Why Does God Allow Suffering

We understand that there is a reason for God allowing things to happen. And we know that the Bible tells us that mankind is desperately wicked. We are reminded of the wickedness of man when these awful things like child rape and so forth happen. And God, by allowing us to see these evils of men, His holiness and goodness stand out apart from men's decadence. We are reminded how evil the heart of man can be, and what wretched fallen creatures the children of Adam are. And how desperately mankind needs salvation. In fact, if God were not restraining the wickedness of man to a great degree, things would be far worse.

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

The fact is, we live in a fallen sin-cursed world, and bad things happen. And we know that these trials of life prove us. God has ordained all that comes to pass, and nothing can happen outside of His control and plan. When some great evil or disaster befalls us, or the people we care about, our faith is tested. Do we curse God or find fault in Him? Or do we continue to trust in him like Job? We know that when these awful things occur, God uses them for his own sovereign purpose, even though we may not understand why God is allowing them to happen when we see them. We must trust in Him.

Genesis 50:20
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Romans 8:28
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.

And Romans 5:3,4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Suffering produces endurance (Greek - hypomone). How can we learn endurance without suffering? Take suffering away, and there would be nothing to endure.

Endurance produces character (Greek - dokime). In other words, we are tried and tested, and how are we going to be tested without suffering?

The last link is hope. Suffering produces hope. Hope for what? Hope of glory; and God, who gives the suffering, will deliver the glory.

And don't forget...
Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

Binding and Loosing

Matthew 16:18-19
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Addressing this promise to Peter (rock), is simply an illustration of the “power to loose (forgive sins) and to bind (retain sins) that the believers will receive to build the Church. Such power to conquer or prevail over Satan’s “Gates of Hell” can only come from “thee” Rock, which is Christ. Though the person to whom this promise is made in this instance is Peter, he is representative of all believers. The rest of the apostles also received this power of forgiveness of sins, and the judgment in binding sins. Christ gave all of them full power and authority by the Spirit, that their preaching the gospel is as the keys to both bind and loose . It (the Word of God) is what truly binds and looses, not Peter, Paul or John. And Christ is the only Rock (starting or foundation stone) upon which the Church can be built. He is the only foundation that can hold the weight of the Church. Certainly Peter could not have the Church rest upon him.

Nor were these keys to bind and loose given only to Peter. As John 20 plainly illustrates to anyone willing to read it, Christ gave this same power of the keys to all the Apostles.

John 20:22-23
And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

The same Power to bind and loose is the power of salvation and of judgment which Christ gave to His servants (Acts1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”). In their coming in the Spirit of God, preaching the Gospel, they receive this power to bind and loose. That is why in Matthew 16 Christ said, “whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. It is a very clear illustration that the power to bind and loose, to forgive sins and retain sins, had already been prescribed in heaven, and Peter and the Church were only the vessels used by God to preach that the power of the gospel might bring what has been foreordained to fruition.

Notice that the power promised, the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Salvation and Judgment), is a symbolic figure of the ability to be able to “administer” what has already been ordained in heaven before. As the prophets of old, the gift of being a Messenger of the Gospel, the mouthpiece of God is by His Servants coming in the Spirit and power of God.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

The 'Camel Method' of Evangelism is Not Biblical...Paul Proctor

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." Matt. 7:13

I have addressed, on numerous occasions, the Church’s ongoing efforts to reinvent Christianity into a global religion of Results & Relationships by using the powers of pragmatism and consensus to artificially grow itself into something more widely accepted by the world instead of faithfully proclaiming the Word of God “in season and out” as we are commanded to do in 2nd Timothy 4:2. The leaders of the new spirituality and its church growth movement have always had a hard time avoiding the “wide gate” and “broad way” choosing clever methods of “evangelism” that are not only incompatible with God’s Word, but also prove them unwilling to trust Him with the increase – ever looking for something more clever, spectacular and impressive to glory in and boast about to a watching world.

“…for men to search their own glory is not glory.” – Proverbs 25:27b


“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” – 1st Corinthians 3:7

There’s no better example of this than a recent story from The Baptist Standard where Christians are encouraged by a “veteran missionary” to employ what’s called “The Camel Method” to evangelize, where the Quran is used, instead of the Bible, to share Christ with Muslims – a method that reportedly utilizes “selected verses” and “doesn’t teach or lecture, but asks questions.”

Isn’t this exactly what dialectically trained facilitators have done for years in many seeker-sensitive and purpose driven churches to draw and hold large and diverse crowds of potential converts with a lot of non-offensive opinion sharing and relationship building in order to find common ground and greater tolerance for one another through compromise and group dynamics? That may be the agenda of global socialists at the United Nations, but it’s not the Bible’s agenda for Christians or the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m sure the UN would have no problem with a program like this where sidelining biblical truths for a contrived unity is celebrated and syncretism is the spirituality of choice.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” – Proverbs 14:12

According to the report, missionary Kevin Greeson, who “has served 16 years with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board,” is “working to start Christian movements among Muslims in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal…” adding that “his goal focuses less on individual conversions and more on starting spiritual movements that will result in thousands of Muslims becoming followers of Christ.”

Greeson: “Our generation can’t afford to be satisfied or happy with winning one lost person to Christ. There are so many lost people, we can’t be happy with that.”

“…I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” – Luke 15:10

Certainly most Christians would like to see more than one person they witness to repent and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but where in God’s Word are we commanded to “take up thy Quran” and “go ye into all the world and start a movement?” Sure it sounds lofty and high-minded in our Big Box culture where consumers like to impress each other and get the most for the least; but isn’t this more of an exercise in ecumenical egomania and spiritual sleight-of-hand than humble obedience to Jesus’ call to “take up thy cross” and “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature?”

It’s alarming enough that the Bible is set aside with this method of “evangelism,” but it’s outright heresy that Jesus Christ is presented as the son of Allah, since Allah was widely recognized and worshipped as a pagan moon god even before there was a Mohammed.

How then can the truth set you free if it begins with a lie?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

"WHAT I WILL I DO NOT PRACTICE"

Romans 7 is Paul’s commentary on the 10th commandment (“you shall not covet). I believe God used the 10th commandment to “kill” the self-righteous Pharisee that Paul was before his conversion.

I understand this now. Before I was converted I believed the same thing. I came out of Roman Catholicism and was taught how to be righteous by keeping the Law. When I left that religious system I got mixed up in another religious system and was taught a mixed mess of evangelical Christianity. I believed that Jesus died for my sins. I had an intellectual understanding of what Jesus did on the cross. Unfortunately, I was still filled with a self-righteous spirit. Nothing really changed in me.

In Philippians 3, Paul states that before his conversion he considered himself “blameless.” ...concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:6) And we know that changed for Paul on the road to Damascus. Like the rich young ruler, Paul the Pharisee could say, “I have kept all these (several of the earlier commandments) from my youth. …concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Luke 18:21).
Convicted by the Holy Spirit, Paul had to admit he was in violation of the 10th commandment. He was a dead sinner before his conversion.

But what about after conversion? The 10th commandment showed Paul that sin was “utterly sinful.” Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. (Romans 7:13).
Thus begins Paul’s present tense discussion of his Christian life:

Romans 7:14, 15 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

The New King James Version translates thelo as “will,” rather than “desire.” If that is correct, Paul is stating that he wills (decides) to not practice certain things but still ends up practicing them (specifically coveting). Granted, the Greek term thelo has a range of meaning that includes both “will” and “wish” or “desire.” Which does Paul intend here?

Consider that Paul is a passionate and motivated person. No one reading the New Testament would doubt that. Paul can mean, “I would like not to sin” or he can mean “I decide not to sin” which is the stronger meaning. It is hard to imagine Paul using the weaker term when describing his own motivation not to sin.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7). Paul is discussing coveting. He uses the Greek word for “lust” or “strong desire.” After muddling around in the Greek translation of what Paul meant it comes out like this: “I desire not to strongly desire.” We can take that to mean “I have a weaker desire not to lust than I have to lust.” That would make sense. But is that what he means?

It makes sense this way: “I resolve (make a decision) not to lust, but I still have lust.”

Based on this I believe Paul’s use of thelo (used 7 times in Romans 7:15-21) to mean “to will.”

Romans 7: 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

More to follow…

The Human Will...

Some Christians believe that God is powerless to overcome the human will. Many evangelical Christians today believe that humans are fully able to obey God as they are; they just need to get motivated. Unfortunately, this includes how the gospel is presented today, how people are counseled, how sermons are preached, and how people think about sanctification. Psychology has found its way into the church and has become a requirement for students in bible colleges and seminaries.

What about overcoming sin? What about Paul’s lament in Romans 7? “What I will I do not practice…”

I believe the human will is powerless to overcome sin. The key to sanctification is not willpower, but rather the grace of God operating through the power of the Holy Spirit. Grace comes to us not from motivational books and sermons but through God’s ordained means of grace.

More on this topic later…

'AVATAR' and PAGANISM - Movie Review

Living in this world and not being affected or infected by its culture is very difficult. We try to educate our friends and family as to the dangers lurking out there; and if your family is like mine, they often protest our warnings and poo-poo our efforts to warn them. This movie review popped into my e-mail box this morning, and I felt compelled to share it with you.



-by Andrew Strom.

'Avatar' is an enormous worldwide blockbuster movie - the first to use truly lifelike 3D - a huge leap forward that is sure to revolutionize the entire industry. I managed to see the movie in 3D this week, and like everyone I was utterly wowed by the lifelike 3D images and special effects. But there were some things about the film that truly disturbed me.

Maybe we should expect spiritual outrageousness from Hollywood by now. After all, they hardly seem to be able to make a spiritual statement in their movies without alienating every Christian in the audience. (They have been warned about this before. As Michael Medved has stated, Hollywood loses billions of dollars simply by offending Christians and church-goers - who number in the hundreds of millions in America). They often don't seem to care.

But Avatar takes this to a new extreme. Many critics have commented that it has a deeply pro-environmentalist message.
And indeed, it seems almost loaded with every touchy-feely New Age environmentalist theme that you can imagine. Some critics are calling it "Dances With Wolves in space." But it sure does look amazing - in fact, stunningly real. It truly is a work of art.

The futuristic story revolves around an ex-marine posted to a planet with rich mining deposits - who has to inhabit an alien "avatar"
body so he can infiltrate the local tribe that opposes the mining.
Thus he becomes one of these blue-colored humanoids.

Though the film's images are stunning audiences worldwide, the spirituality in it is at the far extreme of New Age. And it is not "subtle" either. It is a huge part of the story. More and more you see the "Gaia"-type 'Earth-goddess' stuff - plus pagan or wicca-like rituals - until half the film seems almost saturated with them.

As I said, most people have grown to expect this stuff from politically-correct and spiritually-weird Hollywood by now. But we are talking here about the most expensive ($300 million) and most revolutionary new film in history. Surely they have to be concerned that preaching such a message may lose them hundreds of millions of dollars in potential revenue? Apparently not.

It always strikes me as sad when these great breakthroughs in the arts fail to glorify the One who gave us creativity in the first place. And sadly, this is one of those times. And I guess that is why, even after the awe and wonder of seeing one of the greatest visual spectacles of our age, I left the theatre feeling pretty flat.
And I wonder how many others felt the same - even non-Christians.
I wonder how many left sensing there was something very wrong at the core of this story. I would guess it might be quite a few.
(There have been a lot of complaints about the storyline). Even many non-Christians may not like seeing the "Earth mother goddess" getting all the glory. Which is why I think this movie will never take top spot as the most-watched film in history - despite all the money spent on it. And also why I think the sequel will never earn the kind of money that they hope for.

Will Hollywood learn its lesson? I strongly doubt it.

A Quiet Heart

In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

I really need to read this one for myself everyday!
The following is Spurgeon's comments on Isaiah 30:15:

It is always weakness to be fretting and worrying, questioning and mis-trusting. What can we do if we wear ourselves to skin and bone? Can we gain anything by fearing and fuming? Do we not unfit ourselves for action and unhinge our minds for wise decision? We are sinking by our struggles when we might float by faith.

Oh, for grace to be quiet! Why run from house to house to repeat the weary story which makes us more and more heart-sick as we tell it? Why even stay at home to cry out in agony because of wretched forebodings which may never be fulfilled? It would be well to keep a quiet tongue, but it would be far better if we had a quiet heart. Oh, to be still and know that Jehovah is God!

Oh, for grace to be confident in God! The Holy One of Israel must defend and deliver His own. He cannot run back from His solemn declarations. We may make sure that every word of His will stand though the mountains should depart. He deserves to be confided in; and if we would display confidence and consequent quietness, we might be as happy as the spirits before the throne.

Come, my soul, return unto thy rest, and lean thy head upon the bosom of the Lord Jesus.

Gift of Strength; Peace to Bless

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

The storms of life, the troubles and fears that are present are nothing when we have the Lord of Glory! I think Spurgeon said it well when he wrote:

David had just heard the voice of the Lord in a thunderstorm and had seen His power in the hurricane whose path he had described; and now, in the cool calm after the storm, that overwhelming power by which heaven and earth are shaken is promised to be the strength of the chosen. He who wings the unerring bolt will give to His redeemed the wings of eagles; He who shakes the earth with His voice will terrify the enemies of His saints and give His children peace. Why are we weak when we have divine strength to flee to? Why are we troubled when the Lord's own peace is ours? Jesus, the mighty God, is our strength; let us put Him on and go forth to our service. Jesus, our blessed Lord, is also our peace; let us repose in Him this day and end our fears. What a blessing to have Him for our strength and peace both now and forever!

That same God who rides upon the storm in days of tempest will also rule the hurricane of our tribulation and send us, before long, days of peace. We shall have strength for storms and songs for fair weather. Let us begin to sing at once unto God, our strength and our peace. Away, dark thoughts! Up, faith and hope!

Covered and Protected

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:4)

This psalm gives me comfort and puts a smile on my face when I picture those little chicks being nestled and comforted by their mother! Spurgeon says it best:

A condescending simile indeed! Just as a hen protects her brood and allows them to nestle under her wings, so will the Lord defend His people and permit them to hide away in Him. Have we not seen the little chicks peeping out from under the mother's feathers? Have we not heard their little cry of contented joy? In this way let us shelter ourselves in our God and feel overflowing peace in knowing that He is guarding us.

While the Lord covers us, we trust. It would be strange if we did not. How can we distrust when Jehovah Himself becomes house and home, refuge and rest to us?

This done, we go out to war in His name and enjoy the same guardian care. We need shield and buckler, and when we implicitly trust God, even as the chick trusts the hen, we find His truth arming us from head to foot. The Lord cannot lie; He must be faithful to His people; His promise must stand. This sure truth is all the shield we need. Behind it we defy the fiery darts of the enemy.

Come, my soul, hide under those great wings, lose thyself among those soft feathers! How happy thou art!

True Walking Posture

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely. (Proverbs 10:9)

If there is any question in your mind about how to conduct yourself in the daily activities of life, try to keep in mind this proverb. Our daily walk is with our Lord, Jesus. We should model ourselves after Him and not the people of the world, whose focus is on their lives in this world. Spugeon says it this way:

His walk may be slow, but it is sure. He that hasteth to be rich shall not be innocent nor sure; but steady perseverance in integrity, if it does not bring riches, will certainly bring peace. In doing that which is just and right, we are like one walking upon a rock, for we have confidence that every step we take is upon solid and safe ground. On the other hand, the utmost success through questionable transactions must always be hollow and treacherous, and the man who has gained it must always be afraid that a day of reckoning will come, and then his gains will condemn him.

Let us stick to truth and righteousness. By God's grace let us imitate our Lord and Master, in whose mouth no deceit was ever found. Let us not be afraid of being poor, nor of being treated with contempt. Never, on any account whatever, let us do that which our conscience cannot justify. If we lose inward peace, we lose more than a fortune can buy. If we keep in the Lord's own way and never sin against our conscience, our way is sure against all comers. Who is he that can harm us if we be followers of that which is good? We may be thought fools by fools if we are firm in our integrity; but in the place where judgment is infallible we shall be approved.

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

"He will glorify Me..." (John 16:14)

The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration--no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern.

In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion--a mere example. He is that, but He is infititely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!

Jesus said, "...when He, the Spirit of truth, has come,... He will glorify Me..." (John 16:13-14)

When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.

Know How to Wait

He that believeth shall not make haste. (Isaiah 28:16)

He shall make haste to keep the Lord's commandments; but he shall not make haste in any impatient or improper sense.

He shall not haste to run away, for he shall not be overcome with the fear which causes panic. When others are flying hither and thither as if their wits had failed them, the believer shall be quiet, calm, and deliberate, and so shall be able to act wisely in the hour of trial.

He shall not haste in his expectations, craving his good things at once and on the spot, but he will wait God's time. Some are in a desperate hurry to have the bird in the hand, for they regard the Lord's promise as a bird in the bush, not likely to be theirs. Believers know how to wait.

He shall not haste by plunging into wrong or questionable action. Unbelief must be doing something, and thus it works its own undoing; but faith makes no more haste than good speed, and thus it is not forced to go back sorrowfully by the way which it followed heedlessly.

How is it with me? Am I believing, and am I therefore keeping to the believer's pace, which is walking with God? Peace, fluttering spirit! Oh, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him! Heart, see that thou do this at once!

The Blood of the Lamb

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Rev. 12:11

The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion.

This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with "the blood of the Lamb" Rev. 12:11.

It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, "That is the work of God Almighty!"

Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.

Rest in All Thy Goings

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. (Exodus 33:14)

Precious promise! Lord, enable me to appropriate it as all my own.

We must go at certain times from our abode, for here we have no continuing city. It often happens that when we feel most at home in a place, we are suddenly called away from it. Here is the antidote for this ill. The Lord Himself will keep us company. His presence, which includes His favor, His fellowship, His care, and His power, shall be ever with us in every one of our marchings. This means far more than it says; for, in fact, it means all things. If we have God present with us, we have possession of heaven and earth. Go with me, Lord, and then command me where Thou wilt!

But we hope to find a place of rest. The text promises it. We are to have rest of God's own giving, making, and preserving. His presence will cause us to rest even when we are on the march, yea, even in the midst of battle. Rest! Thrice blessed word. Can it ever be enjoyed by mortals? Yes, there is the promise, and by faith we plead it. Rest comes from the Comforter, from the Prince of Peace, and from the glorious Father who rested on the seventh day from all His works. To be with God is to rest in the most emphatic sense.

Be Thankful For Suffering

As Thanksgiving approaches once again, I am reminded of so many people who are learning to be thankful despite their suffering. However I want to encourage them to go one better — I believe we can even learn to be thankful for suffering.

It is a common response to question God’s goodness when we endure hardships — whether physical limitations, illness, job loss, the death of a loved one, you name it.

When I hear the question, Where is God? I am reminded of something I’ve learned through the years. God doesn’t say, Into each life a little rain must fall, and then turn a fire hose on the earth to see who gets the wettest. On the contrary, He screens the trials that come at us, always erecting invisible fences around the enemy’s fury and bringing ultimate good out of wickedness.

I wonder, how does He pull it off? I realize that we are a world of finite humans trying to comprehend an infinite God. What is clear is that God permits lots of things He doesn’t approve of. That fact doesn’t sit well with us, but think of the alternative. Imagine a God who insisted on a hands-off policy toward the evil barreling our way. The world would be much, much worse than it is. Evil would be uncontrolled. But thank God He curbs it.

Please know I’m no expert. There are days I wake up and think, I can’t do this. I have no resources for this. I can’t face another day dealing with total paralysis. But that’s when I plead, Lord, you have the resources I lack. I can’t do this, but you can. And He does.

The truly handicapped among us are those who start their mornings on automatic cruise control, without needing God. But He gives strength to all who cry to Him for help. So who are the weak and needy? Who are those who need this help? A brief pause in the dark shadows of recent events always allows the point to come home. It’s you and me.

These can be scary times in which we live. Never have the lines between the forces of darkness and light, of good and evil, seemed so clear. Never has the world, battered and bruised as it is, seemed so vulnerable, so fragile, so unsafe. In the years since Sept. 11, 2001, and through the last two years of our shaky economy, something has become clear to me. It was something I sensed was just ahead, something that began to appear on the horizon and that grew with each day, with each hug shared, with each word of encouragement spoken.

I’d been given eyes to see . . . an adventure.

In the long shadow cast by my wheelchair —the 43 years of my paralysis —I’ve been granted the privilege of living at such a time. No greater shadow has ever been cast in earth’s history. Today after Sept. 11 and the economic meltdown, humanity seems to have taken an on-ramp to an ever-broadening highway. It is a chance to remember the world’s most vulnerable — the disabled —while power brokers shift the planet’s levers and gears.

It is an opportunity – indeed, a gift – to witness the unfolding plan of a gracious God who draws near to the weak, stays close to the afflicted, and always seems bigger to those who need him most. It is an even larger, greater on-ramp to adventure.

And my wheelchair is taking me there.

God’s “no” answer to my physical healing more than 40 years ago was a “yes” to a deeper healing—a better one. His answer bound me to other believers and taught me so much about myself. It has purged sin from my life, it has strengthened my commitment to Him, forced me to depend on His grace. His wiser, deeper answer has stretched my hope, refined my faith, and helped me to know Him better.

So I thank Him, not despite His answer, but for it. For the wiser choice, the better answer, the harder yet richer path. I thank Him for showing me that there are more important things in life than walking.

Joni Eareckson Tada is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Joni and Friends, a Christian ministry to the disability community. After a diving accident in 1967 left her a quadriplegic, she has become an internationally known Christian author and radio host.

No Condemnation

In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve. (Jeremiah 50:20)

Folks, please take note that in no way does the following say anything about a "license to sin." Because of the many false doctrines being put forth today, some people will read into this post that it's okay to do whatever pleases you without regard to the Holy God we serve. It does not say that at all!

If you read in Colossians 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if 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.

Notice that verse 23 says: "IF INDEED YOU CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, GROUNDED AND STEADFAST, AND ARE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL WHICH YOU HEARD..."

A glorious word indeed! What a perfect pardon is here promised to the sinful nations of Israel and Judah! Sin is to be so removed that it shall not be found, so blotted out that there shall be none. Glory be unto the God of pardons!

Satan seeks out sins wherewith to accuse us, our enemies seek them that they may lay them to our charge, and our own conscience seeks them even with a morbid eagerness. But when the Lord applies the precious blood of Jesus, we fear no form of search, for "there shall be none"; "they shall not be found." The Lord hath caused the sins of His people to cease to be: He hath finished transgression and made an end of sin. The sacrifice of Jesus has cast our sins into the depths of the sea. This makes us dance for joy.

The reason for the obliteration of sin lies in the fact that Jehovah Himself pardons His chosen ones. His word of grace is not only royal but divine. He speaks absolution, and we are absolved. He applies the atonement, and from that hour His people are beyond all fear of condemnation. Blessed be the name of the sin-annihilating God!

The Outward, Upward Look

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)

Why settle for what we can provide for ourselves. Our God has provided so much more for us. He has given us Eternal Life!

Charles Spurgeon wrote the following:

This is a promise of promises. It lies at the foundation of our spiritual life. Salvation comes through a look at Him who is "a just God and a Saviour." How simple is the direction! "Look unto me." How reasonable is the requirement! Surely the creature should look to the Creator. We have looked elsewhere long enough; it is time that we look alone to Him who invites our expectation and promises to give us His salvation.

Only a look! Will we not look at once? We are to bring nothing in ourselves but to look outward and upward to our Lord on His throne, whither He has gone up from the cross. A look requires no preparation, no violent effort: it needs neither wit nor wisdom, wealth nor strength. All that we need is in the Lord our God, and if we look to Him for everything, that everything shall be ours, and we shall be saved.

Come, far-off ones, look hither! Ye ends of the earth, turn your eyes this way! As from the furthest regions men may see the sun and enjoy his light, so you who lie in death's borders at the very gates of hell may by a look receive the light of God, the life of heaven, the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God and therefore able to save.

Limitless Riches

My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Paul's God is our God and will supply all our need. Paul felt sure of this in reference to the Philippians, and we feel sure of it as to ourselves. God will do it, for it is like Him: He loves us, He delights to bless us, and it will glorify Him to do so. His pity, His power, His love, His faithfulness, all work together that we be not famished.

What a measure doth the Lord go by: "According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." The riches of His grace are large, but what shall we say of the riches of His glory? His "riches of glory by Christ Jesus"-who shall form an estimate of this? According to this immeasurable measure will God fill up the immense abyss of our necessities. He makes the Lord Jesus the receptacle and the channel of His fullness, and then He imparts to us His wealth of love in its highest form. Hallelujah!

The writer knows what it is to be tried in the work of the Lord. Fidelity has been recompensed with anger, and liberal givers have stopped their subscriptions; but he whom they sought to oppress has not been one penny the nay, rather he has been the richer; for this promise has been true, "My God shall supply all your need." God's supplies are surer than any bank.

The Lord's Free Men & Women

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)


Sin will reign if it can: it cannot be satisfied with any place below the throne of the heart. We sometimes fear that it will conquer us, and then we cry unto the Lord, "Let not any iniquity have dominion over me. This is His comforting answer: "Sin shall not have dominion over you. " It may assail you and even wound you, but it shall never establish sovereignty over you.

If we were under the law, our sin would gather strength and hold us under its power; for it is the punishment of sin that a man comes under the power of sin. As we are under the covenant of grace, we are secured against departing from the living God by the sure declaration of the covenant. Grace is promised to us by which we are restored from our wanderings, cleansed from our impurities, and set free from the chains of habit.

We must lie down in despair and be "content to serve the Egyptians" if we were still as slaves working for eternal life; but since we are the Lord's free men, we take courage to fight with our corruptions and temptations, being assured that sin shall never bring us under its sway again. God Himself giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Behold Your King

Necessary Knowledge

Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 34:30)

To be the Lord's own people is a choice blessing, but to know that we are such is a comfortable blessing. It is one thing to hope that God is with us and another thing to know that He is so. Faith saves us, but assurance satisfies us. We take God to be our God when we believe in Him; but we get the joy of Him when we know that He is ours and that we are His. No believer should be content with hoping and trusting; he should ask the Lord to lead him on to full assurance, so that matters of hope may become matters of certainty.

It is when we enjoy covenant blessings and see our Lord Jesus raised up for us as a plant of renown that we come to a clear knowledge of the favor of God toward us. Not by law, but by grace do we learn that we are the Lord's people. Let us always turn our eyes in the direction of free grace. Assurance of faith can never come by the works of the law. It is an evangelical virtue and can only reach us in a gospel way. Let us not look within. Let us look to the Lord alone. As we see Jesus we shall see our salvation.

Lord, send us such a flood-tide of Thy love that we shall be washed beyond the mire of doubt and fear.

In God's Time

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:3)

Mercy may seem slow, but it is sure. The Lord in unfailing wisdom has appointed a time for the outgoing of His gracious power, and God's time is the best time. We are in a hurry; the vision of the blessings excites our desire and hastens our longings; but the Lord will keep His appointments. He never is before His time; He never is behind.

God's word is here spoken of as a living thing which will speak and will come. It is never a dead letter, as we are tempted to fear when we have long watched for its fulfillment. The living word is on the way from the living God, and though it may seem to linger, it is not in reality doing so. God's train is not behind time. It is only a matter of patience, and we shall soon see for ourselves the faithfulness of the Lord. No promise of His shall fail; "it will not lie." No promise of His will be lost in silence; "it shall speak." What comfort it will speak to the believing ear! No promise of His shall need to be renewed like a bill which could not be paid on the day in which it fell due-"it will not tarry."

Come, my soul, canst thou not wait for thy God? Rest in Him and be still in unutterable peacefulness.

Heavenly Wealth

No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11)

Many pleasing things the Lord may withhold but "no good thing." He is the best judge of what is good for us. Some things are assuredly good, and these we may have for the asking through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Holiness is a good thing, and this He will work in us freely. Victory over evil tendencies, strong tempers, and evil habits He will gladly grant, and we ought not to remain without it.
Full assurance He will bestow, and near communion with Himself, and access into all truth, and boldness with prevalence at the mercy seat. If we have not these, it is from want of faith to receive and not from any unwillingness of God to give. A calm, a heavenly frame, great patience, and fervent love--all these will He give to holy diligence.

But note well that we must "walk uprightly." There must be no cross purposes and crooked dealings; no hypocrisy nor deceit. If we walk foully God cannot give us favors, for that would be a premium upon sin. The way of uprightness is the way of heavenly wealth-wealth so large as to include every good thing.

What a promise to plead in prayer! Let us get to our knees.

Perfection and Preservation

Now 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. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23 and 24)

What will He do? He will sanctify us wholly. See verse 23. He will carry on the work of purification till we are perfect in every part. He will preserve our "whole spirit, and soul, and body, blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." He will not allow us to fall from grace, nor come under the dominion of sin. What great favors are these! Well may we adore the giver of such unspeakable gifts.

Who will do this? The Lord who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, out of death in sin into eternal life in Christ Jesus. Only He can do this: such perfection and preservation can only come from the God of all grace.

Why will He do it? Because He is "faithful"--faithful to His own promise which is pledged to save the believer; faithful to His Son, whose reward it is that His people shall he presented to Him faultless, faithful to the work which He has commenced in us by our effectual calling. It is not their own faithfulness but the Lord's own faithfulness on which the saints rely.

Come, my soul, here is a grand feast to begin a dull month with. There may be fogs without, but there should be sunshine within.

Impulsiveness or Discipleship?

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord knows me better than I know myself.

I was reading this morning in Oswald Chamber's book "My Utmost for His Highest". I am a few days behind for the daily reading and I haven't had a chance to catch up yet. I decided to open to today's reading and the words seemed to jump off the page and into my heart.

"Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness (confidence), but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he "followed Him at a distance" on dry land. But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. (Mark 15:54).

We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises...human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus.

It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God...but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people...and this is not learned in five minutes."

I spent last evening with a small group "bible" study. There was a woman there who just wanted to talk and talk and talk. She outright admitted that she did not read her bible every day and had no such desire to do so. She also said that she didn't understand it when she did read it. But she was constantly pointing her finger at us and accusing us of being intolerant of other's beliefs.

My first impulse was to tell her that she was doing the exact same thing that she was accusing the group of doing. She was being intolerant of us. I wanted to be "bold" and tell her a thing or two of what the word of God says. But I bit my tongue and sat there silent and let the leader handle the situation. I woke up in the wee hours this morning thinking back on the events of the night before and asking the Lord if I reacted the way He would have me react. I got my answer in the reading for today!

One with Christ Jesus

Because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19)

Jesus has made the life of believers in Him as certain as His own. As sure as the Head lives the members live also. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then are we dead in our sins; but since He has risen, all believers are risen in Him. His death has put away our transgressions and loosed the bonds which held us under the death sentence. His resurrection proves our justification: we are absolved, and mercy saith, "The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die."

Jesus has made the life of His people as eternal as His own. How can they die as long as He lives, seeing they are one with Him? Because He dieth no more, and death hath no more dominion over Him, so they shall no more return to the graves of their old sins but shall live unto the Lord in newness of life. O believer, when, under great temptation, thou fearest that thou shalt one day fall by the hand of the enemy, let this reassure thee. Thou shalt never lose thy spiritual life, for it is hid with Christ in God. Thou dost not doubt the immortality of thy Lord; therefore, do not think that He will let thee die, since thou art one with Him. The argument for thy life is His life, and of that thou canst have no fear; wherefore rest in thy living Lord.

For thou wilt light my candle. (Psalm 18:28)

It may be that my soul sits in darkness; and if this be of a spiritual kind, no human power can bring me light. Blessed be God! He can enlighten my darkness and at once light my candle. Even though I may be surrounded by a "darkness which might be felt," yet He can break the gloom and immediately make it bright around me.
The mercy is that if He lights the candle none can blow it out, neither will it go out for lack of substance, nor burn out of itself through the lapse of hours. The lights which the Lord kindled in the beginning are shining still. The Lord's lamps may need trimming, but He does not put them out.

Let me, then, like the nightingale sing in the dark. Expectation shall furnish me with music, and hope shall pitch the tune. Soon I shall rejoice in a candle of God's lighting. I am dull and dreary just now. Perhaps it is the weather, or bodily weakness, or the surprise of a sudden trouble; but whatever has made the darkness, it is God alone who will bring the light. My eyes are unto Him alone. I shall soon have the candles of the Lord shining about me; and, further on in His own good time, I shall be where they need no candle, neither light of the sun. Hallelujah!

Among the Redeemed

Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be redeemed among the nations. (Numbers 23:9)

Who would wish to dwell among the nations and to be numbered with them? Why, even the professing church is such that to follow the Lord fully within its bounds is very difficult. There is such a mingling and mixing that one often sighs for "a lodge in some vast wilderness."
Certain it is that the Lord would have His people follow a separated path as to the world and come out decidedly and distinctly from it. We are set apart by the divine decree, purchase, and calling, and our inward experience has made us greatly to differ from men of the world; and therefore our place is not in their Vanity Fair, nor in their City of Destruction, but in the narrow way where all true pilgrims must follow their Lord.

This may not only reconcile us to the world's cold shoulder and sneers but even cause us to accept them with pleasure as being a part of our covenant portion. Our names are not in the same book, we are not of the same seed, we are not bound for the same place, neither are we trusting to the same guide; therefore it is well that we are not of their number. Only let us be found in the number of the redeemed, and we are content to be off and solitary to the end of the chapter.

THE SEEDS OF APOSTASY

THE SEEDS of APOSTASY
-by Paul Holdren.

John Wesley recounted that within every revival were the seeds
of apostasy. By this he meant that with revival came righteousness,
with righteousness came favor, with favor came prosperity, and with
prosperity came the temptation to self-reliance. The temptation of
self-reliance is the first step away from God. It is sad that people
are willing to serve the illusion of prosperity by means of self-reliance.

As Americans we can definitely see how this insight fits our country.
Our land was birthed with the ideal that a nation should have the
freedom to worship the true and living God according to one’s
conscience. The Almighty had blessed our nation with righteousness.
With righteousness came national favor, with favor came prosperity,
and now we, as a nation, bear the burdens of decline resulting from
our own self-reliance. As American Christians we can see how the
Spirit of the Lord could speak of a church that sees itself as
“increased of goods and have need of nothing” Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—(Rev. 3:17).

When idolatry’s seed of self-reliance yields its crop of perversion,
poverty, and struggle—many who claim to be worshippers of
Almighty God will turn to other gods. These gods are the gods
which originate in the satanically manipulated carnal heart. These
gods are conceived in the human imagination and constructed by
human hands. These gods of imagery are bombarding Americans
now, seducing us in a downward spiral of the media’s ongoing
promotion of abomination against God.

Our present “it’s the economy” or “it’s health care” politicians have
replaced Jeremiah’s prosperity prophets, giving us a false sense of
security by proclaiming blessing and peace upon the land. Our
“soft-sell” preachers are proclaiming health and wealth, while the
glory is preparing to depart from our places of worship. “Change
that makes a difference” will not come by the hands of men.
“Change that will make a difference” will only come when we cast
our idols down at the foot of the cross.

Where are the believers like Ezekiel today? Where are the watchmen
on the wall of a nation’s destiny—crying out that the enemy is
coming, that the glory is lifting, and that God is turning His back?
Political correctness tells us not to speak in such a manner.
Religious convenience tells us not to prophecy such, for the people
have ears that need to be tickled. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; (II Tim 4:3). As passionate believers,
we cannot help but speak a word of warning. As passionate oracles
of the truth, we must speak the promise of restoration grace in
order that many may be given the opportunity to cast down their
idols and return to the God of our fathers.

The Safest Shelter

A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest. (Isaiah 32:2)

Who this Man is we all know. Who could He be but the Second Man, the Lord from heaven, the man of sorrows, the Son of Man? What a hiding place He has been to His people! He bears the full force of the wind Himself, and so He shelters those who hide themselves in Him.

We have thus escaped the wrath of God, and we shall thus escape the anger of men, the cares of this life, and the dread of death. Why do we stand in the wind when we may so readily and so surely get out of it by hiding behind our Lord? Let us this day run to Him and be at peace.

Whenever I let my mind wonder off and away from Christ I find myself drifting back to the "old man's" way of thinking. Self rises up and floods my mind with things that I thought were long ago dead and buried. If you want victory in your life you must train yourself to recognize these times when your focus gets directed away from Christ and back on to your life and the worries and cares associated with it. I found a good way to redirect myself back to Jesus is simply to start thinking about Him. It's amazing how the worries of life seem to just melt away. It also helps to get His word into your heart and mind. The Lord Jesus is truly our hiding place and a shelter from the things of this world.

Often the common wind of trouble rises in its force and becomes a tempest, sweeping everything before it. Things which looked firm and stable rock in the blast, and many and great are the falls among our worldly supports.

Our Lord Jesus, the glorious man, is a cover which is never blown down. In Him we mark the tempest sweeping by, but we ourselves rest in delightful serenity.

This day let us just stow ourselves away in our hiding place and sit and sing under the protection of our Cover. Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! How we love Thee! Well we may, for Thou art to us a cover in the time of storm.

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Matthew 25: 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming;[a] go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour[b] in which the Son of Man is coming.

I have rewritten this post for a better understanding:

Notice that the ten virgins each had a lamp and they were expecting to meet the bridegroom. Jesus said that five were foolish and those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. The wise took oil in their vessels (vessel: container, receptacle, a pail, a reservoir) with their lamps. Foolish had lamps, no oil. Wise had lamps plus oil in their vessels.

When the bridegroom was delayed, they all fell asleep. I am assuming they were inside a house sleeping and not alongside the road. Therefore, if they were asleep in a house, they did not need to have their lamps lit. (It doesn't say they were in a house, but it makes sense that they wouldn't be sleeping out in the road and it was the custom of the day that they would gather at the bride's house to wait for the groom.)

Here comes the groom! They arose and trimmed their lamps (adjust the wick and fill with oil). The foolish virgins couldn't keep theirs lit because they had no oil. The wise virgins had oil in their vessels so they were ready when the bridegroom came.

The oil is a symbol of the life of Christ in you.

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 2:27)

Have Thine Own Way, Lord!

Today is the 147th anniversary of the birth of the woman who wrote this hymn. If you would like to read more about her, please check out Robert's blog on Hymn History!

http://practicalbiblicalinsight.blogspot.com/2009/06/hymn-history-my-jesus-i-love-thee.html

The woman who penned those words was an itinerant Bible teacher
who was discouraged because she didn't have the funds to make
a missionary journey to Africa. She found great comfort when she
put all her plans and desires on the altar and freshly surrendered
to God's will for her life. The song that sprung from her anguish
blessed millions, but today it has lost its popularity because we
simply don't relate.

The message of consecration has been lost these days.
It is not enough to know Christian doctrines or to paint a nice
Christian veneer on the surface of our lives. God wants our hearts.
We must embrace the cross daily. It is not enough to simply avoid
the sins that our Christian culture says are the "worst"; just as Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar at Mount Moriah, those who claim to follow Christ should go to the place of self-sacrifice. Mount Moriah, as another Christian writer, (1890)A. B. Simpson wrote, "signifies the deeper
spiritual experience into which the fully consecrated person must
come. In this act of obedience, the sanctified self is laid on the
altar just as Isaac was."

We must also allow God's knife to slay the pride, the self-will, the self-
confidence and the self-glorification that our backslidden Christian
culture encourages.



Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

This is quite a statement, (1 John 2:28) "...because as He is, so are we in this world."

This statement implies to me that we are to be like Jesus in this world. The first part of this verse says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;"

The mature expression of perfected love v. 12, ("No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.") produces confidence as a Christian anticipates Jesus' judgment of the world. A person who abides in love will not be ashamed when Jesus returns.

Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as crazy or sane -- he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for -- to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of "the love of Christ." This total surrender to the "love of Christ" is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. and it will always leave the mark of God's holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

Did you know that you can walk like Jesus walked in this world?

In 1 John 2:6 it says, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

Abiding is habitual obedience. It has the idea of settling down in Christ or resting in Him. It is evidenced by a life modeled after Christ. The phrase "ought to walk" is an admonition to live by the teaching of Jesus which reveals that this conformity comes from us.

Slaves must follow the commands of their masters or they will be punished. Employees need to do their work to keep their jobs. However, the Christian as a child of God ought to obey God because of a sincere desire to do so. It should be a joy to follow in the footsteps of the One who died for us.

(Webster's definition of the word "ought" is defined as a moral obligation or a duty).

A Promise For Those Who Seek God

Rivers of Life

"He who believes in Me...out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38)

Jesus said that, if we have received His fullness, "rivers of living water" will flow out of us, reaching in blessing even "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Just think about that for a minute. You don't see the effects of this promise right now. And we really have nothing to do with this outflow because "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29).

God doesn't always allow us to see how great a blessing we are to others.

Rivers are amazing to behold! A river is a persistent stream of water, overcoming all barriers. It goes steadily on its course until it comes to an obstacle. For a while the river is blocked, but eventually it will make a pathway around the obstacle. The river might drop out of sight for a while and then show up in another place even greater and stronger than before.

When we experience difficulties in our lives we get discouraged and sometimes dwell on the difficulty or obstacle that has appeared. It is at these times that we must pay attention to the Source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it. The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles.

We must never focus our eyes on the obstacle or the difficulty. The obstacle means nothing to the river that will flow steadily through us if we will simply remember to stay focused on the Source. You must never allow anything to come between you and Jesus Christ. That includes emotions and experiences. Nothing must keep you from the one great sovereign Source.

Think of the healing and far-reaching rivers developing and nourishing themselves in our souls! God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the river that He will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing for others.

(Source: My Utmost For His Highest)

Makers of H1N1 Vaccine Refuse To Take It

Makers of the H1N1 vaccination are refusing to take it, and urging their friends and family to do the same. But what if Uncle Obama comes knocking on your door, National Guard in tow, wanting to force you and you family to take it? Um, no thanks.

The Perfect Righteousness of Christ

God has provided a perfect divine righteousness for the sinner who believes what God has revealed in His Word.

The believing sinner stands before God, not in his own self-righteousness which in reality is no righteousness, but in the very righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is utterly holy and without sin because He is God. He is intrinsically righteous. Jesus always did what was pleasing to the Father (John 8:29b; 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). No one could ever prove Him guilty of unrighteousness (Jn. 8:46a). He is the one exception in history; He was absolutely sinless (Matt. 17:5; Jn. 12:28; 1 Pet. 2:22-23).

Moreover, Jesus is also perfectly righteous by His obedience to the law of God. He “fulfilled all righteousness” (Matt. 3:14-15).

Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience to the Law of God. He dotted every "i" and crossed every "t." In no manner did He fail to keep the Jewish law. No other individual has ever completely and absolutely fulfilled the law.

Not only did Jesus fulfill the law personally, but because He was deity He could therefore pay the full penalty demanded by the law for those who had failed to complete it. He paid the penalty in full. The law demanded the death penalty for all who broke it. "The wages of sin is death." "The soul that sins will surely die." Jesus paid this penalty not because He had broken it, but as a substitute for those who had failed. Jesus did not die for His own sins. He died as our representative for sin. He took your guilt and mine upon Himself, and He bore its punishment. The penalty of the law was measured out upon Him. Jesus fulfilled the law completely, actively and passively, positively and negatively. Therefore there is nothing further the law can demand because He has satisfied all its demands upon the sinner.

Now this is the very righteousness of Christ that God gives to sinners who repent and put their faith in Christ. The utterly amazing thing is He gives it freely, apart from any works or merits on our part. Because we are so sinful, everything we touch is contaminated by our moral and spiritual depravity. The perfect righteousness of Christ stands in stark contrast to our unrighteousness and condemns us. It condemns our attitudes and actions. We stand utterly condemned by His holy presence. “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Rom. 3:10). Our own self-righteousness is worthless and condemns us. “There is no one who does good, not even one” is God’s judgment against sinful man.

The good news from God is that He has provided the righteousness of Jesus Christ as a gift to the believer. Faith is the channel by which the sinner receives the righteousness of Christ. God’s gift is “the righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” “The righteous person will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4).

God imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the sinner. That is the way He makes application of the righteousness of Christ to us. Spurgeon said that it is like putting the infinite moral capital of the Lord Jesus in our empty bank account. God takes the riches of heaven’s storehouse and puts them at our disposal. The way He makes it available to us is by faith.

What is faith? It is a resting in Christ and His saving work for us. Faith is not work. Faith is going to God with open hands and receiving the righteousness God gives freely.

C. H. Spurgeon wrote in All of Grace, “Faith is not a blind thing; for faith begins with knowledge. It is not a speculative thing; for faith believes facts of which it is sure. It is not an unpractical, dreamy thing; for faith trusts, and stakes its destiny upon the truth of revelation. Faith is the eye which looks. Faith is the hand which grasps. Faith is the mouth which feeds upon Christ.”

It is this simple trusting in Christ that gives us a right standing in the presence of a holy and righteous God.

Do you stand in a perfect relationship with God? Do you have peace in your heart because you know you are in Christ? Are you trusting in your self-righteous good works and religious accomplishments, or in the righteousness of Christ alone?