Faith

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The Price of a Godly Life

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on November 20, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , .

A Godly LifeThe Price of a Godly Life


Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12.

As the time comes for God’s final message to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through the humble, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified through the power of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be unconstrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of world will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of false teachers—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred.

The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. Religious bodies will appeal to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work they will become more bold and decided against those that keep the law of God.  All manner of wrath and hatred will be invoked against commandment keepers of God.

The words of Paul will be literally fulfilled, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” To human wisdom, all this now seems impossible; but as the restraining Spirit of God shall be withdrawn from men, and they shall be under the control of Satan, … there will be strange developments.

As we watch the daily newscasts we see this beginning to take place within the European Union.

The truth is, no man can serve God without enlisting against himself the opposition of the hosts of darkness.

What was the strength of those who in the past have suffered persecution for Christ’s sake? It was union with God, union with the Holy Spirit, union with Christ. It is this fellowship with the Saviour that will enable God’s people to endure to the end.

 

Watch and Be Sober

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on November 9, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

I Thessalonians 5 6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:6.

I read this in a book, and it greatly intrigued me, so thought it would be interesting to share.

Satan was once was, a happy, exalted angel who was called Lucifer. He coveted that which a created being cannot covet and that is that he wanted to be like the Most High God and ascend. He still bears a kingly form. His features are still noble, for he is an angel fallen. But the expression of his countenance is full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit, and every evil. That brow which was once so noble, I particularly noticed. His forehead commenced from his eyes to recede. I saw that he had so long bent himself to evil that every good quality was debased, and every evil trait was developed. His eyes were cunning, sly, and showed great penetration. His frame was large, but the flesh hung loosely about his hands and face. As I beheld him, his chin was resting upon his left hand. He appeared to be in deep thought. A smile was upon his countenance, which made me tremble, it was so full of evil and satanic slyness. This smile is the one he wears just before he makes sure of his victim, and as he fastens the victim in his snare, this smile grows horrible.

The people of God must be prepared to withstand the wily foe. It is this resistance that Satan dreads. He knows better than we do the limit of his power and how easily he can be overcome if we resist and face him. Through divine strength the weakest saint is more than a match for him and all his angels, and if brought to the test he [the weakest saint] would be able to prove his superior power. Therefore Satan’s step is noiseless, his movements stealthy, and his batteries masked.…

Man is Satan’s captive and is naturally inclined to follow his suggestions and do his bidding. He has in himself no power to oppose effectual resistance to evil. It is only as Christ abides in him by living faith, influencing his desires and strengthening him with strength from above, that man may venture to face so terrible a foe. Every other means of defense is utterly vain.

 

Your Law and Testimony are My Light

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on September 29, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

IMG_0253Your Law and Testimony are My Light

                                                     נ    Nun

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path

106 I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.

107 I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD according to Your word.

108 Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your judgements.

109 My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.

111 Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart.

112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statues forever, to the very end.

Because of sin, the world is dark, spiritually dark.  God’s Word illuminates the way so that men and women may walk safely in spiritual darkness.  The light from God’s word is the light to guide him or her upon the spiritual path keeping us from stumbling.  Why? Because the path is beset with evil.

Peter confirmed this in his second letter where he says: And we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and morning star rises in your hearts. II Peter 1:19.

Yet, we must obey the law and manifest great care in carrying out the law within our heart.  Therefore, we should pledge within our heart to obey the law, which shines its light upon our path.  We should cooperate with God to keep every worthwhile resolution of the heart because we have pledged our heart God.

Philippians 1:29 says: For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.  For you see, trials develop a noble character and teach us to rely upon God.  His word illuminates the Path that leads us to Christ, in which Christ then places His robe of Righteousness instead of our filthy rags.

Paul in his letter gives us the key as to how this is done, when he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.

Therefore, since Christ has promised to strengthen us, we should further resolve in our heart not to turn aside to find safety in sin, forgetting God’s law.  If we seek our safety in sin, we risk our life. But Christ gives us the strength to resist sin, and find comfort it His Law, which is a reflection of His character.

In verse 109 David reminds us that our life is continually in my hand because it is my choice and your choice if we follow God and when I choose God, then I place myself in His hands and thus out of the reach of the wicked that have laid a snare for me.  Therefore, I have not strayed from Your precepts and your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever.  Your precepts and Your testimonies are in my heart and cause it to rejoice for I have turned away from the world and stretch out my arm toward my God and My Saviour.  Therefore I will not regard iniquity in my heart and offer a prayer that I may be acceptable to God,  When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accept this disposition and effort as man’s best service and He makes up for the deficiency of man with His own divine merit.

Therefore, His word is my light to light my path as I travel to the Throne of God.