wow. 3rd post.
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Haha. 2 posts in a day. Rare. =X
I was reading the book by John Piper titled " When the darkness will not lift"
He answered this question that I think some of us struggle to contend with at times.
The question is, "Will you be a hypocrite if you obey without joy?"
His reply is as follows.
"No, you will not be a hypocrite, if you know that joy is your duty, and repent that you don't have it, and ask God earnestly to restore the joy even as you do the deed. That is not the way a hypocrite thinks. That is the way a true Christian thinks in the fight for joy."
I was reading the book by John Piper titled " When the darkness will not lift"
He answered this question that I think some of us struggle to contend with at times.
The question is, "Will you be a hypocrite if you obey without joy?"
His reply is as follows.
"No, you will not be a hypocrite, if you know that joy is your duty, and repent that you don't have it, and ask God earnestly to restore the joy even as you do the deed. That is not the way a hypocrite thinks. That is the way a true Christian thinks in the fight for joy."
Courage
In First Chronicles 28:20 we read:
David said to Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; and don't fear or be dismayed, for the Lord your God - my God - will be with you. And He will not leave you or forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord."
I can go everywhere He tells me to go. Do anything He tells me to do. Weather any storm. Remain standing after any battle. Whatever He asks me to do, I can do it. Why? Because it's Christ in me Who gives me that strength.
Once that truth really sinks in, you approach even the most uncertain or volatile of circumstances with an attitude that says: "Hey Lord, if You want me to do this, I'm Yours. I'm all in. In fact, there's nothing else I'd rather do."
Why? Because such a believer has only one valid fear—the fear of not being in the center of His will. For the Christian, that's the safest place on earth. If God has called you into a war zone, the truly dangerous place to be is on your couch watching Seinfeld reruns!
Courage! We need it in this hour. More than at any other time, a lost and deceived world needs us to rise up boldly and say, "God, in Your strength, I'll say what You ask me to say, do what You ask me to do, and be what You've called me to be."
Excerpts from Pastor Bob, http://theactiveword.org
Courage and faith in God's plans and strength and covenant to pull us through.
David said to Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; and don't fear or be dismayed, for the Lord your God - my God - will be with you. And He will not leave you or forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord."
I can go everywhere He tells me to go. Do anything He tells me to do. Weather any storm. Remain standing after any battle. Whatever He asks me to do, I can do it. Why? Because it's Christ in me Who gives me that strength.
Once that truth really sinks in, you approach even the most uncertain or volatile of circumstances with an attitude that says: "Hey Lord, if You want me to do this, I'm Yours. I'm all in. In fact, there's nothing else I'd rather do."
Why? Because such a believer has only one valid fear—the fear of not being in the center of His will. For the Christian, that's the safest place on earth. If God has called you into a war zone, the truly dangerous place to be is on your couch watching Seinfeld reruns!
Courage! We need it in this hour. More than at any other time, a lost and deceived world needs us to rise up boldly and say, "God, in Your strength, I'll say what You ask me to say, do what You ask me to do, and be what You've called me to be."
Excerpts from Pastor Bob, http://theactiveword.org
Courage and faith in God's plans and strength and covenant to pull us through.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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