by Oswald Chambers
. . . you may be partakers of the divine nature . . . —2 Peter 1:4
We are made “partakers of the divine nature,” receiving and sharing God’s own nature through His promises. Then we have to work that divine nature into our human nature by developing godly habits. The first habit to develop is the habit of recognizing God’s provision for us. We say, however, “Oh, I can’t afford it.” One of the worst lies is wrapped up in that statement. We talk as if our heavenly Father has cut us off without a penny! We think it is a sign of true humility to say at the end of the day, “Well, I just barely got by today, but it was a severe struggle.” And yet all of Almighty God is ours in the Lord Jesus! And He will reach to the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us if we will only obey Him. Does it really matter that our circumstances are difficult? Why shouldn’t they be! If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we remove God’s riches from our lives and hinder others from entering into His provision. No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests. It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges— always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied. And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives.
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by Bill Wilson
The man who occupies the Oval Office used Jesus as one of the reasons he is supporting same sex marriage. Anyone who supports same sex marriage and claims to be a Christian is not following the "Jesus" of the Bible, Yeshua Ha Mashiach. In fact, the president’s concept on this particular issue demonstrates his lack of Christianity by cherry picking verses to support his position. But then again, isn’t that the hallmark of much of the Christian church these days? Isn’t this at least part of the reason why America is in the condition it is in? Many pastors are preaching a different gospel from the pulpit than what is written in scriptures, turning generations away from the ancient path.
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by Vance Havner
The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. 1 Corinthians 1:18
It was foolishness to the world then and it still is. Religion is very popular today and some are misled by that fact. A scared and desperate generation, having tried all else, is considering religion. But they do not want the preaching of the cross. Jesus the Example and Teacher maybe, Christianity as a lovely philosophy, but not a crucified Saviour. That is still “foolishness” to this age and ever will be.
And to most church members the counterpart of Christ’s death for our sin, our death with Him and resurrection to walk with Him in newness of life, is just as unpopular. Call upon the average congregation to live out Romans 6, with its “reckon,” “yield,” and “obey,” and you will hear few “amens.”
The preaching of the cross in its meaning for sinner and saint is still “foolishness” to sinners and distasteful to not a few saints.
by Vance Havner
by Nathan Jones
I was all prepared for a firestorm of protest from the pro-gay lobby when we published Dr. Reagan’s article on homosexuality as an end times sign in our e-newsletter and blog. What I wasn’t prepared for was how the primary opposition didn’t turn out to be gays, but instead were fellow Christians who "love Jesus more than anything in this world."
These professing Christians inundated our email box and the comments section claiming we were "throwing stones" by "condemning others." We were "very cruel" and "hostile," leaving them with a "bitter taste." We were "complete ignoramuses" who were spewing "lies spread by bigots." And, of course, we were what now has become the stereotype of anyone who says homosexuality is a sin — "hateful homophobes." These last two labels are the world’s buzz words wielded effectively to bludgeon any opposition into quiet submission. And these were the brethren!
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by J.C. Ryle
The Christianity which is from the Holy Spirit will always have a very deep view of the sinfulness of sin. It will not merely regard sin as a blemish and misfortune, which makes men and women objects of pity, and compassion. It will see in sin the abominable thing which God hates, the thing which makes people guilty and lost in his Maker’s sight, the thing which deserves God’s wrath and condemnation. It will look on sin as the cause of all sorrow and unhappiness, of strife and wars, of quarrels and contentions, of sickness and death – the curse which cursed God’s beautiful creation, the cursed thing which makes the whole earth groan and struggle in pain. Above all, it will see in sin the thing which will ruin us eternally, unless we can find a ransom, – lead us captive, except we can get its chains broken, – and destroy our happiness, both here and hereafter, except we fight against it, even unto death.
by J.C. Ryle
by Vance Havner
O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Ezra 9:6
Jeremiah lamented in a verse found twice in his book (6:15; 8:12) that his generation knew no shame and could not blush. He declared that God’s blessing had been withheld because they refused to be ashamed (3:3). Ezra is ashamed and blushes for the sins of his people.
People used to blush when they were ashamed. Now they are ashamed if they blush. Modesty has disappeared and a brazen generation with no fear of God before its eyes mocks at sin. There is no revival, because even God’s people will not humble themselves in sorrow for sin. Nothing is more needed than a sense of shame.
God give us Ezras and Jeremiahs who are ashamed and blush for their day and generation instead of defending it, lightly regarding the hurt of the land, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace. We are so fond of being called tolerant and broad-minded that we wink at sin when we ought to weep.
by Vance Havner
by A.B. Simpson
Reckon ye also yourselves to be . . . alive unto God—Romans 6:11
Death is but for a moment; life is forever. Let us live, then, as children of the resurrection, finding His glorious life more and more abundant, and the fullness of this life will repel the intrusion of self and sin and overcome evil with good. Then our existence will not be the dreary repression of our own struggling, but the springing tide of Christ’s spontaneous overcoming life.
Once in a religious meeting a dear pastor gave us a most exhilarating talk on the risen life. Then another minister got up and talked for a long time on the necessity of self-crucifixion. A cold feeling came over us all and we could scarcely understand why. But after he had finished, one of the women clarified the whole situation by saying, "Pastor S. took us all out of the grave, and then Pastor P. put us back again. "
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