“The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)
You may be going through things right now that are painfully preparing you for some precious service to Jesus and to his people. When a person strikes rock bottom with a sense of nothingness or helplessness, he may find that he has struck the Rock of Ages. Psalm 138 says: “Though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly.” You cannot sink so low in despairing of your own resources that God does not see and care. In fact, He is at the bottom waiting to catch you. As Moses says, “The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the
everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27). Yes, He sees you trembling and slipping. He could (and often did) grab you before you hit bottom. But this time he has some new lessons to teach. The psalmist said in Psalm 119:71, “It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” He does not say it was easy or fun or
pleasant. In retrospect, he simply says, “It was good for me.” In love’s service, only the wounded soldiers can serve.” I believe some of you are being prepared right now for some precious service of love. Because you are being wounded. Do not think that your wound has come to you apart from God’s gracious design. Remember His word: “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me . . . I wound and I heal” (Deuteronomy 32:39). May God grant a special grace to you who are groaning under some burden. Look eagerly for the new tenderness of love God is imparting to you even now.
00Philip Holderhttp://www.hoperoadnazarene.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hrn-logo-520x140-1.pngPhilip Holder2016-03-11 06:58:322016-03-11 06:58:32GOD REGARDS THE LOWLY
“I will make with them an everlasting covenant that I will not turn away from doing good to them . . . . I will rejoice in doing good to them.” (Jeremiah 32:40–41).
Can you think of any fact more encouraging than that God rejoices to do you good? He doesn’t begrudgingly fulfill his promise (Romans 8:28). It is his joy to do you good. And not just sometimes. Always! “I will not turn away from doing good to them.” But sometimes our situation is so hard to bear we just can’t muster any joy.
Remember Abraham: “In hope he believed against hope” (Romans 4:18). God has always been faithful. O how glad I am that the thing that makes Almighty God happiest is doing good for you and me!
00Philip Holderhttp://www.hoperoadnazarene.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hrn-logo-520x140-1.pngPhilip Holder2016-03-09 06:44:332016-03-09 06:44:33GOD REJOICES TO DO YOU GOOD
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
When Paul says to put to death the deeds of the body “by the Spirit” (Romans 8:13), I take him to mean that we should use the one weapon in the Spirit’s armor that is used to kill. Namely, the sword. Which is the word of God
(Ephesians 6:17). So when the body is about to be led into a sinful action by some fear or craving, we are to take the sword of the Spirit and kill that fear and that craving. In my experience, that means mainly severing the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise. So, for example, when I begin to crave some illicit sexual pleasure, the sword-swing that has often severed the root of this promised pleasure is: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). I recall the pleasures I have tasted of seeing God more clearly from an undefiled conscience; and I recall the brevity and superficiality and oppressive aftertaste of sin’s pleasures, and with that, God has killed the conquering power of sin. Having promises at hand that suit the temptation of the hour is one key to successful warfare against sin. But there are times when we don’t have a perfectly suited word from God in our minds. And there is no time to look through the Bible for a tailor-made promise. So we all need to have a small arsenal of general promises ready to use whenever fear or craving threaten to lead us astray. Be constantly adding to your arsenal of promises. But never lose sight of the chosen few that God has blessed in your life. Do both. Be ever-ready with the old. And every morning look for a new one to take with you through the day. (Piper)
00Philip Holderhttp://www.hoperoadnazarene.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hrn-logo-520x140-1.pngPhilip Holder2016-03-07 06:50:262016-03-07 06:50:26ARM YOURSELF WITH PROMISES
GOD REGARDS THE LOWLY
/in Steadfast Hope“The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)
You may be going through things right now that are painfully preparing you for some precious service to Jesus and to his people. When a person strikes rock bottom with a sense of nothingness or helplessness, he may find that he has struck the Rock of Ages. Psalm 138 says: “Though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly.” You cannot sink so low in despairing of your own resources that God does not see and care. In fact, He is at the bottom waiting to catch you. As Moses says, “The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the
everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27). Yes, He sees you trembling and slipping. He could (and often did) grab you before you hit bottom. But this time he has some new lessons to teach. The psalmist said in Psalm 119:71, “It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” He does not say it was easy or fun or
pleasant. In retrospect, he simply says, “It was good for me.” In love’s service, only the wounded soldiers can serve.” I believe some of you are being prepared right now for some precious service of love. Because you are being wounded. Do not think that your wound has come to you apart from God’s gracious design. Remember His word: “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me . . . I wound and I heal” (Deuteronomy 32:39). May God grant a special grace to you who are groaning under some burden. Look eagerly for the new tenderness of love God is imparting to you even now.
GOD REJOICES TO DO YOU GOOD
/in Steadfast Hope“I will make with them an everlasting covenant that I will not turn away from doing good to them . . . . I will rejoice in doing good to them.” (Jeremiah 32:40–41).
Can you think of any fact more encouraging than that God rejoices to do you good? He doesn’t begrudgingly fulfill his promise (Romans 8:28). It is his joy to do you good. And not just sometimes. Always! “I will not turn away from doing good to them.” But sometimes our situation is so hard to bear we just can’t muster any joy.
Remember Abraham: “In hope he believed against hope” (Romans 4:18). God has always been faithful. O how glad I am that the thing that makes Almighty God happiest is doing good for you and me!
ARM YOURSELF WITH PROMISES
/in Steadfast Hope“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
When Paul says to put to death the deeds of the body “by the Spirit” (Romans 8:13), I take him to mean that we should use the one weapon in the Spirit’s armor that is used to kill. Namely, the sword. Which is the word of God
(Ephesians 6:17). So when the body is about to be led into a sinful action by some fear or craving, we are to take the sword of the Spirit and kill that fear and that craving. In my experience, that means mainly severing the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise. So, for example, when I begin to crave some illicit sexual pleasure, the sword-swing that has often severed the root of this promised pleasure is: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). I recall the pleasures I have tasted of seeing God more clearly from an undefiled conscience; and I recall the brevity and superficiality and oppressive aftertaste of sin’s pleasures, and with that, God has killed the conquering power of sin. Having promises at hand that suit the temptation of the hour is one key to successful warfare against sin. But there are times when we don’t have a perfectly suited word from God in our minds. And there is no time to look through the Bible for a tailor-made promise. So we all need to have a small arsenal of general promises ready to use whenever fear or craving threaten to lead us astray. Be constantly adding to your arsenal of promises. But never lose sight of the chosen few that God has blessed in your life. Do both. Be ever-ready with the old. And every morning look for a new one to take with you through the day. (Piper)