“A Desire for God’s Glory” 12/12/2024 Posted by Alister Begg for www.truthforlife.org from Spurgeon’s writing

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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12 bible verses glory to God-  https://everydayservant.com/top-12-bible-verses-glorifygod/

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now

Posted by Alister Begg for www.truthforlife.org  from Spurgeon’s writing

Original post @ https://www.truthforlife.org/devotionals/spurgeon/11/17/2023/?ecid=ACsprvvipEqgF4I9sbmL3GOUasQRifWJ7U-XFXmIZpXXeQU1YjU5topCn-mY7OtiJTVvPlaHI1nB&utm_campaign=Spurgeon+Daily+Devotion&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=282848114&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–hTG8TWtcxG40lAHujW25OT1KbiIDxAOjPnf2hkP3HLmwoFQUm-S8OoqXXf-n4LdVDibhBaR1QDjYvKXiNN2KLMd7wUktFxb2Lc8oFp3rifxLvTBY&utm_content=282848114&utm_source=hs_email

A Desire for God’s Glory

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:36

To him be glory forever.” This should be the single desire of the Christian. All other wishes must be subservient and serve as tributaries to this.

The Christian may wish for prosperity in his business, but only inasmuch as it may help him to promote this—“To him be glory forever.”

He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that he may declare, “To him be glory forever.”

You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single focus on the Lord’s glory. As a Christian, you are “from him and through him,” and so you must live “to him.” Do not let anything set your heart beating so fast as love for Him. Let this ambition fire your soul; may this be the foundation of every enterprise upon which you enter, and your sustaining motive whenever your zeal would grow cold. Make God your only object. Depend upon it—where self begins, sorrow begins; but if God is my supreme delight and only object,

To me ‘tis equal whether love ordain
My life or death—appoint me ease or pain.

Let your desire for God’s glory be a growing desire. You blessed Him in your youth; do not be content with such praises as you gave Him then.

Has God prospered you in business? Give Him more as He has given you more.

Has God given you experience? Praise Him by stronger faith than you exercised at the beginning. Does your knowledge grow? Then sing more sweetly.

Do you enjoy happier times than you once had? Have you been restored from sickness, and has your sorrow been turned into peace and joy? Then give Him more music; put more coals and more sweet spices into the censer of your praise.

Practically in your life give Him honor, offering the “Amen” of this doxology to your great and gracious Lord by your own individual service and increasing holiness.

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.

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P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“Once Saved, Always Saved?” 12/11/2024 Posted by Alistair Begg for www.truthforlife.org

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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Romans 8:29-30... - King James Bible Scripture Pictures | Facebook

Posted by Alistair Begg  for  www.truthforlife.org

Original post @ https://www.truthforlife.org/daily/?tab=alistair_begg_devotional&date=12%2F07%2F2023&src=23ELLB0&utm_campaign=Alistair%20Begg%20Daily%20Devotion&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=285432281&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_yXmzwytiAo94Wj41Mx1n-PkD0jz1npcFaeAn4yyib6zyrvf5vysNlXr_45V2Z6eBcIKlvsd3FPmiUjisPpEP7t-dGwRuLQoH3Jyxhjcl2aSYKkeI&utm_content=285432281&utm_source=hs_email

Once Saved, Always Saved?

 

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 

Hebrews 3:12

You may have heard of the doctrinal teaching that some people have come to call “the perseverance of the saints.” It is a beautiful doctrine that attempts to capture the keeping power of God over His chosen ones. Jesus said, for example, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).

Romans 8:29-30 similarly offers to us what some have called “the golden chain of salvation,” affirming that anyone whom God “predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” God’s promise to glorify those He has chosen is so certain that Paul speaks of it in the past tense.

Sometimes, however, this precious doctrine gets reduced to a dogmatic mantra: Once saved, always saved. Too often, this slogan is misconstrued to mean that as long as someone has prayed the right prayer or said precisely the right thing,they are heaven-bound, no matter how they live. Such a misunderstanding often leads to a complacency that the same Scripture which tells us that no one can snatch a believer from Jesus’ hand warns us against: “Take care,” the writer to the Hebrews warns church members—“brothers”—because it is possible to have an unbelieving heart that leads us to “fall away from the living God.”

How do we hold this assurance and this warning together? By understanding that it is actually as we persevere through the Spirit’s power that God continues His work of salvation in us.

The ground of our salvation is always the work of Jesus Christ, never our own. But the evidence that we are truly in Christ is the fact that we continue to the end. Christ Himself said that it is “the one who endures to the end” who “will be saved” (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13). And how do we continue to the end? Only by God’s persevering grace, which He has given to us in Christ through His Spirit, and which is bolstered in us by the “means of grace”—the Scriptures, prayer, the fellowship of other believers, and so on.

Today, if you find yourself believing that “Once saved, always saved” means you don’t have to obey God or pay attention to the Bible’s warnings, know this: that is nothing more than a parody of Christian assurance. It is those who heed the warnings who are those the Lord is keeping. Yes, there will be struggles along the way. But be sure always to take care to cling closely to Christ and lay claim to whatever means He has given you to enable you to endure to the very end.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Hebrews 3:7-19, Hebrews 4:1-1

Topics: Assurance of Salvation ,Perseverance ,Sanctification

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.

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P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“The Will of God” 12/10/2024 Written by Dr. Lawson Murry for “SEIZE The DAY”

Posted on December 10, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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Psalm 121:7-8 - Bible verse - DailyVerses.net

Written by Dr. Lawson Murry for “SEIZE The DAY”  @  https://seizetheday-blog.com

Original post: https://godsmanforever.com/?s=The+Will+of+God

The Will of God

NOVEMBER 10, 2023

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God”  1 Peter 4:1-2

“To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge.

To do the will of God is the greatest experience.”

Dr. George W. Truett

In 1 Peter 4:2 believers are told that they mustn’t live their earthly lives “for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” In a world of self-gratification God expects His children to be counter-cultural. He calls on Christians to deny the pleasures of the flesh and to give themselves totally into His service.

The will of God is that every believer would be a 24/7 believer, i.e. living for Him twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. He wants commitment in the morning, at noon, and in the night. In all your ways you must acknowledge Him (cf. Proverbs 3:6).

Paul was a 24/7 believer. In 1 Corinthians 15:31 he said, “I die every day.” Like Paul you need to “die every day.” This isn’t a physical death. You must die to the desires of your flesh. It’s death to everything outside of the will of God. Like David you must say, “To do your will, O my God, (is my) desire” Psalm 40:8. Can you say that with David? As you search your heart do you want nothing less than to do God’s will?

Here are seven things to help you do the will of God:

  1. Recognize that “it is God’s will that you should be holy” 1 Thessalonians 4:3.

  2. Identify and emulate Jesus’ example of commitment, i.e. to do the will of the Father (cf. John 6:38).

  3. Pray and ask God to teach you to do His will (cf. Psalm 143:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

  4. “Put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3), but die to your human desires every day.

  5. Stand firm. “Stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” Colossians 4:12.

  6. Be courageous. “Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” Hebrews 10:35-36.

  7. See everything in the context of eternity. “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” 1 John 2:17.

“I ordered the Lord:

‘Get right with me,

My will be done,

And instantly!’

And I don’t know why,

But prayers fell numb,

Till I learned to pray

In Jesus’ way:

‘Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done.’”

Henry Hubert Hutto

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P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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Posted on December 9, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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Jesus, the Radiance of God’s Glory - Hebrews 1:1-4

Written by Nancy Ruegge for “From The Inside Out” @  http://nancyaruegg.com

 

The Radiance of God’s Glory

December 7, 2023 by Nancy Ruegg  (Reposted)

Last week we embarked upon a reflection of one of the most important songs in the history of the Christian faith: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

The lyrics beautifully weave together the Old and New Testaments, telling the story of our Messiah, “the chosen One”—the One who would come to deliver his people from the consequences of their sins and establish his kingdom forever [1].

Each verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” directs our spiritual eyes toward Christ’s return by remembering his first coming, and then expressing hope, anticipation, and yearning for his second coming [2].

Our needs here in the present are also addressed as we look to him–our Emmanuel (God with us), our Wisdom from on high, our great Lord of might, and more.

As noted last week, the unknown lyricist carefully based each stanza on scripture. You’ll find a number of references listed at the end of this post for further reflection.

This week we meditate on verses two and three [3]:

VERSE 2

I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are the wisdom of God from on high, and have become for us wisdom. In you are hidden all the treasures of discernment and knowledge—more profitable than silver, yielding better returns than gold, and more precious than rubies [4].

Through you, God Almighty made the universe, and he appointed you heir of all things. Your wisdom is on display in the order of everything: the orbits of planets, the balance of ecosystems, the cycle of seasons, and more [5].

I praise you, Lord Jesus! You are the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. You wisely, actively, and expertly sustain all things by your powerful word [6]!

The Milky Way Galaxy is just one of approximately 200 billion galaxies in the universe–a conservative estimate.

It measures about 100, 000 lights years in diameter. Our whole planetary system occupies one tiny spot of the galaxy.

During your earthly life you exemplified the epitome of wisdom in what you taught and how you lived.

As if that wasn’t enough, you provide wisdom to those who trust you as their Lord and Savior and simply ask.

You know exactly when to give, how to give, what to give, and what to withhold [7].

We can trust you to show us the best path to follow, so that we may enjoy the abundant life you offer [8].

VERSE 3

I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are our Lord of might, sovereign over all. You are leading everything to the conclusion you ordained before time began, by the same power, wisdom, and love with which you made it. Nothing can be amiss [9].

You will not fail to do your pre-ordained, unerring part, which is ultimately the only part that matters [10].

I praise you that just as the people of Israel saw the radiance of your glory on Mount Sinai as Moses received the law, we too can see evidence of your majesty and splendor. In fact, it’s all around us in:

  • The wonders of your creation

  • The truths in scripture

  • The love and compassion evident in your generous blessings

  • The beauty of your attributes on display—your knowledge, wisdom, power, goodness, and more

  • The scriptural prophecies fulfilled; the promises kept

  • The miracle of your grace that meets us where you find us but doesn’t leave us where you found us [11]

Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

Exodus 15:11 NIV

REFRAIN:

In all of this and more we REJOICE!

You have come to be with us, our Emmanuel. You support us with your perfect wisdom, omnipotent might, and more.

Hallelujah!

[1] Ace Collins, Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, 127; Isaiah 59:20; John 1:40-49; Romans 6:23; Revelation 11:15

[2]  https://www.danielim.com/2017/12/19/the-hidden-theology-and-history-of-o-come-o-come-emmanuel/  

[3] From www.hymnary.org. The lyrics of this hymn vary depending on the source.

[4] 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; Colossians 2:3; Proverbs 3:13-15

[5] Hebrews 1:2; Jeremiah 51:15

[6] Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17

[7] Charles Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, 84.

[8] Proverbs 3:5-6

[9] Daniel 7:13-14. Last two sentences based on Julian of Norwich quote

[10] Based on Elisabeth Elliot quote

[11] Based on Anne LaMott quote

Art & photo credits: http://www.pixexid.com; http://www.stockvault.net (Mirko Fabian); http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.stockvault.net (Mirko Fabian); http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.pickpik.com.

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P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

 

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

 

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“Love conquerors sin” 12/08/2024 Written by Louis Mize, a good friend 

Posted on December 8, 2024 by Godsmanforever

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Written by Louis Mize, a good friend  @  https://www.facebook.com/louis.mize

Love Conquers All Day | JOY for Today

         “Love conquerors sin”

        He that covers a transgression seeks love, but he that                     repeats a matter separates very friends.
              Proverbs 17:7

Some people love to kindle fires. But the kind of fire they start are the bad kind of fires. They are those fires that destroy friendships and unity. I call them the devil’s arsonists.

There is another kind of person who kindles fires. They start the good fires in life, those that are beneficial and not harmful to man. Those fires keep a person warm and comfortable, and help melt cold, hard and calloused hearts.

The Lord Jesus Christ is that FRIEND the Bible tells us of who sticks closer than a brother. He is that ONE who truly seeks love. He has proven it by shedding His precious, sinless blood, that cleans and covers all our sins. And He is that friend who desires that people live together in unity and peace.

This morning, I thanked God for showing and seeking true love. And I thank Him that He is that friend who wipes away all our sins and transgressions, and chooses to remember them NO MORE, as we approach His throne of mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

Help us Lord, to be that kind of person who seeks

love, and chooses never to repeat a matter that would separate friends, instead desiring to be a true friend to those who God may place in our path. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“God, the Answer to Our Every Need” 12/7/2024 Posted by David Kitz for “I love the Psalms”

Posted on December 7, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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Isaiah 65:24 Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Posted by David Kitz for “I Love the Psalms” @  https://davidkitz.wordpress.com/

God, the Answer to Our Every Need

28ThursdayNov 2024

Posted by davidkitz

TAGS

Reading: Psalm 59:10-17
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
But do not kill them, Lord our shield,
or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them and bring them down.
For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.
They return at evening, snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
They wander about for food
and howl if not satisfied.
But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely (NIV).

Reflection
David began Psalm 59 in great distress, fleeing for his life, and calling out for God’s deliverance. But as is often the case in the Psalms, there is a transition point. What began with desperate pleading on David’s part, ends with confident faith and praise to God for His unfailing help. Apparently, David met with God. The LORD heard his cry and answered him. David makes this assertion, “God will go before me…” (v.10).

Can you make that assertion too? Have you met with God in prayer? Have you poured out your heart before Him? What is more important, has God answered you? Above all, true prayer is a two-way communication. Have you taken time to listen for His voice? Is He going before you?

There are many who assert that prayer is the answer. That’s nonsense! Prayer is not the answer. God is the answer. What we need is God. We need to hear the Holy Spirit speaking into our spirits. Prayer is simply a means to connect with God. Prayer is part of the divine equation. And we need to pray, but it’s God whom we seek. He is the solution—the eternal amen—the reward at the end of the quest.

David learned how to seek God through prayer, praise, and worship. He was taught by God. God will teach us too, if we will take the time to seek Him with all our heart. Then we can say, “You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely” (v. 17)

Response: LORD God, teach me to pray like David prayed. Give me ears to hear your voice when I come before you. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God spoken to you at various times? Have you taken time to listen for his voice?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“A life worth living and dying for” 12/6/2024 Written by Dr. Lawson for “SEIZE The DAY” 

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Godsmanforever

Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

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Ephesians 5 Bible Study Guide - Commentary and Questions

Written by Dr. Lawson Murry for “SEIZE The DAY”  @  https://seizetheday-blog.com         

Original post @https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&folder=default0//udzi5QOFSZ2FK%20Iwiv%26hxwvt%24rrx%7Ds&waitSeconds=30

A life worth living and dying for

Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. Ephesians 5:2 (NLT).

Despite popular opinion, God isn’t stingy. He doesn’t want to deprive anyone of life. He just wants to give you what’s best. The psalmist says, “No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right” Psalm 84:11 (NLT). You noticed that, didn’t you? The abundant life goes hand in hand with the obedient life. You’ve got to live right to have fullness of life.

Now how do you do that? How do you live right?

First, you’ve got to get rid of the stuff that’s getting in the way. You’ve got to throw off everything that hinders you from being truly alive. And what hinders you from being truly alive? Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress” (NLT).

Sin hinders you from being truly alive. But the trouble is you can’t get rid of sin. Once you’ve sinned you own it. So how do you get rid of it? By getting help.

This brings us to the second thing you’ve got to do. You’ve got to get Jesus. Only Jesus can remove your sin. 1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life” (NLT). Jesus is the only One who can give you life. He’s the only One who can take your sin and get rid of it. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (NIV). Ask Jesus to cleanse you from sin and you’ll know life.

The third thing you’ve got to do is live only all for Jesus.  How do you live all out for Jesus? By obeying Him. By living according to the precepts of His Word. Ephesians 5:2 says, “Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins” (NLT).

Does this make sense? This is the Gospel. There’s more to life, much more to life than you can ever make of it by yourself. “Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee.” Place your trust in Jesus and live by His dictates. For when you do, when you embrace Jesus and live for Him, you get a life worth living for and a life worth dying for.

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P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Picture credit: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=360d606574466e04&rlz=1CAJFEX_enUS881&sxsrf=ADLYWII63P4YKoDcrvPWOjuhselI_Q4t9Q:1733496682989&q=image+eph+5:2&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0Aa4sjWe7Rqy32pFwRj0UkWd8nbOJfsBGGB5IQQO6L3J7pRxUp2pI1mXV9fBsfh39JqJxzRlphkmT2MeVSzs3MQCUNkeUaVjRp3Bu8J5s0UhhW9p8XBQ4OgSxaZFuzMRIHm1YH1fcYQUvvrISxlCv9Km7C6ufW8zILU3_5Nhj-Vo4qKzb5wi7QUQvpxDIQTbaNzipXoYS-g5hS9YBSIbVVrGMsj-g&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwix6IiwspOKAxVPfDABHecZBVkQtKgLegQIHBAB#vhid=ETQSF1IIsf7h1M&vssid=mosaic
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“The Promise of Tomorrow” 12/5/2024 Written by Beth Andrews for “Deeper Roots” 

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Godsmanforever
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A Proverb A Day - Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Proverbs 27:1 https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.27.1.ESV | Facebook

Written by Beth Andrews for “Deeper Roots”   @  https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com

The Promise of Tomorrow

POSTED ON  BY BETH ANDREWS
Today is my mom’s 95th birthday. Sort of. She passed away at the very young age of 57. In her last months, I was able to move back home and take care of her. We talked about so much – sewing projects and her flower garden and recipes and memories. We talked about my friend who was expecting a baby. But we didn’t talk about deeper things. She tried to keep our conversations light and I didn’t have the courage or knowledge to broach those subjects with her. When she became unable to converse, I realized how much we left unsaid. I would loved to have known her thoughts on so many things. There’s no doubt in my mind and heart that my mom was saved and I believe I will see her in heaven someday. She loved the Lord dearly and served Him through her family, church, and community. But as much as she loved Jesus, she also loved us. I am certain her heart was torn. She knew where she was going, but she also knew what she was leaving behind.
I have often wondered why God would send His Son to earth to die. The author of Hebrews offered an answer: “. . . so that He might . . . free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:15).
Who it is that fears death? The one who believes that life ends. The one who believes that there is nothing after the last breath. But for the believer, life doesn’t truly end. We simply change addresses – an earthly zip code for a heavenly one. 2 Corinthians 5:8 says “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (KJV).” And in the presence of the Lord is eternal life. Jesus declared, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).
Paul asked, “Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). It has lost its prick in the promise of eternal life. Even though my mom didn’t want to leave her loved ones, she was not afraid to die. There was sadness in her passing, but the sting of death was gone. She may not have had another earthly tomorrow, but she has an eternity full of them.
P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…
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“The Humbling Doctrine of Election” 12/04/2024 Posted by Alister Begg for www.truthforlife.org

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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Romans 9:15 For He says to Moses: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

Posted by Alister Begg   for   www.truthforlife.org

Original site  @   https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/daily-devotionals/11/25/2016/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=37907044&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–Mw3jouv13OLqrVJShQ_AePALKP1VpE4NBA9cF24_G1SyDWhptnwIrHweSY9ObBM5eMM0vc_20-kP05P0zJ0Z8NafciWcOh7XXUbSavVMsQYwqes4&_hsmi=37907044

The Humbling Doctrine of Election

For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

Romans 9:15

In these words, the Lord in the plainest manner claims the right to give or to withhold His mercy according to His own sovereign will. As the prerogative of life and death is vested in the monarch, so the Judge of all the earth has a right to spare or condemn the guilty, as may seem best in His sight. Men by their sins have forfeited all claim upon God; they deserve to perish for their sins—and if they all do so, they have no ground for complaint. If the Lord steps in to save any, He may do so if the ends of justice are not thwarted; but if He judges it best to leave the condemned to suffer the righteous sentence, none may call Him to account.

All those discourses about the rights of men being placed on the same footing are foolish impudent and ignorant; worse still are the arguments against discriminating grace, which are just the rebellions of proud human nature against God’s rule. When we are brought to see our own utter ruin and the justice of the divine verdict against sin, we no longer scoff at the truth that the Lord is not bound to save us; we do not murmur if He chooses to save others, as though He were doing us an injury, but feel that if He deigns to look upon us, it will be His own free act of undeserved goodness, for which we will forever bless His name.

How will those who are the subjects of divine election sufficiently adore the grace of God? They have no room for boasting, for sovereignty most effectually excludes it. The Lord’s will alone is glorified, and the very notion of human merit is cast out to everlasting contempt. There is no more humbling doctrine in Scripture than that of election, none more deserving of gratitude, and consequently none more sanctifying. Believers should not be afraid of it but adoringly rejoice in it.

Family Bible reading plan

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written permission. Today’s Bible Reading material is taken from McCheyne Bible reading plan and used by Truth For Life with permission. Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.

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    “Copyright Truth For Life. Used with Permission. www.truthforlife.org.”

P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Picture credit:  https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+Romans+9:15&rlz=1C1VFKB_enUS610US619&espv=2&biw=1191&bih=883&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbq7HKxcTQAhWisVQKHZI3CbsQsAQIGg&udm=2#vhid=aOTeTVTS_bMeyM&vssid=mosaic

 

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“Is the Holy Spirit a person?” 12/03/2024 Posted by www.gotquestions.org

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Godsmanforever

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The Person of the Holy Spirit - The Behold File

Posted by www.gotquestions.org

Click on original post and speaker at the top, or the video in the middle…  You can listen to the whole post !!

Original post @ https://www.gotquestions.org/Holy-Spirit-person.html

Question

Is the Holy Spirit a person?

Answer

Many people find the doctrine of the Holy Spirit confusing. Is the Holy Spirit a force, a person, or something else? What does the Bible teach?

The Bible provides many ways to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is truly a person—that is, He is a personal being, rather than an impersonal thing. First, in almost every instance, pronouns used in reference to the Spirit are he and him, not it. In this way, the original Greek of the New Testament is explicit in confirming the person of the Holy Spirit. The word for “Spirit” (pneuma) is grammatically neuter and would naturally take neuter pronouns to have grammatical agreement. Yet, in many cases, masculine pronouns are found (e.g., John 15:26; 16:13–14). There is no other way to understand these ”ungrammatical” pronouns related to the Holy Spirit—He is a personal being, a “He.”

Matthew 28:19 teaches us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a collective reference to one Triune God. Also, we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit can be sinned against (Isaiah 63:10) and lied to (Acts 5:3). We are to obey Him (Acts 10:19–21) and honor Him (Psalm 51:11).

The personhood of the Holy Spirit is also affirmed by His many works. He was personally involved in creation (Genesis 1:2), empowers God’s people (Zechariah 4:6), guides (Romans 8:14), comforts (John 14:26), convicts (John 16:8), teaches (John 16:13), restrains sin (Isaiah 59:19), and gives commands (Acts 8:29). Each of these works requires the involvement of a person rather than a mere force, thing, or idea.

The Holy Spirit’s attributes also point to His personality. The Holy Spirit has life (Romans 8:2), has a will (1 Corinthians 12:11), is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), and is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7). A mere force could not possess all of these attributes, but the Holy Spirit does.

And the personhood of the Holy Spirit is affirmed by His role as the third Person of the Godhead. Only a being who is equal to God (Matthew 28:19) and possesses the attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and eternality could be defined as God.

In Acts 5:3–4, Peter referred to the Holy Spirit as God, stating, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” Paul likewise referred to the Holy Spirit as God in 2 Corinthians 3:17–18, stating, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit is a person, as Scripture makes clear. As such, He is to be revered as God and serves in perfect unity with Father and Son to lead us in our spiritual lives.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Photo credit: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=cf4b4f72d6e342aa&rlz=1C1UEAD_enUS1112US1112&q=Image+Who+is+the+Holy+Spirit&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0Aa4sjWe7Rqy32pFwRj0UkWd8nbOJfsBGGB5IQQO6L3J7pRxUp2pI1mXV9fBsfh39JqJxzRlphkmT2MeVSzs3MQEN5DgZmMeykT7pJra3boNMmeqljZ7P_Mci2RQNXWUvs0uYvk__uM-sA7iQHz0rC_qtHqiIQzRiax5tM1h82Y3dM9ZP1NkeLbOcAtw8KTZct2Q3sKq7AQMds098lJ3095meyIFw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiOpvvB1ouKAxUClIkEHbiJN64QtKgLegQIGBAB&biw=1436&bih=887&dpr=1
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