God Hacks - how to live for Christ better

5 Lessons Christians Can Learn from Jeremy Lin

2012-02-13T00:55:00.000+08:00

As a Christian Chinese born in Australia, Jeremy Lin, the world's biggest sporting phenomenon this week has been amazing to watch. I played for my high school team and follow the Australian basketball league casually but even though there are so many ways I can identify with Jeremy Lin, let's just focus on what I, as a fellow believer of Jesus Christ, have learnt from Jeremy Lin. Here are 5 lessons we should learn from Lin.

1. Lin wanted God to be used by God.. so Lin was used by God

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him - 2 Chronicles 16:9a

So many Christians don't realise the power of a surrendered life. I recently heard Tim Tebow in a speech about prison ministry where he said "You think that I am passionate about NFL. I am 10 times more passionate about prison ministry than NFL." He thanked God for allowing him to be an athlete so that he could be more effective in prison ministry.

Same thing with Jeremy Lin. He once said that if he could get more than just a 10 day contract in the NBA, he would write an autobiography. Why? So that he could use it to share his faith. God heard both these athletes and their commitment to GOD first, then their sports. Lin even has aspirations to be a pastor one day! God saw two people willing to show GOD to be "strong" because as many people have observed, both Tebow and Lin's rise to stardom was nothing short of miraculous. Their talent had always been there but God brought the spotlight.

2. God backs the underdog that follows Him

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are - 1 Corinthians 1:27-28

Kobe Bryant said before his game against Jeremy Lin's New York Knicks

"I know who he is, but I don't really know what's going on too much with him," said Bryant of the Chinese-American sensation. "I don't even know what he's done. Like, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I'll take a look at it tonight though."

The put down from one of the NBA's greatest would be silenced in the following game where Jeremy Lin outgunned Kobe with a startling 38 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds in his first game nationally syndicated by ESPN. Jeremy let the Lord have the final say because when you have God behind you and you are a lowly servant of God, you don't need to defend any reputation because God looks after His own name. So Christian, once you have done your preparation for the war, remember to leave deliverance to the Lord! Jeremy had been overlooked for much of his short playing career and that was not easy to handle. However, being rejected is part of a cross-centred life, so get used to it. God will look after you.

3. Discipline is part of a successful Christian life

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. - Proverbs 12:24

Sometimes we forget as Christians that there is a lot of hard work in our Christian life. All successful Christians have put in hard work to be successful in their vocation whatever it may be. Lin has been described by commentators as a smart player and a "student of the game". His high school coach said that in high school, Lin studied game videos of Magic Johnson playing for the LA Lakers. Even during the half time of the Lakers game, he was watching the tape of the first half to figure out how to play better against the LA defence which the commentators were startled to hear! Who watches game tapes during half time??? A diligent basketball player wanting to glorify God.

4. When God is your audience, life is simpler

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; - Colossians 3:23

When asked whether he felt pressured having to play for the Christians, the Asians in America and also on behalf of Ivy League graduates. He said that he doesn't play for anyone and that his "audience is God". There is much less pressure when you are doing something for the Lord because if you understand it rightly, when you serve God, you rely on His grace and strength and not on your own strength.

5. Unselfish people are loved more

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. - Philippians 2:4

Lin has captured the imagination of the watching world, not just because he is successful, but because he is unselfish. In each game that he played, he had a serious number of assists. He was not looking for his own glory but seeking to help the rest of his team to lift. He has become a phenomenon but unlike many other phenomenons, not too many people are getting jealous over him, but are celebrating with him. Everyone loves unselfish people and that is something that Lin has demonstrated.

What lessons have you learnt from watching Lin as an example and a role model to you as a Christian?

EDIT: Just found this a testimony of Jeremy Lin that explains his recent comment where he said that many things happened that were out of his control which brought about the opportunity to play for the Knicks.

Why Courageous the Movie must be seen

2011-11-15T12:05:00.000+08:00

Finally out comes a movie that speaks into the heart of a society that is seeking answers to the question "what went wrong". The movie Courageous has taken a surprised box office by storm in Australia, even being named as one of the top 5 movies for last week in the most recent Hoyts newsletter.

The movie looks at how four police officers make a resolution to be more than a "good enough" father but to lead their family, not just serve and protect the community. Along the way, they realise that the two roles are intrinsically the same and what they do with their families does impact the community. It is a movie that can have far-reaching effects on a community that has experienced the hurt of failed marriages, misguided youths and absent fathers. That community, it turns out, could be any community in the world.

And that is why this movie has such a profound and multiplying effect.

Every father knows that they love their children but seldom do they take the opportunity to reflect more deeply on what actions this love should translate into in their daily interactions with their children.

Every daughter seeks the acceptance and loving protection of their fathers, whether they realise it or not .

Every son seeks the acceptance and approval of their father but often feel that they have lived up to the expectations of their fathers.

And every wife wants their husband to step up and lead the family, no matter how dominant or parochial she may be. The exclammation in the movie of Havier's wife when he brought home a suit that he was going to wear to the consecration ceremony echoes the admiration that all wives wish they could have of their husbands and every husband wishes they received from their wives.

God intended marriage to work in a certain way and the effect of this movie is to help everyone realise what this way looks like in the 21st century and that God's way is entirely possible.

Way of the Master Luxembourg

2011-07-20T00:21:00.000+08:00

In the third episode of Way of the Master Season 4, the crew takes a journey from Brussels to Luxembourg. The lack of sleep and good food has affected the team and they explain how to continue evangelising when you have 'hit the wall' - too tired to continue. The first encounter is Ray Comfort talking with a gang member who doesn't show too much interest in the Gospel.

Then FishwithTrish.com blogger, Trish Ramos talks to a Bahai believer to explain to him why just having some sort of religion will not bring him to Heaven. Her explanation of the gospel is very clear and a great example of sharing the gospel with others.

Mark Spence from the School of Biblical Evangelism explains how some people say they believe in Jesus but are not Christians. There are plenty of religions that claim they believe in Jesus but their facts about Jesus are not in the Bible. His explanation helps people who struggle with Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses etc who claim to be believers in Jesus.

Discouragement in Evangelism
George Whitefield the street preacher is also examined in a painting that someone made of him, showing the amount of opposition that George Whitefield faced. Kirk Cameron leaves this verse for those that are evangelising and facing discouragement

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Todd Friel also makes a cameo appearance in this episode, leaving the crew to begin his Church history tour of Europe.

EZ takes on some street preaching in Luxembourg starting with reference to Bill Gates' value of Leonardo Da Vinci's $30.2 million sketchbook in comparison to how little value people place on Jesus Christ because they don't understand why Jesus died on the cross for their sins.

DVD Extras

Tracts
Ray Comfort shows us through the backrooms of the Living Waters ministry in California to show what the packing room looks like and explains some of the tracts that are available from LivingWaters.com.

One to One Witnessing
Mark speaks to a young man named Nick one to one in a personal witnessing encounter. The guy starts out as saying that he is not religious but after a careful explanation of the Gospel and also what God's Hell is actually like, Nick wants to say sorry but Mark is not letting him off so easily. Mark explains why Jesus Christ's payment was essential for our forgiveness.

How to make an Electronic Prayer List on Google

2011-07-15T15:39:00.001+08:00

I've recently been challenged to take up doing a prayer list after reading Disciplines of a Godly Man. One idea I came across was to make a Google Prayer List which uses the spreadsheet application in Google Docs.

Why have an electronic prayer list?

You can update it any time.
You always have your phone and if you have the internet, then you will also always have your prayer list with you to pray
You can see how God answers prayer
You can watch how a prayer item develops.
You can testify of how God works through prayer
Google Docs will remind you of when you last prayed for the items (last updated)
You can expand on the prayer list as you go along and you don't have any page limitations

How to set it up?

Create a Google spreadsheet by going to http://docs.google.com and create or log in to Google
Make the left most column wide enough (1/5 of the screen) this will be where you list downwards all your prayer lists
Each column will represent one day or prayer session. Put today's date on the top of column B
Each row will represent one prayer item
As you pray for each item, type in y and then press ENTER or the down arrow to be ready to mark y for the next prayer item.
Once you have made any changes to the Google Doc, the spreadsheet will jump to the top of your documents list. if you are like me, with many google docs, when you see your prayer list making its way down the list of documents, you know you haven't been praying about things (because the list is ordered by last editted).
When you pray for an item and God prompts you to change the way you pray, then type instead of y, the new prayer item that you would like to pray for. EG You may decide to change a prayer item from Pray for a job to Pray for a job close to home that allows me to serve God. As you pray for a certain item, you may find after certain days you end up changing the prayer item.
You can conditionally format the cells to go GREEN when the prayer item is answered. Ask Google to turn a cell red when the cell includes "TG " in it.

Have you done this before? Or are going to try this?

Let's get back into this

2011-06-15T11:26:00.000+08:00

I am not sure how many people come across this blog on a regular basis but I notice that many of you have come to this blog via Google. Its been a very inactive blog but I hope to get back into it but I need your help. If finding practical ways to live a life glorifying to God appeals to you, leave a comment to this post. I got some ideas coming up that I would like to write about such as:

How to use Google Docs for God
How an online prayer list could be best for you / your church
Running a Church office via an internet portal - is it possible?
How do you hide God's word in YOUR heart?

Let me know if any of these ideas appeals to you.

Best book for Christian Men

2011-03-02T00:37:00.000+08:00

I've seen a lot of Christian books that talk about issues for men but there hasn't been one that has challenged me in the same way that the book Disciplines of a Godly Man has done. The author Kent Hughes takes men through some of the most popular realms in our lives such as friendships, marriage, fatherhood, work etc to explore how Christian guys should be living. There are plenty of anecdotes and true stories for us to demonstrate the Biblical points that he shares and is a great resource for Mens fellowships or gatherings.

If you are a guy who does not have a Mens group in your church, perhaps it's time for you to start something. The ministry that God places before men is extremely hard and very important in the Church. Without faithful men to carry an example, there will not be good Christian families and the Church's most important "cell group" (families) will be lacking. Men need to overcome the laziness of gathering together and the fear of sharing their own experiences and seek the best for each other. What are you waiting for? Your fellow brothers are waiting for someone to take the initiative. And the Holy Spirit may be saying.. You.

Free Christian Audio Books

2011-03-02T00:27:00.000+08:00

I think I may have mentioned it earlier but Christian Audio is a great place to get some classic Christian books in audio format. This month, you must download the book "HOLINESS OF GOD" by R C Sproul.

Why Holinness? I think there can be no way that you can relate to God without really appreciating his holiness. It is his most inherent nature if you could call it that, an attribute which the angels in heaven repeat three times in a row for emphasis "Holy! Holy Holy! Is the Lord God Almighty". You will probably find your life changed completely by listening to this audiobook as I hope my life will too. We live in an age of great depravity and Christians need to make the most of the avenues that they have to pursue God.

Download the book here.

My Favourite Biblical Counselor

2011-01-12T00:28:00.000+08:00

The world as we know it has changed for the worst and one of the greatest opportunities that Christians have to share with the world is through the ministry of relationships and family. One of the best speakers on this apart from the usual Focus on the Family ministries is Dr Jim Berg who has a website containing some of his sermons here. Dr Berg has been the Dean of Students at a Christian university for over 20 years and has gained a lot of experience counseling students with every problem and deviation under the sun - some you would never imagine in a Christian university.

Check out his messages and let us know what you think.

Christian One Liners that Impacted Me

2010-11-16T10:41:00.001+08:00

Hell is not unfair, heaven is

Get to know the God of the Word through the Word of God

We should be doing family worship, not worshipping family

You can tell a lot about a man by what he believes about God

How big is your God?

Don't let your lack of experience be a proof that experiences don't exist.

In life you need to just play the cards you're dealt

How to Find the Cheapest Australian Christian Books

2010-10-04T11:08:00.000+08:00

Unfortunately, from my experience, Christian book stores are often just as profitable as other book stores and the lack of competition has affected prices as well. For those that are interested in doing a price comparison on some books online, have a look at Booko. This Australian website allows you to search over 30 different websites at a time for a book and give you a final price for the book

in Australian dollars after conversion
including shipping
ranked from cheapest to most expensive
showing the potential % saved

Christian bookstore Koorong is on there, and so are the main bookstores in Australia such as Borders, Dymocks, Angus & Robertson. This search engine has allowed me to realise that how overpriced books in Australia have become. The best prices have often come from Book Depository or the UK website.

Head over to www.booko.com.au to compare Christian book prices now.

Our Daily Bread goes Mobile Podcasting

2010-04-10T01:28:00.000+08:00

If you are one that catched public transport to work, you will realise that almost everyone is playing with their mobile phone. As a sign of the times, Our Daily Bread has recently gone mobile with their website now allowing mobile phone visitors to click on one link which will download the daily podcast of the devotional.

Go to http://rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml and when you click the podcast, you will be able to hear the devotional being read out to you. It will also read the Bible passage that is related to the devotional as well as give you reflection questions and lead you in prayer. Will this help you in your walk with God? that's up to you.. but thought you might like to know

The Purity Principle excerpts

2010-03-29T16:38:00.005+08:00

Chapter One: Forfeiting What Could Have Been
Chapter Two: Enlightened Self Interest
Chapter Three: What’s the Big Deal about Sex?
Chapter Four: Targeted and Vulnerable
Chapter Five: The Battle’s in Your Mind
Chapter Six: Wise Strategies
Chapter Seven: Getting Radical
Chapter Eight: Guidelines for Singles
Chapter Nine: Guidelines for Couples and Parents
Chapter Ten: Confession, Accountability, and Counting the Cost
Conclusion: A Battle We Can Win

Eric stormed into my office and flopped into a chair. “I’m really mad at God.”

Having grown up in a strong church family, he’d met and married a Christian girl. Now he was the picture of misery.

“Okay...so why are you mad at God?”

“Because,” he said, “Last week I committed adultery.”

Long pause. Finally I said, “I can see why God would be mad at you. But why are you mad at God?”

Eric explained that for several months he’d felt a strong, mutual attraction with a woman at his office. He’d prayed earnestly that God would keep him from immorality.

“Did you ask your wife to pray for you?” I said. “Did you stay away from the woman?”

“Well...no. We went out for lunch almost every day.”

Slowly, I started pushing a big book across my desk. Eric watched, uncomprehending, as the book inched closer and closer to the edge. I prayed aloud, “O Lord, please keep this book from falling!”

I kept pushing and praying. God didn’t suspend the law of gravity. The book went right over the edge, smacking the floor.

“I’m mad at God,” I said to Eric. “I asked Him to keep my book from falling...but He let me down!”

****

Here’s what’s striking about Eric, Lucinda, Tiffany and Kyle. They all thought they were acting in their own best interests when they followed their lusts. If we could have obtained an honest interview with any of them just before they trashed their purity, they would have said, “This is for me. This is for my happiness.”

Yet it wasn’t.

Not even close.

It never is.

In fact, they didn’t just hurt others. They acted against their own self-interests.

What they did wasn’t just wrong. It was stupid.

From the time we were young teenagers, many of us have had heard lists of reasons for walking in sexual purity. God commands purity and forbids impurity. Purity is right. Impurity is wrong.

True? Absolutely. But it’s equally correct to say, Purity is always smart. Impurity is always stupid.

There it is—what I’m calling the purity principle:

Purity is always smart; Impurity is always stupid.

Not sometimes.

Not usually.

Always.

A holy God made the universe in such a way that what’s true to His character, and the laws derived from His character, is always rewarded. What violates His character is always punished. He rewards every act of justice; He punishes every act of injustice.

That doesn’t mean God always intervenes directly. This moral law is like the law of gravity. God has set it in place. When a careless driver speeds on an icy mountain pass, loses control, and plunges his car off a cliff, God doesn’t suddenly invent gravity to punish the driver’s carelessness. Gravity is already in place.

In the same way, God doesn’t need to punish the pornography addict for every wrong choice. The punishment is built in to the sin. Shame, degradation, and warping of the personality follow as a matter of course. Scripture describes those who have surrendered to their lust to live in immorality as “receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Romans 1:27).

That’s the way God’s moral universe operates. We get to choose our own path. But with each path comes inevitable consequences.

The roads of life are sometimes hazardous. But God loves us enough to place warning signs: “Don’t commit adultery” and “No sex before marriage.” We don’t have to obey. We do have to live with the consequences.

Purity is safe. Impurity is risky. Purity always helps us. Impurity always hurts us.Purity is always smart; impurity is always stupid. Write it down. Bank on it.

******

One night as a young pastor I chose to view pornography. I felt terrible. I’d let down my Lord, my wife, my church. I’d been a fool. I was frightened by what I’d done, by the power of the sin within me. I caught a horrifying glimpse of what I could easily become. But feeling guilt and shame did nothing to empower me to victory. That only came when I began to think—and choose—differently.

Do you really want to be like an ox led to slaughter? If so, then keep flirting with that man next door, or the new receptionist at the office. Keep thinking about messing with that girl or boy who sits next to you in class. Keep watching those television commercials and sit-coms and movies that shoot sex at you like arrows. The slaughter is exactly where you’re headed.

But if you want something better, something wonderful, choose purity instead.
It’s okay to be out there “for yourself” on this issue. It’s right to guard your virginity. It’s good for you to encourage your children to save themselves for marriage, not only for God’s glory but for their own happiness!

It’s completely fitting to hold out the prospect of grief and self-destruction as reasons to avoid impurity. That’s exactly what Proverbs does.

One of our church’s elders admitted to me, “There have been times when I’ve had serious temptations toward adultery. I’d like to say that my love for God and for my wife were enough to keep me from falling. But it came down to sheer terror. I was certain that if I traveled that road, God would let my life turn miserable.”

He’s a wise man. A man who acted in his own best interests. He knows impurity will be punished and purity will be rewarded, with heaven’s payoffs. It would be a lousy trade. He was too smart to make it.

Is that a lesser, unworthy motivation? No! This brother never fell. He never shipwrecked his family. He never shamed his church. He never broke his wife’s heart. He never devastated his children. He never trashed his ministry.

Think his wife and children are grateful for the fear of God that kept him pure in the face of dark temptations? Absolutely.

The fear of God shouldn’t scare us out of our wits, it should scare us into them. “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27).

Those who’ve succumbed to sexual temptation did not do so to pursue their self-interest. Rather, they pursued what they imagined was their self-interest, what Satan deceived them into thinking was their self-interest. Had they pursued theirtrue self-interest they would have run from temptation as from a slithering cobra, a live grenade. They would have embraced purity as a drowning person grabs a life-preserver. And how different their lives and families would be today if they had!

When God calls on you to pursue purity, you are not being asked to do what will deprive you of joy. In fact, you are being called on to do what will bring you the greatest joy!

To choose purity is to put yourself under God’s blessing. To choose impurity is to put yourself under God’s curse.

It’s your decision. You cast your vote with every choice. Those choices amount to one of two prayers:

“God, bless me for obeying You”

“God, curse me for disobeying You”

****

“But we really love each other” has no bearing on the ethics of sexual intimacy. Sex does not become permissible through subjective feelings, but only through the objective, lifelong commitment of marriage. Those are God’s rules. There’s nothing we can do to change them. The rules are always enforced. When we break them they always break us.

A smart traveler doesn’t curse guardrails. He doesn’t whine, “That guardrail dented my fender!” He looks over the cliff, sees demolished autos, and thanks God for guardrails.

God’s guardrails are his moral laws. They are there not to punish or deprive us but to protect us. God doesn’t forbid us fleeting pleasures out of malice. Rather, he calls us to higher and lasting pleasures out of love. His warnings stand between us and destruction.

*****

Temptations always look good—otherwise they wouldn’t be temptations. We must believe God that what Satan says will be good, will in fact turn out bad. Always. Resisting temptation is a gutsy, courageous, stubborn refusal to violate God’s law. It’s repeatedly calling upon Christ for the strength to say “no” to the world, the flesh, and the devil—to say “yes” to God instead. We do this in pursuit of the ultimate joy that can only be found in knowing God.

Remember that Beatles song where Ringo Starr sang, “All I gotta do is act naturally”?

The truth is, if you act naturally you’re toast.

But if you act supernaturally, drawing on the power of the indwelling Christ, you’ll enjoy great personal benefits, now and later.

*****

Sooner or later, sexual sin will be exposed. “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Solomon said, “The man of integrity walks securely, but the man who takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9).

Here’s a thought that should give everyone pause—There’s no such thing as a private moment.

Jesus warned His disciples: “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (Luke 12:1-3).

One of Satan’s oldest tactics is to weave a phony web of secrecy, casting an illusion of privacy over our sinful choices. He tells us, “No one is watching. No one will know.”

But he’s lying. Someone is watching—the Audience of One. Someone already knows. And in time, many will know.

We never get away with anything.

*****

Superior Satisfaction

A sexual image lures my mind toward lust. The world, the flesh and the devil barrage me with messages: I will feel like a man or a woman; it will relieve my pain, disappointment, stress. I’ll be happier if I surrender.

God’s Word shows the lie for what it is. It tells me that real happiness can only be found in Christ.

I’m left with the choice—trust Satan or trust God.

I must choose between sexual fantasies and intimacy with God. I cannot have both. When I see that God offers me joys and pleasures that sexual fantasies don’t, this is a breakthrough. But that breakthrough will come only when I pursue God, making Him the object of my quest—and when I realize that fantasies are only a cheap God-substitute. Running to them is running from God.

When my thirst for joy is satisfied by Christ, sin becomes unattractive. I say no to the passing pleasures of immorality, not because I do not want pleasure, but because I want true pleasure, a greater and lasting pleasure that can only be found in Christ.

John Piper says,

The fire of lust’s pleasures must be fought with the fire of God’s pleasures. If we try to fight the fire of lust with prohibitions and threats alone—even the terrible warnings of Jesus—we will fail. We must fight it with a massive promise of superior happiness. We must swallow up the little flicker of lust’s pleasure in the conflagration of holy satisfaction.

Those who drink of immorality are never satisfied (John 4:13). Those who drink of Jesus are fully satisfied (John 6:35). I can either have my thirst quenched in Jesus, or I can plunge deeper into sin in search of what’s not there.

The rest of your life will be largely determined by how you answer this question:

Who will you believe?

*****

Setting Boundaries

To protect our purity we need to set mental boundaries.

On a scale of one to ten, adultery or pornography addiction might be a ten, at the top of a ladder. But the question is, what were the bottom rungs of that ladder—the ones, twos, and threes? When we identify those, disaster prevention can take place.

Of course, prevention’s not always easy—but it’s a lot easier than the alternative: misery.

Often we say we want purity, but then we make choices which sabotage purity. Choices have consequences. If we want different consequences we must make different choices.

*****

A Covenant With Your Eyes

Job says, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1). Job made a commitment to guard his heart by guarding his eyes. The verses that follow spell out the terrible consequences should he not live by this covenant of purity (Job 31:2-12).

A covenant is an agreement between God and man. In this case we make a sacred commitment to God—and to our families and comrades. The agreement is to not look at—and to immediately turn away from—whatever pulls us toward lust.

Have you made a contract with your eyes, to not look where they shouldn’t?

Are you practicing this purity covenant when you walk across campus? When you work out? When you drive? When you select television shows? When you’re at church?

Have you announced your covenant to others? Have you asked them to pray for you and hold you accountable to it? Have you restated your covenant before God?

If not, why not do it now?

Parable of the Doughnuts

Imagine someone whose weakness is eating doughnuts. His doctor says, “No more doughnuts.” He vows to God, “No more doughnuts.” He promises his family “No more doughnuts.” He calls the church and gets on the prayer chain. He even goes to a doughnut deliverance ministry to have the demon of doughnut desire cast out of him.

Here’s a guy who means business, right?

But then what does he do? Well, if he’s like a lot of us, he goes right on reading about doughnuts, listening to doughnut music, and watching television programs about making doughnuts. He spends his time with other doughnut lovers talking about doughnuts, joking about doughnuts at the office, where he often glances at the doughnut calendars on the wall. He looks through the newspaper for doughnut coupons and subscribes to Doughnut Desires, with its glossy, color photos.

It’s not long before he’s driving to work the long way that “just happens” to go by a doughnut shop. He rolls down the window and inhales. Pretty soon he’s buying the morning paper from the rack right outside the doughnut shop. He’s lingering just long enough to check out doughnuts through the window.

Then he remembers he has to make a phone call, and hey, what do you know, the doughnut shop has a pay phone. And since he’s there anyway, why not have a cup of coffee?

Now, remember, this man has no intention of breaking his vow and eating doughnuts. But the totally predictable and inevitable result is—what? That he will give in and eat doughnuts!

And can’t you just hear his sad lament? “What went wrong? I prayed! I asked others to pray. I asked God for deliverance. Why try? I give up. You do your best and look what happens!”

The First and Most Basic Strategy
If we learn nothing else from the parable of the doughnuts, we should learn that sincere intentions, and even prayers, are not enough. To have victory over temptation we must have clear goals and sound strategies, and we must diligently carry them out.

What’s our first line of defense against impurity?

“Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

****

Cultivate Your Inner Life

There’s a danger that a book like this can appear to be behavior modification. I’m well aware that simple guidelines and the “just try harder” exhortation aren’t enough to break the grip of lust, or the power of deeply ingrained habits. There is no “easy little formula.”

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of drawing on the indwelling power of the risen Christ. Self-reformation is not enough. It may bring limited benefits, but it will lead to self-righteousness, not Spirit-empowerment—and nothing sets us up for moral failure like self-righteousness. The Christian life is far more than sin management. It is a divine transformation and enablement to live righteously.

Yet that doesn’t mean practical steps are pointless. Scripture commands us to do and not do certain things that are within our power. And often, in doing these things, our hearts change. So we should take wise steps, knowing that they are not sufficient, but they are necessary. Ultimately, the battle for purity is won or lost in quietness, on our knees with God and in collaboration with our fellow soldiers.

Busyness wears down our ability to hear the promptings of God’s Spirit, His Word, and His people. Fatigue makes us oblivious to what’s really happening. Healthy self-examination reveals to us our “triggers”—the situations that tempt us. We then take these to God.

Time with God is the fountain from which holiness flows...and joy, and delight.

*****

Getting Radical

Suppose I said, “There’s a great-looking girl down the street. Let’s go look through her window and watch her undress, then pose for us naked, from the waist up. Then this girl and her boyfriend will get in a car and have sex—let’s listen and watch the windows steam up!”

You’d be shocked. You’d think, “What a pervert!”

But suppose instead I said, “Hey, come on over. Let’s watch Titanic.”

Christians recommend this movie, church youth groups view it together, and many have shown it in their homes. Yet the movie contains precisely the scenes I described.

So, as our young men lust after bare breasts on the screen, our young women are trained in how to get a man’s attention.

How does something shocking and shameful somehow become acceptable because we watch it through a television instead of a window?

In terms of the lasting effects on our minds and morals, what’s the difference?

Yet many think, “Titanic? Wonderful! It wasn’t even rated R!”

Every day Christians across the country, including many church leaders, watch people undress through the window of television. We peek on people committing fornication and adultery, which our God calls an abomination.

We’ve become voyeurs, peeping toms, entertained by sin.

Normalizing Evil

The enemy’s strategy is to normalize evil. Consider a young person struggling with homosexual temptation. How does it affect them when they watch popular television dramas where homosexual partners live together in apparent normality?

Parents who wouldn’t dream of letting a dirty-minded adult baby-sit their children do it every time they let their kids surf the channels.

Not only we, but our children become desensitized to immorality. Why are we surprised when our son gets a girl pregnant if we’ve allowed him to watch hundreds of immoral acts and hear thousands of jokes with sexual innuendoes?

“But it’s just one little sex scene.”

Suppose I offered you a cookie, saying “A few mouse droppings fell in the batter, but for the most part it’s a great cookie—you won’t even notice.”

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). When we’re being entertained by evil, how can we hate it? How can we be pure when we amuse ourselves with impurity?

*****

Romans 13:14 instruct us to “make no provision for the flesh.” It’s a sin to deliberately put ourselves in a position where we’ll likely commit sin. Whether it’s the lingerie department, the swimming pool, the workout room at an athletic club, if it trips you up, stay away from it.

Proverbs describes the loose woman meeting up with the foolish man after dark (Proverbs 7:8-9). We must stay away from people, places and contexts that make sin more likely.

If it’s certain bookstores or hangouts, STAY AWAY FROM THEM. If cable or satellite TV or network TV, or old friends from high school, the Internet, or computers are your problem, GET RID OF THEM.

Just say NO to whatever is pulling you away from Jesus. Remember, if you want a different outcome you must make different choices.

If you can’t be around women wearing swimsuits without looking and lusting, then don’t go on vacation where women wear swimsuits. If that means not going water-skiing or to a favorite resort, fine. If it means being unable to go on a church-sponsored retreat, don’t go.

Sound drastic? Compare it to gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand!
When our family was going on vacation in the sun, I emailed my sons-in-law and said, “Let’s not do this unless we can agree together to turn our eyes away from the women and their swimsuits. If we can’t do that, we shouldn’t go.” They’re godly young men and they fully agreed, as I knew they would. We became each other’s allies in purity.

Getting radical means establishing a no-rationalization policy. It’s easy to tell ourselves “Okay, I’ll turn away from the temptation when it comes, but I can’t help the first look.” Sometimes that’s true, but often it isn’t. To choose to go to a crowded beach where women are wearing bikinis and then say “I can’t help the first look” is rationalizing. To go to a movie and have to look down at the floor is better than looking at the screen. But it’s smarter to get up and leave...and smarter still to have done your background check and not to have gone to the movie in the first place. Making a covenant with our eyes is not just turning them from impurity, but keepingthem from places where they will have to keep turning.

For many men, the battle gets tougher after dark. Web porn and phone sex lines flourish late at night. The solution may be a hard and fast rule. Don’t stay up later than your wife, or no television or Internet after your wife’s in bed.

If you’re falling, get rid of what’s tripping you up.

“But you’re talking about withdrawing from the culture. What you’re saying is too radical.”

No, what I’m saying is nothing. Jesus said: “If it would keep you from sexual temptation you’d be better off poking out your eye and cutting off your hand.” Nowthat’s radical.

I’ve prayed, “Lord, before I would ever betray my wife and commit adultery, please kill me.” I heard Bill Bright pray that years ago and I know he was serious. So am I.

Many claim they’re serious about purity, but then they say, “No way; I’m not going to give up cable TV,” or “I’m not going to have my wife hold the computer password.”

Followers of Jesus have endured torture and given their lives in obedience to Him. And we’re whining about giving up cable?

When Jesus called us to take up our crosses and follow Him (Matthew 10:38), didn’t that imply sacrifices greater than forgoing Internet access?

How sold out are you to the battle for purity? How desperate are you to have victory over sin? How radical are you willing to get for your Lord? How much do you want the joy and peace that can only be found in Him?

Purity comes only to those who truly want it.

******

Years ago my friend Alan Hlavka and I each developed a list of the consequences that would result from our immorality. The lists were devastating, and they spoke to us more powerfully than any sermon. Periodically, especially when traveling, I’d reread this list, until I memorized it. It cut like a knife through fogs of rationalization. It filled me with healthy fear.

What follows is an edited version of our combined lists. You might revise this list to make it your own.

What would my adultery do?

Drag in the mud the reputation of my Lord.
Make me have to look into His face one day and tell Him why I did it.
Cause untold hurt to Nanci, my loyal wife and best friend.
Forfeit Nanci’s respect and trust.
Permanently injure my credibility with my beloved daughters, Karina and Angie.
Bring great shame to my family.
Inflict hurt on my church and friends, especially those I’ve led to Christ and discipled. (List names.)
Bring an irretrievable loss of years of witnessing to relatives and friends.
Bring pleasure to Satan, God’s enemy.
Possibly give me a sexually transmitted disease (gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, or AIDS); risk to Nanci.
Lose my self-respect, discredit my name, and invoke lifelong embarrassment upon myself.

This is less than half of the items from the list.

If we would rehearse in advance the devastating consequences of immorality, we would be far less prone to commit it.

The Purity Principle includes practical guidelines to protect purity, for singles, for married couples, and for parents who wish to train their children in purity. These include controlling the television and internet, and offering alternatives for how to spend our time. It also includes confession, repentance and developing biblical accountability that doesn’t just admit sin, but prevents it

How does revival start with prayer?

2010-01-24T01:12:00.001+08:00

This is a question that many Christians would wonder. I came across the following article from "A Powerful Prayer Life" by Gregory Frizzell

1. Ask God to bring deep conviction of sin, spiritual brokenness, a holy fear of God and genuine repentance among His people. There will be no revival without these elements and only God can produce them in His people. After all we cannot program or work up genuine brokenness and repentance. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

2. Pray for deep cleansing, genuine repentance, and spiritual power to engulf pastors and Christian leaders. Revival and spiritual awakening are extremely unlikely without a mighty move of God in pastors and Christian leaders. Renewed pastors are absolutely crucial to a move of God in our day! (Ephesians 6:14-20)

3. Pray for God to bestow spiritual hunger in His people and draw them to fervent intercession. God has to grant people the genuine faith and the fervent desire for prayer. With all our promotion and programming, we cannot “produce a genuine prayer movement. (Philippians 2:13)

4. Pray that God will bring loving unity in our churches and a deep harmony between our churches. Many churches need healing among members and many churches need to stop competing jealously with other churches. (John 13:35)

5. Pray for God to fill His people with a passion to see people saved. (Only God can give a genuine burden for souls.) Until God’s people intensely pray for the lost and do aggressive soul winning revival will tarry. Be sure you are constantly praying for many lost people by name. (Romans 9:1-3)

6. Pray for God to give His people a passion for missions and starting churches. Great revivals produce an explosion of mission projects, new ministries and new church starts. Only God can grant a genuine passion for missions. (Matthew 28:19)

7. Pray that God will call thousands into ministry, missions and Christian service. Many churches are dying for lack of soul winners, teachers and church workers. Furthermore, we can start only as many churches as we have church planters to start them. (Matthew 9:37)

8. Pray that God will pour out His Spirit like a mighty purifying flood. Ask God to purify our “motives as we pray for revival. After all it is possible to pray for revival for selfish or ambitious reasons. Our motives must be solely for: (a) the glory of God, and (b) the increase of the kingdom of God. We must not pray for revival just to solve our own problems or make our church successful in the eyes of men. (James 4:2)

9. Pray for a mighty move of conviction and salvation upon communities of cultural influence. Some key examples are Hollywood actors and producers, government officials, educators, teachers, and college professors, news and media people, talk shows hosts, comedians, homosexual activists groups, and the music industry. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Provide specific lists for your congregation.

10. Specifically pray for God to pour out His Spirit in a fashion even greater than He did in America in 1858 and Wales in 1904. (Ten percent of Wales’ population was saved in five months!) Ask God for a modern day of Pentecost in the United States and Canada. (Mark 11:22-24; John 14:13-14.)

Why #iamblessed?

2009-07-29T16:49:00.002+08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

You ever wonder what is God's will in your life? The Bible says that God's will is that you give thanks in every thing. Recently, the twitter trend of #iamblessed reminds us to take a moment and think about what God has done in your life. If you think about it, if you have said to Jesus Christ, thank you for dying on the cross for my sin and I want you to rule in my heart, then no matter what situation you find yourself in - you are very blessed!!

1. Cos you're not going to hell

You have eternal life in Jesus Christ and there is nothing that will change that!

John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Even if you lost your house, your family has turned against you and your children despise you, you are still saved.

2. Cos you have a God that loves you, and doesn't change

It's nice to know that the God of the universe seeks you out in love.

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

3. And even if you don't have 1 & 2, you still can

There is a good chance that you reading this was because God knew you have been thinking about life, sin and enternity. You are looking for answers. God said in the Bible that he wants you to have eternal life. He wants you to be in the right relationship with him. His death on the cross has taken away your sins.. u just need to receive him now.. this is what he says:

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Talk to him now.. and make a decision to be blessed :)

Do you have the Essentials of Christian Character?

2009-07-16T14:41:00.004+08:00

2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How do you add to Faith --> Virtue --> Knowledge --> Temperance --> Patience etc? It is one of those passages that many of us read through, shrug our shoulders and continue reading. Jim Berg's two free messages on Essentials of Christian Character show that we cannot ignore this passage as it is essential to new believers to know how to grow in Christ and live for Christ in the right order.

You can get a PDF summary of each word defined and how they build on each other here.

You can listen to these messages here under Cultivating Christian Character and I should recommend the book as well here. Post up what you learn in the comment section.

Bible Study: The Sovereignty of God 2

2009-06-25T16:20:00.001+08:00

Bible Study: The Sovereignty of God 2

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
-- Psalms 46:10

PART ONE HERE

What does the Bible say about the extent of God’s sovereignty?

Ephesians 1:11

Hebrews 1:3

Phil 3:20,21, Psalm 119:91b

Does the Sovereignty of God mean we should not pray?

King Hezekiah – see 2 Kings 20:1-6
Israel and Moses – see Numbers 21:1-3, 5-9

What impact does knowing God’s sovereignty have on our response to suffering for righteousness sake? Genesis 50:15-21, 1 Samuel 24:1-8

Why is just knowing God’s sovereignty not enough to be of comfort to us? See Romans 8:31-32 & 37-39

What are some responses to God’s sovereignty that will give him glory?

Heb. 10:36, Isa. 30:15, Psalm 37:7, Lam 3:25,26

Matt 26:39

Lamentations 3:40-41, 2 Chronicles 7:14

What is the biggest lesson that God is teaching tonight about his sovereignty over outcomes, death, leadership and the response He desires from you?

Write down one theme verse to memorize from the verses mentioned in this Bible study.

Bible Study on Sovereignty of God

2009-06-25T16:01:00.000+08:00

Bible Study: The Sovereignty of God

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
-- Psalms 46:10

What does sovereignty mean to you?

Look at 1 Chronicles 29:11-13. List the various things that are mentioned in this passage that God has power over and belongs to Him.

Sovereignty of God is holding power that cannot be overruled. Read Daniel 4:35, Revelation 3:7, Acts 5:38-39 and 2 Chronicles 20:6. What situations in your life are you reminded of, where God’s sovereignty is demonstrated in spite of what man does?

Four books of the Bible accounts for much of Israel’s Old Testament History. Read the following passages in Kings & Chronicles, to see God’s sovereignty at work

Why did King Jehu suffer defeat?
2 Kings 10:30-32

Why did King Asa have peace in all the land? 2 Chronicles 14:2-6
Why was King Ahaz defeated? 2 Chronicles 28:1-5

What factors, other than their level of obedience, caused each King’s victory or defeat?

If God is sovereign, why do bad things happen to good people? 1 Peter 1:7

What things in your life do you struggle to admit God’s sovereignty is involved?

What is the biggest lesson that God is teaching you tonight about the sovereignty of God?

Write down one theme verse to memorize from the verses mentioned in this Bible study.

Part 2 HERE

Christian Bible Software for Mobile Phones

2009-06-25T15:51:00.000+08:00

I recently purchased a Nokia E63 on the Three $29 12 month plan and have been looking around for Christian mobile phone software. The main one that I have been using is KJV Go-Bible. You can download this searchable software for your phone at www.go-bible.org.

If you know of any other software which is useful for Christians to use on their mobile phones, please leave a comment below.

Full Text of Andrew Murray Waiting on God - the best for new Christians

2009-04-25T16:24:00.000+08:00

Day 1. THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION

"My soul waiteth only upon God [marg: is silent unto God]; from Him cometh my salvation." Ps. 62:1

If salvation indeed comes from God, and is entirely His work, just as creation was, it follows, as a matter of course, that our first and highest duty is to wait on Him to do the work that pleases Him. Waiting becomes then the only way to the experience of a full salvation, the only way, truly, to know God as the God of our salvation. All the difficulties that are brought forward as keeping us back from full salvation, have their cause in this one thing: the defective knowledge and practice of waiting upon God. All that the Church and its members need for the manifestation of the mighty power of God in the world, is the return to our true place, the place that belongs to us, both in creation and redemption, the place of absolute and unceasing dependence upon God. Let us strive to see what the elements are that make up this most blessed and needful waiting upon God: it may help us to discover the reasons why this grace is so little cultivated, and to feel how infinitely desirable it is that the Church, that we ourselves, should at any price learn its blessed secret.

The deep need for this waiting on God lies equally in the nature of man and the nature of God. God, as Creator, formed man, to be a vessel in which He could show forth His power and goodness. Man was not to have in himself a fountain of life, or strength, or happiness: the ever-living and only living One was each moment to be the Communicator to him of all that he needed. Man's glory and blessedness was not to be independent, or dependent upon himself, but dependent on a God of such infinite riches and love. Man was to have the joy of receiving every moment out of the fulness of God. This was his blessedness as an unfallen creature.

When he fell from God, he was still more absolutely dependent on Him. There was not the slightest hope of his recovery out of his state of death, but in God, His power and mercy. It is God alone who began the work of redemption; it is God alone who continues and carries it on each moment in each individual believer. Even in the regenerate man there is no power of goodness in himself: he has and can have nothing that he does not each moment receive; and waiting on God is just as indispensable, and must be just as continuous and unbroken, as the breathing that maintains his natural life.

It is, then, because Christians do not know their relation to God of absolute poverty and helplessness, that they have no sense of the need of absolute and unceasing dependence, or the unspeakable blessedness of continual waiting on God. But when once a believer begins to see it, and consent to it, that he by the Holy Spirit must each moment receive what God each moment works, waiting on God becomes his brightest hope and joy. As he apprehends how God, as God, as Infinite Love, delights to impart His own nature to His child as fully as He can, how God is not weary of each moment keeping charge of his life and strength, he wonders that he ever thought otherwise of God than as a God to be waited on all the day. God unceasingly giving and working; His child unceasingly waiting and receiving: this is the blessed life.

"Truly my soul waiteth upon God; from Him cometh my salvation." First we wait on God for salvation. Then we learn that salvation is only to bring us to God, and teach us to wait on Him. Then we find what is better still, that waiting on God is itself the highest salvation. It is the ascribing to Him the glory of being All; it is the experiencing that He is All to us.

May God teach us the blessedness of waiting on Him.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 2. THE KEYNOTE OF LIFE

I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord! Gen 49:18.

It is not easy to say exactly in what sense Jacob used these words, in the midst of his prophecies in regard to the future of his sons. But they do certainly dictate that both for himself and for them his expectation was from God alone. It was God’s salvation he waited for; a salvation which God had promised and which God Himself alone could work out. He knew himself and his sons to be under God’s charge. Jehovah the Everlasting God would show in them what His saving power is and does. The words point forward to that wonderful history of redemption which is not yet finished, and to the glorious future in eternity whither it is leading. They suggest to us how there is no salvation but God’s salvation, and how waiting on God for that, whether for our personal experience, or in wider circles, is our first duty, our true blessedness.

Let us think of ourselves, and the inconceivably glorious salvation God has wrought for us in Christ, and is now purposing to work out and to perfect in us by His Spirit. Let us meditate until we somewhat realize that every participation of this great salvation, from moment to moment, must be the work of God Himself. God cannot part with His grace, or goodness, or strength, as an external thing that He gives us, as He gives the raindrops from heaven. No; He can only give it, and we can only enjoy it, as He works it Himself directly and unceasingly. And the only reason that He does not work it more effectually and continuously is, that we do not let Him. We hinder Him either by our indifference or by our self-effort, so that He cannot do what He would.

What He asks of us, in the way of surrender, and obedience, and desire, and trust, is all comprised in this one word: waiting on Him, waiting for His salvation. It combines the deep sense of our entire helplessness of ourselves to work what is divinely good, and our perfect confidence that our God will work it all in His divine power.

Again, I say, let us meditate on the divine glory of the salvation God purposes working out in us, until we know the truths it implies. Our heart is the scene of a divine operation more wonderful than Creation. We can do as little towards the work as towards creating the world, except as God works in us to will and to do. God only asks of us to yield, to consent, to wait upon Him, and He will do it all. Let us meditate and be still, until we see how meet and right and blessed it is that God alone do all, and our soul will of itself sink down in deep humility to say: "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord." And the deep blessed background of all our praying and working will be: "Truly my soul waiteth upon God."

The application of the truth to wider circles, to those we labor among or intercede for, to the Church of Christ around us, or throughout the world, is not difficult. There can be no good but what God works; to wait upon God, and have the heart filled with faith in His working, and in that faith to pray for His mighty power to come down, is our only wisdom. Oh for the eyes of our heart to be opened to see God working in ourselves and in others, and to see how blessed it is to worship and just to wait for His salvation!

Our private and public prayer are our chief expression of our relation to God: it is in them chiefly that our waiting upon God must be exercised. If our waiting begin by quieting the activities of nature, and being still before God; if it bows and seeks to see God in His universal and almighty operation, alone able and always ready to work all good; if it yields itself to Him in the assurance that He is working and will work in us; if it maintains the place of humility and stillness, and surrenders until God’s Spirit has quickened the faith that He will perfect His work: it will indeed become the strength and the joy of the soul. Life will become one deep blessed cry: "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God"

Day 3. THE TRUE PLACE OF THE CREATURE

"These wait all upon Thee; That Thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That Thou givest unto them, they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are satisfied with good." Ps.104:27-28

This Psalm, in praise of the Creator, has been speaking of the birds and the beasts of the forest; of the young lions, and man going forth to his work; of the great sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. And it sums up the whole relation of all creation to its Creator, and its continuous and universal dependence upon Him in the one word: "These all wait upon Thee." Just as much as it was God’s work to create, it is His work to maintain. As little as the creature could create itself, it is it left to provide for itself. The whole creation is ruled by the one unalterable law of –– waiting upon God!

The word is the simple expression of that for the sake of which alone the creature was brought into existence, the very groundwork of its constitution. The one object for which God gave life to creatures was that in them He might prove and show forth His wisdom, power, and goodness, in His being each moment their life and happiness, and pouring forth unto them, according to their capacity, the riches of His goodness and power. And just as this is the very place and nature of God, to be unceasingly the supplier of every want in the creature, so the very place and nature of the creature is nothing hut this - to wait upon God and receive from Him what He alone can give, what He delights to give.

If we are in this little book at all to apprehend what waiting on God is to be to the believer, to practice it and to experience its blessedness, it is of consequence that we begin at the very beginning, and see the deep reasonableness of the call that comes to us. We shall understand how the duty is no arbitrary command. We shall see how it is not only rendered necessary by our sin and helplessness. It is simply and truly our restoration to our original destiny and our highest nobility, to our true place and glory as creatures blessedly dependent on the All-Glorious God.

If once our eyes are opened to this precious truth, all Nature will become a preacher, reminding us of the, relationship which, founded in creation, is now taken in grace. As we read this Psalm, and learn to look upon all life in Nature as continually maintained by God Himself, waiting on God will be seen to be the very necessity of our being. As we think of the young lions and the ravens crying to Him, of the birds and the fishes and every insect waiting on Him, till He give them their meat in due season, we shall see that it is the very nature and glory of God that He is a God who is to be waited on. Every thought of what Nature is, and what God is, will give new force to the call: "Wait thou only upon God."

"These all wait upon Thee, that thou mayest give." It is God who giveth all: let this faith enter deeply into our hearts. Ere yet we fully understand all that is implied in our waiting upon God, and ere we have even been able to cultivate the habit, let the truth enter our souls: waiting on God, unceasing and entire dependence upon Him, is, in heaven and earth, the one only true religion, the one unalterable and all-comprehensive expression for the true relationship to the ever-blessed one in whom we live.

Let us resolve at once that it shall be the one characteristic of our life and worship, a continual, humble, truthful waiting upon God. We may rest assured that He who made us for Himself, that He might give Himself to us and in us, that He will never disappoint us. In waiting on Him we shall find rest and joy and strength, and the supply of every need.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God."

Day 4. FOR SUPPLIES

"The Lord upholdeth all that fall, And raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon Thee; And Thou givest them their meat in due season." Ps 145:14-15

PSALM 104 is a Psalm of Creation, and the words, "These all wait upon Thee," were used with reference to the animal creation. Here we have a Psalm of the Kingdom, and "The eyes of all wait upon Thee" appears specially to point to the needs of God’s saints, of all that fall and them that be bowed down. What the universe and the animal creation do unconsciously, God’s people are to do intelligently and voluntarily. Man is to be the interpreter of Nature. He is to prove that there is nothing more noble or more blessed in the exercise of our free will than to use it in waiting upon God.

If an army has been sent out to march into an enemy’s country, and tidings are received that it is not advancing, the question is at once asked, what may be the cause of delay. The answer will very often be: "Waiting for supplies." All the stores of provisions or clothing or ammunition have not arrived; without these it dare not proceed. It is no otherwise in the Christian life: day by day, at every step, we need our supplies from above. And there is nothing so needful as to cultivate that spirit of dependence on God and of confidence in Him, which refuses to go on without the needed supply of grace and strength.

If the question be asked, whether this be anything different from what we do when we pray, the answer is, that there may be much praying with but very little waiting on God. In praying we are often occupied with ourselves, with our own needs, and our own efforts in the presentation of them. In waiting upon God, the first thought is of the God upon whom we wait. We enter His presence, and feel we need just to be quiet, so that He, as God, can overshadow us with Himself. God longs to reveal Himself, to fill us with Himself. Waiting on God gives Him time in His own way and divine power to come to us.

It is specially at the time of prayer that we ought to set ourselves to cultivate this spirit.

Before you pray, bow quietly before God, just t remember and realize who He is, how near He is, how certainly He can and will help. Just be still before Him, and allow His Holy Spirit to waken and stir up in your soul the child-like disposition of absolute dependence and confident expectation. Wait upon God as a Living Being, as the Living God, who notices you, and is just longing to fill you with His salvation. Wait on God till you know you have met Him; prayer will then be come so different.

And when you are praying, let there be intervals of silence, reverent stillness of soul, in which you yield yourself to God, in case He may have aught He wishes to teach you or to work in you. Waiting on Him will become the most blessed part of prayer, and the blessing thus obtained will be doubly precious as the fruit or such fellowship with the Holy One, God has so ordained it, in harmony with His holy nature, and with ours, that waiting on Him should be the honor we give Him. Let us bring Him the service gladly and truthfully; He will reward it abundantly.

"The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their meat in due season." Dear soul, God provides in Nature for the creatures He has made: how much more will He provide in Grace for those He has redeemed. Learn to say of every want, and every failure, and every lack of needful grace: I have waited too little upon God, or He would have given me in due season all I needed. And say then too,

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 5. FOR INSTRUCTION

"Shew me thy ways, O Lord; Teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me; For Thou art the God of my salvation; On Thee do I wait all the day." Ps. 25:4-5

I spoke of an army on the point of entering an enemy’s territories. Answering the question as to the cause of delay: "Waiting for supplies." The answer might also have been: "Waiting for instructions," or "Waiting for orders." If the last despatch had not been received, with the final orders of the commander-in-chief, the army dared not move. Even so in the Christian life: as deep as the need of waiting for supplies, is that of waiting for instructions.

See how beautiful this comes out in Ps. 25. The writer knew and loved God’s law exceedingly, and meditated in that law day and night. But he knew that this was not enough. He knew that for the right spiritual apprehension of the truth, and for the right personal application of it to his own peculiar circumstances, he needed a direct divine teaching.

The psalm has at all times been a very peculiar one, because of its reiterated expression of the felt need of the Divine teaching, and of the childlike confidence that that teaching would be given. Study the psalm until your heart is filled with the two thoughts - the absolute need, the absolute certainty of divine guidance. And with these how entirely it is in this connection that he speaks, "On Thee do I wait all the day." Waiting for guidance, waiting for instruction, all the day, is a very blessed part of waiting upon God.

The Father in heaven is so interested in His child, and so longs to have his life at every step in His will and His love, that He is willing to keep his guidance entirely in His own hand. He knows so well that we are unable to do what is really holy and heavenly, except as He works it in us, that He means His very demands to become promises of what He will do, in watching over and leading us all the day. Not only in special difficulties and times of perplexity, but in the common course of everyday life, we may count upon Him to teach us His war, and show us His path.

And what is needed in us to receive this guidance? One thing: waiting for instructions, waiting on God. "On Thee do I wait all the day." We want in our times of prayer to give clear expression to our sense of need, and our faith in His help. We want definitely to become conscious of our ignorance as to what God’s war may be, and the need of the Divine light shining within us, if our way is to be as of the sun, shining more and more unto the perfect day. And we want to wait quietly before God in prayer, until the deep, restful assurance fills us: It will be given - "the meek will He guide in the way."

"On Thee do I wait all the day." The special surrender to the Divine guidance in our seasons of prayer must cultivate, and be followed up by, the habitual looking upwards "all the day." As simple as it is, to one who has eyes, to walk all the day in the light of the sun, so simple and delightful can it become to a soul practiced in waiting on God, to walk all the day in the enjoyment of God’s light and leading. What is needed to help us to such a life is just one thing: the real knowledge and faith of God as the one only source of wisdom and goodness, as ever ready, and longing much to be to us all that we can possibly require - yes! this is the one thing we need. If we but saw our God in His love, if we but believed that He waits to be gracious, that He waits to be our life and to work all in us, - how this waiting on God would become our highest joy, the natural and spontaneous response of our hearts to His great love and glory!

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 6. FOR ALL SAINTS

"Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed." Ps. 25:3

Let us now, in our meditation of today, each one forget himself, to think of the great company of God, saints throughout the world, who are all with us waiting on Him. And let us all join in the fervent prayer for each other, "Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed."

Just think for a moment of the multitude of waiting ones who need that prayer; how many there are, sick and weary and solitary, to whom it is as if their prayers are not answered, and who sometimes begin to fear that their hope will be put to shame. And then, how many servants of God, ministers or missionaries, teachers or workers, of various name, whose hopes in their work have been disappointed, and whose longing for power and blessing remains unsatisfied. And then, too, how many, who have heard of a life of rest and perfect peace, of abiding light and fellowship, of strength and victory, and who cannot find the path. With all these, it is nothing but that they have not yet learned the secret of full waiting upon God. They just need, what we all need, the living assurance that waiting on God can never be in vain. Let us remember all who are in danger of fainting or being weary, and all unite in the cry, "Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed!"

If this intercession for all who wait on God becomes part of our waiting on Him for ourselves, we shall help to bear each other’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

There will be introduced into our waiting on God that element of unselfishness and love, which is the path to the highest blessing, and the fullest communion with God. Love to the brethren and love to God are inseparably linked. In God, the love to His Son and to us are one: "That the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me, may be in them." In Christ, the love of the Father to Him, and His love to us, are one: "As the Father loved me, so have I loved you." In us, He asks that His love to us shall be ours to the brethren: "As I have loved you, that ye love one another." All the love of God, and of Christ, are inseparably linked with love to the brethren. And how can we, day by day, prove and cultivate this love otherwise than by daily praying for each other? Christ did not seek to enjoy the Father’s love for Himself; He passed it all on to us. All true seeking of God and His love for ourselves, will be inseparably linked with the thought and the love of our brethren in prayer for them.

"Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed." Twice in the psalm David speaks of his waiting on God for himself; here he thinks of all who wait on Him. Let this page take the message to all God’s tried and weary ones, that there are more praying for them than they know. Let it stir them and us in our waiting to make a point of at times forgetting ourselves, and to enlarge our hearts, and say to the Father, "These all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their meat in due season." Let it inspire us all with new courage-for who is there who is not at times ready to faint and be weary? "Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed" is a promise in a prayer, "They that wait on Thee shall not be ashamed!" From many and many a witness the cry comes to every one who needs the help, brother, sister, tried one, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that wait on the Lord."

Blessed Father! We humbly beseech Thee, Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed; no, not one. Some are weary, and the time of waiting appears long. And some are feeble, and scarcely know how to wait. And some are so entangled in the effort of their prayers and their work, they think that they can find no time to wait continually. Father, teach us all how to wait. Teach us to think of each other, and pray for each other. Teach us to think of Thee, the God of all waiting ones. Father! Let none that wait on Thee be ashamed. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 7. A PLEA IN PRAYER

"Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee." Ps 25:21

For the third time in this psalm we have the word wait. As before in verse 5, "On Thee do I wait all the day," so here, too, the believing supplicant appeals to God to remember that he is waiting on Him, looking for an answer. It is a great thing for a soul not only to wait upon God, but to be filled with such a consciousness that its whole spirit and position is that of a waiting one, that it can, in childlike confidence, say, Lord! Thou knowest, I wait on Thee. It will prove a mighty plea in prayer, giving ever-increasing boldness of expectation to claim the promise, "They that wait on Me shall not be ashamed!"

The prayer in connection with which the plea is put forth here is one of great importance in the spiritual life. If we draw nigh to God, it must be with a true heart. There must be perfect integrity, whole-heartedness, in our dealing with God. As we read in the next Psalm (26:1, 11). "Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity," "As for me, I walk in my integrity," there must be perfect uprightness or single-heartedness before God, as it is written, "His righteousness is for the upright in heart." The soul must know that it allows nothing sinful, nothing doubtful; if it is indeed to meet the Holy One, and receive His full blessing, it must be with a heart wholly and singly given up to His will. The whole spirit that animates us in the waiting must be, "Let integrity and uprightness" - Thou seest that I desire to come so to Thee, Thou knowest I am looking to Thee to work them perfectly in me; - let them "preserve me, for I wait on Thee."

And if at our first attempt truly to live the life of fully and always waiting on God, we begin to discover how much that perfect integrity is wanting, this will just be one of the blessings which the waiting was meant to work. A soul cannot seek close fellowship with God, or attain the abiding consciousness of waiting on Him all the day, without a very honest and entire surrender to all His will.

"For I wait on Thee": it is not only in connection with the prayer of our text but with every prayer that this plea may be used. To use it often will be a great blessing to ourselves. Let us therefore study the words well until we know all their bearings. It must be clear to us what we are waiting for. There may be very different things. It may be waiting for God in our times of prayer to take his place as God, and to work in us the sense of HIS holy presence and nearness. It may be a special petition, to which we are expecting an answer. It may be our whole inner life, in which we are on the lookout for God’s putting forth of His power. It may be the whole state of His Church and saints, or some part of His work, for which our eyes are ever toward Him. It is good that we sometimes count up to ourselves exactly what the things are we are waiting for, and as we say definitely of each of them, "On Thee do I wait," we shall be emboldened to claim the answer, "For on Thee do I wait."

It must also be clear to us, on Whom we are waiting. Not an idol, a God of whom we have made an image by our conceptions of what He is. No, but the living God, such as He really is in His great glory, His infinite holiness, His power, wisdom, and goodness, in His love and nearness. It is the presence of a beloved or a dreaded master that wakens up the whole attention of the servant who waits on him. It is the presence of God, as He can in Christ by His Holy Spirit make Himself known, and keep the soul under its covering and shadow, that will waken and strengthen the true waiting spirit. Let us be still and wait and worship till we know how near He is, and then say, "On Thee do I wait."

And then, let it be very clear, too, that we are waiting. Let that become so much our consciousness that the utterance comes spontaneously, "On Thee I do wait all the day; I wait on Thee." This will indeed imply sacrifice and separation, a soul entirely given up to God as its all, its only joy. This waiting on God has hardly yet been acknowledged as the only true Christianity. And yet, if it be true that God alone is goodness and joy and love; if it be true that our highest blessedness is in having as much of God as we can; if it be true that Christ has redeemed us wholly for God, and made a life of continual abiding in His presence possible, nothing less ought to satisfy than to be ever breathing this blessed atmosphere, "I wait on Thee."

"My soul, wait thou only on God!"

Day 8. STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE

"Wait on the Lord: be strong, And let your heart take courage Yea, wait thou on the Lord." Ps. 27:14

The psalmist had just said, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." If it had not been for his faith in God, his heart had fainted. But in the confident assurance in God which faith gives, he urges himself and us to remember one thing above all, - to wait upon God. "Wait on the Lord: be strong, and let your heart take courage: yea, wait thou on the Lord." One of the chief needs in our waiting upon God, one of the deepest secrets of its blessedness and blessing, is a quiet, confident persuasion that it is not in vain; courage to believe that God will hear and help; we are waiting on a God who never could disappoint His people.

"Be strong and of good courage." These words are frequently found in connection with some great and difficult enterprise, in prospect of the combat with the power of strong enemies, and the utter insufficiency of all human strength. Is waiting on God a work so difficult, that, for that too, such words are needed, "Be strong, and let your heart take courage"? Yes, indeed. The deliverance for which we often have to wait is from enemies, in presence of whom we are impotent. The blessings for which we plead are spiritual and all unseen; things impossible with men; heavenly, supernatural, divine realities. Our heart may well faint and fail.

Our souls are so little accustomed to hold fellowship with God; the God on whom we wait so of ten appears to hide Himself. We who have to wait are often tempted to fear that we do not wait aright, that our faith is too feeble, that our desire is not as upright or as earnest as it should be, that our surrender is not complete. Amid all these causes of fear or doubt, how blessed to hear the voice of God, "Wait on the Lord! Be strong, and let thine heart take courage! YEA, WAIT THOU ON THE LORD!" Let nothing in heaven or earth or hell - let nothing keep thee from waiting on thy God in full assurance that it cannot be in vain.

The one lesson our text teaches us is this, that when we set ourselves to wait on God we ought beforehand to resolve that it shall be with the most confident expectation of God’s meeting and blessing us. We ought to make up our minds to this, that nothing was ever so sure, as that waiting on God will bring us untold and unexpected blessing. We are so accustomed to judge of God and His work in us by what we feel, that the great probability is that when we begin more to cultivate the waiting on Him, we shall be discouraged, because we do not find any special blessing from it. The message comes to us, "Above everything, when you wait on God, do so in the spirit of abounding hopefulness. It is God in His glory, in His power, in His love longing to bless you that you are waiting on."

If you say that you are afraid of deceiving yourself with vain hope, because you do not see or feel any warrant in your present state for such special expectations, my answer is, it is God, who is the warrant for your expecting great things. Oh, do learn the lesson. You are not going to wait on yourself to see what you feel and what changes come to you. You are going to WAIT ON GOD, to know first, WHAT HE IS, and then, after that, what He will do. The whole duty and blessedness of waiting on God has its root in this, that He is such a blessed Being, full, to overflowing, of goodness and power and life and joy, that we, however wretched, cannot for any time come into contact with Him, without that life and power secretly, silently beginning to enter into him and blessing him. God is Love! That is the one only and all-sufficient warrant of your expectation. Love seeketh out its own: God’s love is just His delight to impart Himself and His blessedness to His children.

Come, and however feeble you feel, just wait in His presence. As a feeble, sickly invalid is brought out into the sunshine to let its warmth go through him, come with all that is dark and cold in you into the sunshine of God’s holy, omnipotent love, and sit and wait there, with the one thought: Here I am, in the sunshine of His love. As the sun does its work in the weak one who seeks its rays, God will do His work in you. Oh, do trust Him fully. "Wait on the Lord! Be strong, and let your heart take courage! Yea, wait thou on the Lord!"

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 9. WITH THE HEART

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All ye that wait for the Lord." Ps. 31:24

The words are nearly the same as in our last meditation. But I gladly avail myself of them again to press home a much-needed lesson for all who desire to learn truly and fully what waiting on God is. The lesson is this: It is with the heart we must wait upon God. "Let your heart take courage"

All our waiting depends upon the state of the heart. As a man’s heart is, so is he before God. We can advance no further or deeper into the holy place of God’s presence to wait on Him there, than our heart is prepared for it by the Holy Spirit. The message is, "Let your heart take courage, all ye that wait on the Lord."

The truth appears so simple, that some may ask, Do not all admit this? Where is the need of insisting on it so specially? Because very many Christians have no sense of the great difference between the religion of the mind and the religion of the heart, and the former is far more diligently cultivated than the latter. They know not how infinitely greater the heart is than the mind. It is in this that one of the chief causes must be sought of the feebleness of our Christian life, and it is only as this is understood that waiting on God will bring its full blessing.

A text in Proverbs (3:5) may help to make my meaning plain. Speaking of a life in the fear and favor of God, it says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding." In all religion we have to use these two powers. The mind as to gather knowledge from God’s word, and prepare the food by which the heart with the inner life is to be nourished. But here comes in a terrible danger, of our leaning to our own understanding, and trusting in our apprehension of divine things.

People imagine that if they are occupied with the truth, the spiritual life will as a matter of course be strengthened. And this is by no means the case. The understanding deals with conceptions and images of divine things, but it cannot reach the real life of the soul. Hence the command, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding." It is with the heart man believeth, and comes into touch with God. It is in the heart God has given His Spirit, to be there to us the presence and the power of God working in us. In all our religion it is the heart that must trust and love and worship and obey. My mind is utterly impotent in creating or maintaining the spiritual life within me: the heart must wait on God for Him to work it in me.

It is in this even as in the physical life. My reason may tell me what to eat and drink, and how the food nourishes me. But in the eating and feeding my reason I can do nothing: the body has its organs for that special purpose. Just so, reason may tell me what God’s word says, but it can do nothing to the feeding of the soul on the bread of life - this the heart alone can do by its faith and trust in God. A man may be studying the nature and effects of food or sleep; when he wants to eat or sleep he sets aside his thoughts and study, and uses the power of eating or sleeping. And so the Christian needs ever, when he has studied or heard God’s word, to cease from his thoughts, to put no trust in them, and to waken up his heart to open itself before God, and seek the living fellowship with Him.

This is now the blessedness of waiting upon God, that I confess the impotence of all my thoughts and efforts, and set myself still to bow my heart before Him in holy silence, and to trust Him to renew and strengthen His own work in me. And this is just the lesson of our text, "Let your heart take courage, all ye that wait on the Lord." Remember the difference between knowing with the mind and believing with the heart. Beware of the temptation of leaning upon your understanding, with its clear strong thoughts. They only help you to know what the heart must get from God: in themselves they are only images and shadows.

"Let your heart take courage, all ye that wait on the Lord." Present it before Him as that wonderful part of your spiritual nature in which God reveals Himself, and by which you can know Him. Cultivate the greatest confidence that, though you cannot see into your heart, God is working there by His Holy Spirit. Let the heart wait at times in perfect silence and quiet; in its hidden depths God will work. Be sure of this, and just wait on Him. Give your whole heart, with its secret workings, into God’s hands continually. He wants the heart, and takes it, and as God dwells in it. "Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all ye that wait on the Lord."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 10. WAITING ON GOD: IN HUMBLE FEAR AND HOPE

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul hath waited for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, According as we wait for thee." Ps. 33:18-22

God’s eye is upon His people: their eye is upon Him. In waiting upon God, our eye, looking up to Him, meets His looking down upon us. This is the blessedness of waiting upon God, that it takes our eyes and thoughts away from ourselves, even our needs and desires, and occupies us with our God. We worship Him in His glory and love, with His all-seeing eye watching over us, that He may supply our every need. Let us consider this wonderful meeting between God and His people, and mark well what we are taught here of them on whom God’s eye rests, and of Him on whom our eye rests.

"The eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him, on them that hope in His mercy." Fear and hope are generally thought to be in conflict with each other, in the presence and worship of God they are found side by side in perfect and beautiful harmony. And this because in God Himself all apparent contradictions are reconciled. Righteousness and peace, judgment and mercy, holiness and love, infinite power and infinite gentleness, a majesty that is exalted above all heaven, and a condescension that bows very low, meet and kiss each other.

There is indeed a fear that hath torment, that is cast out entirely by perfect love. But there is a fear that is found in the very heavens. In the song of Moses and the Lamb they sing, "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name?" And out of the very throne the voice came, "Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him." Let us in our waiting ever seek "to fear the glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD." The deeper we w bow before His holiness in holy fear and adoring awe, in deep reverence and humble self-abasement, even as the angels veil their faces before the throne, the more will His holiness rest upon us, and the soul be filled to have God reveal Himself; the deeper we enter into the truth "that no flesh glory in His presence," will it be given us to see His glory. "The eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him."

"On them that hope in His mercy." So far will the true fear of God be from keeping us back from hope, it will stimulate and strengthen it. The lower we bow, the deeper we feel we have nothing to hope in but His mercy. The lower we bow, the nearer God will come, and make our hearts bold to trust Him. Let every exercise of waiting, let our whole habit of waiting on God, be pervaded by abounding hope –– a hope as bright and boundless as God’s mercy. The fatherly kindness of God is such that, in whatever state we come to Him, we may confidently hope in His mercy.

Such are God’s waiting ones. And now, think of the God on whom we wait. "The eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him, on them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine." Not to prevent the danger of death and famine –– this is often needed to stir the waiting on Him –– but to deliver and to keep alive. For the dangers are often very real and dark; the situation, whether in the temporal or spiritual life, may appear to be utterly hopeless. There is always one hope: God’s eye is on them.

That eye sees the danger, and sees in tender love His trembling waiting child, and sees the moment when the heart is ripe for the blessing, and sees the way in which it is to come. This living, mighty God, oh, let us fear Him and hope in His mercy. And let us humbly but boldly say, "Our soul waiteth for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. Let Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, according as we wait for Thee."

Oh, the blessedness of waiting on such a God! a very present help in every time of trouble; a shield and defense against every danger. Children of God! will you not learn to sink down in entire helplessness and impotence and in stillness to wait and see the salvation of God?

In the utmost spiritual famine, and when death appears to prevail, oh, wait on God. He does deliver, He does keep alive. Say it not only in solitude, but say it to each other –– the psalm speaks not of one but of God’s people –– "Our soul waiteth on the Lord: He is our help and our shield." Strengthen and encourage each other in the holy exercise of waiting, that each may not only say of it himself, but of his brethren, "We have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 11. WAITING ON GOD: PATIENTLY

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, Those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the land." Ps. 37:7, 9

"In patience possess your souls." "Ye have need of patience." "Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire." Such words of the Holy Spirit show us what an important element in the Christian life and character patience is. And nowhere is there a better place for cultivating or displaying it than in waiting on God. There we discover how impatient we are, and what our impatience means. We confess at times that we are impatient with men, and circumstances that hinder us, or with ourselves and our slow progress in the Christian life. If we truly set ourselves to wait upon God, we shall find that it is with Him we are impatient, because He does not at once, or as soon as we could wish, do our bidding. It is in waiting upon God that our eyes are opened to believe in His wise and sovereign will, and to see that the sooner and the more completely we yield absolutely to it, the more surely His blessing can come to us.

"It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Rom 9:16. We have as little power to increase or strengthen our spiritual life, as we had to originate it. We "were born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the will of God." Even so, our willing and running, our desire and effort, avail nought; all is "of God that sheweth mercy."

All the exercises of the spiritual life, our reading and praying, our willing and doing, have their very great value. But they can go no farther than this, that they point the way and prepare us in humility to look to and to depend alone upon God Himself, and in patience to wait His good time and mercy. The waiting is to teach us our absolute dependence upon God’s mighty working, and to make us in perfect patience place ourselves at His disposal. They that wait on the Lord shall inherit the land; the promised land and its blessing. The heirs must wait; they can afford to wait.

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." The margin gives for "Rest in the Lord," "Be silent to the Lord," or R. V., "Be still before the Lord." It is resting in the Lord, in His will, His promise, His faithfulness, and His love, that makes patience easy. And the resting in Him is nothing but being silent unto Him, still before Him. Having our thoughts and wishes, our fears and hopes, hushed into calm and quiet in that great peace of God which passeth all understanding. That peace keeps the heart and mind when we are anxious for anything, because we have made our request known to Him. The rest, the silence, the stillness, and the patient waiting, all find their strength and joy in God Himself.

The need for patience, and the reasonableness, and the blessedness of patience will be opened up to the waiting soul. Our patience will be seen to be the counterpart of God’s patience. He longs far more to bless us fully than we can desire it. But, as the husbandman has long patience till the fruit be ripe, so God bows Himself to our slowness and bears long with us. Let us remember this, and wait patiently: of each promise and every answer to prayer the word is true: "I the Lord will hasten it in its time." Isa 60:22.

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Yes, for HIM. Seek not only the help, the gift, thou needest seek: HIMSELF; wait for HIM. Give God His glory by resting in Him, by trusting him fully, by waiting patiently for Him. This patience honors Him greatly; it leaves Him, as God on the throne, to do His work; it yields self wholly into His hands. It lets God be God. If thy waiting be for some special request, wait patiently. If thy waiting be more the exercise of the spiritual life seeking to know and have more of God, wait patiently. Whether it be in the shorter specific periods of waiting, or as the continuous habit of the souls. Rest in the Lord, be still before the Lord, and wait patiently. "They that wait on the Lord shall inherit the land."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 12. WAITING ON GOD: KEEPING HIS WAYS

"Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shalt exalt thee to inherit the land." Ps. 37:34.

If we desire to find a man whom we long to meet, we inquire where the places and the ways are where he is to be found. When waiting on God, we need to be very careful that we keep His ways; out of these we never can expect to find Him. "Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; those that remember Thee in Thy ways." Isa 64:5. We may be sure that God is never and nowhere to be found but in His ways. And that there, by the soul who seeks and patiently waits, He is always most surely to be found. "Wait on the Lord, and keep His ways, and He shall exalt thee."

How close the connection between the two parts of the injunction, "Wait on the Lord," - that has to do with worship and disposition; "and keep His ways," - that deals with walk and work. The outer life must be in harmony with the inner; the inner must be the inspiration and the strength for the outer. It is our God who has made known His ways in His Word for our conduct, and invites our confidence for His grace and help in our heart. If we do not keep His ways, our waiting on Him can bring no blessing. The surrender to full obedience to all His will is the secret of full access to all the blessings of His fellowship.

Notice how strongly this comes out in the psalm. It speaks of the evildoer who prospereth in his way, and calls on the believer not to fret himself. When we see men around us prosperous and happy while they forsake God’s ways, and ourselves left in difficulty or suffering, we are in danger of first fretting at what appears so strange, and then gradually yielding to seek our prosperity in their path. The psalm says, "Fret not thyself; trust in the Lord, and do good. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Depart from evil, and do good; the Lord forsaketh not His saints. The righteous shall inherit the land. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." "And then follows - the word occurs for the third time in the psalm - "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way." Do what God asks you to do; God will do more than you can ask Him to do.

And let no one give way to the fear: I cannot keep His way; it is this robs one of every confidence. It is true you have not the strength yet to keep all His ways. But keep carefully those for which you have received strength already. Surrender yourself willingly and trustingly to keep all God’s ways, in the strength which will come in waiting on Him. Give up your whole being to God without reserve and without doubt; He will prove Himself God to you, and work in you that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ.

Keep His ways, as you know them in the Word. Keep His ways, as nature teaches them, in always doing what appears right. Keep His ways, as Providence points them out. Keep His ways, as the Holy Spirit suggests. Do not think of waiting on God while you say you are not willing to work in His path. However weak you feel, only be willing, and He who has worked to will, will work to do by His power.

"Wait on the Lord, and keep His way." It may be that the consciousness of shortcoming and sin makes our text look more like a hindrance than a help in waiting on God. Let it not be so.

Have we not said more than once, the very starting-point and ground-work of this waiting is utter and absolute impotence? Why then not come with everything evil you feel in yourself, every memory of unwillingness, unwatchfulness, unfaithfulness, and all that causes such unceasing self-condemnation? Put your power in God’s omni-potence, and find in waiting on God your deliverance.

Your failure has been owing to only one thing: you sought to conquer and obey in your own strength. Come and bow before God until you learn that He is the God who alone is good, and alone can work any good thing. Believe that in you, and all that nature can do, there is no true power. Be content to receive from God each moment the inworking of His mighty grace and life, and waiting on God will become the renewal of your strength to run in His ways and not be weary, to walk in His paths and never faint. "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way" will be command and promise in one.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 13. WAITING ON GOD: FOR MORE THAN WE KNOW

"And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions." Ps. 39:7, 8.

There may be times when we feel as if we knew not what we are waiting for. There may be other times we think we do know, and when it would just be so good for us to realize that we do not know what to ask as we ought. God is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think, and we are in danger of limiting Him, when we confine our desires and prayers to our own thoughts of them. It is a great thing at times to say, as our psalm says: "And now, Lord, what wait I for?" I scarce know or can tell; this only I can say - "My hope is in Thee."

How we see this limiting of God in the case of Israel! When Moses promised them meat in the wilderness, they doubted, saying, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? He smote the rock that the water gushed out; can He give bread also? Can He provide flesh for His people?" If they had been asked whether God could provide streams in the desert, they would have answered, Yes. God had done it: He could do it again. But when the thought came of God doing something new, they limited Him; their expectation could not rise beyond their past experience, or their own thoughts of what was possible.

Even so we may be limiting God by our conceptions of what He has promised or is able to do. Do let us beware of limiting the Holy one of Israel in our very prayer. Let us believe that the very promises of God we plead have a divine meaning, infinitely beyond our thoughts of them. Let us believe that His fulfilment of them can be, in a power and an abundance of grace, beyond our largest grasp of thought. And let us therefore cultivate the habit of waiting on God, not only for what we think we need, but for all His grace and power are ready to do for us.

In every true prayer there are two hearts in exercise. The one is your heart, with its little, dark, human thoughts of what you need and God can do. The other is God’s great heart, with its infinite, its divine purposes of blessing. What think you? To which of these two ought the larger place to be given in your approach to Him? Undoubtedly, to the heart of God: every thing depends upon knowing and being occupied with that. But how little this is done. This is what waiting on God is meant to teach you. Just think of God’s wonderful love and redemption, in the meaning these words must have to Him. Confess how little you understand what God is willing to do for you, and say each time as you pray: "And now, what wait I for?" My heart cannot say, God’s heart knows and waits to give. "My hope is in Thee." Wait on God to do for you more than you can ask or think.

Apply this to the prayer that follows: "Deliver me from all my transgressions." You have prayed to be delivered from temper, or pride, or self-will. It is as if it is in vain. May it not be that you have had your own thoughts about the way or the extent of God’s doing it, and have never waited on the God of glory, according to the riches of His glory, to do for you what hath not entered the heart of man to conceive? Learn to worship God as the God who doeth wonders, who wishes to prove in you that He can do something supernatural and divine. Bow before Him, wait upon Him, until your soul realizes that you are in the hands of a divine and almighty worker. Consent but to know what and how He will work; expect it to be something altogether godlike, something to be waited for in deep humility, and received only by His divine power. Let, the, "And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee" become the spirit of every longing and every prayer. He will in His time do His work.

Dear soul, in waiting on God you may often be ready to be weary, because you hardly know what you have to expect. I pray you, be of good courage –– this ignorance is often one of the best signs. He is teaching you to leave all in His hands, and to wait on Him alone. "Wait on the Lord! Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yea, wait thou on the Lord"

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 14. WAITING ON GOD: THE WAY TO THE NEW SONG

"I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. . . and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Ps. 40:1-3.

Come and listen to the testimony of one who can speak from experience of the sure and blessed outcome of patient, waiting upon God. True patience is so foreign to our self-confident nature, it is so indispensable in our waiting upon God, it is such an essential element of true faith, that we may well once again meditate on what the word has to teach us.

The word patience is derived from the Latin word for suffering. It suggests the thought of being under the constraint of some power from which we fain would be free. At first we submit against our will; experience teaches us that when it is vain to resist, patient endurance is our wisest course. In waiting on God it is of infinite consequence that we not only submit, because we are compelled to, but because we lovingly and joyfully consent to be in the hands of our blessed Father. Patience then becomes our highest blessedness and our highest grace. It honors God, and gives Him time to have His way with us. It is the highest expression of our faith in His goodness and faithfulness. It brings the soul perfect rest in the assurance that God is carrying on His work. It is the token of our full consent that God should deal with us in such a way and time as He thinks best. True patience is the losing of our self-will in His perfect will.

Such patience is needed for the true and full waiting on God. Such patience is the growth and fruit of our first lessons in the school of waiting. To many a one it will appear strange how difficult it is truly to wait upon God. The great stillness of soul before God that sinks into its own helplessness and waits for Him to reveal Himself; the deep humility that is afraid to let own will or own strength work aught except as God works to will and to do; the meekness that is content to be and to know nothing except as God gives His light; the entire resignation of the will that only wants to be a vessel in which His holy will can move and mold: all these elements of perfect patience are not found at once. But they will come in measure as the soul maintains its position, and ever again says: "Truly my soul waiteth upon God; from HIM cometh my salvation: He only is my rock and my salvation."

Have you ever noticed what proof we have that patience is a grace for which very special grace is given, in these words of Paul: "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all" - what? "patience and long-suffering with joyfulness." Yes, we need to be strengthened with all God’s might, and that according to the measure of His glorious power, if we are to wait on God in all patience. It is God revealing Himself in us as our life and strength, that will enable us with perfect patience to leave all in His hands. If any are inclined to despond, because they have not such patience, let them be of good courage; it is in the course of our feeble and very imperfect waiting that God Himself by His hidden power strengthens us and works out in us the patience of the saints, the patience of Christ Himself.

Listen to the voice of one who was deeply tried: "I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Hear what he passed through: "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Patient waiting upon God brings a rich reward; the deliverance is sure; God Himself will put a new song into your mouth. O soul! be not impatient, whether it be in the exercise of prayer and worship that you find it difficult to wait, or in the delay in respect of definite requests, or in the fulfilling of your heart’s desire for the revelation of God Himself in a deeper spiritual life - fear not, but rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

And if you sometimes feel as if patience is not your gift, then remember it is God’s gift, and take that prayer (2 Thess. 3:5): "The Lord direct your hearts into the patience of Christ." Into the patience with which you are to wait on God, He Himself will guide you.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 15. WAITING ON GOD: FOR HIS COUNSEL

"They soon forgot His works: they waited not for His counsel." Ps. 106:13.

This is said of the sin of God’s people in the wilderness. He had wonderfully redeemed them, and was prepared as wonderfully to supply their every need. But, when the time of need came, "they waited not for His counsel." They thought not that the Almighty God was their Leader and Provider; they asked not what His plans might be. They simply thought the thoughts of their own heart, and tempted and provoked God by their unbelief. "They waited not for His counsel."

How this has been the sin of God’s people in all ages! In the land of Canaan, in the days of Joshua, the only three failures of which we read were owing to this one sin. In going up against Ai, in making a covenant with the Gibeonites, in settling down without going up to possess the whole land, they waited not for His counsel. And so even the advanced believer is in danger from this most subtle of temptations –– taking God’s word and thinking his own thoughts of them, and not waiting for His counsel. Let us take the warning and see what Israel teaches us. And let us very specially regard it not only as a danger to which the individual is exposed, but as one against which God’s people, in their collective capacity, need to be on their guard.

Our whole relation to God is ruled in this, that His will is to be done in us and by us as it is in heaven. He has promised to make known His will to us by His Spirit, the Guide into all truth. And our position is to be that of waiting for His counsel as the only guide of our thoughts and actions. In our church worship, in our prayer-meetings, in our conventions, in all our gatherings as managers, or directors, or committees, or helpers in any part of the work for God, our first object ought ever to be to ascertain the mind of God. God always works according to the counsel of His will; the more that counsel of His will is sought and found and honored, the more surely and mightily will God do His work for us and through us.

The great danger in all such assemblies is that in our consciousness of having our Bible, and our past experience of God’ s leading, and our sound creed, and our honest wish to do God’s will, we trust in these, and do not realize that with every step we need and may have a heavenly guidance. There may be elements of God’s will, application of God’s word, experience of the close presence and leading of God, manifestations of the power of His Spirit, of which we know nothing as yet. God may be willing, nay, God is willing to open up these to the souls who are intently set upon allowing Him to have his way entirely, and who are willing in patience to wait for His making it known.

When we come together praising God for all He has done and taught and given, we may at the same time be limiting Him by not expecting greater things. It was when God had given the water out of the rock that they did not trust Him for bread. It was when God had given Jericho into his hands that Joshua thought the victory over Ai was sure, and waited not for counsel from God. And so, while we think that we know and trust the power of God for what we may expect, we may be hindering Him by not giving time, and not definitely cultivating the habit of waiting for His counsel.

A minister has no more solemn duty than teaching people to wait upon God. Why was it that in the house of Cornelius, when "Peter spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell upon all that heard him"? They had said, "We are here before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God." We may come together to give and to listen to the most earnest exposition of God’s truth with little spiritual profit if there be not the waiting for God’s counsel.

And so in all our gatherings we need to believe in the Holy Spirit as the Guide and Teacher of God’s saints when they wait to be led by Him into the things which God hath prepared, and which the heart cannot conceive. More stillness of soul to realize God’s presence; more consciousness of ignorance of what God’s great plans may be; more faith in the certainty that God has greater things to show us; that He Himself will be revealed in new glory: these must be the marks of the assemblies of God’s saints if they would avoid the reproach, "They waited not for His counsel."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 16. WAITING ON GOD: AND HIS LIGHT IN THE HEART

"I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, And in His word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord. More than they that watch for the morning: More than they that watch for the morning." Ps. 130:5-6.

With what intense longing the morning light is often waited for. By the mariners in a shipwrecked vessel; by a benighted traveler in a dangerous country; by an army that finds itself surrounded by an enemy. The morning light will show what hope of escape there may be. The morning may bring life and liberty. And so the saints of God in darkness have longed for the light of His countenance, more than watchmen for the morning. They have said, "More than watchmen for the morning, my soul waiteth for the Lord." Can we say that too? Our waiting on God can have no higher object than simply having His light shine on us, and in us, and through us, all the day.

God is Light. God is a Sun. Paul says: "God hath shined in our hearts to give the light," What light? "The light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ." Just as the sun shines its beautiful, life-giving light on and into our earth, so God shines into our hearts the light of His glory, of His love, in Christ His Son. Our heart is meant to have that light filling and gladdening it all the day. It can have it, because God is our sun, an it is written, "Thy sun shall no more go down for ever." God’s love shines on us without ceasing.

But can we indeed enjoy it all the day? We can. And how can we? Let nature give us the answer. Those beautiful trees and flowers, with all this green grass, what do they do to keep the sun shining on them? They do nothing; they simply bask in the sunshine, when it comes. The sun is millions of miles away, but over all that distance it comes, its own light and joy; and the tiniest flower that lifts its little head up- wards is met by the same exuberance of light and blessing as flood the widest landscape. We have not to care for the light we need for our day’s work; the sun cares, and provides and shines the light around us all the day. We simply count upon it, and receive it, and enjoy it.

The only difference between nature and grace is this, that what the trees and the flowers do unconsciously, as they drink in the blessing of the light, is to be with us a voluntary and a loving acceptance. Faith, simple faith in God’s word and love, is to be the opening of the eyes, the opening of the heart, to receive and enjoy the unspeakable glory of His grace. And just as the trees, day by day, and month by month, stand and grow into beauty and fruitfulness, just welcoming whatever sunshine the sun may give, so it is the very highest exercise of our Christian life just to abide in the light of God, and let it, and let Him, fill us with the life and the brightness it brings.

And if you ask, But can it really be, that just as naturally and heartily as I recognize and rejoice in the beauty of a bright sunny morning, I can rejoice in God’s light all the day? It can, indeed. From my breakfast-table I look out on a beautiful valley, with trees and vineyards and mountains. In our spring and autumn months the light in the morning is exquisite, and almost involuntarily we say, How beautiful! And the question comes, Is it only the light of the sun that is to bring such continual beauty and joy? And is there no provision for the light of God being just as much an unceasing source of joy and gladness? There is, indeed, if the soul will but be still and wait on Him, ONLY LET GOD SHINE.

Dear soul! learn to wait on the Lord, more than watchers for the morning. All within you may be very dark; is that not the very best reason for waiting for the light of God? The first beginnings of light may be just enough to discover the darkness, and painfully to humble you on account of sin. Can you not trust the light to expel the darkness? Do believe it will. Just bow, even now, in stillness before God, and wait on Him to shine into you. Say, in humble faith, God is light, infinitely brighter and more beautiful than that of the sun. God is light: the Father. The eternal, inaccessible, and incomprehensible light: the Son. The light concentrated, and embodied, and manifested: the Spirit, the light entering and dwelling and shining in our hearts. God is light, and is here shining on my heart. I have been so occupied with the rushlights of my thoughts and efforts. I have never opened the shutters to let His light in. Unbelief has kept it out.

I bow in faith: God, light, is shining into my heart; the God of whom Paul wrote, "God hath shined into our heart," is my God. What would I think of a sun that could not shine? What shall I think of a God that does not shine? No, God shines! God is light! I will take time, and just be still, and rest in the light of God. My eyes are feeble, and the windows are not clean, but I will wait on the Lord. The light does shine, the light will shine in me, and make me full of light. And I shall learn to walk all the day in the light and joy of God. My soul waits on the light of the Lord, more than the watcher for the morning.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God"

Day 17. WAITING ON GOD: IN TIMES OF DARKNESS

"I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob; and I will look for Him." Isa 8:17.

Here we have a servant of God, waiting upon Him, not on behalf of himself, but of his people, from whom God was hiding His face. It suggests to us how our waiting upon God, though it commences with our personal needs, with the desire for the revelation of Himself, or for the answer to personal petitions, need not, may not, stop there. We may be walking in the full light of God’s countenance, and God yet be hiding His face from His people around us; far from being content to think that this is nothing but the just punishment of their sin, or the consequence of their indifference, we are called with tender hearts to think of their sad estate, and to wait on God on their behalf. The privilege of waiting upon God is one that brings great responsibility. Even as Christ, when He entered God’s presence, at once used His place of privilege and honor as intercessor, so we, no less, if we know what it is really to enter in and wait upon God, must use our access for our less favored brethren. "I will wait upon the Lord, who hideth His face from the house of Jacob."

You worship with a certain congregation. Possibly there is not the spiritual life or joy either in the preaching or in the fellowship that you could desire. You belong to a Church, with its many congregations. There is so much of error or worldliness, of seeking after human wisdom and culture, or trust in ordinances and observances, that you do not wonder that God hides His face, in many cases, and that there is but little power for conversion or true edification.

Then there are branches of Christian work with which you are connected - a Sunday school, a gospel hall, a young men’s association, a mission work abroad - in which the feebleness of the Spirit’s working appears to indicate that God is hiding His face. You think, too, you know the reason, There is too much trust in men and money; there is too much formality and self-indulgence; there is too little faith and prayer; too little love and humility; too little of the spirit of the crucified Jesus. At times you feel as if things were hopeless; nothing will help.

Do believe that God can help and will help. Let the spirit of the prophet come into you, as you value his words, and set yourself to wait on God, on behalf of His erring children. Instead of the tone of judgment or condemnation, of despondency or despair, realize your calling to wait upon God. If others fail in doing it, give yourself doubly to it. The deeper the darkness, the greater the need of appealing to the one only Deliverer. The greater the self-confidence around you, that knows not that it is poor and wretched and blind, the more urgent the call on you who profess to see the evil and to have access to Him who alone can help, to be at your post waiting upon God. Say on each new occasion, when you are tempted to speak or to sigh: "I will wait on the Lord, who hideth His face from the house of Jacob."

There is a still larger circle - the Christian Church throughout the world. Think of Greek, Roman Catholic, and Protestant churches, and the state of the millions that belong to them. Or think only of the Protestant churches with their open Bible and orthodox creeds. How much nominal profession and formality, how much of the rule of the flesh and of man in the very temple of God! And what abundant proof that God does hide his face!

What are those who see and mourn this to do? The first thing to be done is this: "I will wait on the Lord, who hideth His face from the house of Jacob." Let us wait on God, in the humble confession of the sins of His people. Let us take time and wait on Him in this exercise. Let us wait on God in tender, loving intercession for all saints, our beloved brethren, however wrong their lives or their teaching may appear. Let us wait on God in faith and expectation, until He shows us that He will hear. Let us wait on God, with the simple offering of ourselves to Himself, and the earnest prayer that He would send us to our brethren. Let us wait on God, and give Him no rest till He makes Zion a joy in the earth.

Yes, let us rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him who now hides His face from so many of His children. And let us say of the lifting up of the light of His countenance we long for all His people, "I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and my hope is in His word. My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than the watchers for the morning, the watchers for the morning."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God!"

Day 18. TO REVEAL HIMSELF

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.—Isaiah 25:9

In this passage, we have two precious thoughts. The one, that it is the language of God's people who have been unitedly waiting on Him. The other, that the fruit of their waiting has been that God has so revealed Himself, that they could joyfully say, "Lo, this is our God . . . this is the LORD." The power and the blessing of united waiting is what we need to learn.

Note that this phrase is repeated twice, "We have waited for him." In some time of trouble, the hearts of the people had been drawn together, and they had, ceasing from all human hope or help, with one heart set themselves to wait for their God. Is this not just what we need in our churches and conventions and prayer meetings? Is not the need of the church and the world great enough to demand it? Are there not in the church of Christ evils to which no human wisdom is equal? Have we not ritualism and rationalism, formalism and worldliness, robbing the church of its power? Have we not culture and money and pleasure threatening its spiritual life? Are not the powers of the church utterly inadequate to cope with the powers of infidelity and iniquity and wretchedness in Christian countries and in heathendom? And, is there not, in the promise of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, a provision made that can meet the need and give the church the restful assurance that she is doing all her God expects of her? And would not united waiting upon God for the supply of His Spirit most certainly seem the needed blessing? We cannot doubt it.

The object of a more definite waiting upon God in our gatherings would be very much the same as in personal worship. It would mean a deeper conviction that God must and will do all. It would require a more humble and abiding entrance into our deep helplessness, and the need of entire and unceasing dependence upon Him. We need a more living consciousness that the essential thing is to give God His place of honor and of power. We must have a confident expectation that to those who wait on Him, God will, by His Spirit, give the secret of His acceptance and presence, and then, in due time, the revelation of His saving power. The great aim would be to bring everyone in a praying and worshiping company under a deep sense of God's presence, so that when they part there will be the consciousness of having met God Himself, of having left every request with Him, and of now waiting in stillness while He works out His salvation.

It is this experience that is indicated in our text. The fulfillment of the words may, at times, be in such striking interpositions of God's power that all can join in the cry, "Lo, this is our God . . . this is the LORD." They may equally become true in spiritual experience, when God's people, in their waiting times, become so conscious of His presence that, in holy awe, souls feel, "Lo, this is our God . . . this is the LORD." It is this, alas, that is too much missed in our meetings for worship. The godly minister has no more difficult, no more solemn, no more blessed task, than to lead his people out to meet God. And, before he preaches, he must bring each one into contact with Him. "We are now here in the presence of God"—these words of Cornelius show the way in which Peter's audience was prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Waiting before God, waiting for God, and waiting on God are the conditions of God showing His presence.

A company of believers gathered with the one purpose, helping each other by little intervals of silence, to wait on God alone, opening the heart for whatever God may have of new discoveries of evil, of His will, of new openings in work or methods of work, would soon have reason to say, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 19. AS A GOD OF JUDGMENT

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, 0 LORD, have we waited for thee . . . For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.—Isaiah 26:8–9

The LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait upon him.—Isaiah 30:18

God is a God of mercy and a God of judgment. Mercy and judgment are forever together in His dealings. In the Flood, in the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, in the overthrow of the Canaanites, we ever see mercy in the midst of judgment. I n these, the inner circle of His own people, we see it, too. The judgment punishes the sin, while mercy saves the sinner. Or, rather, mercy saves the sinner, not in spite of, but by means of, the very judgment that came upon his sin. In waiting on God, we must beware of forgetting this—as we wait we must expect Him as a God of judgment.

"In the way of thy judgments, 0 LORD, have we waited for thee." That will prove true in our inner experience. If we are honest in our longing for holiness—in our prayers to be wholly the Lord's—His holy presence will stir up and discover hidden sin. It, will bring us very low in the bitter conviction of the evil of our nature, its opposition to God's law, and its inability to fulfill that law. The words will come true: "Who may abide the day of his coming? . . . For he is like a refiner's fire" (Mal. 3:2). "Oh that thou wouldest . . . come down . . . As when the melting fire burneth" (Isa. 64:1). In great mercy, God executes, within the soul, His judgments upon sin, as He makes it feel its wickedness and guilt. Many try to flee from these judgments. The soul that longs for God, and for deliverance from sin, bows under them in humility and in hope. In silence of soul, it says, "Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered" (Num. 10:35). "In the way of thy judgments . . . have we waited for thee."

Let no one who seeks to learn the blessed art of waiting on God, wonder if at first the attempt to wait on Him only reveals more of sin and darkness. Let no one despair because unconquered sins, evil thoughts, or great darkness appear to hide God's face. Was not, in His own beloved Son, the gift and bearer of His mercy on Calvary, the mercy as hidden and lost in the judgment? Oh, submit and sink down deep under the judgment of your every sin. Judgment prepares the way and breaks out in wonderful mercy. It is written, "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment" (Isa. 1:27). Wait on God, in the faith that His tender mercy is working out His redemption in the midst of judgment. Wait for Him; He will be gracious to you.

There is another application still, one of unspeakable solemnity. We are expecting God, in the way of His judgments, to visit his earth; we are waiting for Him. What a thought! We know of these coming judgments. We know that there are tens of thousands of professing Christians who live on in carelessness, and who, if no change comes, must perish under God's hand. Oh, will we not do our utmost to warn them, to plead with and for them, if God may lave mercy on them! If we feel our lack of boldness, zeal, and cower, will we not begin to wait on God more definitely and persistently as a God of judgment? Will we not ask Him to so reveal Himself in the judgments that are coming on our very friends, that we may be inspired with a new fear of Him and them, and constrained to speak and pray as never yet before? Verily, waiting on God is not leant to be a spiritual self-indulgence. Its object is to let God and His holiness, Christ and the love that died on Calvary, the Spirit and fire that burns in heaven and came to earth, get possession of us to warn and arouse men with the message that we are waiting for God in the way of His judgments. Oh, Christian, prove that you really believe in the God of judgment!

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 20. WHO WAITS ON US

And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.—Isaiah 30:18

We must not only think of our waiting upon God, but also of what is more wonderful still, of God's waiting upon us. The vision of Him waiting on us will give new impulse and inspiration to our waiting upon Him. It will give us an unspeakable confidence that our waiting cannot be in vain. If He waits for us, then we may be sure that we are more than welcome—that He rejoices to find those He has been seeking for. Let us seek even now, at this moment, in the spirit of lowly waiting on God, to find out, something of what it means. "Therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you." We will accept and echo back the message, "Blessed are all they that wait for him."

Look up and see the great God upon His throne. He is love an unceasing and inexpressible desire to communicate His own goodness and blessedness to all His creatures. He longs and delights to bless. He has inconceivably glorious purposes concerning every one of His children, by the power of His Holy Spirit, to reveal in them His love and power. He waits with all the longings of a father's heart. He waits that He may be gracious unto you. And, each time you come to wait upon Him, or seek to maintain in daily life the holy habit of waiting, you may look up and see Him ready to meet you. He will be waiting so that He may be gracious unto you. Yes, connect every exercise, every breath of the life of waiting, with faith's vision of your God waiting for you.

And if you ask: How is it, if He waits to be gracious, that even after I come and wait upon Him, He does not give the help I seek, but waits on longer and longer? There is a double answer. The one is this. God is a wise husbandman, who "waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it (James 5:7). He cannot gather the fruit until it is ripe. He knows when we are spiritually ready to receive the blessing to our profit and His glory. Waiting in the sunshine of His love is what will ripen the soul for His blessing. Waiting under the cloud of trial, that breaks in showers of blessing, is as necessary. Be assured that if God waits longer than you could wish, it is only to make the blessing doubly precious. God waited four thousand years, until the fullness of time, before He sent His Son. Our times are in His hands. He will avenge His elect speedily. He will make haste for our help and not delay one hour too long.

The other answer points to what has been said before. The giver is more than the gift; God is more than the blessing. And our being kept waiting on Him is the only way for our learning to find our life and joy in Himself. Oh, if God's children only knew what a glorious God they have, and what a privilege it is to be linked in fellowship with Him, then they would rejoice in Him! Even when He keeps them waiting, they will learn to understand better than ever. "Therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you." His waiting will be the highest proof of His graciousness.

"Blessed are all they that wait for him." A queen has her ladies-in-waiting. The position is one of subordination and service, and yet it is considered one of the highest dignity and privilege, because a wise and gracious sovereign makes them companions and friends. What a dignity and blessedness to be attendants-in-waiting on the everlasting God, ever on the watch for every indication of His will or favor, ever conscious of His nearness, His goodness, and His grace! "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him" (Lam. 3:25). "Blessed are all they that wait for him." Yes, it is blessed when a waiting soul and a waiting God meet each other. God cannot do His work without His and our waiting His time. Let waiting be our work, as it is His. And, if His waiting is nothing but goodness and graciousness, let ours be nothing but a rejoicing in that goodness, and a confident expectancy of that grace. And, let every thought of waiting become to us the simple expression of unmingled and unutterable blessedness, because it brings us to a God who waits that He may make Himself known to us perfectly as the gracious One.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 21. THE ALMIGHTY ONE

They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.—Isaiah 40:31

Our waiting on God will depend greatly on our faith of what He is. In our text, we have the close of a passage in which God reveals Himself as the everlasting and almighty One. It is as that revelation enters into our soul that the waiting will become the spontaneous expression of what we know Him to be--a God altogether most worthy to be waited upon.

Listen to the words, "Why sayest thou, 0 Jacob . . . My way is hid from the LORD . . .? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?" (Isa. 40:27-28). So far from it: "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint . . . and the young men shall utterly fall" (vv. 29-30). And consider that "the glory of young men is their strength" (Prov. 20:29). All that is deemed strong with man shall come to nothing. "But they that wait upon the LORD," on the Everlasting One, who does not faint, and is not weary, they "shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and"—listen now, they will be strong with the strength of God, and, even as He, they will "not be weary; and they shall walk, and" even as He, they will "not faint."

Yes, "they shall mount up with wings as eagles." You know what eagles' wings mean. The eagle is the king of birds; it soars the highest into the heavens. Believers are to live a heavenly life, in the very presence and love and joy of God. They are to live where God lives; they need God's strength to rise there. It will be given to them that wait on Him.

You know how the eagles' wings are obtained. Only in one way—by the eagle birth. You are born of God. You have the eagles' wings. You may not have known it; you may not have used them; but God can and will teach you how to use them.

You know how the eagles are taught the use of their wings. See yonder cliff rising a thousand feet out of the sea. See high up a ledge on the rock, where there is an eagle's nest with its treasure of two young eaglets. See the mother bird come and stir up her nest, and with her beak push the timid birds over the precipice. See how they flutter and fall and sink toward the depth. See now how she "fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings" (Deut. 32:11), and so, as they ride upon her wings, brings them to a place of safety. And so, she does this once and again, each time casting them out over the precipice, and then again taking and carrying them. "So the LORD alone did lead him" (v. 12). Yes, the instinct of that eagle mother was God's gift, a single ray of that love in which the Almighty trains His people to mount as on eagles' wings.

He stirs up your nest. He disappoints your hopes. He brings down your confidence. He makes you fear and tremble, as all your strength fails, and you feel utterly weary and helpless. And all the while He is spreading His strong wings for you to rest your weakness on and offering His everlasting Creator strength to work in you. And all He asks is that you sink down in your weariness and wait on Him. Allow Him in His Jehovah strength to carry you as you ride upon the wings of His omnipotence.

Dear child of God, I pray you, lift up your eyes, and behold your God! Listen to Him who says that He "fainteth not, neither is weary" (Isa. 40:28), who promises that you too will not faint or be weary, who asks nothing but this one thing, that you should wait on Him. And, let your answer be, With such a God, so mighty, so faithful, so tender,

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 22. ITS CERTAINTY OF BLESSING

Thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.—Isaiah 49:23

Blessed are all they that wait for him.—Isaiah 30:18

What promises! How God seeks to draw us to waiting on Him by the most positive assurance that it never can be in vain; "they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." How strange that, though we should so often have experienced it, we are yet so slow to learn that this blessed waiting must and can be the very breath of our life—a continuous resting in God's presence and His love, an unceasing yielding of ourselves for Him to perfect His work in us. Let us once again listen and meditate, until our heart says with new conviction, "Blessed are all they that wait for him."

We found in the prayer of Psalm 25: "Let none that wait on thee be ashamed"(v. 3). The very prayer shows how we fear that it might be true. Let us listen to God's answer, until every fear is banished, and we send back to heaven the words God speaks, Yes, Lord, we believe what You say: "All they who wait for Me will not be ashamed." "Blessed are all they that wait for him."

The context of each of these two passages points us to times when God's church was in great straits, and to human eyes there were no possibilities of deliverance. But, God interposes with His word of promise, and pledges His almighty power for the deliverance of His people. And it is as the God who has Himself undertaken the work of their redemption that He invites them to wait on Him, and assures them that disappointment is impossible.

We, too, are living in days in which there is much in the state of the church, with its profession and its formalism, that is indescribably sad. Amid all we praise God for, there is, alas, much to mourn over! Were it not for God's promises, we might well despair. But, in His promises the living God has given and bound Himself to us. He calls us to wait on Him. He assures us we will not be put to shame. Oh, that our hearts might learn to wait before Him, until He Himself reveals to us what His promises mean. In the promises, He reveals Himself in His hidden glory! We will be irresistibly drawn to wait on Him alone. May God increase the company of those who say: "Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield" (Ps. 33:20).

This waiting upon God on behalf of His church and people will depend greatly upon the place that waiting on Him has taken in our personal life. The mind may often have beautiful visions of what God has promised to do, and the lips may speak of them in stirring words, but these are not really the measure of our faith or power. No, it is what we really know of God in our personal experience, conquering the enemies within, reigning and ruling, revealing Himself in His holiness and power in our innermost being. It is this that will be the real measure of the spiritual blessing we expect from Him, and bring to our fellow men.

It is as we know how blessed the waiting on God has become to our own souls, that we will confidently hope in the blessing to come on the church around us. The keyword of all our expectations will be, He has said: "All they who wait on Me will not be ashamed." From what He has done in us, we will trust Him to do mighty things around us. "Blessed are all they that wait for him." Yes, blessed even now in the waiting. The promised blessings for ourselves, or for others, may tarry. The unutterable blessedness of knowing and having Him who has promised—the divine Blesser, the living Fountain of the coming blessings—is even now ours. Do let this truth acquire full possession of your souls, that waiting on God is itself the highest privilege of man, the highest blessedness of His redeemed child.

Even as the sunshine enters with its light and warmth, with its beauty and blessing, into every little blade of grass that rises upward out of the cold earth, so the everlasting God meets, in the greatness and the tenderness of His love, each waiting child, to shine in his heart "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6). Read these words again, until your heart learns to know what God waits to do to you. Who can measure the difference between the great sun and that little blade of grass? And yet, the grass has all of the sun it can need or hold.

Do believe that in waiting on God, His greatness and your littleness suit and meet each other most wonderfully. Just bow in emptiness and poverty and utter weakness, in humility and meekness, and surrender to His will before His great glory, and be still. As you wait on Him, God draws near. He will reveal Himself' as the God who will mightily fulfill His every promise. And, let your heart continually take up the song: "Blessed are all they that wait for him."

My soul, wait thou only upon God

Day 23. FOR UNLOOKED-FOR THINGS

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, 0 God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him—Isaiah 64:4

The American Standard Version has the thought: "Neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him." In the King James Version, the thought is that no eye has seen the thing that God has prepared. In the American Standard Version, no eye has seen a God, besides our God, who works for him who waits for Him. To both, the two thoughts are common: that our place is to wait upon God, and that what the human heart cannot conceive will be revealed to us. The difference is the following: in the American Standard Version, it is the God who works; in the King James Version, the thing He is to work. In 1 Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," the reference is in regard to the things that the Holy Spirit is to reveal, as in the King James Version, and in this chapter we will keep to that.

The previous verses in Isaiah, especially Isaiah 63:15, refer to the low state of God's people. The prayer has been poured out, "Look down from heaven" (v. 15). "Why hast thou . . . hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake" (v. 17). And 64:1-2, still more urgent, "Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down . . . as when the melting fire burneth . . . to make thy name known to thine adversaries!" Then follows the plea from the past, "When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence" (v. 3). "For"—this is now the faith that has been awakened by the thought of things we looked not for, He is still the same God—"neither hath the eye seen, 0 God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."

God alone knows what He can do for His waiting people. As Paul expounds and applies it: "The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:11). "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (v. 10).

The need of God's people, and the call for God's intervention, is as urgent in our days as it was in the time of Isaiah. There is now, as there was then, as there has been at all times, a few who seek after God with their whole hearts. But, if we look at Christendom as a whole, at the state of the church of Christ, there is infinite cause for beseeching God to rend the heavens and come down. Nothing but a special interposition of almighty power will avail. I fear we do not have a proper conception of what the so-called Christian world is in the sight of God. Unless God comes down "as when the melting fire burneth . . . to make [His] name known to [His] adversaries" (Isa. 64:2), our labors are comparatively fruitless.

Look at the ministry: how much it is in the wisdom of man and of literary culture; how little in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Think of the unity of the body: how little there is of the manifestation of the power of a heavenly love binding God's children into one. Think of holiness—the holiness of Christlike humility and crucifixion to the world. How little the world sees that they have men among them who live in Christ in heaven, in whom Christ and heaven live.

What is to be done? There is only one thing. We must wait upon God. And what for? We must cry, with a cry that never rests, "Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens . . . [and] come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence" (Isa. 64:1). We must desire and believe, we must ask and expect, that God will do unlooked-for things. We must set our faith on a God of whom men do not know what He has prepared for them who wait for Him. The wonder-doing God, who can surpass all our expectations, must be the God of our confidence.

Yes, let God's people enlarge their hearts to wait on a God able to do exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think (Eph. 3:20). Let us band ourselves together as His elect who cry day and night to Him for things men have not seen. He is able to arise and to make His people a name and a praise in the earth. "The LORD will wait, that he may be gracious unto you . . . blessed are all they that wait for him" (Isa. 30:18).

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 24. TO KNOW HIS GOODNESS

The LORD is good unto them that wait for him.—Lamentations 3:25

There is none good but God (Matt. 19:17). His goodness is in the heavens. "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee" (Ps. 31:19). "0 taste and see that the LORD is good" (Ps. 34:8). And here is now the true way of entering into and rejoicing in this goodness of God—waiting upon Him. The Lord is good—even His children often do not know it, for they do not wait in quietness for Him to reveal it. But, to those who persevere in waiting, whose souls do wait, it will come true. One might think that it is just those who have to wait who might doubt it. But, this is only when they do not wait, but grow impatient. The truly waiting ones will all say, "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him." If you want to fully know the goodness of God, give yourself more than ever to a life of waiting on Him.

At our first entrance into the school of waiting upon God, the heart is mainly set on the blessings which we wait for. God graciously uses our needs and desires for help to educate us for something higher than we were thinking of. We were seeking gifts; He, the Giver, longs to give Himself and to satisfy the soul with His goodness. It is just for this reason that He often withholds the gifts, and that the time of waiting is made so long. He is constantly seeking to win the heart of His child for Himself. He wishes that we would not only say, when He bestows the gift, "How good is God!" but that long before it comes, and even if it never comes, we should all the time be experiencing: it is good that a man should quietly wait. "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him."

What a blessed life the life of waiting then becomes, the continual worship of faith, adoring, and trusting His goodness. As the soul learns its secret, every act or exercise of waiting becomes just a quiet entering into the goodness of God, to let it do its blessed work and satisfy our every need. And, every experience of God's goodness gives new attractiveness to the work of waiting. Instead of only taking refuge in time of need, there comes a great longing to wait continually and all day. And, however duties and engagements occupy the time and the mind, the soul gets more familiar with the secret art of always waiting. Waiting becomes the habit and disposition, the very second nature and breath of the soul.

Dear Christian, begin to see that waiting is not one among a number of Christian virtues, to be thought of from time to time. But, it expresses that disposition that lies at the very root of the Christian life. It gives a higher value and a new power to our prayers and worship, to our faith and surrender, because it links us, in unalterable dependence, to God Himself. And, it gives us the unbroken enjoyment of the goodness of God: "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him."

Let me stress once again that you must take time and trouble to cultivate this much needed element of the Christian life. We get too much secondhand religion from the teaching of men. That teaching has great value, even as the preaching of John the Baptist sent his disciples away from himself to the living Christ, if it leads us to God Himself. What our faith needs is—more of God.

Many of us are too occupied with our work. As with Martha, the very service we want to render the Master separates us from Him. It is neither pleasing to Him nor profitable to ourselves. The more work, the more need of waiting upon God. The doing of God's will would then be, instead of exhausting, our meat and drink, our nourishment and refreshment and strength. "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him." How good is known only by those who prove it in waiting on Him. How good none can fully tell but those who have proved Him to the utmost.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 25. QUIETLY

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD - Lamentations 3:26

Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted" (Isa. 7:4). "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength" (Isa. 30:15). Such words reveal to us the close connection between quietness and faith. They show us what a deep need there is of quietness, as an element of true waiting upon God. If we are to have our whole heart turned toward God, we must have it turned away from man, from all that occupies and interests, whether of joy or sorrow.

God is a being of such infinite greatness and glory, and our nature has become so estranged from Him, that it requires our whole heart and desires set upon Him, even in some little measure, to know and receive Him. Everything that is not God, that excites our fears or stirs our efforts or awakens our hopes or makes us glad, hinders us in our perfect waiting on Him. The message is one of deep meaning: "Take heed, and be quiet"; "In quietness...shall be your strength"; "It is good that a man should . . . quietly wait."

Scripture abundantly testifies how the very thought of God in His majesty and holiness should silence us: "The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. 2:20); "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD" (Zeph. 1:7); "Be silent, 0 all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation" (Zech. 2:13).

As long as the waiting on God is chiefly regarded as an end toward more effectual prayer, and the obtaining of our petitions, this spirit of perfect quietness will not be obtained. But, when it is seen that waiting on God is itself an unspeakable blessedness—one of the highest forms of fellowship with the Holy One—the adoration of Him in His glory will of necessity humble the soul into a holy stillness, making way for God to speak and reveal Himself. Then, it comes to the fulfillment of the precious promise, that all of self and self-effort will be humbled: "The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day" (Isa. 2:11).

Let everyone who wants to learn the art of waiting on God remember the lesson, "Take heed, and be quiet" (Isa. 7:4). "It is good that a man . . . quietly wait." Take time to be separate from all friends and all duties, all cares and all joys; time to be still and quiet before God. Take time not only to secure stillness from man and the world, but from self and its energy. Let the Word and prayer be very precious. But remember, even these may hinder the quiet waiting. The activity of the mind in studying the Word or giving expression to its thoughts in prayer, the activities of the heart, with its desires and hopes and fears, may so engage us that we do not come to the still waiting on the All-glorious One; our whole being is prostrate in silence before Him.

Though at first it may appear difficult to know how thus quietly to wait, with the activities of mind and heart for a time subdued, every effort after it will be rewarded. We will discover that it grows upon us, and the little season of silent worship will bring a peace and a rest that give a blessing not only in prayer, but all day.

"It is good that a man should . . . quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." Yes, it is good. The quietness is the confession of our meekness. It will not be done with all our willing and running (Rom. 9:16), with all our thinking and praying. We must receive it from God. It is the confession of our trust that our God will, in His time, come to our help—the quiet resting in Him alone. It is the confession of our desire to sink into our nothingness and to let Him work and reveal Himself. Do let us wait quietly. In daily life, let there be, in the soul that is waiting for the great God to do His wondrous work, a quiet reverence, an abiding watching against too deep engrossment with the world. Then, the whole character will come to bear the beautiful stamp—quietly waiting for the salvation of God.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 26. IN HOLY EXPECTANCY

Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me—Micah 7:7

Have you ever heard of a little book, "Expectation Corners"? It tells of a king who prepared a city for some of his poor subjects. Not far from them were large storehouses, where everything they could need was supplied if they sent in their requests. But, on one condition—that they should be on the lookout for the answer, so that when the king's messengers came with the answer to their petitions, they should always be found waiting and ready to receive them. The sad story is told of one desponding person who never expected to get what he asked, because he was too unworthy. One day, he was taken to the king's storehouses, and there, to his amazement, he saw, with his address on them, all the packages that had been made up for him and sent. There was the garment of praise and the oil of joy and the eye salve and so much more. They had been to his door but found it closed; he was not on the lookout. From that time on, he learned the lesson Micah would teach us today. "I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me."

We have said more than once: waiting for the answer to prayer is not the whole of waiting, but only a part. Today, I want to take in the blessed truth that it is a part, and a very important one. When we have special petitions, in connection with which we are waiting on God, our waiting must be very definitely in the confident assurance, "My God will hear me."

A holy, joyful expectancy is of the very essence of true waiting. And, this is not only true in reference to the many varied requests every believer has to make, but most especially to the one great petition which ought to be the chief thing every heart seeks for itself—that the life of God in the soul may have full sway, that Christ may be fully formed within, and that we may be filled to all the fullness of God. This is what God has promised. This is what God's people too little seek, very often because they do not believe it possible. This is what we ought to seek and dare to expect, because God is able and waiting to work it in us.

But, God Himself must work it. And for this end our working must cease. We must see how entirely it is to be the faith of the operation of God, who raised Jesus from the dead. Just as much as the resurrection, the perfecting of God's life in our souls is to be directly His work. And, waiting has to become, more than ever, a tarrying before God in stillness of soul, counting upon Him who raises the dead and calls the things that are not as though they were (Rom. 4:17).

Just notice how the threefold use of the name of God in our text points us to Himself as the one from whom alone is our expectation. "I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me." Everything that is salvation, everything that is good and holy, must be the direct, mighty work of God Himself within us. In every moment of a life in the will of God, there must be the immediate operation of God. And, the one thing I have to do is this: to look to the Lord, to wait for the God of my salvation, to hold fast the confident assurance, "my God will hear me."

God says, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

There is no stillness like that of the grave. In the grave of Jesus, in the fellowship of His death, in death to self with its own will and wisdom, its own strength and energy—there is rest. As we cease from self and our soul becomes still to God, God will arise and show Himself. "Be still, and know"; then you will know "that I am God." There is no stillness like the stillness Jesus gives when He speaks. "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39). In Christ, in His death, in His life, in His perfected redemption, the soul may be still, and God will come in, take possession, and do His perfect work.

My soul, be thou still only unto God!

Day 27. FOR REDEMPTION

"Simeon . . . was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. . . Anna, a prophetess . . . spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" —Luke 2:25, 36, 38.

Here we have the mark of a waiting believer. "Just," righteous in all his conduct; "devout," devoted to God, ever walking as in His presence; "waiting for the consolation of Israel," looking for the fulfillment of God's promises: "and the Holy Ghost was upon him." In the devout waiting, he had been prepared for the blessing. And Simeon was not the only one. Anna spoke to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. This was the one mark, amid surrounding formalism and worldliness, of a godly band of men and women in Jerusalem. They were waiting on God, looking for His promised redemption.

And now that the consolation of Israel has come, and the redemption has been accomplished, do we still need to wait? We do indeed. But, will not our waiting, who look back to it as come, differ greatly from those who looked forward to it as coming? It will, especially in two aspects. We now wait on God in the full power of the redemption, and we wait for its full revelation.

Our waiting is now in the full power of the redemption. Christ said, "In that day you will know that you are in Me. Abide in Me." The Epistles teach us to present ourselves to God as "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ" (Rom. 6:11), "blessed... with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). Our waiting on God may now be in the wonderful consciousness maintained by the Holy Spirit within us, that we are accepted in the Beloved, that the love that rests on Him rests on us, that we are living in that love, in the very nearness and presence and sight of God.

The old saints took their stand on the Word of God, and waiting, hoping on that Word, we rest on the Word, too—but, oh, under what exceedingly greater privileges, as one with Christ Jesus! In our waiting on God, let this be our confidence: in Christ we have access to the Father. How sure, therefore, we may be that our waiting cannot be in vain.

Our waiting differs, too, in this, that while they waited for a redemption to come, we see it accomplished and now wait for its revelation in us. Christ not only said, "Abide in me" (John 15:4), but also "I in you" (v. 4). The Epistles not only speak of us in Christ, but of Christ in us, as the highest mystery of redeeming love. As we maintain our place in Christ day by day, God waits to reveal Christ in us in such a way that He is formed in us, that His mind and disposition and likeness acquire form and substance in us, so that by each it can in truth be said, "Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20).

My life in Christ up there in heaven and Christ's life in me down here on earth—these two are the complement of each other. And, the more my waiting on God is marked by the living faith, I in Christ, the more the heart thirsts for and claims the Christ in me. The waiting on God, which began with special needs and prayer, will increasingly be concentrated, as far as our personal life is concerned, on this one thing: Lord, reveal Your redemption fully in me; let Christ live in me.

Our waiting differs from that of the old saints in the place we take, and the expectations we entertain. But, at root it is the same: waiting on God, from whom alone is our expectation.

Learn one lesson from Simeon and Anna. How utterly impossible it was for them to do anything toward the great redemption—toward the birth of Christ or His death. It was God's work. They could do nothing but wait. Are we as absolutely helpless in regard to the revelation of Christ in us? We are indeed. God did not work out the great redemption in Christ as a whole and leave its application in detail to us.

The secret thought that it is so is the root of all our feebleness. The revelation of Christ in every individual believer, and in each one the daily revelation, step by step and moment by moment, is as much the work of God's omnipotence as the birth or resurrection of Christ. Until this truth enters and fills us, and we feel that we are just as dependent upon God for each moment of our life in the enjoyment of redemption as they were in their waiting for it, our waiting upon God will not bring its full blessing. The sense of utter and absolute helplessness, the confidence that God can and will do all, are the marks of our waiting as of theirs. As gloriously as God proved Himself to them the faithful and wonder-working God, He will to us, too.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 28. FOR THE COMING OF HIS SON

"[Be] ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord."—Luke 12:36. "Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in its own times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords."—1 Timothy 6:14-15 (ASV). "Turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven."—1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Waiting on God in heaven, and waiting for His Son from heaven—these two God has joined together, and no man may put them asunder. The waiting on God for His presence and power in daily life will be the only true preparation for waiting for Christ in humility and true holiness. The waiting for Christ coming from heaven to take us to heaven will give the waiting on God its true tone of hopefulness and joy. The Father, who, in His own time, will reveal His Son from heaven, is the God who, as we wait on Him, prepares us for the revelation of His Son. The present life and the coming glory are inseparably connected in God and in us.

There is sometimes a danger of separating them. It is always easier to be engaged with the Christianity of the past or the future than to be faithful in the Christianity of today. As we look to what God has done in the past, or will do in time to come, the personal claim of present duty and present submission to His working may be avoided. Waiting on God must always lead to waiting for Christ as the glorious consummation of His work. And, waiting for Christ must always remind us of the duty of waiting upon God as our only proof that the waiting for Christ is in spirit and in truth.

There is such a danger of our being more occupied with the things that are coming than with Him who is to come. There is such scope in the study of coming events for imagination and reason and human ingenuity, that nothing but deeply humble waiting on God can save us from mistaking the interest and pleasure of intellectual study for the true love of Him and His appearing. All you who say you wait for Christ's coming, be sure that you wait on God now. All you who seek to wait on God now to reveal His Son in you, see to it that you do so as men waiting for the revelation of His Son from heaven. The hope of that glorious appearing will strengthen you in waiting upon God for what He is to do in you now. The same omnipotent love that is to reveal that glory is working in you even now to prepare you for it.

"The blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13 ASV), is one of the great bonds of union given to God's church throughout the ages. "He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed" (2 Thess. 1:10 ASV). Then, we will all meet, and the unity of the body of Christ will be seen in its divine glory. It will be the meeting place and the triumph of divine love. Jesus receiving His own and presenting them to the Father. His own meeting Him and worshiping, in speechless love, that blessed face. His own meeting each other in the ecstasy of God's own love. Let us wait, long for, and love the appearing of our Lord and heavenly Bridegroom. Tender love to Him and tender love to each other is the true and only bridal spirit.

I am very afraid that this is sometimes forgotten. A beloved brother in Holland was speaking about the expectancy of faith being the true sign of the bride. I ventured to express a doubt. An unworthy bride, about to be married to a prince, might only be thinking of the position and the riches that she was to receive. The expectancy of faith might be strong and true love utterly lacking. It is not when we are most occupied with prophetic subjects, but when in humility and love we are clinging close to our Lord and His followers, that we are in the bride's place. Jesus refuses to accept our love except as it is love to His disciples. Waiting for His coming means waiting for the glorious coming manifestation of the unity of the body, while we seek here to maintain that unity in humility and love. Those who love most are the most ready for His coming. Love to each other is the life and beauty of His bride, the church.

And how is this to be brought about? Beloved child of God, if you want to learn how to properly wait for His Son from heaven, live even now waiting on God in heaven. Remember how Jesus lived ever waiting on God. He could do nothing of Himself. It was God who perfected His Son through suffering and then exalted Him. It is God alone who can give you the deep spiritual life of one who is really waiting for His Son: wait on God for it. Waiting for Christ Himself is so different from waiting for things that may come to pass! The latter any Christian can do; the former, God must work in you every day by His Holy Spirit. Therefore, all you who wait on God, look to Him for grace to wait for His Son from heaven in the Spirit which is from heaven. And, you who want to wait for His Son, wait on God continually to reveal Christ in you.

The revelation of Christ in us, as it is given to them who wait upon God, is the true preparation for the full revelation of Christ in glory.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 29. FOR THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER

"He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father." Acts1:4 ASV

In speaking of the saints in Jerusalem at Christ's birth—with Simeon and Anna—we saw how the call to waiting is no less urgent now, though the redemption they waited for has come, than it was then. We wait for the full revelation in us of what came to them, but what they could scarcely comprehend. In the same way, it is with waiting for the promise of the Father. In one sense, the fulfillment can never come again as it came at Pentecost. In another sense, and that in as deep a reality as with the first disciples, we need to wait daily for the Father to fulfill His promise in us.

The Holy Spirit is not a person distinct from the Father in the way two persons on earth are distinct. The Father and the Spirit are never without or separate from each other. The Father is always in the Spirit; the Spirit works nothing but as the Father works in Him. Each moment, the same Spirit that is in us is in God, too. And, he who is most full of the Spirit will be the first to wait on God most earnestly to further fulfill His promise and to still strengthen him mightily by His Spirit in the inner man. The Spirit in us is not a power at our disposal. Nor is the Spirit an independent power, acting apart from the Father and the Son. The Spirit is the real, living presence and the power of the Father working in us. Therefore, it is he who knows that the Spirit is in him who waits on the Father for the full revelation and experience of the Spirit's indwelling. It is he who waits for His increase and abounding more and more.

See this in the apostles. They were filled with the Spirit at Pentecost. When they, not long after, on returning from the council where they had been forbidden to preach, prayed afresh for boldness to speak in His name, a fresh coming down of the Holy Spirit was the Father's fresh fulfillment of His promise.

At Samaria, by the Word and the Spirit, many had been converted, and the whole city was filled with joy. At the apostles' prayer, the Father once again fulfilled the promise. (See Acts 8:14-7.) Even so to the waiting company—"We are all here before God"(see Acts 10:33)—in Cornelius' house. And so, too, in Acts 13. It was when men, filled with the Spirit, prayed and fasted, that the promise of the Father was afresh fulfilled, and the leading of the Spirit was given from heaven: "Separate me Barnabas and Saul" (Acts 13:2).

So also we find Paul, in Ephesians, praying for those who have been sealed with the Spirit, that God would grant them the spirit of illumination. And later on, that He would grant them, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man.

The Spirit given at Pentecost was not something that God failed with in heaven, and sent out of heaven to earth. God does not, cannot, give away anything in that manner. When He gives grace or strength or life, He gives it by giving Himself to work it—it is all inseparable from Himself. Much more so is the Holy Spirit. He is God, present and working in us. The true position in which we can count upon that working with an unceasing power is as we, praising for what we have, still unceasingly wait for the Father's promise to be still more mightily fulfilled.

What new meaning and promise does this give to our lives of waiting! It teaches us to continually keep the place where the disciples tarried at the footstool of the throne. It reminds us that, as helpless as they were to meet their enemies, or to preach to Christ's enemies until they were endued with power, we, too, can only be strong in the life of faith, or the work of love, as we are in direct communication with God and Christ. They must maintain the life of the Spirit in us. This assures us that the omnipotent God will, through the glorified Christ, work in us a power that can bring unexpected things to pass, impossible things. Oh, what the church will be able to do when her individual members learn to live their lives waiting on God—when together, with all of self and the world sacrificed in the fire of love, they unite in waiting with one accord for the promise of the Father, once so gloriously fulfilled, but still unexhausted!

Come and let each of us be still in the presence of the inconceivable grandeur of this prospect: the Father waiting to fill the church with the Holy Spirit. And willing to fill me, let each one say.

With this faith, let a hush and a holy fear come over the soul, as it waits in stillness to take it all in. And, let life increasingly become a deep joy in the hope of the ever fuller fulfillment of the Father's promise.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 30. CONTINUALLY

"Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."—Hosea 12:6.

Continuity is one of the essential elements of life. Interrupt it for a single hour in a man, and it is lost; he is dead. Continuity, unbroken and ceaseless, is essential to a healthy Christian life. God wants me to be, and God waits to make me; I want to be, and I wait on Him to make me, every moment, what He expects of me—what is well pleasing in His sight. If waiting on God is the essence of true faith, the maintenance of the spirit of entire dependence must be continuous. The call of God, "wait on thy God continually," must be accepted and obeyed. Although there may be times of special waiting, the disposition and habit of soul must be there unchangeably and uninterrupted.

This continual waiting is indeed a necessity. To those who are content with a feeble Christian life, it appears to be a luxury beyond what is essential to be a good Christian. But, all who are praying the prayer, "Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made! Keep me as near to You as it is possible for me to be! Fill me as full of Your love as You are willing to do!" feel at once that it is something that must be had. They feel that there can be no unbroken fellowship with God, no full abiding in Christ, no maintaining of victory over sin and readiness for service, without waiting continually on the Lord.

The continual waiting is a possibility. Many think that with the duties of life it is out of the question. They cannot always be thinking of it. Even when they wish to, they forget.

They do not understand that it is a matter of the heart and that what the heart is full of, occupies it, even when the thoughts are otherwise engaged. A father's heart may be continuously filled with intense love and longing for a sick wife or child at a distance, even though pressing business requires all his thoughts. When the heart has learned how entirely powerless it is for one moment to keep itself or bring forth any good, when it has learned how surely and truly God will keep it, when it has, in despair of itself, accepted God's promise to do for it the impossible, it learns to rest in God. In the midst of occupations and temptations, it can wait continually.

This waiting is a promise. God's commands are enablings. Gospel precepts are all promises, a revelation of what our God will do for us. When you first begin waiting on God, it is with frequent intermission and failure. But, do believe God is watching over you in love and secretly strengthening you in it. There are times when waiting appears like just losing time, but it is not so. Waiting, even in darkness, is unconscious advance, because it is God you have to do with, and He is working in you. God, who calls you to wait on Him, sees your feeble efforts and works it in you. Your spiritual life is in no respect your own work; as little as you begin it, can you continue it. It is God's Spirit who has begun the work in you of waiting upon God. He will enable you to wait continually.

Waiting continually will be met and rewarded by God Himself working continually. We are coming to the end of our lessons. I hope that you and I might learn one thing: God must, God will work continually. He ever does work continually, but the experience of it is hindered by unbelief. But, He, who by His Spirit teaches you to wait continually, will bring you also to experience how, as the Everlasting One, His work is never ceasing. In the love and the life and the work of God, there can be no break, no interruption.

Do not limit God in this by your thoughts of what may be expected. Do fix your eyes upon this one truth: in His very nature, God, as the only Giver of life, cannot do anything other than work in His child every moment. Do not look only at the one side: "If I wait continually, God will work continually." No, look at the other side. Place God first and say, "God works continually; every moment I may wait on Him continually." Take time until the vision of your God working continually, without one moment's intermission, fills your being. Your waiting continually will then come of itself. Full of trust and joy, the holy habit of the soul will be: "on thee do I wait all the day" (Ps. 25:5). The Holy Spirit will keep you ever waiting.

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Day 31. ONLY

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation."—Psalm 62:5-6.

It is possible to be waiting continually on God, but not only upon Him. There may be other secret confidences intervening and preventing the blessing that was expected. And so the word only must come to throw its light on the path to the fullness and certainty of blessing. "My soul, wait thou only upon God . . . He only is my rock."

Yes, "my soul, wait thou only upon God." There is but one God, but one source of life and happiness for the heart; "He only is my rock"; "My soul, wait thou only upon God." You desire to be good; "There is none good but . . . God" (Matt. 19:17), and there is no possible goodness but what is received directly from Him. You have sought to be holy; "There is none holy as the LORD" (1 Sam. 2:2), and there is no holiness but what He by His Spirit of holiness every moment breathes in you. You would gladly live and work for God and His kingdom, for men and their salvation. Hear how He says: "The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary . . . He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength . . . They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. (Isa. 40:28-39, 31). He only is God; He only is your Rock: "my soul, wait thou only upon God."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God." You will not find many who can help you in this. There will be enough of your brothers to draw you to put trust in churches and doctrines, in schemes and plans and human appliances, in means of grace and divine appointments. But, "my soul, wait thou only upon God" Himself. His most sacred appointments become a snare when trusted in. The brazen serpent becomes Nehushtan (see 2 Kings 18:4); the ark and the temple a vain confidence. Let the living God alone, none and nothing but He, be your hope.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God." Eyes and hands and feet, mind and thought, may have to be intently engaged in the duties of this life. "My soul, wait thou only upon God." You are an immortal spirit, created not for this world but for eternity and for God. Oh, my soul, realize your destiny. Know your privilege, and "wait thou only upon God." Let not the interest of spiritual thoughts and exercises deceive you; they very often take the place of waiting upon God. "My soul, wait thou," your very self, your innermost being, with all its power, "wait thou only upon God." God is for you; you are for God. Wait only upon Him.

Yes, "my soul, wait thou only upon God." Beware of two great enemies: the world and self. Beware of allowing any earthly satisfaction or enjoyment, however innocent it appears, keep you back from saying, "I [will] go . . . unto God my exceeding joy" (Ps. 43:4). Remember and study what Jesus said about denying self: "Let [a man] deny himself" (Matt. 16:24). Tersteegen says: "The saints deny themselves in everything." Pleasing self in little things may be strengthening it to assert itself in greater things.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God." Let Him be all your salvation and all your desire. Say continually and with an undivided heart, "From him cometh my [expectation]. He only is my rock . . . I shall not be greatly moved" (Ps. 62:1-2). Whatever your spiritual or temporal needs are, whatever the desire or prayer of your heart, whatever your interest in connection with God's work in the church or the world—in solitude or in the rush of the world, in public worship or other gatherings of the saints, "my soul, wait thou only upon God." Let your expectations be from Him alone. "He only is my rock."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God." Never forget the two foundation truths on which this blessed waiting rests. If you are ever inclined to think this waiting only is too hard or too high, they will recall you at once. They are your absolute helplessness and the absolute sufficiency of your God. Oh, enter deeply into the entire sinfulness of all that is of self, and do not think of letting self have anything to say one single moment. Enter deeply into your utter and unceasing inability to ever change what is evil in you, or to bring forth anything that is spiritually good. Enter deeply into your relationship of dependence on God, to receive from Him every moment what He gives. Enter deeper still into His covenant of redemption, with His promise to restore more gloriously than ever what you have lost. And, by His Son and Spirit, He will unceasingly give you His actual divine presence and power. And thus, wait upon your God continually and only.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God." No words can tell, no heart can conceive, the riches of the glory of this mystery of the Father and of Christ. Our God, in the infinite tenderness and omnipotence of His love, waits to be our life and joy. Oh, my soul, let it no longer be necessary that I repeat the words, "Wait upon God." But, let all that is in me rise and sing, "Truly my soul waiteth upon God" (Ps. 62:1). "On thee do I wait all the day" (Ps. 25:5).

My soul, wait thou only upon God!

Moment by Moment
I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment—Isaiah 27:3

Dying with Jesus, by death reckoning mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, 0 Lord, I am Thine.

Chorus: Moment by moment I'm kept in His love;
Moment by moment I've life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, 0 Lord, I am Thine.

Never a battle with wrong for the right,
Never a contest that He doth not fight;
Lifting above us His banner so white,
Moment by moment, I'm kept in His sight.

Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment, I'm under His care.

Never a heartache, and never a groan,
Never a teardrop, and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by moment, He thinks of His own.

Never a weakness that He doth not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Saviour, abides with me still.

How to Spend 30min to Confess your Sins

2009-04-15T21:46:00.003+08:00

Confessing your Sins
Take 30 minutes to get right with God

2min
Ask God to reveal to you the sins that are keeping you from being closer to him.

1min
Am I taking care of my body? Are my eating/activities according to God's will?
1 Corithians 6:19-20

1min
How important is money? Am I giving enough? Have I held back or not used money well?
1 Timothy 6:10

1min
Am I Self-disciplined? Have I given in too easily to sleepiness? Hunger? Temptations?
2 Peter 1:5-7

1min
Which is the overriding influence in my life? my circumstances or my faith?
2 Peter 1:5-7

1min
Any room for improvement in my bahavior?
2 Peter 1:5-7

1min
How do I rate in the categories of kindness and love? When have I neglected to love?
2 Peter 1:5-7

1min
Is my tongue getting the best of me? When have I failed to discipline my tongue?
2 Timothy 2:23-24

1min
Is my God big enough? Where have I doubted his ability to provide or look after me?
Ephesians 3:20-21

1min
Are my words building up or tearing down? Are people directed to God as a result of my speech?
Ephesians 4:29

1min
Time management. When have I wasted time?
Ephesians 5:15-16

1min
Do I possess my possessions? or do they posses me?
Luke 12:15

1min
Attitude check. How do I view myself and others?
Luke 14:11

1min
Who is my Lord? Who do I listen to most?
Luke 6:46

1min
Am I standing for God? Have I been ashamed of God?
Luke 9:26

1min
Heart check. Is my heart, mind and strength all towards God?
Matthew 22:37-38

1min
Do I care if others go to hell? When did I neglect an opportunity given by God?
Matthew 28:19-20

1min
Who is my real master?
Matthew 6:24

1min
Pursuits. Am I chasing things other than God?
Matthew 6:33

1min
Have I been worrying about things that I should leave to God?
Philippians 4:6

1min
Thought life - what occupies my mind? What do I think about when I am not doing anything?
Philippians 4:6

1min
Hey, I'm pretty good!
Romans 12:3

1min
Is one foot on earth and the other in heaven? How?
James 4:4

1min
Where's my dependence? When things go wrong, did I seek God? Or who? Or what?
Matthew 5:3

1min
Where's my focus? What is driving me every day?
Matthew 6:33

1min
Am I thanking God in all things? How have I been ungrateful towards God?
2 Timothy 3:1-5

1min
Am I being obedient to God? Do I listen to the Holy Spirit's advice?
Luke 12:47

1min
How am I seeking after God?
2 Chronicles 12:13

1min
How's my temper?
Ephesians 4:26-27

What devotion material should I use?

2009-03-25T15:43:00.000+08:00

There are heaps of devotional material out there. The best rule of thumb is, the older the better.

When looking at devotion, remember that devotion is only a declaration of dependence, not a demonstration of discipline. Be flexible with your Quiet time and treat it as meeting God like you would a good friend or boyfriend/girlfriend. ENJOY your time with God and if you don't, ask God for help to enjoy your quiet time. Do you think He will answer such a prayer? Of course! That's why you exist - to glorify God and enjoy him forever!

Streams in the Desert for each month of the year
http://www.fourteenfloor.com/2006/11/22/streams-in-the-desert-mobile-devotion

Our Daily Bread Online
http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml

Spurgeon's Faith's check book

http://www.spurgeon.org/fcb/fcb.cgi

Spurgeon's Morning Devotion for Today

http://www.spurgeon.org/morn_eve/this_morning.cgi

Spurgeon's Evening Devotion for Today

http://www.spurgeon.org/morn_eve/this_evening.cgi

God Calling

http://www.twolisteners.org/God%20Calling%20TOC.htm

Free WIFI Outreach - Tomizone

2009-02-26T15:04:00.001+08:00

A little more on the idea of a free wifi outreach... There is a company called Tomizone which offers users the ability to share their internet with the rest of the world by charging them to use the internet. However, there is a way to give users a username / password which they can use to get free WIFI. They have made the sharing of internet much more user friendly.

What you need: List of Tomizone Enabled Routers

D-Link DI-524UP
D-Link DIR-300
Linksys WRT54G (versions 1-4)
Linksys WRT54GL
Belkin F1PI241EGau

You will then need to download the firmware to update the modem for tomizone use by going here. Once you have done that, you will need to log in to your modem's setup/admin section. There will be a TOMIZONE section and you can follow instructions there.

I have not set up one like this but I am really interested in seeing this happen. If you happen to be in Perth, Australia and you are about to do this, please leave a comment here and let me know how to get in touch with you. Even if you are from another part of the world, please leave your thoughts on this idea.

Some other ideas... since you are able to charge people access, you receive 50% of the profits with Tomizone which organises the credit card billing etc, all you have to do is have this set up. One advantage of charging people for internet AND providing it free is that those that get it free will appreciate it even more. If they knew that the free service is usually charged at $10/ day, they will value your outreach even more!

Also you can disable any free access if it starts to get abused. I think you can also limit the usage by username / password which will limit people taking advantage of your good will. You can even hand out flyers around the town which has the username/password printed on it and advertising free WIFI at the Church. Having an expiry date will also give you the freedom to cut off the free access or continue it unannounced.

Top 10 Books Recommended by a Christian Counsellor

2009-02-24T14:31:00.001+08:00

Here is a list of the top 10 books recommended by Competent Counseling, a Christian blog on counselling. How many have you read and what do you think of these books?

The Cross Centered Life: this book will get you focused on the right thing as you move forward in your sanctification.
Humility: this book will set your heart right. A humble person cannot be angry or frustrated with anyone else.
The Gospel Primer: the solution to whatever you are going through must begin with the gospel: God killed his Son to save you. You MUST begin here and never deviate from this course.
The Holiness of God: a solid view of who God is will be essential as you are called on to trust Him through whatever difficulty you may be going through.
How Can I Change?: this is a practical primer on how to change. Do you have a habituated lifestyle of certain sins? Do you want to change? Then read this book. (And it’s FREE.)
When Sinners Say “I Do”: simply the best marriage book on the market today. If you are married I recommend you read this book regardless of the “condition” of your marriage.
Sex, Romance and the Glory of God: an obvious follow-up to the previous book. Get this right for the glory of God.
When People Are Big and God is Small: one of the most common sin patterns we all face. Some call it co-dependency while others call it low self-esteem. The bible calls it “fear of man”.
Shepherding a Child’s Heart: simply put, the best parenting book on the market today.
Age of Opportunity: this is the follow-up book to the previous one. It builds upon SCH. This book is geared toward the parent and teen.

True Christian Fellowship - Questions that lead to Deeper Fellowship

2009-02-16T12:11:00.000+08:00

Was reading a great booklet on small groups discussed the problem of Christians engaging in social activities and wrongly calling that fellowship. The booklet says that fellowship if not pursued properly leads away from Christlikeness and actually reinforces the character flaws that participants have rather than leading them to Biblical change.

True Christian fellowship involves provoking (encouraging) one another to love and good works through correcting one another in love with meekness and sharing our spiritual walk with other people, what we learn from God and what God is saying to us.

Here are a few questions from Girl Talk, another Christian blog which help lead people to deeper fellowship with one another:

Describe your current practice of the spiritual disciplines.
What is a passage of Scripture you have been meditating on recently?
What fruit of the Spirit are you cultivating?
What sin are you seeking to weaken?
How can I pray for you?
Here is an evidence of grace that I observe in your life.

And a few others I thought of:

Name one of your favourite times of fellowship with God
What has God been revealing to you about your walk with him lately?
Where is your favourite place for quiet time and why?
On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your spiritual walk?
Where do you think you could be serving more in the body of Christ?
How did you get saved?
What do you have to thank God for lately?
What is your greatest regret in life?
Who is your greatest spiritual influence in your life?
What verse would summarise your attitude towards life?

Can you think of any more? Leave a comment below.

How do you prepare your heart for Sunday?

2009-01-31T22:16:00.000+08:00

You always hear people talking about preparing your heart for the worship service on Sunday but many people don't know how (or whether) other people do it. There is a post on Competant Counseling which talks about how he prepares for Sunday Worship service but before that, let's look at some plain obvious things you can do before service on Sunday:

1. Read through the passage that will be taught the coming Sunday.
2. Sleep early
3. Wake up early and pray and spend some time with God reading the Bible or a spiritual book
4. Sing through some hymns that will be sung on the coming Sunday service.

Follow this link to have a look at the suggestions from Rick http://competentcounseling.com/2009/01/31/preparing-for-game-day-super-sunday/

Free WIFI - At your local Church outreach

2009-01-08T00:20:00.000+08:00

Have you considered another way of providing a service to the community by a Church is providing free wireless internet? People need to get close enough to the Church building to use the free interner service and if you are in tourist town, you may find that quickly the Church location will become a "famous" free internet access point. Of course, if you really want to be light of the world, you may have to block access to certain websites.

Free internet is another way to provide a service to the community and enable people to draw closer to Church. Consider the possibility in your local church :)

Purity DVD by Jim Berg - one of the best resources for Men

2008-12-15T22:31:00.000+08:00

Jim Berg has come out with a men's conference DVD on the topic of Purity for men. This link purtiy to leadership and shows why a man who struggles with purity will also struggle leading. Every guy who wishes to be married will need to lead some day - at the very least their wife and probably their children as well. This topic most downplayed and ignored by the Church today is well addressed by this DVD series. The title of the eight sections are:

Session 1Biblical Morality

Session 2 Biblical Morality, Part 2

Session 3 Why Sex Didn’t Satisfy Solomon, Part 1

Session 4 Why Sex Didn’t Satisfy Solomon, Part 2

Session 5 he Anatomy of Lust, Part 1

Session 6 The Anatomy of Lust, Part 2

Session 7 Preventative Strategies (Staying Out of a Skid)

Session 8 Rescue Strategies (Getting Out of a Skid)

The DVD also includes a PDF of a syllabus which is about 80 pages worth of good advice for men.

You can find this DVD series at http://www.bjupress.com/product/256248

The following is an extract from the syllabus:

How can we safeguard our families in a culture that constantly streams immorality to us throughmovies, music, and immodest dress? How can we teach modesty and purity to our children?How can we overcome the pull of pornography and immorality ourselves? How can we becomemen of moral courage who win the respect of our families and have an impact upon a corruptworld? How can we understand and minister to the homosexual and to the sexually addicted?These are questions for us to consider in these sessions together.

Though this seminar is not rated PG-13, it is strongly recommended that a father give some“parental guidance” in these areas as is appropriate for his son’s maturity level beginning in hisearly teen years. These principles should equip father and son to have some serious discussions regarding purity and godliness.

How can I know God's will for my life?

2008-10-16T16:36:00.000+08:00

So you want to know what God wants in your life? What should I do for God?

Wrong question... go to this post to find out the right question you should be asking.

How do I know God's will?

2008-10-16T16:16:00.000+08:00

In the book "Experiencing God", the author talks about when you ask the wrong questions, you will always get the wrong answers. One question we often ask wrongly is "How do I know God's will for my life". The author explains that this is a wrong question because we make ourselves the centre of everything when in fact it is God who is and should be at the centre of everything. The right question is

How do I know God's will? When you know His will, its up to you to put yourself in the middle of God's will by obeying what you know. The Bible mentions in many places "the will of God" (and funnily enough, all of these are in the New Testament).

Not conformed to the world Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

From your heart Ephesians 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Be sanctified (constantly check and confess for your sins)
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

Give Thanks for Everything 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Do the right thing 1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

Share the Gospel to the lost world 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

... and you will abide forever
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

How do you discover God's will for your life then? Obey Him. Find opportunities in your life to obey him. Consider what God wants you to do. Read the Bible and do it. If in doubt, wait. Does God give guidance? Yes but you must obey Him first. Gideon only sought a sign from God while he was already in the process of doing God's will ... not to decide WHETHER to do God's will.

Listen to this message for more on God's will:

or one of my personal favourites:

Top 10 Christian messages of All Time

2008-09-19T13:22:00.000+08:00

If you are looking for some "must listen to" messages, have a look at the following from SermonAudio.com. These are the top downloaded messages. If you found any of these messages particularly useful, leave a comment for the benefit of other visitors.

10.

OK one more... 11.

They that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth

2008-07-31T14:20:00.000+08:00

Do you find it hard to worship? The problem probably lies with your lack of interaction/intimacy with God. When you are close to God and you realise the reality of how sinful you are, your reaction to God's mercy and love towards you would be to worship Him. Worship is like a reaction to God's goodness. It comes naturally to a truly converted believer. The inability to worship reflects a possible problem in (or absence of) a relationship with God and is a good indication that things need to change between you and God.

There is a website which looks at Hymns and their stories behind how they were written and composed. Knowing this can help you to appreciate the words in the hymn and worship more meaningfully. Go to this page to get studies on Hymns. A sample is found below:

"JESUS PAID IT ALL"
"Purge me...and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than show" (Psa. 51.7)

INTRO.: A hymn which encourages us to remember that Jesus made it possible for us to be purged, cleansed, and washed whiter than snow is "Jesus Paid It All" (#488 in Hymns for Worship Revised and #606 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by Elvina Mabel Hall, who was born at Alexandria, VA, on June 4, 1820, the daughter of Capt. David Reynolds. After she married Richard Hall, for forty years they were faithful members of the Monument St. Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD. One Sunday morning in 1865, while supposedly listening to the minister's rather lengthy closing prayer, her mind wandered and she began thinking about the lesson's message regarding God's forgiveness and all that Christ had done to provide redemption for mankind, especially for her. A poem began forming in her mind, so since she had no paper handy she looked around and spied the only thing at hand to write on, a hymnbook whose title was the New Lute of Zion.

Picking up the hymnbook and opening to a blank flyleaf, Elvina began jotting down the verses. After the service, she showed it to the minister, George W. Schrick, although she was somewhat embarrassed at having to explain that she had written it in a hymnbook during the prayer. Schrick tucked it away in his files. Sometime after receiving Mrs. Hall's words, Mr. Schrick called on the church's music director, John Thomas Grape (1835-1915). Mr. Grape, also a successful coal merchant in Baltimore and an amateur musician, had earlier been impressed with another hymn entitled "Jesus Paid It All" which had appeared in The Golden Censer, a hymnbook published in 1864 by William B. Bradbury. Grape had composed a tune (All to Christ) patterned after the other hymn. When he gave a copy to Schrick, they found that the stanzas written by Mrs. Hall fit it perfectly. The song was soon sung at several churches in the Baltimore area.

Three years later, in 1868, someone--either Schrick or Grape--sent the hymn to be published in the 1868 collection, Sabbath Chords, compiled by Theodore Perkins for Brown and Perkins in New York City, NY. It is possible that Mrs. Hall was also familiar with the Bradbury song and was unconsciously influenced by it when she produced her words. Many alterations have been made to her original text, and this accounts for the changes of wording in different books. The song in its present form appeared in the 1874 Gospel Song Book Collection published by Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876). After the death of her first husband, Elvina married Thomas Myers in 1885. He was a Methodist minister with the Baltimore Conference. She died three years later at Ocean Grove, NJ, on July 18, 1889.

Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1), the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2, and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 all edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat.

The hymn reminds us of the price that Jesus paid to save us from our sins.

I. From stanza 1 we learn that Jesus alone must be our all in all
"I hear the Savior say, 'Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all."
A. Our strength indeed is small because we all have sinned: Rom. 3.23
B. As a result, we are children of weakness before God and cannot save ourselves by our own good works: Eph. 2.8-9, Tit. 3.5
C. The reason that Jesus is our all in all is that only in Him is found redemption: Col. 1.12-14

II. From stanza 2 we learn that nothing but His power can change us
"Lord, now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone
Can change the leper's spots, And melt the heart of stone."
A. Of course, the power of Jesus Christ to make this change is in the gospel: Rom. 1.16
B. By that same divine power Christ changed the leper's spots: Matt. 8.1-4
C. And this power can melt the heart of stone to change those who are unrighteous to those who are justified before God: 1 Cor. 6.9-11

III. From stanza 3 we learn that it is Christ's blood that can wash away our sin
"For nothing good have I Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I'll wash my garments white In the blood of Calvary's Lamb."
A. Nothing that we can do, no good works of ourselves, can make us clean: Tit. 3.3-5
B. Only the grace and power of God can take our sins which are like scarlet and make them white as snow: Isa. 1.18
C. The means by which He is able to do this is the blood of Christ: 1 Jn. 1.7

IV. From stanza 4 we learn that the righteousness which Christ proves us brings blessings
"And now complete in Him, With robes of righteousness,
Close sheltered 'neath His side, I am divinely blessed."
A. We can be complete in Christ because He has done everything that is needed to make salvation available: Col. 2.10
B. Thus, it is by the righteousness of Christ in dying for us that we are redeemed: Rom. 3.24-26
C. All spiritual blessings in heavenly places are found in Him and Him alone: Eph. 1.3-7

V. From stanza 5 we learn that His death will enable us to stand before His throne
"And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
I'll lay my tropies down, All down at Jesus' feet."
A. Someday we shall stand before His throne in judgment: Matt. 25.31-33ff, Rom. 14.12, 2 Cor. 5.10
B. However, those who have obeyed the Lord's will so as to serve and please Him will stand before Him complete and hear Him say, "Well done": Matt. 25.21
C. They will lay their trophies down at His feet and be granted eternal salvation: Heb. 5.8-9 (note: some songbooks have altered the final two lines of the stanza to read, "'Jesus died my soul to save,' My lips shall still repeat")

CONCL.: The chorus joyfully proclaims the fact that Jesus is the basis for our salvation.
"Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."
It should be a great source of encouragement to us in trying to deal with the problem of sin in our lives to know that forgiveness is available because "Jesus Paid It All."

Taken from http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hymnstudies

How to be Humble

2008-07-30T14:36:00.000+08:00

CJ Mahaney, former pastor of Covenant Life Church in the USA has this list of ways to cultivate humility. This list is taken from ChristianCounseling.wordpress.com

Each day you should be addressing your greatest enemy and cultivating your greatest friend. So here’s how I attempt to mortify pride and cultivate humility.

Study the attributes of God, especially His incommunicable attributes
Reflect on the wonder of the Cross of Christ
Study the Doctrines of Grace
Study the Doctrine of Sin
Cultivate spiritual disciplines
Invite and pursue correction
Encourage and serve others each and every day
Identify evidences of grace in others
Respond humbly to trials
Discern your thorns
Use unflattering illustrations of yourself publicly
Recognize your theological limitations
Prepare to be replaced
Recognize your relative unimportance
Laugh with others when you are the object of humor
Play golf as much as possible…
Read as many of C.H. Spurgeon’s sermons as possible

Also, start reading books such as the freely available book by Andrew Murray called "Humility"
here.

If I don't want to obey God am I a hypocrite if I obey

2008-07-21T12:17:00.000+08:00

When you take off your rose-tinted glasses and look at your Christian life, you realise that you are not ALWAYS obeying God happily or willingly. Sometimes/often you don't want to obey. One of the common lies we tell ourselves is that if we obey God when we don't feel like it, we are being a hypocrite. When you're told to take out the trash, do you refuse to do it because you don't feel like it and doing so will make you a hypocrite?

Obeying when we don't feel like it is not hypocrisy. Jesus wants us to take up our cross and follow him but if it was not a burden, what is the point of Jesus telling us to take up our cross? if it cost us nothing or if we would do it anyway, what's the point of telling us to do it. There are times that we won't feel like obeying but when we choose to obey ANYWAY, we are saying "nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." An example given before is - are you a hypocrite for getting out of bed in the morning when you dont feel like it? You're only a hypocrite if you don't get out of bed and pass comment on those that don't get out of bed.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

If you lack the willingness.. do the right thing anyway but ask God for the willingness because it is the WILL and the DO of His good pleasure that comes from God. But you have to take a first step and leave the journey to God. Trust and obey ==> Grace?

How do you Know God's Will? Grace from God

2008-07-17T01:37:00.000+08:00

There is something about grace which we forget. Grace is divine enablement to do what we should be doing. This implies obedience. One thing we often forget is that grace only powers you while you are obeying. The decision to seek God or obey him is for you to make first. The power to carry that decision is given by God.

So when seeking God's will on something, you need to get the ball rolling even if it means picking up the ball. Every step, seek God's confirmation that He is wanting you to be doing this (I guess this is where signs can come in?) How far that ball rolls could probably help you determine whether it is God's will. (This all presumes that you can clearly see that what you are doing is in obedience to Him). WOuld God show you a sign that you are walking in the right direction when you are seeking to obey him? Think about it. Why wouldnt He? He delights in our obedience. God created the world and what is all that power going to be used for if not for encouraging his people to obey Him? So His divine enablement is correlated to the level of conformity your decision has to God's priorities.

So another connection drawn. God's grace, His divine enablement, is how God shows us His will. If Grace is the superpower to do what God wants you to do, then seeking God's will is finding out what God wants you to do. When you have power to do it, grace is helping you find God's will.. think that makes sense..

No God's Grace leads to Bitterness

2008-07-17T01:16:00.001+08:00

Bitterness has an element of frustration with yourself. It could be letting yourself into a situation which you wish you hadn't entered or it could be with your inability to deal with a current situation. In the tragic story of King David's son raping his sister, strange thing happens with Amnon who ends up hating the sister he lusted after. Why? Bitterness?

2 Samuel 13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

In a sense, he hated himself for getting himself into that situation and hated her for letting it happen. This doesn't happen when we obey God because His assurance that we are on the right track helps us deal with the unpleasant things that obedience brings about. However, when you want to hack through life on your own, in disobedience to God, you will end up hating yourself and feeling bitter with others.

God's grace is the supernatural ability to do what God wants you to do and to be what we ought to be. Without it, we can be bitter people. Situations and people can overwhelm us. However, when God is giving us grace, it is always sufficient to deal with ALL situations.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Its the supernatural counter balance that helps you get through the trial, temptation or area of service. When you have grace from God, it is evident. You are overflowing with God's provision such that you don't lack anything.

Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

When we have grace, we can't be bitter because with grace, we are contented. When we are contented, we don't become bitter. No one is able to deprive us when our supply comes from God. Whatever people do, we are stable when we drink from the God's living stream.

Don't want to be bitter? Get grace from God. How do you get grace? see this post. If anything doesn't sound right here, feel free to comment.

I'm Lonely. Does anyone care? God Understands - Psalm 139

2008-07-03T16:21:00.000+08:00

We are never alone. God knows and undestands us intimately. God cares for us and uses the Psalms to show that he understands this feeling of loneliness.

Lonely Lies: Nobody notices me
Psalms 139:1 <> O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

(LORD in capitals means the personal name of God. He knows everything about us and when we are alone and sad, He is there. He takes personal interest in your life and loves you. Friends may fail us but God will always be there. He knows all our sins and died to save us. How much more will he embrace his child when they are lonely?)

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

(We are never outside his presence. He surrounds us. We can't escape God's love for us)

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

(He knows everything you did. He knows the secret thoughtst that we would be embarrassed to admit to anyone else. Even so he still loves you)

Lonely Lies: I want to be alone
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

(When God sees us in need. He takes initiative to lay his hand on us. To comfort us if we want it).

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Lonely Lies: Nobody wants me around
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

(Our natural reaction when we are depressed and sad is to push others away. We don't want others around us because no one understands. However, we can never leave God's presence. God knows that while you are running, you actually want comfort. When others give up on making you feel better, God continues to stand next to us to comfort us.)

Lonely Lies: I'm just a cosmic accident or part of evolution, not created by a loving God
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

(When we say "who cares about me?" The answer is, God cares about us. He formed us meticulously and carefully and even bothered to make sure your DNA is unique to everyone else just to show you that he knows you specifically. It is a comfort to know not just SOMEONE cares but a God who created everything and us, cares.)

Lonely Lies: God doesn't care about the forsaken, downcast and lonely.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

(God is the great avenger and empathises with people who are cast down, wronged or abused. God will judge. But he is also merciful so come just as you are to your loving God. The God who was betrayed by his disciple, he knows how it feels to be alone).

How to check your attitude about anything

2008-05-31T17:59:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, it is hard for us to identify sin in our life because we don't think that we have a tendency towards any particular sin. One way to test whether we are drawn by a certain sin or maybe even a person, is to ask these three questions. From this you can tell what your attitude is towards the person or thing.

What do you say about _____ (person/place/thing)___?
Do you move toward or away from ______?
Do you seek out ways to come into more contact with _____?

Remember that once you realise you have a tendency to sin, God is always willing to forgive you because Jesus Christ has paid for your sins and you can be made clean by receiving his sacrifice on the cross that was intended for you. For more information, go to www.needgod.com

How to "be a man" and "do the right thing"

2008-05-23T13:12:00.000+08:00

Also how to be a woman. Here are a few messages recommended by CBMW.org (Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood)

Item Title	Author
19 Objections to Complementarianism	J. Ligon Duncan III
Affirming the Goodness of Manhood and Womanhood in All of Life	John Piper
Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: The Big Picture	J. Ligon Duncan III
Christ's Example (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)	J. Ligon Duncan III
God's High Calling for Women Part 1	John MacArthur
God's High Calling for Women Part 2	John MacArthur
God's Pattern for Husbands Part 1	John MacArthur
God's Pattern for Husbands Part 2	John MacArthur
God's Pattern for Wives Part 1	John MacArthur
God's Pattern for Wives Part 2	John MacArthur
How These Biblical Definitions of Manhood and Womanhood Apply in the Home and the Church	J. Ligon Duncan III
Husbands Who Love Like Christ and the Wives Who Submit to Them	John Piper
Jesus, Women, and Men	John Piper
Male and Female He Created Them in the Image of God	John Piper
Male Authority and Female Equality in Light of Galatians 3:28	J. Ligon Duncan III
Male Authority and Female Equality: In the beginning (Genesis 1-3)	J. Ligon Duncan III
Manhood and Womanhood Before Sin	John Piper
Manhood and Womanhood Conflict and Confusion After the Fall	John Piper
Manhood, Womanhood and the Freedom to Minister	John Piper
Modern Stumbling Blocks to Gender Roles	J. Ligon Duncan III
Silent in the Church: Why Can’t Women Preach?	J. Ligon Duncan III
The "S"ubmission Word	J. Ligon Duncan III
The Character of a Healthy Church Part 2	John MacArthur
The Character of a Healthy Church Part 3	John MacArthur
The Character of a Healthy Church Part 4	John MacArthur
The Gender Neutral Bible Controversy	J. Ligon Duncan III
Women in the Church and Silence in the Church	J. Ligon Duncan III

Must listen to this:

What to use to follow up new believers

2008-03-27T08:45:00.000+08:00

After years of evangelism and follow up experience, I find that NavPress has the best material for new believers. The booklet is now called Lessons on Assurance but you can also find it as part of a bigger bible study booklet called Growing in Christ.

The material is easy to use and covers 5 main areas the devil casts doubt in a new believers life.

1. assurance of salvation
2. assurance of answered prayer
3. assurance of victory over sin
4. assurance of forgiveness
5. assurance of guidance

Why many bloggers blogs fail

2008-03-26T15:07:00.000+08:00

All over the internet, there are half-finished blogs that have their first and last post somewhere in 2006. You normally come across these blogs when you think of a great name for your blog ... then realise someone has taken it already!!

Here are three reasons why many people fail to maintain a blog:

1. They didn't have a reason to keep a blog in the first place. Sounds relatively obvious but quite often people sign up for a blog without any purpose for the blog. For this blog, the purpose is to give ideas and encourage people to know how to live for Christ better. Some blogs are just a mind-dump of ideas and thoughts which after a while, people realise the futility of it all.

2. There is no intended target reader. For GodHacks, the target readers are Christians and those that want to know how to live better lives in the Christian way. For some blogs, as mentioned before, it was just a mind-dump and they are starting to realise people are not that interested in what they are thinking. In fact, quite often it is probably not a good thing to let everyone know what you think, let alone the whole world!

3. The struggle to maintain a blog. Some blogs fail because people just can't be bothered. I personally find that a lot of blogs run by Christians continue to run because a Christian's motivation to blog in the first place was more long term than others. Many Christians want to impact the world in a bigger way and embark on a blog to do so. This is a strong motivation if you continue to walk with God consistently.

There are heaps more reasons but these are some. Perhaps you have one or two reasons you have thought of why blogs fail.

Is www.GoMessenger.net a scam?

2008-03-17T09:09:00.001+08:00

I received an email claiming to be from a friend on my msn contact but I am not sure whether it is a scam. If you have tried this website out and you did discover someone has blocked you - could you please reply to this via the comments section? I have a feeling that it is a scam but one to pick up your msn contacts, not one which steals your password or anything.

So, is gomessenger.net a scam?

Does God REALLY care if Christians date or marry non Christians?

2008-03-13T00:00:00.000+08:00

FOrget what your pastor, friend, parent or teacher says for a moment and let God speak on his own behalf through His own words (using King James version because its the closest to the original):

2 Corinthians 6

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

So, how many ways did God say we should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers?

(1) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: (2) for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and (3) what communion hath light with darkness? And (4) what concord hath Christ with Belial? or (5) what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And (6) what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? (7) for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Interpret it whatever way you want but it seems clear what God was saying. If we are not to marry non Christians, then we should not start relationships with them.

This sounds so limiting If you believe God created the world in six days, you can be sure He will find you a life partner that suits you, which does not have to contradict His own instructions (repeated seven times in seven different ways in case you missed the point).

That's mean to unbelievers What is meaner is that if we presume you are Christian, you must believe that we are sinners, deserving of Hell but only through Jesus Christ dying on the cross for us we can be saved. If we presume that is what you believe, what is meaner is when you don't seek as your first priority as bringing your girlfriend or boyfriend to salvation first. They are heading to hell and all you care about is your feelings for her?

If you want to proceed with marriage with a non Christian, be prepared to have Satan as your father in law.

3 Essential Lessons on Marriage

2008-03-12T23:46:00.000+08:00

Three FREE essential lessons on marriage that every person intending to get married should hear (comments from sermonaudio.com listeners added in)

Choosing to Love - Dr Greg Mazak (Bob Jones University)
Thank you for the great message! I never knew this! For long, i've wondered what is truely necessary before marriage I'd like to share this great truth with my friends

Destroying Pop Christian Views of Marital Bliss (for the guys) - Paul Washer
I'm not married, or in a "relationship," but this sermon was awesome and gave me a whole new paradigm for marriage. I was one of the "get married and go minister together" kind of mentality. But I realize now there is so much more depth... Praise God for this message.

Destroying Pop Christian Views of Marital Bliss 2 (for the ladies) - Paul Washer
I have listened to A LOT of sermons on marriage but none better than this. I was convicted to the core that what was preached is the truth we all need to hear.

Know any more?

How to succeed in building a happy marriage

2008-03-12T23:35:00.000+08:00

Lessons learnt in Pre-Marital Counseling training

There is no such thing as compatibility and falling in love.

Love is NOT just

a feeling (lust is)
"something that happened"

Love is

a choice
giving, not getting
preferring the other person over your own personal interests (now can you see why marriages fail?)

Two Christians are ready to get married only when they have demonstrated adequately in scenarios posed to them that they are willing to and able to solve problems by thinking through things through God's word. The Bible is very practical and meant to be used to solve ALL of life's problems.

Everyone is different in the way they think. Two people getting married are not meant to think the same. That is why books like Men from Mars and Women from Venus are so popular because they express God's plan - to make men and women completely different so that together they can solve family problems from two perspectives and be able to approach problems more comprehensively.

Its more important that a couple think together than they think alike. If they learn to process problems together, that will set them up for marriage and if they know how to appreciate the different points of view that they come from, they can be an example to others of God's way marriage was intended to be - successful and long lasting marriage.

Lifehack - Why you should get Pre-Marital (Marriage) Counseling

2008-03-12T23:33:00.001+08:00

Pre-marital Counseling Why is it so important? If 50-75% of the cars manufactured by Toyota blew up in the early part of their expected life, everyone would be shocked! Problem is, marriages are not given the same level of attention as manufacture of cars – even though marriage break downs can have an equally devastating effect. If you are going to get married, you should go for the most extensive counseling you can get.

Why else:

It’s the second most important decision in a person’s life (other than receiving God’s forgiveness and ensuring that we are going to heaven)
God treats marriage very seriously, we should too
The Church is made up of families
The more time the Church spends on pre-marital counseling, the less it spends on divorce, family problems, marriage counseling and other related problems
You spend much of your formative years in a family and it dictates what person you become
It’s easier to change a relationship at the beginning than in the middle of a relationship
It’s easier to do marriage when the guidelines are set at the beginning

Where to get Pre-Marriage Counseling? From the Church. Marriage came from the Bible. God instituted Adam and Eve to be married so if you ARE going to get married, do it God’s way. Some Churches have a very slack marriage counseling program. If yours does, find another one. It’s worth it.

What kind of Pre-Marriage Counseling? Since every individual is created differently, it is better to learn from the author of mankind (God) than to learn from someone else’s experience. Some people will only teach you based on their experiences, don’t learn from them if that is all they offer! God has a vested interest in making marriages work (because he uses marriage as an example of his relationship to the Church) so he also has very clear and defined instructions on marriage.

Bob Jones University has a Pre-Marital counselling series on video which Churches or individuals can purchase or borrow for a semester. This series is excellent as it is based on Biblical principles not people’s experiences.

Unit Five: Premarital Counseling

Overview of the premarital counseling process
God's goals for marriage
Essential habits of Christian character
Biblical roles in marriage
Biblical communication and problem solving
Finances, sex, & in-laws

Follow this link for more details http://www.bjupress.com/services/ibe/courses/special_topics/biblical_counseling_series.htm

Recommended Reading

Ministry of Marriage - Jim Binney
Preparing for Marriage God's Way - Wayne Mack

Evangelism is NOT an obligation its a PRIVILEGE

2008-03-12T00:03:00.001+08:00

When you see anything as an obligation or just as a commandment, you will not be able to do it long. In the long term, that motivation will not last. If you want to do something for God, such as evangelism, prayer, reading the Bible you have to make yourself see that these are privileges that are open to Christians. You don't need to command someone to support a basketball team that they love. You don't command your husband to love you. These things are best done when we realise how privileged we are to have these available to us.

With Evangelism you are sharing the joy of salvation with people who are already condemned! You are providing a cure for a disease that will bring them eternal punishment. You are helping show a man on death row that he can receive a pardon from the judge. If you can see your friend, neighbour, stranger or colleague standing at the pit of hell in great despair, your prayer for them and your fervency in evangelism will increase. But always remember that they are not good people in trouble with a bad God. They are bad people in trouble with a good, Holy, Just and Loving God. If you get this wrong, their conversion will be spurious.

How to get over hating yourself

2008-03-04T10:21:00.001+08:00

As news reports indicate, mistreatment of children is tragically common. And kids wounded by abuse can be scarred for life. Fortunately, most people's experiences aren't that extreme. But even mild hurts can fester, affecting relationships and self-image.

The Origin. The bondage of self-rejection can often be traced to feeling unaccepted by someone close. Trauma like divorce or a loved one's death may also contribute to a distorted self-image. Once internalized, this type of thought pattern can lead to negative behaviors.

The Symptoms. If a person has trouble accepting himself, he may have a tendency to criticize others and interpret innocent comments as personal attacks. Perfectionism and feelings of inferiority are also common. As a result, fear of failure and criticism may lead to procrastination.

Unpredictable anger is another outcome of self-rejection. With people who are hurt, frustration may ignite easily. Such individuals might become loners or feel overly concerned about others' opinions. For example, instead of concentrating on a church service, one may notice what people are wearing and feel insecure about her own outfit. Someone with this mindset can be hard to love because she questions whether she's worthy of care and affection. Sadly, she may then behave in a way that "proves" her theory.

The solution is found in today's scripture: Believers are to accept one another as Jesus accepts them. This includes accepting themselves. Ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas of self-rejection.

READ | Romans 15:7

This article comes from http://ww2.intouch.org/site/lookup.asp?c=dhKHIXPKIuE&b=2316001

What to do if I like a guy (part 2)

2008-02-01T15:51:00.000+08:00

The following is taken from GirlTalk.blogs.com about what a single girl is to do if she is interested in a guy.

1. God has created us as women to be responsive to men’s leadership. This is clear throughout Scripture, not only in the created order and our calling to be helpers (Gen. 2:18-23), but in the commands for a wife to submit to her husband (Eph. 5:22-23) . If we seek to take matters into our own hands and “do something” about a situation such as this, we are depriving a man of an opportunity to fulfill his God-given calling to lead. Truly believing in the importance and significance of our femininity means living it out, even in the pressure cooker of strong desires. We must resist the temptation to allow our feelings and desires and not God’s Word dictate our direction. On a purely personal note, my mom used to ask me: Don’t you ultimately want a guy who is attracted enough to pursue you, without needing hints from you?

2. God is sovereign, loving, and wise. “But this guy I like hasn't pursued me. How do I resolve the fear that he won't notice me unless I take some initiative?” You may ask. Enter: the character of God. Human reasoning would say that this is incentive enough to buck the created order. However, we must hold fast to God’s Word and trust in His character. God is intimately involved in every detail of our lives (down to the hairs on our head). We must trust that His sovereignty is more than powerful enough, His love is more than true enough, and His wisdom more than knowledgeable enough to fulfill His perfect plan for us. This perfect plan may or may not include the desired relationship. But it will most definitely be for our good. As a single woman, Psalm 84:10-12 was my hope: “For a day in your courts is better  than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God  than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For the Lord God is a sun and shield;  the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold  from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”

3. God rewards our trust in Him. We don’t say “no” to our feelings and “yes” to God’s Word without a fight. And yet, there is joy and peace and freedom to be had. Psalm 131’s description of the weaned child, not concerned with things too lofty or wonderful, comes to mind. So does 1 Peter 3 and the woman whose beauty is of great worth in the sight of God because she does not “fear anything that is frightening.” Waiting and responding instead of initiating romantic relationships is not some kind of manipulative trick. It is the path to true attractiveness, the miraculous kind that only comes by the grace of God producing trust in God. For truly blessed is the woman who does not sinfully strive after a relationship, but quietly rests in the goodness of God!

Does he like me? What should I do?

2008-02-01T13:38:00.000+08:00

When you think that a guy is interested in you, but the guy has not explicitly said anything to you, there is a danger that you could have already begun "dating in your mind". This will lead you to be bitter and discontented and stray away from God. From Crosswalk.com, here are a few danger signs to look out for:

Do I talk about him a lot to other people?
If these other people don’t share my enthusiasm, and even caution me to not cultivate expectations, do I feel deflated and resent their input?
Am I going to this event or meeting primarily because he will be there?
Am I distracted in church or small-group meetings because of his presence?
Do I break other commitments because he’s invited me to do something spontaneously?
If he doesn’t talk to me or single me out at events, do I go home disappointed?
Am I jealous of the women he does talk to or serve?
If he declines one of my invitations, am I tempted to feel rejected?
When he does pay attention to me, am I so oriented to him in a group setting that I don’t consider the needs of others around me?

The author offers the following advice if you think he's interested in you.

Prayer: Take your petitions to God, for He’s the only one who can change a man’s heart, and this brings His peace to guard our own hearts.
Pursuit: It’s not our job as women. Instead, we should have the joy of being pursued.
Prevent Disappointment: Check yourself before you head down the slippery slope of desires, demands and expectations that Paul Tripp outlined. When you find your fist closing over good desires and making them demands, stop. Open that clenched fist and hold that desire up in prayer (see point one again).

But seriously, does this work? Read some true stories and get other good advice from the sisters at http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/courtship/

Free Christian software for your phone/pc/pda

2008-01-08T14:16:00.001+08:00

Use your palm or PC or even your phone to memorise verses / scripture. http://www.middlecross.com/lamplight.html

Or look up a word you can remember is part of a verse which you cant find. Find them all here at http://freechristiansoftware.org/palm.htm

We've talked about carrying your Bible in your phone. Download the JAVA or SYMBIAN 60 v2 versions at www.go-bible.org

Read the Bible in a year

2008-01-07T22:11:00.001+08:00

Christians’ most popular new year’s resolution is probably to read the Bible in a year. Here are some tips how you could achieve this:

Get some friends who are willing to do this too. You can encourage one another and remind each other using SMS and email to read the Bible. This can be done creatively. You could ask each other questions about the relevant passage and what they thought of it. Slowly those that are behind will quietly catch up and then maybe answer your questions

Use a communal blog such as www.bibleinayr.blogspot.com where people can share what they have learnt. When people read of what others have learnt, they will also be encouraged to get on track if they have fallen behind.

Get together to read your daily readings maybe once a month or something as an encouragement to one another.

Listen to the Bible in a year. Download your preferred version (if in doubt use King James) at www.audiotreasure.com

Pray and ask God to help you. Anyway, it IS His will for you to read His word so He will give you the supernatural power to do it J

Be consistent we forget things when we are not consistent in our approach. Therefore you should make it a daily habit to read the Bible possibly before something that you always do (such as breakfast).

Reduce distractions around you during the time that you are reading. The best way to do this is to get up early. After a few struggles waking up at the same time every day will be easier and easier. It was how our body was supposed to function anyway.

Follow a good program of Bible reading such as the plan by Our Daily Bread http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml which has the daily reading on the bottom of your page. It has you reading Old Testament during the weekdays with a few proverbs, New Testament on Saturday and Psalms on Sunday. This is a good variety.

Set an alarm to remind you every day of your commitment.

Got more tips?

Follow up on Demon Possession

2007-10-10T13:43:00.001+08:00

Some notes can be found on demon possession here: http://www.rapidresponsereport.com/briefingpapers/DemonPossession30.pdf

Spiritual Warfare the Biblical Way

2007-10-09T00:56:00.000+08:00

Spiritual Warfare the Biblical Way

The Biblical understanding compared to charismatic understandings of spiritual warfare. (Notes taken from counseling course)

The devil must be biblically understood and biblically withstood. The Bible provides the only guide to spiritual warfare and since the Bible has everything that pertains to life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3) all we need to know to fight the spiritual war is in there.

Talking about unbiblical views of spiritual warfare – The Bible only talks about casting out of demons in Acts there are no instructions on commanding or engaging in exorsitic ministry in all the letters that Paul wrote to the different Churches from Romans – Revelations. This shows that it was only a messianic (Jesus) and apostolic sign gift (to prove that God was with them).

If we come across demon possessed people, it will be obvious – they will have

1. Some symptom of physical problem

2. The distinct presence of another personality speaking in a coherent and intelligible way

3. Supernatural knowledge particularly in spiritual matters.

When encountering a demon possessed person,

1. We should not talk directly to or attempt to command the demon in any way.

2. We are to engage in spiritual warfare through repentance, sanctification, submission to God and prayer asking Jesus to cast the demon out and to challenge the demon possessed person to put on Christ. Apart from putting on Christ, they will never be able to overcome future demonic attacks.

3. Have faith in God knowing that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Every believer has the privilege of praying for healing and praying for demon possessed people.

Spiritual warfare – the inner struggle for personal holiness not personal confrontation with demon

Demons and disobedient believers

People who are just disobedient believers, they continue in their state because they refuse to put on Jesus Christ in his life and walk.

Demons and obedient believers

If you believe that you may be under the influence of spiritual forces, you need to intensify the basics in Christian living.

· In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – prayer, submission to God, renewing inner man.

· In Job 1-3, 38-42 revelation of who God is, repentance

· In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus prayed for Peter

· In Matthew 24 Word of God, increased fellowship, increased time with God, prayer, submission to God.

References

Jim Berg “Biblical Counselling” Course
“ Demons: A Biblically Based Perspective “ - Alex Konya

2007-09-03T10:58:00.000+08:00

Another version of the revival hymn

How to take 30min to examine your heart

2007-09-02T23:35:00.000+08:00

People talk about examining your heart and we as Christians are encouraged to confess our sins to God so that our fellowhsip with him is not affected by unconfessed sins. Here are a few points to help you get right with God.. take some time to reflect on these and remember God is very willing to cleanse us of our sins. He has already sent Jesus Christ to pay for your sins.. all you need to do is believe Him.

2min
Ask God to reveal to you the sins that are keeping you from being closer to him.
1min
Am I taking care of my body? Are my eating/activities according to God's will?
1 Corithians 6:19-20
1min
How important is money? Am I giving enough? Have I held back or not used money well?
1 Timothy 6:10
1min
Am I Self-disciplined? Have I given in too easily to sleepiness? Hunger? Temptations?
2 Peter 1:5-7
1min
What is the overriding influence in my life? my circumstances or my faith?
2 Peter 1:5-7
1min
Any room for improvement in my bahavior?
2 Peter 1:5-7
1min
How do I rate in the categories of kindness and love? When have I neglected to love?
2 Peter 1:5-7
1min
Is my tongue getting the best of me? When have I failed to discipline my tongue?
2 Timothy 2:23-24
1min
Is my God big enough? Where have I doubted his ability to provide or look after me?
Ephesians 3:20-21
1min
Are my words building up or tearing down? Are people directed to God as a result of my speech?
Ephesians 4:29
1min
Time management. Have I wasted or "killed" time?
Ephesians 5:15-16
1min
Do I possess my possessions? or do they possess me?
Luke 12:15
1min
Attitude check. How do I view myself and others?
Luke 14:11
1min
Who is my Lord? Who do I listen to most? Myself or God?
Luke 6:46
1min
Am I standing for God? Have I been ashamed of God?
Luke 9:26
1min
Heart check. Is my heart, mind and strength all towards God?
Matthew 22:37-38
1min
Do I care if others go to hell? When did I neglect an opportunity given by God?
Matthew 28:19-20
1min
Who is my real master?
Matthew 6:24
1min
Pursuits. Am I chasing things other than God?
Matthew 6:33
1min
Have I been worrying about things that I should leave to God?
Philippians 4:6
1min
Thought life - what occupies my mindmost? What do I think about when I am not doing anything? What do I worry about?
Philippians 4:6
1min
Hey, I'm pretty good!
Romans 12:3
1min
Is one foot on earth and the other in heaven? How?
James 4:4
1min
Where's my dependence? When things go wrong, did I seek God? Or who? Or what?
Matthew 5:3
1min
Where's my focus? What is driving me every day?
Matthew 6:33
1min
Am I thanking God in all things? How have I been ungrateful towards God?
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1min
Am I being obedient to God? Do I listen to the Holy Spirit's advice?
Luke 12:47
1min
How am I seeking after God?
2 Chronicles 12:13
1min
How's my temper?
Ephesians 4:26-27

LIFEHACK - One thing you should know about life... after death

2007-08-22T00:40:00.000+08:00

Lifehouse video called "EVERYTHING"

IF you ever wanted a 5min video version of what Christians are trying to tell you, here it is in interpretive dance. Jesus Christ died for your sins. The best hack for your life is to accept the payment GOD paid on your behalf for your wrongs. Your sins are not worth losing your soul.

If you got questions, comments, abuse.. please comment.

What's wrong with Christianity today

2007-08-19T23:02:00.000+08:00

This is pretty much why:

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. - Jeremiah 6:16

Enough said..

Why Revival Tarries?

2007-08-19T22:37:00.000+08:00

"No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shopwindow to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off.

Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of praver. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.

The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer-the highest ministry of all human offices-is open to all. Spiritual adolescents say, "I'll not go tonight, it's only the prayer meeting." It may be that Satan has little cause to fear most preaching. Yet past experiences sting him to rally all his infernal army to fight against God's people praying. Modern Christians know little of "binding and loosing," though the onus is on us-"Whatsoever ye shall bind...” Have you done any of this lately? God is not prodigal with His power; but to be much for God, we must be much with God.

This world hits the trail for hell with a speed that makes our fastest plane look like a tortoise; yet alas, few of us can remember the last time we missed our bed for a night of waiting upon God for a world-shaking revival. Our compassions are not moved. We mistake the scaffolding for the building. Present-day preaching, with its pale interpretation of divine truths, causes us to mistake action for unction, commotion for creation, and rattles for revivals.

The secret of praying is praying in secret. A sinning man will stop praying, and a praying man will stop sinning. We are beggared and bankrupt, but not broken, nor even bent.

Prayer is profoundly simple and simply profound. "Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try," and yet so sublime that it outranges all speech and exhausts man's vocabulary. A Niagara of burning words does not mean that God is either impressed or moved. One of the most profound of Old Testament intercessors had no language "Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard." No linguist here! There are groanings which cannot be uttered."

Are we so substandard to New Testament Christianity that we know not the historical faith of our fathers (with its implications and operations), but only the hysterical faith of our fellows? Prayer is to the believer what capital is to the business man.

Can any deny that in the modern church setup the main cause of anxiety is money? Yet that which tries the modern churches the most, troubled the New Testament Church the least. Our accent is on paying, theirs was on praying. When we have paid, the place is taken; when they had prayed, the place was shaken!

In the matter of New Testament, Spirit-inspired, hell-shaking, world-breaking prayer, never has so much been left by so many to so few. For this kind of prayer there is no substitute. We do it--or die!

Taken from Why Revival Tarries, by Leonard Ravenhill. Copyright 1959, Leonard Ravenhill. Published by Bethany House Publishers.

Why and How of Courtship (and why it isn't dating)

2007-08-18T21:29:00.000+08:00

Below is a great article on courtship that I found at a blog called Role Calling.

Courtship Questions?
By Joe Lechner

From my experience, the number one topic among college-age people is the topic of relationships – and everything that comes with it – dating, courtship, boyfriends, girlfriends, marriage, sex. And among Christian college-age young people I don’t think there is a topic that generates more confusion and questions than the topic of courtship. So here are some questions – some, perhaps, you’ve asked and some you should be asking – and hopefully a few answers as well.
This is only a guide. It is not meant to be exhaustive. It’s only meant to point in the right direction. At the end is a list of resources that will help you continue the journey.
“What is courtship?”
First of all, what is courtship not? Courtship is not casual dating with a Christianized name. Most of us are aware of this, but we need to be careful of not going to the other extreme either. Courtship is not a kind of pre-engagement. It’s not the rubber stamp of the certainty of a future marriage. So what is courtship? Josh Harris in his book Boy Meets Girl defines courtship as a special season during which a man and woman seriously weigh the possibility of marriage; it’s purpose is to discern God’s will for marriage; it’s a season of deliberate, open and careful consideration of the possibility of marriage.
Because it’s deliberate, open, honest, intentional, and has a clear goal – it’s much more than casual dating. But because it’s the consideration of the possibility of marriage – it’s not pre-engagement, and those in the courtship and those outside the courtship, must resist the temptation to assume marriage. God’s will is what’s being sought – that may mean marriage, it may not.
In courtship, no promise about marriage has been made – only the promise to pursue it as a possibility.

“What is a successful courtship?”
Two things top the charts in answering this question. The first is God’s glory. The goal of any relationship and what determines whether or not any relationship is successful is whether or not God is glorified in the relationship. God’s glory is the greatest goal in every arena of life and this must be the highest priority and starting place as two people pursue courtship. The couple involved in a courtship is seeking to glorify God inwardly through their motives, thoughts, and intentions; and glorify God outwardly through their obedience to God in the way they relate to each other.
The second key element in a successful courtship is that it is wisdom-guided. Given our immaturity, sinful hearts, and selfish tendencies, young men and women interested in pursuing one another in courtship are in desperate need of wisdom! Wisdom is crucial so that you will experience courtship at the right time and at the right pace with a clear purpose and with a clear head able to make an intelligent, informed decision about marriage. Therefore a wisdom-guided relationship will be submitted to the rule of God’s Word, it will be submitted, guided and approved by those in authority over the couple (namely parents and pastors) and it will be pursued in a time in life when both individuals are mature enough to consider marriage (physically, emotionally, spiritually, and even financially).
In a God-glorifying, wisdom-guided relationship there are two central priorities that emerge in the courtship: To treat each other with holiness and sincerity and to make an informed and wise decision about marriage. The goal in courtship is not to get engaged. The couple in the courtship is seeking to grow and guard. They are seeking to grow closer so that they can truly know and be known, and at the same time trying to guard each others hearts because the outcome of the relationship is still unknown. The couple in the courtship need to observe and relate to one another, but treat each other with the kind of integrity that will allow them to look back on their courtship without regrets regardless of the outcome. The ‘growing and guarding’ of courtship is a balancing act – it takes a lot more effort and work, a lot more faith and trust in God than a casual, purposeless relationship. It’s a balancing act between considering marriage while fighting that urge to assume marriage.
The finish line of courtship is not a big ribbon that says, “Engagement”, but a big ribbon that says – “Glorified God – Walked in wisdom and humility - Treated each other in a godly manner – and made the right decision about marriage with a clear conscience!” That’s why it’s possible to have a courtship not end in engagement and be more successful than one that does. A courtship that is successful is not necessarily one that ends in engagement, but one that ends with God being glorified, both individuals growing in wisdom and grace, and walked out in purity physically, mentally and emotionally as to have no regrets.

“How do I do courtship?”
In one sense this is the wrong question to ask – at least initially. If we start here, then we bypass the heart and our motives. The right kind of questions to ask are: What’s my motive for being in a relationship? What are my intentions? What matters most to me when I think about this relationship? Is God’s glory the highest priority in this relationship? How can I tell? These kinds of questions are crucial because the answers have implications for every facet and detail for how the relationship will be walked out.
Moving beyond motive and intentions, it’s important to ask yourself questions concerning character: In the ways that I relate to this person now (in word and action), am I guarding this person’s heart or am I selfishly and prematurely seeking to draw their affections to myself? Are the choices and decisions I make in this relationship genuinely serving the other person or serving my own desires and wants? A relationship where two people are committed to God’s glory is a relationship where two people are fully committed to biblically serve one another above themselves. Michael Lawrence in his article Stop Test-Driving Your Girlfriend says, “Instead of asking if she’s the one, you should ask yourself ‘Am I the sort of man a godly woman would want to marry?’ If you’re not, then you’d be better off spending less time evaluating the women around you, and more time developing the character of a disciple.”
Furthermore, because our sinful hearts are deceitful and we are experts in charitable self-evaluation, we’d do well to not just answer these kinds of questions for ourselves, but pose the questions to godly, wise counselors who we trust and know us best (pastors, parents, etc) and allow them the opportunity to weigh in with their evaluation and perspective.
With these things in mind and regularly re-evaluated, the “how” of courtship becomes much easier to determine and is guided and regulated by a commitment to seeing God glorified in the relationship. And so, although not every courtship will look identical in the manner it is walked out, if God’s glory is the primary focus of the relationship and a commitment to pursue wisdom is present, than there will be “essential ingredients” that should be characteristic of every God-glorifying relationship. The following are adapted from Josh Harris’s book Boy Meets Girl.
Joyful obedience to God’s Word –o Does your relationship reflect joyful obedience to God’s Word – even in the details?o When our relationships are characterized by obedience to God’s Word, we are saying that God’s commands are good and that he deserves to be obeyed – and thus God is glorified.
The selfless desire to do what’s best for the other person –o In this relationship, am I fully committed to sincerely serving the other person and not my own selfish or emotional desires?o Am I fully committed to trusting God and allowing him to draw us together, if it be his will, rather than trying to manipulate the emotions and desires of the other person by excessively flirting or saying and promising more than I am ready to commit to?o A selfless desire to do what’s best for the other person is the natural overflow of a genuine love for God. To love God means you’ll love others, and you can’t truly love others unless you genuinely love God. This is why understanding the goal of courtship and what makes a courtship “successful” is so important.
The humble embrace of community –o If God’s glory is our passion in a relationship, we won’t be too proud to admit that we need help.o Are you willing to submit yourself to the voice of wisdom and embrace community?o Are you openly and humbly submitting your relationship to the inspection, evaluation, and scrutiny of others whom you trust?o Do you have parents, pastors, a circle of wise, godly friends who are covering your relationship – who you are being open and honest with, who are asking you probing questions, and who you are asking questions of?o Are you willing to open your relationship up to the observation, wisdom, counsel, input, correction, and adjustment of others and submit yourself to their counsel and guidance?
The commitment to guard the sacredness of sex –o Are you abstaining from all temptations to and manifestations of lust and impurity?o Are you tempering your passion with your desire to glorify God, or is your passion tempering your desire to glorify God?o Are you willing to submit yourself to God’s Word, the wisdom of others, and the best interests of the other person’s moral purity in regards to giving expression to your romantic feelings?o It is very important, without the fear of legalism, to have clearly defined boundaries and guidelines regarding the physical realm of your relationship that both of you clearly understand and are being held accountable to.
A deep satisfaction in God –o Is your ultimate hope in God or each other?o Are you trusting God? How can you tell? What would be signs that you weren’t?o Only God can satisfy the deepest longings of your soul. If you’re looking for another person to do that you will be sorely disappointed and potentially harmful to the other person.
About these five “essential ingredients”, Josh Harris writes, “These five characteristics are important parts of living to bring glory to God in our relationships. These are the issues that really matter. When we each stand before God, he won’t ask you, ‘Did you date or court?’ What will matter in eternity is whether or not our lives and our pursuit of romance brought glory to our Father.” Instead of the relationship being your reason for living, it becomes an expression of the fact that you’re living for something greater: God.

“What do I do with my feelings?”
There is nothing that is quite so variable about us as our feelings. Though emotions are a gift from God, I would emphasize the danger of putting them first, making them central, and ultimately being led by them. When we put feelings first there is the tremendous tendency to begin to interpret reality by them. What’s real is determined by how we feel. When that happens not only will we have a distorted view of reality, but we then begin to make decisions based on how we feel. That can be extremely risky business especially when it comes to relationships. What we need is for our romantic feelings to be tempered and checked by wisdom and truth.
Josh Harris describes this dynamic by using the analogy of a kite and a string. He writes, “The relationship between wisdom and romance is like the one between a string and a kite. Romantic love is the kite that catches the wind and tenaciously heads to the sky; wisdom is the string that holds it back. The tension is real, but healthy. Without the string, the kite would quickly come crashing to the ground. In the same way, romance without wisdom will soon take a nosedive… Like a string on a kite, wisdom enables romance to really soar. It anchors it, disciplines it, and brings it to its highest potential.”
Here are three areas in which the string of wisdom needs to pull against the kite of romantic feelings:
· Romance says, “I want it now!” Wisdom urges patience.o Relationships begun prematurely are a recipe for disaster. Many relationships are ruined by impatience. It leaves many broken-hearted and with many regrets.o Wisdom calls us to slow down and to be patient because we know that God is good, faithful and sovereign.o Patience in pursuing a relationship is not only an exercise in wisdom, but an active expression of trust toward God in both his character and his promises.o The rewards of trusting God are immeasurable: grace, peace, contentment, joy, etc.
· Romance says, “Let feelings decide what happens.” Wisdom leads us to pursue a purposeful relationship.o Are you living by your feelings? Is your decision to pursue this relationship based on how you feel, or is it guided by wisdom, counsel, and the clear intention to discern God’s will for marriage?o Men, are you allowing your feelings to plot the course and direction of the relationship rather than wisdom and the goal of God’s glory?o Wisdom calls us to pursue romance only when it’s part of the clearly defined purpose to pursue God’s will for marriage.o Foolishness calls us to enjoy ourselves without concern for the good of others; to seek intimacy without responsibility.
· Romance says, “Enjoy the fantasy.” Wisdom calls us to base our perceptions in reality.o Passion based in ignorance or haste can invite disaster (Prov. 19:2). The emotions involved in pursuing courtship can set you up for just that.o Feelings need to be based on accurate information not just raw emotions.o For those currently in a courtship: In what ways are you purposefully seeking to discover the “real person” – their values, motivations, goals, dreams, passions, likes and dislikes, their past history, present state and future aspirations, their strengths, joys and victories, their weaknesses, temptations and sins – with whom you are pursuing a relationship with? Are you being open, honest and vulnerable and allowing the other person to truly discover and know the real you, or are you “putting on your best behavior” so that the “fantasy” can continue? Are you acting and speaking in a manner that would be completely different than if you were hanging out with your best friend? If so, why?
I particularly appreciate Josh Harris’ discernment here. Every person who is currently interested in a relationship, hear this: So many dating couples are driven by impatience (which is often rooted in a much deeper failure to trust God for the future); are driven by feelings (and so couples begin relating to one another in ways that only tie emotional knots with no clear direction); and are living in fantasy worlds (which ultimately end in hurt and regret).
Josh goes on to say, “Courtship is a time to ask probing questions, to talk and discover who the person really is – his or her values, motivations and goals. We need to move beyond the superficial dating activities and observe each other in real-life settings. Courtship is a time to see the good, the bad and the ugly…Then our emotions and decisions about the relationship can be based on fact.”
Because of the tendency to be driven by our feelings, we need those feelings to be tempered and checked by wisdom and truth. But let’s be honest, left to ourselves wisdom will often take a backseat to feelings. Therefore, you can’t do this by yourself. So whether you are considering pursuing a relationship or are currently in one, here are a couple more questions for you: Are you actively and purposefully pursuing wisdom in the midst of pursuing this relationship or are you, either ignorantly or arrogantly, pursuing this relationship in your own strength, wisdom and discernment? Are you pursuing this relationship against the counsel of wise, godly and trusted people? Can you identify at least three wise, godly, trustworthy individuals with whom you are regularly going to who are evaluating, asking questions, giving input and holding you accountable in your relationship? Do you have a circle of individuals (parents, pastors, godly friends) to whom you are openly and honestly taking all your questions and concerns and cares to as it relates to your relationship?
And perhaps one final question here. Whose voice is loudest: Your feelings’ or wisdom’s? Are you willing to submit yourself to the voice of wisdom?
Here’s another important fact to remember: God is interested in the journey, not just the destination. You might just want to get married; God might want to reveal idols in your heart. You might just want to be in a relationship; God might want you to submit your emotions to him. If you’re frustrated by this whole discussion, you need to realize that it’s a huge mistake to view this process as something to ‘just get through’ so you can move on to courtship. God’s not in a rush. His interest in all this is not limited to you getting married. As Josh Harris writes, “He wants to use this process, and all the questions and uncertainties it involves, to refine us, sanctify us, and increase our faith.” Don’t despise the process!

“Can I ask one more question?’
Let’s say that there’s somebody out there that I’ve really got my eye on – somebody I really like. Let’s say that my greatest desire really is to see God glorified in the way I pursue relationships. Let’s say that I really am committed to pursuing wisdom with all my heart. Let’s say that I am in a season of my life where I legitimately could consider marriage. Let’s say that I’ve invited the input of my pastor and parents and a couple really close, godly friends and they are all in faith that I have the kind of character and am in a season of my life that I really could pursue this person that I like. And let’s say that this same circle of wise, trusted and godly counselors are also in faith that this person I like is the kind of person that I should pursue. So, everything kind of checks out and we’ve started a relationship. So, my question is: What now?
Earlier I mentioned that a couple involved in a courtship is walking the tightrope of “growing and guarding” – seeking to discern God’s will for marriage while resisting the urge to assume marriage. So what does that growing and guarding look like?
Well, again, I’m relying on the good counsel of my friend Josh Harris. Here are three categories (along with some more questions) in which courting couples should be growing and guarding in as they seek to discern God’s will for the future.
· Friendship –
o The first and most important thing to do in a courtship is to deepen friendship.
o Look for different ways to share the different parts of your life – the fun, the mundane, and the in between. Work together, play together and serve together.
o As you seek to deepen your friendship, how are you allowing the other person to see the real you – what you love, what captures your imagination? Are you inviting the other person into your world and are you asking them to invite you into his or her world?
o In what different contexts are you relating?
o In your conversations and questions, are you seeking to simply learn about each other?
o What are you purposefully doing to deepen friendship and to learn about each other?
· Fellowship –
o The spiritual foundation of the relationship is the most critical element of the relationship.
o For your foundation to be strong, love for God must be the common passion of your hearts.
o Courtship is the time to grow in your ability to share this passion for God and encourage one another in your faith.
o Growing in and guarding biblical fellowship means increasing your love for God not your emotional dependence on each other.
o Your goal is to remind each other to find your soul’s satisfaction in God alone.
o What are you specifically doing to foster an atmosphere of biblical fellowship in your relationship?
o Are you sharing with each other what God is teaching you and revealing to you in your personal walks with him?
o Are you regularly pointing each other back to God in your conversations?
· Romance –
o This should be happening ONLY when friendship and fellowship is deepening.
o The essence of romance is pursuit: A man showing through appropriate words and actions his care and affections and a woman responding in kind.
o The most romantic things are the little things.
o In courtship, these are to be pure, non-physical expressions. Never express more than you are committing.
o Our affections should not be squashed or squandered, but submitted to God and submitted to the authority of those covering the courtship.
o Are you paying attention to the “little things” that might bless the other person?
o Are you seeking the wisdom and counsel of others as to what expressions of romance might be appropriate as your relationship progresses?
o Are you submitted to God and to those in authority covering your relationship in regards to “romantic expressions”?

One Final Word
Lastly, let me have one final word with every person who ever reads this. I am writing this just after having celebrated my fourth wedding anniversary. I thank God every day that I am married to the girl of my dreams. I simply could not be a more blessed man! My wife definitely got the raw end of the deal!
So as a married person with a tad bit more experience then the kind of person I imagine will read this, let me say to you: Only God can satisfy the deepest longings of your soul. If you’re looking for another human being to do that, you will be sorely disappointed and ultimately your relationships will turn selfish and sour. Marriage is a gift. But you were not created for marriage, you were created for God. Get that backwards and you are doomed to be unhappy and disillusioned. I pray to God that you hear that– for your own sake! Instead of the relationship being your reason for living, let it become an expression of the fact that you’re living for something greater: God himself. Get that right and you will have the happiness that you are looking for and more.
Recommended Resources:
Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris (In particular chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5; these were referenced in the above article; Multnomah Publishers; 2000)
With One Voice by Alex Chediak (Christian Focus Publications; 2006)
"What Does a Biblical Relationship Look Like?" by Scott Croft (excerpt from Sex and the Supremacy of Christ; 2005)
"Stop Test-Driving Your Girlfriend" by Michael Lawrence

When Do I Know I am Ready for Courtship?

2007-08-13T15:46:00.000+08:00

The following is from http://www.new-life.net/cortshp4.htm and is reproduced to spark discussion. If you come across this, please give your thoughts by anonymous feedback via the COMMENTS below.

While it is important that all singles prayerfully investigate this issue as preparation for the future, the following questions should only be asked in a serious way when there is sincere interest in and desire to pursue a particular person.

Do I have a sense that this individual is God's choice for my life partner? (Courtship is a season in which this "sense from the Lord" will be confirmed and tested. Yet, it's important that you do not view this time as "Christian dating" or "going steady.")
Am I willing to solicit counsel concerning my readiness to enter into courtship before any discussion of it with the person in mind? (Counsel should entail character, emotional, financial and spiritual readiness.)
Am I willing to spend the majority of my time with the person I am courting in group settings where we can best get to know one another and protect ourselves from tempting situations?
Am I willing to treat this person with respect, courtesy and self - control; being careful to be led by the Spirit in the way in which we relate (especially in the area of physical contact)?
Do I understand the value and importance of soliciting the advice, input and insights of others during this season to best maximize what I can learn about myself and my potential spouse in preparation for engagement?
Do I view courtship as a time of deepening the spiritual and emotional aspects of our relationship while resisting the pre-mature tendency to become physically involved?
Am I willing to invest of myself into this relationship - seeking to overcome weaknesses that could prevent our friendship from deepening (i.e. seeking to grow in encouragement, communication skills, honoring, spiritual initiative, kindness, servanthood)?
Have this individual and I enjoyed a season of friendship? Do I understand this as the critical foundation to our future and am I willing to do my part to see it grow during this next season?
When this individual and I encounter difficulties or conflicts, am I willing to humble myself to discuss this with a more experienced couple/individual to learn how I can grow from my mistakes in communication or conflict resolution? Am I willing to handle such challenges biblically vs. "running" from them?
Knowing how natural it will be to want to focus exclusively on this relationship, am I willing to continue to pursue other God-given friendships during this time to protect others from feeling slighted or displaced?
Do I understand the importance of deepening my relationship with the Lord during this season to insure that my time with and heart for this individual does not subtly rob me of passion for Him and the church? Am I willing to invest significant times of prayer (and possibly fasting) into the future of this relationship (engagement, marriage) - trusting in God's sovereignty and resisting human striving and manipulation?
Do I understand that courtship is a season in which areas of relational lack will be exposed in myself and in this person? Am I willing to both humble myself to him/her for input and lovingly address things in his/her life as the Holy Spirit leads?
Am I willing to make/have contact(s) with this individual's family to allow them to get to know me better?
Am I willing to sensitively expose any past sin or pertinent issues with this person that would be important for him/her to know before our relationship develops into engagement?
Should it become clear that God is not leading this relationship into engagement/marriage, I am willing to accept this and take personal responsibility for any lack or mistakes on my part?

At the point at which you feel you are able to answer the above questions affirmatively, you are ready to prayerfully consider discussing your intentions with a trusted advisor for input. At that time, you may want to share the above questions with him/ her for their assessment. The keys to a successful and meaningful discussion will be clarity and humility on your part. Clearly communicate your interest in the individual and humbly ask for counsel and advice concerning your readiness to embark on this "journey." Remember that your advisor (home group leader, pastor, or etc.) has your best interest - and that of the individual you desire to pursue - at heart.

After this conversation - which should be an undistracted time vs. "catching" him/her at a meeting or on the telephone - you will then know how to proceed. As the confirmation you need and desire occurs, only then should you discuss this issue with the person with whom you desire to enter courtship. As a man it is, of course, your privilege to be the initiator in this venture. (See below.) Your discussion about potential courtship with the lady in your life should end with giving her the opportunity to prayerfully consider this decision as you have. She, too, will want to assess herself in the above ways.

SPECIAL SUGGESTIONS FOR MEN

As a man, you have the God-given privilege and responsibility to be the primary initiator and to provide a spiritually healthy environment in the special relationship that will eventually lead to marriage. In a society where men are tempted - and even encouraged - to renege in these areas, God is raising up a company of single men who are willing to eagerly embrace this responsibility.

In addition to the basic questions above, you will want to prayerfully consider the following issues:

Am I willing and ready to pursue God and others for help in areas I lack readiness to be a Godly husband?
Am I able and eager to be a provider for a wife and children? (Although you may not plan for your future spouse to not work outside the home or may want to delay starting a family, these decisions are sometimes "taken out of your hands." The issue of ability to provide - even from the beginning - is important to consider.) Am I willing to pursue financial help and counseling if needed (i.e. revising/getting on a budget, decreasing/getting out of debt, making necessary adjustments to my lifestyle/standard of living to better prepare for marriage)?
Am I willing to treat and relate to this woman in the way I would desire my daughter to be treated by a man (gentlemanly politeness, physical contact, thoughtfulness, etc.)?
Am I willing to grow in areas of communication - especially in learning to share my heart with her; draw out her emotions and feelings; honor her need to know me and be known by me? Is this important enough to me to solicit help from others in areas of weakness?
Am I willing to grow in leadership - especially in areas of spiritual zeal; growing in personal pursuit of God; taking an interest in her relationship with the Lord; initiating praying about issues/decisions we face; overcoming self-consciousness or insecurity about spiritual leadership? Do I value the role of the husband and father over career advancement and financial gain?
Do I respect this woman? Am I eager to value her thoughts, ideas and opinions without being irresponsible as a leader? Am I willing to highly esteem her opinions when considering decisions about our relationship?

SPECIAL SUGGESTIONS FOR LADIES

As a woman, you have been given the unique challenge and privilege of being the responder and provider of spiritual inspiration in the relationship with the man you will eventually marry. Many Christian single women find it challenging to trust in God' s sovereignty concerning their life partner by giving in to manipulation, striving and trying to "force" a relationship through human effort.

In addition to the basic questions above, you will want to prayerfully consider the following issues:

Am I willing and ready to pursue God and others for help in areas I lack readiness to be a Godly wife - trusting him to do the same in his life vs. seeking to "become his conscience"? Do I value the role of wife and mother over career advancement?
Am I willing to resist the temptation to be the pacesetter in this relationship (trust him to hear from the Lord concerning the timing/pace of the relationship; allowing him to fulfill his role as the primary initiator; resisting the temptation to "make plans" until the appropriate time)?
Am I willing to be careful of my expectations of him? Do I understand the importance of contentment and gratitude, especially for his ability to provide for a family? Am I eager to overcome and then resist temptation to worldliness in external areas including the kind of house, car, etc. he may provide? Will I be patient with him in areas of weaknesses or inexperience, especially concerning the emotional and spiritual aspects of our friendship? Am I willing to passionately pursue my relationship with the Lord in order to grow in Him and spiritually inspire this special man in my life?
Am I willing to respond to and cooperate with the process of his preparation for spiritual leadership in our relationship? Am I willing to respond to his initiatives in this area without negatively comparing his ideas or plans to mine? Am I willing to continue to pursue those God-given individuals who are currently providing spiritual leadership in my life; not prematurely expecting him to "act like a husband."
Am I willing to grow in areas of communication - learning to express my encouragement and respect; valuing his need to be heard over my need to be heard; learning to draw out his feelings, concerns, dreams, etc.?
Am I willing to lovingly set aside my personal thoughts, aspirations and ambitions for the future to support his God-given goals and spiritual interests - knowing that those which have been given to me by God will happen in conjunction with, rather th an in competition with, my future spouse?

EDIT: See also this article for Christian ladies if someone is interested in you or you are interested in someone.

For the guys, go to this article if you want to know how to be a Godly Christian man.