This is the Confidence

 

 

There’s a Refuge from the wicked darts

Assurance through the test

A Place of peace and safety

Where my mind can find some rest

 

A Knowledge of the Promises

A Trust in God above

Who watches for His children

Enfolds them in His love

 

Yes, Prayer will walk the Pathway

Left by wounded, bloodied feet

In the fear of the Lord to seek His Will

He our Confidence Complete

 

*****

 

Proverbs 14:26

In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence:

 and his children shall have a place of refuge.

 

1John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that,

if we ask any thing according to his will,

he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask,

we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

 

The Power of His Might

 The Power of His Might

 

Building a tower to Heaven

The Pharisee picked up his tools

His zeal to obey the letter

Caused pride to muddy the rules

 

This man was not good in his heart

He walked just like those he did hate

But in his mind, he was righteous

And all that he did was first rate

 

But that would never be enough

To satisfy the cost

There is only one Way—

Our Jesus and His Cross

 

The Pharisee didn’t have the power

That brought Christ down from Glory

Nor did his goodness have the strength

Of Resurrection’s story

 

The righteousness that truly counts

Is God’s and His alone

For only the power of His might

Has strength to sin atone

 

Galatians 6:12-15, Philippians 3:4-9, Romans 10, 11:6

 

Where Be All His Miracles?

 

Where be all God's Miracles?

Where is His mighty arm?

Why does the Spirit seldom work

Why happenings that alarm?

 

These questions are quite valid--

The answer is in His Book

God still has all power

But we right paths forsook

 

Our enemy is not flesh and blood--

It fights us from within

God's miracles will not happen much

When we secretly love our sin

 

Christian, seek the altar!

Confess your wrong and pray!

For God still looks for humble souls

To do miracles through today

 

**********

 

Judges 6 with Isaiah 59

Who is This Jesus

 

Christmas!

In the Bible, there was a prophet by the name of Habakkuk. He definitely wasn't in the Christmas spirit! He was seeing everything that was wrong in his world and wondering if God even cared. He had prayed and his prayers seemed not to be heard--but we know that they were because God answered him and shared that answer with us in the book of Habakkuk.

God showed to Habakkuk the sin of the Enemy and--if we are honest--the sins we commit: Pride, vanity, covetousness, idolatry...a sad place to be! God's wrath is inevitable when sin is present.

 Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death...

Sin is the problem. Sin separates us from God. There is an answer--Jesus!

Jesus is God with us!

God took the wages of sin and put them on Jesus. As Jesus shed His blood on the Cross, the price of sin was paid--forgiven! 

Romans 6:23  ...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

2Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

Romans 5:8-9  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

Much of the Christmas story happened at night--the whole world was lost in sin/darkness

The Resurrection happened in the morning--Jesus is the Light of the World!

If you recognize your sin problem, come to Jesus! Habakkuk found that it was not what he saw or the feelings that he had or even the prayers he prayed--it was faith in Jesus!

Do you recognize that you are a sinner?

Do you understand that sin has a punishment--separation from God for ever in a real place called Hell?

Do you believe that God sent Jesus to die on the Cross and shed his blood--pure, holy blood--to save you from your sins? Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and is listening to hear you call unto Him?

Calling unto Him is like crying for help when you are drowning--you are doing nothing but depending on someone else to save you.

Will you place your faith completely in Jesus? Not your church, baptism, or good works.

Habakkuk trusted God not his own understanding. Even though nothing changed in the world around him, God had changed him on the inside! God can do this for you, too!

Habakkuk 3:17-19  

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 

This is the hope and joy of Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

 

The Sufficiency of Giving

 

The Sufficiency of Giving

 

Faith is working

Love is displayed

Hope is exercised

 

Seed is multiplied

Fruit is increased

God is pleased

 

Provision is made

Grace is bestowed

Thanksgiving is produced

 

God’s glory is magnified

Prayer’s power is released

Calvary’s Cross is set before us

 

Giving is conforming to the image of Christ

Can others see Jesus in you?

 

II Corinthians 9

More Than All

 

More Than All

 

“I want all I can get out of life”

This is the common thinking

But “All” does not seem very much

When its only for self seeking

 

For only one person enjoys that “All”

And it never is enough

If only they would really see

How worthless is their stuff!

 

Instead of getting let us give

To Jesus all we own

For through this gift—though very small

God’s glory can be shown

 

A little boy’s lunch, A widow’s two mites

And a shepherd’s sling and stones

A cruise of oil and a little meal

All given—and how they’ve grown!

 

Why hoard the little that you have--

Give to Jesus everything

For He can do exceeding abundantly

Above all with anything!

 

 

Eph 3:20-21

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. 

 

Jeremiah 33:1-3 

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 

Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 

 

Jeremiah’s All—Faith!

Jeremiah was in prison. He really didn’t have much to give—except faith in God!

1.      God’s Word was there

2.      God, himself, was there

3.      God’s Prayer Promises were there

4.      God’s Glory was there

5.      God’s friendship was there

6.      God’s power was there    Ephesians 3:20-21

a.      When? NOW

b.      What? Exceeding abundantly above all

c.       Who? Unto him that is able to do

 

See also Philippians 2:13, John 1:12, Acts 10:38