Thoughts on Christ and His Word

David Watson was an English Evangelist and author.  Cancer took his life on February 18, 1984.  While he was fighting this disease he wrote a book called Fear No Evil on how he was dealing with this terminal sickness.    In this book David Watson writes: As I spent time chewing over the endless assurances and promises to be found in the Bible, so my faith in the living God grew stronger and held me safe in his hands.  God’s word to us, especially his word spoken by his Spirit through the Bible, is the very ingredient that feeds our faith.  If we feed our souls regularly on God’s word, several times each day, we should become robust spiritually just as we feed on ordinary food several times each day, and become robust physically.  Nothing is more important than hearing and obeying the word of God. I say “Amen” to that.  Let’s all aim at feeding our souls a regular diet of the Word of God.

Some Christians live unhappy lives.  They need to discover the JOY that God promised. One Christian found another one day and asked him if had the "Joy of the Lord" in him.  The second man replied "Yes, he did".  To which the first man said, "Well tell your face, because it looks miserable." Here are a few tips on living a Joy-filled life: 1. Develop a thankful heart. Thank God often throughout the day for the big and small blessing that you enjoy.  The Bible speaks about "Giving thanks to God"  (in some form)  over 80 times.  Paul commands us to  " Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thess. 5:16-18 2. Enjoy legitimate physical pleasures.  Some Christians think that all physical pleasure is evil.  This is a lie from the enemy.  In the Old Testament, God gave the Jews over 10 different festivals (or feasts). Not all were yea...

When we don't like someone staring at us, we might ask them "Who are you looking at?"  Most people don't like to be stared at. But God doesn't mind us looking constantly and intently upon Him.  Especially when we get into trouble. He wants us to call upon Him so that He might get us out of trouble and show His power. When King Jehoshaphat realized that a mighty army was about to attack him he turned his eyes and heart to God.  He prayed... ...we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 God told him to march his people to where the invaders would be.  They sang songs until they got there and found that God had made this vast enemy force to turn on itself and all the enemy soldiers were dead.  They plundered the dead army and found so much loot that it took them three days to haul away all the valuable stuff. When your in trouble, who do you look towards for...

God takes Joy seriously! He takes it so seriously he commands us live in it - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"   Phil 4:4 The phrase "Rejoice in the Lord" appears twelve times in the Bible and 4 of those appear as commands. God wants to help us obey this command, so He gave us His Spirit who strengthens us to live for God in all areas.  But if we look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 we notice that the second characteristic that the Spirit produces in us (right after "love") is "Joy". But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace, patience... Galatians 5:22 Why does God want to live in Joy? For at least two reasons. One, God is the most Joy-filled being in the universe.  God is not this grumpy old man looking down waiting for someone to get out of line in order to zap him.  He is filled with Joy. When we are filled with Joy we become more like God. Two, God's Joy in us makes sin l...

The tribes of Israel east of the Jordan River wanted to expand their territory so they picked a fight with the Hagrites and some other peoples.  They has trained for such battles for the Bible says: "The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle." 1  Chronicles 5:18 They had done their part, now God was about to do His... "They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him." 1 Chronicles 5:20 Are you trusting in God to help you win your battles today?

Every Christian would undoubtedly say that we should serve God with all we got - give him 100% of us. "He gave it all for us, so we should give our all for Him." However when it comes to the practical act of actually giving to Him real dollars in this real world many are not that enthusiastic.  Giving God 10% through the local church seems too much, too hard, or too legalistic - "that was Old Testament law; now we are under grace."  But prior to the law Abraham established the tithe (10%) as the standard for giving to God.  After rescuing his nephew (Lot) from the armies that took him captive, and having defeated them and taken their stuff (booty) he offered to God 10% (Gen. 14:20) How do we know that this marked a standard to be followed by God's people for all time? His grandson Jacob promised to give God 10% of all the wealth he would accumulate in Haran (Gen. 28:22) 10% was made part of the law of Moses (Lev. 27:30) Jesus Christ reaffirmed the ti...

The prophet Elijah asked God to send down fire so that the people would know "that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." 1 Kings 18:37. God is always looking to turn our hearts back to him.  Sometimes He does it in a dramatic way like fire from heaven, sometimes He whispers to us words of love and forgiveness, and sometimes when our hearts are really rebellious He may opt to deliver sickness or other tragedy to our door steps. Whatever the method He uses our response should be like that of the Israelites on the day He sent fire - "The LORD-he is God! The LORD-he is God!" 1 Kings 18:39