A WORD TO PARENTS

"I have never known a true saint who was not deeply concerned about his child's relationship with the heavenly Father.

Parents, your children have souls, which God expects you to nourish with at least as much care as you lavish on their physical needs. Who will teach them if not you? No one is surprised to hear that a ship put out to sea without a compass has sunk or run aground. Why should we be surprised to see children wander far from God, when they have received no spiritual direction?

We see a pattern set for us by the saints of old. David, busy king that he was, thought it his solemn responsibility to instruct his son in the ways of the Lord: "Know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind" 1 Chronicles 28:9. And what need I tell you of Timothy's mother and grandmother, who taught him the Scriptures from the time he was a child? I believe a man calls in question his own Christianity if he does not bother to acquaint his child with God and the way that leads to Him. I will even go so far as to say I have never known a true saint who was not deeply concerned about his child's relationship with the heavenly Father.

You will give a poor account at the Last Day if all you can say is, "Lord, here are my children, I bred them gentlemen and left them wealthy." What a mocking witness to your own folly that you would do so much for that which rusts, and nothing for a knowledge of God unto salvation, which endures forever!

A careful study of the principles of God will show how serious this matter is. If we neglect the spiritual training of our children, we fail on many fronts.

You obviously fail your children when you leave them ignorant. Faith and disbelief are fundamentally different; not only by definition but also in the way they operate as well. Faith will not grow without planting, and will die even where it is planted unless it is watered and fertilized with the Word of God.” 


Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617

CONSCIENCE SHOULD SOUND THE ALARM

"Our omniscient God has known all along that the way to heaven can never be found in the dark; that is why He sent His Son as the Light of the world.

Conscience is God's alarm to wake the sinner up, but it can only be a witness to what it knows. If not informed of the truth, it will not sound when heresy or sin creeps in and sets fire to your soul. And if you do not wake up and quench the flames with timely repentance, you will burn forever.

Ignorance locks out the means of rescue. Friends and ministers stand outside and cannot save a burning man if he will not let them in. Neither threats nor promises are of an use if you are counseling a willfully ignorant man. He fears not the one and desires not the other. Write "Danger!" as large as you can, and paint it red; it will no more serve as a warning t a blind man than to a dumb ox.

Yet there will be times in a sinner's life when, by the grace of God's Holy Spirit, he senses the oppression of his soul and longs for deliverance. So he feels around for an avenue of escape. There are some ways which at first seem right to him, and Satan will lead him on a merry chase down one dead-end street after another to keep him off heaven's road. "Try good works," he will say. "that will lift your spirits." Or, "Make some new resolutions and promise yourself to be a better person from now on. What more could God expect from you?" But at last, exhausted and disillusioned by all his misguided meanderings, the sinner looks up to find himself right back where he started-- a slave to sin and darkness!

Our omniscient God has known all along that the way to heaven can never be found in the dark; that is why He sent His Son as the Light of the world. There is but one safe exit from your darkened state, one way of escape-- through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let your faith join hands with His promise of eternal life for all who believe on Him, and He will lead you out of darkness and into the glorious light of the Gospel.”

One of the things that will happen when you have consistent time reading God’s Word is that you begin to know how God operates and what He wants for us. This gives our conscience the necessary light to help us when we begin to walk into darkness which in turn helps us to make the choice of serving and pleasing God and not the world, the flesh and the devil.

Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617

SATAN'S INTERFERENCE

"When Pharaoh observed the Israelites' thoughts turning back to God, he knew it was a dangerous sign. He supposed he could hinder their spiritual deliverance by increasing their physical bondage, so he intensified their workload. Satan does the same with his slaves, keeping them too busy to think of heaven or hell. He never leaves them, always working to intercept any thoughts of grace, mercy, peace, or repentance sent by the Holy Spirit.

Satan interferes with God's messengers. When God sent Moses to deliver Israel, Satan sent Jannes and Jambres to resist Exodus 7:11, 2 Timothy 3:8. When Paul preached truth to the deputy, Elymas countered with Acts 13:8.. Satan has spies on every corner, watching the activities of the saints. When God sends His children on an errand of mercy to a sinner, these spies race to beat them and block their way.

Sinner, be especially wary of carnal friends and relatives when you decide to follow Christ. Resolve that if your own children grab you by the ankles and try to hold you back from Him, you will drive them away. And if your father and mother throw themselves in front of you, you will step over their backs if you must, to get to Christ. Let those who will, mock and scorn your faith. What is heaven worth if you cannot bear a little shame? If they spit on your face, Christ will wipe it off. They may laugh at you now, but not later. The final outcome has already been declared, and you have sided with the victor.

Satan distracts sinners with delays. He does not fear fleeting thoughts of repentance. I doubt there are many in hell who did not at one time or another give some thought to repenting, but Satan was always able to carry them away on some more urgent business. Sinner, if you ever hope to escape, run for your life-- away from Satan, away from your lusts, away from your present joys if they are the handiwork of Satan. The devil says, "Tomorrow." God says "Today." Whom will you obey?"

Our heart must be set on obedience to God through Jesus Christ. When we are it is easier to say YES to God!

Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617

LIGHT VERSUS DARKNESS

"If you will cry out to Him, He will hear and will come to your rescue at once.

On this earth there is some mixture of darkness and light, even for the vilest sinner-- some peace with trouble, some pleasure with pain, some hope of pardon. But in eternity there is darkness to the utmost. There the fire of wrath will burn without slacking, and sin keeps pace with utter torment.

Satan is called the "ruler of the darkness of this world." All those in a state of darkness are therefore under his rule by God's decree. Scripture tells us sinners are the very dwelling place of the devil. Do you recall the account where the unclean spirit determined to "return into my house Matthew 12:44? It is as though he said, "I have walked among the saints of God, knocking at this door and that, and no one will let me in. But I know who will. I will go back to my own house, where I am sure to rule with complete control." And sure enough, when he returns he finds it empty and ready for his enjoyment. Every inclination of the soul is employed to make the house trim and handsome for the master.

Those in darkness have no power to resist Satan. He rules the whole man, shaping his apprehensions and distorting his perceptions. If he reads the Scripture, Satan stands by with his own running commentary, twisting the truth into a maze of lies. If he shows any distaste for sin, Satan has him view it through the rose-colored glasses of compromise. And while the sinner may think his insight is greatly improved, in truth, he remains under manifold delusions. In fact, Satan is so gracious in lending this or that instrument of unrighteousness, he often is taken for a friend rather than a cruel master. But a man can no sooner cut the tether by which Satan keeps his pastured in sin than the woodsman's axe can chop a tree of its own accord.

Yet here is hope for everyone: Christ the Good Shepherd is standing by. If you will cry out to Him, though it be no louder than the pitiful bleating of the weakest lamb, He will hear and come to your rescue at once.”

Have you prayed for those whom you know who are trapped in sin’s darkness?

Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617

A VEIL OVER THE WORD

"A man in a state of sin is under the same plague. He can do nothing profitable until God lifts the darkness from his soul.

To a sinner, the light of truth is more blistering than a desert sun at mid-day John 3:19. He shuns to walk where it is shining, and when exposed to it, will spare no expense to get relief. Satan is always at his elbow, ready to help him find a way to hide from its penetrating rays.

Does he hear the truth in a powerful sermon? Satan will sit alongside him in the pew and whisper nonsense to distract him. He may ask his plans for dinner, or what is on the docket for tomorrow. And if the sermon gets too hot, the devil will dull his senses and get him to dose until the service is over. Suppose a man's conscience strains toward the truth. Satan may then send him to hear a cool preacher, whose senseless prattle will tickle his fancy rather than prick his conscience. Oh, he may preach from the word of God, but he does it gingerly. He is too cowardly to use the Sword of the Spirit in all its might and power, lest he "offend" some members of his congregation. Many who dare to handle the truth and even admire it when encased in a scabbard would faint on the spot to see it drawn and bared.

Both sin and darkness cause distress. What could the Egyptians do under the plague of darkness but sit still and hope it would pass? A man in a state of sin is under the same plague. He can do nothing profitable until God lifts the darkness from his soul. The epitaph of every impenitent sinner could fitly read: "Here lies one who never did an hour's work for God."

And if he can do God no service while kept in darkness, neither can he help himself. Pity the man whose darkness hides the disservice he does to his own soul! He is like one who stands helplessly in a dark cellar, supposing himself trapped and doomed to die. But if a candle were lit, he would find the key to the door within easy reach. Christ is the candle that lights the way out of a man's darkness.

Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617    

Walking Out the Vision and Plan of the Lord

Today are you seeking God before each encounter or step in His plans for you? Do you know His strategy and timing for each encounter? Today we are overwhelmed by what everyone is telling us the Lord is saying or doing. There is no shortage of books, conferences or web-casts. God however, has another way for He desires to have an ongoing encounter with us to give us His specific strategy and timing for the assignments He has for us.

Joshua and the people of Israel were victorious in battle when they sought God's direction and strategy before every encounter or battle. Josh 5:13-15 highlights Joshua's encounter with the Commander of the Lord's army. Joshua's question "What does my lord say to his servant?" is what we need to know more than anything else.

When you examine the pattern set out for Israel you will see that consecration, humility, and encounter with God, then obedience to His plan are the steps to victory. Without these Israel was defeated at AI, entered into covenant alliances that were not of God and failed to take all of the land before Joshua's death.

This will require you to spend significant time with God in adoration of His majesty. It will require you to not glory in your victories, gifts, status or call but in Him alone. 1Chr. 29:11 "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all." God has the plan, power, provision and alliances which, when initiated in His timing, will bring forth the results that He desires.

Wayne Newcomb serves on the advisory council of the CrossFire International Alliance and is also the founder of Abba's Glory Ministry and Abba's Glory Bible Institute