BE PRUDENT

                 

    BE PRUDENT

                                                                                

                                                   -Overlook an insult

    

Unknowingly we may face a situation where we are forced to insult a person and later on feel sorry for our act. In this stage try to guard your words carefully and never say anything behind someone’s back and don’t let yourself become defensive. Learn to encourage others and not to insult anybody.

Suppose if someone had insulted you, it is natural for you to feel hurt and upset. The Bible helps you to overlook an insult according to Proverbs 12:16 “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.”

What does a prudent man do?

He will not react to any insult that comes on his way.

He will just overlook it and act as if he never knew about it.

He will never keep the insult stored in him.

He will try to push it out of his mind whenever thoughts creep.

He will ask God to teach a specific lesson from the experience.

Dear friend, try to be a prudent man who overlooks an insult and be careful not to insult anyone. Do not overreact to insults, but rather learn how to overlook and avoid it. God bless you.

THE LORD DISPLINES THOSE HE LOVES

According to Matthew 5:22, 29-30 and Luke 12:4-5, the suffering in our early bodies is small compared to the "fire of hell." Therefore God's feelings of mercy ("compassion's") may at times move Him to even use earthly pain to try to keep us from far greater eternal pain.

God does not have to make up special pain just for us. In this world, which has left God, pain is already with us! But God can sometimes use that pain to help us. When a doctor cuts into the body to remove a diseased part, does this mean that the doctor is uncaring and unwise? Just the opposite is true. He cuts because he cares and wishes to heal. He knows that the pain of this cut is far better than the suffering and death of the spreading disease. In the same way, God sends "judgments" even before the final judgment.

Is this because He is uncaring? It is BECAUSE HE CARES so much! As the prophet Isaiah said, "When Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9).

In fact, it can be said that the more God cares, the more He corrects us. "The Lord disciplines those He loves....Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness" (Hebrews 12:6,10).

Life's trials tend to make unbelievers more bitter. But believers keep trusting in the great truth that "His love endures forever" (Psalm 136). Therefore they let themselves be "trained" by the pain of correction. In this way they reap the "harvest of righteousness and peace" (Hebrews 12:11). When many blessings do not turn people back to God, He may try another way. He may use even the curses and sorrows that are already at work in the earth because of sin.

An example of this was given by the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah's people enjoyed seasons of plenty. Yet these good times did not turn their hearts to God (Jeremiah 5:24). Later came their times of great trouble, war and famine. God tried through these to show His people the result of their sin. "Your sins have deprived you of good" (Jeremiah 5:25). Still they would not listen. Finally their capital city, Jerusalem, was destroyed. Many of them were killed or made slaves.

In the book of Lamentations,Jeremiah tells of his tears as he watched his people starve and die in Jerusalem. Yet he knew how much God had tried to win them back. God had tried by means of both good times and bad times. So, even in great sorrow, Jeremiah could still say,

"The LORD'S compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).

He gives us time to learn and to turn to Him, before it is too late.

God Loves you.he wants to gives his best for you,he wants to bless you and enjoy his gift of eternal life

WARFARE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE

Ephesians 6 : 12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

It is blessed and glorious to be a Christian. No other life is so beautiful and pure; no other life is so tranquilly peaceful; no other is so full of rest, happiness, and satisfaction. The Christian,however, does not go to heaven on flowery beds of ease. His pathway is not strewn with roses all the way; there is now and then a thorn. It is not sunshine all the time; now and then a shadow falls. To win heaven he must fight. There are some things to oppose a Christian on his pilgrimage to the skies; these he must contend against. The contending against those things prepares him for his blissful home above.

"All things work together for good to them that love God." Heaven's blessings and hell's venom, angels' smiles and Satan's frowns, comforts of grace and spiritual wickedness, good and ill, love and hatred, all work good to those who have union with God. It is the battle that disciplines and makes strong and brave the warrior, and not the victory. We are exhorted to "endure hardness as a good soldier." There are some things to endure along the Christian way. James says, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation. Temptations are outward influences acting upon our natural emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary to the law of grace to satisfy self.

We need not expect to be free from temptations; therefore let us settle it that we will endure them. It is really a blessed thing to endure them. You may think it would be a blessed thing to be free from them, but such would not be the case. It is more blessed to endure them. Temptations will never cease to attack the soul as long as it inhabits this "muddy vesture of decay." Be brave, O soul, and endure temptations. Be brave and fight the good fight of faith. Do not faint because you have temptations. Do not fear because there are long and fierce battles to fight. Be strong and of good courage. It is a lifelong struggle, and it is also a life-long victory, and in the end eternal victory. Strong and well-developed spiritual sinews are the result of resisted temptations.

It is not sinful to be tempted. We never lose any spirituality by being tempted. It is the slight yieldings that cause a leaking, a loss of grace. Clear up the vision of your faith a little and take a look at your beautiful glittering crown of life. It is not gold, neither crystal. Do not look at it as such, but see it a crown of life. Yes, you will be crowned with eternal life if you will but endure temptation. Think of this in the hour of thy sore trial. Fight on; heaven awaits to reward you.

LUKEWARMNESS

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16

A lukewarm life is a displeasure to God; he would have us to be fervent in spirit. God is pleased with us when we are lively stones, but not when we are formal and lukewarm. A lukewarm state is a dangerous state. One very dangerous thing about it is that usually when a person is lukewarm he is unaware that he is lukewarm. If a man is sick and does not know that he is sick, he is in great danger of his life, because he is not at all likely to take the proper care of himself. So the man who is cold and formal but thinks he is spiritual and full of love is not at all likely to do anything for the improvement of his spiritual condition. He is very much like the Irishman's turtle. I hesitate to relate anything so amusing, but it so well illustrates the state of the lukewarm professor that I think I am justifiable.


Some Irishmen had caught a large turtle and cut off his head. Then they waited for him to die, but the turtle scrambled about for some hours. Desiring an explanation of such a phenomenon, they accosted an Irishman who was passing by. After watching the turtle for a moment, he remarked, "He is dead, but he doesn't know it." This is the condition of the lukewarm professors. They are spiritually dead, but are not aware of it. The professors of Christianity at Laodicea were lukewarm, but they thought themselves rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing.


Diseases of the human body are attended with certain feelings and symptoms by which the physician can tell the nature of the affection in a particular case. The diseases of the human soul are also attended with certain symptoms by which the nature of the malady in a given case may be known. I will now tell you of a few of the symptoms of lukewarmness, so you may know whether such is your state.


First. A kind of doubtful or uncertain feeling as to whether you are right with God, together with an unwillingness to examine yourself closely for fear you are wanting. Being filled with the Spirit gives us fullness of assurance.


Second. If when you testify to being saved, sanctified, and ready for the coming of Jesus, your heart fails to say amen and you wish down in your soul you had a little better assurance that what your lips say were true, you are not as spiritual as you should be. When we are filled with the Spirit, our souls are assured and satisfied.

Third. Going along day after day in the same routine of life, taking it for granted that you are at the work the Lord wants you to do, and not earnestly seeking to know his will. Those who are spiritual can not be contented without a definite knowledge of the will of God. If you are going along without any real and positive knowledge of the will of God and are not seeking to know it, surely you are lukewarm.


Fourth. If when your routine of life is in some way interrupted, you are dissatisfied and complain; if you do not enjoy being moved out of your old channel, but you wish to be let alone, it is evident that you have chosen your own way and that God is not ordering your steps.

Fifth. If when you are called to the assistance of a neighbor or the sick or even an enemy, you find a reluctancy to go and an often returning of your own mind to your own concerns and a desire to hurry back to them, you are,it appears, looking upon your own things, and not on the things of others. The Bible tells us to look upon the things of others. If you see your own needs, and see and care but little about the things of others, you are selfish. Those who are spiritual have time to help others and do it willingly.


Sixth. If when called upon to go to the assistance of some unfortunate one and you can not possibly go, if you do not have a deep heart-regret and if you do not ofttimes during the day think of the poor unfortunate man and be pained at heart because of your inability to help him, you must be more concerned about yourself than about others. You look on your own things and do not see nor feel the needs of others. If such is true in you, you are in a lukewarm state.


Seventh. If you were to be asked whether you are doing the work you are now doing, solely and purposely for the glory of God, and you should be obliged to answer that you had taken no particular thought about it, but supposed it mattered little to the Lord, just so you were doing something, this would surely show neglect, indifference, lukewarmness.


Eighth. If you are indifferent and unconcerned about making spiritual progress; if you are not desiring and earnestly seeking for more of God; if you are not earnestly striving to be more meek and humble, to be more kind and patient; if you are carelessly tolerating acts of selfishness, of impatience, unkindness, harshness, and lightness, you are certainly lukewarm.


Ninth. Neglect to read the Bible and to pray in secret; greater fervency in public prayer than in secret prayer; more outward manifestation than real inward piety; testifying or preaching beyond the true standard of living these too are evidences of lukewarmness. A man may become enthusiastic in prayer, testimony, or sermon, and think he is making great advancement; but if he does not live up to every word he speaks, he is losing instead of gaining, because he is not walking in light.


Lukewarmness is very loathsome to God. It reproaches him. To make no profession of love to God at all is not such a reproach to him as to profess love and be lukewarm. God wants all your heart. If he can not have it all, he will have none. He desires warm, fervent love. To love him only partially, and not supremely, makes it appear as if he were worthy of only halfhearted love. It makes other things equal with God.


After the physician learns the symptoms and pronounces the disease, he then prescribes the remedy. Thank God, there is an unfailing remedy for Lukewarmness. Of course, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." "Repent and do the first works." Come to God and buy of him gold tried in the fire. Exercise yourself in spiritual things if there yet be any love in your heart. Shake off everything that is stupefying. Press your way through to God in spite of dryness and deadness. Stir up your soul. Give yourself to deep meditation upon the great love of God to you. Pray in fervency and faith. Consecrate to the whole will of God. If your case is not hopeless--and it is not--this will effect a cure.

Jeremiah 9:3

"They make ready their tongue
like a bow, to shoot lies;
it is not by truth
that they triumph [a] in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
they do not acknowledge me,"
declares the LORD.

Hosea 6:4

"What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
like the early dew that disappears

Ezekiel 16:30

How weak-willed you are, declares the Sovereign LORD, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!

REDEFINING REALITY

Redefining Reality !

There once was a king whose subjects were dying in thousands due to hunger, but he solved that problem in a moment. He simply redefined hunger, so that in his kingdom hunger was now an abstract desire. Since there was no dearth of abstract concepts to feed abstract desires, there was no longer hunger in his kingdom he claimed. People kept on dying, but the definition reduced that to a non event!

Christians, influenced by the fads and fashions of the world, have also been playing the same redefining game but with more far-reaching consequences. As a result, commitment, worship, repentance, devotion, faithfulness and piety no longer mean what the Bible means by these things.

Redefining the fundamentals can surely give one a sense of security, but it cannot change the reality. It is reality that the Christian needs to confront in his daily life, not imaginations.

Johnson C. Philip

FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits Psalm 103:2

Forget Not All His Benefits

One of the best ways to wake up our dull souls is to remember past benefits. This requires much effort because we have difficulty remembering good things done to us (though we easily remember offences committed against us. We should set a time apart to remember past blessings. As a child of God we have to acknowledge the blessings received in the LORD

Say thanks for all his blessings , count one by one ...

How many times we committed same sin ? How many times we repented ? Repent from the bottom of our heart . God will enable us to stand for him.

May God Bless you and your family.

Your loving brother in Christ Jesus

GREAT STORY

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge,hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry."She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."

She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him....I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)

DIVINE PEACE

My husband and I lived a life of unity for the first seven years of our martial life. But, in the course of time, differences of opinion started to arise between us and our family peace was disturbed as a result. We disagree on almost all matters. He does not like my views and I do not like his suggestions. Our house is like a hell now. Is there a way for this situation to change and for our home to become a haven of peace?

In many families these days, due to differences arising between the spouses, separation occurs, as there is discord, no oneness of mind and lack of peace. The consequence of this is that the family life is like living in hell. In this condition, the question whether the fullness of peace given by God will ever descend upon the family life, may arise in your hearts.

Many names are given to our Lord in the Bible. One amongst them is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). The Lord came into this world to grant peace. Therefore, He will enter into the home where the couple give Him utmost importance and invite Him lovingly and then He will abide with them with great joy.

What does the Lord tell us?

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

If the Lord is to enter our home, we have to read the Bible everyday, pray and do good works and live a life pleasing to Him. Then He will come into our home and abide with us.

The Lord Jesus says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

“We” which is denoted here means, God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. When the three of them join together and enter into our homes and family lives as the triune God, there will be no place for any kind of problem, confusion, differences of opinion, disunity, discord or separation. When the triune God who gives true peace comes and dwells with us, these kinds of evil disturbances will never come into our homes.

The Bible says, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

A couple who were ministering to God was very devout,one day,due to a small misunderstanding they became exasperated with each other. But when both of them sought to seek the Lord in solitude, the Lord revealed their shortcomings to them. Immediately they hastened to each other’s side. The wife first apologized to her husband, “I did a grave mistake. Kindly forgive me.” Her husband replied, “I should not have spoken to you in that manner.” They apologized to each other and reconciled.

When we kneel down in the presence of God, the Prince of Peace will help us to realize our shortcomings and experience, His divine peace. When we humble ourselves immediately, the peace of God will descend upon us.

My dear friend, humble yourself and confess your shortcomings in the presence of God for the Lord gives grace to the humble. Pray earnestly as, “Lord I have opened my heart to You. When You come into my heart and home, all the conspiracies of the devil to wreck my family life, will be completely broken. One mindedness and unity will prevail. Blessings will abound in the family and it will thrive and flourish. Therefore, You should come into my home.”

Following this, the Lord will grant you divine wisdom to talk and walk with discernment towards your husband. Likewise, He will bless your husband and children with the same wisdom. He will fill your family life with His divine peace.

THE DEVILS PlAN

THE SATAN MEETING

DO YOU LOVE JESUS

A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus for dinner one night. While Jesus was eating with Simon, a woman,whom the people neglected came into the house. She came over to Jesus and knelt down. “What is she doing?” Simon gasped. Jesus said nothing. The woman was crying. Tears ran over her face and on to Jesus’ feet. Then she wiped His feet dry with her hair.

Still, Jesus said and did nothing. He waited for her to finish. But Simon, the Pharisee, thought to himself, “If Jesus were really a prophet, He would know what kind of awful woman she is.”

Then the woman reached into the folds of her dress. She took out a tiny bottle of a very expensive perfume. It was the sort of perfume every Jewish woman held on to all her life, saving it for a special day. She poured the rich perfume over Jesus’ feet. This meant she thought of Him as her King. The room was filled with the lovely smell.

Simon became more and more upset. Jesus knew what he was thinking. So, He started to tell him a story.

“Once there were two men. One owed a great deal of money to the moneylender. The other owed a little bit of money. When neither could pay back what they owed, the moneylender forgave them both. Now which will love him more?”

Simon said, “The one who owed him the most.”

Jesus said, “Now look at this woman. When I came into your house, you did not give Me any water so I could clean My feet. She made them wet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss of greeting but she has kissed my feet constantly.” Because of her humble act, her sins, which are many, were forgiven (Luke 7:48). Her faith has saved her .

Dear friend, do you love Jesus? How much do you love Him?. This woman, who was neglected by the people, loved Jesus and she did not think about others. Her only aim was to serve Him and she did. In the same way, if you love Jesus, show your love to Him not thinking about others but just serve Him and He will forgive your sins.

HOW TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD

Christian life is nothing but friendship with Christ. Before Christ came, there were only a few who were called the friends of God. But the coming of Christ has opened a new era of man’s relationship with God. Jesus came to make God and man friends. The very first thing Jesus did when He began His work in public was to recruit a handful of men from all walks of life to whom He could demonstrate the friendliness of God. these men, called disciples (followers), addressed Jesus as Lord and Master, He said, "I will not call you servants. You are My friends!" (Jn 15:15). Blessed privilege!

Everyone who has repented of his sin, turned to God, and believed on Christ the Mediator, has been reconciled to God. He has become a friend of God. Any friendship must be nurtured. It cannot develop of its own. The most important requirement to grow deep in friendship is spending of time. Unless we spend quality time with God, we cannot enjoy His friendly character. This article explains how to spend time with God.

SET A TIME

Choose a fresh hour. King David was a busy ruler. But he had set aside the early hours of the day to meet with God. "O Lord, in the morning my prayer comes before You" (Psa 88:13). Both in the Bible times and throughout history, men and women mightily used of God had been early risers. They met God before meeting men. John Bunyan said, "He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day!"

It’s important that you stick to this time whatever the reason. You must take this seriously as an appointment with the King of Heaven. Daniel was a young man taken captive to Babylon. Folks there were hostile to his religious beliefs. There was even a civil law which banned prayer to any god. But Daniel cared the less for all these. Nothing could stop his holy habit. "He knelt down on his knees three times and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his CUSTOM since early days" (Dan 6:10).

We see another example in the Book of Acts. The Church had experienced a bursting growth following Pentecost. Three thousand people were baptized on a single day. This suddenly multiplied the pastoral responsibility of leaders. But they never became too busy to go apart to commune with God. "The hour of prayer" was too precious for them to be sacrificed for anything sacred or secular (Acts 3:1). This they had learnt from their Master who often withdrew Himself into lonely places to pray when great crowds had come to Him for hearing and healing (Lk 5:15,16). Aren’t you strict with your class hours or meal-times? So should you be with your time with God. It honors Him.

LISTEN AND SPEAK

The time with God is usually called the Quiet Time. But this is not a "silent" time! Noise there is not, but voice there is. We listen to God, which means we meditate the Bible. We speak to Him, which means we pray.

It’s fitting to begin with Bible meditation. We must hear God speak to us before we speak to Him. The preacher son of David spoke these words of wisdom: "Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to HEAR rather than to GIVE the sacrifice of fools... Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart say anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few" (Eccl 5:1,2). The saintly F.B. Meyer pointed out, "It’s more needful for you to hear God’s words than that God should hear yours, though the one will always lead to the other." Yes, prayer or praise is actually our response to God’s revelation.

PRAISE

The model prayer Jesus taught begins with the praise: "Hallowed be Your Name!" We are commanded to "enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise" (Psa 100:4). You may sing a song of praise (v 2). We have so many worship songs and choruses these days. You will experience a new release as you lift up your voice to bless the Lord. The presence of God will be real because He inhabits the praises of His people (Psa 22:3).

Praise can take two forms: worship and thanksgiving. When you praise God for who He is, that’s worship. Praising God for what He has done or is doing is thanksgiving. Do both. The first two verses of Psalm 103 are memorized by most Christians from childhood. Verse 1 is a call to worship: "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Verse 2 is a call to thanksgiving: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." It’s said, "The pulse of prayer is praise and the heart of prayer is gratitude."

God reveals Himself primarily through the pages of the Scripture. Let what you learnt about God from your passage of meditation be turned into praise. You might have read in that portion about God’s Omnipresence, Omnipotence or Omniscience. Praise Him for that. Or you might have met Him in that passage as a Creator, Savior, Restorer, Lover, Keeper or Giver. Exalt Him in praise with appropriate words.

What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!

When you kneel before God in the morning, you can stand up to anything during the day!

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER

"Not my will, but yours be done."(Luke 22:42)

Mrs.Nathaniel Hawthorne, wife of the famous American author, wrestled in prayer on a February day in 1860. Her daughter Una was dying of a virulent form of malaria. Her doctor warned her that unless the young girl's fever abated before morning, she would die.

As Mrs. Hawthorne sat by Una's bed she recollected what her husband had told earlier that day. "I have settled with myself not to hope at all." But, the mother would not do so. She was repeating, "Una could not, must not die." As the night deepened the girl lay so sick that she looked almost dead. Her mother was repeating, "Lord, I cannot bear this loss."

Suddenly, unaccountably another thought took over. "Why should I doubt the goodness of God? Let Him take Una, if He sees best I can give her to Him. No, I won't fight against Him anymore".

A strange thing happened then. Having made the great sacrifice, Mrs. Hawthorne strangely felt lighter and happier, than anytime since Una's long illness had begun. She reached for her daughter's forehead, it was moist and cool. Una was sleeping naturally. Una was healed and indeed a miracle happened as Mrs. Hawthorne yielded to God's will!

Dear friends, Catherine Marshall writes, A demanding spirit with self-will blocks prayer. Therefore unless self will is voluntarily given up, God cannot move to answer prayer. This is prayer of relinquishment. It says, 'This is my situation at the moment. I'll face the reality of it. But I'll also accept willingly whatever my loving Father sends."

When we submit totally to His will, we will see the closed doors open and power released.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, when I pray help me pray within the center of Your will, not holding to my own ideas and plans. You are the one who always plan everything for my good, and so let me let go my desires and wants and pray a prayer of submission to Your will. Teach me to pray the right prayer every time.. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

GETTING CLOSER WITH GOD

More of God means less of You, this is the challenge. To get closer to God we have to go His way. For example, we dont get saved our way we get saved His way by the cross. We don't pray our way, we pray His way; In the Name of Jesus. We don't get in His presence our way, He told us How to get into His presence through praising, clapping hands, making a joyous noise, and thanksgiving. Some say "Im just going to approach God my way", That won't work!

Consider the Leviticus Priesthood and how strict God was in their approach in every little detail. The Ark of the Covenant where Uzzah didn't want the ark to stumble, and Uzzah was smitten. Simon the sorcerer who tried to buy Gods power and was rebuked -- are we buying Gods favor with our tithes? Annanais and Saphirra who lied to the Holy Spirit and they were smitten. Saul who was rejected as King because of his heart -- Clearly we can't do things as men see right! You should also ask yourself, I've made Jesus Savior of my life, but is He the Lord of it too? Do I allow Him to be the King of Kings over my circumstances, decisions and attitudes?

What if some of your dilemmas are gateways to glory but you keep going around the mountain? The Bible says in Proverbs 16:3, Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. But it also says that God weighs the motives of the heart, and if we pray for anything we will have it according to His will. God doesn't give all of us huge ministries because the majority of us would get greedy for fame or money and forget God. If your motive is to further glorify God then it is a good motive -- washing feet is of the same value as tithing a Thousand dollars if they are both done in cheerfull humility. Things get difficult when God wants us to let go of attitudes and things we cling on to, but we must be continually pruned to move glory to glory and bear more fruit.

Mark 12:43-44 says, [..] "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on." What a contrast! So many others gave a fraction out of their wealth and this woman gave the next to nothing she had and God said she contributed more than all of them, God does not see things as man does!

You should be hearing something in your heart from God often and go through seasons of breaking every so often. So examine yourself and ask: Why don't I feel the rivers of living water flowing in my life? Do you still talk to God all day? Do you have hidden sin? Is there something you refuse to give up you know is wrong? Do you just play the role of a Christian but your hearts not in it? Is their unforgiveness or bitterness somewhere? They are tough questions to examine in yourself and I don't like examining my heart and finding rotten apples. But it's better to let God prune the branch than allow a rotten apple to stink up the orchard.

DO YOU KNOW HOW THE APOSTLES DIED

Matthew, Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound.

Mark, Died in Alexandria , Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.

Luke was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

John, Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome . However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos . He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

Peter was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

James, Just The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

James the Great, son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem . The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

Bartholomew also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia . He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey . Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras ,Greece .After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: "I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it." He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

Thomas Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the sub-continent.

Jude, Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

Matthias the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

Barnabas, One of the group of seventy disciples, wrote the Epistle of Barnabas. He preached throughout Italy and Cyprus . Barnabas was stoned to death at Salonica.


Paul, Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire . These letters, which taught many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles disciples during their times for the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:

But he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22

WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

The pursuit of wisdom and understanding has been the goal of philosophers, teachers, scientists and other religions since the fall of man. As Christians who seek to make a difference to the world around us, wisdom and understanding are supreme. We cannot walk blindly in the world we live in so therefore we need the Lord to give us the wisdom. Without this wisdom, things go wrong. Read any of the books of Wisdom in the bible (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes) and you will see just how important it is to be wise. This isn’t intelligence, or even knowledge – wisdom is knowing what to do with what you have. It could be a witnessing opportunity, it could be a short term mission trip, or maybe just the right words to speak to someone whilst sharing the gospel. All situations in life requires wisdom and understanding. The good news is we don’t
not have to strive for it. We just need to ask the Lord and he will give us the wisdom we need. Wisdom and Understanding also comes from applying the Word into our lives and having a global perspective.


It is good to understand the cultures of the world, including our own. We need to know where the people are ‘at’. The Apostle Paul spent a whole year in Athens using wisdom to debate with Greek scholars and philosophers about the Gospel. Wisdom can also be applied in the small things of life. In every day conversation – knowing what to say and what not to say. How do we receive this divine wisdom? by prayer and studying His Word

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5.

GODLY LIVING

When some one is spoken of as living a godly life, it is meant that he lives in a godly manner, or in a manner like God. To many this is a hard saying, but it is possible for man to live just such a life; in fact, it is the only right way of life. A godly life is the only true life. Such a life is demanded by the Scriptures. We are to live "soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world" (Tit.2:12).

God's dear children are told to be "followers of him" (Eph. 5:1). In some translations this reads, "Be ye imitators of God," and in some others, "Be ye mimickers of God." From this we understand that to be a follower of God is to live or act in a manner like him. Again, it is said of those who abide in Christ, that they should walk even as he walked. Our manner of life should be as was the life of Jesus. It is said of Christ that "when he was reviled, he reviled not again." Although he was treated most shamefully by his enemies, he did not seek to avenge himself. When insulting remarks were made to him, he gave no reply. To live a godly life is to live in the same manner. When Christians are reviled, they bless; when they are persecuted, they suffer meekly and patiently. When Jesus was being put to death by his enemies, he prayed the Father to forgive them. When a man who had come to take Jesus had his ear cut off, Jesus in his tender
compassion healed this bitter persecutor's wound. This is the true spirit of godliness.

The full standard of godliness is attained to only when the whole tenor of life is in simplicity and godly sincerity. The apostle Paul said in testimony that his rejoicing was this: the testimony of his conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, he had had his conduct in the world. A godly life is wholly free from ostentation; every act is done in purest simplicity and truest sincerity. As God scrutinizes every act by his all-seeing eye, he discovers no impure motive, as vain-glory or lifting up of self; for all is in godly sincerity.

The grace of godliness in the Christian character is capable of cultivation and increase. There is a law in both the material and spiritual that exercise is conducive to growth. The Spirit-filled apostle said, "Exercise thyself unto godliness." In the Emphatic this reads, "Train thyself for piety." Here is something for every soul that has any aspiration to be more godly in life.
Train yourself for piety. To become of deeper piety and more godly is the joy of the Christian heart. By training we become more pious. The lawn-tender forms an espalier by intertwining the branches of the vine. He keeps intertwining them as they grow, and by such training forms a latticework made of shrubbery.


The soul intertwined with the meek and lowly life of Jesus will form a character of deep piety and sincere godliness. The daily life should be intertwined with the life of Jesus. Let there be no reaching out for anything outside of him. For a proper development of the Christian graces there must be a constant training or intertwining of the soul with God. This linking more tightly is the result of growth, and growth is produced by exercise, and exercise consists in reading the Scriptures, in prayer, and in deep thought or heart-communion with God. The athlete takes such exercises and eats such foods as will most properly develop and strengthen his muscles. The soul that has any longings for more of God must exercise to have its yearnings gratified.

To be conscious of a growing up into Christ,to feel the soul intertwining more and more with the life of God, is fullness of joy and perfect happiness. Christian reader, is there an ardent flame of pure love in your heart? Do you walk with Jesus in a devout, trustful, reverential spirit? Do you oftentimes find your mind contemplating the wonders of creation and the glories of salvation? Is your soul habituated to breathe in the atmosphere of heaven deeply? Is that holy awe filling you? Is that tender sensibility of spiritual things filling your heart? Is that fine, keen edge upon your soul that gives such avidity for holy things? Is to become more godly a sincere desire of your heart? Then diligently perform all the duties that belong to a godly life. Some give great diligence for a time and make spiritual gain and then lose it all in a day of slackness. But do not slack, be constant, be persevering, be encouraged, reach forth, press forward,--and the prize of meekness, peace, and godliness will crown your life.

THE CHRISTIAN AN EPISTLE OF CHRIST

The life we live is being read. We are not going through the world unnoticed. Some one is looking on, and some one is to some extent fashioning his life after ours. Our life each day is being written down in some one's memory. My own dear children group around me at times and talk of their mother, who has gone to heaven. Her pure and holy life written in their memory is read over and over to each other and to me. She still lives as an epistle in their hearts. They read her daily life while she was with them, and they continue to read it since she is gone. Christians are said to be the epistle of Christ (2 Cor. 3:3). To read their life is to read the life of Jesus. All the Bible that many will ever read is what they read in the lives of Christians.

Life will be read just as it is, not as it may pretend to be. It is not what we pretend to be, but what we really are, that will go down in the memory of others. Those who read our lives have a way of reading between the lines. We should strive not so much to make life holy as to be holy. If you are holy, then live just what you are. We should never strive to be what we are not. The only way whereby the Bible may be read in the life is to get it in the heart.

People will never read the Word of God in your life simply because you have a neat little Testament in your pocket or a large family Bible on your center table. The Bible can get into the life only by beginning at the heart. There is power in the Word of God, but it works from within. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." It will transform the life so that the life will read just like the Holy Scriptures.

The Word of God is a lamp to light us into a holy life. If we follow its instructions in righteousness, it will make us perfect. It reveals our imperfections and thus gives us an opportunity to make improvements. To discover an imperfection in the life is not a bad thing, and we need not think we are any the worse for the discovery. It is only when we let the imperfection remain after it is revealed to us, that we become worse.

The heart that comes under the influence of the Bible will bear the image of Jesus, but of this I shall have more to say elsewhere. So I conclude here by saying, live upon the Word of God, desire the sincere milk of the Word, and you will be an epistle of Christ. We should feel the responsibility that is upon us, remembering that all the Bible some will ever read is what they read in your life and mine. Oh! let us see that it reads in our life as it does in the book, lest those who follow us will not walk in the footprints of Jesus.

KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS

God's Word is pure. Heaven itself and the great white throne is no more pure than the Word of God. That life may be pure, it must be in sweet harmony with the blessed Bible. A life that is lived in obedience to the Bible is as pure as the Bible. Such a life is pure enough for heaven. The writer of Revelation, being in the Spirit, saw "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." This pure stream was the wonderful word of life. It was as pure as its source, which was the throne of God. The life through which this pure stream flows will be as pure as the throne.

One of the Psalm-writers said, "The words of the Lord are pure words:as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." "Thy word is pure;therefore thy servant loveth it." The writer of Proverbs says, "Every word of God is pure." When the veil is drawn aside and our souls are brought face to face with the purity of the Bible, then we understand that a Bible life is the best, purest, noblest, and holiest life that can be lived upon the earth.
O soul of mine, unveil thine eye, Look upward to thy God, A wreath of purity to see Crowning his every word.

In the following words we have the sum of all true and right living: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. 12:13. This text as rendered in the Septuagint version brings out clearer the
true signification: "Hear the end of the matter, the sum. Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man." Man is not entire, he is not complete as originally intended, when not keeping all the commands of God. Something is lacking in the life that is not in full obedience to
every word of God.

The Bible speaks of a beautiful city in that bright, celestial world. It is a city of pure gold, clear as glass. Its walls are of jasper; its twelve foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones; its twelve gates are gates of pearl; its streets are pure gold. In that fair city there is no sin, no pain, no sickness; sorrow and trouble never come there; a tear shall never fall from any eye, for no tears are there. There is no death in that wonderful city so fair. In the midst of the street stands the tree of life. Oh, who does not desire to dwell forever and forever in that city of love and light when the pains and sorrows, the trials and tears, of this weary life are over?
Listen while I read to you in accents clear, distinct, and unmistakable-"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14. O traveler to eternity, your entrance into the beautiful, glorious city of God depends upon your conduct respecting the commandments of God while you are making the journey across the turbulent sea of life. Keeping the commandments of God is man's whole duty. If he does his whole duty through life, he will come up out of the dark valley and shadow of death, and find the gates of pearl unfolding. Who willnot cleave to the commandments of God? Who will not obey his voice and walk daily in his holy ways? The obedient will be rewarded by an unfading inheritance in that eternal city of gold. There is a beautiful mansion in the great house of God for every obedient soul. Oh, how blessed!


I am thinking of heaven tonight,
Of the mansion prepared there for me,
Where Jesus my Savior now dwells,
where I am longing to be.

Will not heaven be well worth a life of obedience to the Word of God, though obedience calls us through storms of persecutions, furnaces of trials, oceans of tribulations, and years of toil and suffering? To Moses the reproaches of Christ were greater treasures than the riches of Egypt, "for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Sit quiet for a moment and by a strong eye of faith look away into heaven and see that bright mansion prepared for you.


See those jasper walls, those pearly gates, and those golden walks. See the crown of life, the harp of God, and the light of the Lamb. Shall we not bear the trials of life a little longer in patience? Shall we not be watchful to walk in God's ways and obey him, that this rich inheritance may be ours forever? Methinks I can hear a reply coming from the depths of many a sincere, trusting heart-- "Yes, I will live in humble obedience to God on earth, that I may be with him forever in that celestial city of light." God bless you!

Beyond the shores of time and the kingdoms of this world is a kingdom called the kingdom of heaven. It is the place where God has his great white throne, around which the angels play upon their golden harps and shout, "Blessing and honor and glory and praise and might be unto God forever and ever." It is around this throne that those who have passed through the tribulations and the trying scenes of this lower world and burst through the gates of death are singing redemption's sweet song. Who does not desire to join that happy, heavenly throng and wave those
palms and wear those white robes and sing those sweet songs over beyond
the shadowy vale of death? I seem to hear many voices saying, "I hope to be among that blood-washed throng." Let me tell you in all tenderness and love, but very plainly, that the realization of your hope depends entirely upon how you live while here in this world. Oh, how much in that great and awful future is depending upon our manner of life in this time world! Let us learn to live well, to be our best every day.

We may dream of a home in heaven; we may entertain hopes of seeing Jesus and of inheriting a mansion on the shores of eternal bliss; we may imagine ourselves walking through the blooming fields of paradise and sitting beneath the tree of life; but our dreams, our hopes, and our imaginations will never be realized unless we carefully keep the commandments of God. More than a profession is necessary; obedience is the only door into the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Until our faith pierces
through and beholds the beauties and the realities of God so we can say from the very depths of the soul, "I delight to do thy will, O God." and, "My meat and my drink is to do the will of Him that sent me," we have not fully entered the true and right pathway of life. Keeping the commands of God is the whole man and the whole of a perfect life.

HOW TO LIVE CHRIST LIFE

Man can not naturally live the Christ-life. But Christ has promised to come into our hearts and live in us. In order that we may have Christ dwell in our hearts and that we may live his life, there must be a giving up of our self-life. There must be annihilation of self that Christ may live. It is truly wonderful and as glorious as it is wonderful that man can live the life of Christ in this world.But here is the secret: it is man ceasing to live the self-life and Christ living in him. Imagine a hollow brass figure in the exact image of a man. Suppose you fill this hollow figure with a kind of life which we shall call self-life. This life goes to using the hands and feet, and eyes, ears, tongue, in short, all the members of this brass figure, but using them in the interest of itself.

Now you desire to make a change; you want that image to speak, act, and think only for you. You must first put to death the life that is using the figure, cleanse it entirely out, and then get into it yourself. Once in, you can use all the members of that image for yourself. Your body is that image. There was a life in you that used all the members of your body in the interest of self. But there has been a change. You were made a new creature. The life you once had was put to death--was crucified; then Christ stepped into your heart, and now he uses all the members of your body for himself. You still live, yet not you, but Christ lives in you.

Once you did things for yourself;now you do them for Christ. Just as you once lived purposely and intentionally for yourself, now you do things purposely and intentionally for Jesus, because it is he that lives, and not you yourself. You remember how once you would plan for yourself. In the evening as you lay upon your bed and again in the morning and throughout the day you would think about what you were going to eat or drink, what you were going to have for clothing, where you were going to live, where you were going to go, and what you were going to do. But now you are changed; you are a new creature.

Now it is not you that lives, but Christ lives in you. Now you eat not for yourself but for Jesus. You now go, not where self would lead you, but where that life in you loves to go and would have you go. You do things, not for yourself, but for Jesus.

O Christ, I die, that thou mayst live,
That thou mayst live in me;
That all I think or speak or do,
May be, O Lord, for thee.


May not the least of self remain,
But all be put to death.
Oh, may I nothing do for self,
Nor draw one selfish breath!

To have my Savior live in me,
To occupy the whole,
To make my heart his royal throne
And take complete control--
Tis all I ask; 'tis all I wish;
'Tis all my heart's desire,
Content if but a wayside bush
To hold God's holy fire.
Low at thy feet, O Christ, I fall
A yielded lump of clay,
For thee to mold me as thou wilt,
To have thy own sweet way.