"How happy are those who have no doubts about me!"
What kind of "prisons" tend to bring out doubts for you regarding Jesus?
The moving words of Ruth to Naomi as she pledged her commitment, are reflective of the commitment we must make "Whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."
When you doubt, don't turn away from him, turn to him.
(Matthew 5:29-30)"So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell."
What is Jesus' point in using such exaggerated language?
I believe we have here a fairly strong statement of how important it is to obey God. Obedience is worth more than readiness to perform the outward obligations of religion as indicated in (1 Samuel 15:22-23). Examine your life for anything that causes you to sin, and take every necessary action to remove it.
(James 1:19-21)"Remember this, my dear brothers! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Man's anger does not achieve God's righteous conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you."
What from God's Word here will you put into action this week?
Control of our will is vital to our progress. Turning from evil and to God's control, is what is expected of us. If you truly wish to be obedient to God, it means turning your life totally over to God. Just as an athlete must turn control of his life to a coach, we must do the same, plus.
How important is God to me?
In Psalm 119 we find a most eloquent statement about our need to be committed to God, and our Father's Laws of Guidance. This is must reading for anyone who has any doubts. Do you want peace? Keep your thoughts on and trust your God. With God we can know perfect peace even within the midst of turmoil.
This testimony exalted the Word of God - the complete and perfect standard of truth, values, reality, and behavior. God's Word is wholly sufficient for godly living. By grasping its powerful message, God's children can be pure.
We need sound doctrine. The Spirit of holiness is also the Spirit of truth. Truth and righteousness go together....
Why? Why is sound doctrine necessary for sanctification? For real sanctification to occur in the Christian life at least three absolute changes are necessary. There must be a change in our consciousness. There must be a change in our convictions. There must be a change in our conscience. Consciousness, conviction, and conscience - these three are all vital to our sanctification.
Consciousness involves knowledge. Before we can willfully do what God commands and what pleases Him, we must first understand what it is that God requires. From the law comes a knowledge of sin. Also from the law comes a knowledge of righteousness.
A person could "accidentally" obey the law without doing so consciously. But such an action would have no moral virtue to it. Suppose a man enjoys driving his car at fifty miles an hour in fifty-five-mile-per-hour zones and in fifteen-mile-per-hour zones. When he drives in the fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone, he is within the speed limit. He is obeying the law. But when he goes fifty in a fifteen-mile-per-hour zone, he is a menace to those around him.
Suppose our mythical driver systematically refuses to look at speed limit signs. He averts his gaze from any sign that even appears to mark a speed limit. He keeps himself purposely unconscious of speed limits. At times he "happens" to obey the law, but purely by coincidence. If the man wants to achieve moral virtue as a driver and always drive within the speed limit, he must first become aware, he must become conscious of the law.
But consciousness is not enough. We all have seen people who are quite conscious of the speed limits while they are violating them. We don't have to look beyond ourselves to discover the culprits. For our behavior to change we must move beyond consciousness to conviction.
Conviction is a matter of depth and intensity. It is one thing to be aware that a certain action is right. It is another to have a conviction about it. It is a lot easier for us to compromise our knowledge than to act against convictions. A conviction is knowledge that is settled. It has a firm hold on us. It goes beyond our brains and penetrates the conscience.
Our conscience acts as a kind of governor upon our behavior. It is the inner voice that either accuses or excuses us. It monitors our behavior by way of approval or disapproval. The problem is that our conscience doesn't always tell us the truth. We are adept at training it in the direction of self-approval....
For the conscience to function in a godly convictions. To gain godly consciences, our consciousness of what is right and what is wrong must be sharpened. This involves the mind. It is a matter of doctrine.
(From Pleasing God by R. C. Sproul)
How important is God to me?
In Psalm 119 we find a most eloquent statement about our need to be committed to God, and our Father's Laws of Guidance. This is must reading for anyone who has any doubts. Do you want peace? Keep your thoughts on and trust your God. With God we can know perfect peace even within the midst of turmoil.
This testimony exalted the Word of God - the complete and perfect standard of truth, values, reality, and behavior. God's Word is wholly sufficient for godly living. By grasping its powerful message, God's children can be pure.
We need sound doctrine. The Spirit of holiness is also the Spirit of truth. Truth and righteousness go together....
Why? Why is sound doctrine necessary for sanctification? For real sanctification to occur in the Christian life at least three absolute changes are necessary. There must be a change in our consciousness. There must be a change in our convictions. There must be a change in our conscience. Consciousness, conviction, and conscience - these three are all vital to our sanctification.
Consciousness involves knowledge. Before we can willfully do what God commands and what pleases Him, we must first understand what it is that God requires. From the law comes a knowledge of sin. Also from the law comes a knowledge of righteousness.
A person could "accidentally" obey the law without doing so consciously. But such an action would have no moral virtue to it. Suppose a man enjoys driving his car at fifty miles an hour in fifty-five-mile-per-hour zones and in fifteen-mile-per-hour zones. When he drives in the fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone, he is within the speed limit. He is obeying the law. But when he goes fifty in a fifteen-mile-per-hour zone, he is a menace to those around him.
Suppose our mythical driver systematically refuses to look at speed limit signs. He averts his gaze from any sign that even appears to mark a speed limit. He keeps himself purposely unconscious of speed limits. At times he "happens" to obey the law, but purely by coincidence. If the man wants to achieve moral virtue as a driver and always drive within the speed limit, he must first become aware, he must become conscious of the law.
But consciousness is not enough. We all have seen people who are quite conscious of the speed limits while they are violating them. We don't have to look beyond ourselves to discover the culprits. For our behavior to change we must move beyond consciousness to conviction.
Conviction is a matter of depth and intensity. It is one thing to be aware that a certain action is right. It is another to have a conviction about it. It is a lot easier for us to compromise our knowledge than to act against convictions. A conviction is knowledge that is settled. It has a firm hold on us. It goes beyond our brains and penetrates the conscience.
Our conscience acts as a kind of governor upon our behavior. It is the inner voice that either accuses or excuses us. It monitors our behavior by way of approval or disapproval. The problem is that our conscience doesn't always tell us the truth. We are adept at training it in the direction of self-approval....
For the conscience to function in a godly conviction. To gain godly consciences, our consciousness of what is right and what is wrong must be sharpened. This involves the mind. It is a matter of doctrine.
(From Pleasing God by R. C. Sproul)
God's Word teaches us sound doctrine. When was the last time you memorized a verse? Memorize Psalm 119:105. Consider memorizing one verse a week.
(Isaiah 26:3)"You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm."
What makes the Lord worthy of trust?
We see in this statement that we must stay with the program and then we will gain peace. This also means trusting him to control our lives for us and provide for us; therefore it means truly becoming his child. When we are devoted to him, our whole attitude is steady and stable.
"It is the will of God that we surrender our wills. Even though St. Paul talked much with our Lord and our Lord with him, these conversations remained fruitless until St. Paul surrendered his will and said: 'Lord, what wilt thou have me do?"... The only true and perfect will is the one that has been merged with the will of God, so that the man has no will of his own. Indeed one step taken in surrender to God is better than a journey across the ocean without it... Perfectly to will what God wills, to want what he wants, is to have joy; but if one's will is not quite in unison with God's there is no joy" (Meister Eckhart - The Talks of Instruction).
What is my plan of commitment?
The twenty-eight chapter of Deuteronomy is a powerful statement of the basic order of the universe. It does not claim that the individual who observes the laws of God will always receive prosperity, but it does state that there are certain laws according to which the world is run and that these are basic required rules. Any people group which runs contrary to these rules comes to grief, and conversely the individuals that observes them is assured of a future relationship with God. Justice, charity/love and integrity - rear their own reward because that is the way the world is meant to be run. Behind the chances and changes of life there is a pattern which the Creator has laid down for the smooth running of the world he has made. We have a choice either to share our relationship with others in accordance with these guidelines or we should not expect a rewarding future after we pass over to our permanent home. The real test of value is how well something holds up under the wear, tear, and abuse of everyday life.
(Matthew 10:28-31)"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
In times of challenge, what can you expect from God?
We are very important to God. How important is God to us? Just as a young child or infant is totally dependent on his guardians or parents; a Child of God is totally dependent upon Him. Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life.
(Matthew 10:37-39)"Whoever loves his father or mother more than me is not fit to be my disciple; whoever loves his son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever tries to gain his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it."
What kind of commitment does Jesus call for?
Turning your life over to God; may initially cause a individual to think that he/she is turning their freedom in and exchanging it for slavery. This cannot be farther from the truth. By turning "over your life" to God, you are releasing yourself from the slavery of evil (e.g. worries, fear, etc.) to the freedom of God's children (e.g. peace, trust, etc.).
How can I avoid dropping this commitment?
Does not a child "turn over" control of his life to his parents in exchange for, care, protection, etc. Does not top professionals: sport, movie, music stars turn over control of part of their lives to agents, in order to be freed from work not directed to their goals of being successful. Do we not, as citizens of a government, turn over control of part of our lives, in order to be freeded from fear and to achieve peace in our lives. Our whole external earthly life is turning over par of the control of our life to gain something on earth.
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'" --Luke 4:4
There's a story about an old man who lived in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning, the grandfather would sit at the kitchen table and read from his worn-out Bible. Wanting to be just like his grandfather, the young boy would imitate him by reading his own Bible.
One day the grandson asked, "Grandfather, I try to read the Bible just like you, but I don't understand it. When I do understand it, I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?"
The grandfather simply replied, "Son, take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, but the water leaked out of the basket before he could get back to the house. The grandfather sent him back three more times and told him to move faster each time. Every time, the frustrated boy returned with an empty basket.
Finally, out of breath, the young boy said to his grandfather, "See...it's useless!"
The old man said, "Look at the basket. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it's now clean. Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand it or remember everything you read, but when you do, it will change you from the inside out."
As believers in Christ in a fallen world, you and I must saturate our hearts and minds with the Word of God every day. Just like the young boy above, it may seem that we can't retain or comprehend everything we read. But remember that God uses His Word to change us from the inside out!
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Make a commitment to the Lord to study His Word faithfully each day. And pray that He will use the Scripture to cleanse you and make you more like Jesus.
"I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile." - Job 9:27
We all know the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." This is actually more than just a cliché. Health studies actually show that smiling and laughter really are very good for the body.
When you laugh, you increase your natural defenses against tumors, disease, and viruses. Laughter also lowers the blood pressure, increases oxygen in the blood, and promotes healing. What a gift God has given us that such a simple act can have such a positive effect not only our disposition but on our physical health.
You may have also noticed how smiles and laughter can be infectious. A smile can spread from one person to the next. Think of how you can bless a number of people simply by wearing a smile on your face.
In Luke 6:21, Jesus blesses, "you who weep now, for you will laugh." He's speaking of our time in Heaven when there will be no more tears. If God is planning to replace our tears with laughter, maybe we should get a head start. I encourage you to try to laugh more today. It may help you feel a lot better.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to remove any sorrow from your heart today. Pray for healing laughter in its place.
What kind of "prisons" tend to bring out doubts for you regarding Jesus?
The moving words of Ruth to Naomi as she pledged her commitment, are reflective of the commitment we must make "Whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."
When you doubt, don't turn away from him, turn to him.
(Matthew 5:29-30)"So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell."
What is Jesus' point in using such exaggerated language?
I believe we have here a fairly strong statement of how important it is to obey God. Obedience is worth more than readiness to perform the outward obligations of religion as indicated in (1 Samuel 15:22-23). Examine your life for anything that causes you to sin, and take every necessary action to remove it.
(James 1:19-21)"Remember this, my dear brothers! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Man's anger does not achieve God's righteous conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you."
What from God's Word here will you put into action this week?
Control of our will is vital to our progress. Turning from evil and to God's control, is what is expected of us. If you truly wish to be obedient to God, it means turning your life totally over to God. Just as an athlete must turn control of his life to a coach, we must do the same, plus.
How important is God to me?
In Psalm 119 we find a most eloquent statement about our need to be committed to God, and our Father's Laws of Guidance. This is must reading for anyone who has any doubts. Do you want peace? Keep your thoughts on and trust your God. With God we can know perfect peace even within the midst of turmoil.
This testimony exalted the Word of God - the complete and perfect standard of truth, values, reality, and behavior. God's Word is wholly sufficient for godly living. By grasping its powerful message, God's children can be pure.
We need sound doctrine. The Spirit of holiness is also the Spirit of truth. Truth and righteousness go together....
Why? Why is sound doctrine necessary for sanctification? For real sanctification to occur in the Christian life at least three absolute changes are necessary. There must be a change in our consciousness. There must be a change in our convictions. There must be a change in our conscience. Consciousness, conviction, and conscience - these three are all vital to our sanctification.
Consciousness involves knowledge. Before we can willfully do what God commands and what pleases Him, we must first understand what it is that God requires. From the law comes a knowledge of sin. Also from the law comes a knowledge of righteousness.
A person could "accidentally" obey the law without doing so consciously. But such an action would have no moral virtue to it. Suppose a man enjoys driving his car at fifty miles an hour in fifty-five-mile-per-hour zones and in fifteen-mile-per-hour zones. When he drives in the fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone, he is within the speed limit. He is obeying the law. But when he goes fifty in a fifteen-mile-per-hour zone, he is a menace to those around him.
Suppose our mythical driver systematically refuses to look at speed limit signs. He averts his gaze from any sign that even appears to mark a speed limit. He keeps himself purposely unconscious of speed limits. At times he "happens" to obey the law, but purely by coincidence. If the man wants to achieve moral virtue as a driver and always drive within the speed limit, he must first become aware, he must become conscious of the law.
But consciousness is not enough. We all have seen people who are quite conscious of the speed limits while they are violating them. We don't have to look beyond ourselves to discover the culprits. For our behavior to change we must move beyond consciousness to conviction.
Conviction is a matter of depth and intensity. It is one thing to be aware that a certain action is right. It is another to have a conviction about it. It is a lot easier for us to compromise our knowledge than to act against convictions. A conviction is knowledge that is settled. It has a firm hold on us. It goes beyond our brains and penetrates the conscience.
Our conscience acts as a kind of governor upon our behavior. It is the inner voice that either accuses or excuses us. It monitors our behavior by way of approval or disapproval. The problem is that our conscience doesn't always tell us the truth. We are adept at training it in the direction of self-approval....
For the conscience to function in a godly convictions. To gain godly consciences, our consciousness of what is right and what is wrong must be sharpened. This involves the mind. It is a matter of doctrine.
(From Pleasing God by R. C. Sproul)
How important is God to me?
In Psalm 119 we find a most eloquent statement about our need to be committed to God, and our Father's Laws of Guidance. This is must reading for anyone who has any doubts. Do you want peace? Keep your thoughts on and trust your God. With God we can know perfect peace even within the midst of turmoil.
This testimony exalted the Word of God - the complete and perfect standard of truth, values, reality, and behavior. God's Word is wholly sufficient for godly living. By grasping its powerful message, God's children can be pure.
We need sound doctrine. The Spirit of holiness is also the Spirit of truth. Truth and righteousness go together....
Why? Why is sound doctrine necessary for sanctification? For real sanctification to occur in the Christian life at least three absolute changes are necessary. There must be a change in our consciousness. There must be a change in our convictions. There must be a change in our conscience. Consciousness, conviction, and conscience - these three are all vital to our sanctification.
Consciousness involves knowledge. Before we can willfully do what God commands and what pleases Him, we must first understand what it is that God requires. From the law comes a knowledge of sin. Also from the law comes a knowledge of righteousness.
A person could "accidentally" obey the law without doing so consciously. But such an action would have no moral virtue to it. Suppose a man enjoys driving his car at fifty miles an hour in fifty-five-mile-per-hour zones and in fifteen-mile-per-hour zones. When he drives in the fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone, he is within the speed limit. He is obeying the law. But when he goes fifty in a fifteen-mile-per-hour zone, he is a menace to those around him.
Suppose our mythical driver systematically refuses to look at speed limit signs. He averts his gaze from any sign that even appears to mark a speed limit. He keeps himself purposely unconscious of speed limits. At times he "happens" to obey the law, but purely by coincidence. If the man wants to achieve moral virtue as a driver and always drive within the speed limit, he must first become aware, he must become conscious of the law.
But consciousness is not enough. We all have seen people who are quite conscious of the speed limits while they are violating them. We don't have to look beyond ourselves to discover the culprits. For our behavior to change we must move beyond consciousness to conviction.
Conviction is a matter of depth and intensity. It is one thing to be aware that a certain action is right. It is another to have a conviction about it. It is a lot easier for us to compromise our knowledge than to act against convictions. A conviction is knowledge that is settled. It has a firm hold on us. It goes beyond our brains and penetrates the conscience.
Our conscience acts as a kind of governor upon our behavior. It is the inner voice that either accuses or excuses us. It monitors our behavior by way of approval or disapproval. The problem is that our conscience doesn't always tell us the truth. We are adept at training it in the direction of self-approval....
For the conscience to function in a godly conviction. To gain godly consciences, our consciousness of what is right and what is wrong must be sharpened. This involves the mind. It is a matter of doctrine.
(From Pleasing God by R. C. Sproul)
God's Word teaches us sound doctrine. When was the last time you memorized a verse? Memorize Psalm 119:105. Consider memorizing one verse a week.
(Isaiah 26:3)"You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm."
What makes the Lord worthy of trust?
We see in this statement that we must stay with the program and then we will gain peace. This also means trusting him to control our lives for us and provide for us; therefore it means truly becoming his child. When we are devoted to him, our whole attitude is steady and stable.
"It is the will of God that we surrender our wills. Even though St. Paul talked much with our Lord and our Lord with him, these conversations remained fruitless until St. Paul surrendered his will and said: 'Lord, what wilt thou have me do?"... The only true and perfect will is the one that has been merged with the will of God, so that the man has no will of his own. Indeed one step taken in surrender to God is better than a journey across the ocean without it... Perfectly to will what God wills, to want what he wants, is to have joy; but if one's will is not quite in unison with God's there is no joy" (Meister Eckhart - The Talks of Instruction).
What is my plan of commitment?
The twenty-eight chapter of Deuteronomy is a powerful statement of the basic order of the universe. It does not claim that the individual who observes the laws of God will always receive prosperity, but it does state that there are certain laws according to which the world is run and that these are basic required rules. Any people group which runs contrary to these rules comes to grief, and conversely the individuals that observes them is assured of a future relationship with God. Justice, charity/love and integrity - rear their own reward because that is the way the world is meant to be run. Behind the chances and changes of life there is a pattern which the Creator has laid down for the smooth running of the world he has made. We have a choice either to share our relationship with others in accordance with these guidelines or we should not expect a rewarding future after we pass over to our permanent home. The real test of value is how well something holds up under the wear, tear, and abuse of everyday life.
(Matthew 10:28-31)"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
In times of challenge, what can you expect from God?
We are very important to God. How important is God to us? Just as a young child or infant is totally dependent on his guardians or parents; a Child of God is totally dependent upon Him. Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life.
(Matthew 10:37-39)"Whoever loves his father or mother more than me is not fit to be my disciple; whoever loves his son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever tries to gain his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it."
What kind of commitment does Jesus call for?
Turning your life over to God; may initially cause a individual to think that he/she is turning their freedom in and exchanging it for slavery. This cannot be farther from the truth. By turning "over your life" to God, you are releasing yourself from the slavery of evil (e.g. worries, fear, etc.) to the freedom of God's children (e.g. peace, trust, etc.).
How can I avoid dropping this commitment?
Does not a child "turn over" control of his life to his parents in exchange for, care, protection, etc. Does not top professionals: sport, movie, music stars turn over control of part of their lives to agents, in order to be freed from work not directed to their goals of being successful. Do we not, as citizens of a government, turn over control of part of our lives, in order to be freeded from fear and to achieve peace in our lives. Our whole external earthly life is turning over par of the control of our life to gain something on earth.
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'" --Luke 4:4
There's a story about an old man who lived in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning, the grandfather would sit at the kitchen table and read from his worn-out Bible. Wanting to be just like his grandfather, the young boy would imitate him by reading his own Bible.
One day the grandson asked, "Grandfather, I try to read the Bible just like you, but I don't understand it. When I do understand it, I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?"
The grandfather simply replied, "Son, take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, but the water leaked out of the basket before he could get back to the house. The grandfather sent him back three more times and told him to move faster each time. Every time, the frustrated boy returned with an empty basket.
Finally, out of breath, the young boy said to his grandfather, "See...it's useless!"
The old man said, "Look at the basket. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it's now clean. Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand it or remember everything you read, but when you do, it will change you from the inside out."
As believers in Christ in a fallen world, you and I must saturate our hearts and minds with the Word of God every day. Just like the young boy above, it may seem that we can't retain or comprehend everything we read. But remember that God uses His Word to change us from the inside out!
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Make a commitment to the Lord to study His Word faithfully each day. And pray that He will use the Scripture to cleanse you and make you more like Jesus.
"I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile." - Job 9:27
We all know the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." This is actually more than just a cliché. Health studies actually show that smiling and laughter really are very good for the body.
When you laugh, you increase your natural defenses against tumors, disease, and viruses. Laughter also lowers the blood pressure, increases oxygen in the blood, and promotes healing. What a gift God has given us that such a simple act can have such a positive effect not only our disposition but on our physical health.
You may have also noticed how smiles and laughter can be infectious. A smile can spread from one person to the next. Think of how you can bless a number of people simply by wearing a smile on your face.
In Luke 6:21, Jesus blesses, "you who weep now, for you will laugh." He's speaking of our time in Heaven when there will be no more tears. If God is planning to replace our tears with laughter, maybe we should get a head start. I encourage you to try to laugh more today. It may help you feel a lot better.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to remove any sorrow from your heart today. Pray for healing laughter in its place.