Be Unto Your Name

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

How Deep is the Wisdom of God?

Are You a Good Person?

Is Facebook Keeping You From Prayer?

The Infinite Ocean of Christ's Love

The way you become free from sin is by becoming a slave to righteousness.

Paul, in one of the most quoted verses of Scripture, makes clear that every person has sinned: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Indeed, your sins hold you so deeply in bondage that they bring death to you: you were dead in your sins (Colossians 2:13).

Every one of us was born a slave to sin, but God offers to free us from that. How? We can choose to become slaves to righteousness: When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ... But now ... you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God (Romans 6:20,22).
In other words, your default human nature is to follow sin and to consistently choose sin. The way you break free from sin is by following God and consistently choosing God; that is, you become a "slave" to God (to righteousness).

One of the results of being a "slave" to God is being made righteous and holy: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). In other words, when we are freed from bondage to sin by giving ourselves to Christ, a transaction occurs: we are changed from being sinners (i.e., slaves to sin who occasionally mess up and do something right) into being holy ones (i.e., righteous slaves to God who occasionally mess up and do something wrong).

When this transaction occurs—that is, when you become a slave to righteousness—you are made holy, made righteous, cleansed, forgiven, and freed from all sin. Therefore, the way you become free from sin is by becoming a holy one, which happens by turning your life over to Christ and wholeheartedly following Him, thus becoming a slave to righteousness.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

You Gave Your Life Away

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

A Call for Christ-Centered Repentence

This is a compilation of sermons given by Paul Washer, John Piper, Tim Keller and Mark Driscoll, which can be found online. For further listening, here are the sermons used in order:

Paul Washer - Shocking Youth Message
John Piper - How Much Does God Love This Church?
Tim Keller - The Wedding Feast of the Lamb
Tim Keller - Converted by the Spirit
Mark Driscoll - Conference Message from Advance 2009
Paul Washer - The Greatest Words in All of Scripture
John Piper - The Gospel in 6 minutes

Please distribute widely. The Gospel needs to be heard.
Fellowship in Christ Stanford (FICS) submission for the KCPC SF Film Festival

Because He is Good

Spinning and Singing

The universe spinning and singing
It's all for You!

Are you seeking the gifts or the Giver?

Sometimes we get so caught up in seeking God's presents that we forget all about His presence! God wants every believer to remain in His presence and have a personal relationship with Him just like you would with any other friend.

King David knew the importance of seeking God's presence and dwelling with Him. In Psalm 27:4, David writes, One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. David set himself to seek and require one thing--God's presence.

The next two verses (Psalm 27:5-6) tell us the rewards of seeking God: For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

The rewards of seeking God are awesome; not only will you develop a closer relationship with God, but you will also find true joy and contentment.

courtesy of lacy.obeyingthetruth.com

Psalm 16:11 says, You will fill me with joy in your presence. In other words, joy is found in God's presence--not His presents! Therefore, evaluate your life to make sure that you're seeking God, not just His gifts.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

Knowing God's Word will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from knowing His Word.

God has given us His Word as a guide for our life. However, His Word won't help us if we don't study it, know it, and live by it. Therefore, we must diligently study and apply God's Word if we wish for it to have an impact on our lives.

Jesus promised, "If you abide in My word ..., you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32, AMP). That's a promise that if we abide in His Word, we will know the Truth, because His Word is the Truth.

So it makes sense that God told the Israelites, "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" (Joshua 1:8).

Joshua later repeated a similar instruction: "Be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left" (Joshua 23:6).

Why is it so important to follow God's Word? Because His Word keeps us from turning aside to the right or to the left; it keeps us on the straight and narrow path that leads to life. (see Matthew 7:13-14).

Therefore, abide in His Word, because His Word will keep you from sin.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

History of the Modern "Gospel" (Session 4: "I've Got a Feeling!")

Revival (Blair Wingo Linne)

Regulated Chastisement

I will correct thee in measure. (Jeremiah 30:11)

To be left uncorrected would be a fatal sign: it would prove that the Lord had said, "He is given unto idols, let him alone." God grant that such may never be our portion! Uninterrupted prosperity is a thing to cause fear and trembling. As many as God tenderly loves He rebukes and chastens: those for whom He has no esteem He allows to fatten themselves without fear, like bullocks for the slaughter. It is in love that our heavenly Father uses the rod upon His children.

Yet see, the correction is in measure.  He gives us love without measure but chastisement "in measure." As under the old law no Israelite could receive more than the "forty stripes save one," which ensured careful counting and limited suffering; so is it with each afflicted member of the household of faith-every stroke is counted. It is the measure of wisdom, the measure of sympathy, the measure of love, by which our chastisement is regulated. Far be it from us to rebel against appointments so divine. Lord, if Thou standest by to measure the bitter drops into my cup, it is for me cheerfully to take that cup from Thy hand and drink according to Thy directions, saying, "Thy will be done."

----C.H. Spurgeon, Faith's Checkbook (October 19)

Cry Out for Discernment

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:1-5 NKJV

The Life of the Mind and the Love of God

Desiring God 2010 National Conference
Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God

Homemade Spacecraft

Think Hard, Stay Humble: The Life of the Mind and the Peril of Pride

Desiring God 2010 National Conference
Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God

For the one who stores treasures on Earth, death is loss, but for the one who stores treasures in Heaven, death becomes gain.

In his longest sermon, known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says this: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).

Jesus commands us not to store up earthly treasures. Why? Because they're bad? No. Because they won't last!

Jesus makes absolutely clear that all earthly treasures will not last. Either they will leave you while you live, or you will leave them when you die. There are no exceptions.

 

Jesus tells us not to store up earthly treasures, but amazingly he instead says that we can—indeed, should—store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. It's an amazing concept that we can use our earthly (temporary) treasures in such a way as to assure ourselves heavenly (eternal) treasures.

How can you store up for yourself treasures in heaven? By investing in eternal causes instead of temporary ones—by giving to the poor instead of hording up money for yourself (see 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, and Luke 12:33). By putting your treasures into eternal causes you secure for yourself treasures that can never be lost.

Proverbs 23:5 says, Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Next time you buy something you really care about, imagine it sprouting wings and flying off. That will help you keep an eternal perspective, remembering that every earthly treasure is temporary.

When you die, you will lose every treasure that you have stored up on Earth, but when you die, you will also receive every treasure that you have stored up in heaven. In that way, death is a loss for the one who stores up treasures on Earth, but death is a gain for the one who stores up treasures in Heaven.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

The more you doubt, the more you'll have to live without.

Complaining is one of the worst traps that many Christians fall into. A complainer thinks, "I can't stand my boss. If she would only treat me better, I'd be happy. I hate this traffic. Why can the government improve traffic flow with all the tax money I pay?" This is a deceptive trap because it leads one to believe that life would be better if something would be different. However, it is far more productive to believe that God can change the situation than to doubt Him.

This trap of complaining is the same trap that the Israelites fell into. They were not satisfied with what God had given them and they continually wanted more. Psalm 106:12-15 is a great example of what happens to people who are unthankful and always want more: Then they [Israel] believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.

That passage refers the Israelites' persistent request for food, water, and other basic resources. They didn't trust God; they doubted his ability to provide and tested him. So, because of their doubt, God sent a wasting disease upon them. Furthermore, for forty years God withheld the promised land from them. Their doubt caused them to live without.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

Sin is the great spoiler of all God's works.

Sin is the great spoiler of all God's works. Sin turned an archangel into an arch-fiend, and angels of light into spirits of evil. Sin looked on Eden and withered all its flowers. Ere sin had come the Creator said of the new-made earth, "It is very good"; but when sin had entered, it grieved God at his very heart that he had made such a creature as man. Nothing tarnishes beauty so much as sin, for it mars God's image and erases his superscription.

Moreover, sin makes God's creatures unhappy, and shall not the Lord, therefore, abhor it? God never designed that any creature of his hand should be miserable. He made the creatures on purpose that they should be glad; he gave the birds their song, the flowers their perfume, the air its balm; he gave to day the smiling sun and to night its coronet of stars; for he intended that smiles should be his perpetual worship, and joy the incense of his praise. But sin has made God's favourite creature a wretch, and brought down God's offspring, made in his own image, to become naked, and poor, and miserable; and therefore God hateth sin, and is pressed down under it, because it maketh the objects of his love unhappy at their heart.

Moreover, remember that sin attacks God in all his attributes, assails him on his throne, and stabs at his existence. What is sin? Is it not an insult to God's wisdom? O sinner, God biddeth thee do his will; when thou doest the contrary it is because thou dost as much as say, "I know what is good for me, and God does not know." You do in effect declare that infinite wisdom is in error, and that you, the creature of a day, are the best judge of happiness. Sin impugns God's goodness; for by sin you declare that God has denied you that which would make you happy, and this is not the part of a good, tender, and loving Father. Sin cuts at the Lord's wisdom with one hand, and at his goodness with the other.

Sin also abuses the mercy of God. When you, as many of you have done, sin with the higher hand because of his longsuffering towards you; when, because you have no sickness, no losses, no crosses, therefore you spend your time in revelry and obstinate rebellhief? It is no small grief to the loving father to see his substance spent with harlots in riotous living; he cannot endure it that his child should be so degraded as to turn even the mercy which would woo him to repentance into a reason why he should sin the more against him. Besides, let me remind the careless and impenitent that every sin is a defiance of divine power. In effect it is lifting your puny fists against the majesty of heaven, and defying God to destroy you. Every time you sin, you defy the Lord to prove whether he can maintain his law or no. Is this a slight thing, that a worm, the creature of a day, should defy the Lord of ages, the God that filleth and upholdeth all things by the word of his power? Well may he be weary, when he has to bear with such provocations and insults as these! Mention what attribute you will, and sin has blotted it; speak of God in any relationship you choose, and sin has cast a slur upon him. It is evil, only evil, and that continually: in every view of it it must be offensive to the Most High. Sinner, dost thou know that every act of disobedience to God's law is virtually an act of high treason? What dost thou do but seek to be God thyself, thine own master, thine own lord? Every time thou swervest from his will, it is to put thy will into his place; it is to make thyself a god, and to undeify the Most High. And is this a little offence, to snatch from his brow the crown, and from his hand the sceptre? I tell thee it is such an act that heaven itself could not stand unless it were resented: if this crime were suffered to go unpunished, the wheels of heaven's commonwealth would be taken from their axles, and the whole frame of moral government would be unhinged. Such a treason against God shall certainly be visited with punishment.

To crown all, sin is an onslaught upon God himself, for sin is atheism of heart. Let his religious profession be what it may, the sinner hath said in his heart, "No God." Ruler. Is this a trifle? To be a Deicide! To desire to put God out of his own world! Is this a thing to be winked at? Can the Most High hear it and not be pressed down beneath its weight? I pray you do not think that I would make a needless outcry against sin and disobedience. It is not in the power of human imagination to exaggerate the evil of sin, nor will it ever be possible for mortal lips, though they should be touched like those of Esaias with a live coal from off the altar, to thunder out the ten-thousandth part of the enormity of the least sin against God. Think, dear friends! We are his creatures, and yet we will not do his will. We are fed by him, the breath in our nostrils he gives us, and yet we spend that breath in murmuring and rebellion.

Once more, we are always in the sight of our omniscient God, and yet the presence of God is not enough to compel us to obedience. Surely if a man should insult law in the very presence of the lawgiver, that were not to be borne with; but this is your case and mine. We must confess, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." We must remember also, that we offend, knowing that we are offending. We do not sin as the Hottentot, or the cannibal. We in England sin against extraordinary light and sevenfold knowledge; and is this a light thing? Can you expect that God shall pass by wilful and deliberate offences? Oh, that these lips had language, that this heart could burn for once! for if I could declare the horrible infamy of sin it would make the blood chill in even a haughty Pharaoh's veins, and proud Nebuchadnezzar would bow his head in fear. It is indeed a terrible thing to have rebelled against the Most High. The Lord have mercy upon his servants and forgive them.

This is our first point, but I cannot teach you it, God himself must teach it by his Spirit. Oh, that the Holy Ghost may make you feel that sin is exceedingly sinful, so that it is grievous and burdensome to God!

--excerpt from Loaded Waggon, a sermon by C.H. Spurgeon

Vessels of Honor

2 Timothy 2:21-26

Verse 21. "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

The "vessels" mentioned here and in the previous verse are intended by the Lord to be washed clean. In the work of God, we who have faith in Him were something like dirty dishes - caked with muddy sin; but we were thoroughly washed by what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. But then like the drinking vessels in the cupboard of a typical home, if they are not used for a time, dust will settle upon them and they must be rinsed before additional use. The "dust" and other impurities that cover our lives and make us less fit for the Lord's purposes are seen in words and phrases we will encounter in the verses of this chapter. We are made clean by fleeing from youthful lusts (Verse 22), from foolish and ignorant speculations along with quarrels (Verses 23-24), and from worldly and empty chatter as we saw in Verse 16.

We need help, for just like the glass in our cupboard that needs to be rinsed clean, we cannot effectively wash ourselves. It is the Lord Himself who does it. Jesus said to His disciples, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). And then He continued, "Abide in Me. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4). Reading on from those verses reveals that we are not to do all of this alone, for the Holy Spirit of God has been given to us. Yes we are to make ourselves clean, but what we have to do is being done for us by the Spirit of God.

Verse 22. "Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

One of the disturbing aspects of our "modern" culture is that "youthful lusts" are actually being encouraged in most of the countries in the world. Outsiders could look at what are the latest "fads" and see that the world is becoming what many have called in the past a "decadent" civilization. And it's happening everywhere. Little concern is given to "righteousness, faith, love and peace," even though the actions associated with those words are valued highly by the Lord. Those words are included within a list of what is called "the fruits of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. Another word there is "self-control," a subject about which our "modern" culture seems to care little about.

It should be noted by those who purport to be a part of the church that people in other religions look seriously at us and believe our actions more than our words. If we have a reputation for being "Christians," we are under scrutiny. There was a time, early in the formation of the USA, when the European settlers in America were drifting away from Christ, and the Lord sent men like Jonathan Edwards, urging the people he called "sinners," to get right with "an angry God." Many were "born again" as Jesus called it in John 3:3,7, and it can be argued that certain countries only exist because some of its citizens trust in Jesus. Whoever we are, we need to turn our backs on the mentality of "youthful lusts" and instead repent, pursuing the "righteousness, faith, love and peace" He gives, calling out in prayer "from a pure heart."

Verse 23. "But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels."

The concerns noted in relation to Verse 22 are not the focus of most who say they are a part of the religious system called "Christianity." People want to look young, act young and do things that young people do, no matter how old they may be. Plastic surgery, cosmetics, hair replacement and more - people are choosing "youthful lusts" over "righteousness, faith, love and peace;" over hearts made pure by the Lord. Plastic surgery to repair a disfigurement is wonderful, but the process becomes ugly when it is done merely because of vanity. Our outward appearance is far less important than what we are inside.

We are at our best when we merely are what we are, using the gifts He has given us, and avoiding "foolish and ignorant speculations" which, as this verse so clearly states, only "produce quarrels." The world looks at the church and decides we are superficial, vain, deceitful and argumentative. The fact that "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) escapes their notice, for people like to point accusingly at others and try to avoid blame themselves. We in the church need to "examine (ourselves) as to whether (we) are in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5), for the world is looking and deciding we fall short of the glory of God.

Verse 24. "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,"

Sometimes Christians act like they think God is some sort of personal-assistant. We tell Him what we want, insist that He answers our need and become angry when He doesn't seem to do it. The word for "bond-servant" in this verse should be a wake-up call for us to recognize that most of us are badly mistaken about who we are in relation to the One who created us. The Greek word here is "doulos," which means we are the bond-slaves of God. He is the One who directs us and tells us what He wants, not the other way around. And He is the One who should be angry, not us, for humanity is in rebellion against Him.

A great deal of conversation among Christians remains superficial, because if we talked about deep things, a fight might break out. "Quarrelsome" here was a word generally used of armed combatants, those who engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Instead of such words, we are indeed to speak meaningfully, but we are also to be "kind to all," gently sharing with others in a spirit of loving honesty. We will be "wronged" by others, but those are moments when we pray, letting the Holy Spirit answer in and through us with the profound patience that comes from God.

Verse 25. "with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,"

There were many in opposition to the teachings of the Apostle Paul, the writer of this Second Letter to Timothy. Some just didn't like him and many had some kind of agenda they wished to present. Paul mentioned two men, "Hymenaeus and Philetus," earlier in this chapter. They went around telling people that "the resurrection has already taken place," for some reason, which shook the faith of many who listened to their words. They spoke something of the truth for there will be a resurrection, but assigned it to the past as though it had already happened, which was a lie.

Paul knew precisely how it felt to be lied about, to be slandered in a manner that would lead others away from "the knowledge of the truth." We are indeed to prayerfully correct those who are in opposition to the Word of God, but do it with "gentleness" when we can. Such a response is usually impossible for two obvious reasons: If we reply meekly they might not listen, and second, if we answer with strength, we can become "quarrelsome" as Paul warned about in the preceding verse. There is no formula about how to act, but rather we look to God in each situation, understanding that, "When I am weak, then I am strong" as Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. It is God's words we need; not our own.

Verse 26. "and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."

Sometimes, when we are attacked because we love the Lord, He will whisper into our hearts, "Say nothing!" and we should be quiet. As a general rule, whatever our response is, we are to respond "with gentleness" if possible, as Paul advised in Verse 25. In any case, we are to look to the Lord and not merely trust in some ability we might think we have. The hope is that "God may grant them repentance," that those who are deluded will be led out of lies and into the truth.

The youthful lusts, the foolish and ignorant speculations and the quarrels mentioned in the preceding verses, are, as Paul said, from the "devil." That doesn't mean that you can excuse bad behavior by saying, "The devil made me do it," for James observed that "each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires..." (James 1:14). We all would prefer others to like us, to listen to us and believe what we say, and unfortunately both sides in an argument are often wrong because they argue from selfish motives. We are to pray and look to the Lord, for His motives are infinitely good.

Lord, we come to You now, understanding that our motives tend to be poor. We ask, Holy Spirit, for Your strong gentleness to fill us, along with the love that comes from God. Keep us in truth. We pray that our words and actions will lead others and ourselves to repentance and to the Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
Send comments: Ron@FridayStudy.org.
Visit: www.FridayStudy.org.
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)

The Sovereignty of God on 9-11

Shai Linne - Spread His Fame

All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns.
He’s taken our blame, embraced all our shame,
He’s raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim.
Salvation by grace through faith in his name.

All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns.
He’s taken our blame, embraced all our shame,
He’s raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim.
Salvation by grace through faith in his name.

Jesus, the beautiful and blessed Son,
Immutable, majestic one
Who was resurrected from the grave
for the depraved.
He paved the path for some
Place faith in His passion, son
Be saved from the wrath to come.

He’s fabulous, His status is immaculate
I’m lacking the vernacular to adequately capture His glory.
Incomparable, unconquerable, all powerful, unstoppable
Absolutely phenomenal.

No obstacle He can’t navigate.
He’s God and so He fascinates.
With Him it’s impossible to exaggerate.

Lord of all continents,
Source of all consciousness,
His compliments are the consequence of His accomplishments
Every sphere of life, He’s the Lord of it
And every other power is either fraudulent or subordinate.

At first we snubbed Him,
Now His vessels of mercy love Him.
Your highest thought is infinitely unworthy of Him.
Beyond vocabulary His actions vary,
His wrath is scary
All His adversaries are imaginary.

He has no competitors.
Ask Nebuchadnezzar, bro
He’ll mess you up, have you eating grass,
You can bet He’s amazing.

He takes in blatant, flagrant vagrants, breaks them, remakes them, and shapes them
to hate sin.

Jesus!
There’s no better name!
That’ll never change and He’ll forever reign while we spread His fame.

So all praise to the name of the Savior who reigns
He’s taken our blame
Embraced all our shame
He’s raised from the grave so His fame we proclaim
Salvation by grace through faith in His name!

All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns
He’s taken our blame
Embraced all our shame
He’s raised from the grave so His fame we proclaim
Salvation by grace through faith in His name!

Beautiful

Watch this video full screen! Click on the full screen button (bottom left corner of the video player).

Life transformation is rooted in mind transformation.

Where your mind goes, your actions follow. Whatever you think about will dictate your behavior, your attitude, and (ultimately) your direction in life. Your thoughts are sort of like a rudder—they steer the rest of your body.

Considering the influence of your mind on your life, it's no surprise Paul emphasizes that in order for our lives to be changed by Christ our thoughts must first be changed by Him: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). How are we to be transformed? By renewing (changing, refocusing) our minds so that they reflect the mind of Christ.

If our minds are so important, then it's quite understandable that the devil would fight to gain a foothold in our thoughts. Paul writes, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What better place for the devil to attack people than in their minds? As thunder follows lighting, so actions follow thoughts. And if Satan can turn your thoughts against God, your actions will assuredly follow.

Therefore, it's imperative that you set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). And when you focus your mind on God, it's only a matter of time before your actions, your passions, your attitudes—your whole life—become focused on God.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

Psalm 86

 ¹ Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me;
         For I am poor and needy.
 ² Preserve my life, for I am holy;
         You are my God;
         Save Your servant who trusts in You!
 ³ Be merciful to me, O Lord,
         For I cry to You all day long.
 ⁴ Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
         For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
 ⁵ For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
         And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

⁶ Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
         And attend to the voice of my supplications.
 ⁷ In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
         For You will answer me.

 ⁸ Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
         Nor are there any works like Your works.
 ⁹ All nations whom You have made
         Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
         And shall glorify Your name.
 ¹⁰ For You are great, and do wondrous things;
         You alone are God.   

  ¹¹ Teach me Your way, O LORD;
         I will walk in Your truth;
         Unite my heart to fear Your name.
 ¹² I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
         And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
 ¹³ For great is Your mercy toward me,
         And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalm 86:1-13 (NKJV)

Listen to your prayers, because they locate your level of spiritual maturity.

What are you praying for? Are you asking God to give you more stuff--a bigger house, a new car, a bigger salary? What you pray for indicates what is important to you.

It is a great lesson to examine what the people in the Bible prayed for.

King David, in Psalm 27:4, prayed, One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. He asked God for just one thing: that he would dwell in God's presence. David clearly knew that in God's presence he would receive everything he needed (see Matthew 6:33).

Paul also didn't pray for worldly things. Instead, in Philippians 1:9, Paul prayed that the church would walk in love: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more. Paul knew the importance of love, and so he made it a point to pray that the church would grow more and more in love.  Furthermore, he prayed that believers would be strengthened spiritually: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16).

In short, your prayers can tell what you consider to be important. If you are only praying for worldly stuff, then you are neglecting what is of lasting value: knowing God, dwelling in His presence, walking in His love, and being strong spiritually.

Therefore, decide to adjust what you're praying for. Learn to listen to your prayers, because they locate your level of spiritual maturity.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

Put In Me

PUT IN ME (PSALM 51)
By 100 Portraits and Waterdeep
"Enter the Worship Circle"

Oh, Mercy, fall on me like a warm blanket...on my cold, cold heart
Clean me with Your blood that turns me white on the inside
I'm on my knees again 'cause I'm breaking Your heart

Put in me...what I cannot buy with gold
Put in me, oh God...come restore my broken soul
Put in me...what I cannot give myself
Put in me...a clean heart

I know all my broken places like the back of my hand
That slapped your face again
Wash me in your love and hold me tight like a baby
Till I have no memory of ever breaking Your heart

And in the joy when you restore me I will stand and walk again
I will run into this world I will call them to come in
But I will not point my finger or grow that wicked skin
That cannot remember what I will not forget
How I broke you, or how I'm broken

Truth

I Couldn't Calm My Conscience, I Knew I Was Lost

If you're too busy to spend time with God, then you're simply too busy.

In the world we live in today, it is very easy to get so incredibly caught up in all of the demands that culture places on us that we don't have any time to spend with God.

However, the fact that so many things compete for every person's time isn't new to the world. Indeed, in Luke 10:38-42, we see the story of how two people responded to this same problem in two very different ways: As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. ...

We see that after Jesus entered the home, He evidently started teaching, and Mary, Martha's sister, stopped what she was doing and listened to Jesus. It's important to realize that Mary didn't know Jesus was coming, and so it certainly wasn't her plan to stop what she was doing and sit at His feet, listening to Him. However, Mary considered hearing from God so important that she altered her schedule to spend time with God.

... But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Here, we see that Martha responded very differently than her sister: she became really busy and caught up in what she was doing -- probably preparing a meal, cleaning the house, or something similar.

When Martha complained to Jesus about how Mary was using her time, Jesus responded: "Martha, Martha, ... you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

One sister was willing to drop everything in order to hear from God; the other was too busy with everyday life in order to spend time with God. Jesus makes it clear that the way Mary chose to use her time was better.

In your life, you need to be willing to use your time like Mary did. Don't let little things steal your time away from what's really important in life. You must realize that there is no lasting value to the "urgent" things many people often allow to interfere with what's truly important. It would not have mattered if Martha hadn't cleaned the house that day.

You need to be willing to let your schedule be altered if knowing God better requires it. Don't be like Martha and get so caught up in life's distractions that you miss Jesus.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

If Our Sun was a Pixel

If you reduced the sun to the size of a pixel on your computer screen, this is how big the larger stars would be in relation to our sun.

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.  (Genesis 1:16 KJV)

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. (Psalms 147:4 ESV)

(To enlarge the picture on the page, click on it and zoom in. Move the horizontal and vertical scrollbars to see the whole image.)

Private obedience leads to public blessings.

The Bible promises that if we obey God, then He will bless us. In Deuteronomy 28:1-2, Moses told the Israelites, "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God." The next fifteen verses list all sorts of blessings that God will give His people.It sounds really good to be radically blessed, but notice that there is a condition: you must "fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands."

Obedience can be difficult, but if you consistently obey God in secret, then "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:4).

You may freely choose between obedience and disobedience, but know that "a man reaps what he sows" (Galatians 6:7).

Obey the Lord in all things—private and public. Then you will see "all these blessings ... come upon you."

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

Kindle Afresh the Gift of God

2 Timothy 1:6-10

Verse 6. "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands."

"Use it or lose it" remained a popular expression in the late 20th Century, and it was applied to both mental and physical activities. What we have received from God, such as our muscles, should be used if possible or they will atrophy. Most people do not even recognize that God gives additional abilities through His Holy Spirit to those who will receive them, but He does, and Timothy is encouraged here to USE the "gift of God," lest it atrophy within him. Timothy's "gift of God" is not specified, which is just as well because this warning, this concern applies to all who have trusted in the Lord and have received the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are to use what we have been given.

If you have been given a gift of what is called "healing," then keep on praying for the sick, for your gift will grow stronger as it is used and people will be restored. Many of the gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians Chapters 12 and 14, with a break in between, showing us in Chapter 13 that the greatest gift of all is the agape "love" of God in us. Listed in Chapter 12 are, "wisdom... knowledge... faith... healings... miracles... prophecy... discerning of spirits... tongues... (and) interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:4-10). The gifts take differing forms in different people, and it is likely that each one of us is uniquely gifted, and all of us are absolutely necessary to all others in the body of Christ. So whatever God has gifted you with, "kindle afresh" that gift and use it for the glory of God.

Verse 7. "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."

Actually, the "spirit of timidity" seems to be strangely prevalent in our churches of today. Where currently are the gifts of God mentioned by Paul in Verse 6? Imitations of them abound, but where are the real gifts? Paul had prayed for Timothy, who, as a result received a "gift of God" as a response to the prayerful "laying on of (Paul's) hands" on the younger man. We do not directly know through the context of these verses what that gift might have been, but the fact is, there were many gifts in operation in the church of that time which are not seen today. How often has "discerning of spirits" been used in your church? The answer to the question, "Where did they go?" maybe at least partly due to the fact that most of them are "low-key" in nature and usually not seen by others, but also due to the "timidity" of those in today's church.

Paul is giving us a look at the OPPOSITE of "timidity," which he referred to as "power and love and discipline." The Greek word for "discipline" here can also be translated as "saving the mind" or a "sound mind." Now, none of the three, power, love and a sound mind can be made ours through our own strength and abilities. Paul observes the human tendency toward "timidity," whereas "power and love and discipline" are given to us by God. As is true of all that is given by the Lord, there are indeed imitations of these qualities, but what we need, what the world needs, is that which is directly from the Throne of God to those who have faith in the Lord, through His Holy Spirit.

Verse 8. "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,"

There are two areas of our Christian walk through life in which we can become confused: 1) The Gospel, the Good News about the Lord can be a stumbling block for those who don't fully understand what was done for us as individuals and for humanity; and 2) We can study the lives of Christians we know or hear about and become very troubled because of what they have done and what has happened to them. In the first place it is clear that our Leader, Jesus the Christ who is the "Gospel" incarnate, died the death of a common criminal. Some have stumbled because of the nature of His death. Note that lots of people have died in such a manner, but His was utterly different because it was the only death in human history that offers LIFE to all who place their faith in the One who died and rose again.

Paul was fully aware that some are ashamed, as seen in this verse and in places like Romans 1:16, where he cried out, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." Our part is merely to TRUST in what the Lord has done. Paul continued in Romans 1:17, "For in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'" And we can be put-off by the people who are often called "Christians." Many have become role models for others and then have fallen. Paul did nothing wrong, but was in prison and many were disturbed by what had happened to him. Let's give one another the freedom to repent of what we or they have done, and as to those like Paul who are wrongly convicted by society, by the church, or by our own attitudes, let's become willing to receive them, to surround them with the love of God that is supposed to be in us.

Verse 9. "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,"

Many have been blessed through the centuries by the words of Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." We can all breathe a sigh of relief as we read those words and the words of this verse originally written to Timothy, because it is written that we do not have to strive or work to be saved. Our attitudes are the basis of our outward actions, and all of us have had thoughts that would disqualify us from the kingdom of God. As Paul pointed out in another place, "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

"Works" do not save us, but when we place our faith in the Lord and let Him into our lives, the good works do begin to happen. That can be seen in Ephesians 2:10, where Paul continued, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." God has "His own purpose" for us, and He gives us "grace, which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity." The Lord established a blueprint, a plan for each of our lives before we were ever born and when we relax and let ourselves trust in Him, He will bring that blueprint to pass in our lives.

Verse 10. "but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,"

There is so much grief in the world because of death, a humanly irreversible ending for every one of us. It takes those we love, one-by-one, and then we, too, are swept into its grip. "Fear of death" keeps all humanity in bondage, for we have all become its slaves as you can read in Hebrews 2:15. These verses in 2nd Timothy are extremely important because we are shown how we can be released from death altogether. It's as though we are in a crowded theater and someone shouts "Fire, Fire!" We don't want it to be true, but we can smell the smoke and people are running.

And then through the darkness we see the neon sign that says, "Exit." There is a way out and what we must do is go through that door. Our "Exit" door is "our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." As Jesus Himself said, though His listeners at the moment did not understand His words, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved..." (John 10:9). If at this moment you simply allow yourself to have the faith that the "Exit" door offered in Christ will take you to safety, then "death" WILL be "abolished" for you. Your body may die for a time, but you will live. Will you trust in the Lord?

Thank You, Lord, for when You saw our condition, You did not turn Your back on us or destroy us, but came to us, responded to our need and died a terrible death in our place that gives us life. We confess our sins, and ask that You will forgive us. Save us, Lord; we trust in You now. Thank You. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Friday Study Ministries
www.FirstChurchOnTheNet.org
www.FridayStudy.org
Write to: Ron@FridayStudy.org
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)

Taste and See that the Lord is Good!

I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.

The Angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,

And delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!

There is no want to those who fear Him.

The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil and do good;

Seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

And His ears are open to their cry.

The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,

And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,

And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

--Psalm 34 (NKJV)