Day: September 14, 2017

Oswald Chambers 

Arguments or Obedience
September 14, 2017
…the simplicity that is in Christ.  —2 Corinthians 11:3
   
Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly until a long time passes, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion. If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your “arguments and…every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25).
Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear. Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating, because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The vital relationship which the Christian has to the Bible is not that he worships the letter, but that the Holy Spirit makes the words of the Bible spirit and life to him.  The Psychology of Redemption, 1066 L

​Steve Hammer

Steve Hammer

There presently exists a form of RELIGION

still being labeled “Christianity” which strays

far from the Biblical definition of the

CHURCH as established by Jesus Christ.

Its message is positive-only….its focus is

grace-only…its god is self-only.

It is a RELIGION which seeks only to mention

the METHOD of SALVATION…while denying

the REQUIREMENTS of DISCIPLESHIP.

As such…OBEDIENCE to GOD is

misrepresented as LEGALISM…DISC

ERNMENT is misrepresented as

JUDGMENT…and GRACE is misrepresented

as ACCEPTANCE of one’s SINFULNESS.

It is within this RELIGION that “worship” is

SHALLOW…ENTERTAINING…and EMOTION-

DRIVEN.

There you will find every possible appeal to

the LUST of the EYE and the LUST of the

FLESH…as “Atmosphere” and ELOQUENCE

take precedence over ANOINTING and

TRUTH…and as HOLINESS succumbs to

HYPE.

It is a POWERLESS religion…as the

MIRACULOUS work of Christ to TRANSFORM

us gives way to the doctrines of GRADUAL

change…all of which provide the EXCUSES

necessary to REMAIN on chosen paths of

SIN.

It is a RELIGION that PRIDES itself on SELF-

WORTH…and the preservation of COMFORT

and HAPPINESS is its ultimate goal.

What is this RELIGION missing?

—Sacrifice

—Devotion

—Holiness

—Righteousness

—Self-denial

—Obedience

—Truth

Few Christians would CONVERT to

ISLAM…yet many converted to this FALSE

CHRISTIANITY long ago.

It is this RELIGION that is spoken of here:

2 Timothy 3:1-7 But know this, that in the

last days perilous times will come: 2 For men

will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,

boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to

parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving,

unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control,

brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors,

headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather

than lovers of God, 5 having a form of

godliness but denying its power. And from

such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are

those who creep into households and make

captives of gullible women loaded down with

sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always

learning and never able to come to the

knowledge of the truth.

~~ Shared by Ron Smith

Carrie Pakebusch

​J.C. Ryle

J.C. Ryle

7 Thoughts on Reading the Bible

1) Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it.

2) Read the Scriptures with a simple, childlike faith and humility.

3) Read the Word with a spirit of obedience and self-application.

4) Read the Holy Scriptures everyday.

5) Read the whole Bible and read it an orderly way. 6) Read the Word of God fairly and honestly.

7) Read the Bible with Christ constantly in view.

~ J.C. Ryle

​Berean CallApples of Gold – September 13

Berean Call

Apples of Gold – September 13

How can you best equip your children to resist anti-God teaching in the classroom? The most important thing is to be very sure your children are intimately acquainted with the truth. They need to know what the Scriptures alone teach if they are to have a foundation that will withstand the disruptive intrusions of man.

“If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.”

—Psalm 132:12

​Streams in the Desert – September 14

Streams in the Desert – September 14
2017Sep 14
“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”(Mark 8:34).
The cross which my Lord bids me take up and carry may assume different shapes. I may have to content myself with a lowly and narrow sphere, when I feel that I have capacities for much higher work. I may have to go on cultivating year after year, a field which seems to yield me no harvests whatsoever. I may be bidden to cherish kind and loving thoughts about someone who has wronged me–be bidden speak to him tenderly, and take his part against all who oppose him, and crown him with sympathy and succor. I may have to confess my Master amongst those who do not wish to be reminded of Him and His claims. I may be called to “move among my race, and show a glorious morning face,” when my heart is breaking.
There are many crosses, and every one of them is sore and heavy. None of them is likely to be sought out by me of my own accord. But never is Jesus so near me as when I lift my cross, and lay it submissively on my shoulder, and give it the welcome of a patient and unmurmuring spirit.
He draws close, to ripen my wisdom, to deepen my peace, to increase my courage, to augment my power to be of use to others, through the very experience which is so grievous and distressing, and then–as I read on the seal of one of those Scottish Covenanters whom Claverhouse imprisoned on the lonely Bass, with the sea surging and sobbing round–I grow under the load.

–Alexander Smellie
“Use your cross as a crutch to help you on, and not as a stumblingblock to cast you down.”
“You may others from sadness to gladness beguile,

If you carry your cross with a smile.”

Streams in the Desert – September 14

Streams in the Desert – September 14

  • 2017Sep 14

“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”(Mark 8:34).

The cross which my Lord bids me take up and carry may assume different shapes. I may have to content myself with a lowly and narrow sphere, when I feel that I have capacities for much higher work. I may have to go on cultivating year after year, a field which seems to yield me no harvests whatsoever. I may be bidden to cherish kind and loving thoughts about someone who has wronged me–be bidden speak to him tenderly, and take his part against all who oppose him, and crown him with sympathy and succor. I may have to confess my Master amongst those who do not wish to be reminded of Him and His claims. I may be called to “move among my race, and show a glorious morning face,” when my heart is breaking.

There are many crosses, and every one of them is sore and heavy. None of them is likely to be sought out by me of my own accord. But never is Jesus so near me as when I lift my cross, and lay it submissively on my shoulder, and give it the welcome of a patient and unmurmuring spirit.

He draws close, to ripen my wisdom, to deepen my peace, to increase my courage, to augment my power to be of use to others, through the very experience which is so grievous and distressing, and then–as I read on the seal of one of those Scottish Covenanters whom Claverhouse imprisoned on the lonely Bass, with the sea surging and sobbing round–I grow under the load.
–Alexander Smellie

“Use your cross as a crutch to help you on, and not as a stumblingblock to cast you down.”

“You may others from sadness to gladness beguile,
If you carry your cross with a smile.”

​God’s Full ArmourGLOBAL GRACE – September 2017

God’s Full Armour

GLOBAL GRACE – September 2017

Heaven Is Our Hope and Earth Israel’s Hope

14. Them or Us?

1 Thessalonians 5:3-4” While they are saying, “Peace and safety [all is well and secure!]” then [in a moment unforeseen] destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains on a woman with child, and they will absolutely not escape [for there will be no way to escape the judgment of the Lord]. But you, believers, [all you who believe in Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him as God’s Son] are not in spiritual darkness [nor held by its power], that the day [of judgment] would overtake you [by surprise] like a thief”.

Readthese verses pensively. In these two verses, there is a big difference between “them” and “you”. Yesterday we saw that things will NOT happen for us like “a thief” at night. “We” are part of the believers who have already been told that they will rise first and be taken away with the Lord and with us simultaneously. But “they” will not be so blessed. The Tribulation will come upon them like a thief in the night and they will not escape.

Then verse four mentions “you” (the same as “us”). We are not in darkness. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT WILL NOT COME AS A SURPRISE TO US. We who are of the light will already be safe with the Lord as 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 described. Many churches teach that believers must also go through the Great Tribulation. No friends, that is not true. The day of the Lord and the thief at night will come for “them” of the darkness and not for “us” of the light.

In any case, chapter 5 starts with a “but”. The rapture would already have taken place for us, but then the terror would come to “them” that remain and who are in the darkness.

Please use these verses to warn your friends and family. These things are very close to taking place and on our doorstep. While you can, make it right with the Lord.

​Nomfundo Precious Mofokeng

Nomfundo Precious Mofokeng

There are many things that Jesus-following, church-going, Bible-believing Christians believe that are completely unbiblical. How does this happen? Often, we’ll hear someone quote a statement that sounds nice to us, and we’ll begin repeating it as though it’s biblical truth without ever researching it in the Scriptures.

It shouldn’t surprise long-time, experienced Christians that God never promises happiness without suffering, trails and tribulations in the Bible. Who ever told you that you will never witness hardship

That if you face hardship, your faith is not strong enough it is

a lie

In fact, Jesus said, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:14), and, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). The Apostle Peter said, “To this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). God wants you to be saved first and foremost and then to be conformed into the image of His Son, which is painful. He does promise eternal life (John 3:16) and His peace (John 14:27)

​Stephen ThomasTitus 2:13-14

Stephen Thomas

Titus 2:13-14 We wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

​Stephen ThomasWords to Ponder

Stephen Thomas

Words to Ponder

The Christian should always be anxious to know himself. No other man truly wants to know himself. The natural man thinks he knows himself, and thereby reveals his basic trouble. He evades self-examination because to know one’s self is ultimately the most painful piece of knowledge that a man can acquire. – Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)