Daily Spirit & Word, 448: How Important is Knowing God’s Word?
Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You”
Psalm 40:8 “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Feed upon God's Word Daily: by Rev Don Davis
Psalm 40:8 “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Behold The Lamb of God.
Why? The Bible tells us why: John 3:14-18
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Behold the NEW has come.
Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith.
Good morning my friends, I was really encouraged this morning reading through 2 Timothy, by Paul’s devotion to praying for him and the way that Paul was encouraging Timothy in so many ways. The things that jumped out at me were having people in our lives who are inspirations to keep us going, examples that we can follow and emulate and encouragements to know that because God was active in their lives, He’ll also be with us on the journey too.
2 Timothy 1:3-7
“I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
NEXT Timothy is encouraged to do the same thing too: To remember the faithfulness of his own Grandmother and Mother. In an ideal world there would be generations of faithful relatives who loved the Lord Jesus, but I know that most people today, who come to faith, have very few of the Lord’s anointed in our families. My own mother became a Christian on her death-bed, my father became a Christian whilst in a coma; both of whom had been witnessed to by my brother Paul and I for years. We’d shared the Gospel, read the Bible, prayed for them, but they stubbornly refused to trust in Jesus, until they were in a desperate situation.
There’s NO Second-Hand Faith in God’s Family.
No Second-Hand Faith in the Family of God.
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Can also be read at St Luke’s Church Facebook Page.
The Church Today Needs The Sincere Faith and Prayers of Grandmothers and Mothers. Dads and Granddads.
Daily Spirit & Word, 444: “As A Man Thinketh”
Biblical Principles and Precepts will be Illustrated in the Old Testament and Applied and Explained more fully in the New Testament.
Good morning my friends, it was a wonderful Saturday which began with the Preacher’s Breakfast and ended with picking up the Grandchildren from Kids Space in Croydon. They enjoyed the whole day with their father, but by the time we got home they were all fast asleep in the car and it meant a tip-toe up to bed and gingerly getting them ready, trying not to rouse them from slumber.
If that is how we love our children and grandchildren, then as Christians we need to know our Heavenly Father loves us even more. We get warm-fuzzy-feelings when we see them happy, imagine Father’s joy when He knows we’re thrilled with His company and blessings?
My grandchildren have been staying with us over the last few days whilst their bathroom is being re-decorated and walls in the hallway and one bedroom being re-plastered, by the time they get out of bed I’ve been up praying and studying the Bible, but they come into my study and want to know everything. They’ll say, “Papa, what are you doing?” I’ll tell them, “Why are you doing that Papa?” they are naturally full of questions and interested in what Papa is doing, but what are they really doing? They are trying to get Papa’s full attention. Because I love them, I can’t deny them my heart, they win and we end up eating breakfast together.
For us, Christians, our FATHER is longing for us to wake up and be with Him. To ask Him the question, “What are you doing Abba?” (Daddy, Father) Knowing the Father’s will and what He wants us to do is critical to our walk and witness in the world. When you wake up in the morning you are faced with the same choice Joshua put before the People of Israel: to cast aside all other worldly desires, all those things that would tug your heart and devotion away from your Heavenly Father and to choose each and every morning “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve”.
Joshua brought them to this point after leading the people for many years. What was it that Joshua had discovered in all that time? He’d been selected by the LORD as Israel’s leader, but before he took the reigns the Lord said to him; take time to read this for it’s very important in answering that question:
After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No-one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Now can you see why Joshua would say, “Choose this day whom you will serve” and “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”.
His repeated promise to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Choosing the LORD over the Promises and Pull of the worldGuarantees SUCCESS and VICTORY in the Christian life.
Jesus gave the same kind of invitation many times and in different ways; “Take up your cross daily”. “Follow me and I will make you …”, “Take my yoke…” “Learn from me….” “Come to me…”
My friends, when we choose each day to be with our Father, the same God as Joshua’s, offering the same promises to you and me, we’re choosing VICTORY, we’re choosing SUCCESS, we’re choosing Divine COMPANIONSHIP and we’re choosing BLESSINGS beyond belief.
Joshua was reflecting back in chapter 14 what the LORD had done and decided he and his family were going to continue with the LORD. As you reflect back over your Spiritual Walk with Jesus, can you see that choosing Him over the world and it’s powerful pull has been better by far?
I know that I can, because each time, as a Christian, I’ve wandered away from Jesus will for my life, when I’ve neglected being with Him, when I’ve left off reading His Word, my life would become darkness, the Lord would seem distant and every decision I made whilst not being with Him was doubtful. However, when I’m with Jesus, being in His presence daily; in prayer, worship, study, desiring His will and way in my life, there’s everything He promised Joshua and more. My heart cries out to Him right now; “Oh to be in your Presence LORD! To sit at Your feet… this is my desire”
Just as my grandchildren know they can get Papa’s attention, you too will be assured of Father God’s Holy attention and He’ll be with you; BUT you’ve got a solemn choice to make each day.
The pull of the world, it’s false promises of delight, joy, happiness, success, prosperity, fulfilment and prestige in the eyes of others is POWERFUL. There’s no doubt about that, but when you weigh it up, all of that, against the overwhelming JOY in being with, walking with, talking with and enjoying FATHER’S presence with you all through the day, we can easily say to the world with all it’s glittering glow, “No, as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”.Come AND be in your Heavenly Father’s will today.
Come AND be in your Heavenly Father’s presence today.
Come AND be and He’ll be, as He promised, with you everywhere your feet touch and you’ll know true VICTORY in life.
Have and AWESOME Sunday with your Heavenly Father.
Don.
Can also be read on St Luke’s Facebook Page.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15 (NIV)
Good morning my friends and oh what a beautiful morning it is; today I want to focus upon just one verse of the Bible, it was a command by the Lord Jesus given to a man whom He’d just healed, but the man completely disobeyed the Lord Jesus Christ. Who was he and why did he do it?
Can you imagine not being able to touch others, no kissing your wife, kids, grandchildren. No hugging your friends, no meals together, no time spent sitting around chatting with the family. People were afraid of Lepers; so they’d shout at them when they were near, “Unclean, Unclean, Unclean” and “Get away, get away”… What a dreadful life it must have been for them, year after year, feeling in fingers, toes and extremities going, not being able to feel even when you’ve hurt yourself.
This leper had been HEALED by our Loving Lord Jesus Christ. Can you now imagine what that must have been like for the Leper? He’d be instantly welcomed back into society right? NO my friends, the Leper first needed to have his healing confirmed by the Priests in order to be welcomed back into general public places again. For no one who’d been struck down with Leprosy had been healed. It’s NOT normal, it was a miracle.
But why did Jesus say to the man, “See that you don’t tell anyone about this healing”? If we keep reading the story the answer is there right in front of us. It was because Jesus knew that once news got out that there was a man in Israel who could heal, the un-healable, He’d be thronged by thousands, and He was. It made it almost impossible then for people to hear the message Jesus came to deliver, because all they were coming to him for was what they could get out of Him: HEALING. When people are desperate they’re soul focus is upon relieving the despair. They’ll nod their heads at anything to get what they want. Now Jesus mission from the Father was made much harder, because of the Leper’s disobedience.
He was not only healed from the disease, but told to go and get healed from his separation and welcome back into society by going to the authority who could sanction his welcome back, but the poor man just couldn’t contain his JOY at being set free and healed.
I know some people who’ve said, “When I win the lottery, I’m not going to tell anyone about it”… Hahahahah, but after they’ve won, they shout it from the rooftops; “I’ve WON, I’ve Won the Lottery”… Good News, Great News is very difficult for the human soul to contain, to keep to yourself.
You know something, when we hear the GREAT NEWS of the Healing of a Leper, it births HOPE in every single soul. When Jesus can do the impossible for someone else, hope tells us, “If He can do it for them, He can do it for me”… And that’s so true my friends, Jesus can do the impossible, He can heal what cannot be healed by human doctors. He can help and relieve and deliver what no other human being could ever do.
Something else, Jesus is the SAME Today. He can still HEAL. Jesus can STILL deliver you from darkness into the Light. I love the old song; “It is no secret what God can do for you, what He’s done for others, He’ll do for you”… (Words in full below). Here’s the story behind the song, please take time to read it, because I believe some MIRACLES are coming your way today. God’s going to do something marvellous in your life this morning my friends.
When Stuart Hamblen quit drinking thanks to Billy Graham he began to lose favour with Hollywood. He was ultimately fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor. Hard times were upon him. During his struggle, the famous Movie Star John Wayne took him aside and told him “all your troubles started when you ‘got religion'” and John asked if it was worth it all. Hamblen answered simply, “Yes”. Then he said, “You liked your booze so much. Don’t you ever miss it?” And the answer was, “No”. John then said, “I don’t understand how you could give it up so easily.’ And Hamblin response was, ‘It’s no big secret. All things are possible with God.’ To this John Wayne said, ‘That’s a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it.'” Stuart Hamblen did just that and wrote a song that’s been recorded by many famous people since: Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves,