https://fromtimetoeternity.com/?p=3211&preview=true

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

People  Repent

Luke 13:6-9

Then he used this illustration: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came, again and again, to see if he could find any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he told his gardener to cut it down. ‘I’ve waited three years and there hasn’t been a single fig!’ he said. ‘Why bother with it any longer? It’s taking up space we can use for something else.’

“‘Give it one more chance,’ the gardener answered. ‘Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine; if not, I’ll cut it down.’”

Fig trees were plentiful in Israel. In this parable, the fig tree also represents the nation of Israel. The fruitless fig tree would be cut down; Israel would be cut off from God’s blessing for refusing God’s Son.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

No Fruit

In the Old Testament, a fruitful tree was often used as a symbol of godly living (see, for example, Psalm 1:3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8). Jesus pointed out what would happen to the other kind of tree—the kind that took valuable time and space and still produced nothing for the patient gardener. This was one way Jesus warned his listeners that God would not tolerate forever their lack of productivity. (Luke 3:9 records John the Baptist’s version of the same message.) Have you been enjoying God’s special treatment without giving anything in return? If so, respond to the Gardener’s patient care, and begin to bear the fruit God has created you to produce. [xyz-ihs snippet=”Fb-sdks”][xyz-ihs snippet=”Botton”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

February 3

Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

Matthew 4:5-7 (also in Luke 4:9-13)

https://fromtimetoeternity.com/?p=3168&preview=true

Then Satan took him to Jerusalem to the roof of the Temple. “Jump off,” he said, “and prove you are the Son of God; for the Scriptures declare, ‘God will send his angels to keep you from harm,’ … they will prevent you from smashing on the rocks below.” Jesus retorted, “It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!”

The Temple was the religious center of the Jewish nation and the place where the people expected the Messiah to arrive (Malachi 3:1). The Temple was the tallest building in the area, and this “roof” was actually a pinnacle on the corner wall that jutted out of the hillside, overlooking the valley below. From this spot, Jesus could see all of Jerusalem behind him and the country for miles in front of him.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

The Whole Truth

Satan used Scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin! Sometimes friends or associates will present attractive and convincing reasons why you should do something you know is wrong. They may even find Bible verses that seem to support their viewpoint. Study the Bible carefully, especially the broader contexts of specific verses, so that you understand God’s principles for living and what he wants for your life. Only if you really understand what the whole Bible says will you be able to recognize errors of interpretation when people take verses out of context and twist them to say what they want them to say.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

Jesus was able to resist all of the devil’s temptations because he not only knew Scripture, he also obeyed it. Ephesians 6:17 says that God’s Word is a sword to use in spiritual combat. Knowing Bible verses is an important step in helping us resist the devil’s attacks, but we must also obey the Bible. Satan had memorized Scripture, but he failed to submit to it. Knowing and obeying the Bible helps us follow God’s desires rather than the devil’s.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Fb-sdks”][xyz-ihs snippet=”Botton”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

Held by the Grip of God

“I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).

Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe is to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, “Well, I’m really not suited for this.” What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you—your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are—you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do … I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Fb-sdks”][xyz-ihs snippet=”Botton”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

The Discipline of Hearing

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27).

https://fromtimetoeternity.com/?p=3129&preview=true

Sometimes God puts us through the experience and discipline of darkness to teach us to hear and obey Him. Songbirds are taught to sing in the dark, and God puts us into “the shadow of His hand” until we learn to hear Him (Isaiah 49:2). “Whatever I tell you in the dark …”—pay attention when God puts you into darkness, and keep your mouth closed while you are there. Are you in the dark right now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? If so, then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will speak while in the wrong mood—darkness is the time to listen. Don’t talk to other people about it; don’t read books to find out the reason for the darkness; just listen and obey. If you talk to other people, you cannot hear what God is saying. When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else once you are back in the light.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

After every time of darkness, we should experience a mixture of delight and humiliation. If there is only delight, I question whether we have really heard God at all. We should experience delight for having heard God speak, but mostly humiliation for having taken so long to hear Him! Then we will exclaim, “How slow I have been to listen and understand what God has been telling me!” And yet God has been saying it for days and even weeks. But once you hear Him, He gives you the gift of humiliation, which brings a softness of heart—a gift that will always cause you to listen to God now.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Fb-sdks”][xyz-ihs snippet=”Botton”]

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

 

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

Greetings brothers and sisters, grace and peace to you in the name of God our

Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I thank God for you and the love we share

in fellowship with one another because of the love God has for us all. God has given us

the heart to care for one another. He also has given us the responsibility to reach out and give

the words of salvation to those who are in their current state dead in their trespasses and sin.

God has given us the knowledge we need to accomplish such a task.  The more we understand the

better we are equipped to communicate in such a way even a young child will be able to understand

and receive the words of life. Lord God help me to encourage my brothers and sisters by increasing

their understanding  so that they may become a blessing to those who otherwise would be lost,

Thank You, Lord, in Jesus name, Amen

https://fromtimetoeternity.com/words-of-salvation/

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

⁴And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:42,43)

Christ being crucified with transgressors was not a matter of chance. This was spoken of  700 years

before by Isaiah  53:12. Isaiah said that “He was numbered with the transgressors”. It was a

demonstration of the unfathomable shame He endured on our behalf.  Jesus occupation of this position

showed that He was despised and rejected of men (Isa 53:3). While He was suffering, and in His shame,

He demonstrated that He is God. He prayed for the forgiveness of His enemies (Luke 23:34). He personally

offered salvation to the repentant thief, only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7). Before He went to the cross

He raised the dead (John 11:44).

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]

Many think that because they enjoy friendship with Christians that they are saved. Some people think that

because they go to church that they are saved. It is very important for everyone to know that it is only those

who are repentant, only those who believe in Jesus, only those who believe that He can save them will be saved.

You would not ask Jesus to forgive you and save you If you didn’t believe that He could. Only the repentant thief was

saved. The one that did not repent condemned His self. ⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him might be saved He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is

condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.(John 3:17-18). 

The Salvation of the repentant thief was final, Just as the condemnation of the unrepentant thief. God’s word says

” And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment” (Heb 9:27).

[xyz-ihs snippet=”asynchronous”]

 

The thief didn’t believe as a result of Christ spoken witness on the cross, It was the very presence of Christ next to him on the

cross that was sufficient enough to convict him. No one can say that because he has not been spoken to that he has not received the

witness by the Spirit of God. Jesus is the true light which lights every man that comes into the world. (John 1:19). The true light

was always in the world, before, during, and after His incarnation. There has never been a time in the world when this light was not

the cause of any body’s enlightenment who believe. This Light is constant and everpresent.

 

No one who is lost can blame his or her lack of salvation on the lack of provision of the light. My friends as seen by the graphic

demonstration of the cross, everyone will not be saved. Everyone who is saved will, or should attribute that salvation to God’s

initiative in providing salvation through Christ. My friends these are the last days. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ

is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead You shall be saved. For with the heart one believes unto

righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9,10). Choose Christ today, don’t worry

He will take care of you and see you through. If this message has helped you, Let me know, blog me. If you have made the decision

to choose Jesus and trust Him for your salvation Let Me know. Thank You, Lord, Amen.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Fb-sdks”][xyz-ihs snippet=”Botton”]

God Bless You

Reginald Stevens

[xyz-ihs snippet=”auto-ads”]