Category: Doctrine

Love

~ A Prayer Life ~ 3 Comments

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

~ Galatians 5:22-23

The Apostle Paul sets love as the first among the fruits of the Spirit because elsewhere he had explicitly stated without love we are but empty clanging noise. Love is the basis of our redemption in Christ, our fellowship with other believers and it should be our disposition towards a lost and dying world as well. Faithful, obedient living unto Jesus is clear evidence of our love for Him (Jn 14:15). Love is more than a mere sentiment or emotion – it is an abiding sense and deep appreciation of what God in Christ has done for you and, in turn, creates an unquenchable desire to live, love and serve in His name. It is this which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit living in the heart of the Believer.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, daily create in me a renewed and refreshed love for You and others that I might faithfully show forth the fruits of Your Spirit in my thoughts, words and deeds. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Good Cheer!

~ A Prayer Life ~ 3 Comments

“Be of good cheer! It is I…”

~ Mark 6:50

What a pronouncement! Such a blessed introduction! ‘It is I, thy Lord and Savior!’ Whenever Jesus comes to us, it should illicit cheer. His near presence in our lives is the only true source of peace, comfort and joy. The disciples feared the winds that had arose against them that night on the sea, but the Lord’s voice in a time of trouble brought calm to their souls. May we remember those wonderful words apply just as much today as they did when Christ first spoke them. He desires to be our delight and to bring serenity to our soul. Christ Jesus aspires for His presence in our lives to be the most celebrated thing about us. So be of good cheer, Jesus is here!

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, continue to make Yourself the ever-flowing source of my hope and happiness. May the things of this world never replace the eternal joy of knowing, loving and serving You! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get Acquainted

~ A Prayer Life ~ 3 Comments

“Now acquaint yourself with God, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.”

~ Job 22:21

Job is encouraged here in our verse to get to know the God that he serves. Job was frustrated, confused, and anxious about his life, in part, because he didn’t understand how the Lord was using his circumstances to 1. better him and 2. bring glory to God. Getting to know God through Scripture, prayer and worship helps us to better understand and appreciate what the Lord is doing in our life and how He is even using the difficult circumstances we face for our good. Therefore, it is vitally important we make acquainting ourselves with God a priority in our life. Because when we do, goodness and peace is sure to follow.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, show Yourself to me anew and afresh that I might better becoming acquainted with You – my true source of all goodness and peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Expectations In Prayer

~ A Prayer Life ~ 3 Comments

“God’s Word must be the guide of your desires, and the ground of your expectations in prayer, nor can you expect he should give a gracious ear to what you say to him, if you turn a deaf ear to what he saith to you.”

~ Matthew Henry

Prayer Life Pause: Dear Lord, make Your Word a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path that my prayers would be carried unto Thee on the wings of Thy truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Ultimate Question

~ A Prayer Life ~ 5 Comments

“Who do you say that I am”?

~ Matthew 16:15

From ancient philosophers to modern scholars, people have delved into timeless questions. What are the origins of the universe? Is there really any such thing as good and evil? Where did man come from? What is the meaning of life? Mankind has relentlessly prodded and plied on these ubiquitous questions with little to no avail for centuries on end.

Yet, there is only one question that truly matters. It is the one question every person must eventually face. This crucial question draws a spiritual line in the sand which divides and defines the whole human race. It is a question of reckoning. This essential question confronts the man, challenges the mind and pierces the very heart and soul.

Jesus puts this question to everyone who ever lives, “Who do you say that I am?” And to be sure, there are as many opinions about who Jesus was and is, as there are about the origins of the universe. In Jesus’ own day, He was likened to Elijah and Jeremiah. Some thought He was John the Baptist. Yet, all of these answers fall short of the glorious truth.

Peter, the Apostle, replies to our Lord’s question saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This, beloved reader, is the only satisfactory answer. None other will do. Jesus is the Christ, or He is nothing. And while foolish men may continue their search for the meaning of life, Jesus is Life. And He is asking you, “Who do you say that I am?” May your answer to this ultimate question echo Peter’s own, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, make the reality of Your divine person, love and grace ever more present in my life that I might continually exclaim and proclaim You to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Saul vs. David

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.”

~ 2 Samuel 3:1

What a fearful and awesome portrayal of the long war between the seed of the serpent and the Seed of the woman! Saul represents man’s tireless effort at self-righteous power, majesty and glory while the royal line of David represents the sovereign holy interests of Christ, our King. And though this spiritual battle which exists between these two ancient rivals presses on even today, Christ’s people can know, as with the narrative history between Saul’s and David’s houses which typifies this conflict, that Satan’s house will continue to grow weaker and weaker, while the Christ’s “house” will grow eternally stronger and stronger until the reign of Jesus is fulfilled for all time and in all things!

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, continue to grant me Your strength that I might live today in the glory of Your wonderful might and power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Having Done All, Stand

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.”

~ Acts 26:6

The Apostle Paul understood what it meant to be judged for his faith. This man who once mocked, ridiculed and persecuted Christians now stood under the same judgment of others he once stood over. Paul had come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and knew it had been promised and prophesied by God to their forefathers in Israel. Yet, the majority of the people were still blinded to this truth and self-righteously judged those who had come to confess and believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt. 16:16)

If you are judged by others for your faith in the Lord Jesus, stand firm (Phil. 4:1). Stand in humility and grace as a living testimony to the loving salvation purchased for you by your Savior. Cling to the hope that even those, like the Apostle Paul, who once judged others for their new-found faith, can be won over by the Gospel of Christ and the mercies of God seen through your faithfulness even in the most difficult of circumstances caused by the judgments, mocking and ridicule of others. And having done all, stand (Eph. 6:13).

~ apl

Many Have Yielded

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

~ 1 Peter 5:8

“Many have yielded to go a mile with Satan, that never intended to go two; but when once on the way, they have been allured further and farther, till at last they know not how to leave his company.”

~ William Gurnall (1616-1679)

But The Christian Lives

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“For we walk by faith, not by sight”

~ 2 Corinthians 5:7

The people of this world are influenced by the things that are seen. They live for wealth, honor, splendor, praise, for the objects which this world can furnish, and as if there were nothing which is unseen, or as if they ought not to be influenced by the things which are unseen. The Christian, on the contrary, has a firm conviction of the reality of the glories of heaven; of the fact that the Redeemer is there; of the fact that there is a crown of glory; and he lives, and acts as if that were all real, and as if he saw it all. 

God is unseen – but the Christian lives, and thinks, and acts as if there were a God, and as if he saw him. Christ is unseen now by the bodily eye; but the Christian lives and acts as if he were seen, that is, as if his eye were known to be upon us, and as if he was now exalted to heaven and was the only Saviour. The Holy Spirit is unseen; but he lives, and acts as if there were such a Spirit, and as if his influences were needful to renew, and purify the soul. Heaven is unseen; but the Christian lives, and thinks, and acts as if there were a heaven, and as if he now saw its glories. He has confidence in these, and in kindred truths, and he acts as if they were real. Could man see all these; were they visible to the naked eye as they are to the eye of faith, no one would doubt the propriety of living and acting with reference to them.

~ Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible