Reading Without Obeying Dangerous

A. W. Tozer brings it home:

"To be entirely safe from the devil's snares the man of God must be completely obedient to the

Word of the Lord.

The driver on the highway is safe, not when he reads the signs

but when he obeys them."

That Incredible Christian, 51.

No Comment Necessary

A Genuine Bat Man!

Craziness

Janelle Soon To Be FIFTEEN!

Hard for me to believe that my (only) daughter, Janelle, will be 15 on Wednesday. With three sons (two older, one younger) I testify that daughter-raising is HUGELY different than son-raising...and can't even imagine doing ANY kid-raising without absolute assurance that the Lord loves them more than I or Mom do! Photo was taken at the recent Life Chain; Janelle is flanked by Faith and Sarah Williams, daughters of Johnny and Pam Williams (of God's Mountain, and First Baptist, Wathena, Ks). We've known Johnny and Pam for three decades and consider it a tremendous joy to live just a few miles from them.

A sort-of Formula for Christian Growth

I am not a big fan of “seven steps to spiritual growth” or “four keys to revival” stuff. Formulatic spirituality loses some of the spontaneity that I believe is evidence of the Spirit of God honoring time spent in His Word.

But, if I discern a formula in the reading of Scripture, it maketh sense to me.

I discovered one this morning while reading Romans 4.

This chapter is focused on Abraham, and that he was justified by faith rather than by works. Reading from the English Standard Version, verse 16 summarizes, “That is why it depends on faith…”

Verse 18 declares, “In hope he (Abraham) believed against hope.” The next couple verses reveal he “did not lean on his own understanding” (Prov 3.5); and then verse 20 reads “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.” (emphasis added)

Verse 21 reveals that he was “fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.”

It appears to me that “as” he gave glory to God, his faith grew stronger.

So, no matter how dark the day, how dense the fog, how tough the journey; we are to “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice,” give God glory that He is sovereign and that “all things work together for good” and, thereby, our faith grows stronger.

Rather cool.

The Pilots Who Overflew Minneapolis: What REALLY Happened

This was written by good friend Denny Brownlee for the Morning Show at Family Life Network (the ministry with which I served for over 20 years before moving to Missouri a year ago)

Sinning Against Law versus Sinning Against Love

“…when the devil comes and says, ‘You have no standing, you are condemned, you are finished’, you must say, ‘No! my position did not depend upon what I was doing, or not doing; it is always dependant upon the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Turn to the devil and tell him, ‘My relationship to God is not a variable one. The case is not that I am a child of God, and then again not a child of God. That is not the basis of my standing, that is not the position. When God had mercy upon me, He made me His child, and I remain his child. A very sinful, and a very unworthy one, perhaps, but still his child!

"And now, when I fall into sin, I have not sinned against the law, I have sinned against love. Like the prodigal, I will go back to my Father and I will tell Him, “Father, I am not worthy to be called your son.” But He will embrace me, and He will say, “Do not talk nonsense, you are My child,” and He will shower his love upon me! That is the meaning of putting on the breastplate of righteousness! Never allow the devil to get you into a state of condemnation. Never allow a particular sin to call into question your standing before God. That question has been settled.”

Martyn Lloyd Jones, The Christian Soldier, p. 255

God Owes Us No Explanation

 A couple years ago I read a great book by Alistair Begg, The Hand of God, which seeks to demonstrate God's sovereignty throughout the life of Joseph. 

The book tells the partial story of Dr. Helen Roseveare (photo) who served in the Belgian Congo during the horrific uprising in the mid-1960s that resulted in dozens of missionaries being brutalized and murdered.

Roseveare was in the middle of all this chaos; saw friends shot and dropped into mass graves, and was a victim of brutalization beyond belief.

In a letter to Alistair Begg, Dr. Roseveare declared, "The phrase God gave me years ago, during the 1964 rebellion in the congo, in the night of my own greatest need, was this: 'Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience, even if I never tell you why?'"

Ponder that for a while. How often have we heard, or said, "Well, I sure don't get this, but I'm sure God will tell me why I'm going through this situation...."

The question Dr. Roseveare heard from God echoes in my heart, and I pray continues to bounce around my heart and mind..."Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience, even if I never tell you why?"

Our God IS A Mighty Fortress

Okay, it doesn't rock, Steve Green is not everyone's cup of tea; but on this day when spooks and goblins get too much attention, remember Jesus said there is only One whom we, who are His, need fear...and it ain't the devil or his followers...

Janelle Hager and Faith Williams October 30 Birthday Bash at the Hager Barn