One Touch (Luke 8:40-48)
Luke 8:40-48, And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. 41And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. 43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. Imagine the grief and despair that she felt. Most would grow impatient and give up in twelve days. Each day was more of the same. She had been suffering twelve humiliating years with an issue of blood. She was labeled unclean by the Rabbis. According to the law of God she was considered ceremonially unclean. This affected her life both socially and spiritually. She was not allowed to fellowship with the public, nor to worship at the Temple. She lived a life of solitude and physical suffering. She was untouchable and not able to touch others. Lonely, heartbroken, and humiliated at this point even a hug would have ministered to her, but it was prohibited. She was ostracized from the Synagogue. She was an outcast from society. She thought she was orphaned from God. She had an opportunity, or official visit, with the Son of God. Daily as she was avoided by others, she saw their faces and their eyes. They must have been cold, cringing, and some calloused. For twelve years she had been carrying the weight and burden of this humiliation. With appointments with numerous doctors filling her head with dreams ad hopes of healing her with remedies, in the end the only filling that came was the pockets of the doctors. She is destitute after a dozen years of steady blood loss. She was pale, anemic, and tired. She was done with the stigma, shamers, and shysters. She heard of another physician. One Who is compassionate, no charges or fees, a gentle healer. She had heard of His success among the incurable. Briefly following the crowd, she desperately extended her empty hand through the crowd and touched the hem of His garment. When she realized she could not hide from the Lord, she came before Jesus trembling. She was terrified and fell down before the Him. She told the people what was wrong with her and then told them that when she touched Jesus she was healed immediately. Jesus was moved by her faith. This is the only time that Jesus called a woman daughter in all of Scripture. Don't forget, she was scared of the people for being unclean and she was afraid of Jesus because she touched Him. She was wondering, I'm sure, "What is going to happen to me now?" With gentleness, tenderness, and assurance, Jesus told her everything was going to be all right, "Be of good comfort." Jesus was telling her to have courage and to be cheerful. This is the meaning of this word "comfort." He continued and said, "Go in peace. Your faith has made you whole." This word "whole" means "continually whole." Jesus assured her that she would not have a relapse. Her problem was not coming back. Christ's message is the same for us today. Just as this poor woman was immediately healed of her plague when she touched the Lord Jesus, so sinners are healed of the plague of their hearts, freed from the curse of the law and the guilt of sin as soon as they touch the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Like this woman with the hemorrhage, we all have been defiled by sin. We must be cleansed of sin or we can never spend eternity in the presence of a holy God. Only Jesus can cleanse us through His death on the cross. Following the crowd who are following Jesus will not bring a person into a personal relationship with Him. We must lay hold of Him by faith as she did that day. You will never possess what you need in life apart from Christ! Religion without Christ is of no value to lost sinners. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for saving me by Your amazing grace. I know that when I called out to Your Son for salvation, He was already reaching to me. Help me to reach others who need You. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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Do Your Best (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Ecclesiastes 9:10, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. The following joke is titled “Just Plain Lazy”. "Give it to me straight, doc. I can take it! Tell me in plain English what's the matter with me." "Okay, I'll be frank with you. My diagnosis is that you're just plain lazy!" "All right, doc. Now please give me a scientific name for it so I can go home and tell my wife!" Work reflects your character. Your work is an expression of the image of God in you, and it's worth thinking about how your work reflects His character. Work as simple as cleaning out a closet reflects the God who makes order out of chaos. Holding a stop sign for children to cross the road creates an environment of safety that reflects the God who protects. The person who flips burgers is providing food, which is something that God does. A father or mother who nurtures a child reflects the love, patience, and perseverance of God. The CEO of a large business holds things together and moves things forward. This too is a reflection of God's work. Adrian Rogers tells about the man who made his sons work in the cornfields while their friends spent the afternoon at the swimming hole. Someone scolded the father saying, "Why do you make those boys work so hard? You don't need all that corn." The wise father replied, "Sir, I'm not raising corn. I'm raising boys." There's no such thing as Christians who do not work. It's a work of service. You can't build a home without work. You can't build a church without work. Happiness in life can be found in life’s work and activities. When we work diligently in our careers and in the countless other courses of life, we discover a real measure of joy and satisfaction. Hudson Taylor’s great desire was that the Lord would work through him. He said, “I used to ask God to help me. Then... if I might help Him. I ended up asking Him to do His work through me.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 speaks of having and maintaining a good work ethic:
Colossians 3:22-23, Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Whatever work we do and whatever projects we undertake, we should do our very best, just as if we are doing it directly for the Lord. This is always good advice. We should do our best at any task whether for God or man. Those who do their best in the little things will do their best in the big things. What we do with seemingly insignificant things, such as cleaning, serving, and putting away, will determine what we do with the greater things in life, such as parenting, working, and witnessing. Doing your best will be reflected in everything you do! There is a difference in getting a job done and doing your best. Live this kind of life passionately. We only have one life to live, so we should enjoy it. One way we do that is to work hard, be loyal, and do a good job. Each of us should be such a good employee, executive, teacher, home builder, farmer, small business owner, etc. that our employers or customers would never consider getting anyone to replace us. We should work, teach, preach, and do whatever we do with enthusiasm. In every endeavor of life, give it your all. We should give it our best in whatever we do. PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the work You’ve given me to do and for the opportunity to provide for my family. Help me to embrace the dignity of my work. Remind me to work with all my heart as if I’m working directly for the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to work hard, on everything, for Your glory. At the end of the day, may I look back with joy and pleasure with the expectation of hearing You say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com God’s Got This! (Psalm 34:17-19)
Psalm 34:17–19, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Have you ever felt like nothing in your world was going right? You may have recently experienced the absolute worst day of your life. We all have experienced troubles and know the feeling of having a "crushed spirit." When circumstances are difficult, all too often this affects our attitude towards God and can also inhibit our worship. After all, why should we worship when it seems like life is falling apart at the seams? The Psalmist gives us 3 profound reasons why we can worship the LORD even in the midst of the deepest valleys. 1. We can worship because He hears us. This does not mean He merely hears our cry, but this word implies action. God is so unlike us; when He hears, He acts. And He acts immediately! He does not sit idly by, but intervenes in even the most desperate situation. 2. We can worship in the midst of trials because we know the Lord promises to deliver us. Keep in mind, this word deliver does not mean that He will remove us from our difficulty. Isn’t it true that at times we cry out to the Lord but it seems as though our situation doesn’t change? Do not mistake unchanging circumstances for God’s lack of deliverance. His promise to deliver us is made evident in the way He sustains believers even through the hardest times. 3. Finally, when everything goes wrong, we can worship Him because the Lord is close to us. He is not a distant, uninvolved, uninterested God, but a loving Saviour whose arms reach out to us in the midst of our brokenness. Maybe you are in the midst of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, month, or even year. Maybe you feel that in the midst of a valley, it’s too hard to worship. Take some time today to thank God that He hears our cries, He promises to deliver us, and we can rest assured that He remains close to us even in our darkest moments. “What we do in the crisis always depends on whether we see the difficulties in the light of God, or God in the shadow of the difficulties.” G. Campbell Morgan Have you ever experienced a difficulty that inhibits your worship? Which of these three promises do you need to be reminded of; God hears your cry, God promises to deliver you, or God is near to you? PRAYER: Father, thank You for being a personal God who is involved in my life. Thank You for hearing my cries. I want to worship You in the midst of this difficult time. Help me to see that Your promise to deliver me from trouble is Your promise to see me through till the end. Thank You for being near to me, especially when I am hurting the most. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Serve Jesus? … Do It Now (John 9:4-5)
John 9:4-5, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Jesus is the Light of the world. If man wishes to be delivered from darkness, he must come to Christ. Christ is the only One who gives sight to man and His world. Jesus said that He must work due to the soon coming darkness. He meant that His earthly ministry would end and He would return to His Father. In the meantime, He was effectively and efficiently doing the works appointed by God. We all have limited time here on earth. It was Joshua who said in Joshua 24:15, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose, land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua's mind was made up to serve the Lord no matter what anyone else was going to do. Paul encouraged the church at Ephesus to be busy for the Lord, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16). The point is that we should make the most of every opportunity we have—even more because of the evil that infiltrates our culture. Do your best for God and work while there is still time. There are a lot of Christians doing nothing but there are no Christians who have nothing to do. God used Adoniram Judson because of his commitment to serve the Lord and be available to Him. Adoniram Judson sweated out Burma's heat for 18 years without a furlough. He went six years without a convert. Enduring torture and imprisonment, he admitted that he never saw a ship sail without wanting to jump on board and go home. When his wife's health broke and he put her on a homebound vessel in the knowledge he would not see her for two full years, he confided to his diary: "If we could, I would find some quiet resting place on earth where we could spend the rest of our days in peace..." But then Judson steadied himself with this remarkable postscript: "Life is short. Millions of Burmese are perishing. I am almost the only person on earth who has attained their language to communicate salvation..." Judson was committed to serving the Lord. Perhaps, this is why we are still talking about him today over 170 years after his death. We are not only to serve the Lord, we are to be a spokesman for Him. It’s been said, "The best ability is availability." The best thing we can do is make ourselves available to God for His service, whether it is in our family, our neighborhood, our church, or on foreign soil. We should take advantage of every opportunity we have to minister, serve, and witness for the Lord. We are to make our life a mission for God, not an intermission. The time to serve the Lord is while we can, to live for Him today. Tomorrow may not come for you. Make yourself available to the Lord each day. May we all have Isaiah's attitude, "Here am I Lord, send me." I wonder how many of us trust God enough that when we hear Him simply call our name we can say, “Here am I…whatever You need, You have it…whatever You want, I will do it.” Man's greatest heartbreak will be to discover it is too late to do something he should have done; being saved or performing more to serve God. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
Prayer: Father in Heaven, I don't know who or what will cross my path today, but help me to bring you glory today. Help me to be productive, patient, persistent, and perceptive. Help me to always work with diligence and may I make a lasting impact for Your kingdom. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com 3 Responsibilities Concerning the Will of God (I Thessalonians 5:15-18) – Part 3
I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 3. Our Petition - In every thing give thanks: (I Thessalonians 5:18) The church in Thessalonica had reason for thanksgiving. They had faced much adversity, but God had been good and blessed them abundantly. Paul exhorted them to give thanks unto the Lord in every situation and circumstance. In everything refers to all that occurs in life. Because God is at work in our lives, and no matter what we go through He is there with us and He's working in us and through us, we can give thanks. Romans 8:28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” I know that we have a hard time being thankful for the trials of life, but they too are for our benefit. It is in our adversity that we learn to trust the Lord and are made more like Him. We will never face anything that our God is not able to handle. He is sovereign in every aspect of our lives. We can give thanks in every situation. In our praise to God we are to rejoice always and we are to give thanks in everything. God commands His people to give thanks to Him! We should give God praise, honor, and glory because of what He has given to us. God gave Jesus for us and when we trusted Jesus as our Lord, Jesus came into our heart. The reason I can give thanks in everything is because Jesus lives in my heart. Scripture says to give thanks “in” everything; “not for” everything. It includes good things and bad things, joys and sorrows, gains and losses, hurts and health, good news and bad news. In everything give thanks! At all times, in all circumstances, give thanks to God. We don’t have to be thankful for our trials. But we can’t be thankful in them since we know the Lord is going to use it for our good in the future. We don’t have to be thankful when a loved one dies, but we can be thankful that we know we will see them again, or the Lord will give us peace and strength to get through. Faith can give thanks in all things, because faith realizes that whatever comes to pass comes to pass by the will of God. Give thanks because whatever your present circumstances, this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. This is a difficult command, but a divine command. Thanksgiving to God is to be given in adversity and prosperity, for no matter what happens all things work together for the believer's good and for the glory of God. For Christians there is no situation in which we cannot give thanks. A life of prayer and devotion leads to a thankful heart. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER: Father, Your Word says to always give thanks and to give thanks for everything. Without Your help, that is impossible. Forgive me for all the times that I worry about my situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com 3 Responsibilities Concerning the Will of God (I Thessalonians 5:15-18) – Part 2
I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 2. Our Prayer - Pray without ceasing! (I Thessalonians 5:17) Mr. Roger Babson, in an after-dinner address, made the following statement: "Prayer is the greatest unused power in the world, and faith is the greatest undiscovered resource." Faith is a grasping of Almighty power; the hand of man laid on the arm of God; when the things impossible to us become the possible, O Lord, through Thee. Most of us have learned throughout the years that we must schedule a prayer time with God. This is a great practice because if we don’t plan to visit with the Lord, then it will get quickly swept away in the busyness of our day. John Bunyan said, “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day”. I cannot emphasize the importance of prayer enough. It is the means by which we make our supplications known unto the Lord. “Praying without ceasing” doesn’t mean that one must pray every minute of every day. That would be impractical. It means to be regular, faithful and steadfast in your prayer life. It carries the idea of consistency. We ought to always be in an attitude of prayer and communion with the Lord. We should always be in the mindset of prayer, even if we’re not physically on our knees or mouthing the words. This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “Pray without ceasing.” God's people are to be a praying people. I fear that we often reserve prayer for church services, at meal time, or at the close of the day, but we need to be consistent and continual in prayer. Andrew Murray made this observation: “Prayer and life are inseparably connected. Which has the stronger influence over you, prayer for 5 or 10 minutes, or the whole day spent in the desires of the world? Let it not surprise you if your prayers are not answered. Learn this great lesson: my prayer must rule my whole life.” God gives us insights into getting our prayers answered. May we put these five principles into practice and see the Lord do great things. 1.Be Sanctified – James 5:16, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 2.Be Searching – Jeremiah 29:13, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 3.Be Sincere – Mark 11:24, Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 4.Be Sorrowful – II Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 5.Be Submissive – I John 3:22, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
Prayer: Father, I praise You that I can at anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance come to You in prayer. My desire is to keep walking continually with You, so that my prayer may be the natural expression of my life with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. This is Part Two of a Three Part Series. Please visit our site tomorrow for Part Three. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com 3 Responsibilities Concerning the Will of God (I Thessalonians 5:15-18) – Part 1
I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Paul instructs all believers to do three things: Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. All of God’s commandments in the Bible are beyond our ability to obey in the flesh, so we must rely on His indwelling Holy Spirit. If God leads you to do something, He will give you the strength, wisdom, and ability to fulfil it; you must trust Him. Keep in mind, what would be God’s will for someone else may not be God’s will for you. But, rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks are always God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1. Our Praise - Rejoice evermore! (I Thessalonians 5:16) A Christian's joy does not spring from their circumstances, but from the blessings that are theirs because they are in Christ. “Rejoice always” does not mean to deny your feelings, put on a happy face, and never feel sad. So, what does Paul mean when he commands, “Rejoice always”? Remember, he wrote this to new believers who were suffering persecution because of their faith (I Thessalonians 3:3-4). So “rejoicing always” is a conscious attitude of contentment, hope, and happiness that comes from deliberately focusing on Christ and the eternal treasures that we have received freely from Him. Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” We are to rejoice in Jesus at all times. Rejoicing is better than complaining. It is also therapeutic for both the physical and the spiritual. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" (Proverbs 17:22). God has graciously laid hold of your life; He has chosen you (I Thessalonians 1:4). The Gospel has come to you with power (I Thessalonians 1:5), transforming your life now and your future (I Thessalonians 1:9). You have endured great trials (I Thessalonians 3:2), and Satan has launched some fierce assaults against you (I Thessalonians 3:5). But through it all, God has caused you to stand firm (3:8). Your testimony is a means of God's blessing to others (3:9). Look back over your Christian life and see what God has done: God has been teaching you (I Thessalonians 4:9). He has placed you among other believers who can encourage and build you up (I Thessalonians 5:11). He has revealed to you the ultimate outcome of your life: to be with the Lord forever in the great company of His people, with ever increasing joy (I Thessalonians 4:17). How can we develop a habit of rejoicing always? 1.SCRIPTURES: Every day focus on the riches that God has freely given you in Christ. For example, Ephesians 1:3-14 says that you have all spiritual blessings in Him. God chose you in Him before the foundation of the world. 2.SPIRIT: Walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). To walk in the Spirit means daily to yield to Him and to rely on Him to control your life in every situation. It takes time to produce fruit. It doesn’t pop out on a tree the day after you plant it! But if you walk consistently by the Spirit, eventually the fruit of joy will be yours. 3.SING: If you’re feeling down, sing songs of God’s goodness, grace, and of His love. The longest book in the Bible is a songbook. Question to Consider: What could be more wonderful and pleasant than constant joy, prayer and thanksgiving? Point to Ponder: Christian joy flows from realizing our position in Christ: who you are in Him, and what He has done for you. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I can rejoice today, not because of what I have done, but only because of what You have done for me. May I spend more time rejoicing and exalting You. In Jesus name, AMEN! This is Part One of a Three Part Series. Please visit our site tomorrow for Part Two. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Finding Purpose (Psalm 32:8)
Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. One of the most common questions people ask me is “How do I know God’s will for my life?” God has a plan and design for your life. You are not a leaf that fell by chance to be scattered by the wind. Scripture says the steps of a good man are “ordered” by the Lord. (Psalm 37:23). What a blessed promise from God! God has promised to instruct us and guide us in the way we should go. Notice: This guidance is by His omniscient eye. Psalm 73:24 and Proverbs 3:5-6 point to the same promise. God, who knows all and sees all knows far better than we, is pleading with us to follow His instructions. Unfortunately, every day many reject His guidance. Joy and fulfillment are ultimately only found in that one goal. Everything good comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord. The starting place for that kind of joy begins with kneeling before Him as Lord of your life. God’s will for you is to be a Christian. I Timothy 2:3–4, For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God’s will for you is to be Spirit-filled. Ephesians 5:17–18, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;. Being Spirit-filled is not an emotional experience or high. It is not fasting and praying. Being Spirit-filled means to be completely submitted to the authority of Scripture in your life. Everyone searches for meaning and fullness of life. The Bible teaches that the purpose of life is to know Christ and to make Christ known. Daily seek to fulfill God's purpose for your life. Every day ask God to help you accomplish your life's mission. Pray for opportunities to fulfill that purpose by asking for boldness to tell others of God's love. God has a unique plan and purpose for your life. Seek to fulfill God's purpose for your life every day. People need a plan in their life. God has a plan for your life, and He is pleading with us to find, follow, and to fulfill this purpose. How do we receive this direction from the Lord? Here are at least three ways the Lord instructs us in the way that He is leading us. 1. His Scriptures: God uses His Word to instruct us. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). In the darkness of our uncertainty, God uses the light of His Word to direct our steps. 2. His Spirit: God uses His Spirit to instruct us. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (I Corinthians 2:12). There are some things in life that we will not discover any other way than the Holy Spirit teaching them to us through personal study of and the preaching of God’s Word. 3. His Servants: God also uses godly counsel to instruct us. “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” (Proverbs 19:20–21) Prayer, Father, I am deeply grateful today that You are willing and ready to assume Your rightful place in my life. As my Creator, only You understand the detail and destination of my life is such a way that I can trust You completely. Teach me to do that in a big way and then renew it each day as I live for You. Thank You for making all this possible through Your Son Jesus who saved me and in whose footsteps I can follow. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Flourishing in Faith (Jude 20-21)
Jude 20-21, But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. As we learn the Bible and understand its truth, we are strengthened, we grow, we mature, we are built up. Without the Scriptures there is no growth. Without the Word there is no maturity. Without the gospel nothing of eternal good will last. Like the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is vital that we daily ingest and digest God’s Word and its truth. The thought of building is to strengthen. We are to strengthen, or build, our faith (II Peter 1:5-10). We are never to cease or stand still spiritually. We must always be growing. A growing believer is a healthy believer. These verses have been referred to as “The Believers Building Program”. We are to build on a solid foundation (I Corinthians 3:12; Psalm 127:1; Luke 6:48). We are to build cooperatively (Ephesians 2:22). We are to build on the Word (Acts 20:32). We are to build by preaching the Gospel (Romans 15:20-21). We are to build by praying in the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 14:15; Romans 15:30-33). As believers, we must take the initiative to grow spiritually (II Peter 3:18). I’m grateful and very blessed that the Lord has allowed me to pastor a wonderful church where His people love Him, His Word, and others. If we are not growing as a Christian, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We need to have the craving to be a better Christian and be willing to take the sacrificial steps to make that a reality. When we talk about dedication to task or goal we must ask ourselves how badly we do we want to achieve this? Paul was very focused on serving God with his life (Philippians 3:13-14). We need to be focused completely on our service for God and our relationship with him. Too often God is treated as a low priority and many other things often interfere with serving God. When we are really motivated it is amazing what we can do. When I was in Bible College, a quote was stated that I have remembered more than any other, “What you do with the Bible determines what God will do with you”. It has been my life’s desire to read it, study it, obey it, and apply it. My desire has been to serve the Lord, love Him, and to find and finish the course He has set me on. Acts 20:24, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. I’m truly thankful the Lord has given me a faithful help meet who has never hindered me from following Him. Jesus loved us enough to give His life for us on Calvary. It is our responsibility to identify with Him! We live in a day when more and more are refusing to identify with Him or make mention of His name. It is time for God's people to publicly identify with their Saviour and Lord! The imminent return of Jesus Christ motivates us to live a holy life and promotes the purity and separation of the church from the world (Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13). If we knew for certain the Lord would return tomorrow, we would have lived much differently today. Well, the truth is He just might come tomorrow. Live each day as if it might be your last. We have no guarantee of another day and there is still so much to be done. David Livingstone, the missionary to Africa, walked over 29,000 miles. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced harsh opposition from his Scottish brethren. He ministered half blind. In his personal diary, he wrote, “Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to your service and to your heart”. Question to Consider: Do we inspire anyone else by the way we live, love, and labor? Point to Ponder: His perseverance provokes me to keep on serving the Lord in spite of my oppression and affliction. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I know I’m a work in progress, but thanks to Jesus, I’m not the man I used to be. I need Your help, as I continue to learn from You, lean on You, love You and look for You. In Jesus Name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Church: Spiritual Service Station (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Hebrews 10:24-25, And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Two believers we conversing one day about church attendance at a dealership where one of them worked. Jim, who worked at the dealership, exhorted his friend Alex concerning church attendance. Alex explained to Jim the he felt hypocritical about his church attendance because when he attends church, he often fails to live for Christ. Jim explained to Alex the different departments (showroom, parts department, and service department) and functions for each field. Jim told Alex, “What if I told you I didn’t want to bring my car to the service department because it was running rough?” Alex replied, “That would be crazy! That’s the whole point of service departments—to fix cars that aren’t running right.” You’re absolutely right,” Jim replied. “Now, instead of thinking of church as a showroom where image is everything, start thinking of it as God’s service department. Helping people get back into running order with God is what the church is all about.” Faith flourishes in the household of God amongst the company of other growing disciples. Going to church should be a continual exercise in faith strengthening. It’s discouraging to see the attendance in churches drop after a large one on Easter Sunday, followed by a significant drop the following week. Why does that happen? Because too many people think, “I was just there last week!” They are missing an important weekly dose of fellowship that will spur their faith to grow. Thank God for the church! Every believer needs a church home and needs to be faithfully involved in their home church. It is a bright light in a dark world. It is an oasis in the desert of this world. It is a place of refuge and revival for weary hearts. It is a place of hope and help. May the Lord help us to never take the church for granted. But, may we ever support the church, love the church, pray for the church and defend the church! Is your faith struggling? You can almost always trace the problem to the absence of one of these factors: exposure and obedience to God’s Word, encouragement of God’s people, or involvement in worship. Leave any of these out and you will undermine your faith. Questions to Consider: Are you intentionally connected with other Christians? When you have an evening to spare, who do you spend time with? What do you talk about? Points to Ponder: The Church exists for you and you exist for the Church. Ask God to re-ignite or ignite a passion in your life for the place that He’s most passionate about—the church. PRAYER: LORD, help me to be faithful to You and steadfast as I go through these difficulties of life. Give me the strength I need to be strong in my faith and help me to be consistent that I may not waver back and forth. Thank You for surrounding me with others who pray for me and encourage my growth. Develop in me a growing awareness of what others need to make their faith grow. I ask You for this work in my life in Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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