold.

He will silently plan FOR THEE,
Happy child of a Father's care,
As though no other claimed His love,
But thou alone to Him wert dear.
--E. Mary Grimes

TODAY'S QUOTE: ‘God then began to show me that the word of God alone is our standard of judgment in spiritual things; that it can be explained only by the Holy Spirit; and that in our day, as well as in former times. He is the Teacher of His people. The office of the Holy Spirit I had not experimentally understood before that time.

‘It was my beginning to understand this latter point in particular, which had a great effect on me; for the Lord enabled me to put it to the test of experience, by laying aside commentaries, and almost every other book and simply reading the word of God and studying it.

‘The result of this was, that the first evening that I shut myself into my room, to give myself to prayer and meditation over the Scriptures, I learned more in a few hours than I had done during a period of several months previously.

‘But the particular difference was that I received real strength for my soul in so doing. I now began to try by the test of the Scriptures the things which I had learned and seen, and found that only those principles which stood the test were of real value.'

George Muller.

TODAY'S EXCERPT: We are expecting God, in the way of His judgments, to visit his earth: we are waiting for Him. What a thought! We know of these coming judgments; we know that there are tens of thousands of our professing Christians who live on in carelessness, and who, if no change come, must perish under God's hand. Oh, shall we not do our utmost to warn them, if God may have mercy on them. If we feel our want of boldness, want of zeal, want of power, shall we not begin to wait on God more definitely and persistently as a God of judgment, asking Him so to reveal Himself in the judgments that are coming on our very friends, that we may be inspired with a new fear of Him and them and constrained to speak and pray as never before.

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS: because He has appointed a day in which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He appointed, having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead. ACTS 17:31

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad. 2 COR 5:10

Therefore I solemnly witness before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is going to judge the living and the dead according to His appearance and His kingdom 2 TIM 4:1

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements, burning with heat, shall be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it shall be burnt up.
All these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements, burning with heat, shall melt? 2 PETER 3:10-12

2007-02-07T16:08:00.000Z

TODAY'S QUOTE: Newness of life is in dying daily to self - giving up sin and taking up the cross.

TODAY'S EXCERPT: Is there any ever any ground to be cast down? There are two reasons, but only two. If we are as yet unconverted we have ground to be cast down; or if we have been converted and live in sin, then we are rightly cast down.
From 'Streams in the Desert' for today's date.

TODAY's BIBLE TEXTS: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. HEB 9:27,28

In your patience possess ye your souls. LUKE 21:19

2007-02-06T10:02:00.000Z

TODAY'S BIBLE PASSAGE

JOHN 5:1-14 WEYMOUTH Translation.

5:1 After this there was a Festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
5:2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, called in Hebrew 'Bethesda.' It has five arcades.
5:3 In these there used to lie a great number of sick persons, and of people who were blind or lame or paralyzed.
5:4 [Weymouth leaves this verse out!]
5:5 And there was one man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
5:6 Jesus saw him lying there, and knowing that he had been a long time in that condition, He asked him, "Do you wish to have health and strength?"
5:7 "Sir," replied the sufferer, "I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is moved; but while I am coming some one else steps down before me."
5:8 "Rise," said Jesus, "take up your mat and walk."
5:9 Instantly the man was restored to perfect health, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
5:10 That day was a Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "It is the Sabbath: you must not carry your mat."
5:11 "He who cured me," he replied, "said to me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'"
5:12 "Who is it," they asked, "that said to you, 'Take up your mat and walk'?"
5:13 But the man who had been cured did not know who it was; for Jesus had passed out unnoticed, there being a crowd in the place.
5:14 Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "You are now restored to health. Do not sin any more, or a worse thing may befall you."

2007-02-05T11:56:00.000Z

COLOSSIANS 3:23

NASB: Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, (NASB ©1995)

GWT: Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans. (GOD'S WORD®)

KJV: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

ASV: whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;

BBE: Whatever you do, do it readily, as to the Lord and not to men;

DBY: Whatsoever ye do, labour at it heartily, as doing it to the Lord, and not to men;

WEY: Whatever you are doing, let your hearts be in your work, as a thing done for the Lord and not for men.

WBS: And whatever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men;

WEB: And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

YLT: and all, whatever ye may do -- out of soul work -- as to the Lord, and not to men,

Waiting to be Led

2007-02-04T15:50:00.000Z

TODAY'S EXCERPT (from 'Waiting on God' by Andrew Murray, Chapter 15 - Waiting on God For His Counsel)

'... we need to believe in the Holy Spirit as the Guide and Teacher of God's Saints when they wait to be led by Him into the things which God has prepared and which the heart cannot conceive - more stillness of soul to realize God's presence; more consciousness of ignorance of what God's great plans may be; more faith in the certainty that God has greater things to show us; that He himself will be revealed in new Glory: these must be the marks of the assemblies of God's Saints if they would avoid the reproach, "They waited not for His counsel"'

(See Jn 16:13; 1 Jn 2:27; Rom 8:14; Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 2:9; Ps 46:10; 2 Jn 1:2; Eph 3:20; Jn 14:12,21)

2007-01-28T11:21:00.000Z

Don't kid yourself into thinking God's mercy can be used as an excuse not to obey Him; that He will sympathize with you and let you off the hook! The Holy Spirit may be the Comforter but the Spirit is the Lord (see 2 Cor 3:17) and why would you call someone Lord that you don't obey? (see Luke 6:46).

2007-01-23T14:16:00.000Z

In order to be Saved by Jesus (see John 3:17) you must Live through Him (see 1 John 4:9); walking as He walked (see 1 John 2:6) and bearing the fruit He bore (see Eph 5:9, Heb 12:11, Col 1:10, Heb 13:21) being zealous for good works (see Titus 2:14, Rev 3:19).

2006-11-16T19:05:00.000Z

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. JUDE 1

To be 'preserved' or 'kept' in Jesus Christ does not mean you are saved and can never lose your Salvation - that your Salvation is safe for as long as you live. It does mean that assuming you have come to Jesus Christ and been born again - He will now try to keep you with/in Him by disciplining and correcting you. You are only preserved in Jesus Christ as long as you are abiding in Him and allowing His correction and tutelage. If you go astray (and so abide in death!) He will try to get you back with/in Him in the land of the Living but it is up to you whether or not you choose that Life.

God can't preserve or keep anyone against their will. If you choose His discipline you are receiving His Salvation. If you reject His discipline you are rejecting His Salvation.

I guess it's all about Love. God's Love to you is His discipline and correction and your Love to Him is your submission and obedience, that is to say your repentance.

Dying to be changed!

2006-11-12T17:01:00.000Z

There is talk in the New Testament of our physical bodies being changed and transformed into glorious spiritual bodies like Jesus Christ's. I wonder if people confuse the physical for the same as the carnal nature - they aren't one and the same. If you think that people who have been living according to their carnal nature will be changed into a spiritual form like the angels and Jesus Christ you are mistaken because the New Testament clearly teaches that if you live after the flesh (carnal nature) you will DIE. No, flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom of God, only those who have in their physical bodies crucified the flesh and walk in the spirit daily, in-Christ partaking of the Divine nature. Them and them alone will be changed as long as they abide in Him right up until He returns from Heaven. There is no way round this. Theological 'understanding' or the holding and confession of creeds will avail you nada. Only a New Creation and it's nourishment, growth and maturity matters and will inherit Eternal Life.

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. PHILIPPIANS 3:20,21

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ROMANS 8:13.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. GALATIANS 5:24

While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. HEBREWS 3:15

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: COLOSSIANS 1:14

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: COLOSSIANS 1:30

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 PETER 1:4

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:15

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 JOHN 2:28

2006-11-09T17:06:00.000Z

Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which is by the sea shore. HEBREWS 11:12 Darby translation.

In this I saw that Abraham's Faith enabled him to do the impossible. He was dead to the natural but alive to the Supernatural by Faith!

2006-09-03T21:43:00.000+01:00

What is the worst sin a person can commit? [not that you have any say in the matter anyway]. God can forgive it, if the person who committed it truly repents of it!

God, thankyou for the cleansing Blood of Jesus that washes me whiter than snow. I hope and pray that despite the darkness of the times we live in that souls will still repent for the first time and taste the Graciousness of the Spirit of Jesus. Even so Lord, come quickly!

2006-07-26T18:36:00.000+01:00

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" MATTHEW 25:34

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." JOHN 18:37

2006-07-25T19:23:00.000+01:00

Psalm 101
A PSALM OF DAVID.
1 I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
Him I will destroy;
The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
Him I will not endure.
6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,
That they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a perfect way,
He shall serve me.
7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

2006-07-23T21:29:00.000+01:00

"For with God nothing will be impossible." LUKE 1:37.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" EPHESIANS 3:20

2006-07-22T21:56:00.000+01:00

14For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast TO THE END, 15while it is said:
“Today, IF you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” HEBREWS 3:14,15.

Confidence in the Promises of the Gospel as True and in the Power of God to raise the dead and give New-Life to sinners by obeying the Gospel to the end.

2006-07-21T14:17:00.000+01:00

1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; PSALM 46:1,2

5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we may boldly say:
“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” HEBREWS 13:5,6

6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 PETER 5:6,7

2006-07-20T15:57:00.000+01:00

2For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 CORINTHIANS 6:2

8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. ROMANS 13:8-14

1Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
2And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
3Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
5And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
24“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
28“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
32“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—36lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I say to ALL: Watch!” MARK Chapter 13

1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies. 21Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.
23Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
25Brethren, pray for us.
26Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 1 THESSALONIANS Chapter 5.

2006-06-03T16:46:00.000+01:00

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
PSALM 73:25 KJV.

Ever feel like that? I'm sure you do. I do too. I don't understand how people live for this world, for carnal things and carnal relationships. Now that I have been given the Grace and Privilege of getting to know God, things just aren't the same! I feel like Paul when he said he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him! I mean, what IS there in this world for a Pilgrim? For a citizen of Heaven? I guess there is daily manna from Heaven! I don't consider myself an expert seeker and gatherer and eater of daily manna but with God's help I will improve - I just hafta!

God guide me Home. Father teach me Your Ways. Lord sanctify me by Your Truth [Word]. Help me to be stout, focused and faithful. I feel unworthy of your Name yet glad I have it in me! Forgive my iniquities and keep me from them. Make me Yours alone, for Your plan and purposes. God bless those you have put around me and those whom I go around. Have Mercy and pity on those souls that are perishing without you and be kind to them in their lives so that they might be induced to Repentance. Bless all my brothers and sisters that I know and that I don't - confirm us to the end and cause us to keep your commandments. Let us not forget that Christ in us is the ONLY Hope of Glory and help us to consider all things as dung in comparison to sharing our lives with You in Your sufferings.

Lord Jesus Christ, have Mercy on us as sinners and make us Overcomers by the Power of Your Grace! Amen.

2006-05-01T21:05:00.000+01:00

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST: Thoughts leading to the inward life - chapter 11 - Of the fewness of the lovers of the cross of Jesus.

Few Love the Cross of Jesus

JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and ot for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!

Do not those who always seek consolation deserve to be called mercenaries? Do not those who always think of their own profit and gain prove that they love themselves rather than Christ? Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature? His value is like that of things brought from the most distant lands.

If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: "When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: 'we are unprofitable servants.'"

Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the prophet may say: "I am alone and poor." No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all.

2006-04-30T21:40:00.000+01:00

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night. ('The Law of the Lord is Perfect, converting/restoring the soul' PSALM 19:7)
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper (He himself, [the man that Fears the Lord], shall dwell in prosperity PSALM 25:13).
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

PSALM 1

# # # # # # # # # #

5Thus says the LORD:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
And shall not see when good comes,
But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
10 I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.
11 “As a partridge that broods but does not hatch,
So is he who gets riches, but not by right;
It will leave him in the midst of his days,
And at his end he will be a fool.”
12 A glorious high throne from the beginning
Is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel,
All who forsake You shall be ashamed.
“Those who depart from Me
Shall be written in the earth,
Because they have forsaken the LORD,
The fountain of living waters.”

JEREMIAH 17:5-13

2006-04-06T19:03:00.000+01:00

BIBLE texts on the Words, WAY, TRUTH and LIFE.
(see John 14:16)

Here I am posting verses from the Bible that contain either of the english words, WAY, TRUTH or LIFE. (Different versions will be used - the letter and number in the brackets are the Strong's reference for the Hebrew [H] or Greek [G] word behind the english translation).

why saidst thou, She is my sister, so that I took her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way[H1980]. GENESIS 12:19 ASV.

Let there be to me a sufficiency of all the justice and all the truth[G225] which thou hast wrought with thy servant; for with this my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two camps. GENESIS 32:10 Brenton LXX.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life[H2416]; and man became a living soul. GENESIS 2:7 KJV.

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

1st
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. PSALM 37:3 ESV.

2nd
And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:13 Darby.

3rd
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? JOB 39:11 KJV.

4th
But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus to you shortly, that *I* also may be refreshed, knowing how ye get on. PHILIPPIANS 2:19 Darby.

5th
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; DEUERONOMY 7:9 KJV.

6th
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. MATTHEW 22:37 ESV.

CREATION:

Ask of the former days which were before thee, from the day when God created man upon the earth, and beginning at the one end of heaven to the other end of heaven, if there has happened any thing like to this great event, if such a thing has been heard:
33 if a nation have heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard and hast lived;
34 if God has assayed to go and take to himself a nation out of the midst of another nation with trial, and with signs, and with wonders, and with war, and with a mighty hand, and with a high arm, and with great sights, according to all the things which the Lord our God did in Egypt in thy sight.
35 So that thou shouldest know that the Lord thy God he is God, and there is none beside him.
36 His voice was made audible from heaven to instruct thee, and he shewed thee upon the earth his great fire, and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.
37 Because he loved thy fathers, he also chose you their seed after them, and he brought thee himself with his great strength out of Egypt,
38 to destroy nations great and stronger than thou before thy face, to bring thee in, to give thee their land to inherit, as thou hast it this day.
39 An thou shalt know this day, and shalt consider in thine heart, that the Lord thy God he is God in heaven above, and on the earth beneath, and there is none else but he.
40 And keep ye his commandments, and his ordinances, all that I command you this day; that it may be well with thee, and with thy sons after thee, that ye may be long-lived upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for ever. DEUTERONOMY 4:32-40

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for Your Peace. There are millions, even billions of people who labor and toil in one way or another to 'earn a living' yet when the day is done they still have no peace. Thankyou that I can be at Peace as I share my day with you and still be at Peace when my day is done! I don't like this world, I don't feel I belong here, but your Grace and Peace gives me Strength and Hope to abide with/in you. Make me and all my Brethren, Your Children, 'channels of Your Peace' and cause us to be of service to others in the Power of Your Peace. Amen.

2006-04-03T14:04:00.000+01:00

2006-03-31T10:03:00.000+01:00

2006-03-31T09:48:00.000+01:00

I just read the caption beside a photo of a great white shark on the National Geographic website which says, “The ultimate nightmare hidden in the back of the human mind,” says photographer David Doubilet, “is to be eaten alive.”

Jesus doesn't seem to mind...

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; JOHN 6:53

Remember, Jesus is in Heaven now with the same body He had while on earth - He rose from the dead, remember?!

2006-03-30T13:23:00.000+01:00

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of music. 2 CHRONICLES 34:12 KJV.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? ACTS 26:8 KJV.

Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: On what do ye rely that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 2 CHRONICLES 32:10 KJV.

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:11 ASV.

And because he loved your fathers and chose their descendants after them, and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power DEUTERONOMY 4:37 RSV.

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? MATTHEW 5:46 RSV.

CREATION:

And God said, I will blot out man whom I have made from the face of the earth, even man with cattle, and reptiles with flying creatures of the sky, for I am grieved that I have made them. GENESIS 6:7 Brenton LXX.

And he blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, who made heaven and earth GENESIS 14:19 Brenton LXX.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou that you care about man. Thankyou that you see and that you care about tiny things in our lives. Please teach me and all your Children to talk to you more about these things and to learn how to cast our cares upon you. Amen.

2006-03-29T18:35:00.000+01:00

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

1st
and to all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, the whole congregation of those entered in the register; for in their trust they hallowed themselves to be holy. 2 CHRONICLES 31:18 Darby.

2nd
Then he says to Thomas, Bring thy finger here and see my hands; and bring thy hand and put it into my side; and be not unbelieving, but believing. JOHN 20:27 Darby.

3rd
and they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them, because they put their trust in him. 1 CHRONICLES 5:20 Darby.

4th
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end 2 CORINTHIANS 1:13 KJV.

5th
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. LEVITICUS 19:34 KJV.

6th
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; MATTHEW 5:43,44 KJV.

CREATION:

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God. GENESIS 4:1 Brenton LXX.

1 This is the book of Adam's generations. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. GENESIS 5:1,2 Darby.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for Jesus. Without Him I and all my Brethren would be dead, lost and very much in the dark. Thankyou that Christ has given us Light. May we all walk faithfully in the Light and allow ourselves to be corrected if we stray from the Light. Amen.

2006-03-28T11:13:00.000+01:00

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

by the hand of Odom, and Benjamin, and Jesus, and Semei, and Amarias, and Sechonias, by the hand of the priests faithfully, to give to their brethren according to the courses, as well to great as small; 2 CHRONICLES 31:15 Brenton LXX.

the lord of that bondman shall come in a day when he does not expect it, and in an hour he knows not of, and shall cut him in two and appoint his portion with the unbelievers. LUKE 12:46 Darby.

Let not thy God on whom thou trustest encourage thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of the Assyrians. 2 KINGS 19:10 Brenton LXX.

who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:10 ASV.

Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah. LEVITICUS 19:18 ASV.

For which cause I say to thee, Her many sins are forgiven; for she loved much; but he to whom little is forgiven loves little. LUKE 7:47 Darby.

CREATION:

21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; 22 and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed. GENESIS 2:21-25 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Thankyou Lord for this world. I mean, the Creation - plants, animals, sun, moon stars, people, the land and the sea. I have been watching a program on TV called PLANET EARTH and have been amazed at some of the things I have seen, thanks for that program and for the world it explores!

2006-03-26T14:26:00.000+01:00

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next. 2 CHRONICLES 31:12 KJV.

And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. LUKE 9:41 KJV.

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 2 KINGS 18:30 KJV.

For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:7 KJV.

And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free EXODUS 21:5 KJV.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? LUKE 7:42 KJV.

CREATION:

18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." 19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. GENESIS 2:18-20 RSV.

2006-03-20T13:36:00.000Z

Jesus is Lord and God and Saviour; He is also Brother too!

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, "I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me."

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. 16 For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. HEBREWS 2:10-18 RSV.

Bear in mind that Jesus is your Brother (assuming you have been Born-again) next time you read 1 John 2:9-11.

9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now.
10 He that loves his brother abides in light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 JOHN 2:9-11 Darby.

You may be being kind and hospitable and even gentle but if you are sinning you are sinning against God and against the Lord Jesus Christ who is your Brother. There is never any way of excusing sin (although your flesh will think of many) and there is only one Way of remitting it, that is, by confessing and sinning no more. If you are sinning you are actively hating Jesus Christ and walking in the darkness; could you think you were in the light because of how you relate to or associate with others? It is Written that Love covers a multitude of sins, but that is the Love of God First (you cannot Love anyone without Loving God First for God is Love and if you abide in Him and His Words [commandments] abide in you then and only then you abide in Love. [Where Love is spoken of it is Agape]). If you are not Loving God First then you are sinning no matter what else you are doing. Jesus said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." MARK 12:30 KJV.

7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. GALATIONS 6:7,8 KJV.

2006-03-17T20:42:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. 2 CHRONICLES 19:9 KJV.

But he answering them says, O unbelieving generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him to me. MARK 9:19 Darby.

How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 2 KINGS 18:24 RSV.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:19 KJV.

and showing lovingkindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. EXODUS 20:6 ASV.

for he loves our nation, and at his own expense he built our synagogue for us. LUKE 7:5 Weymouth.

CREATION:

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die." GENESIS 2:16,17 RSV.

Note: in the original Hebrew words behind the translation of "you shall die" (KJV = "thou shalt surely die") there is a figure of speech called 'polyptoton' (or, many inflections - the repetition of the same part of speech in different inflections). In the book Figures of Speech Used in the Bible by E. W. Bullinger he says that the Hebrew would be literally translated as "dying thou shalt die" and in this case puts strong emphasis on the death.

2006-03-16T19:17:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans. 1 CHRONICLES 9:31 ASV.

And Jesus answering said, O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me. MATTHEW 17:17 Darby.

But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 2 KINGS 18:22 KJV.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:7 RSV.

And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him. GENESIS 44:20 Brenton LXX.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. LUKE 6:35 RSV.

CREATION:

8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. GENESIS 2:8-15 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for Thomas' words on the second occasion you appeared to your Disciples after Your Resurrection, "My Lord and my God." I'm glad he said that and I'm glad I have the Honour and Privilege of saying it too.

2006-03-15T11:41:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. 1 CHRONICLES 9:26 ASV.

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. HEBREWS 3:19 KJV.

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. 2 KINGS 18:21 KJV.

I hope, as soon as ever I extend my travels into Spain, to see you on my way and be helped forward by you on my journey, when I have first enjoyed being with you for a time. ROMANS 15:24 Weymouth.

And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, and they hated him, and could not greet him with friendliness. GENESIS 37:4 Darby.

If you love those who love you, what credit is it to you? Why, even bad men love those who love them. LUKE 6:32 Weymouth.

CREATION:

4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up--for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground-- 7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. GENESIS 2:4-7 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, I heard today of the release of a Vietnamese Christian called Pham Ngoc Thach who had been in prison for two years and abused while there. Thankyou that he has been released and is able to return to his family. Please help him to recover physically and to continue in the strength of your Spirit in the Inner Man. Amen.

2006-03-14T09:32:00.000Z

I have a book called PRAYER - A HOLY OCCUPATION. It is composed of selected writtings by Oswald Chambers on the topic of prayer and is divided into 18 sections, each one being in Chambers' opinion a requirement for prayer, namely: Boldness, Childlikeness, Communion, Concentration, Desire, Discipline, Faith, Honesty, Intimacy, Obedience, Patience, Power, Purpose, Silence, Simplicity, Wonder, Work and lastly Worship.

Quite recently I had to make a moral decision in my place of work that I knew nobody else was going to do - so I prayed about it, hoping that God would acknowledge my moral prayer and deal with the thing so I didn't have to. Of course, it didn't work out like that, I had to deal with it myself. So I did. Quite soon after the event I read in PRAYER - A HOLY OCCUPATION, in the section called Discipline, this: "Prayer is often a temptation to bank on a miracle of God instead of on a moral issue; that is, it is much easier to ask God to do my work than it is to do it myself. Until we are disciplined properly, we will always be inclined to bank on God's miracles and refuse to do the moral thing ourselves. It is our job and it will never be done unless we do it."

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

All these chosen to be doorkeepers at the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were registered by genealogy according to their villages: David and Samuel the seer had instituted them in their trust. 1 CHRONICLES 9:22 Darby.

see to it, brethren, that there is never in any one of you--as perhaps there may be--a sinful and unbelieving heart, manifesting itself in revolt from the ever-living God. HEBREWS 3:12 KJV.

Thou hast said, (but they are mere words,) I have counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast revolted from me? 2 KINGS 18:20 Brenton LXX.

and further Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope." ROMANS 15:12 RSV.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. GENESIS 37:3 ASV.

But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, LUKE 6:27 ASV.

CREATION:

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation. GENESIS 2:1-3 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for today! It wasn't up to me to still be alive today but I am. Thanks for being with me in this day that You have made, teach me how to share my days with You in all the seasons I go through. Amen.

2006-03-13T19:16:00.000Z

Faith is not Hope. Faith does not say, I'm hoping what I believe is true - Faith knows that it is true (real) and relates to the Hope correspondingly. My dictionary says for corresponding: having or participating in the same relationship. In terms of Christianity this means having the same access and Relationship with God the Father as Jesus did (Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” -- JOHN 20:17) in the Light (5This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. -- 1 JOHN 1:5-7) and actually participating of the very selfsame nature! (by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. -- 2 PETER 1:4). This is what Faith enables, if you do not enjoy (know and walk/rejoice in) these Gracious Priviledges then your Faith is fake! Faith KNOWS God and LOVES (Obeys) Him!

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

But no reckoning was made with them of the money that was given into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. 2 KINGS 22:7 Darby.

who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing man : but mercy was shewn me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. 1 TIMOTHY 1:13 Darby.

Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? 2 KINGS 18:19 NKJV.

But if we hope for something which we do not see, then we eagerly and patiently wait for it.

His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. GENESIS 34:3 NKJV.

And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. MARK 12:33 NKJV.

CREATION:

24 And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. GENESIS 1:24-31 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for sleep! After a physically or mentally demanding day there is nothing like a good sleep to get away from it all! Lord, please strengthen and confirm me and my Brethren (Your Children) in the world so we can stand before you and be counted worthy of attaining to the Resurrection from the dead (Luke 20:35) and "be satisfied when I [we] awake in Your likeness" (Psalm 17:15) ROMANS 8:25 Weymouth.

2006-03-11T15:52:00.000Z

Is a Disciple of Jesus someone who has undergone a religious rite and is actively involved in religious activities, Bible study etc. or is it someone who is bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. JOHN 15:8 KJV.

It's His fruit that gives us away!

2006-03-11T10:11:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And they did not reckon with the men into whose hand they gave the money to be bestowed on workmen; for they dealt faithfully. 2 KINGS 12:15 Darby translation.

Moreover, if they turn from their unbelief, they too will be grafted in. For God is powerful enough to graft them in again; ROMANS 11:23 Weymouth translation.

He trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among any that were before him. 2 KINGS 18:5 Darby translation.

It is *in hope* that we have been saved. But an object of hope is such no longer when it is present to view; for when a man has a thing before his eyes, how can he be said to hope for it? ROMANS 8:24 Weymouth translation.

And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me. GENESIS 29:32 Darby translation.

"The second is this: 'Thou shalt love thy fellow man as thou lovest thyself.' "Other Commandment greater than these there is none." MARK 12:31 Weymouth translation.

CREATION:

20 And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens." 21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. GENESIS 1:20-23

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, people say you don't get anything for free, but there are websites that provide free software downloads like antivirus software and multimedia software etc. Thanks for these sites and the people who have written the software and shared it for free!

2006-03-10T11:46:00.000Z

But prove yourselves obedient to the Message, and do not be mere hearers of it, imposing a delusion upon yourselves.
For if any one listens but does not obey, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own face in a mirror.
Although he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and has immediately forgotten the sort of man he is.
But he who looks closely into the perfect Law--the Law of freedom--and continues looking, he, being not a hearer who forgets, but an obedient doer, will as the result of his obedience be blessed. JAMES 1:22-25

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. 1 SAMUEL 26:23 ASV.

Right: they have been broken out through unbelief, and *thou* standest through faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: ROMANS 11:20 Darby translation.

And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. --And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. JUDGES 20:36 Darby translation.

unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king! ACTS 26:7 ASV.

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. GENESIS 29:30 ASV.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind and thy whole strength. MARK 12:30 Weymouth translation.

CREATION:

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. GENESIS 1:14-19 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for the Bible. There are so many tools to study it which have become available to us through the faithful and diligent work of past Christians - thankyou for the work of these people and for the access we enjoy in this part of the world to their work. Please teach us as Children to study and grow in your Word. Amen.

2006-03-09T09:40:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. DEUTERONOMY 32:4 KJV.

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God ROMANS 4:20 RSV.

Hezekiah trusted in the LORD God of Israel; not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. 2 KINGS 18:5 KJV.

At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him. ACTS 24:26 KJV.

Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." GENESIS 29:18 KJV.

And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." MARK 10:21 RSV.

CREATION:

9 And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth." And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. GENESIS 1:9 - 13 RSV.

THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for music - musical instruments, musicians and singers. I am not a musician but I appreciate the skills musicians have developed in order to play instuments well. Songs can stir and move us in a unique way - thankyou for God honouring music and musicians and singers and that I am able to hear them in the first place!

2006-03-08T10:20:00.000Z

For all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, they are mine: the soul that sins, it shall die. EZEKIEL 18:4 Brenton LXX.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. JAMES 1:13 - 15 KJV.

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 KJV.

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. LUKE 15:24 KJV.

As soon as a Christian sins, that soul dies - in less than a second it is dead.
That soul, because of the deceitfulness of sin may allow itself to become deceived into thinking it hasn't sinned and is still Right-With-God, that is, that it hasn't just died.
It takes the guilt/conviction of the Holy Spirit and the Honesty of that soul to enable that soul to Repent again.
As soon as that soul confesses their sin and Repents again they become Alive-again, instantly.
This is only possible because of Jesus' Blood which was shed for the Remission of sins.
Repenting of sin to God means, 'going and sinning no more' (see John 5:14; 8:11).
It means 'bearing fruit meet for Repentance' (see Matthew 3:8; Acts 26:20).
It means 'having your fruit unto Holiness and the end - everlasting Life' (see Romans 6:22)
It means Crucifying the flesh and walking in it no more (Gal 5:24), instead, walking in the Spirit (Rom 8:1,4; Gal 5:16).
This is the great Power of Jesus' Blood - to make Free from the Power of sin (John 8:30-36) and to enable access to the Presence of God perpetually (Rm 5:2; Eph 2:18; 3:12), by the Cross daily (Luke 9:23).
This also is the 'circumcision made without hands' (Col 2:11), the denial and killing of the 'attitude' or 'life' of the flesh (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5).
The circumcision is only performed at the will of the believer, that is, that soulmust choose itself to be circumcised by the Hearing and Obeying of Faith (Deut 10:16; 30:6; 2 Chron 30:8; Acts 7:51; Heb 3:15; 4:7).
This IS the Relationship every soul must have with God in order to have Life (Him), to Hear Him and Obey Him.
This is the essence of the New Testament: to stop sinning and turn to God for Life [Eternal], to be Led by the voice of the Holy Spirit bearing His Holy fruit in good thoughts and words and works, and to abide/remain/continue faithful in this [daily] until the end - that is - until your death or His Son's Return.

2006-03-08T10:19:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And Moses' hands were heavy; then they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on this side, and one on that side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. EXODUS 17:12 Darby translation.

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? ROMANS 3:3 RSV.

And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; and the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted in the ambuscade which they had prepared against Gabaa. JUDGES 20:36 Brenton translation of the Septuagint.

"Do not suppose that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, namely Moses, on whom your hope rests. JOHN 4:45 Weymouth translation.

And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved. GENESIS 27:14 KJV.

And the second is similar to it: 'THOU SHALT LOVE THY FELLOW MAN AS MUCH AS THYSELF.' MATTHEW 22:39 Weymouth translation.

2006-03-08T10:17:00.000Z

CREATION:

6 And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." 7 And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. GENESIS 1:6-8 RSV.

2006-03-08T09:42:00.000Z

THANKSGIVING:

Thankyou Lord that my Pilgrimage isn't to find Your Presence at the end of life but that your Presence goes with me through this life. Thankyou that Jesus gave His Life (Blood) so that I could come out from hiding from you, be cleansed from my sin and enjoy Fellowship with you Personally and intimately. Amen.

2006-03-07T11:07:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. ISAIAH 26:2 KJV.

Afterwards as they lay at table he was manifested to the eleven, and reproached them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen. MARK 16:14 Darby translation.

And the children of Dan took what Michaias had made, and the priest that he had, and they came to Laisa, to a people quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. JUDGES 18:27 Brenton translation of the Septuagint.

But we hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel. Yea and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things came to pass. LUKE 24:21 American Standard Version.

Go to the flock, and fetch me two good kids, that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he loves. GENESIS 27:9 Revised Standard Version.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. MATTHEW 22:27 KJV.

CREATION:

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was (Or, *became) without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. GENESIS 1:1-5 RSV

*see note on Gen 1:2 in "The Companion Bible" by E. W. Bullinger

EXCERPT(S) FROM: THE IMITATION OF CHRIST (Book 1 chapter 15.)

"Without Love, external work produces nothing, but whatever is done for Love, however small and contemptible, becomes wholly fruitful."

"O, he who has a spark of True Love should surely feel all earthly things to be utterly void."

THANKSGIVING:

Thankyou Lord for the rain that you give to the Earth and fruitful seasons which "fill our hearts with food and gladness". (see Acts 14:17) And thankyou also for the men and women whose lives are dedicated to agriculture and farming. Please bless them in their work and give them an appreciation that all they help to produce - crops and livestock - were your idea and are created by you for us. Please Lord, touch the lives of those farmers that don't know you so they may come to Repentance and join in praising the God of Creation. Amen.

Thine are the heavens, the earth also is thine; the world and its fulness, *thou* hast founded them. PSALM 89:11 Darby translation.

Keep on Praying

2006-03-06T10:35:00.000Z

A thought on Prayer:

Jesus says we must believe our own prayers and that we should persevere in praying them - not to give up.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. MATTHEW 21:22

18:1 He also taught them by a parable that they must always pray and never lose heart.
18:2 "In a certain town," He said, "there was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man.
18:3 And in the same town was a widow who repeatedly came and entreated him, saying, "'Give me justice and stop my oppressor.'
18:4 "For a time he would not, but afterwards he said to himself, "'Though I have neither reverence for God nor respect for man,
18:5 yet because she annoys me I will give her justice, to prevent her from constantly coming to pester me.'"
18:6 And the Lord said, "Hear those words of the unjust judge.
18:7 And will not God avenge the wrongs of His own People who cry aloud to Him day and night, although He seems slow in taking action on their behalf?
18:8 Yes, He will soon avenge their wrongs. Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?" LUKE 18:1-8 Weymouth translation.

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but it is hard to find a faithful man. PROVERBS 20:6 Brenton translation of the Septuagint.

Immediately the father cried out, "I do believe: strengthen my weak faith." MARK 9:24 Weymouth translation.

When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth. JUDGES 18:10 KJV.

To Herod the sight of Jesus was a great gratification, for, for a long time, he had been wanting to see Him, because he had heard so much about Him. He hoped also to see some miracle performed by Him. LUKE 23:8 Weymouth translation.

And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. GENESIS 27:4 KJV.

Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. MATTHEW 19:19 KJV.

An excerpt from THE IMITATION OF CHRIST, book 1, chapter 14:

"Old habit is hard to give up, and no one is easily led beyond his own point of view. If you lean more on your reason and activity than on the subjective power of Jesus Christ, seldom or tardily will you become enlightened: for God wants us to be perfectly submissive to Him, and borne beyond all reasoning by a burning Love."

The Gospel comes First

2006-03-05T09:44:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. PROVERBS 14:5 KJV.

And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching. MARK 6:6 American Standard Version (1901).

Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. JUDGES 18:7 KJV.

And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. LUKE 6:34 Revised Standard Version.

Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. GENESIS 25:28 Revised Standard Version.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. MATTHEW 6:24 KJV.

A thought on 'church' culture:

No 'church' can save any man from his sins. No denomination is above or below any other in righteousness before God and no ordinance of any 'church' can provide a means of finding favour with God. Alter calls, communions, prayer recitals, singing etc etc are all part of man's creation called church (Yes church is spoken of in the New Testament but it is not the same thing as what church refers to today). I am not saying that absolutely all churches are disconnected from God, I am saying that religious practise is NOT associated with having a Relationship with the Living God, even Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus left us with ordinances to keep but without the preaching of the Gospel FIRST there is no Life or meaning to those ordinances - they are empty observances (The Gospel is not the Gospel if it does not declare sin, Repentance, New Life[Re-Birth], Obedience, Endurance, Resurrection, Love). Jesus said you must be Born-Again and until this occurs, that is, without the Holy Spirit, anything you do, in any aspect of your life, profits you nothing! It's the Spirit that gives Life. Get the Spirit! Ask and it will be given to you! Then the Spirit will Lead you into all Truth!

Fear comes First

2006-03-04T17:46:00.000Z

I pondered Hebrews 11:7 today and then read the narrative of how Noah was "Divinely warned".

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with Godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. HEBREWS 11:7 New King James Version.

It seems that Hope didn't really come into the equation anywhere in the Salvation of Noah and his household - only Fear! Yes, it says 'by Faith' but Faith cannot exist without FEAR (Or, Love). Faith is that behaviour in accordance with God's Word out of Fear (Or, Love)!

Jesus had 'His [God's] Fear' in His heart (see Jeremiah 32:40) and as such always did those things that pleased Him (John 8:29), said those things He was told to say (John 12:50), and Obeyed those commandments God gave Him to Obey even unto the death on a Cross (see John 10:18; 14:31; Philippians 2:27 and Isaiah 53:12).

As Children of God we too are to 'Fear God and keep His commandments' (See Ecclesiastes 12:13) in working out our Salvation.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now 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 do for His good pleasure. PHILIPPIANS 2:12,13 New King James Version

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 CORINTHIANS 7:1 NKJV

submitting to one another in the fear of God. EPHESIANS 5:21 NKJV

2006-03-04T11:41:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful ambassador brings health. PROVERBS 13:17 New King James Version.

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. MATTHEW 17:19,20 New King James Version.

Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. JUDGES 9:26 New King James Version.

And on his name shall the nations rest their hopes. MATTHEW 12:21 Weymouth translation.

Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. GENESIS 24:67 New King James Version.

For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that? MATTHEW 5:46 Weymouth translation.

2006-03-03T17:08:00.000Z

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE

And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faithfulness. DEUT 32:20 Darby translation.

And he did not there many works of power, because of their unbelief. MATTHEW 13:58 Darby translation.

And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and strong walls wherein thou trustedst come down, throughout all thy land; and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates in all thy land, which Jehovah thy God hath given thee. DEUTERONOMY 28:52 Darby translation.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Highest; for *he* is good to the unthankful and wicked. LUKE 6:35 Darby translation.

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son , whom thou lovest, Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and there offer him up for a burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. GENESIS 22:2 Darby translation.

"You have heard that it was said, 'THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR and hate thine enemy.' But I command you all, love your enemies, and pray for your persecutors; that so you may become true sons of your Father in Heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do wrong. MATTHEW 5:43-45 Weymouth translation.

2006-03-03T14:06:00.000Z

JOHN 13:1-17

1Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
8Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
12So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

~~~ ~~~

JAMES 1:22-25

22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

~~~ ~~~

PROVERBS 16:20

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.

Daily Cross

2006-02-28T11:14:00.000Z

Someone recently expressed to me their belief that being in the Body of Christ requires meeting together regularly and that if this is not done then you are not a member of the Body of Christ - this person (who is not alone in thinking this) assumes that all members of Christ's Body should be together as often as possible and want this.

In the New Testament I see membership of the Body of Christ as being simply - that the Body (Church) are those that are subject to Jesus Christ as their Lord on a daily basis!

23Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. LUKE 9:23

23For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. EPHESIANS 5:23, 24

18And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. COLOSSIANS 1:18

24I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, COLOSSIANS 1:24

Lord, teach us the true meanings of your words and concepts and forgive us of the times we have cast you off as Lord and despised the Cross.

2006-02-25T11:29:00.000Z

The Tenth Chapter of Book 1 (Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul) of

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

Avoiding Idle Talk

SHUN the gossip of men as much as possible, for discussion of worldly affairs, even though sincere, is a great distraction inasmuch as we are quickly ensnared and captivated by vanity.

Many a time I wish that I had held my peace and had not associated with men. Why, indeed, do we converse and gossip among ourselves when we so seldom part without a troubled conscience? We do so because we seek comfort from one another’s conversation and wish to ease the mind wearied by diverse thoughts. Hence, we talk and think quite fondly of things we like very much or of things we dislike intensely. But, sad to say, we often talk vainly and to no purpose; for this external pleasure effectively bars inward and divine consolation.

Therefore we must watch and pray lest time pass idly.

When the right and opportune moment comes for speaking, say something that will edify.

Bad habits and indifference to spiritual progress do much to remove the guard from the tongue. Devout conversation on spiritual matters, on the contrary, is a great aid to spiritual progress, especially when persons of the same mind and spirit associate together in God.

[The entire book can be read online at the Christian Classics Etheral Library - a link to which should be supplied in the list of links on the right-hand-side of this page]

Around the World in ? days

2006-02-20T14:26:00.000Z

33When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” ACTS 5:33-39

44Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And you are witnesses of these things. 49Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. LUKE 24:44-53

1When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ACTS 2:1-4

1Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
5And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
23And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
27“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. ACTS 4:1-31

3We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; COL 1:3-6

21And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. COL 1:21-23

THE GOSPEL AND ITS PREACHING DIDN'T COME TO NOTHING BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN OF GOD.

9And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.” REV 5:9,10

12“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
14Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
17And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
18For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. REV 22:12-21

Give Thanks!

2006-02-17T12:42:00.000Z

I found myself half singing half humming a few lines of a song today so I looked up the lyrics on the internet and posted them here for you to read...

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Words and Music by Henry Smith
©1978 Integrity's Hosanna! Music

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks
Give thanks

2006-02-12T20:13:00.000Z

I have been encouraged to do more sharing on a number of occassions so I thought I would share what the Lord said to me today (after I had asked Him to say something to me!)

It is a short quotation from The Imitation of Christ. It comes from the 7th part of the section called reminders useful for the spiritual life.

"Let it be no shame to you to serve others for love of Christ and be looked upon as poor in this world"

Read on and take note!

2006-01-22T21:07:00.000Z

I'd like to draw your attention to another verse today, which I feel people ignore the end of - Ephesians 3:20

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"

The first part is great! It says God is able to do "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think"! Wow, that's a lot! And look at the words used there, there are 3 of them: exceedingly, abundantly and above. It doesn't just say 'above and beyond' or, 'abundantly above', they sound absolutely fine and who would complain or argue about them? No, God's Word goes further than that and exceedingly so! Lets look at some dictionary meanings for those words.

For 'above' (as a preposition) My Merriam Webster's Collegiate 10th edition says,

1 : in or to a higher place than : OVER
2 a : superior to (as in rank, quality, or degree) b : out of reach of c : in preference to d : too proud or honorable to stoop to
3 : exceeding in number, quantity, or size : more than
4 : as distinct from and in addition to heard the whistle above the roar of the crowd

There's some interesting senses there. Number 3, more than is a simple enough definition, let's use it and replace the word above with the words more than.

"Now to Him who is able to do more than all that we ask or think..."

That doesn't sound all that bad does it? But Paul didn't say those words, there's more.

Abundantly is an adverb. Adverbs modify (or change) verbs, adjectives, prepositions and other adverbs etc. Abundant means,

1 a : marked by great plenty (as of resources) *a fair and abundant land* b : amply supplied : ABOUNDING *an area abundant with bird life*
2 : occurring in abundance : AMPLE *abundant rainfall*
synonyms see PLENTIFUL

Abundantly then adds the thought of a generously greater amount more than or, plentiously more than, or even a whooole much more than.

"Now to Him who is able to do much-generously more than all that we ask or think..."

Let's not stop there. One more word to go. Exceedingly!

: to an extreme degree : EXTREMELY

There ya go. I'd prefer to keep the word exceedingly in, it reads better.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly much-generously more than all that we ask or think..."

You can't picture how much that is, it's just so much! It keeps going on and on! That's the point, and we think it's a marvelous one don't we?! Infact, I don't know about you but sometimes it annoys me that I can't comprehend just how generous God can be and that towards me of all people!

So there is the good part, the part that 'wows' us and causes us to hope and dream of big answers to prayer - I feel that this verse is usually connected to prayer requests. But the part that I didn't notice for a while was the last part,

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"

It doesn't say, according to the power of prayer, or, according to His almighty power - it says, according to THE power (which power? The one that...) works IN US. In my eyes that means that we, you and I, the Born-Again believers in and Children of God are inextricably linked to God's ability to DO stuff for us and in us and before us. That kinda spoils our comfy idea of gettin some big answers to prayer - an all we had to do was pray! No, it seems that God wants to change things in us and BY us (and probably nothin's gonna change BY us if it isn't first changed IN us!). And another thing, these aren't necessarily things that have to do with your own hopes, ambitions and dreams or that of your family etc. God has His own mind and plan. I'm not too experienced in walking with God, but I've learned that I have to let go of things and do His stuff that He has led me to do and Trust Him with it all! Sheesh, talk about walking on water!

So you see, the last part of that verse is vital to our understanding of the whole. It kinda puts a burden of responsibility on you, don't ya think?! I mean 'the Power' can be none other than the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ that is in me, and I'm not my own (see 1 Cor 6:19). No, when I gave my life over to Him I became His property and He did something for me that no-one else could do in that He (as Sinless) died for me and fogave me my sins (upon my Repentance), and He did something IN me that no-one else could do in that He gave me Life and a New God-Honouring nature. There is another verse in Ephesians I want to link and it speaks both of being God's property and being re-created in-Him, Ephesians 2:10,

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

It is these good works that God has prepared for us that I have a sneaky suspicion might have something to do with the exceedingly abundantly above stuff. After all, Jesus did say,

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father (by the Spirit's leading to the Pilgrims daily Cross). John 14:12

Hmmm, seems that believing in Jesus means WORK! (For the record, I think Jesus said, 'He who believes in Me' a total of 6 times: John 6:35, 6:47, 7:38, 11:25, 12:44, 14:12)

The Greek word translated as 'Power' in Ephesians 3:20 is dunamis, it appears a total of 5 times in Ephesians. Why not study what these verses say, they are: Eph 1:19 (1st 'power' only), Eph 1:21(KJV='might'), Eph 3:7, Eph 3:16(KJV='might'), Eph 3:20.

Please read the WHOLE verse......please!

2006-01-21T13:29:00.000Z

Today I just wanted to post a verse that I think people quote only partially, neglecting to finish it and thus miss the Truth of the complete word being said. (A 'partial truth' is non-existent - it's not real - it's NOT TRUE)

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
ISAIAH 40:31

Most people stop reading and thinking at the "wings like eagles" part and dream of a trouble-free, boredom-free, uninhibited, unhindered, joy filled, pleasurable life with God. They think of this soaring high with God as the pinnacle of experiencial life with God and the only real mark and end of actually knowing Him. But infact, the reality of that verse is that the flying on wings is the first of 3 DOWNWARD steps not the top of 3 upward steps. We move down from flying like an eagle to running without weariness and from there further down to walking without fainting. No-one gets excited about the ability to do the latter two do they? "Wow, I will be able to run and not be weary! and even better, I will be able to walk and not faint!" I mean, we walk every day, some of us run - it's not that hard to do really, but as for flying, hmmm, nope!

Read through any book of the New Testament and you will see that the Christian life is not described as one spent up in the air above the earth but as one with feet firmly fixed on the ground as endurance runners and Pilgrims! - hence the running and walking (yet all the while we are citizens of Heaven.). The connection to feet outnumbers that to wings by 2:1! Feet are used more than wings - nevertheless there are apparently times for using and developing wings.

In his wonderful book 'Figures of Speech Used in the Bible' E.W. Bullinger identifies a figure of speech in this verse called, catabasis (gradual descent) and says:

"Cat-ab-a-sis, a going down: from kata, down, and basis, a going. This is the opposite of Anabasis, and is used to emphasize humiliation, degredation, sorrow, etc.
The Latins called it DECREMENTUM, i.e., decrease - an increase in the opposite direction, an increase of depreciation."

Specific to Isaiah 40:31 he says:

"The figure Catabasis here illustrates the effect of growth in Grace. At first the believer flies; but as his experience increases he runs and at the end of his course he walks. Like Paul who first said "I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles" (2 Cor 11:5, 12:11). Later he writes, I "am less than the least of all the Saints" (Eph 3:8); while at the end of his life he says, I am the chief of sinners! (1 Tim 1:15)."

But don't think that the depreciation from flying to walking equals a depreciation in Joy! While thinking about this I remembered a verse that I feel is linked, Phil 1:25,

"And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,"

A Pilgrim's progress is not made in the air but on the ground and all progress brings Joy to the one who gave due diligence in doing the Word of God. This Joy is the very same Joy that Jesus Christ Himself had in Fellowship with the Father while He 'dwelt' (tabernacled) on the earth.

I haven't been Walking with God for many years but when I see how I have changed, even in little ways, it gives me Joy - because I am not only with Jesus, I am in Him too and being confomed to His image. Imagine that!

Do you think God gets anything out of our Joyful Progress of Faith? Truly, our Progress is dependent upon our submitting to God's discipline and correction, or in a word, Love (see Proverbs 3:12). Do you think God likes it when we obey this discipline and direction/correction? After all, our Love to God is our obedience to His every Word (John 14:15,21,23,24) and this Love is, as I have reliably been told, back-at-cha!

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.
Prov 8:17

God's Discipline IS Truth and Love. So when we get in line with His correction what we are doing is walking in Truth (see 2 John 1:4), and as John says, as a Father it gives him "no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth." (3 John 1:4)

May all of God's Children take time to spend time in God's Word with Him at their side and then to listen and watch for Him and Obey Him.

"...the form of this world is passing away." 1 Corinthians 7:31.

2005-12-29T15:59:00.000Z

1 John 2:
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

If anyone loves the world...Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? James 4:4,5.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh...For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:13,14.

...the lust of the eyes...Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way. Psalm 119:36,37.

...and the pride of life...The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Proverbs 8:13.

...but he who does the will of God abides forever...Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever. Psalm 125:1.

Grace COMMANDS Crucifixion - our own - Daily! (Lk 9:23; Acts 17:30; Rom 8:13; Col 3:5)

2005-12-26T22:45:00.000Z

I have heard some that claim the name of Jesus Christ and His Lordship say that because they are not under law but under Grace there are no "DOs and DON'Ts" in the Christian Life. They say DOs and DON'Ts are "legalistic" and that the obeying of rules, regulations and commandments is the stuff of the Old Testament (Old Covenant) which has passed and been superseded by the New Covenant (in Jesus' Blood) which is Grace.

Yes, the New Covenant has superseded the Old but the problem lies in what these people think the New Covenant (in Jesus' precious Blood) achieved and permits. Put simply, they believe and teach that the Grace of God in giving His only begotten son for the sins of the world means guarenteed forgiveness for every sin they commit - that is - license to sin yet remain free from God's wrath.

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude verse 4

I don't want to say much about these lies except that those that teach them are those that Peter says have "forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" and are a total perversion of what God intended and achieved in the Crucifixion and subsequent Resurrection of His Son. The Grace and Truth of Jesus' Life of self denial and obedience unto death on a Cross opened up a Way for every soul that will to return to God with all their hearts. There are a bunch of names for this Way in the Bible:
The Way of the Lord (Matthew 3:3)
The Way of Righteousness (Matthew 21:32)
The Way of God (Matthew 22:16)
The Way of Peace (Luke 1:79)
The Way of Salvation (Acts 16:17)
The Way of Truth (2 Peter 2:2)

This Way can only be traversed and prosecuted in and by true Repentance - compliance with (obedience) and conformity to Jesus Christ's very own Words - both those Written in our Bibles and those spoken by Him (personally!) in Spirit to us (personally!). These selfsame Spiritual Words are [Resurrection] Life to us - they are part of what coming to Jesus and learning from Him means (in yoked fellowship - see Matt 11:28-30) and in my opinion are the very Laws of the Spirit of Life:

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 8:2

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
2 Cor 3:17

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."
John 6:63

This means taking up our own Crosses and Following Him Daily (Luke 9:23)

What I originally intended to say in this blog was that there ARE DOs and DON'Ts in the Christian discipline, two of which I wanted to highlight are found in Matthew 6:19-21,

19“DO NOT lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20but [DO] lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

And in John 6:27,

"DO NOT labor for the food which perishes, but [DO *LABOR*] for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Those DOs and DON'Ts seem to be contrary to our survival and prosperity on Earth don't they?! I mean we have to eat and we have to keep aside some money for the future or use it to take care of our own lives - like buying FOOD Lord!!! Hmmm.

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4

Or in other words, 'in and by the Laws of God's Kingdom of Life'.
Matthew 6:25-34 says,

25“Therefore I say to you, do not -->worry about your life<--, what you will EAT or what you will DRINK; nor about your body, -->what you will put on<--. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31“Therefore do not -->worry<--, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But [DO] -->seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness<--, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not -->worry about tomorrow<--, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble [KJV says 'evil' here].

Does the sheer audacity of those instructions from your Lord not awake the desire for Faith to Live by them?!

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
Luke 11:9,10

These are the kinds things I wanted to say in this blog. I thank God I have the means and resources to share these Biblical Words with you!

Will you continue in obedience? (Acts 6:7, 14:22; Rom 1:5, 16:26; Col 1:23)

2005-12-16T11:02:00.000Z

First of all let me say that I am not a Theologian, a Greek or Hebrew scholar, nor do I have any 'qualifications' in anything related to those things. I am a Christian who studies the Bible alone (with God) and uses such good resources as 'Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible', 'A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament' and the excellent free downloadable Bible software program e-sword (see the links to the right).

Yesterday I posted several verses from the New Testament showing how the Apostles taught that Salvation is consummated upon the Return or Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

However, just because Jesus will appear again doesn't necessarily mean you will be Saved by Him - there are conditions to be met (I have a list of 47 things the New Testament says we are 'Saved by' courtesy of the writer of the blog, 'Pilgrim's Path Daily'.)

2 Thessalonians 1:7,8 says,

"7and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So you see, in order to escape the vengeance of God you must be getting to know Him and must be obeying the Gospel. But there is no sense in obeying the Gospel for a while and then stopping, there will be no reward for that, only shame and punishment.

That is why Jesus said,

"And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."
Matt 10:22

AND,

"By your patience possess your souls."
Luke 21:19

Obeying the Gospel (or, sometimes referred to as 'obeying the Faith') requires endurance/perseverance/patience (different Bible translations use different words).

So the connection between yesterday's blog on waiting long or enduring waiting for Jesus' Return and today's blog on obedience is ENDURANCE. Waiting for Him requires endurance because you must wait while applying yourself to obeying the Gospel - this means denying yourself and taking up your own Cross every day as Jesus says in Luke 9:23,

"Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

Hebrews 10:35-39 says we need endurance(or, patience) to last until His Coming and so be Saved.

35Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

apekdechomai = endure waiting [for Salvation at Christ's Return]

2005-12-15T20:31:00.000Z

Today I thought of the Promise of Jesus Christ's Coming back to Earth and how unimaginable it really is! I suppose there are many people who profess to be Christians that don't believe Jesus will return. Surely this is as much a crucial part of the Gospel as the Crucifixion and Resurrection and Ascension? I don't think it is safe to discount ANY part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - wether you understand it or not or can imagine it or not. Does the New Testament not teach that the end of our Faith is Jesus Christ's return unto our Salvation?

"8 whom (Jesus) having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls."
1 Peter 1:8,9

"so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait (or wait long, or, endure waiting) for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."
Hebrews 9:28

So you see, the end of a genuine Christian's unfeigned Faith is the Salvation of their soul at the second appearance of Jesus Christ. Paul refers to the same event as 'the adoption - the redemption of our body' and says it is in this very Hope that we were saved. I just Hope you, the reader, consider Paul's and the other Apostles' words to be definitive and decisive on what is Gospel Truth and what is not!

"23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting(or, waiting long, or, enduring waiting) for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait(or, wait long, or, endure waiting) for it with perseverance."
Romans 8:23-25

We need to persevere in the Faith. That is, we need to be diligent in the attention we give to God's Word and our Daily focus on it.

Let me finish by quoting some verses of Scripture. I only intended to quote these for this blog, not write anything of my own. Here they are for your reading and attention.

32 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"
Mark 13:32-36

7 "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment."
James 5:7-12

9"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."
2 Peter 3:9-18

All I did was TALK to God - HONEST!

2005-12-11T21:44:00.000Z

Today I prayed for someone I was working with, God answered part of that prayer and I was pleasantly surprised! To be honest I wasn't really expecting much of an answer I was simply taking a moment to hang out with God and take a brief 'time-out' from the stuff I was doing etc. It was one of those occasions when I just thought I would mention to God something that I had noticed or heard in someone else and decided to bring it to God - not that He didn't already know about it - but I just thought I would bring it to God. Prayer's funny really. I don't know about you but when I think about prayer I tend to make connections to my own worries and fears etc and big important things like Bible Study and being Led by the Holy Spirit etc. Yes, all those things can and should be prayed about, but prayer isn't for those things alone. Infact, I am coming to see that prayer isn't 'made' for anything other than simple, even child-like communication with God - 'chat' if you like. If prayer is simply talking to God then prayer is 'chat' and if we expect to hear back from God then prayer is also listening. I think because we have access to God through Jesus we shouldn't be afraid to use that access to be so bold as to chat to God and talk about mundane, insignificant things. It's not as if there are 'bouncers' or doormen checking us out before we come to God that are going to turn us away because we aren't bringing the right kind of prayer! (just make sure your shoes are smart!)! No, I'm sure that God Loves to hear from us about anything and everything, we just don't seem to realise it. What about these verses,

"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." Eph 2:18

"in whom(Christ Jesus) we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him." Eph 3:12

"through whom(our Lord Jesus Christ) also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom 5:2

So I took the time to take a moment to talk to God in quiet - ended up merely mentioning something that was bothering someone else and making what I thought was a rather meager effort at requesting help for this person, unsure whether God wanted my involvment - it's possible he could have - but I just left it that He didn't, or rather that I didn't feel that I had the confidence to do what I thought He might want me to do.

So I left that prayer time, having mumbled something to God and left it at that. I knew I had spoken to God and I knew He had heard me and I knew I was on my way back to the unquietness of mundane work etc! I wasn't full of expectation in ANY way. In fact I left that brief prayer time feeling as if I had decided to 'bottle out' on God. THAT'S why I was surprised when what I requested HAPPENED.

I dunno, all I did was speak informally to the Creator of the universe! Prayer, along with other things in the life of a Pilgrim is gonna take some gettin used to!