Bible reading--God is talking to us;
Prayer--Us talking to God;
Meditation--The communion of the two.
Blessing--The answer to prayer, PLUS;
Bible study--God teaching us;
Thanksgiving--Our duty to God.
Praise--Our blessing toward Him;
Glory--God’s rightful due
Grace--The gift of (from) God.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
discipleship
Becoming a Disciple
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;” (John 8:31)
The subject is discipleship. The key word is “if”. you see, it is up to you whether you become a disciple or not; discipleship is more than believing--it is following; it is obeying; it is working. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31); being saved is not the sum of discipleship, but one earmark of discipleship is seen in the verse above: “If ye continue in my Word…”, continuing in the Word of God is good evidence of discipleship.
There are six verses in the New testament that describe what it means to be a disciple, three are found in Luke, and three in John. As for now though, we must focus on this one, which may be paramount to the others, or at least lead us to practice them. Just for the record, they are: (In Luke) Luke 14: 26~Luke 14:27, and Luke 14:33 and three in John--Jn. 8:31~Jn. 13:35 and Jn 15:8. These are, however, parenthetical for now, as we want to focus on staying in the Word of God.
It is said that Michael Jordan claimed to “eat, drink, and sleep” basketball. He became great because he continued, at all times, in all ways, to focus on the game. We need this sort of tenacity concerning the Word of God. We need to eat, drink, and sleep in the Word; we need to allow it to permeate our lives in every way, and consume our thoughts and actions. Only then can we hope to be considered a true disciple. If you wish to become a disciple of Christ, this is a great place to begin, if not, that is up to you.
Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
There are several other verses to that effect:
Col. 3:1-3; Phil. 4:8; Josh. 1:8, etc.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;” (John 8:31)
The subject is discipleship. The key word is “if”. you see, it is up to you whether you become a disciple or not; discipleship is more than believing--it is following; it is obeying; it is working. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31); being saved is not the sum of discipleship, but one earmark of discipleship is seen in the verse above: “If ye continue in my Word…”, continuing in the Word of God is good evidence of discipleship.
There are six verses in the New testament that describe what it means to be a disciple, three are found in Luke, and three in John. As for now though, we must focus on this one, which may be paramount to the others, or at least lead us to practice them. Just for the record, they are: (In Luke) Luke 14: 26~Luke 14:27, and Luke 14:33 and three in John--Jn. 8:31~Jn. 13:35 and Jn 15:8. These are, however, parenthetical for now, as we want to focus on staying in the Word of God.
It is said that Michael Jordan claimed to “eat, drink, and sleep” basketball. He became great because he continued, at all times, in all ways, to focus on the game. We need this sort of tenacity concerning the Word of God. We need to eat, drink, and sleep in the Word; we need to allow it to permeate our lives in every way, and consume our thoughts and actions. Only then can we hope to be considered a true disciple. If you wish to become a disciple of Christ, this is a great place to begin, if not, that is up to you.
Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
There are several other verses to that effect:
Col. 3:1-3; Phil. 4:8; Josh. 1:8, etc.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Our Awesome God
Those people who sing the song “Our God is an Awesome God” don’t know the half of it. Have you ever seen a tornado close up? Have you ever been involved in a tsunami or hurricane? What about an earthquake, or a volcano; we cannot fathom the mighty hand of God. Bold and mighty men cringe and hide before the fierce storm, and yet it is as a toy in the hands of God; it is not even a mild breeze to Him. We have seen the devastation after the storms and floods; we have seen, from afar for most of us, the fierce wildfires that rage uncontrollably through forest and cities; we all have heard the cries of the bereaved, and saw the tears they shed for their loss, but we have not so much as touched the awesome power of God in all those things. We have not even entered into the threshold of His power. It is too much for our tiny finite minds to fathom. Oh that we would fear God as the maker of the storm; Oh that we would fear Him more than we fear the raging storm or the torrential flood; oh that we would flee evil as we do these storms of life, and fear God as we do the disasters of this earth; only then can we enter into the threshold of his power, and see the embryo of His might.
Friday, March 12, 2010
1 Kings 18
“Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (v. 38)
This account of the “Battle of the gods (God)” is one of my favorite Bible stories. I can see it now though, the scholars of today will say that “this word for ‘water’ did not mean water in the original Hebrew, but it came from an archaic usage for the word kerosene!” That’s how our modern-day “scholars” explain away the miracle’s of God. They would likely go on to say “Everyone knows that water cannot burn”, thereby explaining how this could not have been possible. They do not deny the event, but the miraculous intervention of God in it. The danger in running to the scholars is that we tend to allow “educated idiots” to translate the Bible for us, and something as ridicules as that is the result of it! Elijah had asked for a total of twelve barrels of water to be poured upon the sacrifice, just to show that our God is God, and the God of gods. Now I do not say that I know any scholars that have claimed that, but many of their other claims are as silly when it comes to referring to the Greek or Hebrew. Why we put so much trust in them, I will never know.
This account of the “Battle of the gods (God)” is one of my favorite Bible stories. I can see it now though, the scholars of today will say that “this word for ‘water’ did not mean water in the original Hebrew, but it came from an archaic usage for the word kerosene!” That’s how our modern-day “scholars” explain away the miracle’s of God. They would likely go on to say “Everyone knows that water cannot burn”, thereby explaining how this could not have been possible. They do not deny the event, but the miraculous intervention of God in it. The danger in running to the scholars is that we tend to allow “educated idiots” to translate the Bible for us, and something as ridicules as that is the result of it! Elijah had asked for a total of twelve barrels of water to be poured upon the sacrifice, just to show that our God is God, and the God of gods. Now I do not say that I know any scholars that have claimed that, but many of their other claims are as silly when it comes to referring to the Greek or Hebrew. Why we put so much trust in them, I will never know.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Bless the Lord
Bless His Holy name; “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy name”. He has lifted me from the pit of despair, and rooted me from the depths of despond; He has quickened me again in His Word, and has filled me again with His Spirit. He has taken me from the abyss of doldrums to the clouds, and still set my feet upon solid ground. Bless His Holy name.
I set out to search His Word, with a tragic heart and in a fit of depression, and He lifted me up. He gently lifted me through His beloved Word, and graciously set me down on solid ground again. So gentle, and yet so firm, His hand, and such compassion I have never known from another. How could I but turn to Him and love Him for all the grace He has bestowed upon me? “Oh see that the Lord is good, His mercy endureth forever.” I will praise Him from the deepest depths of my heart, and from the rooftops I shout to the glory of God; Oh that I might know Him better, and intimately, as one should, and can. He has afforded me to draw close to Him, and my joy is overwhelming. Let me see thy presence oh Lord, and bask in the glory of thy brightness; let me learn to love thee entirely, and in truth, and with my entire being. “Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me”: bless His Holy name forever, and ever more.
I set out to search His Word, with a tragic heart and in a fit of depression, and He lifted me up. He gently lifted me through His beloved Word, and graciously set me down on solid ground again. So gentle, and yet so firm, His hand, and such compassion I have never known from another. How could I but turn to Him and love Him for all the grace He has bestowed upon me? “Oh see that the Lord is good, His mercy endureth forever.” I will praise Him from the deepest depths of my heart, and from the rooftops I shout to the glory of God; Oh that I might know Him better, and intimately, as one should, and can. He has afforded me to draw close to Him, and my joy is overwhelming. Let me see thy presence oh Lord, and bask in the glory of thy brightness; let me learn to love thee entirely, and in truth, and with my entire being. “Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me”: bless His Holy name forever, and ever more.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (Jn. 12: 32)
The Gospel lifts up the name of Jesus. It exalts Him far above mankind, and sets Him in His rightful place, on the throne of grace. As we present the Gospel message, it draws men unto Him, the Gospel incarnate. The power is in the Word, and not in the delivery; it is God-given, and not man made. We all know this, but in practice we seem to forget it! In John 6: 44, we see that “No man” can come to Christ but that the Father draw him, and the Father will accomplish this in three different ways:
First, the cross: Jesus was “lifted up” above the earth on the cross, and Calvary has been established as the beginning of our modern day calendar. All men still use the timetable of the cross for reckoning certain times, and all men’s attention was drawn to Calvary, and to the Christ of Calvary. This is the literal sense of the meaning “lifted up”, and it obtains a great amount of glory for the Father.
Second is the lifting up of His name in the hearts of His followers. As we exalt the name of Christ, and testify of Him, we see that others are often drawn to him by word of mouth. Our testimony and our praises are then used to glorify the Father in the lifting up of Christ. We lift Him up on high in praise, and He does the drawing of others to Him through His Spirit which works within us.
Then, the third application is the resurrection of Christ. In rising from the dead, our Lord indeed drew the attentions and affections of man the resurrection is the completion of the Gospel; without it, the Gospel would lose its power. It is the climax of the Gospel of Christ, and it draws men to Him in the very need that it provides—the salvation of souls.
The Gospel lifts up the name of Jesus. It exalts Him far above mankind, and sets Him in His rightful place, on the throne of grace. As we present the Gospel message, it draws men unto Him, the Gospel incarnate. The power is in the Word, and not in the delivery; it is God-given, and not man made. We all know this, but in practice we seem to forget it! In John 6: 44, we see that “No man” can come to Christ but that the Father draw him, and the Father will accomplish this in three different ways:
First, the cross: Jesus was “lifted up” above the earth on the cross, and Calvary has been established as the beginning of our modern day calendar. All men still use the timetable of the cross for reckoning certain times, and all men’s attention was drawn to Calvary, and to the Christ of Calvary. This is the literal sense of the meaning “lifted up”, and it obtains a great amount of glory for the Father.
Second is the lifting up of His name in the hearts of His followers. As we exalt the name of Christ, and testify of Him, we see that others are often drawn to him by word of mouth. Our testimony and our praises are then used to glorify the Father in the lifting up of Christ. We lift Him up on high in praise, and He does the drawing of others to Him through His Spirit which works within us.
Then, the third application is the resurrection of Christ. In rising from the dead, our Lord indeed drew the attentions and affections of man the resurrection is the completion of the Gospel; without it, the Gospel would lose its power. It is the climax of the Gospel of Christ, and it draws men to Him in the very need that it provides—the salvation of souls.
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