Share His Word while you still can …

Speaking just a word for Jesus is so important in these days as we see the day of Christ’s return getting very close!

Sometimes one thinks that what one says is not effective or weak.  BUT …. if you share a word or two or three from HIS Word, the Bible, the Lord will assuredly use it to His glory!

As Dr David Jeremiah shared in his devotional reading a few days ago, “Whenever we read the Bible, quote it, teach it, preach it, publish it, or spread it abroad, it speaks loud and clear.  God’s Word NEVER returns void but accomplishes what He pleases (Isaiah 55:11).   Any old mouthpiece will do – even ours!  You can be confident of HIS POWER whenever you share HIS precepts”  (Turning Point September 2017)

Isaiah 55 verses 10 & 11 state …
10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens
    and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
    producing seed for the farmer
    and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word.
    I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
    and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Be faithful in sharing His Word:  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthinans 15:58 KJV) “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose] (1 Cor. 15:58 Amplified Bible)

 

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The Waiting Game

I don’t know about you but I know that waiting for something can be SO difficult.   We live in a world that expects instant gratification and when one has to wait for any length of time, it can be very frustrating and oft’ times generates a lot of anxiety.

Well, sometime ago I was reading a portion in the well-known book, “Streams in the Desert” and I now share a few thoughts from that reading with the prayer that it will help and encourage you.

If we are praying about something and possibly not seeing an answer yet, the writer suggested 3 ways of “waiting”:

Wait in Prayer
Call on the Lord and, like Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19:14-19, spread the matter before the Lord.  Tell Him all about your problem.   Tell Him about your situation, your concerns, your longings and “plead His promise of aid”.

Wait in Faith
Express your unwavering confidence in Him.  Believe that His timing is perfect and the answer will come one or other way … and not a moment too soon or too late.

Wait in quiet patience
It is so easy to become impatient, but we need to learn not to murmur.   Just continue to put the case before the Lord, exactly as it is and remember, “… In quietness and confidence (trust) shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). Put the matter in His hands, in the hands “of your covenant God, saying ‘Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done.  I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities;  but I will wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes.  I will wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed on Thee alone …my spirit waiteth for Thee in full conviction that Thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower” (Morning by Morning)

Wait, patiently wait,
God never is late;
Thy budding plans are in Thy Father’s holding,
And only wait His grand divine unfolding
Then wait, wait,
Patiently wait.

Trust, hopefully trust,
That God will adjust
Thy tangled life; and from its dark concealings,
Will bring His will, in all its bright revealings,
Then trust, trust,
Hopefully trust.

(Mercy A. Gladwin)

What do you know about “casting”?

What sort of question is that?   Casting?   What are you on about?

In my time with the Lord this morning – reading His Word, the Bible – I was struck by the many times it is used in Scripture.   I trust it will be as much of a blessing to you as it was for me.

Briefly then, what does the word mean?    To “cast” something, within the context of the study today, it means to:

  • throw (something) forcefully in a specified direction
  • discard, abandon, throw out
  • shed, get rid of

Now read through these verses prayerfully and with thanksgiving

“Cast your burden on the Lord[release it] and He will sustain and uphold you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail)“ (Psalm 55:22 -Amplified Bible)

“Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.” (Proverbs 22:10 – NKJV)
“Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too.    Quarrels and insults will disappear.“ (Prov 22:10 – NLT)

“Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, [be diligently active, make thoughtful decisions], for you will find it after many days [be richly rewarded].” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 – Amplified)  As the great commentator, Matthew Henry said:  “we may well trust God to provide for us, without our anxious, disquieting cares”.  (This verse is a message on its own and maybe I will expound on it sometime soon!)   

This is what the Lord said to His disciples after a whole night of fishing without success.   “And He (Jesus) said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.“ (John 21:6 – NKJV)

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12 – NKJV)   “The night [this present evil age] is almost gone and the day [of Christ’s return] is almost here. So let us fling away the works of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.” (Rom. 13:12 – Amplified)

“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7 – Amplified)

And now a prayer:

Precious Lord and Saviour, open my eyes that I may see wonderful truths in Your Word.  Help me to walk in ways that please you and bring glory to Your Name.

I close with extracts from that beautiful hymn by Clara H Scott, 1895

  1. Open my eyes, that I may see
    Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
    Place in my hands the wonderful key
    That shall unclasp and set me free.
  2. Open my ears, that I may hear
    Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
    And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
    Everything false will disappear.
  3. Open my mind, that I may read
    More of Thy love in word and deed;
    What shall I fear while yet Thou dost lead?
    Only for light from Thee I pleadThe 4th verse modified by me:

    Open my mouth, and let me bear,
    Gladly the warm Truth everywhere;
    Open my heart and let me prepare
    To share Your Living Word, everywhere!

No Tears in Heaven

 

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev 21:4 NIV)

 Eternal Joy

How many people can you think of of who, just in the last year, have:

  • been bereaved
  • been seriously ill
  • been involved in an accident
  • been made redundant from work
  • suffered from serious stress and anxiety
  • suffered from depression
  • had serious family problems
  • been divorced or separated
  • been victims of crime

The list goes on and on ….

How amazing it is then to think that a day is coming (for all those who have trusted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour) when all these horrific things will be forever past and gone!   Can we even begin to imagine what that will be like?

Another Scripture tells us that no eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard, neither has it even entered into the mind of any human being, what God has prepared for those who love Him.

In the light of what the Bible tells us (and we know that not a single one of God’s promises has ever failed or ever will fail), let us as His children take courage anew today.  When life throws its worst at us, let us remember that it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!

And if you have never opened the door of your life to Jesus, why wait any longer?  Do it now – before your heart is left eternally cold and silent because His pleading has finally ceased and will never be heard again.

(This is an extract from the Daily Devotional book, “Amber’s Story – Walking Back into the Light” by Lorraine Lorenz.  Highly recommended.  Obtainable from Amazon – paperback & Kindle format)

Are you a soldier of the Cross?

We are living in times where tolerance of the true Christian message is getting very low.

Anyone who preaches or speaks the truth as found in God’s Word, the Bible, is being labelled a bigot, fundamentalist or a radical.   Tragic!

Sadly there is criticism of evangelical Christians even from within the church.  Why?   Many have departed from the faith and have given way to a social gospel, compromise and deception.  The pope speaks of evangelical Christians in very derogatory term.

As 1 Timothy 4 states: “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons”

I will be doing a series of posts very soon about deception in the church, subscribe to this blog today to make sure you do not miss out on the series.

In the meantime, my question is: Are YOU a soldier of the Cross?  A follower of the precious Lamb of God?  Then stand up, speak out and live for Him, who gave His life for you, the only Saviour, the Way, the Truth and the Life.

I leave you with the challenge posed by Isaac Watts (1721) in the that beautiful hymn…

  1. Am I a soldier of the cross,
    A follow’r of the Lamb?
    And shall I fear to own His cause,
    Or blush to speak His name?
  2. Must I be carried to the skies
    On flow’ry beds of ease,
    While others fought to win the prize,
    And sailed through bloody seas?
  3. Are there no foes for me to face?
    Must I not stem the flood?
    Is this vile world a friend to grace,
    To help me on to God?
  4. Sure I must fight if I would reign;
    Increase my courage, Lord;
    I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
    Supported by Thy Word.
  5. Thy saints in all this glorious war
    Shall conquer, though they die;
    They see the triumph from afar,
    By faith’s discerning eye.
  6. When that illustrious day shall rise,
    And all Thy armies shine
    In robes of vict’ry through the skies,
    The glory shall be Thine.