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.