Like A Lamb

The nail-pierced hands of Jesus reveal the love-filled heart of God.

John 14:9-17

 He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.–Isaiah 53:7

In 1602, Italian artist Caravaggio produced a painting called The Taking of Christ. This work, an early example of the Baroque style,is compelling. Created in dark hues, it allows the viewer to contemplate Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Two main elements of the scene depicted in the painting demand the observer’s attention. The first is Judas as he delivers the traitor’s kiss. Immediately, however, the viewer’s focus is drawn toward Jesus’ hands, which are passively clasped together to show that He offered no resistance to this injustice. Although He possessed the power to create a universe, Christ gave himself up voluntarily to His captors and to the waiting cross.

 

Clean Up The Environment

Help stamp out pollution — clean up your speech!

Ephesians 4:17-32

 

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification.—Eph. 4:29

Pollution takes many forms, but one type is often overlooked: “verbal pollution”, passed around by grumblers, complainers, and criticizers.  Charles Swindoll writes, “The poison of pessimism creates an atmosphere of whlesale negativism where nothing but the bad side of everyhing is emphasized.”

In Ephesians 4, Paul called believers to decisive action. He said we are to “put off” the old self and

 

Pure Milk

God’s Word needs no additions or subtractions.

Acts 15:1-11, 19-21

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby. — 1 Peter 2:2

The word pure means "unadulterated" or "uncontaminated."

Examine carefully any teaching that asks you to do anything more than what is in God’s Word.  Otherwise it can be deadly to your spiritual well-being.

The Lord has given man His Word,
His will He has made known;
Let man not try to change that Word
With words that are his own

 

A Knock at the Door

How God Uses Adversity to Get Our Attention

by Charles Stanley

In Revelation, Jesus addressed the complacent church at Laodicea, saying, “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (3:20). Sometimes, His knocking is a light tapping in our spirit. But other times, when we are inattentive, He may use a pounding fist of adversity to turn our focus to Him.

That’s exactly what happened to Saul of Tarsus as he traveled to Damascus, where he intended to bring great persecution upon the Christians in that city. Scripture tells us that Saul was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). It seemed that his cruel mission nearly consumed him.

But God got Saul’s attention in a way he never expected. The Lord sent him crashing to the ground with a blazing light and told him to wait in the city for instructions. Upon opening his eyes, Saul found himself blind and had to ask others to lead him by hand into the city.

The “persecutor of the church” (Phil 3:6) definitely received a wake-up call from the Lord that day. In one stunning moment, God gained Saul’s undivided attention, striking him with the adversity of blindness and humbling him in front of his traveling companions.

 

Thoughtful Living

Psalm 25:8-15

Those who are aware of the Lord’s presence during their daily activities enjoy the peace of knowing that He is always in control and working to accomplish His good purposes. Every day’s experiences with Him teach them to know and love Him more.

If our ears are open to the Lord’s warnings and instructions, we won’t repeat the same mistakes again and again. But those who are deaf to His voice will continue in unhealthy thought patterns, negative emotions, and foolish responses.

Each night before you go to sleep, take some time to reflect on the day’s activities. The Lord is constantly with you, guarding and guiding your way.  He wants you to see Him in everything and understand life from His perspective as you rely on His wisdom and power to face any challenge.

excerpt from In Touch magazine, April 2011, pg 34

 

The Gift of God — Life’s Greatest Treasure

	BIBLE MEDITATION “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT “In Christ.” That is a small phrase, but it is the key that unlocks the door to the largest treasure you will ever know. You see, all that happened to Christ, happened to you. When He was crucified, you were crucified. When He was buried, you were buried. When He arose, you arose. Christ acted for you. “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are never more secure than when we are in Christ. Someone has asked, “What if you lose your salvation?” It can’t happen to a person who is “in Christ.” Not only does He hold us, we are in Him. Security is not in a place called heaven; it’s in a person named “Jesus.” ACTION POINT Today I want you to share Romans 6:23 with five people. Begin praying right now for God to show you these people and ask Him to give you boldness to share. You can even write Romans 6:23 on a piece of paper and give it to them. And before you hand it to them you could say something like, “I would like to give you a gift.” Pass This On To a Friend | Discover Jesus | Read the Bible online
	Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers. © 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

 

How do I know I’m saved?

Adrian Rogers

Love Worth Finding

I want to help turn you from a doubting Christian to a shouting Christian! From a hope-so salvation, to a know-so salvation! And you can do that by taking a simple test I have devised from 1 John in God’s Word. First, let me say that if you have doubts, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not saved. Doubt is to your spirit, what pain is to your body. Second, when God made you, He breathed life into you and you became a living soul. You could no more cease to exist than God Himself could cease to exist. Your soul will go on endlessly and timelessly…either in heaven or hell.

The Lordship Test. Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life? Jesus said, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46). Here’s a riddle I want to solve for you. On the one hand the Bible says that we know that we’re saved because we keep His commandments (See 1 John 2:3). On the other hand, the Bible teaches us that it is possible to sin (See 1 John 1:8-9). The key word is “keep”. It is the same word used years ago by sailors who navigated by the stars at night. A sailor’s goal was to keep the stars. As a child of God, His commandments are the stars by which you navigate your life. Is keeping His commandments the burning desire of your heart? It is if you’ve met the Christ of Calvary.

 

Quotes On The Burden Of Sin…

In weighing our sins let us not use a deceitful balance, weighing at our own discretion what we will, and how we will, calling this heavy and that light:  but let us use the divine balance of the holy Scriptures, as taken from the treasury of the Lord, and by it weigh every offence, nay, not weigh, but rather recognize what has been already weighed by the Lord.–Augustine of Hippo

Sin is not weakness, it is a disease; it is red-handed rebellion against God and the magnitude of that rebellion is expressed by Calvary’s cross.—Oswald Chambers

We have a strange illusion

 

Don’t Rust Out

Spiritual inactivity corrodes the soul.

1 Timothy 6:11-16

 

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness–1 Timothy 6:11

Spiritual inactivity corrodes the soul like moisture acting on metal.  Paul urged Timothy, his young protege, to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:11).  This command had no expiration date attached to it.  The spiritual disciplines require continued attention throughout our lives.  If rest becomes our goal, then rust is right behind.

Oswald Chambers said: