To a Band of Bereans:
"Oh, Christians, look to your steps! When you have prayed against sin, then watch against temptation. Such as are more excellent than others, God expects some singular thing from them. They should bring more glory to God and, by their exemplary piety, make proselytes to religion. Better fruit is expected from a vineyard than from a wild forest." -THOMAS WATSON
For further study read: Titus 2:12; Galatians 5:16-23; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:1-12; Romans 6-7; and 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3.
Have a wonderful Lord's Day,
Steve
2 Tim. 3:16-17
It Is We Who Must Be Bent
17 hours ago
4 comments:
Good quote. We need to be "living dangerously in the hands of God" as well, not wrecklessly.
One day I was praying with my children and a few ladies that I invited over with their children. THis was when we still lived in Oklahoma. Part of my prayer included that the Lord would provide us all with patience and His strength against the sin of dealing with our children in anger.
One lady gasped. At the close of the prayer, this lady quickly added, "Lord, please do not include me in that prayer for patience, etc. cause I know what that means."
For her, it meant that the Lord would bombard her with unwanted "opportunities" to practice patience... but that He would not be faithful to provide the strength she needed to turn to Him in the temptation to deal with her children in anger.
What it means to me to pray for such things is that the Lord will make me more mindful to gaurd against the temptation to deal with my children in anger knowing that He will provide the strength necessary to reflect Christ.
In praying for these things, the Lord does not suddenly bombard us with trials that require patience. But He makes us more aware, in those times that require patience, of our need to depend on Him as the perfectly faithful Father through those "opportunities" that are already there in abundance.
I liken it to walking out my front door and entering the mission field of the world and praying that the Lord would use me to share the uncompromised Gospel boldly out of love. It isn't that He miraculously brought all of these opportunities because I prayed this prayer. Those opportunities to share the Gospel are always in abundance. Even if you go through the McDonald's drive-thru. For me, such a prayer causes me to be more aware of these opportunities... and I have found the joy of this prayer being on my lips whenever I walk out my door.
oopsy... that was long. And I have one more thing to add. (the curse of women).
I wrote about opportunities to share the Gospel... those opportunities are also abounding in my home, not just when I walk out the door.
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