Advantages of being alone with God

When you are alone with Jesus, you receive forgiveness of sins (salvation)

John 8:9

Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

When you are alone with God, you receive blessing:

Genesis 32:24-29

24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 27 So He said to him, “What is your name?”  He said, “Jacob.”28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”   And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.

When Peter, James and John were alone with Jesus on a mountain, they saw the Savior’s glory:

Mark 9:2-8

2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. 7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

Luke 9:28-36

28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. 30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

Be strong

Be strong in the Lord

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Being rooted and established in love to serve the Lord.

Ephesians 3:16-19

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Be strong and courageous

Joshua 1:6

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

We who are strong ought to bear with the fallings of the weak and not to be please ourselves:

​Romans 15:1

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

The Lord is my strength and song

Isaiah 12:2

1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus

2 Timothy 2:1

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

He will keep you strong to the end

​1 Corinthians 1:8

Who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Intercession

"No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me." 

Redemption 

"I thought I could have leaped from earth to heaven at one spring when I first saw my sins drowned in the Redeemer's blood." 

World/Field

I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. 

Eternity

Martin Luther says

 Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it.

Short Quotes

If you haven't heard from GOD" lately, Try sending some knee mail!"

Burden for Souls

• It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor. 

• I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.

Proverbs 10:2

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

My mom regularly reminded my brothers and I as we grew up that sin is often a false shortcut to a good thing. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit reminds us that falsely acquired riches are not the path to a rich and full life, which can only be truly acquired through godliness.

Some Wisdom:

. The church used to be a lifeboat rescuing. Now she is a cruise ship recruiting the promising.

. Entertainment is the devils substitute joy.

God’s Word.

Do we just dabble in God’s Word like a child in a puddle?

Do we treat God’s Word as a hobby? It’s there when we need a distraction.

Do we see God’s Word as vocation? Something that will pay out in the long run?

Do we see God’s Word as the very foundation of our existence?

What did the Lord Jesus do for us?

He loved us:

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Revelation 1:5

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

He bore our sins:

1 Peter 2:24

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

He died for us:

1 Corinthians 15:3

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

He saved us:

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

He freed us from our sins by His blood:

Revelation 1:5

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

He made us alive:

Ephesians 2:5

Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Seven Types of Actions

Many are human offenses and sins:

Amos 5:12

For I know your manifold transgressions

 And your mighty sins:

 Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate. All kinds of human trials:

1 Peter 1:6

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

His intention is to make God known:

Ephesians 3:9-10

9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

Many are the works of God:

Psalm 104:24

O Lord, how manifold are Your works!  In wisdom You have made them all.  The earth is full of Your possessions—

God has great compassion:

Nehemiah 9:27

Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies,  Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble,  When they cried to You,  You heard from heaven;  And according to Your abundant mercies  You gave them deliverers who saved them  From the hand of their enemies.

God’s grace in its various forms:

1 Peter 4:10

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Many kinds of reward for human beings:

Luke 18:30

Who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Intercession

"No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me." 

Redemption 

"I thought I could have leaped from earth to heaven at one spring when I first saw my sins drowned in the Redeemer's blood." 

World/Field

I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. 

Eternity

Martin Luther says

 Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it.

Short Quotes

If you haven't heard from GOD" lately, Try sending some knee mail!"

Burden for Souls

• It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor. 

• I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.

Proverbs 10:2

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
.
My mom regularly reminded my brothers and I as we grew up that sin is often a false shortcut to a good thing. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit reminds us that falsely acquired riches are not the path to a rich and full life, which can only be truly acquired through godliness.

Quotes:

• Go where you are celebrated instead of where you are tolerated.

• One day of favor is worth thousand days of labor.

Evangelism:

Beware of reasoning about God’s Word - obey it.

What God Desires in a Believer

Complete Transparency

Psalm 139:23

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

 Try me, and know my anxieties;

Complete Holiness

2 Peter 3:11

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

Complete Love

Mark 12:30-31

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Complete Self-Sacrifice

1 Peter 2:5

You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ

Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

We can be forgiven of our sins! That's great, but there's even better news. We can be purified of any stain from sin!! That's incredible: not only am I forgiven, I'm made clean and new again! But only because of God's grace and perfect sacrifice for our sins.

How We Should Live Our Lives - 2

John 15:8 

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Ephesians 6:10 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

John 3:16 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 12:1-2 

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 

2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Matthew 20:18-20 

18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 

19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

2 Thessalonians 1:12

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

I can't think of a more lofty goal for today than that the name of Jesus be glorified in what we do and say. But then Paul takes it a step further — that we find our glory by being identified with him! As the famed old hymn "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" says it, "my glory all the cross."

Thoughts 

- Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker.

- You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great

Sins mentioned in the Bible

Taking rights from poor

Amos 5:12 

12 For I know your manifold transgressions

And your mighty sins:

Afflicting the just and taking bribes;

Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.

Amos 6:3 

You put off the evil day and bring near a reign of terror.

Living in luxury and sin

Amos 6:4-6

4 Who lie on beds of ivory,
 Stretch out on your couches,
 Eat lambs from the flock
 And calves from the midst of the stall;

5 Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments,
 And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;

6 Who drink wine from bowls,
 And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,
 But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Hardening the conscience

Amos 6:5-6

5 Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments,
And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;

6 Who drink wine from bowls,
And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,
But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Rejoicing in idols

Amos 6:13

You who rejoice over Lo Debar,
 Who say, “Have we not taken Karnaim for ourselves

 By our own strength?”

Swallowing up the needy

Amos 8:4

4 Hear this, you who swallow up the needy,
 And make the poor of the land fail,

The Growing Faith

No Faith:

Mark 4:40

But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Little Faith:

Luke 12:28

If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

Such Great Faith:

Matthew 8:10

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

Rich in Faith:

James 2:5

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Precious Faith:

2 Peter 1:1

Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

  To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Full of Faith:

Acts 6:5

And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

Complete Faith:

James 2:22

Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

Events after the Millennium

Hebrews 10:26-29 

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 

27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 

28 Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 

29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

1 Peter 4:5-6 

5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 

6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

2 Peter 2:9 

If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment, while continuing their punishment.

2 Peter 3:7 

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

1 John 4:17 

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him.

Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 

14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 

15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Eyes on Jesus

Who is your hero? 

I’m not asking for the Sunday school class answer, but the person you most actively admire! It is hard to “fix our eyes on Jesus” because he is not here where we can see him like other heroes. But he was the ultimate adventurer and trailblazer. He faced the horrific penalty and shame of the cross, taking away our sin! He did it so that we could have a hero that death and sin could not destroy, mar, or taint. He did it so that we could be confident that if we follow in his footsteps, the trail he blazed wasn’t just for him, but for us, too!

Days

There are only two days on my calendar…today and the day of judgement.

Family

We argue - we fall out - we make up - we love - we don’t speak - we chat for hours - we are Family.

We may not have all the together, but together we have it all…!

Friends

When you’re up, your friends know who you are.

When you’re down, you know your friends are.

Listening Through Restlessness:

Esther 6:1-11

When we are too preoccupied to hear God’s voice, He will often get our attention by giving us a restless Spirit. The book of Esther gives us a wonderful example of this.

How often has this happened to you? You go about career and activities, but restlessness seems to hang over you, often causing sleepless nights. In such moments, dare to bow and pray, “Lord, what is it that You want to tell me? You’ll discover that God can and will speak on your unrest.

Romans 8:15-16

15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son ship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 

16  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

Ab-ba. Listen to a baby and you will hear these basic early sounds. Incredibly, Jesus showed us, and the Spirit enables us, to speak to God with these syllables of familiarity, trust, vulnerability, dependency, and intimacy. The Spirit is our guarantee that we don't have to be afraid of God, but that we can approach him as our loving and tender Father who always listens to our hearts and seeks to bless our lives.

Give Thanks

Salvation

Psalm 16:9-11,

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

 My flesh also will rest in hope.

10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

 Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

11 You will show me the path of life;

 In Your presence is fullness of joy;

 At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 71:23

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,

 And my soul, which You have redeemed.

Psalm 92:1

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

 And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

Psalm 96:2

Sing to the Lord, bless His name;

 Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

The joy God gives you in His presence

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life;

 In Your presence is fullness of joy;

 At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

God is great and worthy of praise:

Psalm 18:3

 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;

 So shall I be saved from my enemies.

​​Psalm 48:1

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised

 In the city of our God,

 In His holy mountain:

Psalm 96:4

For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;

 He is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 145:3

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

 And His greatness is unsearchable.

Encouragement and God’s Promises - 4

2 Timothy 4:17 

But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.

Hebrews 6:18 

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

1 Peter 1:13 

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Judges 7:11 

and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.

2 Chronicles 15:8 

When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD's temple.

Ezra 6:22 

For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Acts 28:15 

And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns; whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

2 Corinthians 7:4 

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

John 6:37 

All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Romans 5:8 

But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Members of the Body

Christian must not give their members to sin:

Romans 6:13

And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

They must give their members to God as instruments of righteousness:

Romans 6:13

And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

War in the members because of lusts:

James 4:1

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

Romans 7:23

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 

The tongue is a small member but boasts great things:

James 3:5

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 

Fornication joins the members of the Christian to a harlot: 

 1 Corinthians 6:15 

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!

Good Things

Health

Genesis 43:28 

And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

Success

Joshua 1:8 

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Courage

Psalms 27:4 

One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple.

Psalms 31:24 

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All ye that hope in Jehovah.

Loving-kindness

Psalms 69:16 

Answer me, O Jehovah; for thy lovingkindness is good: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies turn thou unto me.

Drawing near to God

Psalms 73:28 

But it is good for me to draw near unto God: I have made the Lord Jehovah my refuge, That I may tell of all thy works.

Thankfulness

Psalms 92:1 

It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah, And to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High;

Mercy

Psalms 109:21 

But deal thou with me, O Jehovah the Lord, for thy name's sake: Because thy lovingkindness is good, deliver thou me;

Judgments of God

Psalms 119:31 

I cleave unto thy testimonies: O Jehovah, put me not to shame.

Trouble and chastening

Psalms 119:71 

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I may learn thy statutes.