In Revelation, Jesus addressed the complacent church at Laodicea, saying, “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (3:20). Sometimes, His knocking is a light tapping in our spirit. But other times, when we are inattentive, He may use a pounding fist of adversity to turn our focus to Him.
That’s exactly what happened to Saul of Tarsus as he traveled to Damascus, where he intended to bring great persecution upon the Christians in that city. Scripture tells us that Saul was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). It seemed that his cruel mission nearly consumed him.
But God got Saul’s attention in a way he never expected. The Lord sent him crashing to the ground with a blazing light and told him to wait in the city for instructions. Upon opening his eyes, Saul found himself blind and had to ask others to lead him by hand into the city.
The “persecutor of the church” (Phil 3:6) definitely received a wake-up call from the Lord that day. In one stunning moment, God gained Saul’s undivided attention, striking him with the adversity of blindness and humbling him in front of his traveling companions.
Saul felt more than ready to listen when the Lord asked, “Why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). Up to that point, he had no idea he was dishonoring God. In fact, he thought he was serving the Lord by ridding the world of Christians. A period of intense adversity resulted in a complete turnaround—within a matter of days, he was proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues (v. 20).
The Lord got Saul’s full attention on the Damascus Road. He used temporary blindness and humiliation to transform Saul, the zealous Pharisee, into Paul, the powerful apostle and missionary who would spread the gospel and plant churches across the Roman world.
God knew exactly what He was doing when He saved Paul. And He knows what He is doing in your life through the affliction you are facing. Never delay in responding to His call. When He allows difficulties in your life, seek Him, give Him your full attention, respond to His commands quickly and humbly, and listen for what He has to say to you.
As Paul later wrote, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10). God allows adversity into our life to turn our attention to Him. And while it can be painful to endure, it leads us into a deeper relationship with Him and saves us from future destruction.
If you hear the Lord “pounding” through adversity in your life, respond quickly by opening the door to Him. Here are some steps to take:
Admit the sin. Repent of your wrongdoing to God. Remember that our society is quick to accept some sinful behaviors as normal, but the Bible presents a clear picture of what is iniquity and what isn’t. If you have any doubt about whether you have violated God’s instructions, consult Word and He will show you. When you confess to God that you have sinned, don’t try to justify what you did. Simply state your transgression. Then ask Him to forgive you.
Make amends. While we must be sure we don’t try to substitute works for genuine repentance, a heart that has truly been changed by Christ will want to live according to His will. Make it a habit to read Scripture and apply it to your life. You many need to seek godly counsel or professional help if certain sins have a stronghold in your life. Ask God for wisdom and the will to follow His commandments.
Accept forgiveness. If you have repented of your sins, you can be assured that the Lord has forgiven you. That is a divine promise (1 John 1:9)—and God always keeps His Word.
We can avoid a lot of pain and suffering by keeping our focus on the Lord. This way, God does not have to resort to extremes. He doesn’t enjoy bringing us to the point of despair in order to get our attention, but He will do what is necessary to turn our hearts to Him. However, if we seek Him daily through prayer and Scripture, we will be more likely to hear His light tapping—and ready to open the door when He calls.
(By Pastor Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
Praying the Promises of God
Read Isaiah 40:8
Jesus made it clear that we would endure hardship in this life. But God gave His children amazing tools to keep trials from overwhelming us. For instance, He placed His Spirit inside each believer to guide and empower. In addition, He gave us prayer so we could not only communicate and stay connected with our Father but also bring Him our requests.
Today I want to focus on yet another one of His marvelous gifts: the Bible. Scripture is the actual Word of God Almighty. It is truth. It never changes. It enables us in all circumstances, so we have a sure foundation on which to base our lives and decisions.
There are thousands of promises in the Bible--countless assurances that we can rely on with perfect confidence. God wants us to learn them so we won't miss out on blessings He wants to give. And wise believers will turn His promises into prayers and the cries of their hearts.
Let me give you an example that relates to difficult decisions. Psalms 32:8 states, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." We can pray God's words back to Him, saying that we believe He will teach us and reveal His path, while remaining by our side as our caregiver through the entire situation.
When hardships arise, we need a solid foundation on which to stand. Otherwise, our emotions could easily lead us astray through faulty thinking. God is faithful and unchanging, so we can trust in His promises, which enable us to rest confidently and act boldly.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Jesus made it clear that we would endure hardship in this life. But God gave His children amazing tools to keep trials from overwhelming us. For instance, He placed His Spirit inside each believer to guide and empower. In addition, He gave us prayer so we could not only communicate and stay connected with our Father but also bring Him our requests.
Today I want to focus on yet another one of His marvelous gifts: the Bible. Scripture is the actual Word of God Almighty. It is truth. It never changes. It enables us in all circumstances, so we have a sure foundation on which to base our lives and decisions.
There are thousands of promises in the Bible--countless assurances that we can rely on with perfect confidence. God wants us to learn them so we won't miss out on blessings He wants to give. And wise believers will turn His promises into prayers and the cries of their hearts.
Let me give you an example that relates to difficult decisions. Psalms 32:8 states, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." We can pray God's words back to Him, saying that we believe He will teach us and reveal His path, while remaining by our side as our caregiver through the entire situation.
When hardships arise, we need a solid foundation on which to stand. Otherwise, our emotions could easily lead us astray through faulty thinking. God is faithful and unchanging, so we can trust in His promises, which enable us to rest confidently and act boldly.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The God Who Saves
Read Ephesians 2:8-9
Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.
What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his old life--in other words, to repent--and begin the process of becoming "a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We don't evolve into a saved people by deleting old habits and instituting better religious ones; we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.
Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.
What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his old life--in other words, to repent--and begin the process of becoming "a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We don't evolve into a saved people by deleting old habits and instituting better religious ones; we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.
Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Crucified, Buried, and Raised with Christ
1) Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2) Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3) Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4) For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 5) Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6) We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7) For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8) And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9) We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10) When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11) So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. 12) Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13) Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14) Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. ~Romans 6: 1-14 (NLT)
Think back to when you received Christ as your Savior ( hopefully/prayerfully you have). You knew your life had changed but probably had no idea about everything that the salvation experience involved. You were declared righteous and sealed with the Holy Spirit, and God wrote your name in the Lamb's Book of Life. But that wasn't all. You were also crucified, buried, and raised with Christ.
This describes your position in God's eyes, but what does it all mean? Paul tells us that "our old self was crucified with [Christ]" (v. 6). The person you are today is not who you were before salvation. Your old sin nature has died with Christ, which means that its power over you has been broken. Paul isn't saying we'll never transgress again, but now we don't have to be enslaved to sin. Since we've been raised with Christ, He's living within us, giving us the power to live obediently.
Our Father's goal for us is that we become in practice what we are positionally. Many believers attempt to live the Christian life in their own strength by trying harder to overcome sin and live righteously. However, the crucified life is about a life replacement, not self-effort. Christ wants His life to flow through us so that we become living extensions of almighty God.
Every believer has been positionally identified with Christ's death and resurrection, but the only ones who will experience this in a daily manner are those who are willing to die to themselves and let Christ live through them. Jesus wants to be more than your Lord; He wants to be your very life.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Think back to when you received Christ as your Savior ( hopefully/prayerfully you have). You knew your life had changed but probably had no idea about everything that the salvation experience involved. You were declared righteous and sealed with the Holy Spirit, and God wrote your name in the Lamb's Book of Life. But that wasn't all. You were also crucified, buried, and raised with Christ.
This describes your position in God's eyes, but what does it all mean? Paul tells us that "our old self was crucified with [Christ]" (v. 6). The person you are today is not who you were before salvation. Your old sin nature has died with Christ, which means that its power over you has been broken. Paul isn't saying we'll never transgress again, but now we don't have to be enslaved to sin. Since we've been raised with Christ, He's living within us, giving us the power to live obediently.
Our Father's goal for us is that we become in practice what we are positionally. Many believers attempt to live the Christian life in their own strength by trying harder to overcome sin and live righteously. However, the crucified life is about a life replacement, not self-effort. Christ wants His life to flow through us so that we become living extensions of almighty God.
Every believer has been positionally identified with Christ's death and resurrection, but the only ones who will experience this in a daily manner are those who are willing to die to themselves and let Christ live through them. Jesus wants to be more than your Lord; He wants to be your very life.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Friday, March 30, 2012
Freedom from False Guilt
Read ~ 1 John 3:19-24
Have guilty feelings created a wall that prevents you from receiving God's unconditional love? Perhaps you still haven't accepted His forgiveness for something you've done in the past. Until you do, you will continue to deprive yourself of the divine love He wants you to experience.
Or maybe the problem is that you carry around a false sense of guilt--you don't know why you feel ashamed, but you do. The Holy Spirit clearly convicts us of sin so we can repent and be free. But a pervasive, vague sense of guilt with no specific cause comes from the Devil. Ask God to cleanse you of it. Jesus died for you so that you could be free!
Another source of guilt is legalistic teaching. Many people have been taught a distorted version of the gospel and think, I'll never measure up. That's the kind of message the religious leaders of Jesus' time communicated: Unless you do this, God won't accept you; if you do that, you'll go to hell. Pharisaical living involves trying to earn the Lord's acceptance through your own power--righteous deed by righteous deed. Since no one can please Him this way, attempting to do so leads to bondage. Jesus came to liberate us from this slavery. It's time to let His grace and love cleanse you from any shame weighing you down.
The Bible says that when you are set free by Christ, your freedom is complete (John 8:36). Reject Satan's lie that you are separated from the liberty found in Jesus' love. Then ask the Lord to help you walk in the truth. You can again experience the joy of unhindered fellowship with your Savior.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Have guilty feelings created a wall that prevents you from receiving God's unconditional love? Perhaps you still haven't accepted His forgiveness for something you've done in the past. Until you do, you will continue to deprive yourself of the divine love He wants you to experience.
Or maybe the problem is that you carry around a false sense of guilt--you don't know why you feel ashamed, but you do. The Holy Spirit clearly convicts us of sin so we can repent and be free. But a pervasive, vague sense of guilt with no specific cause comes from the Devil. Ask God to cleanse you of it. Jesus died for you so that you could be free!
Another source of guilt is legalistic teaching. Many people have been taught a distorted version of the gospel and think, I'll never measure up. That's the kind of message the religious leaders of Jesus' time communicated: Unless you do this, God won't accept you; if you do that, you'll go to hell. Pharisaical living involves trying to earn the Lord's acceptance through your own power--righteous deed by righteous deed. Since no one can please Him this way, attempting to do so leads to bondage. Jesus came to liberate us from this slavery. It's time to let His grace and love cleanse you from any shame weighing you down.
The Bible says that when you are set free by Christ, your freedom is complete (John 8:36). Reject Satan's lie that you are separated from the liberty found in Jesus' love. Then ask the Lord to help you walk in the truth. You can again experience the joy of unhindered fellowship with your Savior.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
True Spiritual Growth
Read James 1:17-27
If you want to genuinely grow in spiritual maturity, it is not enough to simply be instructed by the Word of God. You may love going to church or listening to Christian radio programs. You might talk about everything you hear and assume you're growing because your knowledge is increasing. However, if you don't actually grow closer to God by allowing His Word to change you from the inside out, your head will merely continue to fill with information. You might even sound like a godly person who is admired for the ability to quote chapter and verse. But if you don't take the next step and allow God to touch others' lives through you, you're missing the point.
Spiritual growth is the result of practicing the truth you receive from God. He wants you to give away what He gives you--that is, by loving and serving others and sharing the truth of the gospel. Our example is Jesus, who said that He did not come to be served, but to serve even the lowest outcasts in His society (Matt. 20:28). He could have exalted Himself and spent all His time preaching and teaching. Instead, Jesus did only the Father's will, which was to reveal His heart of love to a broken world. The Lord sacrificially involved Himself in people's lives, and He calls us to follow in His footsteps.
God's plan is to reach the world through you. If that weren't the case, He would have taken you to heaven as soon as you were saved. But you are here for a purpose--to live out Christ's life alongside hurting people who desperately need to experience His love.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
If you want to genuinely grow in spiritual maturity, it is not enough to simply be instructed by the Word of God. You may love going to church or listening to Christian radio programs. You might talk about everything you hear and assume you're growing because your knowledge is increasing. However, if you don't actually grow closer to God by allowing His Word to change you from the inside out, your head will merely continue to fill with information. You might even sound like a godly person who is admired for the ability to quote chapter and verse. But if you don't take the next step and allow God to touch others' lives through you, you're missing the point.
Spiritual growth is the result of practicing the truth you receive from God. He wants you to give away what He gives you--that is, by loving and serving others and sharing the truth of the gospel. Our example is Jesus, who said that He did not come to be served, but to serve even the lowest outcasts in His society (Matt. 20:28). He could have exalted Himself and spent all His time preaching and teaching. Instead, Jesus did only the Father's will, which was to reveal His heart of love to a broken world. The Lord sacrificially involved Himself in people's lives, and He calls us to follow in His footsteps.
God's plan is to reach the world through you. If that weren't the case, He would have taken you to heaven as soon as you were saved. But you are here for a purpose--to live out Christ's life alongside hurting people who desperately need to experience His love.
(Via Charles Stanley)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
T-H-I-N-K!
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ~ Philippians 4:8
A recent survey revealed that America's teenagers are now spending an average of seven-and-a-half hours per day involved in multiple forms of electronic media, including, TV, video games, listening to music, surfing the Web, texting, and e-mailing.
Those things are not bad. But we can be so current on culture yet so out of touch with Scripture. So let's make sure that our minds and hearts are filled with the truths of God.
Romans 12:1 tells us to "give [our] bodies to God because of all he has done for [us]. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable." Giving our bodies to God also includes our tongues—our words and what we say to others. As James 3:5 points out, "The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire."
I would suggest that you T-H-I-N-K before you speak. The next time you have one of those things you are about to say and are not sure if you really ought to say it, run through the T-H-I-N-K acronym:
T—is it true?
H—is it helpful?
I—is it inspiring?
N—is it necessary?
K—is it kind?
Maybe you're thinking, If I lived by that principle, I wouldn't say anything. Ever. So be it. Present your tongue to God.
Not only that, we need to present our hands and feet to Him as well. Proverbs 6:17–19 says there are seven things that God detests: "haughty eyes (pride/arrogance in self and distain/scorn toward others), a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent ( this includes character assasination), a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family."
So present your hands and your feet and your tongue to God.
(Via Greg Laurie)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
A recent survey revealed that America's teenagers are now spending an average of seven-and-a-half hours per day involved in multiple forms of electronic media, including, TV, video games, listening to music, surfing the Web, texting, and e-mailing.
Those things are not bad. But we can be so current on culture yet so out of touch with Scripture. So let's make sure that our minds and hearts are filled with the truths of God.
Romans 12:1 tells us to "give [our] bodies to God because of all he has done for [us]. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable." Giving our bodies to God also includes our tongues—our words and what we say to others. As James 3:5 points out, "The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire."
I would suggest that you T-H-I-N-K before you speak. The next time you have one of those things you are about to say and are not sure if you really ought to say it, run through the T-H-I-N-K acronym:
T—is it true?
H—is it helpful?
I—is it inspiring?
N—is it necessary?
K—is it kind?
Maybe you're thinking, If I lived by that principle, I wouldn't say anything. Ever. So be it. Present your tongue to God.
Not only that, we need to present our hands and feet to Him as well. Proverbs 6:17–19 says there are seven things that God detests: "haughty eyes (pride/arrogance in self and distain/scorn toward others), a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent ( this includes character assasination), a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family."
So present your hands and your feet and your tongue to God.
(Via Greg Laurie)
Be Blessed!
Dawn
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