Live Generously 9.27.19

LIVE GENEROUSLY

BREAD

5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. Psalm 112:5-6 (NIV)

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV)

14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:14-20 (NIV)

13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13 (NIV)

25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Psalm 37:25-26 (NIV)

38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)

25A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

15 May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man. Psalm 115:15-16 (NIV)

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.” John 3:16 (NIV)

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Hold everything earthly with a loose hand.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Keep sowing faithfully. God sees. He knows. In Christ, your labor will not be in vain.” David Mathis

“Never tire of doing what is right. Live a life acutely aware of the brevity of it. We are indeed but a mist. And we will have all eternity to be in bliss. Seek not to pander the flesh but to promote self-discipline, placing a priority of love on those in your spheres – especially those in your own household. We often miss so many God given opportunities when indulging our worldly wants. Denial of the flesh – choosing God’s will over my own – is never easy, often misunderstood but always worth it. His way is higher, better, more beneficial and pleasing to the soul though often unutterably difficult. In the end, it produces a life of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” BHY

“Believer, though all things are apparently against you, rest assured that God has made a reservation on your behalf; in the roll of your griefs there is a saving clause. Somehow He will deliver you, and somewhere He will provide for you. Your rescue may come from a very unexpected source, but help will definitely come in your extremity, and you will magnify the name of the Lord. If men do not feed you, ravens will; and if the earth does not yield wheat, heaven will drop manna. Therefore be of good courage, and rest quietly in the Lord. God can make the sun rise in the west if He pleases and can make the source of distress a channel of delight. The riches of providence are all in the absolute power of our Lord Jesus, who will dispense them generously to His people.” C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

“‘Do not be deceived: God is not mocked,’ the apostle Paul writes, ‘for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life’ (Galatians 6:7-8). The trouble is that we fool ourselves into thinking there’s some safe middle ground — that we can make excuses and put off sowing to the Spirit, while still denying the flesh. But we always sow to something, very often to ourselves. And what we sow slowly reveals, and shapes, what we love most in life.” Marshall Segal

“The abundant life is about giving your thanks, giving your life, giving your heart. Only the given life is the abundant life.” Ann Voskamp
“Time is a limited resource. You only have a certain allotment of time in your life. When it’s used up … that’s it! Your time is your life. When you give someone your money, you’ve given them something that you can replace. But when you give someone your time, you’ve given them a part of your life. This means time management is really ‘life management.’” Rick Warren

“A cheerful giver does not count the cost of what he gives. His heart is set on pleasing and cheering him to whom the gift is given.” Julian of Norwich

“Depend upon it, you will either serve Satan or Christ, either self or the Savior. You will find sin, self, Satan, and the world to be hard masters, but if you wear the livery of Christ, you will find Him so meek and lowly of heart that you will find rest unto your souls. He is the most magnanimous of captains. There never was His like among the choicest of princes. He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold He always takes the bleak side of the hill. The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on His shoulders. If He bids us carry a burden, He carries it also. If there is anything that is gracious, generous, kind, and tender, yes lavish and super abundant in love, you always find it in Him.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received — only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.” St. Francis of Assisi

HEART SAVOR

• God created us to be givers.
• Freely we have received, freely give.
• What do we have that we did not receive? We are to be good stewards of what God allows us to manage. Create in me a clean heart of God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

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Practice Patience 9.25.19

PRACTICE PATIENCE

BREAD

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

11 A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. 9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 (NIV)

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (NIV)

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:9-12 (NIV)

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV)

13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Waiting is just a gift of time in disguise — a time to pray wrapped up in a ribbon of patience — because is the Lord ever late?” Ann Voskamp

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” Augustine

“Patience is the fair handmaid and daughter of faith; we cheerfully wait when we are certain that we shall not wait in vain. It is our duty and our privilege to wait upon the Lord in service, in worship, in expectancy, in trust all the days of our life. Our faith will be tried faith, and if it be of the true kind, it will bear continued trial without yielding. We shall not grow weary of waiting upon God if we remember how long and how graciously He once waited for us.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“A critical remark, a gesture of rejection, or an act of impatience can be remembered for life by those to whom it is directed.” Henri Nouwen

“All of us are waiting for something. It might be a spouse or a baby. It might be healing or a home. Regardless of what we’re waiting for, it’s easy to feel discontent when things aren’t going as planned and our dreams are delayed- especially when questions of ‘Why?’ and ‘How long?’ remain unanswered. God uses seasons of waiting to teach us patience and make us more like himself. But sanctification is not the only purpose God has in mind. When we wait faithfully with unmet longings, we become a powerful picture of the bride of Christ waiting for the day when he returns and God’s kingdom reigns.” Betsy Childs Howard

“I realized that the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able honestly to pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.” Elisabeth Elliot

“Many voices in our secular, post-Christian culture tell us to demand what we want and to demand it now! But God’s Word tells us to pray with patience and persistence.” Michael Youssef

“Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God. Down busy self, and proud impatience, it is not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love!” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Patience in the moment only comes from gratefulness for the moment. …. ” Ann Voskamp

“Christian patience is based upon the absolute, unshakeable belief that God is sovereign and that He is at work in the lives of His children. Christian patience stems from the knowledge that you will not be forgotten nor forsaken by the God to whom you have committed your soul regardless of what is happening around you.” Michael Youssef

“Patience, believer, eternity will right the wrongs of time.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“But when the psalmist said, ‘All my springs are in you,’ he meant that all his innermost resources were found in His ever-flowing and overflowing Lord – all his courage, all his joy, all his resilience, all his optimism, all his hope, all his love, all his wisdom, all his patience. The Lord Jesus is the source of that which refreshes our personalities and of all that makes our personalities refreshing.” Robert J. Morgan

“Grant that we may follow the example of Jesus’s patience.” Thomas Cranmer

HEART SAVOR

• Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
• We can rest secure in Him, waiting patiently on His hand to move in our behalf. The Lord is never late, He is never early either. His timing is impeccably perfect.
• If we are children of the King, patience is included in the Fruit of the Spirit.

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The Sweetness Of A Good Conscience 9.23.19

THE SWEETNESS OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE

BREAD

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:13-16 (NIV)

18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NIV)

18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. Hebrews 13:18-19 (NIV)

30 “When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, 31 my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant.” 1 Samuel 25:30-31 (NIV)

6 I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. Job 27:6 (NIV)

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 1 Corinthians 4:1-4 (NIV)

3 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. 2 Timothy 1:3 (NIV)

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace. 2 Corinthians 1:12 (NIV)

16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. Acts 24:16 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Lose everything rather than lose your integrity, and when everything is gone, still hold fast a clear conscience as the rarest jewel that can adorn the bosom of a mortal.” C. H. Spurgeon

“Many people today feel guilty for one simple reason: they are guilty. The Bible says we are all guilty before a holy God. And all the psychological counseling in the world cannot relieve a person of that guilt. You can pretend it’s not there or find someone else to blame for your problems, but the only real and effective way to remove guilt is to get to the root of the problem, which plainly is sin. There are a lot of people today who have a guilty conscience. That is what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, discovered. One day he decided to play a joke on 12 of his friends. He sent them all a message that said, “Flee at once. All is discovered.” And within 24 hours, all 12 of his friends had left the country. I think that is having a guilty conscience. It was just a joke. Nothing was discovered. But these people felt so guilty about something that they got out as quickly as they could. Guilt can be good—it can be God’s warning system to alert us to a problem. When I am beginning to do something wrong, guilt kicks in. It says, “Stop! Red alert! Don’t go any further. This is a bad thing.” Guilt is there to remind us we are crossing the line, and we should not go any further. Do you have a guilty conscience? Maybe God is telling you something. Maybe you should pay attention to your conscience. Then you can be refreshed by the presence of the Lord.” Greg Laurie

“Grace remits sin and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. Only Christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. These two terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity. Grace involves the remission of sins, peace and a happy conscience. Sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law…the fact is the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual living, however it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God.” Martin Luther

“God looked on Christ as if Christ had been sin; not as if He had taken up the sins of His people, or as if they were laid on Him, though that were true, but as if He Himself had positively been that noxious—that God-hating—that soul-damning thing, called sin. When the Judge of all the earth said, ‘Where is Sin?’ Christ presented himself…what a grim picture that is, to conceive of sin gathered up into one mass—murder, lust and stealing, and adultery…and the Father looked on Christ as if He were that mass of sin. He was not sin, but the Father looked on upon Him as made sin for us. Christ stands in our place, assumes our guilt, takes on our iniquity and God treats Him as if He had been sin…How can any punishment fall on that man who ceases to possess sin, because his sin was cast upon Christ and Christ has suffered in his place? Oh, glorious triumph of faith to be able to say, whenever I feel the guilt of sin, whenever conscience pricks me, ‘Yes, it is true but my Lord is answerable for it all, for He has taken it all upon Himself and suffered in my place.” Charles Spurgeon

“When the Bible speaks of ‘following Jesus’ it is proclaiming a discipleship which will liberate mankind from all man-made dogma, from every burden and oppression, from every anxiety and torture which afflicts the conscience. If they follow Jesus, men escape from the hard yoke of their own laws, and submit to the kindly yoke of Jesus Christ. But does this mean that we can ignore the seriousness of His command? Far from it! We can only achieve perfect liberty and enjoy fellowship with Jesus when His command, His call to absolute discipleship, is appreciated in its entirety. Only the man who follows the command of Jesus without reserve, and submits unresistingly to His yoke, finds his burden easy, and under its gentle pressure receives the power to persevere in the right way. The command of Jesus is hard—unutterably hard—for those who try to resist it.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Give me grace to surmount all difficulties, and to avoid everything that may prove a torment of conscience in the hour of death.” K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Lose all rather than lose your integrity, and when all else is gone, still hold fast a clear conscience as the rarest jewel which can adorn the bosom of a mortal. When you see no present advantage, walk by faith and not by sight. Do God the honor to trust Him when it comes to matters of loss for the sake of principle. See whether He will be your debtor! See if He doesn’t even in this life prove His word that ‘Godliness with contentment is great gain,’ and that they who ‘seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ To wear a guileless spirit, to have a heart void of offense, to have the favor and smile of God, is greater riches than the mines of Ophir could yield.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.” William Temple

“The peace that Jesus brings is divine peace, the peace of God, the only peace worthy of the name. Divine peace is the only permanent peace. Divine peace is that kind of peace you feel inside even when the world is falling apart all around you. Divine peace is peace of mind, peace in your conscience, peace with your Christian brothers and sisters, peace with your boss and coworkers, peace with your environment, peace with your world. When you have peace with God, you have the peace of Christ that transcends human understanding. Even if the sun and moon turn dark and the stars are shaken from the sky, we can sleep peacefully, knowing that Jesus, who commands the winds and the waves with His word, is the Lord of the earth and sky. He slept soundly in the middle of the storm—and so can we.” Michael Youssef

HEART SAVOR

• A clear conscience is to be adorned as with a rare jewel.
• A clear conscience brings sweet rest to the soul.
• Avoid all that would torment your conscience.

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The Grateful Heart 9.20.19

THE GRATEFUL HEART

BREAD

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:20-21 (NIV)

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15 (NIV)

1I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. Psalm 34:1 (NIV)

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20 (NIV)

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5 (NIV)

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Thanksgiving is good, but thanks-living is better.” Matthew Henry

“Be the one who thanks Jesus. Let others go where they may. You be the one who is grateful…Cultivating a grateful heart is not just an add-on nicety, a civil tip of the hat to God as we steamroll through our day. A posture of purposeful, perpetual thanks to God is absolutely central to Christian character. It gives glory to Him. It is the key defense against Satan’s temptations to despair, distrust, dysfunction. It protects us from sin and self. It is the hallmark of heaven. It does not exist in hell. A grateful heart is a gift of grace.” Ellen Vaughn

“It is so easy to give thanks for what one naturally chooses, but that does not cover the ‘everything’ of the text…One morning lately, in speaking of some small trouble, I quoted ‘In everything give thanks,’ and at once someone answered ‘But I cannot give thanks for everything.’ Now if our God tells us to do a thing and we say cannot, there is something wrong somewhere, for we all know the words ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me’ – that is, all things commanded. It is treason to say ‘I cannot.’ But first we should make sure that we are commanded to do this. The text says give thanks IN everything, not FOR everything. All God’s biddings are enablings. We can do that. We will do that.” Amy Carmichael

“Whenever you react with praise and thanksgiving for an opportunity to grow more like Jesus in your way of reacting to things, instead of grumbling or feeling self-pity, you will find that that whole situation will be changed into a great blessing.” Hannah Hurnard

“Praise elevates our eyes off our circumstances and places them on to Him Who is able to keep us from falling. Praise often precedes the movement of God’s hand for His children because it demonstrates our love and dependence upon Him having full knowledge it is He Who is actually in control of all things – not us.” BHY

“One act of thanksgiving when things go wrong with us is worth a thousand thanks when things are agreeable to our inclinations.” Saint John of Avila

“But the Bible does not say give thanks to the Lord because you feel good. Rather, it says, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!’” Greg Laurie

“Christian thanksgiving is the life of Christ in the heart — transforming the disposition and the whole character. Thanksgiving must be wrought into the life as a habit—before it can become a fixed and permanent quality. An occasional burst of praise, in the midst of years of complaining, is not what is required. Songs on rare, sunshiny days; and no songs when skies are cloudy—will not make a life of gratitude. The heart must learn to sing always. This lesson is learned only when it becomes a habit which nothing can weaken. We must persist in being thankful. When we can see no reason for praise—we must believe in the divine love and goodness, and sing in the darkness. Thanksgiving has attained its rightful place in us, only when it is part of all our days and dominates all our experiences.” J. R. Miller

“He who can give thanks for a little will always find he has enough.” Anonymous

“Thanksgiving in all things accepts the deep mystery of God through everything.” Ann Voskamp

“It’s simple math, really. Everything minus Jesus equals nothing, and Jesus plus nothing equals everything. With Jesus, every other person, place, or thing we are given to enjoy is bonus—not something to plug our emotional umbilical cords into, but rather something to offer thanks for to God. As the Puritan, whose possessions were reduced to a single piece of bread and a single glass of water, said: ‘What? All this and Jesus Christ too?’” Scott Sauls

HEART SAVOR

• God desires for His children to be the most grateful of all people – appreciative of what His hand allows.
• God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
• God is deserving of all praise and thanksgiving as He always has our best interest at heart weather we can readily discern it or not.

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He Will Guide Us 9.18.19

HE WILL GUIDE US

BREAD

13 “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.” Exodus 15:13 (NIV)

19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.” Nehemiah 9:19 (NIV)

1The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:1-6 (NIV)

4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. 13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:11-14 (NIV)

3 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Psalm 43:3 (NIV)

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:12-13 (NIV)

11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)

21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV)

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. Psalm 48:14

BUTTER

“I know not the way God leads me, but well do I know my Guide.” Martin Luther

“He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” Blaise Pascal

“We as Christians know that faith is taking God at His Word. And we realize that faith does not get us around our problems, but it gets us through them. Such a promise is found in Psalm 48:14, ‘For this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.’ His promise then is no matter how difficult we may find life to be, He will guide us all the way home. Isaiah 42:16 ‘And I will bring the blind by a way they know not. I will lead them in paths that they have not known.’ This is the way God leads His own. You and I are blind to the future, but He is not, and He has promised to lead all who will put their trust in Him. Sometimes, because our circumstances are totally out of our control, we not only have to believe these promises, but we must put them to the test.” Wales Goebel

“In our walk with God we are told explicitly by Christ Himself that it would be His Spirit who would be sent to guide us and to lead us into all truth (John 16:13). This same gracious Spirit takes the truth of God, the Word of God, and makes it plain to our hearts and minds and spiritual understanding. It is He who gently, tenderly, but persistently says to us, ‘This is the way – walk in it.’ And as we comply and cooperate with His gentle promptings a sense of safety, comfort and well-being envelops us.” Phillip Keller

“God wants us to reconnect with the powerful and timeless things He has done in the past, enabling us to build on them rather than always starting over. He not only desires that we be encouraged by remembering His past faithfulness, but also to realize that the promises and anointings released during those seasons are still available today.” Dutch Sheets

“Your cross is prepared and appointed for you by divine love, and you are to accept it cheerfully; you are to carry the cross as your chosen badge and burden, and not to stand judging it too severely….Jesus bids you to submit your shoulder to His easy yoke. Don’t kick at it in petulance, or trample on it in vain conceit, or fall under it in despair, or run away from it in fear, but take it up like a true follower of Jesus. Jesus was a cross bearer; He leads the way in the path of sorrow. Surely you could not desire a better guide! And if He carried a cross, what nobler burden would you desire? The Via Crucis is the way of safety; don’t be afraid to tread its thorny paths…..Carry your cross, and by the power of the Spirit of God you will soon be so in love with it, that like Moses, you would not exchange the reproach of Christ for all the treasures of Egypt. Remember that Jesus carried it, and it will smell sweetly; remember that it will soon be followed by the crown, and the thought of the coming weight of glory will greatly lighten the present heaviness of trouble.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“The Bible must be considered the great source of truth by which men are to be guided in government as well as social transactions.” Noah Webster

“Would you follow Christ? Then follow Him in self-denial, in humility, in patience, and in readiness for every good work. Follow Him with a daily cross upon your back, and look to His cross to make your burden light. Follow Him as your Guide and Guard, and learn to see with His eyes, and to trust in His arm for defense. Follow Him as the Friend of sinners, who healeth the broken in heart, and giveth rest to the weary souls, and casteth out none that come unto Him. Follow Him with faith, resting your whole acceptance with God, and your title to heaven, on His meritorious blood and righteousness. Lastly, follow Him with much prayer. For, though He is full of compassion, He loves to be much entreated; and when He is determined to give a blessing, you must yet wrestle with Him for it. Thus follow Jesus, and He will lead you to glory.” K. H. Von Bogatzky

“They do not go wrong who go in the company of God. Like Enoch, walk with God, and you cannot mistake your road. You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you. ‘The LORD’ – note the word – ‘The LORD will guide you always.” Charles H. Spurgeon

HEART SAVOR

• God is our guide through this weary land. He will never leave us nor forsake us. We can trust Him to lead us rightly even through circumstances that are not of our choosing.
• The Holy Spirit will guide us into all Truth.
• Jesus is the Way and He will not let us miss it.

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Quiet Ordinary Faithfulness 9.16.19

QUIET ORDINARY FAITHFULNESS

BREAD

10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 11 Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Psalm 97:10-11 (NIV)

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. Psalm 101:6 (NIV)

23 Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:23-24 (NIV)

28 For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; 29 the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. Psalm 37:28-29 (NIV)

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” Matthew 24:45-47 (NIV)

26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 27 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” 2 Samuel 22:26-27 (NIV)

20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. 21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 (NIV)

26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV)

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Faithfulness rarely feels heroic; it feels much more like showing up and hanging in. It is a matter of going to our cell, whatever form that might take, and letting it teach us what it will. Availing himself (Brother Lawrence) to consistent faithfulness yielded the blessing of both proficiency and presence—the presence of God—right there in midst of the monotony of dirty pots and pans.” Margaret Guenther

“Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God. The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated. We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to ‘all these words.’ There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded. This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children. The Lord’s blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation. If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“I do not pray for success. I pray for faithfulness.” Mother Teresa

“Every miracle always begins with the first ordinary step of faithfulness.” Ann Voskamp

“Use your gifts faithfully, and they shall be enlarged.” Matthew Arnold

“Every time we resist the slightest temptation, we honor God. Every time we overcome even the smallest problem by trusting and obeying our Lord Jesus, God is glorified in our lives. Whenever we choose character over convenience, faithfulness over ease, or honesty over deceit, we bring honor to the Lord Himself.” Robert J. Morgan

“Just because something that is presented for us to do does not seem ‘grand’ in our eyes does not negate the fact that it is most probably ‘grand’ in God’s. ‘What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.’ (Luke 16:15B).” BHY

“Habits are to the soul what veins are to the blood. The very course of our life depends on them. Random acts of greatness pale in comparison to habitual acts of faithfulness.” Ann Voskamp

“The faithful person lives constantly with God.” Clement of Alexandria

“Our significance isn’t found in fame or fortune, but in knowing that we have been links in God’s chain. Our faithfulness to Him, even in obscurity, will yield results that can only be calculated in eternity…..Our only duty in life is to be faithful to all the work the Lord assigns.” Robert J. Morgan

“What will you do in these days of mundane faithfulness?” Martin Luther

“Scripture reveals…that real and total freedom is only found through downward mobility…The divine way is indeed the downward way…[Jesus] moved from power to powerlessness, from greatness to smallness, from success to failure, from strength to weakness, from glory to ignominy. The whole life of Jesus of Nazareth…resisted upward mobility.” Henri Nouwen

“Tomorrow we get to wake up and be faithful. Whatever each step brings, and whatever hard comes…tomorrow we get to be faithful in that moment.” Jason Tippetts

“We’re pilgrims on the journey – Of the narrow road – And those who’ve gone before us line the way – Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary – Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace – Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses – Let us run the race not only for the prize – But as those who’ve gone before us – Let us leave to those behind us – The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives – After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone – And our children sift through all we’ve left behind – May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover – Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find – Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful – May the fire of our devotion light their way – May the footprints that we leave – Lead them to believe – And the lives we live inspire them to obey – Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.” Steve Green

HEART SAVOR

• God delights in the faithfulness of His children – when there is no applause or no adoring crowd. Ordinary faithfulness may not be valued among man but it is highly valued to God Who sees all.
• Scripture calls us to faithfully administer God’s grace in its various forms.
• Faithfulness in the littles things is a big thing.

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He Exalts The Humble Heart 9.13.19

HE EXALTS THE HUMBLE HEART

BREAD

27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. Psalm 18:27 (NIV)

9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. Psalm 25:9 (NIV)

4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:4 (NIV)

34 He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34 (NIV)

11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11 (NIV)

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 (NIV)

2 “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 (NIV)

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (NIV)

12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:12 (NIV)

5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7 (NIV)

BUTTER

“And if you don’t lie prostrate on the ground before that cross, you have never seen it: if you are not humbled in the presence of Jesus, you don’t know Him. You were so lost that nothing could save you but the sacrifice of God’s only begotten. Think of that, and as Jesus lowered Himself for you, bow yourself in lowliness at His feet. A sense of Christ’s amazing love to us has a greater tendency to humble us than even the conscious awareness of our own guilt……Pride cannot live beneath the cross.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Those who know God will be humble. Those who know themselves cannot be proud.” John Trapp

“It is a contradiction to be a true Christian and not to be humble.” Richard Baxter

“Humble yourself, and cease to care what men think.” A. W. Tozer

“To the humble He reveals His secrets, and sweetly draws nigh and invites him unto Himself.” Thomas a Kempis

“It’s really your ugly pride that makes you afraid. Just bow in humility — and you’ll rise up in courage. It’s only pride’s hunger for perfection that paralyzes a heart. It’s being enslaved to perfectionism that keeps us enslaved to fear. Pride is fear’s father — and pride is the kin to all cowards. Courage for the impossible can only be found in the possibility of humility. Because ‘This is the one God esteems: he who is humble…’ (Isaiah 66:2). Courage lives in the heart of the lowly… those who can embrace humility and the possibility of imperfection … because that needy place is the place we meet God. Humility births courage and is brother to the brave.” Ann Voskamp

“The King of Glory enters Jerusalem seated on a donkey’s colt. Majesty is never so majestic as when it is clothed with humility. There never was one so majestic as this Jesus, none so humble. Nor shall there ever be.” Ronnie Collier Stevens

“God only despises those who are arrogant and haughty — those who are proud and are never willing to humble themselves and confess their sins. Those who have made a habit of rationalizing their sin, of explaining away their sin, of justifying their sin, will not experience restoration. But God loves to forgive and restore a repentant sinner. God loves to use those who are truly brokenhearted and contrite. God loves to use them in a unique way.” Michael Youssef

“The more humble a man is in himself, and the more obedient toward God, the wiser will he be in all things, and the more shall his soul be at peace.” Thomas a Kempis

“Let’s be careful to remember that God has not chiefly called us to be awesome or to be ‘winners.’ Rather, he has called us to live humble, faithful, forgiven, and free. For that, in truth, is where all the true power is.” Scott Sauls

HEART SAVOR

• God opposes the proud but gives grace giving way to grace to the humble.
• It is the exaltation of God which is eternal in nature. Exaltation by man is merely fuel for the fire. We are to keep your focus on living humbly before God and not on what man elevates. We are to live our lives for an audience of One and we will not be disappointed.
• What do you have that you did not receive and if you did receive it, why should you boast?

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Shine Forth 9.11.19

SHINE FORTH

BREAD

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Matthew 17:1-2 (NIV)

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7 (NIV)

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV)

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (NIV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3 (NIV)

40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:40-43 (NIV)

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NIV)

21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:21-23 (NIV)

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:22-24 (NIV)

5 Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:5 (NIV)

BUTTER

“A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.” D.L. Moody

“Our Light shines forth in order to point others to Christ – the Source of our Light – and never to self – most often the source of our darkness.” BHY

“Lean hard upon Me, for I bring you through to new victories, and restoration shall follow what seems now to be a wind of destruction. Hold fast to My hand, and rest in My love, for of this you may be very certain: My love is unaltered; yes, I have you in My own intensive care. My concern for you is deeper now than when things are normal. Draw upon the resources of My grace, and so shall you be equipped to communicate peace and confidence to your dear ones. Heaven rejoices when you go through trials with a singing spirit. Your Father’s heart is cheered when you endure the test and do not question His mercy. Be like a beacon light. His own glorious radiance shall shine through you, and Christ Himself will be revealed.” Frances J. Roberts

“Luther was once found at a moment of peril and fear, when he had need to grasp unseen strength, sitting in an abstracted mood tracing on the table with his finger the words, ‘Vivit! Vivit!’ (‘He lives! He lives!’). It is our hope for ourselves, and for His truth, and for mankind. Men come and go; leaders, teachers, thinkers speak and work for a season, and then fall silent and impotent. He abides. They die, but He lives. They are lights kindled, and, therefore, sooner or later quenched; but He is the true light from which they draw all their brightness, and He shines forevermore.” Alexander Maclaren

“The saints are God’s holy people. The apostle Paul speaks about all those who belong to Christ as ‘holy people’ or ‘saints.’ He directs his letters to ‘those who have been consecrated in Christ Jesus and called to be God’s holy people’ (1 Corinthians 1:2; see also Ephesians 1:1). This sanctity is the work of the Spirit of Jesus. Paul again says: ‘All of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). As saints we belong to that huge network of God’s people that shines like a multitude of stars in the dark sky of the universe.” Henri Nouwen

“If the grace of God were to leave the best Christian, there is enough sin in his heart to make him the worst of transgressors. If left to yourselves, you who are warmest for Christ would cool down like Laodicea into sickening lukewarmness: You who are sound in the faith would be white with the leprosy of false doctrine; you who now walk before the Lord in excellency and integrity would reel to and fro and stagger with a drunkenness of evil passion. Like the moon, we borrow our light; bright as we are when grace shines on us, we are darkness itself when the Sun of Righteousness withdraws Himself. Lord, keep us everywhere. Keep us when we’re in the valley so that we do not grumble against Your humbling hand; keep us when we’re on the mountain, so we do not lose our balance by being lifted up; keep us in youth, when our passions are strong; keep us in old age, when becoming conceited in our wisdom, we may therefore prove greater fools than those who are young and silly; keep us when we come to die, in case at the very end we should deny You! Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us working, keep us suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere we need You, O our God!” C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

“Are we bored with it? Oh, boredom! That plague of our finite, fallen, self-oriented flesh that so easily loses appreciation for the most precious treasures simply when they become familiar! Forgive us, Father, and hasten the day when we lose our amazing capacity for boredom and gain an amazing capacity for sustained amazement! If the Bible has grown boring to you, fight it! Remember what makes it marvelous and marvel again. Look at it again, and take time to look. If it bores you, that’s when you really need to keep looking. Look until the peculiar glory begins to shine again, until you don’t want to stop looking. For those who see this glory just never get to the bottom of it.” Jon Bloom

“Light is scattering our darkness, but only a shade at a time; our path is ‘like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day’ (Proverbs 4:18). Christ’s glory rises over us ‘from one degree of glory to another’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are farmers, children, runners, travelers. Each of these images reminds us that deep, pervasive holiness happens over a lifetime: God’s word slowly reframes our perspective on ourselves and the world. Jesus gradually extends his lordship over even the most ordinary of tasks. The Spirit steadily makes obedience in certain areas habitual. God renews us not at once, but ‘day by day’ (2 Corinthians 4:16).” Scott Hubbard

“It is too bad that many believers minimize the place of good works in the Christian life. Matthew 5:16 ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven’. We do not perform good works to get any glory for ourselves, but we do them to glorify His blood given on our behalf. Hebrews 13:16 indicates that our good works are actually ‘spiritual sacrifices’ that we offer to God.” Wales Goebel

“God has called us to shine.” Dwight L. Moody

HEART SAVOR

• If we are a child of the King we are to shine brightly.
• Believer’s are being transformed into Christ’s likeness in ever increasing glory.
• “This little light of mine – I’m going to make it shine; make it shine, make it shine, make it shine.” Anonymous

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Guardians Of God’s Truth 9.9.19

GUARDIANS OF GOD’S TRUTH

BREAD

20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. 1 Timothy 6:20-21 (NIV)

13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NIV)

14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. 2 Timothy 2:14-17A (NIV)

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV)

7 “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. 8 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. 9 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.” Joshua 1:7-9 (NIV)

13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV)

29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Some of Jesus’ strongest words were reserved for hypocrites – for people who claimed to believe in God and follow His laws, but in reality lived only for themselves. He compared them to ‘whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean’ (Matthew 23:27). None of us is perfect; even the most dedicated Christian falls short. When we do, we need to confess it and seek God’s help to live more consistently. But hypocrisy – living a deliberate lie – is another matter. Be on guard; don’t let hypocrisy take root in your soul. Instead, make sure of your commitment to Christ, and walk close to Him every day.” Billy Graham

“I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear, Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear; And the best of all preachers are the men who live their creeds, For to see good put in action is what everybody needs. I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done; I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do; For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.” Edgar A. Guest

“Would you follow Christ? Then follow Him in self-denial, in humility, in patience, and in readiness for every good work. Follow Him with a daily cross upon your back, and look to His cross to make your burden light. Follow Him as your Guide and Guard, and learn to see with His eyes, and to trust in His arm for defense. Follow Him as the Friend of sinners, who healeth the broken in heart, and giveth rest to the weary souls, and casteth out none that come unto Him. Follow Him with faith, resting your whole acceptance with God, and your title to heaven, on His meritorious blood and righteousness. Lastly, follow Him with much prayer. For, though He is full of compassion, He loves to be much entreated; and when He is determined to give a blessing, you must yet wrestle with Him for it. Thus follow Jesus, and He will lead you to glory.” K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Because I love you, I’m asking you to guard your heart from anyone or anything that can steal you away from Me. Remember, My love, this world offers a counterfeit Life that will never fulfill you. What I create for you will satisfy your soul; what the enemy offers will satisfy your flesh for a while. However, in the end the world’s way leads to destruction. If your heart wanders and you are not equipped with My Word, you will be unable to discern the difference between real faith and counterfeit religion.” Sheri Rose Shepherd

“Guard your heart zealously – not to simply keep it in a particular pattern or habit by merely following a rule or regulation – rather to keep it responsive to each breath of the Spirit. He is to lead, we are to follow.” BHY

“When the goodness of Christ and the character of Christ and the Word of Christ are evident in the church, people in the world will be drawn to Him. This is why we guard the Truth so people will be saved by it. This is why we live with purity so people see the difference Christ makes. This is why we train for godliness so people see in us the majesty of Christ. May everything we do draw people to our great Savior.” David Platt

“Be One…. who has a model life; a mentor with a message; an approved workman who correctly handles God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15); who does his best (2 Timothy 2:15, 4:9,21); who guards the Gospel (2 Timothy Chapter 1); who suffers for the Gospel (2 Timothy Chapter 2); who continues in the Gospel (2 Timothy Chapter 3); who preaches the Gospel (2 Timothy Chapter 4); who pours out his life as a drink offering (2 Timothy 4:6); who fights the good fight of faith (2 Timothy 4:7); who has a fixed focus, firm stand, and a faithful finish (2 Timothy 4:7).” Donna Evans

“Vigilance is an essential component to the spiritual discipline of watchfulness. To be vigilant is to be on guard. The sentinel of a city is vigilant. He watches for the approach of the enemy. Warriors are vigilant. They’re watchful and wary of their antagonist’s every move. People become vigilant when they realize they’re in jeopardy. As soldiers of the cross, we are surrounded by enemies. Watchfulness, therefore, is as necessary to a healthy spiritual life as meditation and prayer. Jesus tells his disciples to ‘watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation’ (Matthew 26:41). The letters of Paul, Peter, and John sound the same note, urging us to exercise moral vigilance and watchful prayer (1 Corinthians 16:13; Galatians 6:1; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:16; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 John 8). And Hebrews commands mutual watchfulness and exhortation while also reminding us to obey those leaders who keep watch over our souls (Hebrews 3:12; 13-17). Yet despite this biblical emphasis, watchfulness is one practice that rarely gets mentioned in contemporary manuals of spiritual disciplines. Watchfulness is the whetstone of the spiritual disciplines, the one practice that keeps the other habits sharp. This requires the cultivation of self-examination, where we take regular inventory of our personal tendencies towards particular sins, what the Puritan Isaac Ambrose called “Delilah sins.” Delilah sins, like Samson’s Philistine mistress, like to sit on our laps and whisper sweet nothings in our ears, but they will betray us to our foes in a heartbeat and cut off our moral strength. These are the specific sin patterns we’ve cultivated through willful and habitual sin. Like deep ruts that furrow a muddy road, these vices are etched into our lives through daily routines, self-justifying rationalization, and continual repetition. The discipline of watching is like a home security system.” Excerpt from Watchfulness: Recovering a Lost Spiritual Discipline (Reformation Heritage Books, 2018)

“Take heed that you do not glory in your graces, but let all your glorying and confidence be in Christ and His strength, for this is the only way you can be kept from falling. Pray more often. Spend longer periods of time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation emit the fragrance of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for the souls of others. So live that others may recognize that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him…On, Christian, with care and caution! On, with holy fear and trembling! On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, ‘Sustain me according to your promise.’ He, and He alone, is able ‘to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.’” Charles H. Spurgeon

“We may see the evangelical faith, the faith of the Gospel, everywhere spoken against, and the apostolic message of the New Testament ridiculed. We may have to watch an increasing apostasy in the church, as our generation abandons the faith of its fathers. Do not be afraid! God will never allow the light of the Gospel to be finally extinguished. True, he has committed it to us, frail and fallible creatures. He has placed His treasure in brittle, earthenware vessels. And we must play our part in guarding and defending the Truth. Nevertheless, in entrusting the deposit to our hands, He has not taken His own hands off it.” John Stott

HEART SAVOR

• Believers are to be guardians of the Gospel both in word and deed.
• Guard your heart zealously as out of it issues the wellspring of life.
• We are called to correctly handle God’s Word – let us be faithful to our calling.

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A Holy Watchfulness 9.6.19

A HOLY WATCHFULNESS

BREAD

7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 (NIV)

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Psalm 130:5-6 (NIV)

6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine– the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. 9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:6-9 (NIV)

36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Matthew 24:36-44 (NIV)

13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)

16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7-8 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Oh that I may be roused out of my slumber, and be watchful and ready against the coming of my Bridegroom…Even the wise virgins fell asleep. Let this be a warning to me, O Lord. Set thou a guard before my eyes, ears, and other faculties, lest the world again should enter through these avenues of the heart; if the spark be not speedily extinguished, it will soon break out into a flame: thus sin is of a progressive nature, and its venom spreads very quickly and very wide, unless it be stopped and opposed in time. Watch, therefore, over this unsteady heart of mine, O Thou Keeper of Israel; that as soon as it begins to wander from Thee, I may be alarmed to flee from sin as from a serpent. Give me grace to look upon every hour as my last; so that being ever wisely upon my guard I may meet Thee with joy when my time is run out, whenever it shall please Thee to call me hence.” K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Vigilance is an essential component to the spiritual discipline of watchfulness. To be vigilant is to be on guard. The sentinel of a city is vigilant. He watches for the approach of the enemy. Warriors are vigilant. They’re watchful and wary of their antagonist’s every move. People become vigilant when they realize they’re in jeopardy. As soldiers of the cross, we are surrounded by enemies. Watchfulness, therefore, is as necessary to a healthy spiritual life as meditation and prayer. Jesus tells his disciples to ‘watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation’ (Matthew 26:41). The letters of Paul, Peter, and John sound the same note, urging us to exercise moral vigilance and watchful prayer (1 Corinthians 16:13; Galatians 6:1; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:16; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 John 8). And Hebrews commands mutual watchfulness and exhortation while also reminding us to obey those leaders who keep watch over our souls (Hebrews 3:12; 13-17). Yet despite this biblical emphasis, watchfulness is one practice that rarely gets mentioned in contemporary manuals of spiritual disciplines. Watchfulness is the whetstone of the spiritual disciplines, the one practice that keeps the other habits sharp. This requires the cultivation of self-examination, where we take regular inventory of our personal tendencies towards particular sins, what the Puritan Isaac Ambrose called “Delilah sins.” Delilah sins, like Samson’s Philistine mistress, like to sit on our laps and whisper sweet nothings in our ears, but they will betray us to our foes in a heartbeat and cut off our moral strength. These are the specific sin patterns we’ve cultivated through willful and habitual sin. Like deep ruts that furrow a muddy road, these vices are etched into our lives through daily routines, self-justifying rationalization, and continual repetition. The discipline of watching is like a home security system.” Excerpt from Watchfulness: Recovering a Lost Spiritual Discipline (Reformation Heritage Books, 2018)

“Oh, study your hearts, watch your hearts, keep your hearts!” John Flavel

“Take heed that you do not glory in your graces, but let all your glorying and confidence be in Christ and His strength, for this is the only way you can be kept from falling. Pray more often. Spend longer periods of time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation emit the fragrance of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for the souls of others. So live that others may recognize that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him…On, Christian, with care and caution! On, with holy fear and trembling! On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, ‘Sustain me according to your promise.’ He, and He alone, is able ‘to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.’” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Let us watch jealously over our hearts, and beware of giving way in the beginnings of sin. Happy is he who feareth always, and walks humbly with his God. The strongest Christian is the one who feels his weakness most, and cries most frequently, ‘Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.’” John Ryle

“Died in the 30th year of his age and the 7th year of his ministry, walking closely with God, an example for the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, he ceased not day and night to labor and watch for souls.” Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Gravestone

“In all our wanderings the watchful glance of the Eternal Watcher is constantly fixed upon us—we never roam beyond the Shepherd’s eye. In our sorrows He observes us incessantly, and not a painful emotion escapes Him; in our toils He notices all our weariness, and He writes all the struggles of His faithful ones in His book. These thoughts of the Lord encompass us in all our paths and penetrate the innermost region of our being. Not a nerve or tissue, valve or vessel of our bodily frame is uncared for; all the details of our little world are thought upon by the great God.” C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

“Today, remember you are a child of God. Receive these good gifts from your heavenly Father. Savor the goodness of the Gospel and watch as it draws you to deeper faith – not through fear or obligation, but through delight.” Michael Youssef

“Keep bringing your prayers to God. If you think your request is legitimate, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. God wants to teach us through persistent praying to wait on Him and to watch. While we’re praying and waiting for God to answer our prayers, do you know what He’s doing? He’s working on us, conforming us more and more to the image of Christ. And when we’re ready, the answer will surely come.” David Jeremiah

HEART SAVOR

• We are to watch our lives and doctrine closely.
• We are to be a guardian of the faith and do all things in love leaving the aromoa of Jesus in every circumstance.
• We are to be vigilant in the spiritual discipline of watchfulness being on our guard against all besetting sins.

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