| Source - http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=19181&commentView=itemComments MP3 - Making Whole Hearted Disciples by Zac Poonen
Topic:Discipleship
Scripture(s):Matthew 28:18-20 | |
| Description: Brother Zac Poonen gives a very strong prophetic message on the need for discipleship in Christendom in our day. This is a clarion call for repentance for leadership in Churches to start to disciple their converts and build the body of Christ. It is not enough to just have a church full on sundays we need to see discipleship and whole hearted believers living for Christ daily. | |
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Making Whole Hearted Disciples by Zac Poonen
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
When Faith Becomes Obedience
"The difficulty we modern Christians face is not misunderstanding the
Bible, but persuading our untamed hearts to accept its plain
instructions. Our problem is to get the consent of our world-loving
minds to make Jesus Lord in fact as well as in word. For it is one thing
to say, 'Lord, Lord,' and quite another thing to obey the Lord’s
commandments. We may sing, 'Crown Him Lord of all,' and rejoice in the
tones of the loud-sounding organ and the deep melody of harmonious
voices, but still we have done nothing until we have left the world and
set our faces toward the city of God in hard practical reality. When
faith becomes obedience then it is true faith indeed."
- A.W. Tozer
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?...Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven...If you love Me, you will keep My commandments...Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
- Jesus Christ (Luke 6:46; Matthew 7:21; John 14:15,21)
- A.W. Tozer
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?...Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven...If you love Me, you will keep My commandments...Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
- Jesus Christ (Luke 6:46; Matthew 7:21; John 14:15,21)
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Obedience Will Make Your Life Glorious - Zac Poonen
Jesus' life was the most beautiful, the most orderly, the most peaceful
and the happiest life that this world has ever seen. This was because of
His total obedience to God's Word.
Consider the order there is in the physical universe. The stars and planets move about in the heavens in such perfect order, that we can set our time accurately to the millionth of a second, by them. Such is their dependability that astronomers can calculate the position of any star or planet for any date in the future. What is the secret of such perfect order? Only one thing: They obey the will of God exactly, revolving in the orbits laid out for them and at the pace set for them by their Creator.
Wherever there is obedience to God, there is perfection and beauty. And wherever there is disobedience to God, there is chaos and ugliness.
Even the stars are a mute testimony to the fact that God's commands are the best for us, and that His commands are not burdensome.
Jesus' life bore witness to the fact that godliness, alone, of all things is profitable both in this life and in the next (1 Tim. 4:8). No man can be more happy, more peaceful or more content than a godly man.
"The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life" (Prov. 14:27); and Jesus obeyed the command to "live in the fear of the Lord all the day long" (Prov. 23:17).
God heard His prayers, because of His godly fear (Heb. 5:7). Heaven was always open over Jesus, because, He lived in the fear of God. "I reverence My Father" (John 8:49-Amplified), He once said. He demonstrated by His life the truth of the Word that says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10.)
Consider the order there is in the physical universe. The stars and planets move about in the heavens in such perfect order, that we can set our time accurately to the millionth of a second, by them. Such is their dependability that astronomers can calculate the position of any star or planet for any date in the future. What is the secret of such perfect order? Only one thing: They obey the will of God exactly, revolving in the orbits laid out for them and at the pace set for them by their Creator.
Wherever there is obedience to God, there is perfection and beauty. And wherever there is disobedience to God, there is chaos and ugliness.
Even the stars are a mute testimony to the fact that God's commands are the best for us, and that His commands are not burdensome.
Jesus' life bore witness to the fact that godliness, alone, of all things is profitable both in this life and in the next (1 Tim. 4:8). No man can be more happy, more peaceful or more content than a godly man.
"The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life" (Prov. 14:27); and Jesus obeyed the command to "live in the fear of the Lord all the day long" (Prov. 23:17).
God heard His prayers, because of His godly fear (Heb. 5:7). Heaven was always open over Jesus, because, He lived in the fear of God. "I reverence My Father" (John 8:49-Amplified), He once said. He demonstrated by His life the truth of the Word that says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10.)
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
HAVE YOU FORSAKEN YOUR FIRST LOVE? By Michael L. Brown
There
is nothing more important than your relationship with the Lord.
Nothing. Yet sin, in its very essence, is an assault on that
relationship. That’s why sin must be uprooted from your life. That’s why
sin’s hold must be broken. That’s why sin must be hated and rejected.
It’s goal is to steal the one thing that you cannot live without:
intimate communion with God. It’s goal is to separate you from your
Savior. Don’t let it succeed!
You
can lose your friends and still be blessed. You can lose your
possessions and still be rich. You can even lose your health and still
be fruitful. But if you lose your relationship with Jesus, if you
forfeit your communion with Him, all the friends in the world, all the
possessions in the world, all the health in the world won’t buy you a
moment’s joy or true satisfaction. You will wither at the root! Soon
enough, the leaves on your branches will dry up and die. Soon enough,
your very branches will die. Soon enough, you will die. You have
forsaken the Fountain of Life! And one day – God forbid it should come
to that – when the winds of temptation blow, they may expose a house
without foundations or a tree without roots. The house may fall with a
crash; the tree may be toppled with a thud.
We
were created to know and serve the Lord, to walk with Him, to love Him,
to enjoy Him, to work for Him. But as a race, we chose instead to go
our own way, trying to find satisfaction and fulfillment through money,
achievements, food, sex, education, sports, music, arts, family, work,
religion – the list is almost endless. But still there is that gaping
hole in our spirits, that wound that cannot be healed, that heart cry
that cannot be answered. Only God can fill it! Only God can mend it!
Only God can answer it!
And
so, in the infinite love of our Father, He sent His Son to seek and
save us, giving His own life as the bridge that stretched across the
gulf of our sins, making the way for us to come home to God. And we’re
almost all the way there! We have already been made His sons and
daughters, we have already been grafted into the true Vine, and we can
already call the Creator of everything “Abba.” Soon enough, we will
leave the filth of this world and stand before our Maker, free forever,
perfect for eternity, without blemish or spot throughout the coming
ages. In Jesus, our destinies will be fulfilled. In Jesus, we will be
complete – totally. The reality of all this feels so close that I can
practically reach out and touch it. It’s nearer than we know!
But
right now, we find ourselves locked into this world, and there’s simply
no way for us to fully escape it’s miserable condition. All of us have
more than enough hassles, problems, distractions, temptations, battles,
and difficulties. That’s just the way it is, like it or not, and the
devil only leaves us alone until he can find a more opportune time to
attack (see Luke 4:13; 1 Pet 5:8-9). We won’t get rid of him as long as
we are in these bodies, and, even though we can resist him and make him
flee, sooner or later, he’ll be back. The war shows no signs of abating.
What
then do we do? How then should we live? What should be our highest goal
and number one priority in life? The answer is simple: We must pursue intimacy with the Lord.
Knowing Him and walking with Him must be our highest goal, our number
one priority, the focus of our energy and attention. All the ministry
and all the spiritual activity and all the gifts and power cannot
substitute for a solid relationship with God. In fact, ministry and
“anointing” and service without intimacy is just so much
performance or showmanship or religiosity or good works – if it doesn’t
flow from our heart for God. As Vance Havner said, “The primary
qualification for a missionary is not love for souls, as we so often
hear, but love for Christ.”
Everything
we do – praying, studying, soul-winning, discipling, worshiping,
preaching, teaching, parenting, serving, giving – must flow out of our
love for God. He is the Source, He is the Motivation, He is the
Foundation.
Consider
the Lord’s rebuke of Ephesus in Revelation 2. Here was a congregation
that excelled, a church that worked hard, a group of believers that
hated false doctrine, an assembly that persevered. In many ways, they
were a model church, rich in good works, attentive to the warnings of
Paul their spiritual father (cf. Acts 20:28-31 with Rev 2:2), and
willing to endure hardship for Jesus’ sake. And they did all this
without growing weary. What more could the Lord want? These Ephesian
believers certainly outclassed most of us.
“Yet,”
Jesus said to them, “I hold this against you: You have forsaken your
first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and
do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place” (Rev 2:4-5). What a solemn
warning!
Hard
work was not enough. Sacrifice was not enough. Doctrinal purity was not
enough. Fine pastoral oversight was not enough. Perseverance in the
midst of suffering was not enough. This congregation had left its first
love, and if it didn’t repent – notice that this is a corporate call –
the Lord would actually remove it from its place. There would no longer
be a church of Ephesus! Do you see how important it is in the eyes of the Lord that we maintain our first love?
Just think:
It
is possible for a church as a whole to backslide from intimacy and
devotion to Jesus while working hard for Him and staying doctrinally and
morally pure.
It
is possible for individual believers to backslide from intimacy and
devotion to Jesus while working hard for Him and staying doctrinally and
morally pure.
The
Lord speaks of our first love as a height – a glorious, wonderful
height – from which we can fall. He calls us to return to that height!
We
forsake – not “lose” – our first love, meaning that we leave that place
of spiritual passion by the choices we make and the lifestyle we adopt.
Our “first love” is not something that we accidentally misplace.
The
Lord calls us to repent of the sin of forsaking our first love, meaning
that we can be restored to that place of spiritual passion by the
choices we make and the lifestyle we adopt.
What
then are those choices and what is that lifestyle? What must we do to
be restored, to make that return, to regain our first love? Jesus gives
us the answer: “Repent” – meaning make an about face – “and do the
things you did at first” (Rev 2:5). There are things we can do to
restore the intimacy!
Have
you ever read a Christian book on rekindling the spark of love in a
failing marriage? In a book like this, you will not only be shown how to
diagnose the nature of your marital problems, but you will also be
given specific, practical steps that will help you to correct the
problems. For example, a book written to men might remind the husband
about the early days of his relationship with his fiancée/wife. In those
years, he used to call her several times a day, send her flowers once a
week, take her on a special date every Saturday, be sensitive to her
unspoken needs and desires, always put her first, leave her little love
notes, and let her know how special she was. But all that was a long
time ago – to be exact, five children, three apartments, one house, four
moves, six jobs, and about twenty pounds for him and forty pounds for
her. Things aren’t quite the same anymore!
What
does this husband need to do? He needs to do the things he did at
first. He needs to re-ignite the romance and make an effort to renew and
deepen the relationship. He needs to set aside quality time with his wife and for his
wife, making her happiness his number one priority. He needs to let her
know how important she still is to him and break away from his routine
for her sake. He needs to love her again as his bride!
That’s
exactly what we need to do with Jesus when our love turns cold. We need
to renew the relationship! How? We set aside blocks of quality time to
meet with Him, pouring out our hearts to Him in prayer, sharing our
innermost thoughts and burdens. We lift our voices to Him in worship and
adoration, singing the songs and hymns that have been so precious to us
through the years, expressing our appreciation to Him with thanksgiving
and praise. We saturate our minds and hearts with His Word, meditating
on His truths, learning of Him, receiving from Him, growing in knowledge
and grace. We think back to the awe and wonder of those early days, and
we seek to recapture that sense of divine nearness. And whenever we
feel prompted, we share our faith with those who don’t know the Lord.
According to Matthew Henry, believers who have left their first love
.
. . must return and do their first works. They must as it were begin
again, go back step by step, till they come to the place where they took
the first false step; they must endeavour to revive and recover their
first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and
watch as diligently, as they did when they first set out in the ways of
God.
Then,
over a period of time, as we do these things – not with a “time-clock”
mentality, not as a spiritual performance or out of a religious habit,
not to earn brownie points or somehow merit His favor, but rather
because we love Him and long for Him and want to deepen our fellowship
with Him – His Spirit begins to flood our hearts, and before you know
it, He becomes the most precious One in our lives. He becomes the reason
for all we do, the center of our attention, the highest objection of
our affection. Then, all our good works – serving Him, sharing our
faith, giving sacrificially – become expressions of love, the overflow
of a heart enamored with the Master.
That’s
what it means to “do the things we did at first.” That’s what it means
to return to the height from which we have fallen, to repent and return
to our first love. God eagerly awaits our move back towards Him! He
remembers what our relationship used to be like, and He expresses it in
vivid terms as a mournful husband:
The word of the Lord
came to me: “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: ‘I remember
the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved Me and followed Me
through the desert, through a land not sown’” (Jer 2:2).
And
He expresses His longing toward us as a father, thinking back to the
days of our infancy when we were totally dependent on Him. This is how
God expressed His heart towards His people Israel:
When
Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. But
the more I called Israel, the further they went from Me. They sacrificed
to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught
Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it
was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with
ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed
them (Hos 11:1-4) –
but now they were far from Him! Yet the Lord continued to love them:
How
can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I
treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is
changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. . . . “Is not Ephraim
My dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against
him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have
great compassion for him,” declares the Lord (Hos 11:8; Jer 31:20).
As
He said through Jeremiah, “Turn back, O backturning children; I will
heal your backslidings” (Jer 3:22, my translation). That is the Word of
the Lord!
On Monday, January 1, 1750, John Wesley made the following entry in his journal:
On
several days this week I called upon many who had left their “first
love,” but they none of them justified themselves: One and all pleaded
“Guilty before God.” Therefore there is reason to hope that He will
return, and will abundantly pardon.
Yes, God will abundantly pardon. The Lord will receive you again, no questions asked.
Does
anything hold you back? Does anything stop you from renewing your
relationship with the Lord? He has promised to draw near to those who
draw near to Him (Jam 4:8a), and, as John Bunyan quaintly put it, when
we take a step towards God He takes a step towards us, but His steps are
larger than ours! Now is the time to pursue the Lord with all of our
being.
It
is in this pursuit that we become holy, as Oswald Chambers said,
“Holiness is the characteristic of the man after God’s own heart.” We
were made for Him, and in Him we thrive. In fact, the ultimate thing
that will keep us from sin is the nearness of the Lord in our lives. If
God is near to us – and we are conscious of the fact – sin will be far
from us. In this light, M. P. Horban could say that, “True holiness is
learning to enjoy friendship with God.” That is the key to all our
growth in grace, knowledge, obedience, and service. Everything flows out
of knowing Him. In fact, knowing God is actually the
essence of eternal life: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know
you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John
17:3).
I
think of the impassioned lyrics of Keith Green’s song, “You Love the
World and You’re Avoiding Me,” in which the Lord asks us, “If you end up
losing Me, what will you do?” What will we do if we lose our
closeness with the Lord? What is left for us in this world – or in
eternity – if we leave the one we once loved?
If
we know Him, we will serve Him. But if we try to serve Him without
knowing Him, we insult the very purpose for which He created us and rob
our service of its meaning. He did not make to be robots or puppets but
rather sons and daughters.
Yes,
it is wonderfully true that forever we will serve the Lord (Rev 22:4a)
and under His rule we will reign (Rev 22:5b). But right in the middle of
the two verses that say this (viz., Rev 22:4a and 5b) it is written: “They will see His face,
and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night.
They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the
Lord God will give them light” (Rev 22:4b-5a). He will be our all in
all! He will be our portion. His face will be our light. As expressed so
wonderfully by the saintly Robert Murray M’Cheyne:
Christ
Himself shall be the greatest reward of His people. . . . Any place
would be heaven if we were with Christ. No place would be heaven without
Him. . . . Oh to talk with Him as Moses and Elijah did on the mount of
transfiguration, to hear Him speak gracious words, to lean our head
where John leaned his, to hold Him, and not to let Him go, to behold
that countenance which is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars, to have
Him turning upon us His eyes of divine tenderness and holy love – that
will be a reward.
And
so, everything we do in this world should ultimately be done in
anticipation of that day when we see Him face to face. That’s the
purpose of it all. Don’t you want Him to express approval to you when
your eyes first meet? How glorious it will be to see Him smile!
There
could be no higher joy possible and no greater satisfaction imaginable.
It will be the most indescribable moment of all. In a second’s time,
all the pain, all the suffering, all the disappointment, all the
hardship, all the labor, all the agony, all the questions will fade into
oblivion – when we see the Savior’s face. And that is what we must keep
in mind every day of our lives: Soon we’re going to meet the Lord in
person, and we should be getting ready for that moment every hour that
we breathe.
God
Himself – not so much His reward, or His blessing, or His anointing,
but the Lord Himself – must be our goal. Therefore, each of us must
cultivate our relationship with Him. Each of us must settle in our
hearts once and for all that anything of eternal good that we can do is
birthed in Him, and anything truly good within us is birthed in Him.
So
why are we spending so much of our time laboring and planning and
running in our own strength and wisdom? Why aren’t we communing more
with Him in prayer and spending more time at His feet in worship and
taking counsel with Him more through His Word? Why? And how can we even
think about being holy without first knowing the Holy One? How can we
have a measure or norm for holiness when we have forsaken the very
Standard of holiness? And how can we receive strength to be holy when we
have abandoned the Holy Spirit who empowers us? How can we
even imagine that we can attain any kind of holiness without feeding on
Him and learning from Him and becoming like Him? Becoming like Him –
which is the essence of holiness – requires being with Him.
Tragically,
we can have all the outward trappings of Christian zeal and service
without having a vibrant relationship with the Lord. According to New
Testament scholar Robert Mounce, “at Ephesus, hatred of heresy and
extensive involvement in the works appropriate to faith had allowed the
fresh glow of love to God and one another to fade.” In other words,
“Every virtue carries within itself the seeds of its own destruction.”
So,
it could be that our very zeal for truth and purity coupled with our
penchant for hard work and sacrifice could rob of us our love, both for
God and man. Charles Finney commented on this, explaining that even with
a backslidden heart, a believer could remain active in Christian
service. For Finney, backsliding consisted in: 1) “taking back that
consecration to God and His service, that constitutes true conversion”;
2) “the leaving, by a Christian, of his first love”; 3) “the Christian
withdrawing himself from that state of entire and universal devotion to
God, which constitutes true religion, and coming again under the control
of a self-pleasing spirit.”
Yet even in this state, Finney noted that
.
. . there may be a backslidden heart, when the forms of religion and
obedience to God are maintained. As we know from consciousness that men
perform the same, or similar, acts from widely different, and often from
opposite, motives, we are certain that men may keep up all the outward
forms and appearances of religion, when in fact, they are backslidden in
heart. No doubt the most intense selfishness often takes on a religious
type, and there are many considerations that might lead a backslider in
heart to keep up the forms, while he had lost the power of godliness in
his soul.
Backsliding
can be subtle, but its origins are always the same: Something has
broken down in our relationship with the Lord. Somehow, our love has
grown cold. Somehow, our devotion has waned.
“But,”
a troubled believers asks, “if I can seem to be on fire for God,
keeping busy for the Lord and staying true to His Word, and yet be
backsliding at the same time, how can I really know the state of my
heart?”
Let
me give you some symptoms of a backslidden heart, some tangible tests
by which you can examine yourself. There’s no reason to be in the dark
when it comes to your own spiritual life. Here are some questions to ask
yourself:
1) Is there a decrease in your personal devotion to Jesus?
This will be reflected by a decreased desire for intimate and private
times with the Lord (especially in prayer and worship) and decreased
hunger and passion for the Word. (According to John G.
Lake, everyone who backslides first backslides in their lessening hunger
for the Word, while Leonard Ravenhill often said that backsliding
begins with backsliding in prayer.)
Remember:
When you were hot, Jesus was everything! You couldn’t wait to spend
time with Him. Praising Him – even with the simplest little choruses –
was pure joy. If there was a prayer meeting, you were there. You devoured
the Word. You could relate to the words of Paul: “I consider everything
a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my
Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish,
that I may gain Christ . . .” (Phil 3:8). But something happened.
Something changed.
You
spend time with the one you love. You share your heart with the one you
love. You are jealous for the one you love. You think about the one you
love. Do you love Jesus today as you once loved Him before?
You may enjoy the forms
of worship – good music, singing, dancing, being part of the exciting
corporate experience – but what about the object of worship? What about
the Lord? You may have a vision. You may be caught up in a movement. You
may have a message or a burden. Theology may intrigue you. Spiritual
issues may interest you. The ministry may consume you. But all these
things are mere idols and distractions in comparison with coming into
the light of God’s presence and fellowshipping with Him. You only grow
and bear fruit to the extent that you abide in the vine (John 15:1-9).
2) Is there a decrease in your personal satisfaction in God? This will be reflected by the need for other things to gain fulfillment, an increased social orientation in place of private devotions,
and an increased desire for recognition and acceptance by flesh and
blood. The Word says that, “The desires for other things come in and
choke the Word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19), and, “If anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). What do
you desire? What brings you satisfaction? Do you love God, or do you
love the world? “Remember those earlier days . . . .” (Heb. 10:32-39).
At
one time promotion on your job was not your primary source of
satisfaction, nor was a big paycheck, a nice home, a new car, a special
boyfriend or girlfriend, an exciting sports event, or even a happy
family. (Yes! Even spouses and children can take away from your
delighting in the Lord above all.) Walking with God used to satisfy you.
Does it still satisfy you? Fully and completely? If not, you have left
your first love.
M’Cheyne
put it like this: “If ever you are so much engrossed with any enjoyment
here that it takes away your love for prayer, or for your Bible, or
that it would frighten you to hear the cry, Behold the bridegroom cometh
– then your heart is “overcharged.” [Luke 21:34] You are abusing this world.”
3) Is there a decrease in your passion for spiritual work? This will be reflected by a decreased burden for the lost (both home and foreign “missions”, both domesticated heathen and undomesticated heathen), a decreased burden for revival and visitation (often replaced by good works, and more subtly, by good spiritual programs), and a penchant for respectability in place of radicality. “Unrefined” preaching of the gospel now embarrasses you. Holy zeal makes you uncomfortable and you are, slowly but surely, becoming ashamed of Jesus and His reproach.
3) Is there a decrease in your passion for spiritual work? This will be reflected by a decreased burden for the lost (both home and foreign “missions”, both domesticated heathen and undomesticated heathen), a decreased burden for revival and visitation (often replaced by good works, and more subtly, by good spiritual programs), and a penchant for respectability in place of radicality. “Unrefined” preaching of the gospel now embarrasses you. Holy zeal makes you uncomfortable and you are, slowly but surely, becoming ashamed of Jesus and His reproach.
How
often do you share your testimony? You used to be a house on fire! You
used to seek out opportunities to talk about Jesus. Witnessing used to
come naturally. But now, you almost avoid the subject. You simply don’t
care about the ones Jesus died for. You don’t fully believe that they
are lost. Unbelief is always a result of backsliding somewhere, somehow. Do you find yourself spiritually numb?
And what about revival and visitation? How would you feel if the Spirit fell in power? (In
other words, not necessarily in some “cultured” – and totally
“containable” – way, but with intensity and suddenness and upheaval.)
Are you willing to let Him be in control – of the service, of the leadership, of you?
Are you hungry anymore for a real moving of God? Or have you become
satisfied with a comfortable seat in the theater while the show itself
never goes on?
Beware of a powerless spiritual sophistication. The world admires it, but it has no teeth.
4) Are your standards of holiness becoming lower?
This will be reflected by your permitting things in your life, family,
or congregation that would have been unthinkable when you were on fire
and your ability to engage in certain activities, watch certain movies,
enjoy certain sports and forms of entertainment, attend certain
functions, etc., which the Lord at one time convicted you of – but now
there is no conviction!
Beware! This type of backsliding is often done in the name of spiritual maturity.
I warn you as one who once fell into this very error: It is a trap and a
lie! Absence of divine conviction does not mean absence of divine
displeasure. It may actually point to a withdrawing of His
presence. In fact, if the Holy Spirit is dealing with you even now, cry
out to Him for restoring grace right where you are. Do not harden your
heart against your Lord, your King, and your Friend. It is spiritual
suicide. The fact that something doesn’t “bother you” may be the loudest
warning you will ever hear.
Can
you sin freely without feeling grief? Then fall on your face and cry
for mercy before it’s too late. Otherwise you might disqualify yourself
from receiving the prize. Do not be deceived: You are not experiencing the freedom that comes as a result of trust; you are experiencing the insensitivity that comes from hardness.
Have
you actually deceived yourself by giving yourself a license for sin in
the name of “liberty”? Have you despised the precious closeness you once
enjoyed with Jesus by calling it “legalism”? Run back into His presence
-- with all the discipline and devotion that demands -- while His arms
are still open wide. Where godly sorrow is found, abundant grace is also
found.
5) Are you backsliding in your spiritual authority and personal victory?
This will be reflected by lack of victory over the flesh, falling back
into old habits and lusts and inability to resist and drive out the
devil from strongholds in your life or the lives of those to whom you
minister.
Remember:
You can fool others, but you can’t fool the flesh – and you can’t fool
the devil. As Ravenhill often asked, “Are you known in hell?”
Are
you moving from victory to victory, or do you find yourself more and
more entangled every day (or, month, or year)? Peter taught that “a man
is a slave to whatever has mastered him” (2 Pet. 2:19b). You must ask
yourself if Jesus is your Master, or if you are mastered by sin. Are you
an overcomer or are you overcome? Is Jesus your Lord, or are you ruled
by your belly, or your sexual lust, or your temper, or your greed, or
your bitterness? Who, or what, governs you?
You once chased
the devil; now you tremble at his shadow. You once cast off fear like a
dog shakes off water; now you are paralyzed by anxiety and dread. You
once forgave from the heart instantly; now you remember and hold a grudge. My friend, you are backsliding!
You
once made effective inroads into the devil’s kingdom. Now he’s making
inroads into you. What has become of your victory? You are backsliding
from the place of spiritual authority! How tragic that Satan has
paralyzed you, be it with theological questions, or with fear of
failure, or with massive self-doubt. Press back in to Jesus! He is as
victorious today as He ever has been! He will restore your faith.
I
will never forget the words spoken one night by the pastor of the
church in which I was saved. He said, “It may take a man twenty years to
backslide” (referring to a complete apostasy from the Lord). This is a
sobering thought. You grow old gradually. Your hair turns gray
gradually. You can backslide just as gradually. Before you know it, you
have wasted your whole life.
In
which direction are you heading? Where is the present course and
pattern of your life taking you? If you continued for ever on the same
path you have been on -- be it of progress or regress -- if you
continued eternally down this same course, would you wind up in heaven
or in hell? Are you moving towards the Lord or away from Him?
Again
I ask you: Are you backsliding in your spiritual authority and personal
victory? What makes you think that things will be better tomorrow? It
will be only downhill from here, unless you humble yourself and turn
back.
Let
me share with you a little more from my own life experience. At one
time in my walk (in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s) I began to
backslide, but all the while I claimed to be growing and maturing. My
prayer times decreased; my devotional reading of the Word decreased
(although my linguistic reading of the Scriptures may have
increased). My fasting all but stopped; my witnessing dropped off. I
became more interested in social action than in spiritual action. I had
less and less control over the flesh. I virtually never took
authority over the devil (I really couldn’t have done much anyway!). I
fell in areas that I had never fallen in before. (Don’t get me wrong. I
never touched another woman or misused ministry funds or stole anything
or even had a fleeting thought about going back to drugs or drinking,
but still, I slipped up a few times in ways I never had before, and even
though these slips were many months or more than a year apart, they
scared me.) I even became addicted to video games!
I
felt the presence and joy of the Lord less frequently and less
abundantly, yet all the while, I was an active leader in the church, I
taught the Word with conviction, I preached with fervor (and even some
anointing), I ministered actively, I sought to keep a pure testimony
before the world, I was considered by many to be zealous, I was engaged
in many good and even sacrificial works – yet I was backsliding!
I will be eternally grateful to my sister-in-law who, without my knowledge – in fact, if I had
known, it would have been without my approval! – helped to pray me back
on fire. How I praise God for His miraculous intervention, planting the
first seeds on New Year’s morning 1982, then lovingly rebuking me in
March of that year, awakening me with a vision of a spiritual outpouring
in May, showing me how far away I was drifting in September, calling me
to lay everything on the altar in October, and then sending a
visitation November 21, 1982. I have never been the same since then.
I encourage you in the words of Psalms and Hebrews, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart” (Ps 95:7b-8a; Heb. 4:7).
Respond
fully to the Lord today. Pour out your heart to Him. Pray through.
Allow His Spirit to move freely. Don’t be ashamed! He can – and will –
fully restore. Obey whatever He speaks to you. Set a new pattern for
your life beginning now. And then, every day, whenever you can,
take another step closer to the Lord, one step at a time. Don’t let the
devil set you up for a fall by lying to you about what God requires.
Pray
more (and with more focus and direction), read His Word more, speak His
Word more, share your faith more. Listen to tapes, watch videos, and
read books that will help keep the fire burning. Keep your conscience
clear. If you know something is displeasing in God’s sight, don’t do it.
Be sensitive. He understands your weakness, and He will give sufficient
grace. But He will not put up with determined and willful hardness. Bow
your knee to the Lord, and He will lift you up. Your future can be just as bright as the promises of God.
It’s time to rekindle the flame!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Fear of God - Misc. Speakers
In order of appearance:
Carter Conlon, Zac Poonen, Paul Washer, Art Katz, Leonard Ravenhill, David Wilkerson, Jim Cymbala, Keith Daniel, John Piper
Carter Conlon, Zac Poonen, Paul Washer, Art Katz, Leonard Ravenhill, David Wilkerson, Jim Cymbala, Keith Daniel, John Piper
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Loving God in the Last Days - Sandeep Poonen
Psalms 27: 4 - One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Lack Of Fear Of God by Zac Poonen
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10). This is the
first lesson in the school of wisdom. "To fear the Lord is to hate evil"
(Prov. 8:13), because God Himself hates evil. When we have heard the
call of God to be holy because He is holy, and are gripped by that call,
we shall hate sin.
Many believers find it quite easy to overcome some sins (such as anger, lust, etc.) when in the presence of other believers for they are afraid of losing their reputation before them. Yet they sin in the same areas quite easily when alone. They value man’s opinion more than God’s.
Such Christians need to mourn and weep for worshipping the creature (man) more than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). They need to cry out to God with all their hearts that God will teach them His fear.
The promise is that if you cry out and lift up your voice and seek the fear of the Lord as you would hidden treasures, then God will teach you His fear (Prov. 2:3-5). He will be found only by those who seek Him with all their hearts (Jer. 29:13). Those who mourn over their failures will be comforted (strengthened and helped) by the Comforter (Matt. 5:4).
We need to develop the habit of living before the face of God alone. A reason why God has given each of us a private area (our thought life) is so that He can test us to see whether we fear Him or not. If we are concerned only about our external reputation before other men, we shall be careless about sin in our thought life. Thus God makes a separation between those who are desirous of total victory and those who desire only an external victory over sin. If we mourn over sin in our thought life as over external sin we shall enter into victory quickly.
Many believers find it quite easy to overcome some sins (such as anger, lust, etc.) when in the presence of other believers for they are afraid of losing their reputation before them. Yet they sin in the same areas quite easily when alone. They value man’s opinion more than God’s.
Such Christians need to mourn and weep for worshipping the creature (man) more than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). They need to cry out to God with all their hearts that God will teach them His fear.
The promise is that if you cry out and lift up your voice and seek the fear of the Lord as you would hidden treasures, then God will teach you His fear (Prov. 2:3-5). He will be found only by those who seek Him with all their hearts (Jer. 29:13). Those who mourn over their failures will be comforted (strengthened and helped) by the Comforter (Matt. 5:4).
We need to develop the habit of living before the face of God alone. A reason why God has given each of us a private area (our thought life) is so that He can test us to see whether we fear Him or not. If we are concerned only about our external reputation before other men, we shall be careless about sin in our thought life. Thus God makes a separation between those who are desirous of total victory and those who desire only an external victory over sin. If we mourn over sin in our thought life as over external sin we shall enter into victory quickly.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Re- Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || True Christianity by Leonard Ravenhill
This is a response video to: "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus" -
What is the Christian life? Easiness, welfare, prosperity, pleasures?
NO! Christian life is a life of sacrifice, disclaim, agony, to burden
ourselves the marks of the Lord, to be like Him, to live like He did, to
suffer like He did, to walk so close to Him that people will think you
are Him. This is CHRISTIAN LIFE!
In light of the current 18 million video about Jesus going around, lets promote a more truer picture of the cost of Christianity, share this video:
In light of the current 18 million video about Jesus going around, lets promote a more truer picture of the cost of Christianity, share this video:
Friday, May 4, 2012
Staying On Track In Your Daily Christian Life by Greg Gordon
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your
paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The Christian world is flooded in our day with ideas, programs and plans to help you life your Christian life better. All these teachings and resources state that they will help you stay on track in your Christian walk. In the midst of this day of abidance in resources and information for Christians we must step back and look at the Bible to help find truly what will keep us on track in our Christian walks with the Lord. Here is a short list of simple, yet very biblical ways to stay on track with the Lord in your walk:
1. Not relying on men - It is tremendous to receive writings, daily devotionals, sermons, teaching tapes and many other resources daily yet they can become crutches for us in our walk with the Lord. Even some can come to the place in prayer where they do not pray themselves but just get others to pray for them. Relying on men can be a very dangerous thing and result in not only deception but a lack of ability of follow the Lord yourself (Psalm 146:3). Our Lord Jesus taught 12 disciples to rely on Himself (John 14:1) and not the teachings and patterns of the religious age they were surrounded with. In the same way we must rely on the Lord Jesus Christ and not men or the religious information around us (John 12:36).
2. Doing everything for God - Christian life is primarily about God not ourselves (Romans 15:6). As long as we walk this Christian road we need to keep our focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and namely the person of Jesus Christ "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2). Our salvation should constantly bring up in us a great thankfulness and glorifying of God daily (2 Corinthians 4:15). The Bible commends us to glorify God in everything we do if it is in word or deed. When we do these good works out of deep appreciation for the love of God we bring glory to God the Father. Keeping this focus on God's testimony, His glory and Name keeps us from being self-centred and self-seeking in our Christian walks (Romans 15:6).
3. Do not Trust in your abilities and experience - There is a great danger in our Christian walks and being in ministry to trust in our own abilities and past experiences. If we had a great victory in our Christian life and that can become something that builds slowly over time self-reliance instead of dependence on God. Our past experiences can be markers like Abraham made of worship to God so when we come back to think of them it will result in worship of God rather in glorying someone in ourselves that we did it. Our own understanding is so strong and wants to plead with us daily to trust in itself rather in Gods wisdom which is high above our thinking, logic and ways (Isaiah 55:9). We must desire to hear the voice of God in the Bible and by our prayer walks with the Lord and heed that voice even over what we feel is right (Hebrews 3:15). When we obey the Lord and trust Him we will never be put to shame (Psalm 25:3).
4. Saying no to Gossip, slander and grumbling - Mankind is prone to sin in these ares of comparing ourselves with others and putting down others that do not measure with what we think is right (Romans 2:1). Such judging, criticizing, and scrutinizing will never bring the peace of God into one's life and never keep the presence of God in our lives (James 4:11-12). We should always look to ourselves first for when we criticize others it is usually that same weakness that we can find in ourselves and therefore should judge ourselves first. A man who judges himself before God His Father and not men will be a happy and peaceful man of God. There is a time and place for a godly correction especially in the local church may we have wisdom to only open our mouths in such a way as being led by the Lord Himself (1 Corinthians 5:3-4)
5. Seeking after God more then money - Almost all of the world is seeking after money as its prime motive in life. Jesus taught this clearly that the world is in love with money and seeks it as their god (Matthew 6:24). Only those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ are the one's that put money under their feet. If we are pursing fame and success in this world then we are not seeking God's kingdom first (Luke 16:14). This life is just a breath and it is passing away so quickly only those who are wise will build their lives on eternal values and rewards (James 4:14).
6. Building a personal relationship with Jesus - We can get side-tracked by so many things in the Christian walk and therefore to keep it simple can bring much fruit and blessing in your life (John 15:4). Keeping your daily focus on building a relationship with Jesus Christ by reading the words of God, prayer, worship and just thinking on His person. Jesus covets and desires after intimate fellowship with the Church He bought with His own blood. May we respond to this call of His love daily and sit at His feet as Mary did of old (Luke 10:39). Also be honest and share every hurt, burden and care of this life with Him in a simple way like a child. He will never turn you away and Has only deep love for you as you seek to abide in His life (1 Peter 5:7).
7. Mediating on the Words of God - To mediate and muse on scripture is a lost art in much of the evangelical word. This requires us to quiet our hearts to think upon Gods words as more important and higher then ours. To recognize Gods words as eternal, holy and showing the truths of eternal life (Psalm 138:2). To practically take 1-2 verses per day and just muse and chew on them in your mind and heart will produce life and a sense of the presence of God (Psalm 1:2). This practice will bring you peace and give you strength in your Spirit to be more discerning of daily situations you run across in your walk with Jesus Christ.
8. Silence - There is such an overload of information, thoughts and busyness in our culture that we truly do not have time to just be silent and think. We are taught that to stop thinking about what we have to do next is idleness and unprofitable. The practice of true prayer to wait on the Lord in times of silence and pray very purposefully is not done in many churches (Psalm 46:10). Even a time of introspection during the holy communion is not afforded to us in this rushing time we are in (1 Corinthians 11:31). Practically I feel it is profitable to just God this time of quietness and allow Him to speak, impress your heart with scripture. Allowing the peace of God to flood into your hearts and minds as you simply want to fix your minds on our Lord in worship. There is nothing dangerous about this practice when we come with a sincere heart to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and hear from Him (Acts 13:2).
To recap these simple suggestions for our daily walk with the Lord may God give us the grace to in our daily walks:
- Not to rely so much on others but the Lord
- Do everything for the glory of Gods Name and Testimony
- Cater a dependence on God not our own abilities
- Judge ourselves and do not slander and judge others
- Put to death the desire to seek after money
- Build a daily growing relationship with Jesus Christ
- Mediate and muse on the words of God daily
- Stop and spend times of prayerful silence to let God speak to you.
As we seek to do these practical things may the Lord continue to keep us on track with His will in our daily walks.
_________________
SermonIndex.net Moderator - Greg Gordon
The Christian world is flooded in our day with ideas, programs and plans to help you life your Christian life better. All these teachings and resources state that they will help you stay on track in your Christian walk. In the midst of this day of abidance in resources and information for Christians we must step back and look at the Bible to help find truly what will keep us on track in our Christian walks with the Lord. Here is a short list of simple, yet very biblical ways to stay on track with the Lord in your walk:
1. Not relying on men - It is tremendous to receive writings, daily devotionals, sermons, teaching tapes and many other resources daily yet they can become crutches for us in our walk with the Lord. Even some can come to the place in prayer where they do not pray themselves but just get others to pray for them. Relying on men can be a very dangerous thing and result in not only deception but a lack of ability of follow the Lord yourself (Psalm 146:3). Our Lord Jesus taught 12 disciples to rely on Himself (John 14:1) and not the teachings and patterns of the religious age they were surrounded with. In the same way we must rely on the Lord Jesus Christ and not men or the religious information around us (John 12:36).
2. Doing everything for God - Christian life is primarily about God not ourselves (Romans 15:6). As long as we walk this Christian road we need to keep our focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and namely the person of Jesus Christ "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2). Our salvation should constantly bring up in us a great thankfulness and glorifying of God daily (2 Corinthians 4:15). The Bible commends us to glorify God in everything we do if it is in word or deed. When we do these good works out of deep appreciation for the love of God we bring glory to God the Father. Keeping this focus on God's testimony, His glory and Name keeps us from being self-centred and self-seeking in our Christian walks (Romans 15:6).
3. Do not Trust in your abilities and experience - There is a great danger in our Christian walks and being in ministry to trust in our own abilities and past experiences. If we had a great victory in our Christian life and that can become something that builds slowly over time self-reliance instead of dependence on God. Our past experiences can be markers like Abraham made of worship to God so when we come back to think of them it will result in worship of God rather in glorying someone in ourselves that we did it. Our own understanding is so strong and wants to plead with us daily to trust in itself rather in Gods wisdom which is high above our thinking, logic and ways (Isaiah 55:9). We must desire to hear the voice of God in the Bible and by our prayer walks with the Lord and heed that voice even over what we feel is right (Hebrews 3:15). When we obey the Lord and trust Him we will never be put to shame (Psalm 25:3).
4. Saying no to Gossip, slander and grumbling - Mankind is prone to sin in these ares of comparing ourselves with others and putting down others that do not measure with what we think is right (Romans 2:1). Such judging, criticizing, and scrutinizing will never bring the peace of God into one's life and never keep the presence of God in our lives (James 4:11-12). We should always look to ourselves first for when we criticize others it is usually that same weakness that we can find in ourselves and therefore should judge ourselves first. A man who judges himself before God His Father and not men will be a happy and peaceful man of God. There is a time and place for a godly correction especially in the local church may we have wisdom to only open our mouths in such a way as being led by the Lord Himself (1 Corinthians 5:3-4)
5. Seeking after God more then money - Almost all of the world is seeking after money as its prime motive in life. Jesus taught this clearly that the world is in love with money and seeks it as their god (Matthew 6:24). Only those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ are the one's that put money under their feet. If we are pursing fame and success in this world then we are not seeking God's kingdom first (Luke 16:14). This life is just a breath and it is passing away so quickly only those who are wise will build their lives on eternal values and rewards (James 4:14).
6. Building a personal relationship with Jesus - We can get side-tracked by so many things in the Christian walk and therefore to keep it simple can bring much fruit and blessing in your life (John 15:4). Keeping your daily focus on building a relationship with Jesus Christ by reading the words of God, prayer, worship and just thinking on His person. Jesus covets and desires after intimate fellowship with the Church He bought with His own blood. May we respond to this call of His love daily and sit at His feet as Mary did of old (Luke 10:39). Also be honest and share every hurt, burden and care of this life with Him in a simple way like a child. He will never turn you away and Has only deep love for you as you seek to abide in His life (1 Peter 5:7).
7. Mediating on the Words of God - To mediate and muse on scripture is a lost art in much of the evangelical word. This requires us to quiet our hearts to think upon Gods words as more important and higher then ours. To recognize Gods words as eternal, holy and showing the truths of eternal life (Psalm 138:2). To practically take 1-2 verses per day and just muse and chew on them in your mind and heart will produce life and a sense of the presence of God (Psalm 1:2). This practice will bring you peace and give you strength in your Spirit to be more discerning of daily situations you run across in your walk with Jesus Christ.
8. Silence - There is such an overload of information, thoughts and busyness in our culture that we truly do not have time to just be silent and think. We are taught that to stop thinking about what we have to do next is idleness and unprofitable. The practice of true prayer to wait on the Lord in times of silence and pray very purposefully is not done in many churches (Psalm 46:10). Even a time of introspection during the holy communion is not afforded to us in this rushing time we are in (1 Corinthians 11:31). Practically I feel it is profitable to just God this time of quietness and allow Him to speak, impress your heart with scripture. Allowing the peace of God to flood into your hearts and minds as you simply want to fix your minds on our Lord in worship. There is nothing dangerous about this practice when we come with a sincere heart to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and hear from Him (Acts 13:2).
To recap these simple suggestions for our daily walk with the Lord may God give us the grace to in our daily walks:
- Not to rely so much on others but the Lord
- Do everything for the glory of Gods Name and Testimony
- Cater a dependence on God not our own abilities
- Judge ourselves and do not slander and judge others
- Put to death the desire to seek after money
- Build a daily growing relationship with Jesus Christ
- Mediate and muse on the words of God daily
- Stop and spend times of prayerful silence to let God speak to you.
As we seek to do these practical things may the Lord continue to keep us on track with His will in our daily walks.
_________________
SermonIndex.net Moderator - Greg Gordon
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Excellency Of Knowing God by Leonard Ravenhill
Source - http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=20359&commentView=itemComments
| MP3 link - Excellency Of Knowing God (File size - 18.6 MB) Topic: Knowing God Scripture: John 17:3 | |
| Description: Ravenhill preaches from a deep burden on the greatest need in our Churches to know God! We don't know God, we talk about Him, we read His book but do we know Him in his grandeur and in his power? This is a provoking and challenging message. | |
The Secret of the Lord by Oswald Chambers
The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him . . . —Psalm 25:14
What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10)— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives.
“Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Psalm 25:12). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, “I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?” God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, “Now, Lord, what is Your will?”
What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10)— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives.
“Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Psalm 25:12). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, “I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?” God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, “Now, Lord, what is Your will?”
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Preserving Our Love for Christ(Must hear !)
MP3 link - Preserving Our Love for Christ (File size - 6.1 MB)
PS: You can hear this sermon without downloading it, for that either hit the play button or hit the link. If you need to download this sermon, then right click the link and the select the option "save link as". Please feel free to contact me if you need any help.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
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