Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoary hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Before Abraham was, I am. I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. I that speak unto thee am he. You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I am he. Therefore I said unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins. Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. I have the keys of hell and of death. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. Vengeance belongeth unto me. I will recompense. The Lord shall judge his people. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Surely I come quickly. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
(Isaiah 44:24, 42:8, 43:15 & 10, Deut 32:39; Psalm 50:7, Isaiah 48:12, 43:11,12 &13; Isaiah 48:17, 41:10, 43:25, 46:4, 51:16, Malachi 3:6; John 14:6 &11, 8:58, 6:35, 11:25, 4:26, 8:23, 9:9, 8:24, Revelation 1:17 &18, 21:6, Isaiah 45:22; Isaiah 45:18, Jeremiah 9:24, Hebrews 10:30, Revelation 16:15, 22:12, 22:20, Isaiah 46:10)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thursday, September 03, 2009
"Christians" Fit For the Museum
The following taken from Charles H. Spurgeon's, "Life's Ever Springing Well"
"We are all Christians.""Why, we belong to a Christian nation; are we not born Christians?""Surely we must be all right; we have always attended our parish church, is not that enough?""Our parents were always godly; we were born into the church, were we not? Did they not take us up in their arms when we were little, and make us members of Christ? What more do we lack?"
This is the common talk. There is no Christian practice, there is no Christian habit, but what has been, or will be before long, imitated by people who have no vital godliness whatever. A man may appear much like a Christian, and yet possess no vital godliness!
Walk through the British Museum, and you will see all the orders of animals standing in their various places, and exhibiting themselves with the utmost possible propriety. The rhinoceros demurely retains the position in which he was set at first;the eagle soars not through the window; the wolf howls not at night; every creature,whether bird, beast, or fish, remains inthe particular glass case allotted to it. But you all know well enough that these are not the living creatures, but only the outward forms of them.
Yet in what do they differ? Certainly in nothing which you could readily see, for the well stuffed animal is precisely like what the living animal would have been; and that eye of glass even appears to have more of brightness in it than the natural eye of the creature itself. Yet you know well enough that there is a secret inward something lacking, which,when it has once departed, you cannot restore.
So in the churches of Christ, many professors are not living believers, but stuffed believers, Stuffed Christians! There is all the external of religion, everything that you could desire, and they behave with agreat deal of propriety, too. They all keep their places, and there is no outward difference between them and the living, except upon that vital point; they lack spiritual life. This is the essential distinction, spiritual life is absent.
It is almost painful to watch little children when some little pet of theirs has died, how they can hardly realize the difference between death and life! Your little boy's bird moped for awhile upon its perch, and at last dropped down in the cage;and do not you remember how the little boy tried to set it up, and gave it seed, and filled its glass with water, and was quite surprised to think that birdie would not open his little eye upon his friend as it did before, and would not take its seed, nor drink its water!
Ah, you finally had to tell the poor boy that a mysterious something had gone from his little birdie, and would not come back again.
There is just such a spiritual difference between the mere professor, and the genuine Christian. There is an invisible, but most real, indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the absence or the presence of which makes all the difference between the lost sinner and the saint.
"We are all Christians.""Why, we belong to a Christian nation; are we not born Christians?""Surely we must be all right; we have always attended our parish church, is not that enough?""Our parents were always godly; we were born into the church, were we not? Did they not take us up in their arms when we were little, and make us members of Christ? What more do we lack?"
This is the common talk. There is no Christian practice, there is no Christian habit, but what has been, or will be before long, imitated by people who have no vital godliness whatever. A man may appear much like a Christian, and yet possess no vital godliness!
Walk through the British Museum, and you will see all the orders of animals standing in their various places, and exhibiting themselves with the utmost possible propriety. The rhinoceros demurely retains the position in which he was set at first;the eagle soars not through the window; the wolf howls not at night; every creature,whether bird, beast, or fish, remains inthe particular glass case allotted to it. But you all know well enough that these are not the living creatures, but only the outward forms of them.
Yet in what do they differ? Certainly in nothing which you could readily see, for the well stuffed animal is precisely like what the living animal would have been; and that eye of glass even appears to have more of brightness in it than the natural eye of the creature itself. Yet you know well enough that there is a secret inward something lacking, which,when it has once departed, you cannot restore.
So in the churches of Christ, many professors are not living believers, but stuffed believers, Stuffed Christians! There is all the external of religion, everything that you could desire, and they behave with agreat deal of propriety, too. They all keep their places, and there is no outward difference between them and the living, except upon that vital point; they lack spiritual life. This is the essential distinction, spiritual life is absent.
It is almost painful to watch little children when some little pet of theirs has died, how they can hardly realize the difference between death and life! Your little boy's bird moped for awhile upon its perch, and at last dropped down in the cage;and do not you remember how the little boy tried to set it up, and gave it seed, and filled its glass with water, and was quite surprised to think that birdie would not open his little eye upon his friend as it did before, and would not take its seed, nor drink its water!
Ah, you finally had to tell the poor boy that a mysterious something had gone from his little birdie, and would not come back again.
There is just such a spiritual difference between the mere professor, and the genuine Christian. There is an invisible, but most real, indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the absence or the presence of which makes all the difference between the lost sinner and the saint.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Have You Seen the Light?
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith.
Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
(1Jo 1:5, 1Ti 6:16, Mt 4:16, Jn 8:12, Jn 12:46, Jn 1:5, Jn 3:19, Rom 13:12, 2 Co 4:6, Ac 26:18, Lu 11:35, Lu 11:34, Mt 6:23, Eph 5:14)
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith.
Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
(1Jo 1:5, 1Ti 6:16, Mt 4:16, Jn 8:12, Jn 12:46, Jn 1:5, Jn 3:19, Rom 13:12, 2 Co 4:6, Ac 26:18, Lu 11:35, Lu 11:34, Mt 6:23, Eph 5:14)
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Sin Seeks To Devour
I confess that when I first saw the clip below I laughed. But, then a sober thought entered my mind. This is a picture of man and sin.
Man is tempted with sin. Sin appears harmless, maybe playful or even cute. It seems a little thing that one could surely control. Then the first bite comes. It is not so bad. Just a little nip. Enough to entice you to go back for more. So you do.
Eventually, the real bite will come. It will be painful. Yet sin will laugh at your pain. Sin will mock your tears. It will show no pity. Sin will pride itself in what it has done to you. Given opportunity, it will destroy you and enjoy doing it! What do you suppose would have happened if Harry would have put his finger back in Charlie’s mouth? No doubt Charlie would have bitten harder, maybe even drawn blood.
Something to think about when you watch the clip below.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” - 1 Peter 5:8
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Man is tempted with sin. Sin appears harmless, maybe playful or even cute. It seems a little thing that one could surely control. Then the first bite comes. It is not so bad. Just a little nip. Enough to entice you to go back for more. So you do.
Eventually, the real bite will come. It will be painful. Yet sin will laugh at your pain. Sin will mock your tears. It will show no pity. Sin will pride itself in what it has done to you. Given opportunity, it will destroy you and enjoy doing it! What do you suppose would have happened if Harry would have put his finger back in Charlie’s mouth? No doubt Charlie would have bitten harder, maybe even drawn blood.
Something to think about when you watch the clip below.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” - 1 Peter 5:8
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Are We Compromised?
"And there was no room for Him at the inn.
He got a bit older, there was no room in His family. His family turned on Him.
He went to the temple, no room in the temple, the temple turned on Him.
And when He died there was no room to bury Him. He died outside of the city.
Then why in God's name do you expect to be accepted everywhere?
How is it that the world couldn't get on with the holiest man that ever lived and can get on with you and me?
Are we compromised?
Have we no spiritual stature?
Have we no righteousness that reflects on their corruption?"
~ Leonard Ravenhill
He got a bit older, there was no room in His family. His family turned on Him.
He went to the temple, no room in the temple, the temple turned on Him.
And when He died there was no room to bury Him. He died outside of the city.
Then why in God's name do you expect to be accepted everywhere?
How is it that the world couldn't get on with the holiest man that ever lived and can get on with you and me?
Are we compromised?
Have we no spiritual stature?
Have we no righteousness that reflects on their corruption?"
~ Leonard Ravenhill
Sunday, June 28, 2009
So, What Is That To You?
Following taken from the sermon preached by Jim McClarty titled Introduction to the Gospel of John. http://www.gcaarchive.com/john.shtml
“Burn this into your consciousness and your thinking. Jesus said, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”
So much of our Christian life is spent looking horizontal, looking at other people. What about them, Lord? What about them? I’m working hard here Lord. I’m serving you. I’m doing all the right stuff and him, he gets a new car. I can’t afford a new car and he’s got a new car. He’s no better than me. Why, Lord?
Or…
“You know I’m serving you, I’m doing fine, Lord and I’m stricken again with some disease, I’m stricken again with some discomfort. I’ve got to suffer again, Lord. Why? Why? He’s not suffering. He’s doing fine, look at him. And he’s just barely nominally Christian and I’m serving you and look at me.”
The answer is always going to be, every time you try to look at somebody else and try to draw a comparison between your Christianity and their Christianity, the answer is always: “What is that to you?” When did you become the central point here between what God is doing with Ron? God is working on Ron individually, specifically, personally. So whatever he’s doing with Ron is what He’s doing with Ron. But, what He’s doing with Kate, might be something else.
So it’s not fair for Kate to look at Ron and say, “Well, my Christianity is not going the way Ron’s is going.” The answer is… “So. What is that to you?” God will deal with you. God will deal with Ron.
As soon as you start that horizontal comparing thing, as soon as you start getting concerned about what everybody else is doing or somebody else is doing, you have moved Christ away from that central point He must have in every aspect of your life.
And so Jesus said to Peter, “What is it to you if I decide he’s going to live until I come back. What is that to you? You follow me.”
See, your Christian relationship is a completely one-on-one relationship. Your relationship with Christ isn’t supposed to look like somebody else’s relationship with Christ. It’s two different relationships…
…God deals with individuals. Whenever you get frustrated by what God is doing with somebody else, pull that phrase out again… “What is that to you? Follow me.””
“Burn this into your consciousness and your thinking. Jesus said, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”
So much of our Christian life is spent looking horizontal, looking at other people. What about them, Lord? What about them? I’m working hard here Lord. I’m serving you. I’m doing all the right stuff and him, he gets a new car. I can’t afford a new car and he’s got a new car. He’s no better than me. Why, Lord?
Or…
“You know I’m serving you, I’m doing fine, Lord and I’m stricken again with some disease, I’m stricken again with some discomfort. I’ve got to suffer again, Lord. Why? Why? He’s not suffering. He’s doing fine, look at him. And he’s just barely nominally Christian and I’m serving you and look at me.”
The answer is always going to be, every time you try to look at somebody else and try to draw a comparison between your Christianity and their Christianity, the answer is always: “What is that to you?” When did you become the central point here between what God is doing with Ron? God is working on Ron individually, specifically, personally. So whatever he’s doing with Ron is what He’s doing with Ron. But, what He’s doing with Kate, might be something else.
So it’s not fair for Kate to look at Ron and say, “Well, my Christianity is not going the way Ron’s is going.” The answer is… “So. What is that to you?” God will deal with you. God will deal with Ron.
As soon as you start that horizontal comparing thing, as soon as you start getting concerned about what everybody else is doing or somebody else is doing, you have moved Christ away from that central point He must have in every aspect of your life.
And so Jesus said to Peter, “What is it to you if I decide he’s going to live until I come back. What is that to you? You follow me.”
See, your Christian relationship is a completely one-on-one relationship. Your relationship with Christ isn’t supposed to look like somebody else’s relationship with Christ. It’s two different relationships…
…God deals with individuals. Whenever you get frustrated by what God is doing with somebody else, pull that phrase out again… “What is that to you? Follow me.””
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