Noonday Devotion by Keith

Noonday Devotion by Keith

Devotion 1

Isaiah 64

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Of all the things the true Christian thinks about himself, this must have a very high priority.

Every true believer who is born of God, knows that he/she is saved by one thing and one thing alone and that is the shed blood of their precious Saviour.. Jesus... shed on the cross of Calvary.

They know that God only accepts them, because of the finished work of Calvary.. they have no righteousness of their own.

Paul the great apostle, who had more right than most to claim righteousness for himself see Philippians Chapter 3:1-6, said Oh wretched Man that I am and he also called Himself the chief of sinners. If Paul said that about himself, then surely we, who are nowhere near where Paul was in Christian maturity, should echo his words

Isaiah here says our righteousness is like filthy rags, this means all our human effort, all our good works.. are to God like filthy rags. Rags that are filthy are thrown away, they are of no real use to anybody.

So what is our righteousness, well it is Jesus.. he alone is our righteousness. . he alone is the reason we as believers can come before God with boldness Hebrews 10:19-22.

Because of Jesus, we can be called his Brothers and Friends, JESUS has given us the right to become the Children of God. John 1:12

All our efforts are of no effect, we cannot get to God, but Jesus made a way, through the veil that is His flesh.

We are the righteousness of God in Christ.

As the hymn writer put it

His righteousness is my only Plea.. amen

Is this your prayer?

Devotion 2

Acts 26

22Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

I just love the Apostle Paul

He didn't care who he preached too. It could be to great people as here he was sharing with Agrippa, Felix and Bernice or to small so called insignificant people

They all came alike to Him.. whoever he was sharing his faith with.. he shared one thing and that was the one Moses and all the prophets had foretold.

That one was Jesus.. all he talked about was Jesus

Have I/you got the same passion that Paul had?

Do we constantly talk about Jesus?

Now we maybe wont get the chance to talk to kings about Jesus.. but when we share our faith.. we must treat everyone we share it with, like they are a king or queen. We are given this unique opportunity of Sharing our faith with that particular person.. that is an awesome privilege and also awesome responsibility.

May we all seek to share the gospel in the power of the Spirit and to uplift our wonderful Saviour

God bless you

Keith

Noonday Devotion by Keith

Devotion 1

Isaiah 64

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Of all the things the true Christian thinks about himself, this must have a very high priority.

Every true believer who is born of God, knows that he/she is saved by one thing and one thing alone and that is the shed blood of their precious Saviour.. Jesus... shed on the cross of Calvary.

They know that God only accepts them, because of the finished work of Calvary.. they have no righteousness of their own.

Paul the great apostle, who had more right than most to claim righteousness for himself see Philippians Chapter 3:1-6, said Oh wretched Man that I am and he also called Himself the chief of sinners. If Paul said that about himself, then surely we, who are nowhere near where Paul was in Christian maturity, should echo his words

Isaiah here says our righteousness is like filthy rags, this means all our human effort, all our good works.. are to God like filthy rags. Rags that are filthy are thrown away, they are of no real use to anybody.

So what is our righteousness, well it is Jesus.. he alone is our righteousness.. he alone is the reason we as believers can come before God with boldness Hebrews 10:19-22.

Because of Jesus, we can be called his Brothers and Friends, JESUS has given us the right to become the Children of God. John 1:12

All our efforts are of no effect, we cannot get to God, but Jesus made a way, through the veil that is His flesh.

We are the righteousness of God in Christ.

As the hymn writer put it

His righteousness is my only Plea.. amen
Is this your prayer?





Devotion 2

Acts 26

22Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

I just love the Apostle Paul

He didn't care who he preached too. It could be to great people as here he was sharing with Agrippa, Felix and Bernice or to small so called insignificant people

They all came alike to Him.. whoever he was sharing his faith with.. he shared one thing and that was the one Moses and all the prophets had foretold.

That one was Jesus.. all he talked about was Jesus

Have I/you got the same passion that Paul had?

Do we constantly talk about Jesus?

Now we maybe wont get the chance to talk to kings about Jesus.. but when we share our faith.. we must treat everyone we share it with, like they are a king or queen. We are given this unique opportunity of Sharing our faith with that particular person.. that is an awesome privilege and also awesome responsibility.

May we all seek to share the gospel in the power of the Spirit and to uplift our wonderful Saviour

God bless you

Keith

Welcome to Spirit Steps

What a joy it is to share with you again. I hope you are blessed by these studies. Please take time to visit the new website at:

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/f/faithhopelove/index.php?p=1_6_Guest-Page

Please go to the links page also and sign the Guestbook and post a Prayer Request

Acts 1:9-11

9 And when He had said this, even as they were looking [at Him], He was caught up, and a cloud received and carried Him away out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing intently into heaven as He went, behold, two men [dressed] in white robes suddenly stood beside them,
11 Who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into heaven, will return in [just] the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven.
This is truly awesome brothers and sisters.
I want us to focus on what the angels said to the disciples in verse 11.
The disciples were distraught at losing Jesus, they were looking longingly after Him. It was the angels who told them the immense truth that this Jesus who they had seen ascending into Heaven was going to come again.
For us as believers, this is our blessed hope Titus 2:13. This is the day every believer longs for, when the clouds will part and the trumpet will sound and we will rise to be with our Saviour in the air, what a day that will be.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Amplified Bible)
17Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!
The second coming of Jesus should drive us to get closer to God and to serve him by reaching out to the world, if the day of the Lord thrills us, we need to take as many as we can with us. May we share what this awesome truth with all we meet.
Let me finish, by sharing something the Lord showed me.
I was sitting in a car one day, and the whole horizon was in front of me. The Lord said, one day those clouds, that entire horizon, I am going to roll back and you will see the Lord Jesus in all his glory. You often can't see the sun for the clouds, but there will come a day, when the Father will roll back every cloud and everyone will see the Son.
Some people are thrill seekers, but flying through the air to meet our Lord will be the greatest thrill ride of all time..AMEN

May the coming of this same Jesus, thrill and excite you so much, remember every day is one day closer to the coming of our wonderful and Glorious saviour, who comes to fetch his people home.
Let us be about the business of the Lord all the time.. time is short my brothers and sisters. Let us not be weary in well doing.. sharing Jesus with a needy world.. AMEN
Hallelujah and amen
Come Lord Jesus come
God Bless you

Keith

Welcome to Noonday Devotion
What a great joy it is to share with you. You will find two devotions by me.. Keith.. and I am pleased to include two by one of my spiritual heroes.. Charles Haddon Spurgeon.. who was called the Prince of Preachers. He lived in the 19th Century.. but what he shared has so much relevance for today.. he does say things in Old English.. but it stands hold true for today's world and especially today's church.. if you want to know more about him. Please place his name in a google search. Noonday Devotion will consist of 2 devotions by me and two by Spurgeon
Thanks and God bless you
Please would you share these devotions with all your friends
Keith
Devotion 1
1 Peter
3 Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 [Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you.
Have you ever had an inheritance left to you?
If this inheritance has come in the form of money, then once it is spent, you cannot have it again. but as Christians, we have a heavenly inheritance, that never runs out or rusts or decays.
The Greek word for inheritance talks about a present and future reality, yes a present reality. We have an experience of God here on earth that is wonderful, but as Paul says, we see through a glass darkly, but in heaven.. all will be revealed.
The full extent of our inheritance will be shown as we will look upon the Face of the One who saved us and upon the Face of the Father who loved us before the foundation of the world.
We have this to look forward. It is reserved in heaven for us.. it has your name on it believer.
I know that heaven will be a glorious reality of being with Jesus and the Father for eternity. But let's also rejoice on out earthly inheritance.. our wonderful relationship with God through our salvation is Christ.. that can never fade or rust.. amen

Devotion 2
Proverbs 23
17 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all the day long.

There are two commands to obey here.
The first is not to envy sinners. Maybe you look at people who do wrong and it seems like they get away with absolute murder so to speak. But God reminds us in his word, that the way of sinners is the way of death. So plainly.. don't look at their lifestyles and possessions and envy how they are living and what they have.
Instead live in the reverential fear of the Lord. Focus on Him.. and the great things about Him. When we live in such fear of God.. we realise and understand the way of sinners. Just like the Psalmist in Psalm 73. Once he went into the House of the Lord, he understood the way of sinners.
Once you are living in intimate relationship with God and are focus your attentions on Him.. you will no longer focus on sin and sinners.
The words of the song are most relevant
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of the world will grow strangely din
In the light of His glory and Grace
Please read psalm 73. Psalm 1 and Philippians 4:8-9
God Bless you
Keith

Welcome to Noonday Devotion for Older People

Now here is a subject, I do feel able to speak on with clarity, although some of you reading this will regard me as a young pup.. having just turned 50. I hope everyone will read these articles, there are some great articles and indeed ones that will make u Laugh

God bless

Keith

Noonday Devotion for Mature People
Joshua 14

6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.
7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.
8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
Ever since I became a christian at the age of 15, I have been fascinated by the life of Caleb. I first heard about Him, listening to my transistor radio under the covers of my bed, hearing Dr Stephen Olford preach.
I just want to share some thoughts about this great man of God. He was one of the original spies to enter the land of Canaan.. only Him and Joshua came back with a good report though and here he was.. well past retirement age, saying such amazing things.
They are lessons to be learnt here and the first one is that God does not have any retirement age. You remember Moses his natural strength was not abated at age 120..Abraham was blessed at an old age.. John saw his blessed vision at age 90.
When we get to a certain age, it seems that we should be winding down so to speak, but instead we should be doing like Caleb and asking God to wind us up.
Look at his wonderful words in verse 12, he still was up for the battle, he did not want to get his pipe and slippers, he was in battle mode.
Now I know some of you, are unable to do missionary work say, but you have a dynamic role to play. Moses was up on the mountain praying while Israel fought in Exodus 17. Just as Caleb said 'Give me this mountain', many of you can and do pray. This is mountain moving work and we who are fighting on the front line, couldn't do without it. Joshua couldn't win the battle without Moses praying on the mountain top.
My brothers and sisters, say unto the Lord 'give me a mountain', whether it is in prayer or in service. One of the things you could do is to mentor a young believer in his/her faith, to pass on the wisdom you have learned from many years of communion with God
Your best years with God can be the ones you have to come.. amen
God bless you
Keith (recently turned 50)

Spurgeons Devotion

"The people that do know their God shall be strong." – Daniel 11:32
Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the "knowledge" of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Featured page
This is called Young at Heart. I hope everyone will enjoy it. Remember that the believer has no retirement age.. sure he is looking for the blessed Rest when He/she will be with His Saviour in heaven. But until then he/she has work to do for His Saviour down here on earth.. until Jesus comes or calls Him/Her home

A NORVELL NOTE by Tom Norvell
- http://www.anorvellnote.com
A Norvell Note
Vol. 13 No. 04 January 25, 2010

The Things You Planned For Us

Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare. (Psalm 40:4-5, NIV)

The things you planned for us no one can fathom. This phrase from Psalm 40 is quite timely as my wife and I celebrated our thirty-fourth anniversary this past weekend. We traditionally spend a significant amount of time on the days and nights leading up to our anniversary and much of the actual date reflecting and reminiscing about not only previous anniversary celebrations, but also on all the things God has done for us in our marriage. This year was no different.

When we look back on our dating experience, review our life together as husband and wife, then ponder our journey as mother and father we are amazed at the plans God has laid out and carried out with us, in us and through us. There have been times, and probably will be other times in the future, when we questioned the wisdom of the plan, or if there was a plan. However, as we look back the plan, the path, and His wisdom is clear and appreciated.

What about you? Can you see God's plan for your life? Or, are you going through a time of struggle, confusion, and questioning? Are you having difficulty believing He has a plan for you? Are there days when you doubt that God is interested in what goes on in your world?

Try this. Deliberately dedicate a time to prayer about your current situation. Pray honestly. Pray openly. Tell Him that you are confused. Tell Him you are struggling to see His involvement. Tell Him that you want to believe that He has plans for you, but are having a hard time.

As part of your time in prayer look back over your life? Look for specific ways God stepped in and rescued you. Look for times when you were clueless as to what to do or how to do it, and how miraculously your path was lighted and your way was revealed. Pay careful attention to things that happened that you could not explain at the time, and can only attribute to the Almighty. Write down your thoughts. Read them every day. Share your discoveries with a friend.

As you reflect on what you see as God's plan pray again. This time, as you pray, thank God for His constant care, direction, protection, and provision, and ask Him to open your eyes so that you may see His plan and ask Him to restore your faith.

Will all your problems be solved? Maybe not. Will this insure that you will never doubt again? Maybe not. Will this simple exercise transform your spiritual life? Maybe not. But, maybe it will help you remember that you are not alone on your journey, that you have not been forgotten, and you are not being ignored. Maybe it will help you remember that the things He planned for you no one can fathom.


Tom

A Norvell Note Copyright 2010. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.
Welcome to Noonday Devotion

To lead and shepherd a church is one of the best roles and also one of the loneliest, so please appreciate your Pastor. Tell Him you love and treasure them and truly appreciate their ministry. They are messengers of God and they need to be to be appreciated and loved. Please share this page with them. If there are any Pastors reading this, then thank you for what you are doing for the Lord, you are a great blessing to the body of Christ. I especially want to thank my own Pastor, Pastor Mark, whose ministry I am privileged to sit under and who I loved as a friend and brother in Christ

God Bless

Keith


Noonday Devotion For Pastors and all involved in preaching the word
Titus 1
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

As an ordinary layman, I am just amazed at this calling. It is one of the five fold ministries in the church, that are set there to help the church grow and develop to full maturity in Christ.
We have many how to books today, but in scripture there are 3 books that show what it is to be in five fold ministry and how to go about it. These books are written by Paul to his protege.. Timothy and to his good friend Titus
This verse to me signifies everything what a person who is involved in five fold ministry does.
One of the first things, he/she has to do is to:
Hold Fast
They must never move in their faith, their prayers must be strong. Whatever happens in the world, these people must never be moved, they are the rocks of the church.
The Faithful Word
What it is that they have to hold fast to. It is the word of God. The word of God is under terrible attack at the present time and therefore it is absolutely essential that the people in five fold ministry, hold strongly to the truths of Scripture
Why Does God call them
To exhort the Body Of Christ. They are almost like Pied Pipers. Paul said that people had to follow his example. A godly Pastor and Evangelist encourages the church.. a bad pastor destroys the church.
To Convince the people out there in the world through the foolishness of preaching. The five fold ministry is not only to exhort the church, but to touch the world with the truths of the gospel.
I have great admiration for anyone in this five fold ministry of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. As an encourager to the body of Christ, I would say to every christian, that your Pastor needs your support and prayers at all times.
Tell Him/her they are appreciated and loved
God bless everyone involved in the five fold ministry
Keith


Spurgeon's Devotion

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." – Ephesians 3:8
The apostle Paul felt it a great privilege to be allowed to preach the gospel. He did not look upon his calling as a drudgery, but he entered upon it with intense delight. Yet while Paul was thus thankful for his office, his success in it greatly humbled him. The fuller a vessel becomes, the deeper it sinks in the water. Idlers may indulge a fond conceit of their abilities, because they are untried; but the earnest worker soon learns his own weakness. If you seek humility, try hard work; if you would know your nothingness, attempt some great thing for Jesus. If you would feel how utterly powerless you are apart from the living God, attempt especially the great work of proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ, and you will know, as you never knew before, what a weak unworthy thing you are. Although the apostle thus knew and confessed his weakness, he was never perplexed as to the subject of his ministry. From his first sermon to his last, Paul preached Christ, and nothing but Christ. He lifted up the cross, and extolled the Son of God who bled thereon. Follow his example in all your personal efforts to spread the glad tidings of salvation, and let "Christ and him crucified" be your ever recurring theme. The Christian should be like those lovely spring flowers which, when the sun is shining, open their golden cups, as if saying, "Fill us with thy beams!" but when the sun is hidden behind a cloud, they close their cups and droop their heads. So should the Christian feel the sweet influence of Jesus; Jesus must be his sun, and he must be the flower which yields itself to the Sun of Righteousness. Oh! to speak of Christ alone, this is the subject which is both "seed for the sower, and bread for the eater." This is the live coal for the lip of the speaker, and the master-key to the heart of the hearer.

Featured page
On this page there are articles to encourage and challenge Pastors and all teachers of the word. I hope everyone and not only these leaders will take time to read them and to check out the fruitfulness of their Christian walk.
Please click the Link Below and share it with your pastor
http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/pastorspage?cr=4&linkvar=000044

Welcome to the third in our series of Noonday

Devotions. This time we are focusing on the Teens and

Twenties age range, but not exclusively, indeed anyone

can read these articles

God bless

Keith

I Have sort to write from my own life experience,

believe me, I wish that I could start again, but we can't

the Only thing we can do is to get up and forget our

mistakes and move forward with God Phil 3:7-14


Noonday Devotion

Welcome to the Youth Alive page.. especially for those

of you.. who are between the ages of 13-30.. but this

age range is not set in stone!

As someone who is a little bit older!.. I don't feel that I

should be writing this, but the Lord has laid on my heart

these things to share with you.

The first thing to do is to treasure every day. When I

was 16 and newly converted. I looked forward to the

age of 50 and looked forward to those days and thought

they were so far away.. but time passes quickly and we

only get one chance to have our lives and so it is

important not to waste a single second. The choices

made at your young age will have an impact on the rest

of your life.

'Only one life will soon be past, only what is done for

CHRIST will last'

What Joshua says to the Children of Israel in Chapter 24

of his great book still holds true today..

14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in

sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which

your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in

Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,

choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the

gods which your fathers served that were on the other

side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose

land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve

the LORD.

16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that

we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;

17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and

our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of

bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight,

and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and

among all the people through whom we passed:

18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the

people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land:

therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.

19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve

the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he

will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then

he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after

that he hath done you good.

21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will

serve the LORD.

I cannot give advice to any one of you, all I can and will

do is to point you in the direction of God's word and

share my own experience.

God says to cast all your care upon him..1 Peter 5

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you

To trust in Him.. Proverbs 3

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not

unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct

thy paths.

Psalm 37

3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in

the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give

thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and

he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,

and thy judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not

thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,

because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to

pass

What I have learnt from years of Christian experience

and what millions of others have also, is that GOD CAN

BE TRUSTED.. HE IS TOTALLY FAITHFUL AND

TRUSTWORTHY AND HE WILL NEVER EVER LET YOU

DOWN.

Let me finish with two things that have helped me

Paul in his very final days writing to a young man..

Timothy.. who was probably in the same age range of

you. Gave us two wonderful epistles of how to live in

today's world. Read and digest both these books but

especially 2 Timothy...THIS IS HIS HEART. He was

probably writing this in his final days before facing

death. Paul could say be ye followers of me.. because

he was following in the steps of HIS MASTER JESUS.

You are treading a way that has been trod down the

years by many millions, but everyone who has trodden

it, has trod it with God beside him and living in Him

through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT.

Also read biographies of great men and women of God

such as James Hudson Taylor, CT Studd, Dawson

Trotman, Jackie Pullinger, Robert Mcheyne, Andrew

Murray and Jim Elliott

My Dear friends.... stay strong in the Lord...

May you be filled with all the Power, Purity and Passion

of God



God bless you



Keith



Spurgeons Devotion

"Sanctify them through thy truth." € ¦’¶ John 17:17

Sanctification begins in regeneration. The Spirit of God

infuses into man that new living principle by which he

becomes "a new creature" in Christ Jesus. This work,

which begins in the new birth, is carried on in two

ways-mortification, whereby the lusts of the flesh are

subdued and kept under; and vivification, by which the

life which God has put within us is made to be a well of

water springing up unto everlasting life. This is carried

on every day in what is called "perseverance," by which

the Christian is preserved and continued in a gracious

state, and is made to abound in good works unto the

praise and glory of God; and it culminates or comes to

perfection, in "glory," when the soul, being thoroughly

purged, is caught up to dwell with holy beings at the

right hand of the Majesty on high. But while the Spirit of

God is thus the author of sanctification, yet there is a

visible agency employed which must not be forgotten.

"Sanctify them," said Jesus, "through thy truth: thy

word is truth." The passages of Scripture which prove

that the instrument of our sanctification is the Word of

God are very many. The Spirit of God brings to our

minds the precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies

them with power. These are heard in the ear, and being

received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do

of God's good pleasure. The truth is the sanctifier, and if

we do not hear or read the truth, we shall not grow in

sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we

progress in sound understanding. "Thy word is a lamp

unto my feet and a light unto my path." Do not say of

any error, "It is a mere matter of opinion." No man

indulges an error of judgment, without sooner or later

tolerating an error in practice. Hold fast the truth, for by

so holding the truth shall you be sanctified by the Spirit

of God.
The Page is called Youth alive and has several articles

that will be of help to you as youth/young adults. I hope

you will pass this page on to all your young people

within your church

http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/ecclestacie

s121?cr=4&linkvar=000044

Welcome to the second of this series. I hope you enjoyed the first and that you will be blessed by the second one aimed at men

God bless

Keith

Noonday Devotion for Men

Acts 4

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

I was asking the Lord, what verse I should share in this devotion and although I don't usually open my Bible at random and write on the first verse that I see... but last night, I happened to open it at Acts 4 and my eyes fell upon this verse.

What the Lord has been showing me over recent days is that the No 1 priority in a Christian's life.. is the relationship with God.

Men in today's society are pulled this way and that. They are told to conform and to fit into some social group to find fulfillment.. but there is only one thing that they should be conformed to and that is the Image of Christ, through the renewing of their minds through the Word of God. Romans 12:1-2

As Peter and John were standing in the midst of the Jewish Leadership, there was one thing that struck these individuals and that was their relationship with Christ. They had spent time with Jesus and it showed.. the evidence was too much for even these so called devout people to deny.

When they looked at Peter and John, they didn't see their education or intellect. Likewise when people look at a Christian man's life, they will not see how many degrees he has or how high up he is in his company. but they will see the relationship he has with his Lord and Master.. Jesus

Now I am not saying that it is wrong to have an education or to be learned, but we must remember the most important place of learning is at the feet of the Master.. JESUS

You can be so well read and not know the book of Books.. the Word of God. William Tyndale once said ' a ploughman who knows the bible is greater than a man who knows hundreds of other books'. This is because the bible is the only book, where we can have a personal relationship with the author.

Paul, surely the greatest of the apostles, stated in the great chapter of Philippians 3, that he needed to press on and that he regarded all things in his past as dung. Have you ever smelt dung? It is the most horrible smell and you don't want to be anywhere near it. Have you got rid of things in your past life christian man?

It is time to stand up and act like the first apostles did, to speak in boldness, not to conform to the world standards.. but to conform to Christ and to know God and his word like never before.. above and beyond anything else, because once your relationship with God is right, all other things will fall into place.. your job, marriage and career. Matthew 6:33

God bless you my friends

Keith

Spurgeon Devotion

"Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting." – Daniel 5:27

It is well frequently to weigh ourselves in the scale of God’s Word. You will find it a holy exercise to read some psalm of David, and, as you meditate upon each verse, to ask yourself, "Can I say this? Have I felt as David felt? Has my heart ever been broken on account of sin, as his was when he penned his penitential psalms? Has my soul been full of true confidence in the hour of difficulty as his was when he sang of God’s mercies in the cave of Adullam, or in the holds of Engedi? Do I take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord?" Then turn to the life of Christ, and as you read, ask yourselves how far you are conformed to his likeness. Endeavour to discover whether you have the meekness, the humility, the lovely spirit which he constantly inculcated and displayed. Take, then, the epistles, and see whether you can go with the apostle in what he said of his experience. Have you ever cried out as he did-"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Have you ever felt his self-abasement? Have you seemed to yourself the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints? Have you known anything of his devotion? Could you join with him and say, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"? If we thus read God’s Word as a test of our spiritual condition, we shall have good reason to stop many a time and say, "Lord, I feel I have never yet been here, O bring me here! give me true penitence, such as this I read of. Give me real faith; give me warmer zeal; inflame me with more fervent love; grant me the grace of meekness; make me more like Jesus. Let me no longer be ‘found wanting,’ when weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, lest I be found wanting in the scales of judgment." "Judge yourselves that ye be not judged."

Featured Page
This page is called Men of God arise and is aimed at all Christian men. It has articles that will challenge and help Men, grow into Christ likeness and I hope you will take time to read the articles and to pass them to all your friends. Ladies also take time to read this page

http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/joshua16?cr=4&linkvar=000044

Welcome to a series of 6 Noonday Devotions that are special. there are ones for Ladies, One for Men one for Teenagers and Twenties, one for Kids, one for people like me.. well older people!!!!... and one for pastors. I hope you enjoy them and will share them with people who you think may be blessed by them. There is also a Devotion by Spurgeon and a featured page link at the bottom of the e-mail

Thanks

Keith

It is always nice to let the Ladies go first and so I hope you are blessed by this

Noonday Devotion for Ladies

Luke 13

10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God


Now I feel very inadequate sharing here, as I cannot understand how women feel.

But there is One .. God himself who completely understands how women feel and what it is that makes them tick. Jesus when he was on this earth treated women with deep respect and gave them due honour.

One of his greatest saying to women is here is the above verse ' women thou are loosed'.

God cares so much for women, he seeks to liberate women in every area of their lives. His call to them is still the same, whatever your issue or problem, God wants to liberate you, whether it is spiritual, physical or anything else.. there is someone who does understand and does care beyond measure for you. He understands every issue you face, whether you have suffered physical, emotional or spiritual pain, God understands and wants to heal and restore you

The heart of Jesus for women as seen throughout the gospels is so deep and caring. He understands your deepest needs, and he longs to touch your life in whatever way you may need him to. There are many hurting women out there and Jesus is the answer to all your hurt and pain

I hope that this is a blessing to you

God bless you my Christian Sisters

Keith


Spurgeon Devotion

"My sister, my spouse." – Song of Solomon 4:12

Observe the sweet titles with which the heavenly Solomon with intense affection addresses his bride the church. "My sister, one near to me by ties of nature, partaker of the same sympathies. My spouse, nearest and dearest, united to me by the tenderest bands of love; my sweet companion, part of my own self. My sister, by my Incarnation, which makes me bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh; my spouse, by heavenly betrothal, in which I have espoused thee unto myself in righteousness. My sister, whom I knew of old, and over whom I watched from her earliest infancy; my spouse, taken from among the daughters, embraced by arms of love, and affianced unto me for ever. See how true it is that our royal Kinsman is not ashamed of us, for he dwells with manifest delight upon this two-fold relationship. We have the word "my" twice in our version; as if Christ dwelt with rapture on his possession of his Church. "His delights were with the sons of men," because those sons of men were his own chosen ones. He, the Shepherd, sought the sheep, because they were his sheep; he has gone about "to seek and to save that which was lost," because that which was lost was his long before it was lost to itself or lost to him. The church is the exclusive portion of her Lord; none else may claim a partnership, or pretend to share her love. Jesus, thy church delights to have it so! Let every believing soul drink solace out of these wells. Soul! Christ is near to thee in ties of relationship; Christ is dear to thee in bonds of marriage union, and thou art dear to him; behold he grasps both of thy hands with both his own, saying, "My sister, my spouse." Mark the two sacred holdfasts by which thy Lord gets such a double hold of thee that he neither can nor will ever let thee go. Be not, O beloved, slow to return the hallowed flame of his love.

Featured Page link

This page is specially for women. It is called Virtuous Woman, and it seeks to bring women everywhere liberation through the Living power of God. I hope you will be blessed and encouraged by it. Men also please read this page also

http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/proverbs3110?cr=4&linkvar=000044

Welcome to Noonday Devotion

What a great joy it is to share with you again. Please share these devotions with all your friends and please click on the featured page at the bottom of this e-mail

Thanks

Keith

Noonday Devotion by Keith

Devotion 1

Genesis 25:29-34

29And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Jacob was cunning, but Esau was downright foolish. He was a hunter and yet was tired, he was a hunter and he wanted the red pottage that Jacob was eating. Do we want what others are eating?. We are to search the scriptures for ourselves and not want what others have.

As we go to church and bible study may we be not like Esau. Let us not want what others have, but search threw the scriptures diligently to see if these things are true. Let us feed on our own personal gold mine and not be reliant on anyone else. Let us not be satisfied with a sermon on Sunday and maybe Wednesday night. Let us as the bereans did 'search the scriptures', on a daily basis.

God does not want us to live on scraps and on what other people have written or preached. He wants to open up his word to each and everyone of us


Devotion 2
Matthew 14

14 When He went ashore and saw a great throng of people, He had compassion (pity and deep sympathy) for them and cured their sick.

This is something that I never saw before. You always look at the healing's that Jesus did and he sure did many awesome ones, but the most important thing that he did was to look on the crowd with compassion. Before he used his wonderful gift of healing, he loved the crowd and deeply felt their pain.

So Must we, before we use our God given gift or gifts, we must have love and compassion on those we use it on.

Remember that the spiritual gifts are wonderful, but there is a more excellent way and that is to love and be compassionate to people.

Spiritual Gifts are given by God for us, but without love they are totally useless and we are like a sounding gong.. just plain irritating or tinkling cymbal.. unable to be heard



God bless you

Keith



Morning and Evening By CH Spurgeon



AM

"The Lord our Righteousness." – Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that "Christ is made unto us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross he said, "It is finished!" and if it be finished, then am I complete in him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ’s righteousness. When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought-"Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love him and serve him, seeing that I am saved by his merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them." If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.
PM

"She was healed immediately." - Luke 8:47

One of the most touching and teaching of the Saviour’s miracles is before us to-night. The woman was very ignorant. She imagined that virtue came out of Christ by a law of necessity, without his knowledge or direct will. Moreover, she was a stranger to the generosity of Jesus’ character, or she would not have gone behind to steal the cure which he was so ready to bestow. Misery should always place itself right in the face of mercy. Had she known the love of Jesus’ heart, she would have said, "I have but to put myself where he can see me-his omniscience will teach him my case, and his love at once will work my cure." We admire her faith, but we marvel at her ignorance. After she had obtained the cure, she rejoiced with trembling: glad was she that the divine virtue had wrought a marvel in her; but she feared lest Christ should retract the blessing, and put a negative upon the grant of his grace: little did she comprehend the fulness of his love! We have not so clear a view of him as we could wish; we know not the heights and depths of his love; but we know of a surety that he is too good to withdraw from a trembling soul the gift which it has been able to obtain. But here is the marvel of it: little as was her knowledge, her faith, because it was real faith, saved her, and saved her at once. There was no tedious delay-faith’s miracle was instantaneous. If we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, salvation is our present and eternal possession. If in the list of the Lord’s children we are written as the feeblest of the family, yet, being heirs through faith, no power, human or devilish, can eject us from salvation. If we dare not lean our heads upon his bosom with John, yet if we can venture in the press behind him, and touch the hem of his garment, we are made whole. Courage, timid one! thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God."

Featured Page

CS Lewis.. once said.. that Jesus was either a Liar, Lunatic or he is who he claims to be and that is LORD. Please click the link below to see the evidence for this

http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/matthew1615?cr=4&linkvar=000044

Noonday Devotion by Keith

Devotion 1

Matthew 17
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Jesus was having an intimate conversation with two of the most respected bible characters who ever lived. Just as you and I probably would of done, Peter got excited.

Does this happen to us? Do we get right into the presence of God? God is speaking to us clearly and there we go, we have to put our opinions across or say something. Do we sit at his feet and listen or do we like Peter and Me, insist on saying something? Note that the Father soon put a stop to the questions Peter had, and these disciples were where they should of been in the first place and that is worshiping the Lord. Let us quiet ourselves when we come before the Lord, he wants us to say nothing, just to listen to him. Do we?

We need to spend more time receiving and hearing from the Lord, than speaking to the Lord. We need to sit quietly at the feet of the Master and learn of Him


Devotion 2

1 Chronicles 14


10 And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? And wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.

When facing up to situations, do we do what David did and Go straight to God? I wonder what would of happened if David had consulted his generals first and then gone to God in prayer?

This is the same today Church, how often do we have a decision to make and we go to everyone but God, we form committee's, hold business meetings.

We go to the phone before the throne, let us be like David and run straight to our Father as a little child,knowing that he will sort out anything and everything we bring to him.

David continued to ask God in verse 14 and look at the result in verse 16.

Let us come to God and ask his counsel, before we ask counsel of another

God bless you

Keith


Morning and Evening by CH Spurgeon

AM

"God, that comforteth those that are cast down." – II Corinthians 7:6

And who comforteth like him? Go to some poor, melancholy, distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper in his ear choice words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of mournful resignation that you will get from him; you will bring forth no psalms of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. But let God come to his child, let him lift up his countenance, and the mourner’s eyes glisten with hope. Do you not hear him sing-

"‘Tis paradise, if thou art here;
If thou depart, ‘tis hell?"
You could not have cheered him: but the Lord has done it; "He is the God of all comfort." There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is the gold beater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask him to shed abroad his joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job’s comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy "God, that comforteth those that are cast down," and you will soon say, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."

PM

"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power." – Nahum 1:3

Jehovah "is slow to anger." When mercy cometh into the world she driveth winged steeds; the axles of her chariot-wheels are red hot with speed; but when wrath goeth forth, it toileth on with tardy footsteps, for God taketh no pleasure in the sinner’s death. God’s rod of mercy is ever in his hands outstretched; his sword of justice is in its scabbard, held down by that pierced hand of love which bled for the sins of men. "The Lord is slow to anger," because he is GREAT IN POWER. He is truly great in power who hath power over himself. When God’s power doth restrain himself, then it is power indeed: the power that binds omnipotence is omnipotence surpassed. A man who has a strong mind can bear to be insulted long, and only resents the wrong when a sense of right demands his action. The weak mind is irritated at a little: the strong mind bears it like a rock which moveth not, though a thousand breakers dash upon it, and cast their pitiful malice in spray upon its summit. God marketh his enemies, and yet he bestirs not himself, but holdeth in his anger. If he were less divine than he is, he would long ere this have sent forth the whole of his thunders, and emptied the magazines of heaven; he would long ere this have blasted the earth with the wondrous fires of its lower regions, and man would have been utterly destroyed; but the greatness of his power brings us mercy. Dear reader, what is your state this evening? Can you by humble faith look to Jesus, and say, "My substitute, thou art my rock, my trust"? Then, beloved, be not afraid of God’s power; for by faith you have fled to Christ for refuge, the power of God need no more terrify you, than the shield and sword of the warrior need terrify those whom he loves. Rather rejoice that he who is "great in power" is your Father and Friend.



Featured Page

To start the New year. We will focus on God's offer of Salvation. Man and Woman are sinners in need of a Saviour. God has provided that Saviour in Jesus. Please be prepared to share this page with all your friends. This is the most important message you can read

Keith

Click link Below

http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/Godsoffer?cr=4&linkvar=000044

Welcome to Noonday Devotion

What a great joy it is to share with you again... please share these devotions with all the people on your contact list. Also at the end of this e-mail...there is a link to my website... please take time to click the link and view the featured page .. not forgetting the 50 pages for your encouragement and blessing

Keith

Noonday Devotion by Keith


Devotion 1


Jeremiah 15

16 Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

I wonder if this is my/your approach to the Word Of God?

I wonder if we treat the bible as one of the greatest joys in our life?

Do we treat it as just another book we have on our bookshelves?

Or even worse than that.. does it stay sat on our bookshelves gathering dust?

Jeremiah was not like that. He loved the Word of God as dearly as he loved food. We wouldn't think of not eating.. so how can spend one day without exploring, reading and studying the word of God 1 Peter 2:2, Colossians 3:16 and Psalm 119:1-16 and 97-105

The Children of Israel picked up their manna every morning.. do we pick up our spiritual manna from the Word of God every morning.

Is it the first thing you turn to in a morning?

Do we spend more time reading the newspapers than we do the Word of God?

God bless you

Keith



Devotion 2

1 Corinthians 16 (Amplified Bible)

15Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts and our firstfruits in Achaia (most of Greece), and how they have consecrated and devoted themselves to the service of the saints (God's people).
16 I urge you to pay all deference to such leaders and to enlist under them and be subject to them, as well as to everyone who joins and cooperates [with you] and labors earnestly.
17 I am happy because Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus have come [to me], for they have made up for your absence.
18 For they gave me [c]respite from labor and rested me and refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Deeply appreciate and thoroughly know and fully recognize such men.

I love reading about Paul's friends. In the closing moments of This epistle, he gives voice to this unknown saint, who was a true star in the kingdom of God

Just feel led to share about Stephanas.

He was a leader in the church, having been brought to Christ.. through the preaching of the Apostle Paul.

What a joy that must of been to Paul's Heart. If everyone in the church had one person who they had brought to Jesus and nurtured them, then our churches would be full.. AMEN

He was a believer who was completely consecrated unto Jesus and therefore he was a servant. He was someone who blessed the saints of God. Are you totally devoted and consecrated unto Christ and therefore are able not only to serve Him, but your fellow believers?

He was someone to look up to and respect. Truly he was a dedicated labourer in God's harvest field. Are you someone who your fellow believers can look up to?

Paul was excited about these believers coming to him, because they were able to refresh Paul. They were true encourager's to Paul in his faith.

My final question is do you refresh your fellow believers like these believers did to Paul?

Or are you someone that people avoid because you bring strife and discord and gossip about people?

Are you a refreshing Christian?


God bless you
Keith

Keith who is totallylovedbyGod




Morning and Evening by CH Spurgeon

AM
"The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." – Galatians 2:20

When the Lord in mercy passed by and saw us in our blood, he first of all said, "Live"; and this he did first, because life is one of the absolutely essential things in spiritual matters, and until it be bestowed we are incapable of partaking in the things of the kingdom. Now the life which grace confers upon the saints at the moment of their quickening is none other than the life of Christ, which, like the sap from the stem, runs into us, the branches, and establishes a living connection between our souls and Jesus. Faith is the grace which perceives this union, having proceeded from it as its firstfruit. It is the neck which joins the body of the Church to its all-glorious Head.
"Oh Faith! thou bond of union with the Lord,
Is not this office thine? and thy fit name,
In the economy of gospel types,
And symbols apposite-the Church’s neck;
Identifying her in will and work
With him ascended?"
Faith lays hold upon the Lord Jesus with a firm and determined grasp. She knows his excellence and worth, and no temptation can induce her to repose her trust elsewhere; and Christ Jesus is so delighted with this heavenly grace, that he never ceases to strengthen and sustain her by the loving embrace and all-sufficient support of his eternal arms. Here, then, is established a living, sensible, and delightful union which casts forth streams of love, confidence, sympathy, complacency, and joy, whereof both the bride and bridegroom love to drink. When the soul can evidently perceive this oneness between itself and Christ, the pulse may be felt as beating for both, and the one blood as flowing through the veins of each. Then is the heart as near heaven as it can be on earth, and is prepared for the enjoyment of the most sublime and spiritual kind of fellowship.

PM

Remove far from me vanity and lies." – Proverbs 30:8
"O my God, be not far from me." – Psalm 38:21

Here we have two great lessons-what to deprecate and what to supplicate. The happiest state of a Christian is the holiest state. As there is the most heat nearest to the sun, so there is the most happiness nearest to Christ. No Christian enjoys comfort when his eyes are fixed on vanity-he finds no satisfaction unless his soul is quickened in the ways of God. The world may win happiness elsewhere, but he cannot. I do not blame ungodly men for rushing to their pleasures. Why should I? Let them have their fill. That is all they have to enjoy. A converted wife who despaired of her husband was always very kind to him, for she said, "I fear that this is the only world in which he will be happy, and therefore I have made up my mind to make him as happy as I can in it." Christians must seek their delights in a higher sphere than the insipid frivolities or sinful enjoyments of the world. Vain pursuits are dangerous to renewed souls. We have heard of a philosopher who, while he looked up to the stars, fell into a pit; but how deeply do they fall who look down. Their fall is fatal. No Christian is safe when his soul is slothful, and his God is far from him. Every Christian is always safe as to the great matter of his standing in Christ, but he is not safe as regards his experience in holiness, and communion with Jesus in this life. Satan does not often attack a Christian who is living near to God. It is when the Christian departs from his God, becomes spiritually starved, and endeavours to feed on vanities, that the devil discovers his vantage hour. He may sometimes stand foot to foot with the child of God who is active in his Master’s service, but the battle is generally short: he who slips as he goes down into the Valley of Humiliation, every time he takes a false step invites Apollyon to assail him. O for grace to walk humbly with our God!

The featured page is Called Bible studies. On it you will find 2 Detailed bible studies on Psalms 1 and 2. Please read them and answer the questions at the end of them.

Thanks

Keith

I would like to wish you all a very happy and blessed 2010
Click link below


http://faithhopeandlovefellowship.piczo.com/2timothy215?cr=4&linkvar=000044