Rabu, 04 Juli 2012

Growing Up to Become a Child by Robert Ricciardelli


We have been born to remain a child in the eternity of God’s plan. This is not an excuse to live childishly but to remain childlike in our embracing life, curiosity, possibilities, and what we might learn at any given moment. Childlike people of God are not a people whose development has been stunted, but they are a people who have given themselves a chance to continue to grow in the ways of their God. Being childlike is the remedy to an anxious, muffled, and stagnant existence, and one must have a childlike heart to truly see the Kingdom of God. A powerful life is a life lived as a child of the Living God and having an abiding trust in His providence.

Are you a child at heart?

Is there anything that you need to give to God that has seemingly robbed you of your childhood?
Will you choose to grow up in becoming a child that remains teachable?

Senin, 18 Juni 2012

we are called to be the bride of christ

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne" — Revelation 3:20-21, NKJV The bride of Christ has a desire to be great, noble, and successful. This deep human longing is answered by God as He enthrones us as His bridal partner throughout eternity. As the bride of Christ we have the highest position of honor and authority in eternity, a position far above all the angels. The highest position of honor for all of God's creation is reserved for the bride who will partake of the wedding table of Revelation 3:20. The bride who sits at the table feasting with Christ is the one who sits with Him in the position of government and authority as well. The bride of Christ is the queen of heaven because she is married to the King of kings. Believers are priest and kings. As priests we are wholehearted lovers, but as kings we are indeed in the government of the city of God. *PRAYER * Lord, Your desire for me to be Your bride satisfies the deep longing of my heart to be great, noble, and successful. I am great in You and will rule and reign with You in glory forever. *Greatness in God is not defined by earthly circumstances—greatness in God focuses upon His greatness.*

Rabu, 13 Juni 2012

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

"One of the miracles of the grace of God is what he is able to do with the torn nets of lives surrendered to him." - G. B. Duncan

Selasa, 13 Maret 2012

A Life Prepared for God


BY FRANCIS FRANGIPANE

I love the Word of God. I have a burning passion that my words, whether written or spoken, might be filled with the substance of God. I love comparing translations, researching commentaries and then using that holy information to prepare teachings. Several years ago, however, I found myself being corrected by the Lord. I had spent too much time preparing my message for a service. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit interrupted my study to recalibrate my focus. He said, "I have called you, not just to prepare sermons, but to prepare people."

This was a subtle, but profoundly significant correction. I was reminded of John the Baptist who was sent as a "forerunner before [the Messiah]." God had called John "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).

There is a difference between preparing a message about God and preparing a people for God. Obviously, sermon preparation is very important, but it is not an end in itself. The goal is to equip and train people to represent Christ.

As we approach the end of this age, I believe our Father is in the process of training people to serve during the last great harvest. Our destiny as Christians is to "grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ" (Eph. 4:15). This means, we must not only know that Jesus heals but know who He intends to heal and how He wants to heal them.

You see, our quest is not only to possess accurate theology, but that the actual "life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:11).

Reward or Reproof
Our success in life is determined by one primary objective: how functionally transformed into Christ's likeness have we become? This reality - man created in the image of Christ - is the core purpose of our existence (Gen. 1; Rom. 8:29; etc). In my opinion, the Lord does not need to examine every individual thing we have ever done, good or evil. All things are already "open and laid bare" before Him (Heb. 4:13). What He will probe is the cumulative effect of our life's choices; He will measure how Christlike we have become.

If He sees that we were forgiving even when wounded; if He sees in us a heart that holds fast its faith even in times of adversity; if He finds us to be truly repentant and genuinely humble, even when we could boast; and if He sees we are committed to a life of love, we will have fulfilled the purpose of God. We will receive a great reward.

If, however, the Lord sees in us a soul easily offended or that we blame others for our joyless, angry attitude; if He scans our inner man and finds we are self-righteous and judgmental; or if our conscience alternately either accuses or defends ourselves, then we will render an account for our life at the judgement seat of Christ (Rom. 1:29, 2:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27).

Thus, it is of the utmost importance that we settle the eternal goal for our lives. Are we seizing life's opportunities to appropriate Christ or are we mostly coasting? Let us say with vision and assurance, I am preparing myself for God!

Minggu, 04 Maret 2012

More GREAT QUOTES


More GREAT QUOTES
-Sermonindex.

"If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes."
- Corrie ten Boom

"The secret formula of the saints: When I am in the cellar of
affliction, I look for the Lord's choicest wines."
—Samuel Rutherford

"God takes a safe course with His children, that they may not be
condemned with the world, He permits the world to condemn them,
that they may not love the world, the world hates them...."
—Richard Sibbes

"We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power."
— R. A. Torrey

"A religion that costs nothing is worth nothing."
- W.B. Dunkum

"Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be better men and women. Do not
pray for tasks equal to your strength, pray for strength equal to your
tasks." - Phillips Brooks

"It's Jesus - only Jesus"
- Denny Kenaston