Friday 29 November 2013

New Blog Post: "Springs in the Valley – Mrs Charles E. Cowman"



For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills. A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and honey. A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
(Deut. 8:7-10)

We are entering upon a new year – surely we cannot but believe, a new age. If we have rightly learned the lessons of the past, there lies before us a heritage of unspeakable blessing, which none of these vivid metaphors can too strongly describe; infinite sources of blessing, for the fountains and waterbrooks are but the figures of God’s illimitable grace. For with Him is the fountain of life.

A Fountain Fed by Eternal Springs!

They tell us of boundless supply: “Bread without scarceness,” the olive oil that speaks of the Holy Ghost, the honey that tells of the sweetness of His love, and the pomegranates that are the seed fruit which speak of a life that reproduces itself in the blessing of others.
They tell of the “nether springs” which flow from the depths of sorrow in the hard places, in the desert places, in the lone places, in the common places which seem farthest from all that is sacred and Divine.
How delightful it is to have His gladness in the low places of sorrow, and to be able to glory even in tribulation also.
They tell us of pleasures that come out the very heart of trial, treasures wrung from the grasp of the enemy.
How precious the springs that flow into the places of temptation, for there is nothing in life so trying as the touch of Satan’s hand, and the breath of the destroyer. Oh, how sweet it is, even there, to find that the light is as deep as the shadow, and heaven is nearest when we are hard by the gates of hell, so that we can count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations, and can say, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love Him.”
How blessed to drink from the springs of health, and find our strength renewed day by day, and the life of God flowing into even our physical organs and functions!
           
“All my fresh springs are in thee!”

Beloved, God has for us these springs, and we need them every day. Let us drink of the living waters. Nay, let us receive them into our very hearts, so that we shall carry the fountain with us wherever we go. A.B.SIMPSON

Wednesday 27 November 2013

New Blog Post: THE WORD FOR TODAY



Your vision – you must ‘feel’ it!

…”Write The Vision And Make It Plain”… Habakkuk 2:2 NCJV

Habakkuk describes his vision as, ‘The burden which the prophet … saw’ (Habakkuk 1:1 NKJV). He saw ‘ it wherever he went. It drove him to his knees. He prayed, ‘O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?... Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble?... the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds’ (Habakkuk 1:2-4NKJV). Before God blesses you with a plan of action He will burden you with the problem you’ve been called to solve. Lewis Braille wanted to read and write. But at three years of age he was blinded in a tragic accident while playing in his father’s harness shop. Refusing to settle for a world of darkness he said, ‘I will make a system so that the blind can read and write.’ As a result, millions of sight-impaired people have been blessed by the Braille system.
The Psalmist cried: ‘  The zeal for (my Father’s) house has consumed me…’ (Psalm 69:9 NAS). What’s your all-consuming desire? What are you passionate about? What has God called and gifted you to do? Paul’s burning desire was to reach the world for Christ. And he succeeded. When his enemies imprisoned him, instead of giving in to defeat he turned his cell into a writer’s retreat and penned thirteen epistles that would change more lives after he left the world than he left the world than he could ever hope to touch while he was in it. What are you willing to give your life to, and for? If your vision is truly of God, you will ‘feel’ it.

Monday 25 November 2013

New Blog Post: In Touch Magazine – Charles Stanley - "HOPE: The Anchor of the Soul"



Hebrews 6:13-20
Hope is a healthy attitude. Anticipating good brings comfort to the mind and heart. In contrast, a state of hopelessness is a terrible condition in which to find oneself. It’s overwhelming and depressing to think that what you’re facing cannot be changed or resolved. For the person who has lost all hope, life looks like a long, dark tunnel going nowhere.
Included in Proverbs is a verse that describes the result of this oppressive feeling: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Prov. 13:23). Emotional, physical, and even trapped in a bleak situation. But I want to tell you, my friend, that as long as there is a God, no situation is hopeless. In Him, we have the promise of the second half of that proverb: “Desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Believers have a hope that anchors their souls. Our relationship with Jesus Christ brings us close to the throne of heaven, where we can cast all our burdens before an omnipotent God. Moreover, we can cling to Him through whatever trials are facing us. Because of the LORD’S great love, He provides strength for weary bodies, peace for anxious minds, and comfort for grieving hearts. In short, He lights that darkened tunnel and tenderly guides us through trying situations.
EARLY LIGHT
An anchor was a popular image in the ancient Mediterranean world. In an economy that depended on shipping, the anchor symbolized safety and steadiness. The writer of Hebrews used the word to remind believers that God has given a hope that holds firm in any storm.

Friday 22 November 2013

New Blog Post: "Your Will Be Done"



Psalm 40:7-8 ESV  Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I understand it is nothing for You to help me be with a few people or many who have no power. Help me Lord, for I need to rest in You and Your promises. I know that You will not wait for me to free myself from evil habits, or to make myself good, or to feel glad or happy. Your one desire is that I put my will into Your hands in everything I do. I commit my will and ways to You in Jesus Christ. Please show Yourself strong in my life, Lord. I humble myself before You. I want my life to be totally dependent upon You and no one else. I am Yours; Yes, Lord, I am Yours and no one else’s. This is the hope that is anchored within my soul that is both sure and steadfast in Christ. Thank You for saving me and always taking care of me. I appreciate everything You do for me in Jesus Christ, my precious Lord. Amen.

We must have the desire to do God’s will within our hearts, minds, bodies, spirits, and souls. He asks us to obey His laws and decrees for they are written upon our hearts. We must portray the attitudes of obeying and serving Christ. We rest in His promises. We must not wait for Him to free us from our evil habits or to make ourselves feel good or feel or be happy. Our one and only desire should be to put our whole lives into the hands of God and commit our will and ways to Him. We must totally be dependent upon Him and want our spirits and souls to be safely anchored to Him so then we can be sure and steadfast in Him

Wednesday 20 November 2013

New Blog Post: "Don’t Look Back"



Luke 9:62 Jesus, said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Prayer
O my beloved God, I will not look back into my past sins anymore. My sins have been forgiven. I am a Christian. I can enjoy the riches of Christ. I am a citizen of the new kingdom. I have broken with the sins of the past and want nothing to hinder my relationship with God. I make a complete break with the world and all the sins within it. I want nothing to do with anything that is unrighteous, unholy, or ungodly. I repent from everything I do that does not honour the name of God. I am a disciple of the kingdom of God; I am keen to provide a service to God and do the things God has planned for me. I put my hand to the Plough and I am yoked to Christ Jesus. There is no turning back for me. I want to go onwards and upwards where one day I shall meet my God face to face. I cannot wait to hear those words from God my Father, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Amen.

The moment we meet with Jesus we should not look back to our old lifestyle any longer. God shows us no one puts their hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in His Kingdom. Our main desires should be we want to be in the service of God and totally dedicated and committed to give our lives to Him. Being half-hearted in our commitment to God is not an option for those who love Him. We cannot give our all to God and make the choices He wants us to make if we do things in our own strength. If we give our all to God, then we do not have any right to choose what we want to do. We should follow Jesus’ ideas and follow Him selectively. We should accept the Cross, the crown, and judgement as well as His mercy. We must be willing to abandon everything that gives us security, as our security should be focused on Jesus Christ. We must not let anything distract us from the manner of living He calls good and true.