Verse of the day — Hebrews 10:5
Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
Hebrews 10:5(NASB)
Open Windows by T. Austin-Sparks
Understanding the Church
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know.... (Ephesians 1:18 NIV)
The Holy Spirit's illumination concerning the church is a thing so difficult to explain to any who may not have experienced it. But to those who have seen it, it needs no explanation. It makes such a difference on all these matters. You will be able to preach Ephesians, Colossians, Romans; preach all about the church as the Body of Christ; you may read it all in books, and still there may be no real expression of it. Then one day it is as though the heavens opened and the thing broke upon your spirit, and you saw it; and all kinds of adjustments became necessary in life. You can say I saw that the church was no denominational or national thing; I believed in the oneness of all believers. Yes, you can say all that! And yet there is something more. That something can only come by revelation. You can have the other, and it will just take you so far. But get that something more, and it will take you a long way ahead. It brings you into the realm of the conflict and cost, but you are out in an altogether new realm. It is necessary to God end.
It is one thing to say these things and point them out and emphasize them; you say: "How do you get it? We see what you mean, it is all quite clear, but we have not got it!" Well, if you really are of the undivided heart, if your heart is wholly set upon the Lord and you see as far as you can see these things, and have very definite dealings with the Lord about it; (it may not be in a day, it may be slowly, steadily, quietly) you begin to move into a new realm of understanding. And you find that your point of view changes; your standard of values changes; your insight changes. It may take months, but at the end of the time you say: "I am changed! Something has happened to me. I can no longer accept what I used to accept!" It may be like that, or it may come in a flash. How it comes does not matter very much, the fact is the importance of this thing spiritual illumination. The apostle prayed that these to whom he wrote might have it. Let us pray that we might have it, and that all the Lord people might come into that.
Morning Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
The fruit of the Spirit is . . . peace.
To be spiritually minded is life and peace.
God has called us to peace. § Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. § The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. § You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. § Whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.
Great peace have those who love your law.
Gal. 5:22; Rom. 8:6; 1 Cor. 7:15; John 14:27 Rom. 15:13; 2 Tim. 1:12; Isa. 26:3; Isa. 32:17,18; Prov. 1:33; Ps. 119:165
Evening Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
THE LORD IS THERE.
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them.
I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. § Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. I will acquit them… of bloodshed, whom I had no acquitted; for the Lord dwells in Zion. § “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. § There shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
Ezek. 48:35; Rev. 21:3; Rev. 21:22,23; Ps. 17:15; Ps. 73:25; Joel 3:20,21; Zech. 2:10; Rev. 22:3
None but the Hungry Heart by Miles Stanford
The Greatest
We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
We first come to know something of the Lord Jesus' love by what He did for us; but that is only the basis for coming to know His love in what He is to us. The first is known at the Cross, the latter is entered into through personal fellowship with the risen Lord.
"There are three steps in appreciation of His love for us. First, I learn that He loves me so much that He saved me. He is our treasure My Beloved is mine' (S.S. 6:3). The second step of affection is the consciousness that He loves me so much that He has a right to me. He would have me for Himself. I am my Beloved's' (S.S. 6:3).
"The third step is the consciousness that He loves me so much that He wants my company His desire is toward me' (S.S. 7:10). Love's delight is found in the company of its object. May we know in a deeper way, and in a fuller measure, the sweetness of personal intimacy with the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me' (Gal. 2:20).
"Much ministry is lost upon us as to any practical result, because we are not prepared to be detached from things here, so as to be simply here for Christ. And the preparation for this is to come personally under the influence of the blessed attractiveness of the Lord Jesus. When we sit under His shadow with great delight, everything else becomes so small, and loses its hold upon our hearts." -C.A.C.
"But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18).
Devotional Studies by Elizabeth Haworth
Words and Meanings - Growing In Grace (23)
Growing In Grace - STUDY
He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:18Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in union with the Messiah Jesus.
Romans 8:1
Text and Context
Every word in scripture must be taken in context, to prevent error. Failing to do this has resulted in much misunderstanding of God and His Word. Examples of such ‘words’ could be carnal; flesh; spiritual; salvation; repent; confess; world; condemnation. Some ‘spiritualise’ every word to the detriment of Scripture. Others take ‘metaphors of comparison’ literally, which distorts the meaning. Still others spiritualise passages that should be interpreted literally and some impose their own definition on a word, relating it to their own, unbiblical perception or reading a meaning into the text, based on their own built-in biases. Too often this misses an important truth about God or an important truth from God, resulting in a partial understanding of God’s Word, and missing much that God seeks to teach us through His Word.
Dispensational Understanding
Some mix-up passages that are addressed to specific groups of people, in different dispensations, which inevitably causes confusion and can often cause the unchangeable character of God to become distorted. Others fail to understand that the unchanging God deals differently with Israel and Christians. Instructions given to Israel are certainly for our learning but not always for our application. David, for instance, prayed that the Holy Spirit would not be taken from him. This is not a prayer for today, for every believer has been given the permanently indwelling Spirit, whereas before the cross, the Spirit only ‘came upon’ certain chosen people and could be withdrawn. And so to a greater of lesser degree the truth of God’s Word is distorted, and this to our detriment. In one way or another, we miss the point of all that God desires to teach us.
No Condemnation
One of the
read more
Knowing Jesus Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth
Come To Me
If you love me, you will keep my commandments….
John 14:15..and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
Love Him
Love me – just love me – not for what I can do for you. Love me for Who I Am. And I will be with you – and my presence shall go with you. My presence brings peace. My indwelling Spirit will guard and guide. My peace, like a gently flowing stream, will wash away pain and cleanse vexation.
Trust Him
Trust Me – just trust Me.. not for what I can give you. Trust me for Who I Am and no evil will harm you, though you may go through the mire. Come to Me – seek Me – talk with Me – repose in Me. Come away and rest – rest awhile with Me – remain in Me and rest in Me and quit your struggling and quiet your heart. Loving Me and trusting Me is the key. Trusting love and loving trust – is what I seek.
Obey Him
For if you love Me and trust Me you will do the things I say and obey my Word.. and you will fly to My arms – the arms of your first Love.. to do the first works.. and we shall sup together, on the fruit of the tree of life. Do not fear what today may bring. Have I not guarded and protected you ’til now? Do not fret what the future holds – am I not sufficient to supply all your needs?
Hope in Him
And your desires… ? Just patiently endure.. and to patience add experience.. and to experience add hope. And bind hope tightly to loving trust.. and intertwine hope with trusting love. Hope thou in God: and you shall yet praise Him, for He is the health of your soul. Ps.42:5. Hope with certainty.. for hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto
read more