Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for July 27th, AM.

Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008.

“Exceeding great and precious promises.” 2 Peter 1:4, KJV

If you would like to put into practice the preciousness of God’s promises, and enjoy them personally, meditate on them. God’s promises are like grapes in a wine-press: If you tread on them the juice will flow. Thinking over God’s holy words will often lead to their fulfillment in your own life. While you ponder them, the blessing you seek will often come to you in ways you don’t even expect. Many Christians who have thirsted for God’s promises have found the divine favor which they ensure gently comforting into their soul and causing great rejoicing in their hearts.

Besides meditating on God’s promises, seek to receive them as being the very words of God. Say to yourself, “If I were dealing with a mere human being’s promise, I would need to carefully weigh the ability and the character of the person who promised me. But with the promises of God, even though the greatness of the promise itself may stagger me, my eye must instead be fixated on the greatness of the Promiser.” That will comfort you and give you confidence in His words.

My friend, it is God Almighty who has made these promises. God, who cannot lie, who speaks His promises to you: That “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) His Word is as true as His own existence. God is unchangeable and He has not changed anything which has come out of His mouth, and never called back one single word. He lacks no power, for this is the God that made the heavens and the earth. And He can never lack wisdom, because He in his infinite understanding He knows when it is best to give and when better to take away.

Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God true, unchangeable, powerful, and so incomparably wise, I will and must believe His promises. If we meditate on His promises, and consider the Promiser, we will experience their sweetness and fulfillment.

Question: Which of God’s promises will you take hold of today and claim for yourself, believing it in wholeheartedly?

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

God spoke you into your mother’s womb at just the right time for you to be here now. It wasn’t by accident, nor was it a pleasant surprise to God; he designed you on purpose to be on mission with him for such a time as this.

Your faith will grow stronger as you focus on your identity in Christ. What this means is that you abandon any image of yourself that is not from God. You stop believing what others have said about you; you stop believing how others have labeled you; you stop accepting how others have defined you.

Where I’m going is here – if you don’t know who you are, then you’re vulnerable to other people telling you who you are. But the concrete, solid, gospel truth is that you are who God says you are and no one else has a vote in the matter.

You are now identified with Christ and have the power of the Holy Spirit within you. You are God’s precious child and he created you in a way that pleases him.

This “identity issue” is an important part of living the abundant life. Jesus was able to face the incredible demands of his mission because he’d settled this identity issue. He knew exactly who he was; he knew that he mattered immensely to his Heavenly Father, and that gave him confidence to move purposefully in faith.

What does this mean?
· God wants you to be you – You can relax knowing that being yourself is exactly what God wants of you. A pencil brings glory to God by being a pencil. But, if you take a pencil and try to use it like a screwdriver, it won’t work and you’ll likely break the pencil. You will find the stress drained from your life when you stop trying to be somebody you’re not and instead start being who God purposefully designed you to be.
· Believe God calls you by name – God didn’t call you as part of a blanket invitation; he called you specifically by name. You are his masterpiece, a work of his own hands. Like many earthly fathers, God feels pleasure when he sees you just being you.
· Believe you are who God says you are – No one else has a vote on who you are. You are free to be you instead of imitating someone else. You are free to use your unique, God-given gifts and there is no need to compare your gifts to the gifts of others. No one else is in competition to be you!

Question: Where are the places in your life where you’re still trying to be someone other than who God shaped you to be?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for October 5th, PM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” Mark 16:16

The pastor asked the inhabitants of the island of how someone must be saved.

An old man replied, “We will be saved if we repent, and forsake our sins, and turn to God.”

“Yes,” said a middle-aged female, “and with a true heart too.”

“I agree,” answered a third, “and with prayer.” And, added a fourth, “It must be the prayer from the heart.”

“And we must be diligent too,” said a fifth, “and keep the commandments.”

After each had contributed to the discussion, they felt that a decent creed had been compiled. They all turned and waited for the pastor’s approval. But instead they had aroused deep pity in his heart.

The worldly mind always tries to map out a way we can do works and become great, but the Lord’s way is just the opposite. Believing and being baptized aren’t deeds to be gloried in. They are so simple that boasting is impossible, and God deserves all the praise for the free grace He has given.

To believe is simply to trust, to depend, to rely on Christ Jesus. To be baptized is to submit to the ordinance which our Lord fulfilled at Jordan, to which the earliest believers submitted at Pentecost, and to which the jailer obeyed the night of his conversion. The outward sign of baptism does not save, but it encompasses our death, burial, and resurrection with Jesus, and, like the Lord’s Supper, shouldn’t be neglected.

It may be that you are unsaved. What is the reason? Do you think Jesus’ singular path of salvation is unclear? But how can that be when God has given us His own word and His assurance of its clarity? Do you think it is too easy? Why, then, do you not accept and embrace it? Its ease leaves those who choose to neglect it without excuse.

If you are not a believer, then remember there is only one door, and if you will not enter by it you will perish in your sins. But if you do believe in Jesus, then my dear friend, dismiss your fears, for you will surely be saved.

Question: Do we sometimes put too much confidence in our own good works? How can we begin to focus more on God?

During our last day of ministry with the DRIME Canada missions team, we went to a university to perform dramas and share the gospel with students on campus.  After performing a drama, I went into the crowd to see if I could explain the dramas to anyone and strike up a meaningful conversation. I started talking to some students and a translator just showed up out of the blue. Those students didn’t stay around long but since I had met a translator, I said, “Let’s go find some more people to talk to.” So we walked around to a place where there was a group of girls sitting and watching the dramas. One of those girls was named Anchali.  I started to try and explain what was happening and who Jesus is, however, I felt myself getting stuck and not knowing what to say. One of my two translators stepped in and shared her testimony and the other girl translated to English for me so that I could understand what was being said. It was great to see the gospel being shared, even if it wasn’t by me, and during this conversation I just kept praying for the girls that we were sharing with and for God to give my translators the words to say. All of a sudden, one of my translators told me that Anchali wanted to accept Christ!

This was amazing!  I was grateful that God had used me as a gateway to allow Sarai, my translator, to share her experience with Jesus with Anchali. I hadn’t expected that any of these girls would be interested in accepting Christ into their lives, but it was so amazing to see God use us to touch these girls’ lives and have Anchali’s eternity be changed! I found out a few seconds later that they expected ME to pray with her… and I was very nervous!  But I was ready for God to use me, and prayed that He would give me the words to say.  Right then and there, on the ground of this university campus, I led this woman in a simple prayer to ask Jesus to come live in her heart.  It was so exciting!

We gave her a Bible so that she could continue to grow in her faith and learn more about this Jesus that she just asked into her life.  It was such an interesting experience— praying sentence by sentence, hearing every word repeated in another language, and leading someone to Christ when I didn’t feel like I knew what words to pray. I had to rely solely on God that He would lead me through that prayer for Anchali to accept Him. That day was an incredible opportunity to be a part of God’s plan in Anchali’s life—I’m so grateful that God was able to use me!

Samantha is currently serving in Thailand until December 2011, planting a permanent extension of the DRIME ministry. Keep her in your prayers as she continues to build into DRIME Thailand!

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” (Acts 16:25-26, NKJV)

Is it really possible that we as Christians could significantly impact our cities for Jesus? The Word tells us that we have been given dominion and authority on the earth, and the responsibility to “tend and keep it” (Genesis 1:26, 2:15).

One of the most important ways we exercise that authority is through prayer in Jesus name. Praise and prayer in the mouths of the people of God are powerful weapons that can break the chains, open the doors, and set the captives free. So there is a direct link between our decision to pray and the circumstances that are evident around us.

There is a saying, “evil prevails when good men do nothing.” As the people of God we have the authority, power, and responsibility to intercede on behalf of our cities. We have the promise that if we abide in Him, we can ask what we desire (according to His will) and it will be done for us (John 15:7).

So what is your desire for your city? Is it for healthy, unified families, for unity and power in the church, for honest government, for schools to uphold biblical values? I encourage you to follow the desires that God has set in you heart, engage in unified prayer with others, and watch and see how the Lord will transform you city.

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23, NKJV)

Question: What is your desire for your city? Will you commit to praying for this to happen?

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25)

You and I have a way by which we can be absolutely certain of God’s forgiveness. It is two – fold.

First, we must be sure that we have forgiven anyone and everyone against whom we may have anything or hold any resentment.

Second, we must believe His Word unquestioningly – and His Word does indeed tell us we will be forgiven when we ask under these conditions.

Most familiar, of course, is the glorious promise of 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (KJV).

Though today’s verse uses the word stand in reference to praying, Scripture clearly states that the posture in prayer was sometimes standing. God, however, looks on the heart rather than on our position as we pray.

If the heart is right, any posture may be proper. All other things being equal, however, the kneeling position seems more in keeping with the proper attitude of humility in our approach to God. (Physical condition, of course, sometimes makes this inadvisable or impossible.)
Most important, we are to forgive before we pray. That much is certain.

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:9-15

Today’s Action Point: I will examine my heart throughout the day to be sure I have forgiven any who should be forgiven – before I pray.

“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” Philippians 4:10-13

What we say about ourselves reveals what we are really like on the inside. We often fail to realize that our negative statements are more than comments on our life; they are the reason for our defeat.

The apostle Paul was different. Writing from places that were lowly in both the physical and the emotional sense, he is a triumphant example of positive confessions. We, like Paul, need to view ourselves as our heavenly Father does. The best way to do that is to recognize God as the source of our power: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Many of us have memorized this verse, but have we accepted its truth? To say “all things” is a bold statement, but it is balanced too. The emphasis is not on “I can,” but rather on the fact that I can through Christ – He supplies everything we need to carry out His plan for our life. This verse is a confession that we cannot do God’s will in our own power. But that does not mean we should simply sit back and become spectators. We Christians have a responsibility to obey the Lord’s leading in small matters as well as in momentous circumstances. Furthermore, it is your hands, feet, body, voice, compassion, and desires that God will use to accomplish His ultimate goal for you.

Obeying by faith may seem frightening, but the comfort zone is not where godly people choose to spend their time. To do all things through Christ, we must take a few risks. And the rewards for obedience are deeply satisfying.

Question: Why does obeying in faith often seem frightening?

“When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.” James 2:20 (LB)

Is faith simply a frame of mind? A passive attribute of a Christian waiting to see what God has in store for you: a promotion, cancer, depression, betrayal, blessing, wealth, and injustice … some see it that way. They might say, “I’ll just wait to see what God is going to do for me and go with the flow.” That’s crazy talk.

Faith is active. It’s not passive. It’s a commitment. Look at your lifestyle and see what kind of actions follow as a result of it. If you’ve got the real stuff, faith can be demonstrated.

When you were baptized you made a statement to God and the people around you. You said, “I’m in!” But it doesn’t stop at baptism – not by a long shot! What else do you do? You start following the pattern of Jesus. Faith is proven by how we live. Don’t misinterpret this. What you do – your walking around, everyday life – doesn’t get you into heaven. It doesn’t make you saved. It doesn’t mean you’re a Christian; it shows you are a Christian.

The next steps:

· Celebrate the lavish gift of grace. You were saved because Jesus is crazy about you and wants you to be with him in heaven. Revel in it!

· Show your faith. Wedding rings don’t make you married, but they say “Yes” in a visible way. In the same way, baptism isn’t the thing that will get you into heaven but it’s an act of obedience. (Jesus commanded us to baptize and be baptized.)

· Share your faith with the people around you. If you are excited about what God has done in your life, then why not share it? There are lots of ways to do that. Get plugged into serving God. There are literally millions of possibilities. Point people to Jesus and love them like Jesus did. It’ll be something you will relish for eternity.

Question: Does your church, friend, family member, or community have a need that you are able to fill?

Please open your Bible and read John 8:31-36.

According to man’s thinking, freedom means being able to choose or act with few if any restraints, limits or accountabilities. According to God’s view, this definition is actually a description of rebellion, where submission to authority is rejected and people all do as they see fit. (Judges 21:25) True freedom – being free from bondage to sin – is found only through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:16-17)

The first step to freedom is recognizing where we are not free, that is, areas where we remain imprisoned. People who have not received Christ as Savior are in bondage to unbelief. They can neither believe God nor trust the promises of Scripture. Sin has blinded their eyes to the truth that they need a Savior.

Even Christians can find themselves in bondage, especially with regard to subtle kinds of enslavement. Feeling inferior is a type of bondage that can dictate how we respond to people. Insecurities can color our responses to life’s challenges and alter our ability to think or act; they also will affect our ability to trust and obey God. Furthermore, feelings of worthlessness or rejection can inhibit our Christian witness.

God wants us walking in freedom. Scripture reveals that we are set free when we know our position in Christ, our person in Christ, and our possessions in Christ. The path to discovering these truths is found only through the living Word of God. (John 8:31-32) Meditating on the eighth chapter of John is a good place to embark on freedom’s road. Its truths will set us free!

Question: How does the true freedom God provides (ie, the freedom to become the kind of people we were designed and meant to be) differ from the “freedom” (ie, lack of restraint) offered by the world?

About the Author: Charles Stanley

I was reunited with an old college classmate this weekend. We were both in the 1969 graduating class at Wheaton College, a Christian college in Illinois founded in 1860. He shared a humorous story with me about how a number of years ago, he got a chance to visit with Hudson T. Armerding – the man we lovingly referred to as “Hud,” who was the president of the college when we were students. Dr. Armerding confided in him that of the seventeen years that marked his presidency, we were definitely the worst class.

I have to admit; it is a distinction of which I am quite proud, because I am pretty sure what he meant by “worst.” He meant we had a high concentration of rowdy, non-conforming, troublemakers among us. In other words, we gave the administration a hard time. And though I’m sure some of it was unnecessary and non-productive, at its core there was an underlying hunger for truth among my peers at that time.

We wanted to know what was really going on in the upper echelons of power. We did not accept easy answers. We did not come to college to fill up blank notebooks with knowledge. We came with lots of questions. I can see where we would have caused administrators lots of grief, but I know a different story from some of the professors during that time. A number of them have told me they found our class to be among the best.

When students ask questions, it generally means they are hungry for answers, and that is a very good thing. It also means they might be thinking for themselves which will inevitably make for a much deeper ownership of the values and truths they are learning. Most teachers will tell you it is actually the troublemakers who will go on to make a significant impact on their culture.

Oswald Chambers has said that we don’t truly own our faith unless we have struggled over it in some form. Belief is not pure acceptance. God desires interaction and He revels in our working through the process of believing Him. He wrestled with Jacob and even let him win.

So don’t be afraid to question. Even doubt is a legitimate step in the process of faith. God welcomes the serious questioner. It means we care enough to persist in finding the answers we need. The person who is threatened by questions has much too small of an understanding of God.

Is it any surprise that the year of the “worst” class at Wheaton College was also the beginning of the greatest spiritual revival of our generation in this country? Nor has it escaped at least my notice that the latest crop of college freshmen doesn’t seem to be completely satisfied with the status quo.

Question: Do you use your questions to bring you closer to God?

About the Author: John Fischer