Tuesday, July 2, 2013
First Public Screening of 'Hope For Hurting Hearts' Helps Make Believers in Audience
via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://www.christianpost.com/news/first-public-screening-of-hope-for-hurting-hearts-helps-make-believers-in-audience-99194/
Monday, July 1, 2013
Thought for the evening of Tue July 2, 2013
Verse
— ps 28:1
Thought
A cry is the natural expression of sorrow, and a suitable utterance when all other modes of appeal fail us; but the cry must be alone directed to the Lord, for to cry to man is to waste our entreaties upon the air. When we consider the readiness of the Lord to hear, and his ability to aid, we shall see good reason for directing all our appeals at once to the God of our salvation. It will be in vain to call to the rocks in the day of judgment, but our Rock attends to our cries.
"Be not silent to me." Mere formalists may be content without answers to their prayers, but genuine suppliants cannot; they are not satisfied with the results of prayer itself in calming the mind and subduing the will-they must go further, and obtain actual replies from heaven, or they cannot rest; and those replies they long to receive at once, they dread even a little of God's silence. God's voice is often so terrible that it shakes the wilderness; but his silence is equally full of awe to an eager suppliant. When God seems to close his ear, we must not therefore close our mouths, but rather cry with more earnestness; for when our note grows shrill with eagerness and grief, he will not long deny us a hearing. What a dreadful case should we be in if the Lord should become for ever silent to our prayers? "Lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit." Deprived of the God who answers prayer, we should be in a more pitiable plight than the dead in the grave, and should soon sink to the same level as the lost in hell. We must have answers to prayer: ours is an urgent case of dire necessity; surely the Lord will speak peace to our agitated minds, for he never can find it in his heart to permit his own elect to perish.
via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/hl-devos-spurgeon-evening/~3/7fmlQnkwhz8/0702-pm.html
Thought for the morning of Tue July 2, 2013
Verse
— ps 33:21
Thought
Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and, like many birds, they sing best in their cages. The waves may roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of God's countenance; they have a buoyancy about them which keeps their head always above the water, and helps them to sing amid the tempest, "God is with me still." To whom shall the glory be given? Oh! to Jesus-it is all by Jesus. Trouble does not necessarily bring consolation with it to the believer, but the presence of the Son of God in the fiery furnace with him fills his heart with joy. He is sick and suffering, but Jesus visits him and makes his bed for him. He is dying, and the cold chilly waters of Jordan are gathering about him up to the neck, but Jesus puts His arms around him, and cries, "Fear not, beloved; to die is to be blessed; the waters of death have their fountain-head in heaven; they are not bitter, they are sweet as nectar, for they flow from the throne of God." As the departing saint wades through the stream, and the billows gather around him, and heart and flesh fail him, the same voice sounds in his ears, "Fear not; I am with thee; be not dismayed; I am thy God." As he nears the borders of the infinite unknown, and is almost affrighted to enter the realm of shades, Jesus says, "Fear not, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Thus strengthened and consoled, the believer is not afraid to die; nay, he is even willing to depart, for since he has seen Jesus as the morning star, he longs to gaze upon Him as the sun in his strength. Truly, the presence of Jesus is all the heaven we desire. He is at once
"The glory of our brightest days;
The comfort of our nights."
via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/hl-devos-spurgeon-morning/~3/n2ieJJirGkk/0702-am.html
A Flying Miracle
Among God’s creatures, the butterfly is one of the most stunningly beautiful! Its gentle flight, colorful wings, and amazing migratory patterns are traits that make the butterfly a masterpiece of the natural world.
via Our Daily Bread http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/odb/feed/~3/Giz9m-XN9a4/
Jeremiah 17:9-10
via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NIV&search=Jeremiah+17:9-10
Most people don't believe
"And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples," (Luke 9:43)
 |
| Osteen's Lakewood in Houston, |
Over and over Luke recorded the teachings and miracles of Jesus. Crowds were gathering. The whole thing was like a snowball gathering speed as it hurtled down the mountain. At one point, the crowds were so thick, coming right to the edge of the lake, Jesus had to get into a boat and push off just so he could speak. (Mark 4:1). Thousands and thousands were following Him!
Jesus was huge! Everything was going great! The people were responding!
"and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority." (Luke 4:32)
"And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:36)
"He said to them, “Where is your faith?” "and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:25b)
"Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled." (Luke 11:14)
As you read the book through, it becomes clear that nothing like this had ever happened in the Land, ever. The people were clamoring for Jesus, following him to see what would happen next.
And that is the problem.
 |
| Hillsong |
They were responding, but not believing. There is a difference.
Do not mistake crowds and accolades and the words we see repeated over and over in this and the other gospels: astonished, marveled, amazed, for conviction of sin and a readiness to submit to the Spirit to be led into a transformed, submissive life before the Lord and Savior. There is a difference between surface interest and deep conviction. The people were going out to see Jesus to see what He would do, and they left chattering and excited, astonished at the show.
It is the same thing we see when crowds leave a blockbuster film, and the people stream out of the theater, chattering about how marvelous the special effects were, and how amazing was the scene where the thing blew up, and how astonished they were that the movie was so good.
Then they go home and forget about it. Till the next movie comes out.
Jesus was a really cool special effect.
Of all the years He spent in the Land, only 120 gathered in the upper room after His crucifixion. (Acts 1:13). Only 500 Galilean believers saw Him. (1 Corinthians 15:6). That is how few believed. Thousands upon thousands responded. Only 620 believed.
"And when all the believers that are in the southern part in Judea, in Jerusalem area, came to gather to meet together in that upper room after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, you remember there were only 120. The ministry of Jesus in Galilee, the ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem, the largest crowd in Galilee is 500 that came together in His name. And the largest one that came together in His name in the south is 120. It's virtually unimaginable that the Son of God could come and say what He said and do what He did and demonstrate the kind of character that He did and have 620 people in His two-fold congregation. Staggering...staggering." (source )
In the beginning of this piece I used a verse from Luke and there was a comma at the end of verse 43, indicating that Jesus was about to say something next. What was it that Jesus said to the disciples as the people were marvelling at His power to perform miracles?
 |
| A single Passion participant raises their hand in worship during Passion Conference 2013. Photo by Casey Northcutt |
"Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men." (Luke 9:44)
These same people who marveled, and were astonished and amazed, voted for Barabbas and rejected Jesus. Don't be fooled by crowds and buzz. Believe a transformed life and fruits of the Spirit.
Jesus is not a spectacle and He is not a show. Jesus is the Holy God of the Universe, and He demands repentance for sins and belief in His resurrected Son. Do not mistake crowds and buzz for belief. As soon as the show was over and the hard work was before them, the crowds left. LOL, how many people ever stay afterwards to fold up the chairs and sweep the auditorium?
"When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?...After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." (John 6:60, 66).
Just remember, most people don't believe.
"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14)
"Many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able" (Luke 13:24)"
"Strive earnestly to enter in by the narrow gate; for few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13, 14)."
If you are feeling giddy that revival seems to be breaking out, just remember, most people don't believe. If you are despairing because few seem to believe, just remember, none who believe will be snatched out of God's hand (John 10:29).
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (John 6:37).
