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Tag Archives: Bible - Page 2
Jesus Died for Me
Posted by Jay
on February 18, 2011
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Divine Support
Posted by Jay
on February 8, 2011
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Thou art the blessed God,
Happy in Thyself, source of happiness in Thy creatures, my Maker, Benefactor, Proprietor, Upholder. Thou hast produced and sustained me, supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries. May I live by Thee, live for Thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; and may conformity to His principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life.
Let Thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusional, my actions hypocrisy, may I rejoice to suffer for Thy name.
Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country of everlasting delights, that paradise-land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that wilt and disappear into nothing.
As I pursue my heavenly journey by Thy grace let me be known as a man with no aim but that of a burning desire for Thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men.
From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers
Bible Minute: False Teachers/False Words
Posted by Jay
on January 27, 2011
2 comments
Something new I am working on – a weekly 5 minute audio clip called “Bible Minute”. Would love to get your feedback. I pray this will be a great way to get the teachings of Scripture out in a quick and easy audio format.
This week’s topic is false teachers from 2 Peter 2:1-3.
Listen to this week’s episode.
Birds & Fish Dying – Is it the End?
Posted by Jay
on January 7, 2011
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Some of the events that have been occurring around the world have definitely sparked conversation and an interest in end-times. Biblically speaking there really isn’t anything related to the birds dying or the fish dying in isolated areas. As with everything, we should make Scripture our guide.
Christ teaches us that the events leading up to His second coming will affect the entire world and not just isolated areas. Lawlessness will increase worldwide (Matthew 24) and a great falling away from the faith will occur. (2 Thess. 2:3) (The falling away will be those who profess Christ but are not truly saved.) Then there will be great signs in the heavens and a pouring out of God’s wrath and judgment on the entire earth. (The description of the moon turning to blood is likely a description of God’s judgment since those same descriptive terms are used in the O.T. for God’s judgment on the nations.) There are descriptions of some of the judgments in Revelation that affect natural resources such as the sea and fresh water but keep in mind that it will have global affect.
That being said, we must also never forget that everything is under God’s sovereign control and that He has either directly caused these recent events to happen or allowed them to. We should see these events as pointers to the greater reality that judgment is coming, Christ is returning, and we are to be ready. (Matt. 24:44) I am reminded of an incident in Scripture where some people came up to Jesus and asked Him if the people that Pilate mixed their blood with the sacrifices or the people that the tower of Siloam fell on were greater sinners. Jesus used that tragic event to remind them that unless they repented they too would likewise perish. (Luke 13:1-5) We too should be vigilant of events going on in the world to remind us of the reality of coming judgment and the surety of Christ’s second coming.
The important thing is that we keep our noses buried deep in Scripture so that we will be ready and be ever discerning with regards to events occurring in the world and the things we see and hear. The world will react sensationally, and we are called to be sober-minded and stand firm in the truth of Scripture eagerly awaiting the return of our King! In light of this great truth that our Lord will return, believers should seek to live pure lives (1 John 3:3) and continually be setting our minds on things above where Christ is seated in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority. Amen!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Stay on Course to the End
Posted by Jay
on January 6, 2011
1 comment
There are times when a saint is called to trust in a withdrawing God. “[Let him] that walketh in darkness and hath no light… trust in the name of the Lord” (Isaiah 50:10). This requires a bold step of faith – to venture into God’s presence with the same temerity as Esther into Ahasuerus’s. Even when no smile lights his face, when no golden scepter is extended to summon us to come near, we must press forward with this noble resolution: “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).
Which leads our faith one step further: we must trust also in a “killing God”. We must declare with Job, “Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him” (Job 13:15) It takes a submissive faith for a soul to march steadily forward while God seems to fire upon that soul and shoot his frowns like poisoned arrows into it. This is hard work, and will test the Christians mettle. Yet such a spirit we find in the poor woman of Canaan, who caught the bullets Christ shot at her, and with a humble boldness sent them back again in her prayer (Matthew 15:22-28).
Your work and your life must go off the stage together. Persisting to the end will be the burr under your saddle – the thorn in your flesh – when the road ahead seems endless and your soul begs an early discharge. It weighs down every other difficulty of your calling. We have known many who have joined the army of Christ and the liked being a soldier for a battle or two, but have soon had enough and ended up deserting. They impulsively enlist for Christian duties, are easily persuaded to take up profession of religion, and are just as easily persuaded to lay it down. Like the new moon, they shine little in the first part of the evening, but go down before the night is over.
Taking up the cross daily, praying always, watching night and day and never laying aside our armor to indulge ourselves, sends many sorrowful away from Christ.
From The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall
That I May Know Him
Posted by Jay
on December 31, 2010
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More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:8-11
The Nevers of the Gospel
Posted by Jay
on December 30, 2010
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O LORD,
May I never fail to come to the knowledge of the truth, never rest in a system of doctrine, however Scriptural, that does not bring or further salvation, or teach me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, or help me to live soberly, righteously, godly; never relying my own convictions and resolutions, but be strong in Thee and in Thy might; never cease to find Thy grace sufficient in all my duties, trials, and conflicts; never forget to repair to Thee in all my spiritual distresses and outward troubles, in all the dissatisfactions experienced in creature comforts; never fail to retreat to Him who is full of grace and truth, the Friend that loveth at all times, who is touched with feelings of my infirmities, and can do exceedingly abundantly for me; never confine my religion to extraordinary occasions, but acknowledge Thee in all my ways; never limit my devotions to particular seasons but be in Thy fear all the day long; never be godly only on the Lord’s Day or in Thy house, but on every day abroad and at home; never make piety a dress but a habit, not only a habit but a nature, not only a nature but a life.
Do good to me by all Thy dispensations, by all means of grace, by worship, prayers, praises, and at last let me enter that world where is no temple, but only Thy glory and the Lamb’s.
From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers
Conflict
Posted by Jay
on November 29, 2010
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O LORD GOD,
Thou art my protecting arm, fortress, refuge, shield, buckler. Fight for me and my foes must flee; uphold me and I cannot fall; strengthen me and I stand unmoved, unmovable,; equip me and I shall receive no wound; stand by me and Satan will depart; anoint my lips with a song of salvation and I shall shout Thy victory; give me abhorrence of all evil, as a vile monster that defies Thy law, casts off Thy yoke, defiles my nature, spreads misery.
Teach me to look to Jesus on His cross and so to know sin’s loathsomeness in Thy sight. There is no pardon but through Thy Son’s death, no cleansing but in His precious blood, no atonement but His to expiate evil.
Show me the shame, the agony, the bruises of incarnate God, that I may read boundless guilt in the boundless price; may I discern the deadly viper in its real malignity, tear it with holy indignation from my breast, resolutely turn from its every snare, refuse to hold polluting dalliance with it.
Bless Lord Jesus, at Thy cross may I be taught the awful miseries from which I am saved, ponder what the word ‘lost’ implies, see the fires of eternal destruction; then may I cling more closely to Thy broken self, adhere to Thee with firmer faith, be devoted to Thee with total being, detest sin as strongly as Thy love to me is strong, and may holiness be the atmosphere in which I live.
From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers
God is My All
Posted by Jay
on October 29, 2010
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New Beginning
Posted by Jay
on October 9, 2010
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Imcomprehensible, Great and Glorious God,
I adore Thee and abase myself. I approach Thee mindful that I am less than nothing, a creature worse than nothing. My thoughts are not screened from Thy gaze. My secret sins blaze in the light of Thy countenance. Enable me to remember that blood which cleanseth all sin, to believe in that grace which subdues all iniquities, to resign myself to that agency which can deliver me from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
Thou hast begun a good work in me and canst alone continue and complete it. Give me an increasing conviction of my tendency to err, and of my exposure to sin. Help me to feel more of the purifying, softening influence of religion, its compassion, love, pity, courtesy, and employ me as Thy instrument in blessing others.
Give me to distinguish between the mere form of godliness and its power, between life and a name to live, between guile and truth, between hypocrisy and a religion that will bear Thy eye. If I am not right, set me right, keep me right; and may I at last come to Thy house in peace.
From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers
Weaknesses
Posted by Jay
on September 24, 2010
No comments
O Spirit of God,
Help my infirmities; when I am pressed down with a load of sorrow, perplexed and knowing not what to do, slandered and persecuted, made to feel the weight of the cross, help me I pray Thee.
If Thou seest in me any wrong thing encouraged, and evil desire cherished, any delight that is not Thy delight, any habit that grieves Thee, any nest of sin in my heart, then grant me the kiss of Thy forgiveness, and teach my feet to walk the way of Thy commandments.
Deliver me from carking care, and make me a happy, holy person; help me to walk the separated life with firm and brave step, and to wrestle successfully against weakness; teach me to laud, adore, and magnify Thee, with the music of heaven, and make me a perfume of praiseful gratitude to Thee.
I do not crouch at Thy feet as a slave before a tyrant, but exult before Thee as a son with a father. Give me power to live as Thy child in all my actions, and to exercise sonship by conquering self. Preserve me from the intoxication that comes of prosperity; sober me when I am glad with a joy that comes not from Thee.
Lead me safely on to the eternal kingdom, not asking whether the road be rough or smooth. I request only to see the face of Him I love, to be content with bread to eat, with raiment to put on, if I can be brought to Thy house in peace.
From Valley of Vision – a Collection of Puritan Prayers
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