Favorite Pastor Quotes 2

Favorite Pastor Quotes 2

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
 
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If I had to identify the major misconception about believers today, it would be that they spend too much time getting out of trouble with God, instead of getting into righteousness!
 
We are living on the defensive instead of the offensive. We need to move beyond the defensive line of Christianity, and move on to the offense—advancing the Kingdom, fulfilling the Great Commission, and telling others about Jesus. Our Shepherd will never lead us where His strength cannot keep us. He will never lead us down a path that He hasn’t first walked down Himself.
 
ACTION POINT:
Are you sharing His love and words of salvation with someone who’s lost? If not, begin today to move beyond your comfort zone and see the hand of God move.

~Adrian Rogers~
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Faith versus Reason

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

The first battle between faith and human reason took place in the garden of Eden. Spurred on by the lies of the serpent, Eve began to look at her situation from a purely logical perspective and decided she was being cheated by God out of something good. Her faith faltered as "reasonable" thoughts of self-interest filled her mind.

I am not saying that the way of faith is never logical, but by operating only on the basis of reason, a conflict with the Lord is inevitable. The reason is that His instructions and actions don't always appear reasonable from a human perspective. Although Isaiah 55:8-9 describes God's thoughts and ways as higher than man's, many people judge divine ideas to be lower than human intelligence.

Paul emphasizes this when he points out that God's choices are illogical by the world's standards. His message of salvation seems foolish, and His messengers appear weak and unimpressive. In an age that thrives on recognition, admiration, and importance, a person who believes the Bible is considered a weakling in need of a religious crutch to cope with life. While this description is given in derision, it's actually quite accurate. Recognizing their helplessness, believers lean on Christ so He can raise them to stand with Him in righteousness.

That day in Eden, sin and self-importance entered the human heart. But all the worldly wisdom that fuels our pride is nullified by God. He is looking not for great and impressive people but for weak, humble servants who can boast only in Christ. The Savior alone is their strength and wisdom.

~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~

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Jesus Christ the Sin Bearer

Matthew 26:26-27

The cross is so common in our culture that most people don’t think twice when they see one on a church. But unfortunately, familiarity with the symbol can actually get in the way of understanding what it truly means. So let’s stop to consider how Jesus became the bearer of sin.

We begin with Scripture written long before Jesus was born. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, explains how man chose to disobey God. Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, their descendants are all born under the curse of death, having inherited a sinful “flesh” nature.

In Leviticus, God’s laws for the Jewish nation included observance of Yom Kippur, the day each year when the Israelites fasted, prayed, and sacrificed an animal to atone for sin. In essence, the goat would bear the wrongs done by the people and suffer the penalty that divine justice required.

Centuries later, Isaiah prophesied that a Savior would atone for transgression once and for all (Isa. 53:5, 8; Heb. 7:27). After another 700 years, John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Messiah had come, though He was totally different from what the people expected--so much so, in fact, that they rejected Him and requested His crucifixion.

In all, God gave 613 laws through Moses. But none of us can perfectly follow even the Ten Commandments. In fact, one reason He gave us these rules is to show us our need for a Savior (Ps. 19:7; Gal. 3:24). Meditate on those commands (Ex. 20:1-17), asking God to speak to your heart.

~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~

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The "All" of Belief 

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth"   (Mark 9:23).

Our unbelief is the greatest hindrance in our way; in fact, there is no other real difficulty as to our spiritual progress and prosperity. The LORD can do everything; but when He makes a rule that according to our faith so shall it be unto us, our unbelief ties the hands of His omnipotence. Yes, the confederacies of evil shall be scattered if we can but believe. Despised truth shall lift its head if we will but have confidence in the God of truth. We can bear our load of trouble or pass uninjured through the waves of distress if we can gird our loins with the girdle of peace, that girdle which is buckled on by the hands of trust. What can we not believe? Is everything possible except believing in God? Yet He is always true; why do we not believe in Him? He is always faithful to His word; why can we not trust Him? When we are in a right state of heart, faith costs no effort: it is then as natural for us to rely upon God as for a child to trust his father. The worst of it is that we can believe God about everything except the present pressing trial. This is folly. Come, my soul, shake off such sinfulness, and trust thy God with the load, the labor, the longing of this present. This done, all is done.

~Charles Spurgeon~

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Our Best Friend Is Jesus

John 15:9-17

Years ago the Sunday School teachers in my church would teach preschoolers a little chorus that included the line, “My best friend is Jesus.” As those children grew into adulthood, they naturally put aside juvenile songs like this one. But sadly, they also frequently seemed to grow out of the idea of Jesus being a friend.

As believers learn more about God, they rightly elevate Him to be the Lord of their lives and acknowledge Him as sovereign ruler over all the earth. It is easier to think of One so high and mighty as Creator, Savior, and Lord than to “lower” Him to the position of Friend. But Jesus makes a point of telling His disciples that He is both a transcendent deity--the Son of God--and their companion (John 15:15).

The offer of friendship extends to modern disciples as well. Like the original twelve followers, we are privileged to say that Christ laid down His life for us in a supreme act of love and devotion (v. 13). What is more, His Spirit reveals the truth of Scripture to our hearts so that we can learn more about God and His ways. In other words, Jesus has made known to us the things He heard from His Father. A man doesn’t tell secrets to slaves; he tells them to his friends (v. 15).

Teaching children to sing of their friendship with Jesus is a wise idea. But I wonder when some grown believers will learn to sing of that special relationship again? May we never become so religious, so pious, or so full of our own maturity that we will not say, “My best friend is Jesus Christ.”

~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~

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Today's Reading: Daniel 1; 1 John 4

Today's Thoughts: God’s Favor

Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. - >Daniel 1:9 

I love the Old Testament stories that illustrate how God brought someone into favor in an unfavorable situation. Daniel was given favor in the king's palace, even though he was a captive and taken prisoner. Joseph was given favor with the guards as a prisoner in Egypt. And even David, before he was king, was given favor when he sought refuge in enemy territory with the Philistines. Why such favor with these people in these situations? Was it because of what they had done to earn it? No. It was because of who God is.

Even today, we see God's favor upon us. As I opened my hometown's newspaper last week, I saw a picture of my nephew being awarded "Student of the Month." Knowing that he is not a stellar student but wondering if he had suddenly had a major change, I called my sister to congratulate him. When I asked her why he received the award, she said, "Well, for some reason the teacher just picked him once before, and she picked him again for this month." My sister had no real answer as to why he got the award the first time, much less the second. I knew that my nephew had found favor with his teacher. Because of what he had done? I doubt it. But because of who God is.

There are many times that I ask God to give me favor in certain situations or with certain people. Sometimes we hold back from asking for such things because we feel unworthy or undeserving. But the Lord wants us to ask because He loves to answer. I have been given favor in situations where I deserved nothing but wrath. When we truly embrace God's grace, then we can begin to understand a snippet of how much He loves us.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~

Favorite Pastor Quotes

Favorite Pastor Quotes


God's love-tokens!

(Thomas Brooks, "Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod")

"It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees!" Psalm 119:71

A gracious soul secretly concludes: As stars shine brightest in the night--so God will make my soul shine and glisten like gold, while I am in this furnace--and when I come out of the furnace of affliction. "He knows the way that I take; and when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold!" Job 23:10

Surely, as the tasting of honey opened Jonathan's eyes--so this cross, this affliction, shall open my eyes. By this stroke, I shall come to have a clearer sight of my sins, and of myself, and a fuller sight of my God!

Surely this affliction shall proceed in the purging away of my dross!

As surely as plowing the ground kills the weeds, and harrowing breaks hard clods--so these afflictions shall kill my sins, and soften my heart!

As surely as the plaster draws out the infectious core--so the afflictions which are upon me shall draw out . . .
  the infectious core of pride,
  the infectious core of self-love,
  the infectious core of envy,
  the infectious core of earthliness,
  the infectious core of formality,
  the infectious core of hypocrisy! 

Surely by these afflictions, the Lord will crucify my heart more and more to the world--and the world to my heart!

Surely by these afflictions, the Lord will keep pride from my soul!

Surely these afflictions are but the Lord's pruning-knives, by which he will bleed my sins, and prune my heart, and make it more fertile and fruitful. They are the means by which He will rid me of those spiritual diseases and maladies, which are most deadly and dangerous to my soul!

Affliction is such a potion, as will carry away all soul-diseases, better than all other remedies!

Surely by these afflictions, I shall be made more a partaker of God's holiness!

As black soap makes white clothes--so does sharp afflictions make holy hearts.

Surely by these, God will communicate more of Himself unto me!

Surely by these afflictions, the Lord will draw out my heart more and more to seek Him! "In their afflictions they will seek me early!" Hosea 5:15. In times of affliction, Christians will industriously, speedily, early seek unto the Lord.

Surely by these trials and troubles, the Lord will fix my soul more than ever upon the great concernments of the eternal world!

Surely by these afflictions, the Lord will work in me more tenderness and compassion towards those who are afflicted!

Surely these afflictions are but God's love-tokens! "As many as I love--I rebuke and chasten!" Revelation 3:19. So says the holy Christian, "O my soul! be quiet, be still--all is sent in love, all is a fruit of divine favor."

Afflictions abase the carnal attractions of the world, which might entice us.

Affliction abates the lustiness of the flesh within, which might else ensnare us!

By all of the above, affliction proves to be a mighty advantage unto us.
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A man after the devil's own heart!

(George Lawson, "A Practical Exposition of the Book of Proverbs")

"A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit! Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart!"  Proverbs 26:24-25

An angry man is dangerous--but, if you are on your guard, the danger will soon be over.

The malicious man is far worse, and much more dangerous, for his hatred ferments in his heart, and in the mean time, he is projecting methods for wreaking his malevolence in such a manner as will be safest to himself, and most hurtful to its object. He is not like the dog that barks before it bites--otherwise you might stand to your own defense. But he is a dog that fawns upon you, and, when you are never dreaming of it, viciously attacks you, and inflicts an unexpected and dangerous wound. 

Solomon warns you that your safety lies in refusing to trust him, even when he makes the largest professions of friendship. When he speaks charming words, believe him not, although he should swear to the truth of all he says. If you have any reason, from your knowledge of a man's character, or from his former behavior, to think that he is one of this stamp, and capable of such wicked conduct--his ardent professions of love should rather confirm than remove your suspicions of him. For the darkest designs are always covered under the greatest shows of virtue and friendship. 

You may as safely believe the devil himself, as one who joins malignity of heart with flattery and caresses--for he is a man after the devil's own heart! His character is a compound of all those vices of the blackest and the vilest kind, which make a consummate villain, and render a man a disgrace to human nature, by his exact resemblance to those infernal fiends who are to be dreaded equally for their malice and subtlety.

Living By Christ

Living By Christ 

"And Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage; for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot" (2 Kings 4:38-41).

With the sons of the prophets, we have the matter of the preserving of the Lord's testimony, the knowledge of the mind of the Lord for His people. With the pot, we have the preserving of that testimony, sustenance for that testimony and its vessel. With the wild gourds or vine, we have that life of nature which lies under the curse, for with the curse, thorns and briers and all such things came into the world, wild foreign lawless things, the life of a fallen creation, the life of nature. There is death there, and no official position can save you from those consequences, if you resort to, or try to draw in, the life of nature. In the meal which Elisha had cast into the pot, we have clearly, unmistakably, that which speaks of the Lord Jesus in His Divine humanity. The word which so evidently explains the meal is in John 6:50-51.

"This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; yea and the bread which I will give is My flesh, for the life of the world."

Now, while there are many valuable lessons in this little incident in the life of Elisha, the uppermost lesson and message for us is just this. You and I will never be able to preserve a testimony to the Lord unless we know what it is to continually feed upon Christ's heavenly, divine and perfect humanity. That is a difficult thing, I know, but it means this. If you and I, as the Lord's people with whom the Lord's testimony is supposed to rest, as in the case of the sons of the prophets, in any way or at any time, revert to ourselves in our natural condition, the testimony will at once pass from us, that is, death will intervene. The testimony will be at an end, it will only be as we continually transfer by faith from ourselves, what we are, to the Lord Jesus, and live as on Him by faith, that the testimony will be kept alive, will be a living testimony. That is a very simple lesson and yet the most difficult lesson for anyone to learn the most difficult thing for anyone to continually do. Of course, the doctrine is all right, we believe in the doctrine, and we are ready to say it at any time, that the Lord Jesus is our life. We say that with great emphasis, but the point is, Do we live there? Is that our abiding position? A little later in John 6, the Lord Jesus says, "He that eateth My flesh...abideth in Me, and I in him", and the word there - "eateth" - is the continually active word. 'He that keeps on eating My flesh abides in Me and I in him.' Something to be maintained continually.

Now, for the livingness of the testimony, we must abide in Him in this way: that we refuse to live on our own ground of what we are by nature. We have discovered, and everyone here will agree, that in that field there is nothing but wild gourds and thorns and briers and all that sort of thing. Have you ever known any beautiful thing in your own nature? Some people seem to think that they are finding them, and they are talking all the time about living in their better selves and their best selves, but that is the fullest possible evidence that they have never had their eyes opened, that they know nothing whatever about the Cross of the Lord Jesus. People who have no place for the Cross, the Cross in its real meaning, talk like that, but to those who have had their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, the field of their natural life is just full of these poisonous berries, these wild things, and that is a field of death, its fruit is death. We had better get out of that field and keep out of it, and there is a fruitful field of living things, and that is the Lord Jesus.

I do wish that I could convey to you that inner thought in this matter, that the Lord Jesus has really come, sent by God the Father, right into our midst, and God says, "you are one thing and He is an utterly different and altogether Other! You are that, and naturally in your own natures, you will never be anything other than that, so it is no use you trying to improve that!" The only hope for you is that by faith - by living, continual faith - you transfer your center of life to Him, and, as you take your bread for your body, you in faith and in spirit take Him to be that upon which your hope rests, your confidence rests, you rest on what He is! "This is My body which is given for you." This loaf, this heavenly, Divine, sinless humanity, is our humanity by faith. We by faith are identified with Him as we put our faith into act. You see, you are in need, you are hungry, you may die of hunger. Someone comes and puts bread in front of you and says, "That will save your life, that will be life to you; that is what you need, you will find in that everything for your salvation!" And you look at it; "Yes, I believe what you say, I believe that that will save me, that will deliver me from death, that will be life unto me!" - and you leave it there, and you die. That is doctrinal apprehension, you see, but if you really believe according to New Testament ideas of belief, you do not only say, "Yes, I believe what you say!", you take it, you act upon your belief, and you take it and you live.

We must have something more than a doctrinal faith, we must have an appropriating faith which says, "I am this, and the Lord Jesus is that, altogether Other, and God says that if I will but transfer my basis of life from myself to Him deliberately and continuously every day, I shall be delivered from death and I shall live", and the testimony will be there! Let us ask the Lord more and more to strengthen us in this matter of our continuous living upon what the Lord Jesus is from God to us, and to cause us to cease forever from hunting in the field of our accursed fallen nature for some good.

I know what it is you want as you are searching. It is to be good yourselves, to be altogether free from nature, from that nature and all its marks, to be free from that, and really what you want is sinless perfection in yourselves. Well, if ever you do get it in this life, let me tell you, you will be in a deception which will mean that the whole door to spiritual development and growth will be shut, because the consciousness of our own utter unworthiness and sinfulness as in ourselves is an essential to our growing appreciation of the Lord Jesus. You come to finality in any of these matters as in yourself, and that is an end of your spiritual development.

How will we come to know the Lord in ever-growing fullness? How shall we have an enlarging revelation and a deepening appreciation? We shall come to that as we more and more, by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, recognize how much we need the Lord. When you have got finality in any matter, you have ended need and need is essential to growth. So the Lord says, "Stop hunting in that field! This is the fruitful field, this is the living field - My Son! Live in Him, abide in Him by faith!"

I know the problem that arises at once. Is there to be no change in us at all? I am naturally very bad-tempered. Am I to say, "Well, I am bad-tempered by nature, I always shall be bad-tempered by nature, but the Lord Jesus is very good-tempered, and I believe His good temper will be accepted by the God for me?"  That is the kind of problem. I use temper as an illustration, it may be any other thing. That is not the point at all. The point is this, that you and I will never be changed in ourselves, but as we live on the Lord Jesus, what He takes the place of ourselves, and if at any time after fifty, sixty or seventy years of Christian life you leave the ground of the Lord Jesus, you will find your old bad temper there. You never do get to the point where you can cease to be bad-tempered if you leave your ground of Christ, and our only way of escape from what we are  is to live on Him. He becomes that, He gets on top of these things, but we are never other than we are in ourselves. But here, of course, arises the great difference between soul and spirit which we will not go into now. The point is the way of sanctification, is faith in the Lord Jesus. It is a case of bringing in the meal where death is and death is turned into life through faith in what He is. The Lord help us to see and know the meaning of living by Christ, not existing, not dragging out a miserable existence in doctrine, but living by Christ.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(The End)

Crowns Won and Crowns Lost # 4

Crowns Won and Crowns Lost # 4

1. An undivided heart.

I trust this is a word to everybody, but you will realize that my heart is going out to younger brothers and sisters particularly just now. This is a day of very great trial for the younger folk; our hearts are very much with you. This is a new phase of things. We are going to be scattered, called upon to do what no previous generation has had to do. I do want them to take a word for these coming days that may help them in the time of trial when the crown is at stake.

May I say this to you? If only you will eliminate, or ask the Lord to enable you to eliminate, every element of mixture in you life, so that your flame is one clear pure flame, it will save you an enormous amount. I think it will save you 99% of the trouble. If you have got a double motive, if your heart is divided, if you have got two things working at the back of you, if there is internal conflict, if there is civil war, you are going to lose, and therefore, in the light of the glorious issue, it is always the wisest thing right from the outset to take a clear and unmistakable position so that everybody knows exactly where you are, they have not got to find out, they know that is where you stand right at the beginning. No mixture - get rid of any double element at work in your life - that you want to stand well with both sides, you do not want to let the lord down secretly on His side, at the same time you want to stand well with others, you do not want to have them against you. Well, there is a wisdom that God can give which will save us from doing that sort of thing in a way that leads to unnecessary trouble. I think we can be foolish even in that matter.

It says about the Lord Jesus that He grew in favor with God and man, and you say, Well, can a Christian do that? I think probably the explanation is that there was a wisdom which did not unnecessarily and foolishly put peoples' backs up. A lot have done that sort of thing in an unnecessary way, and they have done mischief quite unnecessarily. You understand what I mean. There is a wisdom which may save from a lot of that sort of thing. Ask for that wisdom. Read the eighth chapter of the book of Proverbs, read and reread it, and go to the Lord and say, Give me that wisdom! Ask for wisdom, but at the same time, while asking for and seeking to be governed by real wisdom in your position and relationships and attitudes, do at the same time have no double interest, no doubt motive. Let it be clear as to the line you are taking, as to where you stand, and that from the outset.

2.  Endurance to the End

Well now, we must draw this homily to a close. Here is this word which helps us. "Hold fast that which thou hast that no one take thy crown." Hold fast! That is only another way of saying what is said to very many times in the New Testament, Be steadfast, hold fast or endure. Crowns are so often lost just for want of a bit of real "stickability", holding on, letting go too soon. Oh, how much this matter of the divine crown, the reward at the end, is bound up in the New Testament with that word - endure. "He that endureth to the end..." (Matt. 10:22) "If we endure...". Endurance is a great test. There are many who can make a great spurt at the outset, make a show on the first lap, and you would think by their beginnings they are going to carry it on. We know quite well it is not always those who get ahead at the beginning. It is usually those who can hold on to the end, who hold fast. This word, you notice, is to the church at Philadelphia, and the Lord is saying - "...the hour of tribulation which is coming on all the earth...hold fast". Yes, it is just that holding fast in tribulation that is the great factor of the crown.

You know, I have been having a good deal of time in recent weeks for thinking and reading, and I have been reading a number of very interesting things. I read Admiral Byrd's story of that wonderful advance camp in his Antarctic expedition; the story of the salving of the American submarine, Squallus, thirty men out of fifty trapped over two hundred feet deep, and several things like that I have been reading, and I have been moved to my depths, as probably you have, with stories like that, moved to the very depths. What men will do, what they will endure, just to add a little bit more to the knowledge, the information and the usefulness of such information, in the great store of scientific research in the history of this world. What they will do - the unspeakable suffering! No one could read that story of Admiral Byrd's without feeling that we do not know anything about suffering. A man will go through all that just to give a little more information to the world as to currents and wind force and so on. You cannot think of their sufferings. But the thing that has impressed me is this. I expected before I got to the end of those stories, I expected Byrd to say, "Let me get out of this, you will never catch me on this again! All those men trapped down there two hundred and forty feet in the ocean in a helpless submarine, shivering in the intense cold with hope slowly dying and never being recovered. Let us get out of this, you won't catch us in a submarine again!" The thing that impressed me was that Byrd must have another expedition. Practically dying, collapsing, such cold as to touch something meant to strip the very flesh off your hand, yet he is no sooner back than he is working a new expedition. The men down there in the Squallus, no sooner having been rescued  just when they were losing consciousness and beginning to view the last hours, no sooner rescued and their submarine salved after three months' hard work than they say, "We want no other life than a life on a submarine, we choose to go back!"

That is something that you and I have got to stand up to, and I have to think, "Hello, where are we Christians?" Don't we often feel, "If only I could get out of this, oh Lord, deliver me from this, and I will never put myself in the way of it again!" Are we like that over our Christian life or, as Paul evidently did and as these men  looked at their work, "We are on the business, the great business, we are on a line that matters in the long run, it is something which, added to the whole, is going to be of tremendous value and we are in it to the end, to the last drop; we get out of one scrape, well, we will get into another, but we are going on, we are not going to quit!" That is the point. We are not going to quit and seek a softer job. So Paul says, "Thou, therefore, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 2:3). It is only another metaphor for the same thing. Hold fast, do not quit, do not let go, hold fast that which thou hast that no one take thy crown.

Will you just sort this out a bit at a time? Thy crown; no one take thy crown; hold fast and watch all those ways, those subtle ways, by which crowns are lost. I hope that every one of us here at any rate, in the great day, whether we are known here as being of any account or of no account, may receive at the Lord's hand that crown for which He apprehended us, and while we do not want to take other peoples' crowns, let us be faithful that where the Lord is not being satisfied in others, He may be doubly satisfied in us.

The Lord help us to hold fast that which we have. Amen

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(The End)