Sunday, May 22, 2016

The Fragrance of Christ


Marion Stroud: Which of the five senses brings back your memories most sharply?

For me it is definitely the sense...

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Lord, Save Us! We're Perishing!


Jean Oathout: When I read the Bible's story of the disciples' adventure with Jesus and the furious storm that came up while they were on the lake, I have to wonder something...

Why did they awaken Him from His sound sleep? Did they really think that He could do something about it? Was it their last possible solution they were trying? What made them even think He could help them?

They must have been absolutely at the end of themselves to awaken Him with the hope He could help. No doubt the miracles He'd been doing had some influence on them, to hope that He could figure out what to do!

(Mark 4:37-41) v 40  "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"

Do you think that Jesus' question was what they needed to hear? It surely showed Christ's disappointment that after they had asked for His help, they were surprised that He actually stilled the sea. 

They said, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" (see Matt. 8:23-28)

Aren't we like that, too? We plead for His help, and much to our surprise, He intervenes in our situation. It's in the long run that we see what His plan was in answering our prayers, even sometimes over years of our prevailing.

Maybe we should follow the Scripture about rejoicing in our hard times, knowing God has it under His watchful eye. You can be sure He already knows the outcome, and whether or not we will trust Him along the way.

Our having child-like faith is really the key, as God wants us to simply trust Him to do what's best for us, and what will bring Him honor: having the outcome be what only He can get the credit for.

(Google images added)


Let's pray-   Father, forgive us for being surprised that You actually cause good to come out of our situations when we humble ourselves and ask You for help. 

In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Today’s Bible verses-

(Ps. 112:4 a) "Unto the righteous upright there ariseth light in the darkness."

(Ecc. 7:12) "For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it."

Some quotes-

~ "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me  seemed insufficient for that day."    Abraham Lincoln

~ "Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness."   H. Jackson
 Brown, Jr.

"All that GOD is, and all that GOD has, is at the disposal of prayer. PRAYER can do anything that GOD can do, and as GOD can do everything, prayer is  omnipotent."   R. A. Torrey

Our quoted thought today-

"Whether young or old we all face uncertain futures. Heaven answers: God's love and goodness encircle us to matter what awaits us. We wait and see what God will do! David Roper

We sail into the uncertain future 
surrounded by the faithfulness of God!"  
(ODB 4/27/16)


Upcoming posts-

The Fragrance of Christ
    22nd- Sunday's post by Marion Stroud

   ~My vacation~

Just What I Need
    6/5th- Sunday evening's post by Dave Branon

#45 Summary of Prayer Passion
    7th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#46 How to Develop Prayer Passion
    9th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel


A popular post- 
  
What's the Good of Prayer? Oswald ChambersIt is not part of the life of a natural man to pray. We hear it said that 'a man will suffer in his life if he does not pray'; I question it. 

What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer..."



Thursday, May 19, 2016

#4 The Most Important Measure of Prayer


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: The most important measure of prayer is not its length but its depth; not its beautiful words but its intensity. It is not necessarily a matter of how many hours you pray, but how intensely you pray when you do pray.

There is a dynamic of perseverance—prayer must often be continued at some length, but whether short or long, let your prayer be fervent.


It is a law of prayer that those who seek with all their heart find.


    " 'Then you will call upon me and come and pray to

     me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find
     me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be
     found by you,' declares the LORD (Jer. 29:12-14).

Moses used almost identical words, specifying, "With all your heart and with all your soul" (Deu. 4:29).


Says Chadwick again,

     "Intensity is a law of prayer...wrestling prayer prevails. 

      The fervent, effectual prayer of the righteous is of 
       great force. God hates strange fire. We must never 
       try to work up an emotion of intensity....If the spirit 
       groans in intercession, do not be afraid of the agony 
       of prayer. There are blessings of the Kingdom that are 
       only yielded to the violence of the vehement soul."

Hebrews assures us that "during the days of Jesus' life

on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud
cries and tears" (5:7).

It is Christlike to be so burdened in prayer that we pray with a passion. Paul asked the saints at Rome to "join me in my struggle by praying to God for me" (Rom. 15:30). "Join me in my struggle" is two words in Greek—meaning literally "agonize with me."  That is prayer with a passion!


R. A. Torrey writes, 


     "The prayer that prevails with God is the prayer into 

      which we put our whole soul, stretching out toward 
      God in intense and agonizing desire....If we put 
      so little heart into our prayers, we cannot expect 
      God to put much heart into answering them....
      When we learn to come to God with an intensity 
      of desire that wrings the soul, then shall we know 
      a power in prayer that most of us do not know now."
      (How to Pray pp. 33-34)

Alexander Whyte, the great preacher and author from Scotland, pleads, 


     "let every man put his passion into his prayers."


James's description of Elijah, "he prayed earnestly" (James 5:17), is in the Greek "with prayer he prayed," am idiom that means he prayed with intensity or passion.


(Google image and my emphasis added)

Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana

#44 The Most Important Measure of Prayer
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 76-77) Zondervan






Today's Bible verses-



Tuesday, May 17, 2016

#43 We Need New Mighty Movements of the Soul


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: We need new mighty movements of the soul. We need to awaken and arouse our sleeping selves to take hold of God in mighty prayer.

We need to marshal all our spiritual resources and sanctified energies to pray the prayer that prevails. Unless our prayer has fervent force, it has no power to overcome difficulties and win mighty victories.

Various Bible terms express fervor and passion in prayer. One term is call. It is used by Samuel, David, Elijah, and many of the prophets.

The soul reaches out to God, calling out to Him with a force and intensity that expects to be heard.

Another term is cry or cry out. "O LORD,...day and night I cry out before you.... Turn your ear to my cry" (Ps. 88:1-2).

Moses cried out at times in his impassioned prayer (Exod. 14:15). Samuel cried out on behalf of Israel (1 Sam. 7:8). So did Solomon (2 Chron. 6:19) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 9:8). Elijah cried to God to raise the widow's son, and God did (1 Kings 17:22).

Another Bible term is pour out. The psalmist describes how his soul pants for God as a deer pursued by hunters pants for water. He thirsts for God, longs to meet God, weeps day and night as he longs for God's answers, and pours out his soul (Ps. 42:1-4).

In Psalm 62:8, David urges us, "Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." This verse is very expressive of the fervor and passion of the soul.

All of these godly people who pleaded in prayer, in the words of Finney, felt "the pressure of a great cause." There is no encouragement for feeble desires, listless efforts, and lazy attitudes in prayer. (Principles of Prayer, 71).

E. M. Bounds knew by experience prevailing prayer. He wrote, "Enflamed desires impassioned, unwearied insistence, delights heaven....Heaven is too busy to listen to half-hearted prayers." (Necessity of Prayer, 59).

The vision of the need for which you pray must become a burning passion to see God's answer. It must become a deep principle within you that dedicates itself to getting the answer.

It must become a compelling drive. It must add fervency to your praying and put the iron of determination within your soul. You must not accept no for a answer!

(Google image and my emphasis added)
Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana

#43 We Need New Mighty Movements of the Soul    by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 74-75) Zondervan





Let's pray- 

     Father, put in us a fresh hunger for Your Word, and may we begin to allow Your Spirit to open us up to all You have planned for us.

    May we begin to actually become desperate in our praying for the concerns we have, and to remember that You'll make a difference through our praying.

    As we pray with more conviction, may we believe the answers are actually on their way, and begin thanking You!

    I ask this in the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse-

(1 Chron. 22:19 a) "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God."

Today’s quote-

"Everything God does for man and through man He does with man's consent, always. With due reverence, but very plainly, let it be said that God can do nothing for the man with shut hand and shut life. There must be an open hand and heart and life through which God can give what He longs to. An open life, an open hand, open upward, is the pipeline of communication between the heart of God and this poor befooled old world. Our prayer is God's opportunity to get into the world that would shut Him out." (p. 12 of QUIET TALKS ON PRAYER by S. D. Gordon)


Our question today-

If God needs us to pray, oughtn't we to make every effort to seek Him more, and to ask for His burden for those around us?

Our thought today-

When Jesus confronted Satan with Scriptures, we can see that He'd spent time learning them. Seems as though we should follow suit, so we can have some ammunition to use against him, too.

Upcoming posts-

#44 The Most important Measure of Prayer
    19th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Lord, Save Us! We're Perishing!
    21st- Saturday's post by Jean Oathout

The fragrance of Christ
    22nd- Sunday's post by Marion Stroud

       ~ My vacation~

Just What I Need
    June 5th- Sunday evening's post by Dave Branon


A popular post- 

Overcoming the Strongman C. Peter Wagner continues his teaching: "The other time Jesus uses nidao is in one of His references to dealing with the 'strongman,' or with an opposing demonic force.

In Luke's Gospel, He speaks of overcoming (nikao) the strongman so that his palace can be invaded and his goods spoiled..."
  
They're created for
our enjoyment



Sunday, May 15, 2016

Exemplary Christianity



James H. Cagle: Christians at Thessalonica were talked about by everyone.  The talk wasn’t about the size of the church, its church activities, or how much money they made selling their religious paraphernalia.  

   “So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia . . . also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad” (I Thess. 1:7-8).


   The talk instead was about the miracle of the change that took place upon their receiving Christ as their Lord and Savior.

   The first of three things mentioned in verses nine and ten of this same chapter, was “they turned to God from idols.”  

  When these pagans and idolaters got saved they made an about-face and began doing the very opposite of what they had done before. 


   They completely forsook their sin and ungodliness when they got saved and turned to God. 

   This should be the case every time someone genuinely gets saved.  Salvation is deliverance from the power and practice of sin in order that we might by the grace of God live our new life in Christ.  

   When someone truly gets saved the center of their life becomes Jesus Christ and everything else follows after. 

    The second part to these Christians testimony was that they began “to serve the living and true God.”  

   It would be hard for anyone to believe these individuals actually got saved if their faith was not followed by works (James. 2:20, 26).  

    Whatever they did after their getting saved they did it to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31).  Their lives were lived in obedience to God’s Word.  

   Every duty, job, and responsibility, from working their regular jobs to church work to evangelism, was done with the express purpose of pointing others to Jesus and being a light in a dark sinful world.

    The third part is “to wait for his Son from heaven, . . . even Jesus.”  A Christian is someone who rests in the promise of Jesus personal return (Acts 1:11and who believes and expects the rapture to take place at any moment.  

   It is keeping this vision of His return alive in our hearts that is the impetus for living a holy life (I Jn. 3:3).

   All three elements of a Christian testimony coincide with 

the three elements of sanctification. There is initial sanctification, which is deliverance from the power of sin, which happens at regeneration, when we “turn to God from idols.”

   This is positional, and has to do with our standing in Christ, becoming members of God’s family, and being translated into Christ’ kingdom (Col. 1: 13).  


   Then there is progressive sanctification, which is deliverance from the practice of sin, which is incomplete, an ongoing process, as we obey and serve Christ, our character is changed and we are transformed into Christ’ likeness (Rom. 12: 1, 2).  


   Finally, there is ultimate sanctification, which is the long awaited deliverance from the presence of sin, receiving a body like Christ’, going to be with Christ, being transported into Christ’ presence at the rapture" (1 Cor. 15: 51-57; Rom. 8:30). James H. Cagle



Today’s Bible verse-

“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and 
Achaia . . . also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad” (I Thess. 1:7-8).

Let's pray- 

    Father, our instructions are clear today; we are expected to become like Christ, if in deed we've accepted Him into our lives and hearts.
    May we examine our motives, actions, and thoughts each day, to make sure they honor You, and to be sure they are in line with what You ask of us as Your children.
    I ask this in the Name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

Today’s quote: 

Oswald Chambers said, "Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him; He appears where we least expect Him, and always in the most illogical connections. The only way a worker can keep true to God is by being ready for the Lord's surprise visits."

Our thought today-

Do we understand God's holiness? (see Is. 6:1) The angles cried "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."

No  doubt, Isaiah's response would be ours too, if we could now see the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and see his train filling the temple!

Our question today-

Will we say, "Woe is me! like he did? when we see Him
someday? Or will we fall in love with Him now, accept His Salvation work on the cross and look forward to that moment at the end of our lives?


Upcoming posts-

#43 We Need New Mighty Movements of the Soul
    17th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#44 The Most Important Measure of Prayer
    19th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Lord, Save Us! We're Perishing!
    21st- Saturday's post by Jean Oathout

The Fragrance of Christ
    22nd- Sunday's post by Marion Stroud


A popular post:  

 Conscience 

James H. CagleThe word
conscience and consciences are found
32 times in the Bible, in which the states and functions of the conscience are revealed.

The conscience is a spiritual organ used as a point of reference, a present guide to conduct, an immediate standard of perfection and holiness..."



Springtime, for sure!