Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the truth of these words. Read this Psalm of David as many times as necessary for you to realise the truth of it. It may help you to read it out loud; whatever it takes, do it until it changes your lifestyle, and how you think about God and His love for you.
“O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you... Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! ” Psalms 139:1-18, 23-24
In Psalm 139, God dives into the details, letting you know He oversees both the momentous and the minutia of daily life.
Thank Him for the circumstances He has brought you through and for the plans, He still has for you.
Take the last two verses of this psalm seriously: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life”
Remember, the One who began a good work in you is carrying it on (Philippians 1:6), and He wants to perfect that which concerns you (Psalm 138:8).
The article by Robert Wachter “Be Confident in God’s Love for You (Not the Other Way Around)” on http://www.pathoes.com/evangelical on JANUARY 27, 2022 spoke to me so I decided to reproduce it here with a few minor amendments.
“Many believers have their theology backward. Instead of learning how to receive God’s love, they spend their energy trying to love God better. Let’s be clear. The message of the gospel has always been God’s love for humanity (not the other way around). If we focus on achieving love rather than receiving love, we have the gospel backward.
Despite his flaws, Peter was the type of guy you would want in your corner during a street fight. When Jesus was arrested, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Unfortunately, Peter’s passion to defend his friends also represented his greatest weakness. He would soon learn the painful lesson that his love for Jesus was imperfect.
Jesus warned the disciples that each of them would abandon Him. Despite the warning, Peter stood in strong opposition. “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33). Peter’s overconfidence in his love for God at this moment is striking. He felt that his love for Jesus was unflappable. Paul once said, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3).
Although he felt brave at the moment, Peter’s love was not strong enough to withstand the pressure of a humble servant girl. On the night that Jesus stood on trial with the Sanhedrin, the girl approached Peter and insisted that he was one of the disciples. This was followed by several other people who made the same accusation. In each case, Peter vehemently denied knowing Jesus. “I don’t know the man!” he pushed back (Matthew 26:72). Finally, Peter realized that his resolve to love Jesus had failed miserably. He broke down in tears at the realization.
Don’t Be Confident in Your Love for God
This must have been a tough lesson for Peter, but it also represented the start of an exciting new season. We must all reach the point where we understand our ability to love God is limited to human strength. The believer’s ability to love has been initiated, developed, and strengthened by God; therefore, we must place our confidence securely in the love of Christ. John the apostle said it best: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John4:10). The message of the gospel has always been God’s love for humanity, not the other way around.
After the resurrection, Jesus took the time to restore Peter in front of the other disciples. He asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Peter responded to the question, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” The version of the word love that Jesus used was agapas, which speaks to love that comes from God. However, the version of the word love that Peter used in response was philio, which expresses a reciprocal type of love. In other words, Peter learned that his strength to love God was established first on God’s love for him.
Be Confident in God’s Love for You
The moral of the story is simple. We can’t love without first being loved. We are merely conduits of God’s love to the world. Therefore, we must learn Peter’s lesson so that we place no confidence in our love for God. We must rest firmly in God’s love for us. The message of the gospel is clear. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), not the other way around.
I post a lot on this site about God’s coming judgement when He will pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world so it is good to post on the extent of God’s love for us.
The video clip was first shared Sunday by Ryan Burton King, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Wood Green, London.
King said his brother, Regan Burton King — also a preacher — is the man featured in the clip.
“It has been an excellent day, but this video of my brother [Regan Burton King] baptizing a frail and elderly woman who is newly trusting in Christ, then picking her up and carrying her out of the baptismal pool, has made it,” King wrote. “Blessed be the Lord!”
The video shows King speaking to the woman before gently dunking her under the water. The pastor then hugged her and helped lift her out of the baptismal pool.
In a separate tweet of his own, Regan Burton King, the preacher in the video, said the 77-year-old woman’s name is Susan.
This previously agnostic new believer has been struggling with Parkinson’s disease, among other issues, but is “now trusting Jesus as Messiah and Lord of her life,” according to King.
It has been an excellent day, but this video of my brother @ReganBlntonKing baptising a frail and elderly woman who is newly trusting in Christ, then picking her up and carrying her out of the baptismal pool, has made it. Blessed be the Lord! pic.twitter.com/zeqlsAFZWi
Dr. Josh Packard, executive director of Springtide Research Institute, told CBN’s Faithwire about his extensive research into 13-to-25-year-olds, noting studies have long found “religion is good for you.”
God is real and He is concerned about His Cosmos particularly those in it that He made in His image to be in a relationship with Him so it is natural that He responds to those that sincerely call on Him in prayer.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7
“Faith and spirituality are good for you,” Packard said. “If you’re a person who believes in some kind of higher power and has a connection to that higher power, you’re generally flourishing more than your peers.”
He continued, “Those who pray more tend to be flourishing more in all areas, including their mental health.”
Packard’s comments are particularly stunning when America faces an “epidemic of mental health [crises] among young people.” Meanwhile, there’s also a massive rise in the proportion of “nones” who no longer affiliate with a specific faith or religion.
Data pointing to increased wellness among the faithful is particularly pertinent in the midst of these dynamics, pointing to a potential solution to cultural conundrums.
Packard said there are lessons in Springtide Research Institute’s findings that can inform the culture and churches alike, especially in an era in which faith is being downplayed or diminished.
“Young people would be … better off if more of them had a connection to something bigger than themselves,” he said. “But also, I think a lot of religious institutions and leaders would do well to take mental health into account, so that like faith and belief could be appropriately part of somebody’s overall approach to health.”
While young people might not be aligning with Christianity at rates they once were, Packard said many still see themselves as spiritual, and more than half pray.
While the separation from biblical truth is undoubtedly troubling for Christians, these realities show at least openness to a higher power. And that intrigue could lead to receptive Gospel introductions.
“We see lots of desire from Gen Z to embark on these conversations and explorations of meaning and purpose and, ‘Why am I here on this Earth?’” he said. “So, the desire hasn’t gone away. The exploration hasn’t gone away.”
As Faithwire has extensively reported, countless surveys and studies show the benefits of faith.
Human beings were created to live in fellowship with God. We know from God’s Word that the two people God created, in the beginning, disobeyed God and the consequence of that disobedience was separation and subsequent death.
We also know from God’s Word that God created angelic spiritual beings prior to making mankind and that rebellion by one supreme angelic being named Lucifer, now renamed Satan convinced one-third of God’s angelic beings to rebel with him. Moreover, it was Satan that tempted Eve who then enticed Adam into disobeying God. Satan is now the prince of this world and our prime battle is against him and his demons.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:12-13
God has provided all we need to overcome Satan and his demons. God sent Jesus, His Son to pay the price for our rebellion against Him. Once we repent of our rebellion and accept Jesus’ offer of Salvation and submit to Him as Lord then God the Father sends the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to indwell our spirit and enable us to live the Christian life as our counsellor, comforter, and teacher. Moreover, He teaches us how to pray and will even intercede for us when we do not know how to pray.
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:26-28
God has also told us the end of His Story. Satan is defeated and Jesus is made king and will rule and reign on this earth for one thousand years.
“And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Revelation 12:9-11
“They (resurrected Saints) came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:5-6
This is the most amazing testimony I have ever heard. You have to listen to listen to this interview. It will show you that God is at work in all of us regardless of who we are and what we have done.
Former Psychopath David Wood Shares his astounding transformation into a Christian Apologist. Before he was twenty years of age, he attempted to murder his father with a hammer and was sentenced to ten years in prison. You will be mesmerised by his journey to faith. You will see how in control God is of your life and who He brings into it to help you come to the truth about Him and His world.
David now runs an apologetics ministry called “Acts 17 Apologetics.” To follow his work (dealing primarily with Christianity, Islam, and atheism), be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Acts17Ap…
David was used by God over a four year period to bring former Muslim Nabeel Qureshi into His Kingdom. Nabeel is the author of the New York Times bestselling No God but One: Allah or Jesus?, the follow-up to his bestseller Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, the only book ever to win Christian Book Awards for both “Best New Author” and “Best Nonfiction.”
Message from Jo Jo Dawson that will inspire/encourage you to step out and do what God has called you to do.
It’s TIME, the last days are upon us. God is looking for obedient disciples who will step out NOW. True authentic people who will live eternal now.
Three great Scriptures Psalm 32:8 and Ephesians 3;20. Move into the plans and purposes of God
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20
“But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.” Galatians 6:4
After you have watched this video, please tell me what you are going to do to move forward in the Lord.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 