Building A Sure Foundation For Christian Growth

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Comment by R. Evan-Gombach on September 25, 2010 at 9:40pm

Grace and peace to all!
I thought I would add what the Cross means to us who have believed into Christ and the working power of the dying of the Lord Jesus in our experience today that we might also experience the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, filling up that which is lacking in His sufferings for the Body, which is the Church. The Christian who is to function in the power of His resurrection must also first experience the power of His death. No Calvary, no Pentecost. That is a blessing God wants each and every one of His children to know in living and vibrant experience. The cross is the tool that the Holy Spirit uses to put us to death that we might be filled with Christ, so that "death worketh in us, but life in you". Here is a little excerpt that I feel explains what our attitude towards God ought to be, but rarely seen in our day.
May the Lord bless and keep you all, and cause His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

Yours in the Beloved,
R. Evan-Gombach


The Secret of Rest
Marshall Broomhall

The secret of his (Hudson Taylor's) rest of heart, amid such tempests of hate, was his refusal to look at second causes. His times were in God's hands. He believed that it was with God, and GOD ALONE, he had to do. This is strikingly brought out in his article entitled ''Blessed Adversity.'' With the experiences of Job as his text, he wrote:

''Even Satan did not presume to ask God to be allowed himself to afflict Job. In the first chapter and the eleventh verse he says: 'Put forth Thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face.' Satan knew that none but God could touch Job; and when Satan was permitted to afflict him, Job was quite right in recognizing the Lord Himself as the doer of these things which He permitted to be done.

''Oftentimes shall we be helped and blessed if we bear in mind that Satan is servant, and not master, and that he and wicked men incited by him are only permitted to do that which God by His determinate council and foreknowledge has before determined shall be done. Come joy, or come sorrow, we may always take it from the hand of God.

''Judas betrayed his Master with a kiss. Our Lord did not stop short at Judas, nor did He even stop short at the great enemy who filled the heart of Judas to do this thing; but He said: 'the cup which My FATHER hath given Me, shall I not drink it?'

''How the tendency to resentment and a wrong feeling would be removed, could we take an injury from the hand of a loving Fa­ther, instead of looking chiefly at the agent through whom it comes to us! It matters not who is the postman--it is with the writer of the letter that we are concerned; it matters not who is the messenger--it is with God that His children have to do.

''We conclude, therefore, that Job was not mistaken, and that we shall not be mistaken if we follow his example, in accepting all God's providential dealings as from Himself. We may be sure that they will issue in ultimate blessings; because God is GOD, and therefore, 'all things work together for good to them that love Him.'

With peaceful mind thy path of duty run:
God nothing does, nor suffers to be done,
But thou wouldst do the same if thou couldst see
The end of all events as well as He.''

(From The Man Who Believed God, by Marshall Broomhall)

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 25, 2010 at 4:58pm

WHENEVER TESTES COME I RUN TO GOD THROUGH WHATEVER WAY I CAN GAIN INSIGHT IN DOING SO I CAME ACROSS THIS AND IT GAVE ME SOME ENLIGHTENMENT HOPE IT DOES THE SAME FOR YOU LOVE YOU


Waiting is one of the most difficult things to do, whether we're waiting for an airline flight, a phone call or an answered prayer. We become impatient and wonder why everyone else is holding us up and keeping us from getting what we want. It seems like the more we want something, the harder it is to wait - and we even get impatient with God!

But we have to remember that God's timing is different than our own. He sees things from a different perspective and sees the whole picture, not just what we want, but what is best for us in the grand plan for our lives. All is part of a divine order and will be done in its own right and proper time. Of course, when we are hoping, praying and waiting for something, it's easy to forget this. After all, waiting is "remaining inactive in one place while expecting something." And being inactive means feeling powerless and at the mercy of the world - nobody likes that feeling. But we must keep in mind God's greater plan and his perfect timing:

"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28

"Trust in Him at all times, O people."
Psalm62:8



We affirm God's Perfect Timing . Trusting in God, to see His will and perfect order unfold in our lives.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 25, 2010 at 4:52pm

What are YOU Waiting For?

What are you waiting for in your life? A new job, financial security, healing, a baby, a restored marriage? It seems that no matter where we are in our lives, we are waiting for something in the future. Our lives are never stagnant; if we are moving forward, there is always something to expect or wait for around the next bend in the road of our lives.

There are many stories of "waiting" in the Bible. In some stories, the waiting seemed to last forever, while others only waited a few intense moments. The key to waiting is not the length of time but how we handle the wait. The Bible teaches us that we should "wait on the Lord." We must look with confidence and expectation toward the future, trusting that God will fulfill our waiting in good and proper time.

There are three actions that will help you wait on the Lord patiently and with faith, knowing and believing that He will help:

1. Trust - If we doubt God's willingness to hear and answer our prayer, we may begin to feel bitter when we think God has heard our prayer but is silent. Scripture teaches us that God is unchangeable, which means He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and we can always rely on Him to provide the best possible path for our lives! God said that He will never leave us or forsake us. If He seems silent now, it is because He has another plan, different timing or a way to answer our prayer that has not been revealed to us yet. We must trust in His plan.

2. Resist - We must resist the temptation to take matters into our own hands. Patience is powerful. Having patience is essential in many circumstances and the Holy Spirit is here to fill us with this patience when we feel we cannot wait another minute on God. The safest place we can rest is in God's Will. When we rest here, resisting temptation is easy.

3. Pray - How many times have you given a prayer request to God and felt He was deaf? During these times, you need to keep on praying, but pray the right way. God always answers our prayers, but it may not be the way we want Him or expect Him to. It may be a yes, a no or something better. When we don't immediately get the answer we want, we have a tendency to repeat the same prayer over and over until we either lose our voice or simply give up. After we have given our need to the Lord, we must turn our request into a "Thank you," and an attitude of expectancy, and say, "Not my will, but Yours, Lord." When we thank the Lord in advance for answering our prayers, it is an active display of our faith that demonstrates to God our confident expectation that His awesome power will provide for us.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 24, 2010 at 8:54am

SOMETHING I CAME ACROSS AND WANT TO SHARE
If you’re like me, daily Bible reading is one of those important things that you know you need to be doing. How else can we get to know our heavenly Father? Here are some reasons we need to be “in the Word” every day:

To live: “People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God.” (Matt. 4:4).
For understanding: “As your words are taught, they give light; even the simple can understand them.” (Psa. 119:130).
To know the truth: Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32)
To be prepared/equipped: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
To grow: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
To increase your faith: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
For salvation: “The Holy Scriptures … are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15).
For comfort and hope: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
For enjoyment: “Thy Words were found, and I did eat Them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy Name, O Lord God of hosts.” (Jer. 15:16).
Because He said to: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (Col. 3:16). PLEASE CHEW ON THIS AND PASS IT ON IN LOVE, LOVE YOU ALCEDES

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 24, 2010 at 5:40am

Secrets to the Good Life

He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:10,11

Do you want to enjoy life and experience God’s goodness? This verse tells you how:

• Curb your tongue from speaking evil about anyone. Simply never say anything to hurt anyone.

• Refrain from double talk, from shrewd remarks that are designed to advance your interests at someone else’s disadvantage.

• Turn your back upon evil and, in every way possible, do good. Help people and bring blessings into their lives.

• Seek peace on earth and in your own heart; live so that peacefulness may flow from you to others.

Comment by BloodBought357 on September 22, 2010 at 8:02am

Brothers Alcedes and Bob;
Thanks to the both of you for such a warm welcome. I try to read the post here every day, in the morning if possable. I have found in my 65 years that there is nothing quite like starting the day with scripture and prayer. There is a way
Psa 107:4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to
dwell in. Psa 107:7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. We chose which of these ways to walk either the wilderness and solitary or the right way

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 21, 2010 at 6:53pm

Day 21:
Defeat Temptation

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

The way to overcome temptation is clear: Sincerely want God’s help; earnestly ask for it; believe you have it; act as God wants you to act. This will ma
ke you happy and give you confidence for the next temptation.LOVE YOU THROUGH THE LOVE OF JESUS OUR BIG BROTHER AND HIGH PRIEST

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 19, 2010 at 5:10am

Question: "Does everyone have a "God-shaped hole"?"

Answer: The “God-shaped hole” concept states that every person has a void in his soul/spirit/life that can only be filled by God. The “God-shaped hole” is the innate longing of the human heart for something outside itself, something transcendent, something “other.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 refers to God's placing of "eternity in man’s heart." God made humanity for His eternal purpose, and only God can fulfill our desire for eternity. All religion is based on the innate desire to “connect” with God. This desire can only be fulfilled by God, and therefore can be likened to a “God-shaped hole.”

The problem, though, is that humanity ignores this hole or attempts to fill it with things other than God. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the condition of our hearts: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Solomon reiterates the same concept: “The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live…” (Ecclesiastes 9:3). The New Testament concurs: “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so” (Romans 8:7). Romans 1:18-22 describes humanity ignoring what can be known about God, including presumably the “God-shaped hole,” and instead worshipping anything and everything other than God.

Sadly, too many spend their lives looking for something other than God to fill their longing for meaning—business, family, sports, etc. But in pursuing these things that are not eternal, they remain unfulfilled and wonder why their lives never seem satisfactory. There is no doubt that many people pursuing things other than God achieve a measure of “happiness” for a time. But when we consider Solomon, who had all the riches, success, esteem, and power in the world—in short, all that men seek after in this life—we see that none of it fulfilled the longing for eternity. He declared it all “vanity,” meaning that he sought after these things in vain because they did not satisfy. In the end he said, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Just as a square peg cannot fill a round hole, neither can the “God-shaped hole” inside each of us be filled by anyone or anything other than God. Only through a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ can the “God-shaped hole” be filled and the desire for eternity fulfilled.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 19, 2010 at 4:28am

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Fear always lurks among shadows. It thrives in darkness. A spiritually darkened mind is a breeding ground for terrifying fears. Flood the mind with light, and fears are driven off. Read your Bible, pray, fellowship with other Christians. The Lord’s strength will fill you and you will be afraid of nothing.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on September 2, 2010 at 1:56pm

Today's Word with Joel and Victoria

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And God Said…

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light"
(Genesis 1:3, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

When God commanded light to come forth, it came—at 186,000 miles per second! Friend, when God commands something, you can be sure that it's going to happen.

Just like He commanded the worlds to be formed, God has commanded that you be blessed. He has commanded that you prosper and increase. He has commanded that you be above only and not beneath. As a believer and follower of Jesus, you are called to be the head and not the tail. If you will get into agreement with God and not let other people or your own thoughts talk you out of it, then you will see this commanded blessing take you further than you ever thought possible.

Today, set your heart and mind on His goodness. Believe that He is ready to take you places that you've never dreamed. Receive His promises because He is faithful. If God said it, He will do it! Get ready because He is pouring out His blessing on every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness. Thank You for the power in Your Word to change my world. I choose to get into agreement with You and declare that Your will be done in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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