WE HAVE NO REASON TO BE PROUD

lara stang

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 We have no reason to be proud! all we have, or are, or do, that is good, is owing to the free and rich grace of God. A sinner snatched from destruction by sovereign grace alone, must be very absurd and inconsistent, if proud of the free gifts of God.

 The thought that many eyes are upon believers, when struggling with difficulties or temptations, should encourage constancy and patience. We are weak, but ye are strong. All Christians are not alike exposed. Some suffer greater hardships than others.

They suffer in their persons and characters as the worst and vilest of men; as the very dirt of the world, that was to be swept away: nay, as the off scouring of all things, the dross of all things.

And every one who would be faithful in Christ Jesus, must be prepared for poverty and contempt. Whatever the disciples of Christ suffered from men, they must follow the example, and fulfil the will and precepts of their Lord.

They must be content, with him and for him, to be despised and abused. It is much better to be rejected, despised, and ill used, as St. Paul was, than to have the good opinion and favour of the world. Though cast off by the world as vile, yet we may be precious to God, gathered up with his own hand, and placed upon his throne.

COR 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

Comments:

Kimmy Queen

15:52

Reply

We must not pray for suffering or be grateful for it. We must pray for G-d to help us through it and thank Him for His mercy and benevolence as we are or went through it. Everyone suffers even unbelievers it is what we do through our suffering that matters. It shows what we are made off and Whom we belong to. G-d is good all the time and even our suffering is for the good of those who love Him. 

To Know You Lord!

The hymn "Knowing You" by Graham Kendrick is a beautiful song, and one of my favourite. I pray you'll be blessed by it and God bless.

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The members of Christ’s Church

“When thou hears the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then thou shalt bestir thyself.”
 2Sa_5:24

The members of Christ’s Church  be very prayerful, always seeking the unction of the Holy One to rest upon their hearts, that the kingdom of Christ may come, and that his “will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven;” but there are times when God seems especially to favour Zion, such seasons ought to be to them like “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.” 

We ought then to be doubly prayerful, doubly earnest, wrestling more at the throne than we have been won't do. Action should then be prompt and vigorous. The tide is flowing-now let us pull manfully for the shore. O for Pentecostal outpourings and Pentecostal labours. Christian, in yourself there are times “when you hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.” You have a peculiar power in prayer; the Spirit of God gives you joy and gladness; the Scripture is open to you; the promises are applied; you walk in the light of God’s countenance; you have peculiar freedom and liberty in devotion, and more closeness of communion with Christ than was your want. Now, at such joyous periods when you hear the “sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees,” is the time to bestir yourself; now is the time to get rid of any evil habit, while God the Spirit helps your infirmities. Spread your sail; but remember what you sometimes sing-
“I can only spread the sail;

Thou! Thou! must breathe the auspicious gale.”
Only be sure you have the sail up. 
Do not miss the gale for want of preparation for it. 
Seek help of God, that you may be more earnest in duty when made more strong in faith; that you may be more constant in prayer when you have more liberty at the throne; that you may be more holy in your conversation whilst you live more closely with Christ.

THE INWARD MAN IS BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY AS THEY GROW OLD OUTWARDLY

Believers, need not feel weak or unproductive as they grow older.  As we age, the more effective and strong we should become in the faith.   Just as the autumn fall season of the year is the time of abundant fruitfulness, so we should be able to say, "Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor 4:16)2Co 4:16  Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  That was true of the apostle Paul.   During his years of service for the Lord, he faced many hardships.   He recognized his human frailty and that "death is working in us" (2 Cor 4:12).   But even as his body became weaker, his spirit became stronger.   As he grew older physically, he grew more vibrant spiritually.

Are you growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"? (2 Pet 3:18).
The psalmist wrote, "Those who are planted in the house of the Lord.....Shall still bear fruit in old age;  they shall be fresh and flourishing" (Ps 92:13-14).-Mr De Hann, MD
                                            Growing old but not retiring,
                                               For the battle still is on;
                                             Going on without relenting,
                                          Till the final victory's won.........Anon.
 The inward man is renewed day by day; that is, continually; it answers to ויום יום, an Hebraism; see Est_2:11 the internal hidden man of the heart, the new man is in a prosperous condition; our souls are in good health; the work of God is comfortably carried on in us; we have sweet and repeated experiences of the love of God; we are growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ; and, like the palm tree, the more weight is hung upon it, the more it thrives; and, like the children of Israel in Egypt, the more they were afflicted the more they grew.


Psa 92:13  Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God. 
Psa 92:14  They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, 

Psa 92:15  To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 

Psalms 92:13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God
Those that be planted in the house of the Lord,.... Or being planted (e), that is, everyone of the righteous before mentioned; such are they that are planted out of the wilderness of the world, and into Christ, and are rooted in him, and are planted together in the likeness of his death and resurrection; have the graces of the Spirit of God implanted in them, have received the in grafted word; and, in consequence of all this, are grafted into the olive tree, the church; or have a place and name there, better than that of sons and daughters, where they are as plants grown up in their youth; and which is here meant by "the house of the Lord", in allusion to the tabernacle, or temple, which had the figure of palm trees on the walls of it: so the Tar gum interprets it the temple, rendering it, 
"his children shall be planted in the sanctuary of the Lord:'' 
and though it may seem strange that trees should be planted in an house, it should be remembered that the house of the Lord, or the church, is a garden, whose plants are an orchard of pomegranates, Son_4:12, and such are not mere education plants, or such as are merely by outward profession, or only ministerially, planted, but are planted by the Lord himself; and so are choice and pleasant ones, by which God is glorified, and which shall never be plucked up: and these shall flourish in the courts of our God; like trees in courtyards before houses; alluding to the courts in the tabernacle or temple, where the people worshipped: here the righteous flourish like palm trees, as in the preceding verse, being rooted in Christ, who is the righteous man's root, that yields fruit, and from whom all his fruit is found; but this flourishing is not merely in the leaves of profession, but in the fruits of grace and righteousness, being watered with the dews of divine grace, and having the benefit of the word and ordinances; which are the waters of the sanctuary, that refresh and quicken the trees of righteousness that grow by it; see Eze_47:1. This is referred to the times of the Messiah, and the resurrection, by the ancient Jews (f). 

Psalms 92:14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age,.... Being thus planted and watered, they shall not only bring forth the fruits of righteousness, but shall continue, and go on to do so, and even when they are grown old; contrary to all other trees, which, when old, cease bearing fruit; but so do not the righteous; grace is often in the greatest vigour when nature is decayed; witness Abraham, Job, David, Zachariah, and Elisabeth, and good old Simeon, who went to the grave like shocks of corn, fully ripe: 

they shall be fat and flourishing; or "green", full of sap and moisture, abound with green leaves and precious fruit; or, in other words, abound in grace, and be fruitful in every good work: being in grafted into the true olive, the church of God, they partake of the root and fatness of it; having a place in the house of the Lord, they are satisfied with the goodness and fatness thereof, and are made to drink of the river of divine pleasure; and being in the courts of the Lord, where a feast of fat things is provided for them, they eat and feed, and so thrive and flourish; the allusion is to fat and flourishing palm trees (g). 

But let patience have her perfect work

James 1:3
Knowing this,.... By experience; as everyone that is trained up in the school of affliction does: the apostle appeals to the saints, to whom he writes, for the truth of what he was about to say; and which he gives as a reason why they should rejoice in afflictions, because it is a known fact, 

 The trying of your faith works patience:

two things afflictions do when sanctified; one is, they try faith, the truth of it, and make it appear to be true, genuine, and precious, like gold tried in the fire; see 1Pe_1:6 and the other is, that they produce patience: saints being inured to afflictions, become by degrees more patient under them; whence it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth: this phrase may be understood, both of faith, which being tried by afflictions, produces patience; for where the one is in exercise, the other is also, and both are necessary under afflictive providences; and also of afflictions, which try faith, and being sanctified by the Spirit of God, work patience, which is a fruit of the Spirit; for otherwise the effect of them is impatience; and this agrees with the Apostle Paul in Rom_5:3.

 James 1:4
But let patience have her perfect work,.... 

Or effect; or be brought unto perfection; which may denote both the sincerity and continuance of it unto the end, with constancy: patience may be said to be perfect, when it appears to be real and sincere, and not dissembled; for as there may be a feigned faith, a dissembled love, and an hypocritical hope, so likewise a mere show of patience: and certain it is, that as there is a patience which is commendable, there is one that is not, 1Pe_2:20. 

And this phrase may also design the constant exercise of this grace to the end; for he that endures, or is patient, and continues so unto the end, shall be saved, and enjoy that perfection of glory and happiness expressed in the next clause: 

that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing; which cannot be understood of the saints in this present life; only as they are in Christ, and in a comparative sense; or as perfection may denote sincerity, and uprightness; or of a perfection of parts, but not of degrees; for the saints are very imperfect in themselves, and are very far from being complete in soul,(mind power,will power, and emotions power) body, and spirit; and want many things, and are wanting in many things, both in the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty; but when patience has had its perfect work, and has been tried to the uttermost, and is found right, and has held out to the end; then shall the saints be perfect in holiness and happiness, and be entire, whole, and complete; as they will be in the resurrection morn, both in soul and body, and will want no good thing, and will be free from every sorrow, nor will they be deficient in any service; and to this sense agrees Jam_1:12.

Growing in the Grace of God

Growing in the Grace of God

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever more Amen (2Pe_3:18)[NIV]
2Pe 3:18  Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! [MGE]

Let's reflect upon some of the heavenly territory we have explored so far: 
Grace is for spiritual growth and progress in the Lord. 
It is not intended only for birthing and starting out with the Lord. 

"But grow in the grace . . . of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 
Growth in Christ is to be produced by God's grace at work in us. 
Often, God's people are apprehensive about an emphasis upon His grace. We become concerned that our irresponsibility, ungodliness, laziness, or indulgence will result. 

We can rest assured on the promises and purposes of God that true grace does not produce such consequences. 
Such effects are produced by 'the flesh of man', either by licentiousness or by legalism.

Licentiousness hopes to turn grace into a means by which sinful indulgence is acceptable. "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness" (Jud_1:4). 

Legalism aspires to add religious performance to grace, thereby appealing to the self-righteous hopes of man. "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit,  are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal_3:2-3). 
When a person truly lives by the grace of God, righteousness results, not ungodliness. When a person increasingly learns to draw upon the grace of God for daily living, Christ-like-ness develops, not worldliness. When grace becomes more and more the resource for life, sin diminishes; it does not increase. "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under law but under grace" (Rom_6:14). 
The temptation is to rely upon the law of God in order to generate godliness. The demand of the law to be holy, loving, and perfect becomes a false security to our flesh. We think that by hearing, repeating, or depending upon this demand, we can thereby accomplish it. Let us not forget that "the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope" (Heb_7:18-19). God's grace is the "better hope" that does not fail to bring forth what God desires. 
The Lord has ordained for us a life-long involvement with His grace. He wants to work "grace for [upon] grace" (Joh_1:16) for the rest of our days. This is the "new and living way" (Heb_10:20). 

Perhaps this could all be summarized in another acrostic on grace: Glorious Realities As Christ Empowers.(day by day Bob Hoekstra)

(2 Peter 3:17-18) We are to make every effort to be spotless, blameless, and at peace with Our God.  We strive to be spiritually alert persons who grow continuously in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior; And to test the word! 
As false teachers seek to lead us away from sound biblical teachings.   We are responsible to maintain sound moral foundations and persevere in and with Christ.

Gracious Father, how bountiful is Your provision for my spiritual growth. How foolish of me to think that I need more for developing in godliness than Your grace supplies. O Lord, I long to grow in the image of Christ. I beseech You, remind me and convince me that Your grace is the only sufficient hope. 
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

But grow in grace,.... In the gifts of grace

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace,.... In the gifts of grace;

 Which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase. And though men are to be thankful for their gifts, and be contented with them, yet they may lawfully desire more, and in the use of means seek an increase of them, which may be a means of preserving themselves, and others, from the error of the wicked.
 Moreover, by "grace" may be meant internal grace. The work of grace is gradual; it is like a grain of mustard seed, or like seed cast into the earth, which springs up, it is not known how, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear; saints are first babes, and from children they grow to young men[woman and man], and from young men/woman to fathers/mothers. 
There is such a thing as growth in grace, in this sense; every grace, as to its act and exercise, is capable of growing and increasing; faith may grow exceedingly, hope abound, love increase, and patience have its perfect work, and saints may grow more humble, holy, and self-denying: this is indeed God's work, to cause them to grow, and it is owing to his grace; yet saint, should show a concern for this, and make use of means which God owns and blesses for this purpose, such as prayer, attending on the word, and looking over the promises of God, for an increase of faith; recollecting past experiences, and looking to the death and resurrection of Christ for the encouragement of hope, and to the love of God and Christ, for the stirring up of love to both, and to the saints; considering the sufferings of Christ, the desert of sin, and the glories of another world, to promote patience and self-denial, and the pattern of Christ, to excite to humility; though "grace" may also intend the Gospel, the knowledge of which is imperfect, and may be increased in the use of means, and which is a special preservative against error, a growth in which saints should be concerned for: 

and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; of his person, office, and grace, than which nothing is more valuable, and is to be preferred to everything; it is the principal thing in grace, and is the beginning and pledge of eternal life, and will issue in it; for an increase of which, and a growth in it, the word and ordinances are designed; and nothing can be a greater security against error than an experimental growing knowledge of Christ. "and of God the Father"; 

to him be glory, both now, and for ever; or "to the day of eternity"; that is, to Christ, who is truly God, or otherwise such a doxology would not belong to him, be ascribed the glory of deity, of all divine perfections; the glory of all his offices and work as Mediator; the glory of man's salvation; and the glory of all that grace, and the growth of it, together with the knowledge of himself, which saints have from him; and that both in this world, and that which is to come. Gill

Amen; so be it.

Being Fit for the New Heaven and New Earth, Wherein Dwells Righteousness!

2 Peter 3:11-18  Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! 

The apostle Peter, having instructed them in the doctrine of Christ's second coming,
I. Takes occasion  to exhort 'All Christ Followers' to purity and godliness in their whole conversation: all the truths which are revealed in scripture should be improved for our advancement in practical godliness: this is the effect that knowledge must produce, or we are never the better for it. 
If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. Seeing all these things must be dissolved, how holy should we be, that are assured of it, departing from and dying to sin, that has so corrupted and defiled all the visible creation that there is an absolute need of its dissolution! 
All that was made for man's use is subject to vanity by man's sin: and if the sin of man has brought the visible heavens, and the elements and earth, under a curse, from which they cannot be freed without being dissolved, what an abominable evil is sin, and how much to be hated by us! 
And, inasmuch as this dissolution is in order to their being restored to their primitive beauty and excellency, how pure and holy should we be, in order to our being fit for the new heaven and new earth, wherein dwells righteousness! 
It is a very exact and universal holiness that he exhorts to, not resting in any lower measure or degree, but labouring to be eminent beyond what is commonly attained - holy in God's house and in our own, holy in our worshipping of God and in our conversing with men. All our conversation, whether with high or low, rich or poor, good or bad, friends or enemies, must be holy. We must keep ourselves unspotted from the world in all our converses with it. We must be perfecting holiness in the fear of God, and in the love of God too. We must exercise ourselves unto godliness of all sorts, in all its parts, trusting in God and delighting in God only, who continues the same when the whole visible creation shall be dissolved, devoting ourselves to the service of God, and designing the glorifying and enjoyment of God, who endures for ever; whereas what worldly men delight in and follow after must all be dissolved. Those things which we now see must in a little while pass away, and be no more as they now are: let us look therefore at what shall abide and continue, which, though it be not present, is certain and not far off. This looking for the day of God is one of the directions the apostle gives us, in order to our being eminently holy and godly in all manner of conversation. “Look for the day of God as what you firmly believe shall come, and what you earnestly long for.” The coming of the day of God is what every Christian must hope for and earnestly expect; for it is a day when Christ shall appear in the glory of the Father, and evidence his divinity and Godhead even to those who counted him a mere man. The first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he appeared in the form of a servant, was what the people of God earnestly waited and looked for: that coming was for the consolation of Israel, Luk_2:25. How much more should they wait with expectation and earnestness for his second coming, which will be the day of their complete redemption, and of his most glorious manifestation! Then he shall come to be admired in his saints, and glorified in all those that believe. For though it cannot but terrify the ungodly to see the visible heavens a flame, and the elements melting, yet the believer, whose faith is the evidence of things not seen, can rejoice in hope of more glorious heavens after these have been melted and refined by that dreadful fire which shall burn up all the dross of this visible creation. 
Here we must take notice, 
1. What true Christians look for: new heavens and a new earth, in which a great deal more of the wisdom, power and goodness of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ will be clearly discerned than we are able to discover in what we now see; for in these new heavens and earth, freed from the vanity the former were subject to, and the sin they were polluted with, only righteousness shall dwell; this is to be the habitation of such righteous persons as do righteousness, and are free from the power and pollution of sin; all the wicked shall be turned into hell; those only who are clothed with a righteousness of Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, shall be admitted to dwell in this holy place. 
2. What is the ground and foundation of this expectation and hope - the promise of God. To look for any thing which God has not promised is presumption; but if our expectations are according to the promise, both as to the things we look for and the time and way of their being brought about,we cannot meet with a disappointment; for He is faithful who has promised. “See therefore that you raise and regulate your expectations of all the great things that are to come according to the word of God; and, as to the new heaven and new earth, look for them as God has allowed and directed by the passages we have in this portion of scripture how before you, and in Isa_65:17; Isa_66:22, to which the apostle may be thought to allude.”
II. As in 2Pe_3:11 he exhorts to holiness from the consideration that the heavens and the earth shall be dissolved, so in 2Pe_3:14 he resumes his exhortation from the consideration that they shall be again renewed. “Seeing you expect the day of God, when our Lord Jesus Christ will appear in his glorious majesty, and these heavens and earth shall be dissolved and melted down, and, being purified and refined, shall be erected and rebuilt, prepare to meet him. It nearly concerns you to see in what state you will be when the Judge of all the world shall come to pass sentence upon men, and to determine how it shall be with them to all eternity. This is the court of judicature whence there lies no appeal; whatever sentence is here passed by this great Judge is irreversible; therefore get ready to appear before the judgement-seat of Christ: and see to it,”

1. “That you be found of him in peace, in a state of peace and reconciliation with God through Christ, in whom alone God is reconciling the world to himself. All that are out of Christ are in a state of enmity, and reject and oppose the Lord and his anointed, and shall therefore be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power. Those whose sins are pardoned and their peace made with God are the only safe and happy people; therefore follow after peace, and that with all.”       (1.) Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
    (2.) Peace in our own consciences, through the Spirit of grace                  witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God. 
    (3.) Peace with men, by having a calm and peaceable disposition            wrought in us, resembling that of our blessed Lord.

2. That you be found of Christ without spot, and blameless. Follow after holiness as well as peace: and even spotless and perfect; we must not only take heed of all spots which are not the spots of God's children (this only prevents our being found of men without spot), we must be pressing towards spotless purity, absolute perfection. Christians must be perfecting holiness, that they may be not only blameless before men, but also in the sight of God; and all this deserves and needs the greatest diligence; he who does this work negligently can never do it successfully. “Never expect to be found at that day of God in peace, if you are lazy and idle in this your day, in which we must finish the work that is given us to do. It is only the diligent Christian who will be the happy Christian in the day of the Lord. Our Lord will suddenly come to us, or shortly call us to him; and would you have him find you idle?” Remember there is a curse denounced against him who does the work of the Lord negligently,  Jer_48:10. 

Heaven will be a sufficient recompense for all our diligence and industry; therefore let us labour and take pains in the work of the Lord; he will certainly reward us if we be diligent in the work He has allotted us; now, that you may be diligent, account the long-suffering of our Lord to be salvation. “Does your Lord delay his coming? Do not think this is to give more time to make provision for your lusts, to gratify them; it is so much space to repent and work out your salvation. It proceeds not from a want of concern or compassion for his suffering servants, nor is it designed to give countenance and encouragement to the world of the ungodly, but that men may have time to prepare for eternity. Learn then to make a right use of the patience of our Lord, who does as yet delay his coming. Follow after peace and holiness, or else his coming will be dreadful to you.” 
And inasmuch as it is difficult to prevent men's abuse of God's patience, and engage them in the right improvement thereof, our apostle quotes St. Paul as directing men to make the same good use of the divine forbearance, that in the mouth, or from the pen, of two apostles the truth might be confirmed. And we may here observe with what esteem and affection he speaks of him who had formerly publicly withstood and sharply reproved Peter. 
If a righteous man smite one who is truly religious, it shall be received as a kindness; and let him reprove, it shall be as an excellent oil, which shall soften and sweeten the good man that is reproved when he does amiss. 
What an honourable mention does this apostle of the circumcision make of that very man who had openly, before all, reproved him, as not walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel! 
(1.) He calls him brother, whereby he means not only that he is a fellow-christian (in which sense the word brethren is used 1Th_5:27), or a fellow-preacher (in which sense Paul calls Timothy the evangelist a brother, Col_1:1), but a fellow-apostle, one who had the same extraordinary commission, immediately from Christ himself, to preach the gospel in every place, and to disciple all nations. 

Though many seducing teachers denied Paul's apostleship, yet Peter owns him to be an apostle. 
(2.) He calls him beloved; and they being both alike commissioned, and both united in the same service of the same Lord, it would have been very unseemly if they had not been united in affection to one another, for the strengthening of one another's hands, mutually desirous of, and rejoicing in, one another's success. 
(3.) He mentions Paul as one who had an uncommon measure of wisdom given unto him. He was a person of eminent knowledge in the mysteries of the gospel, and did neither in that nor any other qualification come behind any of all the other apostles. How desirable is it that those who preach the same gospel should treat one another according to the pattern Peter here sets them! 
It is surely their duty to endeavour, by proper methods, to prevent or remove all prejudices that hinder ministers' usefulness, and to esteem and respect their ministers as they promote the success of their labours. And let us also here observe, 
[1.] The excellent wisdom that was in Paul is said to be given him. The understanding and knowledge that qualify men to preach the gospel are the gift of God. We must seek for knowledge, and labour to get understanding, in hopes that it shall be given us from above, while we are diligent in using proper means to attain it. 
[2.] The apostle imparts to men according as he had received from God. He endeavours to lead others as far as he himself was led into the knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel. He is not an intruder into the things he had not seen or been fully assured of, and yet he does not fail to declare the whole counsel of God, Act_20:27. 
[3.] The epistles which were written by the apostle of the Gentiles, and directed to those Gentiles who believed in Christ, are designed for the instruction and edification of those who from among the Jews were brought to believe in Christ; for it is generally thought that what is here alluded to is contained in the epistle to the Romans (Rom_2:4), though in all his epistles there are some things that refer to one or other of the subjects in this and the foregoing chapter; and it cannot seem strange that those who were pursuing the same general design should in their epistles insist upon the same things. But the apostle Peter proceeds to tell us that in those things which are to be met with in Paul's epistles there are some things hard to understand. Among the variety of subjects treated of in scripture, some are not easy to be understood because of their own obscurity, such are prophecies; others cannot be so easily understood because of their excellency and sublimity, as the mysterious doctrines; and others are with difficulty taken in because of the weakness of men's minds, such are the things of the Spirit of God, mentioned 1Co_2:14. And here the unlearned and unstable make wretched work; for they wrestle and torture the scriptures, to make them speak what the Holy Ghost did not intend.

Those who are not well instructed and well established in the truth are in great danger of perverting the word of God. 
Those who have heard and learned of the Father are best secured from misunderstanding and misapplying any part of the word of God; and, where there is a divine power to establish as well as to instruct men in divine truth, persons are effectually secured from falling into errors. 
How great a blessing as we learn by observing what is the pernicious consequence of the errors that ignorant and unstable men fall into - even their own destruction. 
Errors in particular concerning the holiness and justice of God are the utter ruin of multitudes of men. 
Let us therefore earnestly pray for the Spirit of God to instruct us in the truth, that we may know it as it is in Jesus, and have our hearts established with grace, that we may stand firm and unshaken, even in the most stormy times, when others are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.
III. The apostle gives them a word of caution, 2Pe_3:17, 2Pe_3:18, where,
1. He intimates that the knowledge we have of these things should make us very wary and watchful, inasmuch as there is a twofold danger, 2Pe_3:17. 
(1.) We are in great danger of being seduced, and turned away from the truth. The unlearned and unstable, and they are very numerous, do generally wrestle the scripture. Many who have the scriptures and read them do not understand what they read; and too many of those who have a right understanding of the sense and meaning of the word are not established in the belief of the truth, and all these are liable to fall into error. Few attain to the knowledge and acknowledgement of doctrinal Christianity; and fewer find, so as to keep in the way of practical godliness, which is the narrow way, which only leads unto life. There must be a great deal of self-denial and suspicion of ourselves, and submitting to the authority of Christ Jesus our great prophet, before we can heartily receive all the truths of the gospel, and therefore we are in great danger of rejecting the truth. 
(2.) We are in great danger by being seduced; for, 
      [1.] So far as we are turned from the truth so far are we turned out of the way to true blessedness, into the path which leads to destruction. If men corrupt the word of God, it tends to their own utter ruin. 
      [2.] When men wrestle the word of God, they fall into the error of the wicked, men without law, who keep to no rules, set no bounds to themselves, a sort of free-thinkers, which the psalmist detests. Psa_119:113, I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I love. Whatever opinions and thoughts of men are not conformable to the law of God, and warranted by it, the good man disclaims and abhors; they are the conceits and counsels of the ungodly, who have forsaken God's law, and, if we imbibe (drink in) their opinions, we shall too soon imitate their practises. 
     [3.] Those who are led away by error fall from their own steadfastness. They are wholly unhinged and unsettled, and know not where to rest, but are at the greatest uncertainty, like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. It nearly concerns us therefore to be upon our guard, seeing the danger is so great.
2. That we may the better avoid being led away, the apostle directs us what to do, 2Pe_3:18. And, 
(1.) We must grow in grace. He had in the beginning of the epistle exhorted us to add one grace to another, and here he advises us to grow in all grace, in faith, and virtue, and knowledge. By how much the stronger grace is in us, by so much the more steadfast shall we be in the truth. 
(2.) We must grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Follow on to know the Lord. Labour to know him more clearly and more fully, to know more of Christ and to know him to better purpose, so as to be more like him and to love him better.” This is the knowledge of Christ the apostle Paul reached after and desired to attain, Phi_3:10. Such a knowledge of Christ as conforms us more to him, and endears him more to us, must needs be of great  use to us, to preserve us from falling off in times of general apostasy; and those who experience this effect of the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will, upon receiving such grace from him, give thanks and praise to him, and join with our apostle in saying, To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

God Is Light

lara stang

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STAY IN THE LIGHT~ESPECIALLY DURING SUFFERING/TRIALS/TRIBS

Believers who honestly acknowledge their sin and take responsibility for it stay in right relationship with the Lord. John’s letter confirms God’s desire to cast out darkness and keep us fully in the light of His love. Our part is to deal promptly with the dirt that Satan and this world throw at us.


God Is Light

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Be Strong in Grace:

Be Strong in Grace:

“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2Ti_2:1)

“Excuse me, please,” the lady said, still holding in her hands the Book of Paul’s Letters to Timothy. “There is yet another passage that seems to be lifting off the page. Would it be alright if I read it aloud?”

“By all means,” I replied; “Please do!”

Paul writes, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2Ti_2:1).

“Whoa,” said a young man with tattoos on his left bicep, “that, like, makes total sense to me now!”

“Explain it to us” I said.

“Well, since Timothy was, like, with Paul through all that crazy stuff that happened to him in those weird cities; and he, like, watched how God’s power carried Paul through it all – he would, like, know that there is only one way any of us can overcome in this world – it is by the grace of God….you know, the power of Christ working in us to do God’s will in, like, whatever situation arises.”

“Well said, dude.” The group chuckled a bit, and the tattooed man, like, smiled.

Seeing this as a “teachable moment” I picked up where the young man left off.

Remember, it was Paul who said to us, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

And he leaves no doubt as to his meaning – “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Php_4:11-13).

I once heard a preacher put it this way, “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” (Eugene Peterson, in The Message, Php_4:13).

That’s what it means: To be Strong in Grace. 

It is experiencing the empowering presence of God enabling us to be who God created us to be, and to do what God has called us to do – right where we are.

How ‘bout the rest of you? Are you beginning to see it, too?

A quiet hum filled the Ancient Library. We all were experiencing the presence of the Lord of Grace – feeling His power fill our hearts.

Oh, my!

God’s Holy Remnant

lara stang

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God’s Holy Remnant:
By B. E. Warren.

By the Word of God we understand that in this last dispensation of time God is gathering to himself a holy remnant, out of all the places where they have been scattered. As I look out upon this dark world of confusion, my heart is often made sad to see the awful sleep and stupidity, that is creeping over this Gentile world.

Truly their hearts are becoming harder and harder, and their eyes are being blinded: and with their ears they will not hear. And yet, thank God, there is a remnant to be saved. “We are living in the time of gleaning.

See Isaiah 17: 6. “When thus it shall be in the midst the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.”- Isaiah 24: 13.

1st. There is a remnant to be saved. “Even so then at the present time also there is a remnant, according to the election of grace. “- Romans 11: 5. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.”- Isaiah 10: 20, 21.

These prophecies are present truth. Reader, will you be one that makes up this remnant?

2nd. This remnant is holy. “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem. “- Isaiah 4: 2, 3. ”

And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.”- Isaiah 62: 12. Read Hebrews 12: 14. Holy means, to be pure, spotless, blameless, cleansed from all sin. In order to measure to these commandments, we must sever ourselves from every man-made creed; obey Revelation 10: 4; 18: 4.

3rd. This remnant is in harmony. “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”- Matthew 24: 31. “And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them.”- Jeremiah 32: 39.

This oneness includes:
First, oneness of the ministry. “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice: with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.”- Isaiah 52: 8.

This is a beautiful type of the oneness and unity that exists between all the true ministers of God. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Second, oneness of all believers. “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common “- Acts 4: 32.

4th. This remnant does no iniquity. “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. . . . The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”- Zephaniah 3: 9, 13.

5th. It is a persecuted remnant. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”- Revelation 12: 17. “And others had trials of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonments: they were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented.”-

Hebrews 11: 36, 37. O, brethren, may we not shrink, but may we with Paul of old “fight the good fight.”

 Finally,
6th. It is a triumphant remnant. “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” –

 Revelation 15: 1, 2. ” And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they! And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”- Revelation 7: 13, 14.

OPEN THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN AND LET IT RAIN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYx4tbq65TM

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THERE IS MUCH TALK LATELY ABOUT THE LAST DAYS!

Growing In God by Jim Cymbalahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFvt4ZITJR8

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There is much talk lately about the "last days" when Jesus Christ comes to bring judgement upon the earth and save those who were faithful to Him.  There are many different disputes and opinions about the rapture, who's saved and who's not, when the tribulation occurs, who the true church is, among other things regarding this great and destructive event our generation may live to see.  The story of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is just one parable Jesus uses to explain what's really important about Christ's return and what we should be most concerned with.

When we are so preoccupied with things nobody on this earth is 100 % certain of regarding God's intricate plan, we lose the most important focus God intended for us.  Our relationship with Him.  Our faith, our relationship, and our obedience to God will be our lifesaver in the last days by giving us the strength and protection to endure the tribulation and whatever else our future brings.  Wasting time arguing only separates the church, takes our eyes off God, distorts our true purpose (God's will), and stunts the work for His kingdom, which is never good.  

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven in front of His apostles to return to the Father , they asked Him about His plans for the future but Jesus didn't want them worrying about this.  He wanted them to do His will on earth by spreading the gospel, and being fishers of men.  He never intended for them or us  to waste time arguing about how or when that day will come. 

Acts 1:6 

Act 1:6  When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?" 

Act 1:7  He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. 

Act 1:8  What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world." 

Act 1:9  These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. 

Act 1:10  They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared--in white robes! 

Act 1:11  They said, "You Galileans!--why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly--and mysteriously--as he left." 

Act 1:12  So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem. It was a little over half a mile. 

If all our energy and priorities are on being right about every detail, winning every argument and having special knowledge instead of knowing God, we could find ourselves locked out and told it's too late to enter the great banquet God is preparing for His faithful servants.   Would God really turn away those who love Him and know Him, even if they don't know every detail of His plan for His return?  That's goes against everything Jesus teaches us in His word, the Holy Bible.

We are all responsible for the way we live, the path we chose, (the world or Jesus) and our preparedness for Christ's return.  When the day comes I want my heart right with God more than being right about certain beliefs, dates, times, who's and why's.  It's good to be aware of world wide events around us however, but nothing should take priority over quality time with God.  He desires a relationship with us and our dedication to living out His will here and now on earth more than anything else.  

The whole world will know the truth in the end, regardless of what our beliefs are.  Let's not be like the unfortunate 5 virgins, but instead like the 5 lucky ones who came prepared.  Have your lanterns filled (HOLY SPIRIT) and ready (strong faith) for His return so you won't be left unprepared and locked out by the bridegroom saying "I don't know you!"

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