For generations the Book of Romans has been regarded as one of the
meatiest books of the Bible, brimming with rich theological truths.
Augustine, Luther, Wesley, and many other "movers and shakers" of the
church trace their conversations back to the personal encounter with
Romans, which is called by some the "manifesto of the Christian faith."
What do some great men of the faith have to say about this remarkable
book? See for yourself:
"It deserves not only to be known word for word by every Christian, but to
be the subject of his meditation day by day, the daily break of his soul."
--Martin Luther
"When anyone understands this epistle, he has a passage opened to him to
the understanding of the whole Scriptures." --John Calvin
"The probability is that every great spiritual revival in the church will
be connected...with a deeper understanding of this book." -- F.L. Godet
But don't assume that because Romans is significant, reading it will be a
simple task. Perhaps Peter was thinking of Romans when he said that some
of Paul's writings were hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Think of your task in reading the book of Romans as that of a prospector
mining the pages of God Word. There is gold for you to discover each day
this month.
One scholar provides this encouraging word:
Theology is precisely what the word needs, because the world needs God.
Now a study of God will understandably involve difficulties. But Romans
was not too difficult or too theological for the Holy Spirit to instruct
Paul to send it to the Christians in Rome.
These Christians were often from the lower classes of Roman society. Some
were slaves; perhaps some could neither read nor write. But they could -
and did - study the letter Paul sent them. In view of this, the modern
Christian ought to discard his inferiority complex.
With God's help, you can understand Paul's message in the Book of Romans.
Couple that with the seasoned insights of godly men and women from the
past, and you are in for an inspirational month indeed! A month in which
you will be reminded of mankind's predicament (chaps.1-2); God's provision
(chaps. 3-5); God's power (chaps. 6-8); God's plan (chas. 9-10); and the
practical applications of your faith in Christ (chaps. 12-16).
Romans overflows with good news for Paul's day an ours - because it
describes "the gospel of Christ..the power of God to salvation for
everyone who believes" (1:16).
Are you ready to begin mining the golden truths of Romans? Devoted
Christian writers will help you do just that with golden nuggets - one for
each day this month - which have th power to transform your life.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Integrity of Heart; Skill of Hand
Date: 03-03-91 (17:49) Number: 172 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/1 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God
to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).
A 2,000-year-old letter still sends shock waves every time it is read.
Why? Because it leads the reader to "the power of God to salvation"
The Apostle Paul had never been to Rome - the most important city of his
day - but the message of his letter to the believers living there was
crucial: how to find peace with God. H.A. Ironside sets the stage for
Paul's "letter of life."
WALK WITH H.A. IRONSIDE
"Romans gives us the fullest unfolding of the gospel that we have in the
Word of God. It answers every objection of the most astute reasoner. It
satisfies the need of every troubled conscience.
"In it we see how God can be just and yet justify the guilty sinner who
comes to Him in repentance, admitting his need and trusting God's grace.
"The Greek philosopher Sacrates exclaimed, 'It may be that the Diety can
forgive sins, but I don't see how!' The Holy Spirit shows here in Romans
that God can forgive in righteousness because of the sacrificial work of
His Son.
"This is the message which is revealed on the principle of faith to those
who believe, whether Jews or Gentiles by birth, according to the words
given to Habakkuk so long ago, "The just shall live by faith."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Socrates was asking the right question: "How can God forgive sins?"
Paul supplies the right answer: "Only through His Son Jesus Christ."
Many have sought elsewhere for forgiveness of sins, purpose for living,
fellowship with God. Romans points the way to the new life Christ has for
all who come to Him.
Wouldn't you agree that's good news everyone needs to hear? If you really
believe that, then don't be ashamed to proclaim what God was not ashamed
to provide.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Florida State - # 1 in '91 - Go Florida State
Date: 03-03-91 (17:49) Number: 173 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3-2/3 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead (Romans 1:20).
The English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning was right in her observation:
"Earth's crammed with heaven,
and every common bush aflame with God;
But only those who see take off their shoes;
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries."
Hebrews puts it this way: "He who comes to God must believe that he is"
(Hebrews 11:6).
A.W. Pink explains how that belief is sparked by seeing the power of the
Creator who made the world.
WALK WITH A.W. PINK
"To say that God is visible in nature is true, yet it is a statement that
needs qualifying.
"Nature reveals the existence of God, but it tells us little of His
character. Nature demonstrates His natural qualities - His power, His
wisdom, His unchanging character; but what does it say to us of His moral
attributes -His justice, His holiness, His grace, His love? Nature, as
such, knows no mercy or pity.
"If a blind saint unwittingly steps off a cliff, he meets with the same
fate as if a murderer had stepped off. If I brake nature's laws, no
matter how sincere may be my subsequent repentance, there is no escaping
the penalty.
"In this way we may say that nature conceals as well as reveals God."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Creation shows God's grandeur and power; Jesus Christ shows His compassion.
What is pictured in nature is proclaimed in Jesus Christ.
Sadly, what most people know of God, they choose to ignore. And though
the choice is theirs, the consequences are not.
Consider carefully before you come to the foolish conclusion, "There is no
God" (Psalm 14:1). For if you close yours eyes to the telltale signs of
His existence, you have no one but yourself to blame for the consequences.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ In case or Rapture, no need to reply to this message!
Date: 03-03-91 (17:49) Number: 174 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/4 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of
the law will be justified (Romans 2:13).
High above the gorge, a tightrope walker balances precariously. Every
muscle of nerve and thought is trained on just one objective: to stay on
the thin strand of wire!
Few would volunteer for a hazardous high-wire act. Yet many attempt
something infinitely more dangerous. They try to find acceptance with God
by keeping the law.
And, as John Wesley suggests, that's an exercise as unforgiving as a
tightrope; make on mistake and the whole effort is futile.
WALK WITH JOHN WESLEY
"When people seek to establish their own righteousness, they do not
consider what kind of obedience the law indispensably requires. It must
be perfect and complete in every point, or it does not answer the demands
of the law.
"But who is able to perform such obedience? Who can fulfill every jot and
tittle of the outward commandments of God, doing nothing that He forbids?
Leaving nothing undone that he demands? Speaking no idle word?
"And how much less are you able to fulfill all the inward commandments of
God - those which require that every mood and motion should be holy to the
Lord!
"Are you able to love God with all your heart? To love all mankind as
your own soul? To keep every affection, desire, and thought in obedience
to His law?"
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Just as one crack in a mirror makes it a broken mirror, so one violation
of God's law makes you a lawbreaker. But there is good news.
Though you cannot keep the law, the law can lead you to Someone who can,
and did, in His life, perfectly keep the law on your behalf.
And in His death on the cross He paid the penalty for the law you break.
That Someone is the Savior - Christ the Lord. Is He your Savior?
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Champion of the Cross is our newest game door. Door 20
Date: 03-05-91 (22:55) Number: 175 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/5 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly...but he is a Jew who is one
inwardly (Romans 2:28-29).
What you act like on the outside. What you are on the inside. Are they
the same? Or different? Do the inner and the outer person align?
The Jews of Paul's day had laws, customs, and holidays which reminded them
that they were a religious people, a God-centered society.
But they mistook knowing about God for knowing God - mistake many
duplicate today. Outwardly, they honored God with their lips. But
inwardly, they dishonored Him with their hearts.
W.H. Griffith Thomas offers this caution about confusing head-knowledge
wth heart-knowledge in your relationship with God.
WALK WITH W.H.GRIFFITH THOMAS
"Nothing is easier than self-righteousness and self-deception in religion.
"It is possible - without any real change of heart - to know a great deal
of Christian truth, to be occupied with Christian work, to be associated
with Christian people, to know with great familiarity Christian jargon, to
live largely in a Christian atmosphere, yet all the while be without the
new life that comes from the Spirit of God.
"The danger of such a position is far greater than that of willful,
deliberate sin. Our Lord was constantly warning His hearers against such
false assumptions."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
The Jews thought they were close to God. In reality, they were an
eternity away.
Jesus warned, "Many will say to be in that day, 'Lord,Lord.' And then I
will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me.' "Hard words.
Wards that remind you that Christianity is more than facts and actions.
In involves an inward transformation of the heart.
You can fool your friends with the things you know...the words you use..
the good works you do. But outward ritual can never replace the inward
relationship God wants to have with you today - and every day!
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Jesus Loves YOU!!!
Date: 03-05-91 (22:55) Number: 176 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/6 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight,
for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20).
A patient with hypertension who dutifully checks his blood pressure each
morning and evening might still die of a stroke. For simply taking his
blood pressure would not solve the problem; it would only reveal a
situation in needs of treatment.
The Jews made a similar mistake in thinking that the law was the means of
their salvation, when in fact it was designed by God to show their need
for salvation.
Martin Luther clarifies the issue.
WALK WITH MARTIN LUTHER
"The first understanding of the law should be that we see the inability of
human nature to keep it.
"You may do good works outwardly; but God is not satisfied unless they are
performed from the heart and out of love, which is not possible unless a
person is born anew through the Holy Spirit.
"God, then, wants to achieve no more with the law than getting us to
recognize our inability, out frailty, our sickness - to recognize that, so
far as we are concerned, we cannot keep one letter of the law. When you
feel that, the law has done its work.
"This is what Paul means when he writes to the Romans: 'By the law is the
knowledge of sin.'"
WALK CLOSED TO GOD
A wall may appear straight - until you hold a plumb line against it. A
garment may look white - until you lay it next to a whiter one. In each
case, you need a standard against which all other objects can be compared.
In the realm of righteousness, the standard is God's law. It is there you
discover how far you have drifted from God's holiness, how sealed you are
with sin. It is there you see an accurate diagnosis of your problem.
It is there you come to realize that you are powerless to save yourself.
Are you willing to acknowledge your predicament? When you do, then you
are also ready to receive God's provision.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ The Lord is my shepherd.
Date: 03-09-91 (22:42) Number: 177 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/7 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that he might be
just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
The gospel is so simple that little children can understand it. And yet
it is so complex that the Bible uses words like justification, redemption,
and propitiation to describe its many facets.
Boil it all down and you can simplify the complex into just two words:
Jesus Christ. In Him all the big words come together to explain, the
significance of your salvation. Take justification, for example. Charles
Spurgeon provides this analysis of its meaning and importance.
WALK WITH CHARLES SPURGEON
"If God is just, then I a sinner - alone and without a substitute - must
be punished.
"But Jesus stands in my place and is punished for me. So now, if God is
just, then I a sinner - standing in Christ - can never be punished. Jesus
has taken the place of the believer and received the full penalty of
divine wrath.
"My hope lives not because I am sinless, but because I am a sinner for
whom Christ died. My trust is not that I am holy, but that, since I am
unholy, He is my righteousness.
"My faith rests not upon what I am, nor shall be, or feel, or know, but in
what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
If you died and awoke at the gates of heaven, and there God confronted you
with the question, "Why should I allow you into My heaven?" - what would
you say?
"I worked hard and did my best"..."I'm a whole lot better than most
folks".."I was sincere in my beliefs"?
All have sinned. God is just in punishing those who have broken His law.
And either jesus Christ becomes your Substitute...or you fell the force of
God's wrath yourself.
"Justified freely by His grace" through Christ Jesus. With that as your
passport, you need never fear the reception you'll get in heaven!
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
Date: 03-09-91 (22:42) Number: 178 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/8 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
David also describes the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputes
righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are
forgiven" (Romans 4:6-7).
Imagine you owe a vast sum of money that you have no hope of repaying..but
then the debt is totally forgiven. How do you react?
Imagine you are on death row facing execution for a crime you are guilty
of..but then you receive a full pardon. How do you feel?
Joyful. Happy. Relieved beyond measure. A future previously fearful now
brims with expectancy.
Getting right with God is cause for unspeakable joy - a joy that David
extols in Psalm 32 when he writes of forgiveness.
C.S.Lewis, who wrote often of his own joyful conversation, provides this
analysis of the gift that seems too good to be true.
WALK WITH C.S. LEWIS
"The man who has experienced conversation feels like one who has awakened
from nightmare into ecstasy.
"He feels that he has done nothing, and never could have done anything, to
deserve such astonishing happiness.
"All the initiative has been on God's side; all has been free, unbounded
grace.
"Man's own puny efforts would be as helpless to retain the joy as they
would have been to attain it in the first place. Fortunately, they need
not. Bliss is not for sale; it cannot be earned.
"Works have no merit, though of course faith inevitably flows out into
works of love. One is not saved because he does works of love; he does
works of live because he is saved.
"It is faith alone that has saved him: faith bestowed as the sheer gift of
God."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Joy - the by-product of God's inexpressible gift.
Joy - the overflow of God's inexhaustible love.
Have you experienced God's grace in your life? If so, no one needs to
tell you that "the God of hope [can] fill you with all joy" (Romans
15:13).
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Ignorance leads to Indulgence.
Date: 03-09-91 (22:42) Number: 179 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/9-10 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the
promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath (Romans
4:14-15).
According to some views, God will grace "on the curse," looking at an
individual's life in comparison with others. If the good outweighs the
bad, that person will pass the test of life and will get into heaven.
Nothing is further from the truth. A passing grace in God's School of
Righteousness has always been 100 percent. Anything less, and you fail.
Donald Barnhouse provides this insightful look at the folly of trying to
"make the grade" on the basis of good works rather than on God's work.
WALK WITH DONALD BARNHOUSE
"We can see where argument about salvation by works would lead us.
"Suppose a man has made certain sacrifices in his giving to worthy causes.
Has he made enough sacrifices? Is there a percentage that may be
established?
"If that is so, what about a poor man and a rich man? A poor man may have
five children and fifty dollars a weeks. Is he supposed to give five
dollars a week to good Christian causes? And if another man has a
thousand dollars a weeks and only a wife and one child, can be get by with
God by giving a hundred dollars a week?
The absurdities of the comparisons become evident the further we push them
to logical conclusions."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
You may be smarter than most, more generous than many, more honest than
some. But when the comparison is made between sinful man and holy God,
your best efforts resemble "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
God knew that. So He sent His Son to pass the test for you. by placing
your confidence in Jesus Christ, His grace becomes yours.
And when the choice is between a perfect score or failure, with eternal
consequences, wouldn't you prefer having Christ's grace rather than your
own?
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ I am more than a º³Û³ºÝ³ºÝ³, I am a real person
Date: 03-09-91 (22:42) Number: 180 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/11 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces
perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans
5:3-4).
The Christian life is not a parade but a battle in which the opposition is
intense and the enemy tenacious. But you can neither be defeated nor
disheartened as long as you remember the one with whom you are at war, and
the One with whom you are at peace!
Abraham Kuyper probes the power and purpose behind victorious spiritual
warfare.
WALK WITH ABRAHAM KUYPER
"When we are attacked, when our opponent takes hold and attempts to throw
us, only then does our strength appear.
"Each fierce attack inspires more determined resistance, and we put forth
all our strength to remain standing. Thus endurance is born.
"Tribulation and struggle call forth strength to endure; endurance
produces the confidence of proven character; and with that new confidence,
hope waxes stronger - the hope of never being overcome by an assailant,
the hope of winning a crown.
"Thus the child of God, struggling against the forces of evil in and
around him discovers within himself a God=given strength that enables him
to endure all assault triumphantly."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
When called upon to stand, the believer knows where his strength lies.
Paul explains it this way: "I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).
Each skirmish with the enemy, each conflict successfully met in the
strength of the Lord, only serves to make you stronger for the next.
More patient. More experienced.
More enduring. More hopeful.
More like Christ
There is no more exciting - and triumphant - way a believer can live in
this world than to "glory in tribulations."
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ God never shuts one door without opening one
Date: 03-11-91 (19:18) Number: 181 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/12 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Grace [reigns] through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord (Romans 5:21).
the church is packed. The organist plays reverently. The smiling groom
awaits his bride. And here she comes down the aisle - her wedding gown
tattered and torn, her face streaked with grime - anything but the picture
of beauty. Yet the groom lovingly cleans her up, and then receives her.
That's the picture of Christ - who is both Groom and Groomer - and His
church.
The same gift of grace that saves is a gift of righteousness that
purifies, as Anne Cousin explains.
WALK WITH ANNE ROSS COUSIN
Oh! I am by Beloved's
And my Beloved is mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner
Into His "House of wine."
I stand upon His merit,
I know no other stand
Not e'en where glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
The Bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of grace -
Not at the crown He giveth,
But on His pierced hand:
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Immanuel's land.
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
The church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-32). And in Christ the
bride becomes beautiful with a purity acceptable to God. The dirt of sin
and the curse of death cannot be removed in any other way.
Christ is preparing for Himself a bride that is cleansed, spotless, holy,
and without blemish.
Grace leading to salvation. Grace leading to upright behavior, or
righteousness. They go hand in hand for the believer eagerly preparing to
meet the Lord.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Date: 03-13-91 (21:43) Number: 182 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/14 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but
under grace..And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of
righteousness (Romans 6:14,18).
The battle for your soul may be over, but the battle for your allegiance
still rages. Remember that Jesus has conquered the power of sin, and you
are free! Free to say no to sin and yes to God.
As John Calvin affirms, that fact can open the door to victory for anyone
tired of struggling against sin.
WALK WITH JOHN CALVIN
"The apostle is comforting and strengthening believers, lest they should
falter in their zeal and desire for holiness, because they feel their own
weakness.
"To prevent discouragement arising from a consciousness of this weakness,
he reminds believers that their works are not judged according to the
rigid demands of the law.
"The strings of sin continue to harass us, yet they cannot bring us under
their power, because we are rendered superior to them by the work of
Christ. We are also freed from the rigid demand of the law, because we
are in His grace. On this account, believers must fly to Christ and
implore His assistance as a defender of their liberty, which He is always
ready to do."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
By His death, Christ broke the power of sin and death. Captives have been
liberated. Salves to sin have been set free to serve a new Master.
Hebrews describes it this way: "[Christ] Himself likewise shared in the
same [flesh and blood], that through death He might destroy him who had
the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear
of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14-15).
No longer afraid of death. No longer bound to sin. No longer giving in
to uncleanness. But instead, giving in to God.
Never have you enjoyed anything as free..or costly.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Integrity of Heart; Skill of Hand
Date: 03-14-91 (21:29) Number: 183 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/14 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but
under grace...And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of
righteousness (Romans 6:14,18).
The battle for your soul may be over, but the battle for your allegiance
still rages. Remember that Jesus has conquered the power of sin, and you
are free! Free to say no to sin and yes to God.
As John Calvin affirms, that fact can open the door to victory for anyone
tired of struggling against sin.
WALK WITH JOHN CALVIN
"The apostle is comforting and strengthening believers, lest they should
falter in their zeal and desire for holiness, because they feel their own
weakness.
"To prevent discouragement arising from a consciousness of this weakness,
he reminds believers that their works are not judged according to the
rigid demands of the law.
"The stings of sin continue to harass us, yet they cannot bring us under
their power, because we are rendered superior to them by the work of
Christ. We are also freed from the rigid demand of the law, because we
are in His grace. On this account, believers must fly to Christ and
implore His assistance as a defender of their liberty, which He is always
ready to do."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
by His death, Christ broke the power of sin and death. Captives have been
liberated. Slaves to sin have been set free to serve a new Master.
Hebrews describes it this way: "[Christ] Himself likewise shared in the
same [flesh and blood], that through death He might destroy him who had
the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear
of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14-15).
No longer afraid of death. No longer bound to sin. No longer giving in
to uncleanness. But instead, giving in to God.
Never have you enjoyed anything as free..or as costly.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Ignorance leads to Indulgence.
Date: 03-14-91 (21:29) Number: 184 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/15 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins which were aroused by
the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we
have been delivered from the law (Romans 7:5-6).
An X-rays reveals a serious break in your leg. Do you blame the X-ray for
the problem? Or would you blame your doctor for informing you of a
life-threatening situation? Of course not!
In the same, way, the law was designed by God to diagnose mankind's sinful
condition - to make men and women aware of their need for a Savior.
In The Pilgrim's Progress, an allegory of the Christian's journey through
life, John Bunyan gives this illustration of the relationship of the law
to the gospel of grace, as spoken through the Interpreter.
WALK WITH JOHN BUNYAN
"This parlor the heart of man who was never cleansed by the sweet grace of
the gospel; that dust is his inward corruption that has defiled the whole
man.
"He who began to sweep at first is the law, but she who brought the water
and did sprinkle it is the gospel.
"Now, so soon as the first began to sweep, the dust did so fly about that
you were almost choked therewith. This is to show you that the law,
instead of cleansing the heart from sin, does revive, put strength into,
and increase it, for it does not give the power to subdue.
"Again, the damsel sprinkling the room with water is to show you what
happens when the gospel comes in.
"As the damsel settled the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, sin is
vanquished and subdued, and the soul made clean through faith; and
consequently made fit for the King of Glory to inhabit."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
The law merely reveals the soiled condition of the human heart.
What the law of God stirs up, only the grace of God can clean up.
It's enough to make even 20th-century pilgrims respond in grateful praise!
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ I am more than a º³Û³ºÝ³ºÝ³, I am a real person
Date: 03-14-91 (21:29) Number: 185 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3-16/17 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I
thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25).
Without benefit of bullets or bombs, the world, the flesh, and the devil
have mounted al all-out attack aimed at crippling "all who desire to live
godly in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:12).
Paul describes this "guerrilla warfare" in Romans 7. And as you'll learn
from the following prayer of Thomas a Kempis, this is one battle that is
best fought on your knees.
WALK WITH THOMAS A KEMPIS
"I confess my own unrighteousness; I confess my weakness unto Thee, O
Lord.
"Often it is a small matter that makes me sad and dejected. I resolve
that I will act with courage, but when even a small temptation comes, I am
at once in great distress. It is sometimes a tiny trifle that sparks a
great temptation.
"And though I do not altogether consent, yet their continued assaults are
troublesome and grievous to me; and it is exceedingly irksome to live thus
daily in conflict.
"O Lord, strengthen me with heavenly courage, lest the flesh prevail and
get the upper hand."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
When David met Goliath, he knew God would be victorious, for David knew
the battle was indeed the Lord's. Believers face battles daily too. But
they're spiritual battles, against the giants of Satan and self.
The best defense against the warring flesh is a good offense - a
confidence that Satan and his allies are already defeated. The ultimate
outcome has already been determined - the Cross of Christ has seen to
that!
Now you, like Paul, can respond to the question, "Who will deliver me from
this body of death?" with the ringing affirmation, "Jesus Christ our
Lord!"
After all, there's nothing like knowing that Someone has already won the
war to give you strength to face each daily skirmish!
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ God never shuts one door without opening one
Date: 03-16-91 (21:50) Number: 186 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/18 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit
(Romans 8:1).
Before you believed in Jesus Christ, you were on death row - condemned by
God, deserving of His wrath and judgment.
But now, set free by Christ's death in your place, you instead are serving
a life sentence - eternal life in His service.
In light of that wonderful freedom, thankfully read these words spoken by
Thomas Chalmers from a Scottish pulpit more than a hundred years ago:
WALK WITH THOMAS CHALMERS
"When a sinner comes to Christ, God reconciles him to Himself and
remembers his sins no more. They are among the things that are left
behind and which ought to be forgotten.
"The believer should feel his conscience relieved from the guilt and dread
of his sins. He can look on the account as closed between him and God.
"It is wrong for a believer to live beneath his privileges. How will the
spirit of bondage ever be done away with or the joy of the gospel ever be
made to spring up in the heart if the believer tries to hang the
forgiveness of his sins on anything other than the blood of Jesus?
"Look to Christ lifted up for the offenses of sinners and be encouraged in
this thought: Christ has made full payment, and with it God is satisfied.
"If you do so, you too will be satisfied - delighting yourself greatly in
the abundance of peace, and going forth in the light and liberty of this
comforting knowledge."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
"Father, often I find myself remembering what You have forgotten, and
condemning myself for what You have erased. Then the Enemy taunts me, and
the joy of my freedom in Christ drains away.
"Teach me never to forget Your forgiveness. Because only then will I be
at peace with myself - when I remember that I am at peace with You.
"I pray in the name of Christ, my Deliverer from condemnation. Amen."
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ He who has this disease called Jesus will NEVER be cured!
Date: 03-16-91 (21:51) Number: 187 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/19 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans
8:14)
Romans 8 highlights the many exciting facets of life in the Spirit.
God has not called you to live for Him in a vacuum. Rather, in the person
of the Holy Spirit, He has provided all you need to enjoy daily victory
and vitality in your walk with Him.
Through the words of Jonathan Edwards, focus today on the importance of
the Holy Spirit as your Leader.
WALK WITH JONATHAN EDWARDS
"The Spirit leads the children of God by inclining them to do the will of
God from a holy, heavenly disposition that the Spirit of God gives them.
"The Spirit inclines and leads them to those things that are excellent and
agreeable to God.
"He enlightens them with respect to their duty by making their eye single
and pure, whereby the whole body is full of light.
"The purifying influence of the Spirit corrects the taste of the soul,
whereby He savors those things that are holy and agreeable to God.
"Like on with a discriminating taste, the Spirit chooses those things that
are good and wholesome, and rejects those that are evil.
"And thus the Spirit of God leads and guides; He enables us to understand
the commands and counsels of God's Word, and rightly to apply them."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Think of the Spirit as your "Holy Guide" through life.
You are not alone. The Holy Spirit is a companion to guide you over each
uncertain step. One already infinitely familiar with the path. One sent
by God, with the mind of God, and knowing the will of God.
All that is necessary is for you to put your hand in His...to acknowledge
that he knows the path ahead better than you do...and to walk confidently
with Him, neigher lagging behind nor running ahead.
That's your daily privilege as a child of the King!
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Save The Next Generation -- End Abortion today!
Date: 03-20-91 (22:50) Number: 188 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/20 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren
(Romans 9:3).
If you heard that a friend was critically ill in the hospital, would you
go out of your way to visit and help?
Of course you would. Compassion often causes detours around previously
arranged plans.
Paul carried just such a burden of compassion for his countrymen - but it
was not unique to him. J. Hudson Taylor shares his own burden for
Christless men and women.
WALK WITH J. HUDSON TAYLOR
"We are not exempt from trials, and some of them are very painful and
difficult to bear.
"But I shall feel amply repaid if only one soul is, by my witness,
rescued from the powers of darkness and brought into the fold of Christ.
"And I trust that not one only, but many, will be turned to righteousness
by the Word of God ministered by me.
"Were it at the expense of every source of earthly enjoyment; were health
and peace, comfort and happiness, and even life itself to be sacrificed
that we might communicate the blessings of Christianity to others, we
ought gladly to make it.
"But there is no surer way of finding happiness than by heartily engaging
in the work of the Lord, no more certain way of increasing our own
blessings than by endeavoring to communicate them to others."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
A fellow worker. A family member. A neighbor.
What would you be willing to endure for the privilege of seeing one of
these respond to the good news of sins forgiven?
J. Hudson Taylor gladly immersed himself in a foreign culture - and the
misunderstanding of many of his fellow Britishers - to share the good news
of salvation through jesus Christ with China.
Paul was willing to be "accursed" if by that his countrymen would accept
the gospel of Christ.
What price are you willing to pay that a lost soul might hear God's
message of life?
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ --T-A+G-L-I+N-E--+M-E-A+S-U-R+I-N-G+--G-A+U-G-E--
Date: 03-20-91 (22:50) Number: 189 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 2/21 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How
beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace!" (Romans
10:15).
When God calls for volunteers, do you respond? Or do you hesitate,
fearing your inability? It may surprise you to learn that God is not
looking for the most capable candidates to do His work, but for the most
faithful.
He doesn't need your talent as much as He does your trustworthiness. He
can supply you with everything you need to do all He calls you to do.
Oswald Chambers analyzes the qualifications of God's "sent ones" -
qualifications which help to insure that God gets the credit for whatever
is accomplished.
WALK WITH OSWALD CHAMBERS
"The Christian must be sent; he must not merely elect to go. How am I to
know I have been sent of God? By the realization that I am utterly weak
and powerless, and that if I am to be of any use to God, God must do it
all.
"Is this the humbling certainty of my soul?
"The only way to be sent is to let God lift us right out of any sense of
fitness in ourselves and place us where He will.
"The person whose work tells for God is the one who not only realizes what
God has done for him but who also realizes his own utter unfitness and
overwhelming unsuitability - the impossibility of God ever calling him>"
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
"Not many wise" are called - so that the wisdom might come from God. "Not
many mighty"" - so that he might prove to be the source of strength. "Not
many noble" -- so that the glory might be wholly His.
Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and Isaiah considered themselves totally
inadequate to do anything of lasting significance for God. But in their
weakness, His glorious strength could be clearly seen.
When God has a job to do, only weak people need apply. Weak people who
are willing to say. "Here am I! Send me" (Isaiah 6:*).
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ There are no skeptics in hell.
Date: 03-21-91 (15:30) Number: 190 of 201
To: BUGGS BUGNON Refer#: 189
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: 03-22-91 (08:00)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/21 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How
beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace!" (Romans
10:15).
When God calls for volunteers, do you respond? Or do you hesitate,
fearing your inability? It may surprise you to learn that God is not
looking for the most capable candidates to do His work, but for the most
faithful.
He doesn't need your talent as much as He does your trustworthiness. He
can supply you with everything you need to do all He calls you to do.
Oswald Chambers analyzes the qualifications of God's "sent ones" -
qualifications which help to insure that God gets the credit for whatever
is accomplished.
WALK WITH OSWALD CHAMBERS
"The Christian must be sent; he must not merely elect to go. How am I to
know I have been sent of God? By the realization that I am utterly weak
and powerless, and that if I am to be of any use to God, God must do it
all.
"Is this the humbling certainty of my soul?
"The only way to be sent is to let God lift us right out of any sense of
fitness in ourselves and place us where He will.
"The person whose work tells for God is the one who not only realizes what
God has done for him but who also realizes his own utter unfitness and
overwhelming unsuitability - the impossibility of God ever calling him>"
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
"Not many wise" are called - so that the wisdom might come from God. "Not
many mighty"" - so that he might prove to be the source of strength. "Not
many noble" -- so that the glory might be wholly His.
Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and Isaiah considered themselves totally
inadequate to do anything of lasting significance for God. But in their
weakness, His glorious strength could be clearly seen.
When God has a job to do, only weak people need apply. Weak people who
are willing to say. "Here am I! Send me" (Isaiah 6:*).
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ AIDS -- The Plague Denied by the ACLU the AMA and man!
Date: 03-22-91 (08:46) Number: 191 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. What does the divine
response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men"
(Romans 11:2,4).
Perhaps you have experienced that sinking feeling that it's you against
the world. And frankly, the world may seem to have you badly outnumbered.
But an amazing transformation takes place when you realize it's not simply
you, but you...and God...and the remnant God has promised never to be
without.
W.H. Griffith Thomas points out how Paul uses the life of Elijah to
encourage both his countrymen and his fellow believers that God always has
a remnant of believers who remain loyal to Him.
WALK WITH W.H. GRIFFITH THOMAS
"To support his contention that God has not cast away His people, Paul
points out that the same state of affairs existed in the time of Elijah.
"Appearances are not always the same as reality, and there is still a
godly remnant, though disregarded by the entire nation.
"When Elijah on Mount Horeb brought an accusation against his countrymen
of such unfaithfulness to God that he alone was left, the divine response
quickly showed him that there was a kernel of loyalty.
"In exactly the same way in Paul's day, the majority of people were
unfaithful, but there was a remnant of loyal Israelites who had thankfully
accepted the divine righteousness by faith.
"Like the quiet group that welcomed the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, there
were many in this remnant who 'waited for the salvation of Israel'."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
It's never easy to stand alone for what you believe. It's harder still
when danger and despair threaten. But learn a lesson from the Prophet
Elijah: When hostility comes, when you feel like it's "you against the
world," look up.
It may surprise you to see how many others are standing with you. You,
like Elijah, are part of an entire army of faith!
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ In Adam, all die... in Christ, all are made alive...
Date: 03-22-91 (08:46) Number: 192 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/23-24 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans
11:3).
As Paul systematically outlines God's plan for both the jews and the
Gentiles, many questions surface. Questions for which God has answers,
but which His children sometimes lack the understanding to grasp.
In such cases, the best answer is often, "The Father knows best."
And the proper response of His children? Allow Martin Luther to answer.
WALK WITH MARTIN LUTHER
"God's ways are what He intends to do, and that cannot be discovered by
human reason or thought.
"Therefore, people should not dictate to God in the presumption of what is
right or wrong, or how a divine act ought to be performed.
"On the contrary, people should humble themselves before God and confess
that they know nothing of these matters, and can neither advise nor teach
anything concerning them.
"Instead they should glorify God by acknowledging that, as their God and
Creator, He knows and understands better what He is about and how He ought
to govern than do we, His creatures."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Who knows better what makes watches tick than the watchmaker himself?
Who understands better the business of heaven and earth than the Creator
of both?
God is in control. He knows what He is doing, and how best to accomplish
His purposes.
Moses, who talked with God face to face for 40 years, discovered that "the
secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are
revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the
words of this law" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
That means God is not looking for your opinion, but rather for your
obedience.
And obedience is something you should never have any question about.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Are you under nourished? Try the Bread of Life!
Date: 03-24-91 (17:17) Number: 195 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/25 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good...Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:9,21).
Being familiar with the Book of Romans is one thing. But putting its
teachings to work in your life is something else again.
Beginning with chapter 12, Paul focuses his thoughts less on doctrinal
issues and more on the practical side of Christian living.
Home and government, church and community - each area of life should
reflect the dynamic nature of the doctrine you believe, as John Henry
Jowett describes.
WALK WITH JOHN HENRY JOWETT
"How can we cast out evil?
"The surgeon cannot cut out the disease if his instruments are defiled;
while he removes one ill growth, he sows the seeds of another.
"It must be health that fights disease.
"And therefore I must cultivate a virtue if I would eradicate a vice. If
there is some immoral habit in my life, the best way to destroy it would
be to cultivate a good one.
"Take the mind away from the evil habit. Deprive it of thought food.
Give the thought to the nobler mood, and the ignoble will doe.
"And this also applies to the faults and vices of my brother. I must
fight them with their opposites. If he is harsh and cruel, I must be
considerate and gentle. If he is grasping, I must be generous. If he is
being devilish, I must be Christlike.
"This the the warfare that tells upon the empire of sin. I can overcome
evil with good."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
As darkness is the absence of light, evil is the absence of good.
And all that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do
nothing...to take their light and hide it under a bushel basket...to
"leave well enough alone."
Abhor. Cling. Overcome. Those are concepts that demand an active
response if what you believe is truly going to affect how you behave.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Integrity of Heart; Skill of Hand
Date: 03-24-91 (17:17) Number: 196 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/26 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Owe no one anything, except to love one another..Love does no harm to a
neighbor; therefore live is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8,10).
Love and law.
The two concepts are seemingly incompatible. Until you recall that the
two greatest commands, or laws, in the Bible are commands to love!
"Love the Lord your God...Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew
22:37,39).
How do you fulfill the law of God/ It can't be done by gritting your
teeth and trying harder, but by loving God and the neighbor.
Augustine provides this helpful illustration of the permeating effect of
love in life's relationships.
WALK WITH AUGUSTINE
"If a man loves a certain actor and enjoys his art as a great good, he
loves all those who share his love for the actor - not on their own
account, but on account of him whom they love together.
"And the more fervent is his love for the actor, the more he will behave
in every way possible so that the actor will be loved by many.
"Does not this pattern of behavior fit the action of us who are united in
the brotherhood of the love of God?
"Thus it is that we also love our enemies. For we do not fear them, since
they cannot take away that which we love. Rather, we are sorry for them.
"If they were to turn to Him and love Him as the source of blessedness,
they would necessarily love us also as companions in a great good."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Augustine elsewhere summarizes the demands of the Christian life this way:
"Love God, and do as you please."
That is, when your vertical relationship with God is right, then your
horizontal relationships with others will be right.
When your primary goal is to please your FAther in all that you do and
say, it's remarkable how well you will get along with your brothers and
sisters in the family of God.
Try it - and see how fulfilling love can be.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Florida State - # 1 in '91 - Go Florida State
Date: 03-25-91 (21:56) Number: 197 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/27 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by
which one may edify another (Romans 14:19).
Consider the irony of freedom.
Define it as "the right to do as you please," and you will never be truly
free.
But define it as "the right to do as you ought," and you will have
discovered the essence of true freedom.
In chapter 14 Paul describes the use - and abuse - of Christian liberty,
as H.C. G. Moule explains.
WALK WITH H.C.G. MOULE
"In principle, Paul's own convictions lay with 'the strong,' those who
'knew that nothing was unclean.'
"He knew that the Lord was not grieved, but pleased, by the moderate and
thankful use of His natural bounties.
"But though the strong may be right in principle concerning certain
activities, this leaves untouched and still more stringent overruling
principle to 'walk in love' to live for the benefit of others.
"The strong are not to be ashamed of their liberty. But they are to be
ashamed of one hour's unloving conduct.
"Their 'strength' in Christ is never to be ungentle. It is to be shown,
first and foremost, by patience. It is to take the form of the calm,
strong readiness to understand another's point of view."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
When it comes to the exercise of Christian liberty, God is looking for men
and women who are strong in the Lord, yet tender toward those who are weak
in the faith. He is seeking those who will put the welfare of others
before their own self-interests. He is looking for believers who temper
their liberty with love.
When you encounter a gray area in your walk with God...when you're not
sure of the right course of action...when the Scriptures are silent on a
particular activity - what then?
Then, prayerfully put Paul's principle to work: "When in doubt, love!"
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Jesus is alive. Until you've met him you haven't lived!
Date: 03-27-91 (21:57) Number: 198 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/28 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning,
that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope
(Romans 15:4).
Thousands of years separate you from the events of Scripture. But even
though life today seems very different, those inspired words remain your
instruction manual from the Creator of the world.
No matter what your age - or distance from the Scripture's writing - God's
truth is never out of date.
John Calvin, lifelong student of the Scriptures, has this to say about
God's eternally relevant Word:
WALK WITH JOHN CALVIN
"There is no part of the Scriptures that cannot contribute to our
instruction and to the forming of our life and manners.
"The Word of God contains nothing vain or unprofitable. Diligent study
and reading of these records of unchanging wisdom cannot help but
contribute to our holiness of life.
"let us, therefore, diligently labor to learn the contents of the Book of
God, and never forget it is the only writing in which the Creator of
heaven and earth condescends to converse with mankind.
"The Scriptures are chiefly devoted to the object of forming in us
patience..of strengthening and confirming our faith..of raising us to the
hope of eternal life..and of keeping our meditation and contemplation
fixed on that glorious kingdom of God."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Patience. Comfort. Strength.
These are just three of the dividends you'll receive from mastering God's
Word and allowing it to master you.
Study. Diligence. meditation.
These comprise the investment you must make to achieve that end.
God has placed all that you need to know about Him between the covers of
the Bible.
But only you can open its pages to discover what He is saying to you.
þ SLMR 1.05 #132 þ Prayer does not change God, it changes YOU!
Date: 03-27-91 (21:57) Number: 199 of 201
To: ALL Refer#: NONE
From: BUGGS BUGNON Read: (N/A)
Subj: Daily Devotional 3/29 Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: DEVOTIONALS (1) Read Type: GENERAL (+)
Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which
pertain to God (Romans 15:17).
You may know the heart of the gospel - salvation in Jesus Christ. But do
you have a heart for the gospel - a passion to proclaim it?
After presenting the contents of his message, Paul shares the burden he
carries for communicating that message to others. Motivated by a desire
to glorify God, he wants to go where no other messenger of the gospel has
gone before.
David Brainerd, another of God's choice servants, was equally compelled
to reach others for God's glory. Even a few weeks before his death, he
wrote of his desire to serve God.
WALK WITH DAVID BRAINERD
"I do not go to heaven to be advanced, but to give honor to God. It is no
matter where I shall be stationed in heaven; to love, and please, and
glorify God is everything.
"Had I a thousand souls, if they were worth anything, I would give them
all to God; but I have nothing to give, when all is done.
"I long to be in heaven, praising and glorifying God with all the holy
angels. All my desire is to glorify God.
"There is nothing in the world worth living for but doing good and
finishing God's work, doing the work that Christ did.
"I see nothing else in the world that can yield any satisfaction besides
living for God, pleasing Him, and doing His whole will."
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
David Brainerd and the Apostle Paul - both were outward looking messengers
who shared burdens for the souls of men to the glory of God.
They experienced the comfort of the gospel. But beyond that, they felt
the compulsion of the gospel - the restless dissatisfaction of knowing
that others had net yet heard.
You enjoy the same gospel of life that transformed David Brainerd and
Paul. Ask God to give you the same burden for others that ignited their
lives to His glory.