29/10/2009
Matthew 6:9 (KJV)
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, etc.”
The Lord’s Prayer flows from certain spiritual convictions in the believer. Convictions created in him by the Holy Spirit in the believer’s daily walk with Him.
The prayer begins with the acknowledgement of my adoption into the family of God, “Our Father.” I must be ‘born-again’ before I can pray any acceptable prayer. I will only be able to lift such prayers sincerely and with true conviction if I am not resisting the Holy Spirit’s workings in me each day.
27/10/2009
2Timothy 2:11 (KJV)
“It is a faithful saying.”
Paul’s four ‘faithful sayings’:
1. 1Timothy 1:5 “… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” I’m to make sure that I have truly been born again. Then as a believer I’m called to prepare myself with the knowledge to be able to lead a lost sinner to receive Christ as their Saviour.
2. 1Timothy 4:6 “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” ‘Living godly’ is living God’s way. According to His values and His revealed will. This will always be profitable to a Christian because the Lord has promised profitability in all things when we live godly. All things – my personal life with God; my service; and all areas of life have the same promise.
3. 2 Timothy 2:11 “- If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with him.” The only ‘if’ about suffering is if I am true to the Lord. Trials and suffering will be the lot of the true believer. The Scriptures assure, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Timothy 3:12) James chapter one explains the place of trials in the development of the believer. This faithful saying assures the believer that the time will come, with Him in Heaven, where we will reign with Him. In the context of eternity that time will be soon.
4. Titus 3:3 “…, they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” The ‘good works’ don’t have anything to do with getting saved from sin’s penalty. They are the way the believer acknowledges the Lord’s presence by the way we do things in life. The life of the believer is to be a living example of the believer’s life with God.
26/10/2009
Haggai 1:9 (KJV)
“Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when y brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his house.”
What a sad moment it is when we are brought to realize that we have been putting the Lord, and His purposes, second to our own agenda or pleasure. This is the way of the carnal, feeding the flesh rather that the spirit (Gal. 6:7-8).
What a relief when I am reminded that I may confess my sin and be cleansed of all unrighteousness! (1John 1:9) However disappointed I am, I’m not to indulge in the disappointment and self pity. That will merely extend the period that I bring shame, instead of glory to the Lord. Thus keeping myself from usefulness to the Lord. I’m to confess my sin and to return to fellowship with Him and usefulness in His service as soon as possible!
23/10/2009
John 6:23 (KJV)
“Will ye also go away”
Some who had followed the Lord Jesus up to this point, now turned away. This group represents those who were never fully following the Lord. There are many like these in the world and in local churches. They are for the Christian faith up to a point. In both cases it would not take a lot for them to be offended and leave the local church or abandon the Lord.
Peter’s response was, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” – John 6:68-69. Peter represents those who have been won to
Christ. Who have been completely won to Christ. Trials, hardships, suffering and even death couldn’t separate true believers from their God. These KNOW that God, through Christ, has saved them from the penalty of sin and they now walk with Him in this life. They are looking forward to life with Him in eternity.
22/10/2008
Hosea 14:4 (KJV)
“I will love them freely.”
The longer I walk with the Lord. And the more I get to know Him as Almighty God, holy and intolerant of sin. The more I wonder at His love for me. The more grateful I am for the mercy and grace I experience in His dealings with me. It is hard to comprehend the Lord being so holy, yet also being able to love me – someone so sinful.
What this very point sheds light on is what getting saved accomplishes for me. The Lord does not compromise His holiness to love me. The blood of the Lord Jesus so cleanses me, when I received Him as Saviour, that He makes me worthy of His love. I have been given the righteousness of Christ! This is my position as a son of God. My daily condition will depend on my obedience and co-operation with the Holy Spirit as He works towards getting my daily condition to be closer and closer to my perfect position in Christ.
21/10/2009
2 Corinthians 5:14 (KJV)
“The love of Christ constraineth us.”
Paul claims the love of his Saviour motivates him. Why does our Saviour’s love for us not motivate us as much as it motivated the apostle Paul? If we could know how Paul became so motivated by our Saviours love, then surely we too could learn to appreciate our Saviour’s love as he did?
Paul firstly understood what his Saviour had done for him. He will have taken the time to carefully consider what his Saviour had done for him. He would have got those facts clear in his understanding:
- The Lord Jesus come into the world, He created, that He knew would reject Him (John 1)
- The Lord Jesus took all of mans sin upon His perfectly holy self. Creating a division between Himself and the other persons of the Godhead for the first time ever!
Amazing love!
Paul would have considered what the Lord, in His love, made him to be the moment he received Christ as Saviour (Romans 8).
Lastly, Paul would have his personal experience of being loved by the Lord in his personal walk to go by. Believers who do not strive to acknowledge the Lord in all that they do will know little of their Saviour’s love by personal experience (Proverbs 3:5, 6).
All in all the love of Christ was not just what he heard, or read, about. It was something real to him. Paul could say with complete conviction that he KNEW that his Saviour loved him! And therefore he was very strongly motivated to love Him back.
20/10/2009
Ephesians 4:15 (KJV)
“Grow up into him in all things.”
The average modern believer does not ‘grow up.’ They seem to resist the Lord’s efforts (Philippians 1:6) to conform them to the image of Christ (to be changed to become like Christ). To be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). Like the non-christian they want to have their own agenda (dreams / goals) in life. The thought of being a ‘ living sacrifice; (Romans 12:1) does not form any part of their thinking. For this reason growing, maturing Christians around them are concerned for their souls. They show no definite spiritual life.
Those who are truly born again will give clear evidence of new life with Christ. They will not be indifferent to God and His will. If you are concerned about whether or not you have been saved from the penalty of your sin go to our How To Be Saved page.
19/10/2009
1 Corinthians 3:1 (KJV)
“Babes in Christ”
It is a comforting truth that the young and old in Christ are equally sons and daughters in Christ. The weak and strong are equally loved by their heavenly Father. In times that my weakness is made painfully plain to me, I’m to remember that though weak I’m no less a child of God that any other believer.
If I am weak today, I must not allow the comforting fact of my position as a son of God to lull me into inaction. I do not glorify my God by remaining weak. I must make an effort by regular private devotions and meditation on the scriptures I read (and those I am taught). Always trusting that the Holy Spirit will open spiritual truths to my understanding.
This effort will bring trials, designed by the Holy Spirit to strengthen and mature me in the faith. I must expect them and meet them with a holy determination. That, with the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will bring glory to my Father in the trials. I can take enormous comfort knowing that the trials, prepared by a loving Father, will not be too much for me to bear. (I Corinthians 10:13 “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.")
15/10/2009
Malachi 3:2 (KJV)
“But who may abide the day of his coming.”
Everyone must answer this question for themselves. I must be sure that when the church is taken from this world in the rapture, that I am included. I am part of the church if I have received Christ as Saviour. This is not referring to the local church but to the ‘body of Christ’, or all who have ever received Christ to save them from the penalty of their sin.
We are urged to be certain that we are truly in the faith. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate?” 2 Cor. 13:5
Click on the following link to see what the Bible says about being saved from your sin, and reconcilled to God. How to be saved
14/10/2009
Philippians 3:8 (KJV)
“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.”
The context is stated in v4 - confidence in the flesh. Previous to Paul’s conversion, he glorified in who he was (his heritage as a Jew and his position as a Pharisee) and what he had done (zealously persecuted the church – the supposed enemy of Israel). Now that he was saved, and reconciled to God, he could see the emptiness of such fleshly, prideful pursuits. The only things that had true value are the things that the Lord values:
- The souls of the lost
- The saved being changed to be like Christ (In their character and their lives)
- The saved getting to know God and love Him with all their being
For Paul knowing Christ as Saviour, and there after getting to know Almighty God in his daily walk with Him, was what life was all about. Experiencing the Lord providing for him; using him in His purposes; teaching and guiding him in life and ministry. ‘This’ Paul described as ‘the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.’ This personal knowledge and experience taught him, ‘If God be for us, who can be against us?’
13/10/2009
2Corinthians 7:10 (KJV)
“Godly sorrow worketh repentance.”
Godly sorrow is good in that it produces a positive result – repentance. i.e. A turning to God and a turning from specific sin.
It is godly sorrow because it is brought about by the Holy Spirit causing me to see my sin and its offense to the Lord. The godly sorrow produces repentance, because I accept that my sin is offensive to the Lord, and ask the Lord to help me turn from it. I need to purposefully keep relying on the Lord to not return to that sin.
Godly sorrow is contrasted in the second part of the verse with ‘the sorrow of the world’ – the everyday sorrow of the lost sinner (and the carnal believer). This sorrow is only destructive. We must see the difference and realize that the sorrow / disappointment of sinning against the Lord must be dealt with by me turning from the sin. I’m not to indulge in my disappointment or discouragement. I must turn from the sin and get back to living for the Lord and serving Him as before.
12/8/2009
Psalms 119:15 (KJV)
“I will meditate in thy precepts.”
There are times when solitude is better than society (companionship), and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians is we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in His service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. Truth is something like the cluster of the vine: if we would have juice from it, we must bruise it; we must press and squeeze it many times. The bruiser’s feet must come down joyfully upon the bunches, or else the juice will not flow; and he must well tread the grapes, or else much of the precious liquid will be wasted. So we must, by meditation, tread the clusters of truth, if we would get the wine of consolation therefrom. Out bodies are not supported by merely taking food into the mouth, but the process which really supplies the muscle, and the nerve, and the sinew, and the bone, is the process of digestion. It is by digestion that the outward food becomes assimilated with the inner life. Our souls are not nourished merely by listening awhile to this, and then to that, and then to the other part of divine truth. Hearing , reading, marking, and learning, all require inwardly digesting to complete their usefulness, and the inward digesting of the truth lies for the most part in meditating upon it. Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God’s Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord, and be this our resolve this morning, “I will meditate in thy precepts.” – CH Spurgeon
9/8/2009
Jude 1:24 (KJV)
“Able to keep you from falling.”
A thoughtful believer knows that God is able to keep them from falling. After speaking our universe into existence, my needs seem hardly worth mentioning as a challenge to the Lord. After the Lord Jesus commanded the storm at sea to be still, my needs are very small to Him by comparison. Yes, our God is able to keep us from falling!
When I do sin it is because I have chosen to do so. I cannot say that I had no choice, that I could not help myself. Every true believer is able to resist going into sin. The Lord helps us to resist temptations that are not avoidable (1cor. 10:13). But if I do not flee temptation when I have the choice, I place myself in a place where I am more likely to fall. In doing so I take myself outside of the ‘umbrella’ of the Lord’s protection. I place myself in harm’s way!
I find that if I have a good private devotion with the Lord each morning and get focused on acknowledging Him in all my ways (Pro. 3:5-6). I will be better prepared to make the right decision when faced with temptation that day.
9/8/2009
Luke 5:4 (KJV)
“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drought.”
Being skilled and hard working often is rewarded with the desired results. All know, however, that while being skilled and hard working does not guaranty that we will receive the desired results.
Being a Christian that walks in obedience, I have a guaranty that I will always get the best results in life. The Lord knows what I need. He knows when I need to get the results that I desire. He knows when I need trials to build character. And just what kind of trial will do the job. Therefore even when the results of any labour I undertake are not what I desire, I’m to trust the Lord in His management of my personal development. This is the beatitude of meekness. This type of trust / faith develops with time and experience with God.
7/10/2009
Numbers 11:11
“Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant?”
The Lord allows trials to afflict His sons and daughters for their good and more importantly for His glory.
I need trials to give me the opportunity to acknowledge my God with my obedience and unwavering faithfulness. Trials also bring out carelessness when I do not acknowledge my God with obedience. When I deny my Lord, and sin when in trial, I then know that my walk with the Lord has been shallow or non-existent. Confession and repentance is needed.
In Romans 5:4 we are told that ‘patience’ will produce ‘experience’, and ‘experience’ will produce ‘hope’. The ‘experience’ mentioned here is vital for the believer’s walk with God. This ‘experience’ is personal experience with God. Experience that will enable him to get to know his God. That is why it is said to produce ‘hope’. The move I experience my God the more my faith in Him grows, and the more I will love Him. This ‘hope’ is what carries the believer in and through any trial that the Lord allows him to go through.
6/10/2009
John 4:14 (KJV)
"Whosover drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst."
The Lord does not limit this promise to any particular part of the believer's life. When walking with Him, in obedience, the believer has the promise of being completely fulfilled in every area of life.
The believer's testimony before the lost is to be a living demonstration, that the new life in Christ is the only way to have a completely fulfilling life in this world. This is the 'proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2b).
29/9/2009
Leviticus 13:13 (KJV)
“Behold, if the leprosy have covered all the flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague.”
The leper’s affliction may be likened to the lost sinner who recognizes his complete undoing before the Lord. That he is lost in sin and separated from God. As the situation in our text, where the ‘throwing out’ of the disease proved that the constitution was sound. The lost sinner’s recognition that he is lost in sin. That he is unable to solve the sin problem that separates him from God. He has made a vital acknowledgement towards receiving Christ and being saved.
28/9/2009
Psalms 33:13 (KJV)
“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of man.”
Proverbs 15:3 (KJV)
“The eyes of the are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
Jeremiah 23:23-24 (KJV)
“Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? ……. Do not I fill heaven and earth? Saith the Lord.”
Is. 57:15 (KJV)
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
(See also Acts 17:27 – 28; Psalms 139:1-1
Almighty God is not only aware of what we are doing, but is ever present with us! With the interest of a perfect parent. A parent Whom none can prevent from taking care of His sons and daughters. Providing their every need.
25/9/2009
Romans 3:26 (KJV)
“… just, and the justifier of him which believeth.”
Praise the Lord! Since I have been justified by Christ, my God keeps me saved! I have no part in that at all! My faithfulness does not help keep me saved, and neither do my failures put my salvation at risk.
24/9/2009
I Thessalonians 1 (KJV)
Paul writes to the Thessalonians, telling them how much he is encouraged by their obvious true faith. True faith because they turned from idols to serve the living God. And are looking for the return of Christ.
I Thessalonians 2 (KJV)
Paul reminds them of the honesty of him and ‘his group’ in their preaching to the Thessalonians. Their honesty was the highest type of honesty. It was honesty before God!
Paul’s ministry to them wasn’t one of personal ambition but of ‘taking care of God’s interests' in the Thessalonians.
v13/ The Thessalonians recognized their preaching as the Word of God and not of men. Hense their true conversion.
I Thessalonians 3 (KJV)
Paul’s first joy is them in the presence of the Lord at His second Coming. i.e. That day will be Paul’s reward as ‘his’ converts will appear before the Lord.
His second joy is them being established in the faith. They have made a good solid start, but must keep going and become established in the Lord. That the Lord “may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God.”
I Thessalonians 4 (KJV)
Paul has taught them the Christian walk. They must not only be obedient to the Lord in practical matters. But they must abound more and more in them. I.e. They must not only add these to their lives, but those practical lessons must become permanently entrenched in their thinking and walk.
I Thessalonians 5 (KJV)
After complimenting the Thessalonians for their genuine faith (Chapter 1), then exhorting them to move on to maturity and being firmly rooted in the faith. He now urges them to be watchful, living their faith 24/7.
V10/ Paul reminds them that their lives are now ones of 'living together WITH the Lord'.
The Lord is ever present, and I'm to acknowledge that by 'being instant in prayer', or easily and often talking to Him. And above all conducting myself in each duty or activity by glorifying Him in how I do them. Bro. Lawrence of "Practicing The Presence of God", did everything as an act of love to God. Even the most menial task. (MP3 Files of the book by Bro. Lawrence, "Practicing The Presence of God", are available for download on this site. There are four files, each slightly over 3MB)
23/9/2009
Ephesians 1:6 (KJV)
"Accepted in the beloved."
Thank you Lord! Thank you, for this reminder that I am accepted! Dispite how disappointed I get with my failures in my walk at times. I'm still accepted and nothing will change that! Even when I sin, there is provision for me, as a believer in Christ, to confess my sin and receive cleansing! (1 John 1:9). This cleansing is to restore fellowship with the Lord and not restore salvation. Salvation cannot be lost.
22/9/2009
Psalms 149:2 (KJV)
"Let Israel rejoice in him."
Our God has given us life that, despite all the sin and wickedness in the world, He gives the believer much to rejoice in. But it is the highest crime when we neglect our God Himself! The church in Ephesus (Rev. 2) was a very busy church in ministry and were complimented by the Lord Himself. However they were soundly rebuked for leaving their first love! They neglected their personal walk with the Lord in wickedly neglecting to acknowledge Him as ever present, and their Lord and Master.
1 Thess. 5
After complimenting the Thessalonians for their genuine faith (Chapter 1), then exhorting them to move on to maturity and being firmly rooted in the faith. He now urges them to be watchful, living their faith 24/7.
V10/ Paul reminds them that their lives are now ones of 'living together WITH the Lord'. He is ever present, and I'm to acknowledge that by 'being instant in prayer', or easily and often talking to Him. And above all conducting myself in each duty or activity by glorifying Him in how I do them. Bro. Lawrence of "Practicing The Presence of God", did everything as an act of love to God. Even the most menial task.
21/9/2009
Jeremiah 32:41 (KJV)
"I will rejoice over them to do them good"
My Father can rejoice over me because by His Son, He has saved me from my sin. The accomplishment of the Lord Jesus on the cross has made me worthy! Such is the quality of my Saviour's work on the cross. This is known as my 'position in Christ.'
Though I see many imperfections in me, by faith, I know that my Saviour has given me His righeousness. And when I reach heaven I will forever leave my imperfections behind. And will full realise / experience my complete righteousness in-Christ.
18/9/2009
Galatians 5:25 (KJV)
"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Living in the Spirit - All who are born again have life from above. i.e. Are reconciled to God and have the Lord taking care of them, and enabling them to live the spiritual life as He commands.
Walking in the Spirit - They are able to speak to Him in prayer and seek His wisdom in any matter (James 1:5). They will knew their Father's providential minstry, as He allows certain experiences, and takes them through other experiences that will be aimed at transforming them to be like Christ (James 1:2-4).
17/9/2009
Mark 9:19 (KJV)
"Bring him unto me"
Ministers and mature saints can, and will fail us, but the Lord will not! He can and will help us. His requirement is that we trust Him. Trust Him will all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5). That may mean patiently waiting for His deliverance or answer. I'm to keep asking demonstrating that I know that He is my provider as my heavenly Father.
How glorious that we have guaranties for children. Prov. 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/ for Biblical child training guidance.
16/9/2009
2 Pet. 1:4 (KJV)
"Partakers of the divine nature."
I'm to walk worthy of who I am in Christ. A son / daughter of God! As I walk with Him, acknowledging Him in all my ways, and by His enabling, being obedient. He will transfrom me to be more like Him. More and more with time. So that fellowship with Him becomes sweeter and sweeter as I learn to love what He loves and abhor what He abhors. Not becoming like Him in essence - 'divine', but like Him in character.
15/9/2009
Colosians 2:7-10 (KJV)
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
8 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"
Beware of the humanistic philosophy (culture, tradition, 'experience', etc.) of the world. And the ways of the world that are not 'after Christ.' i.e. Not according to the teaching of Christ.
Because in-Christ (being born-again) I have all of God! Therefore I am complete in Him! I do not have a need that needs to be met outside of Christ, or His provision. No such need ever existed or even could exist!