The Scripture and Prayer

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit for such things as God has promised.

[John Bunyan]

James 5:14 ...  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Matthew 21:22 ...  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Romans 12:12 ... Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Ephesians 6:18 ... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Philippians 4:6 ... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Colossians 4:2 ... Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

1 Peter 4:7 ... But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Proverbs 15:29 ... he Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Psalm 6:9 ... The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

Psalm 102:17 ... He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. ❤

By Him ...

This is one of the reasons why he is called "the image of God," and the "first-born." He makes God known to us by his creative power, and by the same power in creation shows that he is exalted over all things as the Son of God. The phrase which is used here by the apostle is universal. He does not declare that he created all things in the spiritual kingdom of God, or that he arranged the events of the gospel dispensation; but that everything was created by him. 

[Barnes Notes on The Bible]

Colossians 1:16 ... For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

John 1:3 ... All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ❤

Like a Fire

When our Father uses the word “argue," clearly, He’s not implying we’re to verbally fight with Him to have our own way. For its every evil thing, NOT YHWH, that dwells with strife and self-ambition. (James 3:16) Instead, we’re to “plead and argue” our case with Him just as attorneys do in earthly courtrooms. And since we know attorneys need to research the world’s laws before arguing their cases, how much more should we research YHWH’s Laws before arguing a case before Him? For example, can we successfully argue in Heaven’s Court that the curse of poverty, disease, or confusion is bound (declared unlawful) in our lives, then loose (declare lawful) YHWH’s Laws of prosperity, health, and wisdom? Yes! Those Laws to name a few are found in: Matthew 18:18; Galatians 3:13-14; Deuteronomy 28; 1 Peter 2:24; Jeremiah 30:17; James 1:5; and Colossians 2:2-3.

But remember, we must always remain careful in our representation of the Kingdom of Heaven; we should never use our Yah-given power to “bind” and “loose” in vain by commanding laws that He DID NOT give, nor for our own selfish reasons. Otherwise, then we become the one who is actually illegal and, thereby, become exposed to all the wiles of the devil without the protection of YHWH’s Word to stand on. If the Judge of the Universe is to rule in our favor and grant our petitions, He must first determine that we are in compliance with His Law. Therefore, because YHWH watches over HIS Word, not ours, to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12), let us first research His Word for all the Laws, He’s given that specifically apply to whatever case we’re bringing before Him, then line up our prayers to agree with them, line upon line and precept upon precept. (Isaiah 28:10)

We cannot imitate what we do not know, and what we do not know has the power to destroy us. (John 7:49; Hosea 4:6) However, by studying and imitating the example Yeshua, The Word of YHWH (John 1:14; Revelation 19:13) came to give us, we’re able bring our case before His Throne of Grace EXPECTING to be proved right! And even if a case should prove to be too hard for us, never fear. For our merciful, loving Father is Elohim, Creator and Judge of the Universe, and has promised to argue that one for us.

[Tracie Justice]

Deuteronomy 1:17  ... Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Isaiah 43:26 ...  Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. ❤

"Covetousness"

Covetousness is explicit idolatry. Covetousness is the darling sin of our nation. This leprosy has infected all sorts and ranks of men. Covetousness being idolatry and the root of all evil, is highly provoking to God. Whatever a man loves most and best that is his god.

The covetous man looks upon the riches of the world as: his Heaven, his happiness,

his great ALL. His heart is most upon the world, his thoughts are most upon the world, his affections are most upon the world, his discourse is most about the world.

He who has his mind taken up with the world, and chiefly delighted with the world's music he has also his tongue tuned to the same key and takes his joy and comfort in speaking of the world and worldly things. If the world is in the heart, it will break out at the lips. A worldly-minded man speaks of nothing but worldly things. "They are of the world; therefore, they speak of the world," John 4:5. The love of this world oils the tongue for worldly discourses, and makes men forget God, neglect Christ, despise holiness, forfeit Heaven.

Ah! the time, the thoughts, the strength, the efforts which are spent upon the world, and the things of the world while sinners' souls lie a-bleeding, and eternity is hastening upon them! I have read of a greedy banker, who was always best when he was most in talking of money. Being near his death, he was much pressed to make his WILL. Finally, he dictates:

"First, I bequeath my own soul to the devil, for being so greedy for the muck of this world!

Secondly, I bequeath my wife's soul to the devil, for persuading me to this worldly course of life.

Thirdly, I bequeath my pastor's soul to the devil, because he did not show me the danger I lived in, nor reprove me for it!"

[Thomas Brooks]

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1 Timothy 6:9 ... But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Colossians 3:5 ...  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: ❤

Turn Your Eyes to Jesus!!

A living, breathing relationship with the Savior of the world will drive porn out of your life quicker than anything else. When you turn your eyes to Jesus, there isn’t room for anything else in your heart because He fills it up. When you open the blinds of a pitch-black room, the sunlight drives away the darkness.

[Heath Lambert]

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Hebrews 12:2 ... Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Colossians 3:2 ... Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Philippians 4:13 ... I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ❤

Submission to Gods Will

Our wills are naturally selfish. We love to have our own way. It's not easy to submit to the will of another, unless there is some strong motive that impels us to submission. The carrying out of our wills in a selfish way, only leads to more selfishness and to a stronger inclination to have our own way. It is this selfish inclination in the will, that makes it necessary for God to demand submission from us.

His will is never selfish, but always benevolent. The cheerful doing of it always leads to an increase of benevolence in us. Therefore, when God demands us to submit our wills to him, he is doing that which is best for us. The more consideration for others and true benevolence is developed within us the more our natures are purified and exalted and the more we are able to fulfill the purpose of our creation.

Submitting to God is often the hardest of all tasks, yet it's the most necessary, if we're to be exalted to fellowship with God and enjoy the highest development of our faculties and powers. Selfishness always tends to degrade. Its ignoble exercise tends to dwarf and blight the finest things in our characters. The adoption of a submissive attitude toward God and his will, paves the way for the natural development of those qualities within us which are most worth developing, and which ennoble us most when they're developed. The more our souls run out God-ward, the more like him we become; and the more like him we become, the happier and more useful we are. Unselfish devotion to benevolent service toward God and toward our fellow man, enriches the heart and life as nothing else can do, and leads the way to happiness, peace, and contentment, which make one truly blessed.

Submission to God is the one necessary thing in order to enjoy the Christian life. The more fully we are submitted to his will, the more cheerfully we can carry it out, and the sweeter and richer will be the joy of doing it. Reluctant submission to God is not real submission. Reluctant obedience is never real obedience. It's only when the heart responds to God willingly and cheerfully, that the power of such service to make one joyful is realized. We must conquer our reluctant wills. "The essence of sacrifice of self is the sacrifice of the will. Unwilling offerings are a contradiction, and in fact, there are no such things. The quality of unwillingness destroys the character of the offering and robs it of all sacredness. Reluctant Christianity is not Christianity."

True nobility of both the inner and the outer life comes from submission to, and cooperation with, God. The nature of our relations with God depends upon the extent of our submission to him.

[Charles Naylor]

Matthew 6:10 ... Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Philippians 2:13 ... For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Colossians 1:9 ... For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ❤

Ocean of Life!

The Psalmist deposited the precepts and promises of God in his heart and proved their value and efficacy to preserve him from sin, to comfort him in trouble, and to cheer him in a dying hour.

Just so, Christians must "let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly, in all wisdom." (Colossians 3:16) This will preserve them from sin and make them wise unto salvation.

The Word must be deposited in our hearts and woven into our natures by carefully reading and meditating upon it. "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it." (Joshua 1:8)

The Word is the perpetual standard of all moral excellence. All its precepts tend to purity. Its doctrines present the most powerful motives against sin.

When the Christian looks at the sufferings and death of the Redeemer in His intense agony, in His bloody sweat, in His transfixing on the cruel cross, in the desertion of His Father, in the endurance of the penalty of sin, then he sees in all these unparalleled sorrows, "the exceeding sinfulness of sin!"

Why is he redeemed? "Christ gave Himself for us--to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good!" (Titus 2:14)

Why is he regenerated? "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Why is he adopted into God's family but to bear the image of Him who adopts.

What is the tendency of all the doctrines of grace which he has received? "For the grace of God teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age!" (Titus 2:11-12)

Why is he preserved? "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Thessalonians 5:23) "But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation!" (Colossians 1:22)

Above all, when he contemplates the character of his Savior His ardent love, His ineffable meekness, His profound humility, and his perfect obedience, then he perceives such a bright constellation of virtues, that he is dazzled by their splendor, and longs and prays to be impressed with the image and likeness of Jesus.

Thus, the Word of God is hidden in his heart as his counselor, as his guide, as his pattern!

The Word of God is the Christian's compass and chart, by which he is steered safely over the tempestuous ocean of life!

[William Nicholson]

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Psalm 119:11 ... Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ... All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. ❤

Compass and Chart!!

The Psalmist deposited the precepts and promises of God in his heart and proved their value and efficacy to preserve him from sin, to comfort him in trouble, and to cheer him in a dying hour.

Just so, Christians must "let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly, in all wisdom." This will preserve them from sin and make them wise unto salvation.

The Word must be deposited in our hearts and woven into our natures by carefully reading and meditating upon it. "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it." (Joshua 1:8)

The Word is the perpetual standard of all moral excellence.  All its precepts tend to purity.  Its doctrines present the most powerful motives against sin.

When the Christian looks at the sufferings and death of the Redeemer in His intense agony, in His bloody sweat, in His transfixing on the cruel cross, in the desertion of His Father, in the endurance of the penalty of sin, then he sees in all these unparalleled sorrows, "the exceeding sinfulness of sin!"

Why is he redeemed? "Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good!" (Titus 2:14)

Why is he regenerated? "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Why is he adopted into God's family but to bear the image of Him who adopts.

What is the tendency of all the doctrines of grace which he has received? "For the grace of God teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age!"  (Titus 2:11-12)

Why is he preserved? "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Thessalonians 5:23) "But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation!" (Colossians 1:22)

Above all, when he contemplates the character of his Savior His ardent love, His ineffable meekness, His profound humility, and his perfect obedience, then he perceives such a bright constellation of virtues, that he is dazzled by their splendor, and longs and prays to be impressed with the image and likeness of Jesus.

Thus, the Word of God is hidden in his heart as his counselor, as his guide, as his pattern!

The Word of God is the Christian's compass and chart, by which he is steered safely over the tempestuous ocean of life!

[William Nicholson]

Psalm 119:11 ... Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ... All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

Followers!!

Beloved, may the Spirit of God help you to rise to heavenly mindedness. Do not be miserable money-grubbers, or sordid earthworms. Do not be pleasure hunters and novelty seekers. Do not set your affections upon these childish toys, which will be so soon broken up. Be no more children, but followers of the Lord Jesus. 

Find your joy in Jesus, your wealth in Jesus, your honor in Jesus, your everything in Jesus! Be in the world, but not of it. Sit loose, I entreat you, to this poor fleeting world. Get a tighter grip of the glorious world to come--so shall the love of Jesus fill your heart. Throw your anchor upward, into the soothing sea of divine love, and not downward into a troubled ocean. Anchor yourselves to the eternal throne; and never be divided even in thought, from the indescribable love of Jesus your Savior. 

It is your wondrous privilege, brethren, to lean your heads and hearts on the bosom of Jesus, until the day breaks and the shadows flee away. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Colossians 3:1-4 ... If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

1 Peter 2:11 ... Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Nehemiah 8:10 ... Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. ❤

Unexpected Mercies

 The history of Israel is a series of surprises and unexpected mercies.

It has been even more so in the works of grace. See what God has done for us in His matchless mercy. After our first parents fell into sin, could any onlooking angel have imagined in all this, that God intended to display the greatness of His mercy, so that where sin abounded, grace should much more abound? Did any seraph ever imagine that the Son of God would come down to be born into this rebellious race? Did it ever enter into their conception, that He would die, the just for the unjust, to bring sinful men to God? Was it ever thought of, that wicked and rebellious men should be adopted into the family of God? This was an honor that we did not expect.

Moreover, God having made us to be His children, did we ever imagine that He would make us His heirs? Yet He says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:17) Did it ever enter into an angel's mind, to conceive that every Christian would be married to Jesus, wedded to Him in bonds of everlasting love? Did it ever enter the dreams of any intelligent being, that God would lift up poor, fallen man to sit with Jesus on His throne in glory? This is astonishing!

When our Lord shall take us up into glory, how amazed we shall be! To talk about that glory now, ravishes us; but to be in it, flooded with it, filled with it, crowned with it--this will be overwhelming! Surely, we shall need stronger bodies and hearts, better than those which we now have more able to endure the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!

How is it that we continue to be surprised at what God does for those who love Him? Because our largest conceptions of God, fall short of the infinite reality. Ah, my brother, you do not know the heights and depths, the lengths and breadths of His wondrous love. God is infinite. We are as a tiny shell on the beach; we cannot hold the ocean, and therefore the measureless sea must always be a marvel to us.

Therefore, there must be in God's workings, a great deal yet to come of which poor, short-lived insects like us, can have no idea.

[Charles H. Surgeon]

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Colossians 3:4 ... When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Isaiah 64:3 ...  When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

Ephesians 3:20 ... Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ❤

Blessedness of Contemplating Jesus

There is no sweeter occupation for the soul than to set its gaze steadily upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He who was once despised and rejected by men, is now exalted in the heavens. The heart that contemplates His beauty, drinks deeply of Heaven's own joy. The world seeks gratification in a thousand fleeting things, but the believer finds his satisfaction in contemplating Jesus. This contemplation is not mere wandering thoughts it is a sanctifying gaze that changes the heart. "I meditate on You through the watches of the night." (Psalm 63:6) 

In the silence of the night, when all earthly distractions fade, the soul communes with its Savior and finds in Him a peace which surpasses all understanding. The Scriptures declare that the man is blessed whose "delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night!" (Psalm 1:2) 

Even more so, what joy is found when the soul meditates upon the living Word Himself, Jesus Christ! To fix our eyes upon Him, is to behold the fountain of mercy, and the King of glory. This world with all its vanities beckons us to fix our minds below. But the Spirit calls us higher: "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!" (Colossians 3:1-2) 

True blessedness is not found by looking within or around but by looking upward to the Savior who reigns. 

[Author Unknown] 

Hebrews 12:2 ... Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

The Great Artist's Chisel!

Jesus taught the disciples humility, by His humility. He taught them gentleness, by His gentleness. He did not point out their defects in words. He did not dwell upon their errors, but He rather let them see their own spots by His purity, and their own defects by His perfection. Oh, the marvelous tenderness of Christ, who so paternally pitied those who feared Him! 

Remember that your brethren and sisters in Christ, with whom you find so much fault, are God's elect. And if He chose them, why do you reject them? They are bought with Christ's blood; why do you think so little of them? Recollect too, that with all their badness, there are some good points in them in which they excel you. They do not know so much; but perhaps they act better than you. It may be that they are faultier in pride; but perhaps they excel you in generosity. Or if perhaps one man is a little quick in temper; yet he is more zealous than you. 

Look at the bright side of your brother, and the black side of yourself; instead of reversing the order as many do. The drift of this lesson is this: as your heavenly Father has pity on you, have pity on one another. Jesus, the Compassionate One, covers our sins with the mantle of His love! Be as tender towards those who sin, as the Master was. He remembers that we are dust; remember this of others. I will not find fault with you, my friend, if I can help it, because you will one day be without fault before the throne of God! 

If God will so soon remove your faults, then why should I take note of them? I will not peevishly complain of the 'rough stone'; for I see it is under the Great Artist's chisel, and I will tarry till I see the beauty which He brings out of it. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

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Psalm 103:13-14 ... Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Ephesians 4:32 ...  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12 ... Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; ❤

The Saints Everlasting Rest

If there is such a wonderful rest remaining for us, why don't we think about it more? Has the eternal God provided us such a hope, and promised to take us up to dwell with Himself; and is it not worth thinking about? Do we believe this, and yet forget it and neglect it? Why does God condemn earthly-mindedness and command, "Set your affection on things above"? (Colossians 3:2). If God says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15), why then do we make earth our principal concern?  Where is the Christian whose concentration is really on his rest? What is the matter are we so full of joy that we need no more? 

I urge you, reader, to bend your soul to study eternity. Busy it about the life to come. Make such meditation your habit. Bathe your soul in heaven's delights; and if your backward soul begins to drag its feet and your thoughts wander, call them back. Hold them to their work. Don't put up with their laziness. When you have, in obedience to God, tried this work, and kept a guard on your thoughts until they are accustomed to obeying; then you will find yourself in the suburbs of heaven. Then the life of Christianity will be a life of joy. 

[Richard Baxter]

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Titus 2:13 ... Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Philippians 1:23 ... For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

2 Corinthians 5:8 ... We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. ❤

Regeneration

Regeneration (or the New Birth) is the sovereign act of God, performed by the Holy Spirit through the Word, bringing a Hell-deserving sinner from spiritual death to life in Christ. 

1. The NECESSITY of regeneration. Every man and woman enters this world not as a blank slate, but as a fallen creature "dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1) Our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked! (Jeremiah 17:9) By nature, we are enemies of God (Romans 8:7), children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), and slaves to sin and Satan. (John 8:34) In our natural state, we have no spiritual life, no spark of goodness, no inclination toward God. Our will is bound by sin, our affections are corrupt, and our understanding is darkened! (1 Corinthians 2:14) Since this is the spiritual condition of every person, then nothing short of a new birth can save us. The words of Jesus to Nicodemus are absolute unless one is born again, he cannot even see the kingdom of God. Neither reformation, education, morality, or religion; can produce spiritual life from spiritual death. The heart of man is a little Hell; full of sin and only fit for the eternal fire. We are all born with a bias toward evil and leave the womb as heirs of wrath! "Do not be amazed that I told you, that you MUST be born again!" (John 3:7) To be born again is not a luxury, it is a necessity. There is no other way to Heaven. Without the new birth, you can never enter the kingdom of God. 

2. The SOURCE of regeneration. Regeneration is not man's work, but the Spirit's work from beginning to end. Man can no more create a new heart in himself, than he could create the world! It is the sovereign act of the Holy Spirit, applying the saving work of Jesus to the heart. The Spirit quickens whom He wills, through the preaching of the Word, according to the Father's eternal decree, and the Son's redeeming grace. (Titus 3:5)

3. The EFFECTS of regeneration. When the Spirit regenerates, He gives a new heart. The man now loves what he once hated Jesus, holiness, and truth; and hates what he once loved the world, the flesh, and the devil's delights. In regeneration, the man becomes a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17); his affections are transformed, his desires are sanctified, and his life is increasingly conformed to the Lord Jesus. 

4. The eternal END of regeneration. The life begun by regeneration on earth, is consummated in the glories of Heaven. The believer, once a child of wrath, is now an heir of God and a co-heir with Jesus. (Romans 8:17) The end of regeneration, is eternal communion with Jesus, and the enjoyment of His presence forever! (Revelation 22:4–5) Christian, marvel at the sovereign mercy of God that when you were dead in sin, He made you alive in Jesus! (Ephesians 2:5) Let this truth humble you, sanctify you, and move you to worship Him who has rescued you from the dominion of darkness, and brought you into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom you have redemption, and the forgiveness of sins! (Colossians 1:13–14)

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

John 3:3 ... Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

The Great Pumpkin Day!

I am a firm believer in personal liberty when it comes to an individual’s right to choose how they live, what they watch, what they participate or what they don’t participate in, I support freedom in the body of Christ. If that means a person does Halloween, that’s on them, they have that liberty, because of grace, to do that. But I also respect another’s right and freedom not to. That’s the beauty of God’s grace he gives us. 

I’ve seen the damage done by legalism growing up in church, women not allowed to wear pants, makeup, or simple things like going to the movies. All restricted by the church police. We are all accountable for our own actions, that’s how it works. No need to apologize for your behavior, just be you. 

And eat some candy along the way. 🎃

[Christopher Gregory]

Galatians 5:1 ... Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Colossians 2:16 ... Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

2 Corinthians 3:17 ... Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ❤

"The Love of Money!"

"The RICH man also died and was buried. In Hell, where he was in torment . . . " Luke 16:22-23

I believe that this passage is meant to teach us that riches bring special danger with them. Yes! Riches, which the vast majority of people are always seeking after riches for which they spend their lives, and of which they make an idol! Riches entail on their possessor, immense spiritual peril! The possession of them has a very hardening effect on the soul they chill; they freeze; they petrify the heart! They close the eye to spiritual realities. They insensibly produce a tendency to forget God.

What can be more obvious than the fact that the Bible has frequently spoken of money, as a most fruitful cause of sin and evil?

For money, Achan brought defeat on the armies of Israel, and death on himself.

For money, Balaam sinned against light and tried to curse God's people.

For money, Delilah betrayed Samson to the Philistines.

For money, Gehazi lied to Naaman and Elisha, and became a leper.

For money, Ananias and Sapphira became the first hypocrites in the early Church and lost their lives.

For money, Demas deserted the apostle, Paul.

For money, Judas sold Christ and was ruined eternally.

Surely these facts speak loudly!

Money, in truth, is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions. There is no doubt that it takes away some cares, but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away!

There is trouble in the getting of it.

there is anxiety in the keeping of it.

there are temptations in the use of it.

there is guilt in the abuse of it.

there is sorrow in the losing of it.

there is perplexity in the disposing of it!

Two-thirds of all the strife, quarrels, and lawsuits in the world, arise from one simple cause money! It seems desirable at a distance, yet it often proves a poison when in our hand!

And does not this stand in perfect harmony with all the language of Scripture on the same subject?

What does the Lord Jesus say?

"How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle--than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God!" Mark 10:23-25

"No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money." Matthew 6:24

"The deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and he becomes unfruitful." Matthew 13:22

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions!" Luke 12:15

What does the apostle Paul say?

"Greediness, which is idolatry!" Colossians 3:5

"Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows!" 1 Timothy 6:9–10

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have!" Hebrews 13:5

There is nothing more deceitful, tempting, foolish, idolatrous, perilous and heart-ensnaring than the love of money!

[J. C. Ryle]

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At The Foot of The Cross ...

May we sit at the foot of the cross and there learn what sin has done, what justice has done, what love has done.

[John Newton]

Sin ~ 

Galatians 5:19-21 ... Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Justice ~

Colossians 2:14 ... Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Love ~

Romans 5:8 ... But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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Rejoicing In the Midst of Trials and Afflictions!!

To others, you may be insignificant despised, unknown, unimportant. You may be poor in possessions, sick in body, misunderstood by many, and even dismissed by fellow believers. You may be walking through valleys of pain, battling weakness, enduring loss, or carrying deep burdens that no others could realize. But dear child of God, lift up your eyes and take heart your name is written in Heaven! 

Not scribbled in pencil, not etched in sand, but written in Heaven secure in the eternal book of God, sealed by the blood of the Lamb. You may be rejected on earth, but you are known and loved in Heaven. Your name, personally inscribed by the omnipotent hand of God, is known in the courts of glory. Angels may not know your name now, but they will when they welcome you, Home.  Jesus turns His redeemed children away from both their successes and failures in this poor world and points them to the everlasting treasure of eternity in Heaven. What happens here on earth may rise and fall, but what is written in Heaven is sure and steadfast. 

Beloved, your name is not written in Heaven because of your merit, success, or popularity. It is there, because God sovereignly chose to set His love on you in eternity past. Then, in His infinite mercy, He effectually called you out of darkness, and into His marvelous light! Though you are despised on earth, Heaven is your eternal Home. Though suffering is your earthly lot, your future is glorious. Though your life may appear insignificant, your inheritance is vast. Others may not value you, but Heaven rejoices over you. 

So, rejoice! not in your temporal circumstances, or in what others think of you, but in what God has promised. You are His, and your name is forever written in Heaven. One day soon, you will hear the Savior call your name to welcome you Home: "Enter into the joy of your Lord!" Regardless of earthly poverty, weakness, neglect, or suffering your name is engraved in Heaven! Let this truth comfort you, anchor you, and fill you with profound, unshakeable joy. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

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Colossians 3:1-2 ... If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Luke 10:20 ... Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. ❤

10 Things God Does With Our Sin

1. He forgives our transgression. (Psalm 32:1,5) 

David sought and received God’s forgiveness. The Hebrew word for forgiven literally means “lifted off.” The image was portrayed in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan’s protagonist, Christian, was weighed down by the burden of his sin. When he came to the cross, the sin burden fell from his shoulders, rolled down a hill, and disappeared into an empty tomb. Unconfessed sin is a burden that weighs us down. When we confess our sin to God, He lifts it off our shoulders, rolls it away, and it disappears. 

2. He covers our sin (Psalm 32:1, Romans 4:7)

This imagery is taken from the Day of Atonement. On this day the high priest took blood from a sacrificial animal, carried it into the Most Holy Place, and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant (a chest that contained the Ten Commandments). The sprinkled blood symbolically covered the broken law and shielded the sinner from judgment. It’s significant that when David stopped trying to cover up his sin, God “covered” it. When something is covered, it’s hidden from view. God puts our sin out of His sight. 

3. He does not charge us with iniquity. (Psalm 32:2, Romans 4:8)

This is what God does not do with our sin; He no longer counts our sin against us. “Charge” is a bookkeeping term. This is the imagery Paul used in Romans 4:8-25. God charges our sin to Jesus’ ledger (who bore our penalty) and writes Jesus’ righteousness into our ledger and credits us with His righteousness. 

4. He removes our sins from us. (Psalm 103:12, John 1:29) 

How far does God remove our sin from us? “As far as the east is from the west” an immeasurable distance. East and west will never meet. 

5. He washes away our guilt and cleanses us from our sin. (Psalm 51:2, Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1:9) 

Sin leaves a mark or a stain only God can wipe away. He washes it away “completely.” 

6. He throws all our sins behind His back. (Isaiah 38:17) 

In a metaphorical sense, God puts all our sins behind His back so that He does not see them anymore. 

7. He sweeps away our transgressions. (Isaiah 43:25)

Our unconfessed sins hang over us like a dark cloud, but God promises to sweep them away like the rising sin burns away the morning mist (Isaiah 44:22) 

8. He remembers our sins no more. (Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, 10:16-17)

When God forgives our sins; He forgets them. That means He no longer holds our sins against us. 

9. He casts all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18-19) 

God casts (hurls) our sins into the sea, where they sink like a stone. Such an act of grace caused Micah to ask, “Who is a God like you?” 

10. He nailed our sin debt to the cross. (Colossians 2:14) 

God not only erases our sin debt, but He also destroys the document on which our debt was recorded by nailing it to the cross. We are forgiven because of the cross of Jesus. 

[ Mike Livingstone ~ 10 Things God Does with Our Sin (Session 11 – Psalm 32:1-11) - Explore the Bible]

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A New Creation!!

Whenever anyone is saved by the sovereign grace of God and regenerated by the Holy Spirit he becomes a new creation in Christ.  This is not a mere moral improvement, nor a religious reformation, nor the adoption of a more wholesome lifestyle but a supernatural work of the Spirit, producing a new nature. Having experienced this miracle of salvation, this new man now has new views, new ambitions, new convictions, new desires, new notions, new hopes, new dreads, new pleasures, new aims, new principles, new affections, new joys, and new pursuits. Everything about him is changed. He does, as it were, live in a new world! He was once spiritually dead, enslaved to sin, governed by the flesh, blind to truth, and hostile to God!

Now, his affections are changed he loves what he once hated and hates what he once loved! Now, his mind is renewed he no longer sees life through the lens of popular culture, but through the lens of Scripture. Now, his will is liberated he longs to do the will of God, though not without struggle. Though sin still remains in his flesh, it no longer reigns in his life. The believer is brought into a new realm: from darkness to light; from death to life; from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. He is adopted as God's child, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and sealed for the day of redemption. In Christ, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is now his! 

His past is forgiven, his present is transformed, and his future is secured. But the glory of this new creation lies not in the man himself, but in the One who made him new. Just as the original creation displayed the majesty of God, so this new creation displays the greatness of His sovereignty, mercy, and grace. Christian, never forget who you are--you are not what you once were. And though you are not yet what you will be--you are already made new in Christ. Let this truth humble you, encourage you, and move you to walk in newness of life, to the glory of God! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Ephesians 1:3 ... Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Colossians 1:13–14 ... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

2 Corinthians 5:17 ... Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ❤