Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.—“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”— No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.—By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
1 John 2:5; Heb. 13:20, 21; 1 John 2:3; John 14:23; 1 John 3:6, 7; 1 John 4:17
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
“Consider what great things he has done for you.”
“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.”
I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. . . . It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. . . . Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.—The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.—He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
1 Sam. 12:24; Deut. 8:2, 5; Ps. 119:75, 71, 67; Ps. 118:18; Ps. 103:10, 11, 14
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I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. . . . It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. . . . Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.—The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.—He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
1 Sam. 12:24; Deut. 8:2, 5; Ps. 119:75, 71, 67; Ps. 118:18; Ps. 103:10, 11, 14
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
“Behold, the Lamb of God”
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.’”—He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
You were ransomed . . . not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was . . . made manifest in the last times for your sake, . . . so that your faith and hope are in God.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
John 1:29; Heb. 10:4-7; Isa. 53:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-21; Rev. 5:12
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You were ransomed . . . not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was . . . made manifest in the last times for your sake, . . . so that your faith and hope are in God.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
John 1:29; Heb. 10:4-7; Isa. 53:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-21; Rev. 5:12
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Monday, April 27, 2009
Be Strong, Be Courageous, Endure Hardness
"Woe is me--that I dwell among these scoundrels of Meshech! It pains me to live with these people from Kedar!" Psalm 120:5
As a Christian, you have to live in the midst of an ungodly world, and it is of little use for you to cry, "Woe is me!"
Jesus did not pray, "O that you should be taken out of the world!" And what He did not pray for--you need not desire! Better far in the Lord's strength to meet the difficulty and glorify Him in it.
The enemy is ever on the watch to detect inconsistency in your conduct; be therefore very holy. Remember that the eyes of all are upon you and that more is expected from you than from others! Strive to give no occasion for blame. Like Daniel, let your godliness be the only fault which they can discover in you.
Seek to be useful as well as consistent. Perhaps you think, "If I were in a more favorable position, I might be able to serve the Lord's cause. But I cannot do any good where I am!" But the worse the people are among whom you live, the more need they have of your exertions! If they are crooked, the more necessity that you should set them straight! If they are perverse, the more need have you to turn their proud hearts to the truth. Where should the physician be but where there are many sick? Where is honor to be won by the soldier but in the hottest fire of the battle?
When weary of the strife and sin which meets you on every hand, consider that all the saints have endured the same trial! They were not carried to heaven on beds of ease and you must not expect to travel more easily than they! They had to hazard their lives unto the death, in the midst of the battlefield and you will not be crowned until you also have endured hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Therefore, "Be courageous! Be strong!" 1 Corinthians 16:13
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As a Christian, you have to live in the midst of an ungodly world, and it is of little use for you to cry, "Woe is me!"
Jesus did not pray, "O that you should be taken out of the world!" And what He did not pray for--you need not desire! Better far in the Lord's strength to meet the difficulty and glorify Him in it.
The enemy is ever on the watch to detect inconsistency in your conduct; be therefore very holy. Remember that the eyes of all are upon you and that more is expected from you than from others! Strive to give no occasion for blame. Like Daniel, let your godliness be the only fault which they can discover in you.
Seek to be useful as well as consistent. Perhaps you think, "If I were in a more favorable position, I might be able to serve the Lord's cause. But I cannot do any good where I am!" But the worse the people are among whom you live, the more need they have of your exertions! If they are crooked, the more necessity that you should set them straight! If they are perverse, the more need have you to turn their proud hearts to the truth. Where should the physician be but where there are many sick? Where is honor to be won by the soldier but in the hottest fire of the battle?
When weary of the strife and sin which meets you on every hand, consider that all the saints have endured the same trial! They were not carried to heaven on beds of ease and you must not expect to travel more easily than they! They had to hazard their lives unto the death, in the midst of the battlefield and you will not be crowned until you also have endured hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Therefore, "Be courageous! Be strong!" 1 Corinthians 16:13
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Friday, April 24, 2009
The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.—David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.—“God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”—“‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them.’ This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.”—Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
He who promised is faithful.—Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?—“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”—The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Gen. 21:1; Ps. 62:8; 1 Sam. 30:6; Gen. 50:24; Acts 7:34, 36; Josh. 21:45; Heb. 10:23; Num. 23:19; Matt. 24:35; Isa. 40:8
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He who promised is faithful.—Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?—“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”—The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Gen. 21:1; Ps. 62:8; 1 Sam. 30:6; Gen. 50:24; Acts 7:34, 36; Josh. 21:45; Heb. 10:23; Num. 23:19; Matt. 24:35; Isa. 40:8
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Thursday, April 23, 2009
Porn and paper pastors
Beneath this nicely-alliterated title is an excellent article from Dan Phillips. “This post is not about pornography, men, women, nor marriage. It is about people with paper pastors.” It’s not what you may think, neither is this an article ripping on pastors… Check it out!
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Book of Revelation
Why was the book of Revelation written? It was not written primarily, let me assure you, in order that people might be able to work out the date of the end of the world! That is a very grievous misunderstanding of the book.
The book of Revelation was written in order that God's people, who were passing through terrible persecutions and terrible adversity, might still be able to go on rejoicing. It is a book that showed them the ultimate victory of the Lord over Satan and all the other forces. They were to rejoice. It was written for men and women who had been in trouble, and was meant to primarily help them, not primarily for people who were to live two thousand years later.
And so it has been a help to Christian people in every age and in every generation. If your understanding of Revelation does not help you rejoice, then you are misunderstanding it.
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones
The book of Revelation was written in order that God's people, who were passing through terrible persecutions and terrible adversity, might still be able to go on rejoicing. It is a book that showed them the ultimate victory of the Lord over Satan and all the other forces. They were to rejoice. It was written for men and women who had been in trouble, and was meant to primarily help them, not primarily for people who were to live two thousand years later.
And so it has been a help to Christian people in every age and in every generation. If your understanding of Revelation does not help you rejoice, then you are misunderstanding it.
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones
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