My Mum and I use different "read through the Bible in a year" Bibles. I use "The One Year Bible" (New Living Translation) and my Mum uses "Every Day with Jesus: One Year Bible" (Holman Christian Standard Bible).
Out of interest I read the comments for today in Mum's Bible. I found it quite thought provoking:
"It is vital to share Christ with others: experience and expression are the alternate beats of the Christian heart. And if these two things are not in operation, the Christian heart ceases to beat. Then what happens? We settle down to dead forms, dead attitudes, and dead prayers.
"This matter of sharing, however, must not be limited only to evangelism. It applies also to sharing with other Christians the things God has shared with us.
"If God has shown you something today from His Word, then it is imperative that you share it with another Christian. As we have been saying, nothing is really ours until we share it - the expression will deepen the impression. So in seeking to stay spiritually fresh, discipline yourself to share appropriate issues with your Christian and non-Christian friends. Many do not do this. They are disciplined in their quiet time or their study of the Scriptures, but they have never disciplined themselves to share. Someone has defined a Christian as one who says by word or deed: "Let me commend my Saviour to you." There is no better definition."
(Every Day With Jesus: One Year Bible, page 1593)
The time at which I have felt most spiritually alive was whilst I was at university, where I would talk about what God was teaching me almost every time I bumped into a Christian friend (which was pretty often!) I need to cultivate this in my post-graduation life!
Friday, 31 December 2010
Heart change
“You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the LORD.
“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
(Malachi 3:13-15)
I don't know about you, but I sometimes find myself drifting towards this way of thinking.
I find myself questioning whether it is worth the effort of serving God. Wondering whether there is any benefit in continuing the painful battle with sin; a battle which never seems to be won. I find myself looking jealously at the world and at the people who don't need to worry about obedience and holiness.
However, the book of Malachi reminds us that this is arrogance. I am calling God's character and his wisdom into question. His are the ways that lead to life (3:7-8), and he is the unchanging God who loves us (3:6).
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
(Malachi 3:13-15)
I don't know about you, but I sometimes find myself drifting towards this way of thinking.
I find myself questioning whether it is worth the effort of serving God. Wondering whether there is any benefit in continuing the painful battle with sin; a battle which never seems to be won. I find myself looking jealously at the world and at the people who don't need to worry about obedience and holiness.
However, the book of Malachi reminds us that this is arrogance. I am calling God's character and his wisdom into question. His are the ways that lead to life (3:7-8), and he is the unchanging God who loves us (3:6).
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
I will trust in you
God seems to have been reminding me to walk boldly into the new year trusting in him. I listened to a talk by Jerry Bridges this morning on trusting in God (which I will try and track down and post) and I sung the second of the songs below at a prayer meeting this evening.
Epic sermon about grace
If you feel you need to be reminded of the truth and beauty of the gospel, I really recommend listening to this epic sermon on Romans 5 preached at Sovereign Grace Church in Sydney, Australia.
Link to sermon
Link to sermon
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