The Day Of The Lord

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” Malachi 4:5

Today you will read the last of the 929 chapters, 23,214 verses in the Old Testament. Congratulations! You’ve reached a significant milestone in your Christian walk … you’ve read through the entire Bible!

Malachi the prophet and Nehemiah the builder were contemporaries, and the problems Nehemiah faced became the basis for the sermons Malachi preached. Years after the restoration from exile, the spiritual condition of God’s people had deteriorated. Again they lapsed into the same sins that brought about their captivity and exile to Babylon. They tithed sporadically, ignored the Sabbath, and intermarried with unbelievers. Their hearts had grown hard and their love for God had grown cold.

Malachi came to remind the people of God’s love for them. Using a question-andanswer approach, Malachi probed deeply into their problems of hypocrisy, infidelity, divorce, false worship and arrogance. For 400 years after Malachi’s ringing condemnations, God was silent. Malachi’s final warning was about the Day of the Lord (Mal. 4:5). The Day of the Lord is a common theme of the prophets. That day signifies the final judgment of God on the earth and the eventual time of blessing and peace. It’s not a literal 24-hour day, but a culmination of God’s plan—including the return of Christ, the final judgments, and the end of history as we know it.

Both aspects—judgment and salvation, punishment and peace—are contained in the Day of the Lord. The Bible says that those who desire the Lord’s coming must know that He requires clean hands and a pure heart (Ps. 24:3-4). The Day of the Lord may be frightening to some, but for the believer who loves God, it’s a day of great rejoicing.

In 2 Timothy 4:8, Paul says, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” As Christians, we should be longing for the Day of the Lord to come. Jesus says, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev. 22:12). Are you ready for the Day of the Lord? Jesus may not return tomorrow, but we should live our lives as if He is. We must seize every moment of our lives and make it count for the Lord.

As Malachi brings down the curtain on Old Testament prophecy, God’s silence is broken in the New Testament with John the Baptist declaring, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2)! On this last day of the year, search your heart before the Lord to see if there are any areas that you need to repent from. Rededicate your life to Jesus, so that He may continue to use you greatly in the days to come!

The Glory Of God

The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. Ezekiel 43:5

After Ezekiel had patiently surveyed the temple of God, the Spirit of God lifted him up and brought him into the inner court. Though the temple was very big and magnificent, it was not until the glory of God was manifested that it truly became the holy temple of the Lord.

What is the glory of God? The glory of God is the intrinsic value of who He is. It is His radiance, the brightness of His light and beauty, and the honor that is due to Him. The idols of the heathens have no glory because they owe what you see on them to the goldsmith or the painter. There are two things which Ezekiel observed in this appearance of the glory of God:

1) The power of His Word which he heard. “His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory” (Ezek. 43:2). It could be heard from afar and it made an unforgettable impression on Ezekiel. In the book of Revelation, His voice was like the sound of many waters and the voice of loud thunder (Rev. 1:15; 14:2). The sound of many waters and the earth shining with God’s glory speak of the preaching of the gospel message to the world. The gospel will be proclaimed aloud. The report of it will be heard afar off. It will be preached to the ends of the earth and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). To some it will be an indication of life, but to others it will be like the thunderous roar of a fearful expectation of judgment and death.

2) The brightness of His appearance which he saw. “The earth shone with his glory” (Ezek. 43:2). This appearance of the glory of God was the same one in the vision which Ezekiel saw when he first received his commission (1:4). God is always the same and His glory has no variation. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). That glory which shone in the temple in the time of Ezekiel is still shining today. God has not changed. The gospel message is as glorious and powerful today as when it was first preached in Jerusalem. It brought the entire Roman Empire to its knees and it too will bring our generation to its knees.

Showers Of Blessing

“I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26

Who can say, “I will cause showers to come down,” besides God? There is only one Person that can speak to the clouds and cause them to rain. Who sends down the rain upon the earth? Who scatters the showers upon the fields? It is the Lord. So grace is the gift of God and is not created by man. The whole of creation depends on His grace.

What would a farmer do without rain? He may till the land; he may sow his seeds, but what can he do without the rain? Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for us to have the divine blessings of God. Unless God gives the rain and sends salvation, we who labor will labor in vain.

“I will cause showers to come.” It does not say, “I will cause drops to come.” If God gives a blessing, He usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. It’s God’s abundant grace! We need God’s grace for everything. We need abundant grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful and to make us holy. We need abundant grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We need to saturate ourselves with showers of grace.

It is also seasonable grace. “I will cause showers to come down in their season” (Ezek. 34:26). What is your season today? Is it a season of drought? Then it is the season for showers—showers of blessings. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then it is your season for showers—showers of grace. “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut. 33:25).

“There shall be showers of blessing.” The word “showers” is in the plural. God will send all kinds of blessings. All of God’s blessings go together, like links in a chain. If He gives saving grace, He will also give comforting grace. What are you waiting for? Look up toward the heavens today and expect God to shower you with His abundant blessings.

Gratitude To God

“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?“

Ezekiel 15:2The vine here refers to the people of God. But the question was asked: Why are they by nature better than others? Wasn’t it the goodness of God that caused them to be fruitful? What would they be without Him? Who would they become without the continual influence of the Spirit in them?

There was a certain rich man in the Gospel of Luke whose ground had yielded plentifully. As a result, he thought of pulling down his barns to build a greater one to store his crops and goods. He thought he would have many years to enjoy life and be merry because of the great harvest he had achieved. God called him a “fool” and he died that day instead. Through that, God wanted to show that man cannot live independent of Him. He alone holds the universe and is the Source of all life. Jesus said the man acted like a fool because he was one who “lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (12:21).

Therefore, as we meditate on this thought, let us learn to reject pride and embrace God’s goodness in humility, seeing that we have no ground for self-boasting. Whatever we are, we have nothing on our own to make ourselves proud. For Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

The more you have, the more you are indebted to God. Let us also consider our origin, looking back to where we came from. We would still be in our sin if God had not transformed us. Consider who you would have become had it not been for His grace. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). David rightly puts it this way, “My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26). Therefore, let us humble ourselves in the sight of God, knowing that He will lift us up in due course!

You Are A Witness For God

“In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 12:6

The Word of God came upon Ezekiel regarding the approaching captivity of Zedekiah, king of Judah. He was faced with a tough task of convincing his fellowmen that Zedekiah, instead of being their deliverer, would very shortly be taken captive like them. One would think that it might be sufficient if the prophet had only told them the truth in God’s name.

But Ezekiel had to prepare the people for the prophecy by first giving a sign of it; to speak it to their eyes first, and then to their ears. This was because they were a group of stubborn and rebellious people who would not take heed if no deep impression was made upon them. As such, Ezekiel had to speak to them through his own life.

To make a lasting impression, Ezekiel deliberately moved his entire household during the day in front of all the people, and left the city through a hole he dug by himself. He had to carry all his possessions upon his own shoulders, and steal away at evening in their sight, with fear and trembling, covering his face as if being ashamed of being seen or known. By doing so, Ezekiel was making himself a “sign” to the people.

Ezekiel’s prophecy was a reflection of how Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his people would be led away into captivity. They would make a vain attempt for escape, but would nevertheless end up in captivity. In the same way that Ezekiel had carried his possessions and goods upon his own shoulders, Zedekiah would do likewise. He would be made a prisoner and be carried captive into Babylon.

Ezekiel’s life speaks of ready obedience to the orders of God. As a minister of God, he was willing to go through the most difficult and inconvenient tasks. He serves as an example for us to:

(1) Obey with cheerfulness every command of God, even if it is most inconvenient;

(2) Do all we can for the saving of the souls of others; (3) Allow ourselves to be affected by those things we desire to affect others. Your life is often a testimony and a sign for people around you. Jesus says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus didn’t say you will do witnessing, but He said you will be witnesses. When others see your good works, they will glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

Jesus demonstrated the righteousness of God and His love for us when He shed His blood on Calvary’s cross. Therefore let us avail ourselves as Jesus did, to serve not ourselves, but others.

I'd Need A Savior

Hosanna

The Words I Would Say

Jeus Messiah

God's Goodness And Mercy

“Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through the countries.” Ezekiel 6:8

Judgment had hitherto triumphed, but here in Ezekiel 6:8, mercy rejoices against judgment. God leaves a remnant, a little remnant of the children of Israel. It is purely by God’s grace that they were spared. In other words, they deserved to be cut off from the rest, and they would have been cut off if God had not protected them (Is. 1:9). Why did God preserve a remnant of the people of Israel? Let’s understand it from two perspectives.

1) They are a preserved remnant. This remnant would be the seed of another generation, out of which Jerusalem would flourish again. In the midst of God’s wrath, mercy is remembered. There is a mixture of judgment and mercy here. There was judgment because they were carried away as captives to a foreign land. Yet mercy was present because they escaped the sword in the land of their captivity. We see this same principle repeating itself again and again regarding God’s dealings with His people, that in judgment, God always remembers mercy.

2) They are a penitent remnant. God is merciful. He gives us time to repent. This remnant here, marked for salvation, is a type of the remnant reserved out of the body of mankind to show forth God’s mercy. God was using them to show His salvation through man’s repentance. Sin takes place when we start forgetting God in our lives (Jer. 3:21). Repentance takes place when we begin to remember who God is, His love for us and His promises to us.

In Ezekiel 6:9, God says the remnant will remember Him. They could only do so by the grace of God. That grace shall find them out wherever they are, and by bringing God to their minds, “they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations” (6:9).

As with the prodigal son, we see how he came back to the father when he remembered how the servants in his father’s house had enough bread to eat. And when he returned, he was met with a loving and merciful father who embraced and restored him to his rightful place. God in his mercy is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). Let us not glory in our own strength, but in the mercy and grace of God, without which, we are nothing. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). God in His mercy laid on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, the iniquity of us all (Is. 53:6). Let us be thankful once again, that it is God’s goodness and mercy that leads us to repentance.

Due His Sacrified to redeemus from satan and evil as we are so unvalue...

Jesus Is MY SAVIOR what about you?

The Chastening Of The Lord

“Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,” says the LORD, “For I am with you; for I will make a complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, for I will not leave you wholly unpunished.” Jeremiah 46:28

In judgment, God always remembers mercy. Even though Israel was punished for her disobedience, she remained as God’s beloved nation. The book of Hebrews says “For whom the LORD loves He chastens” (Heb. 12:6). The chastening of the Lord will not crush a person. He always chastens us with love, knowing that something good will come out of it. When you are going through discipline, you need to remember three things:

(1) You need endurance (Heb. 12:7-8). “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” If you endure chastening, God is dealing with you “as with sons.” It will eventually yield the fruit of righteousness in your life, thus enabling you to partake of His holy nature.

(2) Maintain the right attitude (12:5). Don’t despise the chastening of the Lord. Don’t reject it or run away from it, thinking that it’s completely unnecessary. Discipline is part of the process of making you a true disciple of Christ.

(3) Don’t be discouraged (12:5). When you are going through discipline, don’t feel discouraged and think that you have failed. Every great man of God would have gone through chastening by the Lord. Even Jesus had to learn obedience by the things which He suffered (5:8). God’s chastening is not meant to crush you (Is. 42:3). It is to make you stronger. God will not allow you to suffer beyond what you are able to bear. God is the best Disciplinarian. Jeremiah 46:28 says, “I will rightly correct you.” When David was asked how he wanted to be punished for numbering Israel, he said, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (2 Sam. 24:11-16).

As we run this race, the chastening of the Lord is inevitable. But it will change our character and mold us to be more like Jesus. When you sow good character into your life, it will reap a great destiny! Be encouraged as you go through the chastening of the Lord.

Christ Our Redeemer

Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. Jeremiah 50:34

Judgment against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam and Babylon was foretold in Jeremiah 49-50 and the redemption of Israel was promised. Jeremiah prophesied that the Ammonites, descendants of Lot, who were historically hostile to the Israelites, would be destroyed (49:2-5).

Then, the prophet’s attention was turned to Edom. Edom had always been a jealous enemy of Jacob’s descendants and had joined Nebuchadnezzar in plundering Jerusalem. They even expanded their territory into southern Judah, inhabiting an area later called Idumea, the birthplace of Herod, the king at the time of Jesus’ birth. Because of their actions toward Israel, Edom’s fate was foretold by the prophet: “I have made Esau bare … his descendants are plundered, his brethren and his neighbors, and he is no more” (49:10). In Jeremiah 50:1-3, judgment was pronounced against Babylon.

We can expect the forces of evil, like the enemies of Israel, to come and discourage us in an effort to destroy our faith in God. However, God is not glorified by our fears, doubts or frustrations. We must keep our eyes on the promises of God that have never failed.

2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” The victory belongs to the people of God. Jeremiah continued to prophesy about the release of Israel from captivity, and the day when the Israelites would repent and accept their Messiah in a perpetual covenant thatshall not be forgotten (Jer. 50:4-5). The LORD promises that He will come as the Redeemer to plead their case (50:34).

Let us hold fast to our faith, for we know “it is Christ . . . who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34). When we are facing insurmountable difficulties, we can take comfort that Jesus, our Messiah and Redeemer, always lives to make intercession on our behalf. He knows exactly what and how to pray for us. As we join the forces in heaven to pray, God will give us the victory like He did with the nation of Israel in their troubled times!

Every Work Will Be Judged

For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Everything a Christian has done must fall into one of two categories—good or bad. There is no neutrality. Every act that is not performed in faith and obedience for the glory of God, is unacceptable to God and therefore bad. All these works will be judged when Jesus returns. However, this would not be a judgment of condemnation but one of reward (1 Cor. 3:11-15). So how will Jesus judge believers when we stand before Him?

(1) According to our RELATIONSHIP with Him (Matt. 7:21-23). There are some professing Christians who only have a head-knowledge about Jesus, but have never had an experiential intimate relationship with Him. These people will not stand the test of fire in that day.

(2) According to our OBEDIENCE (7:24-25). The man who hears and obeys God is likened to one who builds his life on a solid foundation which will stand the test of storms in life.

(3) According to our FAITHFULNESS (24:45-46). God wants us to be faithful at all times and in every situation, even when it is inconvenient; or when no one is watching; or when it is dangerous to be faithful. Faithfulness is the cornerstone of character. And God is more committed to building our character than our comfort.

(4) According to our FRUITFULNESS (25:21). God wants us to be faithful so that we will be fruitful. Jesus has chosen us to go and bear fruit—fruit that should remain (John 15:16). Everything that bears fruit, God will prune so that it will bear even more fruit. But everything that does not bear fruit, God will take away (15:1-2). This shows the importance of fruitfulness in God’s eyes. (5) According to our motives (Rom. 2:16). God judges our thoughts and intents, the deepest motives and impulse of our minds and hearts.

Knowing this, let us live our lives circumspectly and judge ourselves in these five areas so that our works will stand as we come before the judgment seat of Christ one day.

Sowing In Difficult Time

He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4

For some reason, the fear of insufficiency tends to overshadow our faith in God. When we see the storms coming, we tend to withhold our seeds. In 1 Kings 17, a woman almost brought about her own financial collapse because of this fear. Her barrel of meal was nearly empty, so she stopped giving to God. Though she was under divine command to feed the prophet Elijah, she decided to disobey the Lord’s command (17:9-12). The fear of insufficiency had gripped her. When Elijah realized the problem, he immediately addressed the issue. He encouraged her to give toward her future harvest and not from her past shortages. “So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah” (17:15-16). Her victory came swiftly. The seed she planted resulted in a miracle harvest for herself, her son and Elijah. If you are willing to take God at His word, no matter what situation you may be in, God can perform His word.

In Genesis, we read of how Isaac was living in a difficult time of famine. He was overcome by the fear of insufficiency and made plans to leave the Promised Land, the land of God’s provision. He was heading to Egypt, the land of man’s provision. But God appeared to Isaac and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father” (Gen. 26:2-3). Isaac obeyed. In the next few verses, you will find that he sowed precious seeds into the famine-parched land. How foolish he must have seemed to the unbelievers. It looked like a total waste to plant good seeds then.

But Isaac used his faith as a shield against bad news and the advice of the best minds of his day. He boldly obeyed God. He knew that if he sowed no seed, there would be no hope for a harvest. “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him” (26:12-14). Again you see that if a person is willing to obey the voice of God no matter how bad the economy may seem, God is going to perform what He promised. Similarly, we can put away every fear of insufficiency and start sowing toward our future today!

The Rod Of Correction

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. Ecclesiastes 10:12

Solomon, having shown the benefit of wisdom and of what great advantage it is to us, exposes the folly of a fool here in Ecclesiastes 10.

(1) Fools talk a great deal with no purpose. They show their folly by the multitude of their words. The words of a fool not only expose him to ridicule, but also bring him to ruin. Adonijah foolishly spoke against his own life (1 Kin. 2:23).

(2) Fools have little control over their emotions. Ecclesiastes 10:13 states, “The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness.” The fool speaks foolishness and ends up in great anger and fury. No one seems to be able to talk sense to him.

(3) Fools never know when to stop talking. Ecclesiastes 10:14 says, “A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; who can tell him what will be after him?” A fool speaks endlessly and never knows when to leave off. Many who are empty of sense are full of words, and those without substance are the noisiest.

(4) Fools toil a great deal to no purpose. Ecclesiastes 10:15 says, “The labor of fools wearies them, for they do not even know how to go to the city!” The foolish tire themselves in endless pursuits and never bring anything to pass. Proverbs 22:15 reads, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” The way to drive foolishness out of our hearts is through the rod of correction. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” How do we lay aside every weight as well as the sin that easily ensnares us?

The answer is found in Hebrews 12:5-6, “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’” We all need to be disciplined and to endure the hardship of the rod of correction. But to learn, you must be willing to be taught. Therefore, if you want to be wise and drive foolishness away; then as children, submit to your parents, listen to them and honor them. As believers, submit yourselves to your spiritual leaders so that they may train you to be a true disciple of Christ (13:17).

Bad Things Do Happen To Us

I returned and saw under the sun that—The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11

We are often disappointed by circumstances and challenges in life. There are so many events that do not always make sense even with the most rational prospects and probabilities. Life very often happens not according to one’s expectations. Here in Ecclesiastes, Solomon gives instances of disappointments.

We would think that the lightest of foot should, in running, win the prize; and yet the race is not always to the swift. Some accidents may happen that could retard them; or they might feel too secure, therefore becoming careless, letting those who are slower get ahead of them. We would think that in fighting, the most numerous and powerful army should always be victorious.

But the battle is not always to the strong. A host of Philistines was once put to flight by Jonathan and his men (1 Sam. 14). “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you” (Lev. 26:8). We would think that men of sense should always be men of substance, and that those who have understanding should have abundance. Yet it does not always prove so. Many talented people who were likely to thrive in the world, have strangely gone backward and come to nothing.

This may be a surprising thought to you but God is not the cause of everything that happens in our lives. There are things that happen in the course of life which are results of us living in a broken down world. Everyone who breathes faces problems. We need to know sometimes that bad things do happen to good people. But in Christ we have the power to overcome every storm of life. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5)?

The prophet Habakkuk resolves to rejoice no matter what happens. “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills”
(Hab. 3:17-19).

When the disappointments are enormous, when the blows are relentless, when all expectations are dashed, that is when we need to say, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation!”

纯真的心

有一个小镇很久没有下雨了，令当地农作物损失惨重，於是牧师把大家集合起来，准备在教堂里开一个祈求降雨的祷告会。
众人中有一个小女孩， 因个子太小，几乎没有人看得到她，但她也来参加祈雨祷告会。

就在这时候，牧师注意到小女孩所带來的东西，激动地在台上指着她说：「那位小妹妹真叫我感动！」於是大家順着他手指的方向看了过去。

牧师接着说：「我们今天来祷告祈求上帝降雨，可是整个会堂中，只有她一个人今天带着雨伞！」大家仔细一看；果然，她的座位旁挂了一把红色的小雨伞;这时大家沉静了一下，紧接而来的，是一阵掌声與泪水交织的美景。

有时我们不得不说：小孩子其实一点都不「小」，他们其实很「大」！他们的爱心很大！他们的信心更大！

最痛的时候

A Life Of Commitment

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed. Ecclesiastes 5:4

Making a vow or a commitment has always been God’s way of relating to His people. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of commitment. God is a commitment-making and commitment-keeping God. More than 300 times in the Bible, He says, “I am a covenant-keeping God!” A covenant is an agreement confirmed by oath between two parties. In His relationship with Abraham, God gave a promise (Gen. 17:7). As we look at the history of the Jewish people, we see God’s faithfulness in keeping His covenant with Abraham no matter how impossible the circumstances seemed to be.

When we make faith promises, God wants us to keep our word. In the book of Judges, Jephthah made a vow to offer whatever comes out of his house to meet him as a burnt offering to the LORD (Judg. 11:30-31).When he came to his house at Mizpah after the victorious battle, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and dancing. It was a tough call. The Bible records, “and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed” (11:39). Jephthah kept his promise.

God is looking for men and women who would swear to their own hurt and keep their vows. Why? Because character is built through commitment. If we don’t value commitment, everything in our life will fall apart. Nothing great ever happens without making commitments. There are three life commitments that we must make:

(1) Commitment to people. We are commanded to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). It takes commitment to love people because “love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

(2) Commitment to spiritual fitness. “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1 Tim. 4:7-8, NLT).

(3) Commitment to our life’s purpose. “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). The apostle Paul was totally committed to his purpose and he allowed nothing to distract him. This is the kind of life God wants us to live—a life of commitment.

The Season Of Preparation

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a season of preparation for every servant of God, but very few are willing to pay the price of being made ready for the task. The prophet Isaiah describes the season of preparation of the Messiah: “The LORD has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me” (Is. 49:1-2). Like a polished arrow, Jesus was prepared and hidden in the quiver of His heavenly Father.

The “quiver experience” is very hard for most people. Many would think that after going through the painful experiences of being polished and sharpened in the hands of God, they are ready to be sent forth. But now they ask, why am I waiting aimlessly in the secret place of the Master’s quiver? But this is a time to learn patience. God has a perfect time to “shoot” forth the believer so that it hits the mark God ordains for him. Look at Jesus. He came to the earth at the perfect moment in history. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son.” Jesus, who was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, waited patiently for the moment in which He would be revealed.

Moses was destined to be the great leader of Israel, but there was a perfect time known only to God for the release of that “arrow.” When Moses killed the Egyptian, it was not the perfect time for him to be Israel’s spiritual leader. Moses had to be in the quiver for another 40 years. David was destined to be king over Israel. He was anointed when he was about 17 years of age, but he did not ascend to the throne until he was 30. David had to wait in the quiver for 13 years.

While David could have killed Saul on a number of occasions to gain the throne for himself, he did not. He chose to submit himself to God’s divine time and not man’s. Temptations and pressure will come to you, from without and from within, urging you to move ahead of God’s timing. However, let us develop patience and wait for the timing of the Lord, for He is the only perfect Marksman. Remember the exhortation in Hebrews 6:12 that says, “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Beautiful Savoir

We are the reason

God Tests The Heart

But, O LORD of hosts, You who judge righteously, testing the mind and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have revealed my cause. Jeremiah 11:20

God tests the mind and the heart of His servants. He will arrange situations to reveal a person’s true inner motivations, intentions, thoughts, values and priorities that cause him to make choices or act in a certain way. In Numbers 22-24, Balak, the king of Moab, saw how Israel had defeated all of her enemies in the land. He feared they would destroy his nation as well. Consequently, he offered to pay the prophet Balaam to curse Israel and to put an end to their victories (22:6). Balaam responded to Balak that the Lord had told him not to go with the elders of Moab to curse the people of Israel. Balak tried again, sending more distinguished ambassadors to persuade Balaam to do otherwise (22:15).

This time, God told Balaam to go with the elders of Moab and Midian, but to speak only the word that He would give (22:20). Balaam went to Balak, but each time he inquired of the Lord, the Lord told him to bless Israel. And this greatly frustrated the Moabites and Midianites. But God was testing Balaam’s motivation. God allowed Balak to tempt the prophet’s motivation continually. Would he sell out, or would he be faithful to God’s word? Balaam was tempted again and again and each time the size of the bribe increased (22:7, 15, 17). Unfortunately, it appeared that Balaam’s motivation did not stay pure, though he initially tried to remain faithful to speaking only the word of the Lord (23:12, 26). Balaam failed the test.

Deuteronomy 8:2 says, “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Deuteronomy 8:16 says, “Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end.”

We see then that God uses tests to expose our heart condition, not to harm us, but to do us good in the end. It is to purify us so that our desires are for His kingdom and His glory. A person may serve God for what he can get out of God, rather than what he can give to Him. A person may use his gifts to glorify himself, rather than God. God puts His servants through tests to expose any ungodly desire, so that He can replace it with a righteous desire to serve Him out of a pure heart of love. “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Mal. 3:3).

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Therefore, do not be double-minded like Balaam, but draw near to God and stay pure in your heart toward Him.

One Last Suggestion For Daily Devotions

Please Don't Give Up!
If you miss a meal, it does not mean that you should give up eating. The same is true of your quiet time. It takes time to develop and maintain good habits. Remember, a habit is like a ball of twine: every time you drop it, many strands unwind. Develop good habits by doing your best to:

Always be consistent, so that spending time with the Lord each day will become rooted in your life.

Avoid exceptions that will take you away from your quiet time. Recognize that yielding to such distractions will only reinforce the idea that other things are more important.

Another Helpful Hint For Daily Devotions

Be Ready For A Spiritual Battle.
Satan will fight you tooth and nail to keep you from your daily meeting with the Lord. He hates nothing more than seeing a Christian getting down to business with God, because he knows that such believers are dangerous to his kingdom of darkness. Watch out for these problems:

The Battle of the Blankets
Almost every morning you will be tempted to hit the snooze button and sleep in and shorten or miss your time with God. Resist at all costs! Go to bed early enough and with thoughts of Scripture (the night before leave your Bible open to the passage you'll read in the morning) and get out of bed immediately when you wake up!

Concentration
Your mind will easily wander. Make sure you are ready. Try praying out loud in a whisper to help you stay alert when sleepy. Avoid having your quiet time in bed. Take a shower, drink some coffee, and keep a notebook handy so that when your mind wanders to a task that you need to do that day you can write it down, and then forget about it until later. Take control of wandering thoughts. Keep bringing your mind back with quiet firmness and without scolding yourself.

Dry Seasons
Sometimes you won't feel like you are getting anything out of your daily devotions. Just realize that obedience to truth is more important than following your emotions. Feelings come and go but the Word of the Lord endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). If you only had a quiet time when you felt like it, the devil would make sure you never felt like it. Dryness can be caused by:

Disobedience
is there unconfessed sin in your life?

Your Physical Condition
Are you getting enough rest?

Rushing
Don't try to do too many things. Be simple.

Routine
You have to watch out for staleness.

Selfishness
Start sharing your insights with others. Don't hog them!

Satan's most vicious attacks will come in connection with your desire to be diligent in your quiet time. He knows that if he can keep you out of the Word, he has defeated you. If he can keep you from spending quality time with the Lord at the start of a day, then he's won the battle. Expect these types of attacks. Dropping your quiet time is usually the first step in spiritual backsliding. You must persevere!

How to start a daily devotion

Tips For A Great Daily Devotion

Have a Basic Plan.
It's been said, "lf you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it!" To have a meaningful daily devotions, you will need a plan or some kind of general outline to follow for your quiet time. It could be something as simple as this:

Briefly Pray
Invite Jesus to be with you (Psalm 139:23-24; 119:18).

Praise God
Read a Psalm out loud to God or sing a praise song to get your heart and spirit in an attitude of worship. Daily devotions are a form of worship.

Read the Bible
Read slowly, systematically (not randomly) and read only a small amount. If you are on a Bible in a year reading plan then after you have finished your assigned reading choose a smaller portion of Scripture that you just read to review again more devotionally. You might want to try reading out loud as if the Lord were speaking to you personally.

Meditate
You can meditate on Scripture by reading the passage out loud a few times, asking questions, memorizing a verse, reading in a couple of different translations, paraphrasing it in your own words, and so forth. Talk with God about how this verse relates to your life and how He wants you to practically apply this truth.

Journal
Write down any thought God gives you, as well as any applications.

Close in Prayer
After God has spoken His Word to you; speak to Him. Include times of adoration, worship, thanksgiving, confession, intercession, and petition. Occasionally vary your physical positions in prayer (kneeling/standing). Tell God how you desire to respond to Him today.

New blog

Hey to all my friends.This is a new blog from me again.This blog its all about my own religion's blog you are warmly wellcome to my blog.and i will post a daily devotion article each day to share with you all so stay tune....

Well maybe for those non christian will ask "what is daily devotion?"let me tell you daily devotion is Have a Quiet Time With God Daily.

Daily devotions are an opportunity to enjoy God's Presence. An attitude that daily devotions are "nice but not necessary" isn't going to help you be consistent. You must make it a non-negotiable priority...otherwise, you may sell yourself short on experiencing abundant life.

We can be as close to Him each day as we choose to be. He delights in our desire to simply be with Him.

Amen..Praise to Lord..