Christ Like Character

Love One Another.

It is written that love is the greatest of all gifts, and truly it is. Love is powerful, and there is power in love. Love brings joy to the soul, encouragement to the brokenhearted, and hope to the hopeless. Love conquers all things, overcomes all things, and endures all things. For love, this love that I speak of. It comes from God, poured forth like a mighty river flowing from the very heart of God himself.

Blessings, in the love of Christ.
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

"Blessed Is The Nation Whose God Is The Lord": Pray That God Will Send Revival In Our Time.

Isaiah 22:1-25
Here, we read about ‘the Valley of Vision’(1,5). The Lord Himself is to be our Vision: ‘Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art, Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping Thy presence my light’(Church Hymnary, 87). Down in the valley, the mountain-top experience seems a long way off. What are we to do when everything seems to be hard-going? When there seems to be no way out of the valley, no way back to the mountain-top, we must keep on ‘looking to Jesus’(Hebrews 12:1-2). In the ‘valley’, we must learn to say, ‘My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God’. Let your ‘valley’ become your ‘valley of vision’, the place where you are learning to ‘turn your eyes upon Jesus’(Mission Praise, 470,712).

Isaiah 23:1-18
Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is now of no account!’(13). To the nation which turns to Him, the Lord speaks His promise of blessing - ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord ...’(Psalm 33:12). To the nation which turns away from Him, God speaks His warning of judgment - ‘For lack of guidance a nation falls’(Proverbs 11:14). We must choose. Will we choose to listen to the Lord, to submit our lives to Him, to follow the guidance He has given to us in His Word? Or, will we ignore Him and go our own way? The way of the Lord leads to blessing - ‘Righteousness exalts a nation’. The way of self leads to judgment - ‘sin is a disgrace to any people’(Proverbs 14:34). What will it be? - ‘Look at the Babylonians...!’or ‘They will see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven’(Matthew 5:16).

24:1-23
‘They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord, exalt the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One”’(14-16). What a beautiful picture of a land that is enjoying God’s blessing, praising Him and giving glory to Him! Looking around us, we see a very different picture - ‘The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws... therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt’(5-6). Can the dark picture of sin and guilt be turned into the brigter picture of salvation and rejoicing? God ‘is able to do so much more than we can ask for, or even imagine’(Ephesians 3:20). Be bold. Pray that God will send revival in our time.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Satan Is A Very Determined Enemy. Satan Is A Defeated Enemy.

Isaiah 19:1-20:6
‘The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel my heritage”’(19:25). ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek... you are all one in Christ Jesus’(Galatians 3:28). How can people who seem to be opposites be brought together? Jesus Christ brings them together. He breaks down ‘the barrier’. He removes ‘the dividing wall of hostility’. We are brought ‘near’ to one another through ‘the blood of Christ’. We must come to ‘the Cross’ of Christ. There, at ‘the Cross’, we will find each other. We will discover what it means to be ‘one body’ in Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16). When Satan comes, creating misunderstanding, filling our minds with suspicion and undermining our hopes of peace, let’s remind him of God’s Word, ‘You are all one in Christ Jesus’.

Isaiah 21:1-17
We live in a situation of conflict. We are at war with the enemy. Satan is God’s enemy. Satan is our enemy. Satan is a very determined enemy. Satan is a defeated enemy. The words of verse 9 - ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon...’- , repeated again in Revelation 14:8; 18:2, assure us that Satan will not prevail over the Lord and His people. The victory is the Lord’s. He gives His victory to us. When the going gets tough, when Satan seems to have the upper hand, let’s remember this: ‘Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, but the King’s own army none can overthrow. Round His standard ranging, victory is secure, for His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure’. Let us not hesitate to commit ourselves to Christ: ‘Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine, we are on the Lord’s side; Saviour, we are Thine’(Church Hymnary, 479).

Don't Forget To Say, "Thank You, Lord."

Isaiah 16:1-17:3
‘In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a Man will sit on it - One from the house of David...’(5). This Man is more than ‘a descendant of David’. He is Jesus Christ, ‘the Son of God’(Romans 1:4). ‘Jesus, the Saviour reigns’. Jesus is ‘the King of Love’. He is ‘our great Redeemer... our God and King’. Let us worship ‘our glorious King’. Let us sing to Him, ‘Alleluia! What a Saviour!’. Let us, with heart and voice, ‘confess Him King of glory now’. He is ‘our King’. Let us ‘bring Him hearts that love Him’. Let us ‘bring Him thankful praise’. He puts His question to us: ‘Who will serve the King?’. Let us give our answer: We will ‘rise up’. We will ‘have done with lesser things’. We will ‘give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings’(Church Hymnary, 296,388,371,380,300,464,479,477).

Isaiah 17:4-18:7
‘You have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge’(10). How easy it is to forget! The Lord has loved us so much. We should remember to say, ‘Thank You’. Very often, we forget. When Jesus healed ten lepers, only ‘one of them came back’ to say ‘Thank You’. Far too often, we are like ‘the other nine’(Luke 17:11-19). We forget to thank Him for His love. We take His love for granted. We should be celebrating. We should be letting Him know how much we love Him. Don’t forget ‘your first love’(Revelation 2:4). Let Jesus be your first love. Let Him be your only love - for the whole of your life. ‘High heaven, that heard the solemn vow, that vow renewed shall daily hear; till in life’s latest hour I bow, and bless in death a bond so dear’(Mission Praise, 499).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Christ's Return - A Day Of Salvation And A Day Of Judgment

Isaiah 13:1-22
‘The Day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty... The Day of the Lord is coming - a cruel Day with wrath and fierce anger...’(6,9). Christ’s Return will be a Day of salvation - ‘the Day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed’. It will also be a Day of judgment - ‘When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven... He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord...’(2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Don’t let the Day of the Lord ‘surprise you like a thief’. It can be a Day of ‘salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’. Trust ‘Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath’(1 Thessalonians 5:1-4,9; 1:9-10).

Isaiah 14:1-23
We look beyond ‘the king of Babylon’(4). We see Satan, full of pride - ‘I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High’- , fallen - ‘How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer...’- , and brought to nothing - ‘you will be brought down to the pit of hell...’(12-15). We look also at ‘the king of Tyre’. Again, we see Satan - ‘you were on the holy mountain of God... you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God... your heart was proud... you have come to a dreadful end...’(Ezekiel 28:12-19). Satan (the devil) wages war against the Lord and His people. The final outcome of this war is certain - defeat for Satan. Christ has won the victory: By ‘the authority of Christ’, Satan ‘has been thrown down’. In Christ, we have the victory: ‘they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb ...’(Revelation 12:7-12).

Isaiah 14:24-15:9
‘My heart cries out for Moab’(5). Here, we see the loving heart of God. He takes ‘no pleasure in the death of the wicked’. He does ‘not want anyone to perish’. He longs for ‘everyone to come to repentance’(Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9). We see the loving heart of God in our Saviour, Jesus Christ: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!’. We see the loving heart of God in Paul. He sees the nation of Israel turning away from Israel. He is filled with compassion: ‘I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart’(Matthew 23:37; Romans 9:2). May God help us to feel for the lost, to look upon them with His love, to long for them to be saved.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Jesus Christ Has Brought To Us A Great Salvation.

Isaiah 9:1-10:4
The prophecy has been spoken - ‘To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given...’. The prophecy has been fulfilled - ‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord’. Jesus Christ is our great Saviour. He is our ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’(9:6: Luke 2:11). Jesus Christ has brought to us a great salvation. Through faith in Him, we enter God’s heavenly and eternal ‘Kingdom’(9:7: Luke 1:30-33). This is ‘Good News of great joy’- for ‘all the people’, for ‘all generations’. Let us rejoice in the Lord, as Mary, the mother of Jesus, did - ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour... for the Mighty One has done great things for me...’. Let us join with the angels in saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest...’(Luke 2:10; 1:46-50; 2:14).

Isaiah 10:5-34
‘A few, the remaining few of Jacob, will return to the Mighty God...’(21). So few people take time to worship the Lord. Are we to become discouraged? No! We must take encouragement from God’s Word: ‘The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame’(17). We must continue to pray for God’s blessing. ‘Let the flame burn brighter in the heart of the darkness, turning night to glorious day. Let the song grow louder as our love grows stronger; let it shine! let it shine!’. ‘Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory; blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire. Flow, river, flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy; send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light!’(Mission Praise, 743,445). May God give us grace to ‘truly rely on’ Him, ‘the Lord, the Holy One of Israel’(20).

Isaiah 11:1-12:6
The family tree of ‘Jesse, the father of King David’ has a very special ‘Branch’- Jesus Christ (11:1; Matthew 1:1,6,16). Jesus Christ has raised ‘a banner for the nations’. He is ‘the Saviour of the world’. He has died ‘for the sins of the whole world’. The ‘Good News’ is to be preached to ‘all the world’. Christ calls ‘all nations’ to ‘turn to Him’. He calls ‘all nations’ to receive the ‘forgiveness of sins’. He calls ‘all nations’ to become His ‘disciples’(12; John 4:42; 1 John 2:2; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; Matthew 28:19). May our personal faith - ‘I will praise You, O Lord... God is my Salvation... The Lord is my Strength and my Song...’- become our public testimony - making Christ ‘known among the nations’, telling ‘all the world’ what the Lord has done for us (12:1-2,4-5).

Immanuel - God with Us.

Isaiah 7:1-25
Isaiah looked ahead to the coming of ‘Immanuel’- ‘God with us’(14; Matthew 1:23). We look forward to the Second Coming of Immanuel: ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God’(Revelation 21:3). The Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ presents us with a challenge: ‘When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?’(Luke 18:8). He calls us to ‘stand firm in our faith’. We must not ‘shrink back ‘from Him. We must ‘believe and be saved’(9; Hebrews 10:37-39). Jesus says, ‘I am coming soon’. Let us pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’. Let us pray that our ‘love’ for Him will not ‘grow cold’. Let us pray for strength to ‘stand firm to the end and be saved’(Revelation 22:7,12,20; Matthew 24:12-13).

Isaiah 8:1-22
'Immanuel... God is with us’(8,10). Jesus Christ has come to be with us so that we might go to be with Him. He has come from heaven to earth so that we might go from earth to heaven. He died for us that we might live with Him. He does not return to heaven alone. He ‘brings many sons to glory’: ‘Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me’(18; Hebrews 2:9-10,13). Jesus speaks to us of the glory of the Father’s House’. He shares this glory with us: ‘I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also’. He invites us to enter this heavenly glory. He is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’. Without Him, we cannot enter heaven: ‘No one comes to the Father except through Me’. Through faith in Him, we receive ‘eternal life’(John 14:1-3,6; 6:40).

When We Start Listening To All That Jesus Is Saying To Us?

Isaiah 3:1-26
God’s Word calls us to make our choice. We must choose between the way of ‘the righteous’ and the way of ‘the wicked’. There is a great difference between the two ways - ‘Tell the righteous it will be well with them... Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them!...’(10-11). We still need to hear the words of Jesus: ‘Enter by the narrow gate... only a few find the narrow gate, the hard way that leads to life’. His words are not popular. Many people dismiss His words as old-fashioned. They don’t like this kind of talk: ‘the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it’(Matthew 7:13-14). They say, ‘Jesus said such ‘nice’ things about love. Why does He spoil it all by saying things like this?’. When will we start listening to all that Jesus says - and not only the ‘nice’ things we like to hear?

Isaiah 4:1-5:17
‘Those who are left... will be called holy’(4:3). The world speaks of God’s people with contempt - ‘the holy people who need to learn to live in the real world’. When God calls His people ‘holy’, He speaks in a very different way. He speaks with affection. He looks upon us with love. We are special to Him. We are precious in His eyes. God loves us and He calls us to be holy. We are to live as those who have been set apart for God. We are not to live for this world only. There is something else, something greater than this so-called ‘real world’. There is a world that is unseen and eternal, heavenly and glorious. This is our higher calling, our call to holiness. Let us ‘look to the things that are unseen and eternal’. Let us ‘press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus’(2 Corinthians 4:18; Philippians 3:14).

Isaiah 5:18-6:13
God reveals His holiness: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts’(3). In His holiness, we see our own sinfulness: ‘I am a man of unclean lips’(5). God is perfectly holy: ‘Your eyes are too pure to look on evil’(Habakkuk 1:13). When we look at ourselves in the light of God’s perfect holiness, we see the truth concerning ourselves: ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23). There is no room for excuses. We must confess our sin. We must pray for God’s forgiveness: ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner’(Luke 18:13). To those who come to Him with a true confession of sin, God speaks His Word of forgiveness: ‘your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven’(7). The Lord has saved us. Let us serve Him. Let us pray, ‘Here am I! Send me’(8). Let us share the Good News of His forgiveness.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

In Jesus Christ, There Is "Great Salvation."

Isaiah 1:1-31
God invites us to ‘come’ to Him and receive salvation - ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’. He also warns us - there will be judgment ‘if you refuse and rebel’(18-20). God speaks to us of His great purpose of salvation: ‘God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him’. He tells us that we can be saved through faith in Christ: ‘Whoever believes in Him is not condemned’. He calls us back from the way of unbelief and judgment: ‘Whoever does not believe is condemned already because he does not believe in the Name of the only Son of God’(John 3:17-18). In Jesus Christ, there is ‘great salvation’. Make sure that you receive God’s salvation. ‘How shall we escape if we neglect or ignore such a great salvation?’(Hebrews 2:3).

Isaiah 2:1-22
God calls us to worship Him - ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord...’- and walk in His ways - ‘Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord’(3,5). We are moving towards the Day when ‘the pride of men shall be humbled and brought low’, the Day when ‘the Lord alone will be exalted’(11,12,17). How are we to get ready for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ? God calls us to keep on worshipping Him. We are to encourage one another to keep on walking with God. ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching’(Hebrews 10:25). Let our pride be humbled and let the Lord be exalted as we await Christ’s Return in ‘faith’, looking to Him alone for our ‘salvation’(1 Peter 1:7-9).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

We Need Preachers Who Will Say "What The Spirit Says To The Churches."

2 Timothy 1:1-2:7 
God’s Word is not to be kept to ourselves. Paul was called by God to be a ‘preacher’ of the ‘Gospel’(11). He passed God’s Word on to Timothy, encouraging him to share the message with ‘faithful’ people who would pass it on to others’(13; 2:2). Everyone has their part to play. Things didn’t come to a standstill when Paul wasn’t around. Timothy was to make sure that everything didn’t revolve around himself. There were others who were to carry the work of God forward. We must not make too much of certain individuals. The work of the Lord is always much more than the work done by any one person. God is always looking for more people who will take up the challenge of seeing that His work is not left undone. Serve the Lord in the ‘power’ of ‘the Holy Spirit’. Trust Him - His work is ‘safe in His hands’(1:7,14,12). 

2 Timothy 2:8-3:9 
‘Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead’(2:8). God’s servants become part of our past. Christ remains the heart of our future. He is the risen Christ, the living Lord. When God’s servants become a distant memory, we must remember Him. Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are to ‘avoid godless chatter’ and ‘stupid, senseless controversies’, we must keep Him at the very centre of our lives (16,23). If we are to be ‘lovers of God’ rather than ‘lovers of self’, we must keep on saying from the heart, ‘I must decrease. Christ must increase’(3:4,2; John 3:30). We may face problems - from those who ‘oppose the truth’, people of ‘corrupt mind and counterfeit faith’. Don’t be afraid of such opposition - ‘they will not get very far... their folly will be plain to all’(3:8-9). Keep your eyes on Jesus! 

2 Timothy 3:10-4:22 
What is the greatest thing that the Lord’s servants can pass on to the Lord’s people? - ‘The Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’(3:15). They are to ‘preach the Word’ in the power of ‘the Holy Spirit’(2; 1 Peter 1:12). When the preaching has ended, one thing remains - ‘the living and abiding Word of God’(1 Peter 1:12). When all the words have been spoken, the ministry of the Spirit continues. Through the ongoing work of ‘the Spirit of the living God’, the Word of God is ‘written’ in the ‘hearts’ of those who have heard the Word preached (2 Corinthians 3:3). What kind of preaching do we need? Do we need ‘teachers who will tell us what we want to hear’(3)? No! We need preachers who will say ‘what the Spirit says to the churches’(Revelation 2:7,11,17, 29; 3:6,13,22).
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Blessings in Christ 
Christ in all the Scriptures
 
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Jesus Has Saved Us. Let's Live For Him.

1 Timothy 1:1-2:15
‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’. Paul has something special to say about this statement. This is what he says - ‘Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance’(1:15). This is Paul’s message, the message of the Gospel: ‘Christ Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all’(2:5-6). Paul speaks of ‘the glorious Gospel of the blessed God’(1:11). He speaks as a man with a testimony: ‘I received mercy... the grace of our Lord overflowed for me’(1:13-14). God is still looking for people who will say, with Paul, ‘I am not ashamed of the Gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith’, ‘God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’(Romans 1:16; Galatians 6:14). May God help us, in our generation, to be ‘eager to preach the Gospel’(Romans 1:15).

1 Timothy 3:1-4:16
Belief and Behaviour- Both are important. We are ‘nourished in the words of the faith’ so that we ‘may know how one ought to behave in the household of God’(4:6; 3:15). We are not only to believe the right things. We are to behave the right way. To each of us, God says, ‘Watch your life and doctrine closely’(4:16). What we believe is important. How we live is also important. If our faith is real, it will lead to a change in our way of life. The whole of life is to be ‘consecrated by the Word of God and prayer’(4:5). Our God is ‘the living God’(3:15; 4:10). He wants to be real to us in every part of our life. ‘Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise... Not for the lip of praise alone nor even the praising heart, we ask, but for a life made up of praise in every part’(Church Hymnary, 457).

1 Timothy 5:1-6:21
There is a great battle going on - between God and Satan. There have been disappointments: ‘Some have already strayed after Satan’. Lives are being ruined. Many ‘have wandered away from the faith’. They have not found happiness. They ‘have pierced their hearts with many griefs’(5:15; 6:9-10). There is a great deal at stake in this battle. We must ‘give the enemy no opportunity to slander us’. We must take care how we live - ‘so that God’s Name... may not be slandered’(5:14; 6:1). We are to live a life of ‘godliness’, a life that is based on ‘the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ’. We are to ‘aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness’. Let’s live for ‘the life to come, the life which is permanent’. This is ‘life indeed, the life that is truly life’(6:3,11,19).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

The Ultimate Price

1Jo 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, showing us His Redeeming Passion when He dies for the sins of the world on the cross at Calvary.
Blessings, In His Glorious Name Online

Don Francisco's Song - "Holiness"

The words of Don Francisco's song, 'Holiness' (from the album of the same name, 1984) bring out well the lessons God was teaching His people, Israel, while they were in the wilderness. He was teaching them about holiness. He was showing them the way of blessing.
"When God took His people to the promised land, He gave them their freedom and He gave a command. He said, west of the Jordan you can have all you see, but beware of their idols and be holy to me.
Holiness, holiness. It’s the only life that the Lord can bless. Holiness, holiness. It’s the Lord’s command, not the the Lord’s request.

They heard the commandment but did not obey. They hardened their hearts and wandered away from the goodness of God and the blessings He gave to the traditions of men and the yoke of a slave.
Holiness, holiness. It’s the only life that the Lord can bless. Holiness, holiness. It’s the life apart from the world's excess. For the people of God there remains a rest. Holiness, holiness.
Jesus is calling you. Come, take My hand. I’ll lead you away from the wilderness land to a place full of goodness as far as you can see, but remember who brought you and be holy to Me.
Holiness, holiness. It’s not your food or drink. It’s not the way you dress. Holiness, holiness. It’s to hear the Lord and to answer Yes. Holiness, holiness. It’s the only life that the Lord can bless. For the people of God there remains a rest. Holiness, holiness."

Acts 20:17-38: Paul's Ministry Was A Prayerful Ministry.

Paul's ministry was a prayerful ministry. Paul did not only speak to the people. He also spoke to God. He spoke to the people for God and he spoke to God for the people. In his message to the Ephesian elders, Paul said, in verse 32, 'Now I commit you to God'. At the end of his message, 'he knelt down with all of them and prayed' (v.36).

Paul was a preacher. Paul was a pastor. Paul was a man of prayer. He prayed for the people. He prayed with the people. He prayed that they would receive God's grace. He prayed that they would know that all of their sins had been forgiven. He prayed that they would grow strong in their faith. He prayed that they would be sanctified, that they would live a Godly life, a Christ-like life, a Spirit-filled life, a life which brings glory to God.

How are we to live the kind of life which brings glory to God? - In his prayer for the Ephesians, Paul points us in the direction of a life that is full of God's blessing:

'I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God' (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Get to know how much the Lord loves you and you will be changed by His love. As you think of the Lord's great love for you, you will want to love Him more. The story of your life will be 'Loving Him who first loved me.'

God calls us to worship Him. He calls us to walk with Him. He calls us to be His witnesses. He calls us to be His workers. Can we ever hope to live such a God-centred life? We cannot do so in our strength. Without Christ, we can do nothing. With Christ, everything changes. We become a new creation in Christ Jesus. We receive new strength.

Paul speaks about this strengthening when he prays for the Ephesians:

'For this reason I kneel before the Father ... I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being' (Ephesians 3:14, 16).

Paul was a man of action. He travelled from place to place, preaching here and preaching there. This is not, however, the full story of Paul's life. We must always remember that he was a man of prayer. From Paul's ministry, we learn this great lesson:

'The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective' (James 5:16).

There is such a clear connection in Scripture between prayer and blessing. We ask, 'Why is there not much blessing?' James tells us - 'You do not have because you do not ask God' (James 4:2). We wonder, 'How can we receive more of God's blessing?' Jesus tells us - 'Ask, and it will be given to you' (Matthew 7:7).

If we are to see God's blessing in our worship and witness, in our walk with God and our work for God, we must come to the Lord with this request, 'Lord, teach us to pray' (Luke 11:1).

We have looked together at the ministry of the Apostle Paul - a helpful ministry, a Gospel ministry, a teaching ministry, a prayerful ministry. May God help us to learn from this ministry. May we learn the great lesson contained in 2 Chronicles 7:14 - 'If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'

Axts 20:17-38: Paul's Ministry Was A Teaching Ministry.

Paul's ministry was a teaching ministry. In verse 27, Paul reminds the Ephesian elders that 'he had not hesitated to proclaim to them the whole will of God'.

In his book, Evangelism in the Early Church, Michael Green emphasizes the importance of 'teaching evangelism' (pp. 204-206). At the very beginning of the book, he speaks of his own commitment to both evangelism and teaching. His words, written in 1970, are still very relevant to our 21st century Church. This is what he says,

'Most evangelists are not very interested in theology; most theologians are not very interested in evangelism. I am deeply committed to both' (p. 7).

Deeply committed to both evangelism and teaching - what a good description of Paul's ministry! His ministry was a Gospel ministry, calling on men and women to come to Christ in repentance, to come to Christ in faith. His ministry was also a teaching ministry. He did not rest content with inviting people to make a new beginning with Christ. He called them to go on with the Lord. He called them to press on to maturity.

God has so much to say to us. There is so much more than the call for conversion. The Lord is calling us to walk with Him all the days of our life. True conversion is not just a one-off event. It is a lifelong experience of divine grace, a lifelong experience of turning to God in repentance, a lifelong experience of learning to trust in our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

If this lifelong experience of God's salvation is to grow strong in our hearts and lives, we need 'the whole counsel of God'. We need solid teaching from the Word of God.

We need teaching which rebukes us when we move away from the paths of righteousness, teaching which corrects us, calling us back into the paths of righteousness.

We need teaching which will lead us in the paths of righteousness, teaching which will keep us walking in the paths of righteousness.

During the late 1990s, I began writing Daily Bible Reading Notes. The full set of notes covers the whole Bible - from Genesis to Revelation. Each quarterly booklet begins with these words of 'Introduction':

'Welcome to an exciting ... journey of discovery. On this journey, you will visit places you know well. You will also travel to places you hardly know at all. They will be places of blessing - places where you will meet with God and be blessed by Him ... May God bless you richly as you journey with Him to the many places of blessing found in His Word.'

The Christian life is a journey. On this journey, we are travelling with God and we are travelling in faith. On this journey, God has a plan for us. It is His perfect plan. He wants us to grow - in our knowledge of Him, in our faith in Him, in our love for Him.

God does not want us to remain 'babes in Christ'. He does not want us to remain content with 'the milk of the Word' (1 Peter 2:2). He wants us to move on to 'solid food' (Hebrews 5:12-14). He has given us 'the whole counsel of God' so that we can grow more and more like Christ, so that we can bring more and more glory to God.

We must never rest on our laurels. When the challenge of God's Word comes to us, calling us on to maturity, we dare not say, 'I'm a believer' as if that was the end of the matter. When God is calling us on to maturity, He is not asking, 'Are you a believer?' He is asking, 'Are you a growing believer? Are you growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ?'

On this journey with God, this journey of faith, this journey of spiritual growth, may our whole life - in the 21st century - be a living echo of this great prayer from the 13th century:

'Day, by day, O dear Lord, three things I pray, to see You more clearly, to love You more dearly, to follow You more nearly, day by day'.

Acts 20:17-38: Paul's Ministry Was A Gospel Ministry.

Paul's ministry was a Gospel ministry. In verse 24, he describes his ministry. He tells us that he 'received this ministry from the Lord Jesus'. He tells us that it is a ministry of 'testifying to the Gospel of the grace of God'.

What is the Gospel? - It is the Good News: Christ has died for our sins, Christ has risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Is the preaching of the Gospel simply the announcement of these facts? No! It is more than that. There is also the challenge of the Gospel, the call to repentance, the call to faith (v. 21).

God is not only telling us something. He is asking us something. Will you repent? Will you believe?

God is saying something to us - 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him'. He is also asking us to say something to Him - 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner' (Luke 18:13).

This is the prayer of repentance. This is the prayer of faith. We turn from sin. We turn to God. We take our sin to Jesus. We trust Him for forgiveness.

To every one who hears the Gospel, the question is asked, 'What will your response be?'

As I look back over my own spiritual journey, I am forever grateful to those who impressed on me the need to make my personal response to Jesus Christ. It was not enough to say, 'God so loved that He gave His only Son' (John 3:16). There needed to be something more personal - 'the Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me' (Galatians 2:20). It was not enough to say, 'Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world' (John 4:42). There needed to be the personal confession of faith - 'Jesus Christ is my Saviour'.

Paul was a faithful and fearless preacher of the Gospel. If, in our generation, we are to follow his example, we must not hesitate to impress upon the people the necessity of 'repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ' (v. 21).

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending a service conducted by the Rev Dr Sam Hosain who has recently retired after thirteen years of fruitful ministry at John Knox Church in Stewarton, near Kilmarnock. In his sermon, Dr Hosain directed our attention to three verses in the letter to the Hebrews:

'without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins' (9:22),

'without faith it is impossible to please God' (11:6),

'without holiness no-one will see the Lord' (12:14).

In these three statements, we have the key features of Gospel ministry:

First, we are to hear the Gospel - the Good News that Christ died for our sins;

Second, we are to believe the Gospel - 'Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be

saved' (Acts 16:31);

Third, we are to live the Gospel - Christ has died for us. Now He calls us to live for Him.

This is Gospel ministry - hearing the Gospel, believing the Gospel and living the Gospel. May God help us to be faithful to His Gospel - in our hearing, in our believing, in our living.

Acts 20:17-38: Paul's Ministry Was A Helpful Ministry.

Paul's ministry was a helpful ministry. He tells us, in verse 20, that 'he kept back nothing that was helpful'. In his public preaching of God's Word and in his pastoral work in the homes of the people, Paul prayed that his ministry would help the people to grow in their knowledge of God, their love of God and their service of God.

Why was Paul's ministry such a helpful ministry?

It was helpful because it was real. He was a man living in the power of Christ's resurrection, a man who could truly say, 'For me, to live is Christ' (Philippians 1:21).

His ministry was helpful because it was a ministry of fearless preaching, faithful pastoral work and fervent prayer. Paul was fearless as he preached God's Word to the people. He was faithful in the ministry of bringing Christ to the people in their own homes. He was fervent in prayer as he asked God to bless the people.

I recall an occasion when I spoke at the Presbytery of Dunfermline. The Rev Dr Gordon Jenkins was about to take up a position in Edinburgh. I had been asked to pay tribute to his ministry at the North Parish Church, Dunfermline. Gordon was an enthusiastic supporter of Dunfermline Athletic. I used the letters of the team's nickname, the Pars, to describe Gordon's ministry. It was Ministry Anointed by the Renewing Spirit.

Ministry Anointed by the Renewing Spirit - this is where the helpfulness comes from. It comes from above. It comes from the Lord.

When we have done all that we can do, we must look away from ourselves to the Lord and say, 'It is not by might. It is not by power. It is by the Spirit of the Lord' (Zecharaiah 4:6).

When we look at all that has been achieved, we must learn to look away from ourselves to the Lord and say, from the heart, 'This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes' (Psalm 118:23).

This is helpful ministry - ministry which serves the purpose of God's salvation, ministry which depends on the presence of God's power, ministry which maintains the priority of God's glory. This is helpful ministry - bringing Christ to the people, bringing the people to Christ.

Helpful ministry - it is ministry that never forgets to say, 'Our help is in the Name of the Lord' (Psalm 124:8).

Hope In The Lord, Looking Beyond Our Llife On Earth To His Coming Kingdom.

Jesus’ parables are so rich in spiritual content. They speak with an indirectness which is very direct! They may be parabolic in form, but they do go right to the heart of the matter in a way that is very challenging.

The parable of the ‘wheat and the weeds’ (Matthew 13:24-30, with explanation given in Matthew 13:36-43) contrasts a real believing response to Christ with an empty profession of faith in Him.

There is also something else - leave judgment to God. He knows those who are His and those who are not.

The parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) is a word of encouragement - Do not give up hope that the seed of God’s Word is growing, slowly and surely, in the hearts of those who do not appear to be bearing much fruit.

The parable of the yeast is also encouraging - What a difference even a few believers can make to a whole community!

Be patient. Do not doubt the power of God’s Word. Once God’s Word has begun to exert its influence among the people, great things will happen. The beginnings may seem small. Remember: nothing is insignificant when God is in it! Some may be on the verge of the kind of joyful discovery of Christ, described in Matthew 13:44-46!

The parable of the net (Matthew 13:47-50) is similar to the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). The separation of ‘the good’ and ‘the bad’ comes ‘at the end of the age’ (Matthew 13:48-49).

The Gospel is ‘old’ and ‘new’ (Matthew 13:52) - we’ve known its teaching for years, yet there are always some ‘new treasures’ for us to discover. It’s sadly possible to hear the Word of God without believing it and enjoying its blessing.

Don’t let Christ be ‘a prophet without honour’ (Matthew 13:57). Honour Him in your heart and life.

Walk With The Lord In The Light Of His Word.

‘The entrance of Your words gives light’ (Psalm 119:130).

The Word of God brings light into our lives. Sadly, many people ‘love darkness rather than light’. They refuse to ‘come to the light’. They prefer to remain in the darkness. They refuse to listen to what God is saying to them through His Word.

Then, when things are not going so well for them, they blame God. They say, ‘It’s all Your fault’!

Things could have been so different. They could have learned to spend time with God. They could have learned the lessons of faith which are found in God’s Word. They could have learned to cope with life’s difficulties. They could have been filled with the strength of the Lord. They would not be complaining against Him. They would be rejoicing in Him: He has ‘called us out of darkness into His marvellous light’ (1 Peter 2:10).

Love The Lord And Let Your Life Show That Your Love For Him Is Real.

Solomon was a complicated man. We wonder what was most important to him - his alliances with the world or his allegiance to the Lord, ‘building his own house’ or ‘building the House of the Lord’ (1 Kings 1-3)?

In 1 Kings 3:9-13, we learn that Solomon prized wisdom more than riches. In 1 Kings 3:14, Solomon is reminded that he must keep on loving the Lord: ‘If you will walk in My ways…’

We look at Solomon. We see ourselves. We claim to love the Lord. The world has a ‘fatal attraction’ for us. In each of us, there is conflict, a lifelong conflict between ‘the desires of the flesh’ and ‘the desires of the Spirit’.

We are faced with a choice. Will it be love for the Lord or love for the world? Don’t ‘abandon your first love’ (Galatians 5:17; 1 John 2:15; Revelation 2:4). Make it simple: Jesus comes first!

Share Christ With The World

Your invited to become a part of the ministry network around the world. Visit In His Glorious Name Ministries Online, look around and leave us a comment so we can contact you. We are always looking for dedicated blog authors that have the desire to share the love of Christ with others.

Everyone Who Calls On The Name Of The Lord Will Be Saved.

Joel 2:18-3:21
Each of us is ‘in the valley of decision’. We must make sure that we are prepared for ‘the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord’. God has given us His promise: ‘Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved’(2:31-32; 3:14). The Lord promises great blessing to those who call upon Him. He ‘will pour out His Spirit’ upon us. He will do ‘great things’ for us. He will be our ‘Refuge’ and ‘Stronghold’. He will fill us with ‘joy and gladness’. He will fill our hearts with 'praise’(2:20-21, 23, 26, 28-29; 3:16). Make sure that you ‘call on the Name of the Lord’. Make sure that you do not miss out on the great blessings the Lord gives to those who call on His Name. Make your decision now - ‘I will call on the Name of the Lord’(1 Kings 18:24).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Let Us Return To The Lord Our God.

Joel 1:1-2:17
‘Joel’ means ‘the Lord is God’. The Lord is our God. He is ‘gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love...’. Let us ‘return to the Lord our God’. Let us ‘return to Him with all our heart’. Let us look to Him for His ‘blessing’(2:12-14). Alongside God’s promise of blessing for those who return to Him, there is His Word of warning for those who take no notice of Him and pay no attention to His Word: ‘The Day of the Lord is near. It will come like destruction from the Almighty... Let all who live in the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand - a Day of darkness and gloom...’(1:15; 2:1-2). God wants to bless us. Let us ‘cry out’ to Him for His blessing: ‘To You, O Lord, I call’(1:14,19).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

We Receive Strength When We Are Faithful In The Work Of The Lord.

John the Baptist was ‘arrested’ and ‘put in prison’ (Matthew 14:3). Shortly after this, he was ‘beheaded’ (Matthew 14:10). John was a faithful man. He was ‘faithful unto death’ (Revelation 2:10). His death arose directly from his faithfulness to God. He died as a ‘martyr’.

Following the death of John, news came to Jesus, who was to die as our Saviour. How did Jesus react to this news?- First, ‘he withdrew... privately to a solitary place (Matthew 14:13). Then, having renewed His strength in the presence of His Father (Isaiah 40:31), He stepped out again into the sphere of public ministry. He continued on His way - the way that would lead Him to the Cross.

What are we to learn from John, the faithful martyr, and Jesus, the faithful Saviour, who gave Himself in death for us? We are to be faithful to God. If suffering lies ahead of us, He will make us strong.

We read of the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:15-21) and the walking on water (Matthew 14:25-33), and our thoughts go to Calvary.

* From the feeding with bread and fish, we move to the bread and wine, symbols of Jesus’ body broken for us and His blood shed for us (Matthew 26:26-28).

* From the confession of faith - ‘Truly You are the Son of God’ (Matthew 14:33), we move to the Cross to hear the centurion’s words of faith; ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’ (Matthew 27:54).

* We see Jesus, the Man of prayer (Matthew 14:23), the Healer (Matthew 14:35-36), and we look to the Cross, where we experience the healing influence of His prayer for us; ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34). ‘Thank You for the Cross, The price you paid for us, How You gave Yourself, So completely, Precious Lord, Now our sins are gone, All forgiven, Covered by your blood, All forgotten, Thank You, Lord’(Mission Praise, 632).

We Receive Strength When We Listen To The Word Of The Lord.

The Word of God is spoken - ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found...’ (Isaiah 55:6-7). No one seems to be listening. What are we to do? We must remember God’s promise: ‘My Word will not return to Me empty’ (Isaiah 55:11).

We do not see all that God is doing. He is doing much more than we realize - ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts...’ (Isaiah 55:8-9). We may be feeling very despondent - ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything’ (Luke 5:5). The Lord still comes to us with His Word of encouragement: ‘You shall go out with joy...’ (Isaiah 55:12).

Before there is joy, there may be many tears. When there seems to be nothing but disappointments, we must remember the Lord’s promise: ‘Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy...’ (Psalm 126:5-6).

We must not ‘judge before the time...’ (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Thought For The Day - "At The Cross ... "

At the Cross, we will find each other. We will discover what it means to be one body in Christ.

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This thought is taken from

Isaiah 19:1-20:6

'The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel my heritage"' (19:25). 'There is neither Jew nor Greek...you are all one in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 3:28). How can people who seem to be opposites be brought together? Jesus Christ brings them together. He breaks down 'the barrier'. He removes 'the dividing wall of hostility'. We are brought 'near' to one another through 'the blood of Christ'. We must come to 'the Cross' of Christ. There, at 'the Cross', we will find each other. We will discover what it means to be 'one body' in Christ (Ephesians 2:13-16). When Satan comes, creating misunderstanding, filling our minds with suspicion and undermining our hopes of peace, let's remind him of God's Word, 'You are all one in Christ Jesus'.

Overcoming Those Emotions

Depression is like a cancer. Once it sets in, it can overtake us and place us in bondage. Severe depression has a crippling effect. It steals and robs us of our joy and ability to experience happiness. Of course we could get into all the intense reasons and causes of depression. But enough of that.

I encourage those dealing with depression to enter into a place of prayer. What kind of prayer. Simply pray and talk to God. Tell him what you are experiencing and simply ask Him for help.

I encourage you to also find some praise and worship music that you like, listen to it and make it a part of your days. You see when we lift our voices up to God, give Him praise and worship Him. The Kingdom of God, meaning heaven, comes to earth. And when the Kingdom comes, depression leaves.

Blessings, in the love of Christ
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Thought For The Day - "Jesus Is Our Saviour ... "

Jesus is our Saviour. Jesus is our Lord. Saved by grace through faith, let us live a life of good works.

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Isaiah 26:10-27:13

Jesus is our Saviour - 'Lord, You establish peace for us'; 'We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ'. We cannot save ourselves. We can only look away from ourselves to Jesus - and be saved by Him: 'all that we have accomplished You have done for us'; 'By grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God' (26:12; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8). Jesus is our Lord - 'Lord, our God...You alone are our Lord'. How are we to live once we have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? - 'Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him'. We are not to 'keep on sinning so that God can keep on showing us more and more kindness and forgiveness'. We are to live a life of 'good works' (26:13; Colossians 2:6; Romans 6:1; Ephesians 2:10).

The Ministry Of Christ

The love of Christ is endless. We see it in the ministry and life of Jesus as written in the scriptures. We see it in the coming of the spirit on the day of Pentecost, and we see it in the life and ministry of the apostles.

May the love of Christ fill your hearts.
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online
Amen!

Jesus Brings Us Peace. Jesus Gives Us Hope.

* Jesus brings us peace. First, there is the peace which comes from knowing that our sins have been forgiven. Second, there is the peace which comes from knowing that Jesus Christ, "the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6), has come to live in our hearts. We have peace because of who Jesus is. Jesus is our Saviour (Matthew 1:21). Since He is our Saviour, He is able to forgive our sins. Jesus is "Emmanuel" ("God with us") (Matthew 1:23). Since He is Emmanuel (God with us), He is able to live in our hearts.

* Jesus gives us hope. First, there is the hope which comes from the assurance that we're on our way to heaven. Second, there is the hope which comes from the assurance that Jesus is with us every step of the way. We have hope because of who Jesus is. He is the King - the King of glory and the King of love.

We know that Jesus is able to bring us safely to heaven because He Himself came from the glory of heaven - "He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all." "Who came down from heaven to earth? Jesus Christ our Saviour!""Who is He in yonder stall, at whose feet the shepherds fall? 'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story! 'Tis the Lord, the King of Glory!"

We know that Jesus will be with us every step of the way because we know that He Himself has travelled the way of the Cross. Through Jesus' death on the Cross, we have the assurance that He is the King of love. Whatever our circumstances, we rejoice that the Lord is there beside us and His Cross is there to guide us. This is the Source of our hope - Jesus Christ, the King of glory and the King of love. To know Jesus as the Saviour, Emmanuel (God with us), the King of glory and the King of love is to enjoy the blessings of His peace and hope.
May these blessings be ours today and every day.

‘O Lord, You Are My God; I Will Exalt You And Praise Your Name... You Have Done Marvellous Things’ (Isaiah 25:1).

We remember what God has done for us. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who died for us. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who rose again for us. We look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to the Day when ‘He will swallow up death for ever’. On that Day, ‘the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces’. On that Day, we will look back and say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us’. On that Day, we will ‘rejoice and be glad in His salvation’(8-9). Here and now, let us learn to ‘trust in the Lord’. We can trust in Him ‘for ever’. He is ‘the everlasting Rock’- ‘the Rock of our salvation’(4 Psalm 95:1).

Look Up Scripture Passage


Salvation Comes From The Lord.

Jonah 1:1-2:10
‘Salvation comes from the Lord’ (2:9). We can never save ourselves. We can only be saved - by the Lord. Left to our own devices, we ‘flee from the presence of the Lord’. We ‘run away from the Lord’ (1:3). Sin - This is the story of our life. Salvation - This is the story of what the Lord has done for us. We are sinners. We need to be saved. How can our life be turned around? How can we turn from the way of sin and seek the way of salvation? We cannot change ourselves. We need to be changed by God. We cannot forgive our own sins. We need to to be forgiven by the Lord. Where does the desire for forgiveness and change come from? Does it come from ourselves? No! It comes from the Lord: ‘He drew me, and I followed on...’ (Mission Praise, 499).

Jonah 3:1-4:11
The people of Nineveh 'believed God' and ‘turned from their evil ways’. God had shown Himself to be ‘a gracious and compassionate God...’. How did Jonah react? Was he rejoicing in the Lord? No! He was complaining - ‘Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry’. Jonah was a proud Jew. He despised the Ninevites. He didn’t want them to be saved. That’s why he was ‘so quick to flee to Tarshish’ (3:5,10; 4:1-2). What does God’s Word say about Jonah’s attitude? - ‘You have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else’. We must not ‘show contempt for the riches of His kindness’. We must not say, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men’. We must pray, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner’ (Romans 2:1,4; Luke 18:11-14).

Let Us Take The Good News Of Christ To Every Nation.


We begin with ‘John the Baptist’(Matthew 3:1). We end with our Lord Jesus Christ concerning whom the Voice from heaven says, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’(Matthew 3:17).

Once John had served his purpose, once he has pointed away from himself to the Lord Jesus Christ, he retreats into the background. This is how it must always be. We point to One who is ‘more powerful’ than ourselves (Matthew 3:11; Romans 1:16). With John, we must learn to say, ‘Christ must increase, I must decrease’(John 3:30).

The contrast between John and Jesus is highlighted in Matthew 3:11 - ‘I baptize with water… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire’. This is still the contrast between the preacher and the Saviour - We preach the Word. He sends the power. Still He says, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses’(Acts 1:8).

The Good News Of Christ Is For All The World.


With Christ’s example, ‘the encouragement of the Scriptures’ and the enabling power of God, let us love one another,‘with one heart and one voice’(Romans 15:1-6). This is the way of glorifying God.

Trusting in Christ, ‘the root of Jesse’, we are blessed by ‘the God of hope’, filled with ‘the power of the Holy Spirit’- so that we may ‘abound in hope’. This hope comes to us through ‘the Scriptures’(Romans 15:12-13, 4).

God’s saving purpose was not only for the ‘dyed in the wool’Jew. He saved both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 15:9-12). Thank God that Paul was not as narrow-minded as many people are today! God’s blessing is not only for our type of people! Let us learn from Paul. ‘A minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles’, he was always reaching out to more and more people ‘in the fulness of the blessing of Christ’(Romans 15:16, 29).

Do You Hear Heaven's Call

Listen, and hear the Bridegroom calling.

From All Over The World Christ Gathers His People.

* Read the words - ‘His Name’ shall ‘endure for ever’ (Psalm 72:17) - and think of Christ.
His Name is ‘the Name above all other names’. He is ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords’
(Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16).

* Read the words - ‘all nations call Him blessed’ (Psalm 72:17) - , and think of Christ.

‘From every tribe and language and people and nation’, God’s people have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (Revelation 5:9).

* Read the words -‘May His glory fill the whole earth!’(Psalm 72:19) - and think of Christ.

In the ‘new heaven and new earth’, ‘the holy city’ will shine with ‘the glory of God’. ‘Its radiance’, ‘like a very precious jewel’, will be shining from this ‘lamp’: Jesus Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (Revelation 21:1-2, 10-11, 23; John 1:29).


Christ Calls All Nations To Come To Him.

The family tree of ‘Jesse, the father of King David’ has a very special ‘Branch’ - Jesus Christ (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1, 6, 16).

Jesus Christ has raised ‘a banner for the nations’. He is ‘the Saviour of the world’. He has died ‘for the sins of the whole world’. The ‘Good News’ is to be preached to ‘all the world’.

Christ calls ‘all nations’ to ‘turn to Him’. He calls ‘all nations’ to receive the ‘forgiveness of sins’. He calls ‘all nations’ to become His ‘disciples’ (Isaiah 11:12; John 4:42; 1 John 2:2; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; Matthew 28:19).

May our personal faith - ‘I will praise You, O Lord... God is my Salvation… The Lord is my Strength and my Song…’- become our public testimony - making Christ ‘known among the nations’, telling ‘all the world’ what the Lord has done for us (Isaiah 12:1-2, 4-5).