Life is a Struggle

Pastor Colin Smith

  

"All these I have kept since my youth!" Mark 10:20

On one occasion Jesus talked with a brilliant young man about the 10 Commandments. The man said, "I've kept them all." He really believed he had. What about you? Where do you stand in relation to the 10 Commandments? I want to suggest 3 possibilities:

Some of us feel we've kept them

The man hadn't murdered anyone. He'd been faithful to his wife. He hadn't told any big lies or raided a bank. He was a good, upright citizen, who flossed his teeth and paid his taxes. There are lots of folks who feel like this. Some of them hang out in churches.

The problem is that he didn't understand the commandments. Jesus made it clear that the commandments aren't limited to actions. They search the thoughts of your mind and the feelings of your heart (Matthew 5). If you don't know about the struggle of keeping the commands, it probably means you haven't started climbing.

God's Sheepdogs: Goodness & Mercy

Max Lucado

Our moods may shift, but God's doesn't. Our minds may change, but God's doesn't. Our devotion may falter, but God's never does. Even if we are faithless, he is faithful, for he cannot betray himself (2 Tim. 2:13). He is a sure God. And because he is a sure God, we can state confidently, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

And what follows the word surely? "Goodness and mercy." If the Lord is the shepherd who leads the flock, goodness and mercy are the two sheepdogs that guard the rear of the flock. Goodness and mercy. Not goodness alone, for we are sinners in need of mercy. Not mercy alone, for we are fragile, in need of goodness. We need them both. As one man wrote, "Goodness to supply every want. Mercy to forgive every sin. Goodness to provide. Mercy to pardon."

Goodness and mercy -- the celestial escort of God's flock. If that duo doesn't reinforce your faith, try this phrase: "all the days of my life."

A Resting Place

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." (Titus 3:5-6)

 
Certainly one of the most precious doctrines of all Scripture is that reflected in our text. Our salvation depends not on our own "works of righteousness," but upon His mercy and grace, given us freely through the atoning work of Jesus Christ our Savior.

The grand old hymn "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place" reflects this theme. Let us use its four verses and chorus to focus our study as well as our hearts these next four days.

Feedback: Why Won’t God Heal Amputees?

Simple Question: Why, if God is omnipotent, never , ever in all Bible was a case of an amputation healed? Except the ear that Jesus put it back. I m talking about a missing limb that Jesus or someone could have make it to grow back?

I m really curios to see how do you TWIST this one too, cause lots of your answer are twisted and NEVER give answer to the question of the article.

So, can u answer this simple question? Why didn't all mighty god make a limb grow up? Don't tell me they weren’t- after all the sword was the main weapon of that time and there has been a lots of wars. And no, even in that time a man didnt just die if he had an arm cut off..

WHAT IS your answer?I m looking forward to it.
Although i m thinking that you will pass this one.
Thank you.

Bend it Like Job

Julie Cosgrove

Take today’s next step: Become a Blog Mentor and you can help people who need to see God in their circumstances today.

“Show me my offense and my sin…You keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet.” (Job 13:23b, 27)

God agreed to let Satan take everything from Job – his family, friends, property, and health – in order to test Job’s faith. But there is one thing Satan could not take away: He could not snatch Job’s free will to choose faith in God.

It was a common belief in Job’s day that God’s wrath came upon us if we did something wrong. His friends figured Job must have committed a heinous sin to have so much misfortune befall him. In fact, Job began to think the same thing. But the One Job did not wonder about was God. Instead of being like Adam, who hid from God and then played the blame-game, Job stood firm, bent a knee, and asked God to forgive him for all his sins. His belief that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and that we are by nature sinful and unworthy to approach His throne resonates throughout the whole book.

Compassion

Pastor Mark Jeske

If this were reality TV, here's how the story would continue. "But while he was still a long way off, his father's security guards spotted him and relayed the message. The father gave strict orders that his wastrel offspring was never to set foot on the family estate again, and if he tried, the dogs should be set on him."

Here's how the Bible describes the father, your Father: "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20).

There is hardly a more beautiful description in the entire Bible of grace, which is God's decision to love unlovable people because of Jesus' willing death on Calvary. Jesus wants you to know that you can always count on the Father's mercy, because it is not based on your performance.

Compassion means that the father felt his son's shame and pain. And get this: he didn't make his son crawl. The father ran to embrace his prodigal bonehead. Wouldn't you like to be in your heavenly Father's embrace right now?  

A New Song

Written by Barbara Alpert

Rediscover the heart of worship with today’s free lesson: Celebrating God

  “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to or God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”(Psalm 40:1-3, emphasis mine)  

God seeks to put a new song in the mouths of many; a song of victory and praise in lieu of heartache. Out of love, God seeks to touch countless lives with mercy, grace, favor, restoration, and breakthroughs beyond reckon. It’s awesome when God steps in and does the seemingly impossible. Those touched by God’s abundant love cannot help but to sing praises unto Him, the maker of new songs.

About Right From The Knees

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. - Colossians 4:2

Getting Started

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What is the value of prayer?

Watchman Nee said, "Our prayers lay the track down which Gods power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails."

We too believe that prayer makes a difference for the one being prayed for, but also for the one doing the praying. We believe that prayer is communication with God. We believe that God is mighty, but that He is also mysterious. We don't always understand why He answers some prayers but is silent at other times. We believe prayer is the glue sticks your heart to God's...and to the hearts of the people you pray for.

LIMITLESS FORGIVENESS

 "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?"  Matthew 18:33

MATTHEW 18: 21-35

Peter thought he was being very generous by offering to forgive his brother seven times in one day, but Jesus said he should forgive him 490 times in one day. It would be impossible to have someone sin against you 490 times in one day. Jesus is actually saying that there should be no limit to our forgiveness.

When we are offended or hurt, we often feel justified in holding a grudge. The Old Testament law expressed this when it stated, "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (Ex. 21:23-25). Until the offense was paid, we did not feel free to forgive. However, God dealt with all men's offenses by placing sin upon the perfect Savior who was judged in place of every sinner of all time. To demand that others now earn our forgiveness is not Christ like. Jesus died for every man's sins, extending forgiveness to us while we were yet sinners, and we should do the same.

Onesiphorus The Man Who Was Kind to His Friend

Onesiphorus [Ŏne sĭph'o rŭs]—bringing advantage. A believer in Ephesus who befriended Paul (2 Tim. 1:16; 4:19).

From the description Paul gives us of Onesiphorus, he must have been a lovely character. In his revealing essay of this rare character, Alexander Whyte speaks of him as “an elder in the Church of Ephesus, and a better elder there never was.”

Much controversy has raged around Paul’s cameo of Onesiphorus. Was he adorning the brow of a living man with a garland? Or was he placing a wreath upon the tomb of a saint? Some see in Paul’s reference to “the house of Onesiphorus” a proof for the lawfulness of prayers for the dead. But Paul’s language does not constitute a prayer, but only a wish or exclamation. The dead are beyond the influence of our intercessions.

There are several traits of the admirable life of Onesiphorus we can profitably meditate upon:

Hide Or Seek? - The sin we try to cover up will eventually bring us down.

by Mart De Haan

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Read: Isaiah 30:8-18

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. —Proverbs 28:13

Bible in a Year:
Psalms 16-17; Acts 20:1-16

An Indianapolis patrolman ran into trouble while he was investigating a routine traffic mishap. He had interviewed witnesses, arrested one of the drivers, and written up the accident report. Then he noticed that the offending motorist was chewing on something that wasn’t gum. He was eating the report! 

Despite the officer’s efforts to retrieve the report, it was destroyed. But the delay was only temporary. The patrolman tracked down the witnesses again and recompiled the evidence.

The resistance and coverup that this Indiana officer encountered is similar to what Isaiah saw in the people of Israel centuries ago. 

The prophet was grieved as he watched his countrymen try to ignore and conceal the evidence of their sin. They, in effect, stuck their fingers in their ears while the Lord spoke (Isa. 30:9), and they encouraged their prophets to tell them only what they wanted to hear (v.10). They would rather hide than seek the mercy of God. Consequently, the Lord sent judgment on them (vv.12-17).

We can learn from Israel’s mistakes that an attempt at coverup won’t do any good. It’s only temporary. We must confess our sins to God and forsake them. Then we will know the joy of God’s forgiveness.

The sins that would entangle us
Must never be ignored;
For if we try to cover them
They'll pierce us like a sword. —Sper

The sin we try to cover up will eventually bring us down.

http://odb.org/1999/07/16/hide-or-seek/

What Are the Keys to God's Blessing?

I believe that the key to God’s blessings starts with obedience to His Word. We see this theme borne out through the Scriptures time after time where the Lord promises to bless those who will obey what He says.

Psalms 1:1-3
 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Proverbs 3:1-4
 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Jeremiah 7:23
 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 

Joshua 1:8
 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

James 1:22-25
 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Jeff Newman

gotquestions  http://www.learnthebible.org/what-are-the-keys-to-gods-blessing.html

What Is Jesus Doing Now?

Pastor Colin Smith

  

He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because... Hebrews 7:25

Many Christians have a good understanding of what Christ has done for us in the past through His death on the cross, and of what He will do for us in the future when He comes again in power and in glory. They are clear about what Christ has done for us yesterday, confident about what He will do for us tomorrow, but confused about what He is doing for us today.

Christ died to save you, but He also lives to keep you. It is through Christ's continuing work of intercession that we are sustained through every pressure, kept through every temptation and eventually brought into glory.

Christ prays for you

He always lives to intercede... Hebrews 7:25

This means that Jesus speaks to the Father on your behalf. He represents you and brings the specific needs that you have, and the particular situations that you are facing, before the Father.

There is a beautiful illustration of this in the Gospels. Jesus knew that Peter was going to come under great pressure after He was arrested. He had already told Peter, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." But Peter was sure that he was up to the challenge, confident that he could rise above that kind of failure.

Then Jesus said to Peter, "Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:31). Notice Jesus didn't say He had prayed that Peter would not fail, but that Peter's faith would not fail. God can use our failures as well as our triumphs. Jesus was saying, "Peter, you are going to come under great pressure. The enemy is going to attack you. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail."

That's exactly what happened. Jesus was arrested, and Peter was afraid and embarrassed. Satan really worked him over, and he failed big time. That might have been the end of Peter's story, but it wasn't. The reason? Christ had prayed for him, and His prayers always get answered.

That's why when Peter hit his lowest point and blew his testimony, his failure becomes an opportunity to discover the mercy of God. On the third day, Peter was among those who came to the tomb and discovered the risen Lord. A few days later, his faith renewed, the Lord restored Peter and commissioned him for ministry.

Seated on the throne

Such a high priest meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Hebrews 7:26

Now we are not to think of Jesus on His knees in heaven, agonizing in prayer on our behalf, as He did in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is seated on the throne in the position of authority, and His word is the angels' command.

Jesus Christ, your great High Priest, is aware of every circumstance of your life. Nothing escapes His attention. He speaks with authority in the presence of the Father, and His word releases the resources of heaven for the pressures and temptations you face today.

I wonder what Jesus is praying for you right now... That your faith may not fail? That you will be sustained under a great burden? That you will face up to an issue of sin and deal with it? It is marvelous to know that Christ intercedes for you. He will bring you through every circumstance of life. He lives for that very purpose.

That's this week's LifeKEY!

Colin S. Smith

This LifeKey is based on the message "Intercession," from the series, "Unlocking the Bible in Hebrews & James," preached on November 18, 2001.  

gotquestions  lifekeys@unlockingthebible.org