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DAILY PROMISE

Daily Blessing
Friday April 11, 2025

Today's Promise:
   For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

DAILY DEVOTION

C.H. Spurgeon's Evening Devotional
Friday April 11, 2025

"Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins."-Psalm 25:18
    
    It is well for us when prayers about our sorrows are linked with pleas concerning our sins-when, being under God's hand, we are not wholly taken up with our pain, but remember our offences against God. It is well, also, to take both sorrow and sin to the same place. It was to God that David carried his sorrow: it was to God that David confessed his sin. Observe, then, we must take our sorrows to God. Even your little sorrows you may roll upon God, for He counteth the hairs of your head; and your great sorrows you may commit to Him, for He holdeth the ocean in the hollow of His hand. Go to Him, whatever your present trouble may be, and you shall find Him able and willing to relieve you. But we must take our sins to God too. We must carry them to the cross, that the blood may fall upon them, to purge away their guilt, and to destroy their defiling power.
    
    The special lesson of the text is this:-that we are to go to the Lord with sorrows and with sins in the right spirit. Note that all David asks concerning his sorrow is, "Look upon mine affliction and my pain;" but the next petition is vastly more express, definite, decided, plain-"Forgive all my sins" Many sufferers would have put it, "Remove my affliction and my pain, and look at my sins." But David does not say so; he cries, "Lord, as for my affliction and my pain, I will not dictate to Thy wisdom. Lord, look at them, I will leave them to Thee, I should be glad to have my pain removed, but do as Thou wilt; but as for my sins, Lord, I know what I want with them; I must have them forgiven; I cannot endure to lie under their curse for a moment." A Christian counts sorrow lighter in the scale than sin; he can bear that his troubles should continue, but he cannot support the burden of his transgressions.
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I am a christian

When I say ...'' I am a christian
I am not shouting '' I AM CLEAN LIVING''
I'M whispering '' i was lost''
Now I'M found and forgiven.

When I say ...'' I'M Christian''
I don't speak of this with pride
I 'M CONFESSING THAT I STUMBLE
and need christ to be my guide.

When I say ...'' I'M a christian"
I'M not trying to be strong
I'm professing that I'M WEAK
AND NEED HIS STRENGTH TO CARRY ON

When I say...'' I'M a christian"
I'M not bragging of success
I'M admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess

When I say...'' I'M a christian ''
I'm not claming to be perfect
My flows are too visible far
But,God believess I am worth it

When I say ...'' I'M a christian''
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
so I call upon His name

When I say...'' I'M a christian''
I 'M not holier than thou
I'M just a simple sinner
Who recieved God's good grace, SOMEHOW..

DAILY BIBLE STORY

Bible Stories
Today's Bible Story
Friday, April 11, 2025
The Last of Paul's Journey, and His Life in a Roman Prison
Acts 28:11-31; Philemon; Colossians; 2 Timothy
Paul remains as a prisoner in Rome.
WHEN THE SPRING days returned the Roman centurion, Julius, placed his soldiers and prisoners on board a vessel that had lain all winter in a harbor of the Island. This vessel was bound for Italy and would take its passengers to the end of their journey by sea. The remaining distance to Rome they would travel by land.

    Paul's two friends, Luke and Aristarchus, continued the journey with him from the island. When the ship was ready to leave the harbor, the kind-hearted natives brought gifts of necessary things to these Christian men who had taught them about the Lord. In this way they tried to show how glad they were that these men had come to them.

    A city called Puteoli, in Italy, was the last stopping-place of the ship. Here all the passengers landed, and those going to Rome made ready to start on the last stretch of their journey.

    In this city some Christians were living, and they were glad to see Paul and his friends. The Roman centurion allowed Paul to remain with these Christians for one week.

    The journey from Puteoli to Rome was made on foot, over a well-built highway. As Paul trudged along the road his heart felt sad. Perhaps he feared that he might not have many opportunities to preach the gospel because he was a prisoner. Perhaps he thought that only a few people would be willing to listen to the words of a strange preacher who was bound with a heavy chain.

    But there were some Christians living in Rome also. Paul had never met these Christians, although he had written a long letter to them before he had been captured by the Jews. In that letter he had told them of his desire to visit Rome and to preach the gospel there also.

    When these Roman Christians heard of Paul's coming, they were very glad. Some of them started down the highway to meet him. Even though he was a prisoner they were happy to welcome such a good man to their city. And when they met the company of dusty travelers from Puteoli, they eagerly inquired for Paul.

    The coming of these Christians encouraged Paul very much. The sad feelings now left him and he thanked God for bringing him thus far on his long journey to Rome. He knew that he should have true friends in this strange city, friends who would not be ashamed of him even though he wore a chain.

    Julius, the centurion, gave his prisoners into the keeping of the captain of the guard of Rome. No doubt he told his captain about Paul, the prisoner who did not deserve to wear a chain, for the captain looked kindly upon Paul and did not cast him into the dreary prison but allowed him to live in a hired house. He could not take off the heavy chain Paul wore, for he did not have authority to do that. And always a soldier stayed with Paul to guard him as a prisoner.

    For two years he lived in his hired house, with first one and then another soldier with him, and these men learned from him the story of Jesus.

    Not only was Paul allowed to preach the gospel to the soldiers, but any one who wished might come to see him. When he had been in Rome only three days he sent for the chief Jews who lived in that city. They came to him, and he told them how the Jews in Jerusalem had accused him of wrong-doing and had caused him to be bound with that chain. He explained why he had become displeased with him. These Jews in Rome had heard nothing about Paul. They had received no letters from their friends in Jerusalem, accusing him of wrong-doing. But now they asked him to speak to them about the new religion that had so greatly displeased their people in the homeland. And Paul gladly consented to do this.

    On the day which they had appointed many Jews who lived in Rome came to Paul's lodging to hear him tell the gospel story. For a long time they had heard about the Christians, but never had they heard the teachings of the new religion. And always they heard unkind remarks about those who believed in Jesus.

    Paul took the books of Scripture, which they knew and love--the writing of Moses and of the prophets--and he explained how Jesus came to earth, suffered, died on the cross for the sins of men, and rose from the dead, all in fulfillment of the Scriptures, which spoke of his coming.

    While Paul talked, the Jews listened carefully. Some of them believed his words, and they were very glad to hear that God's promised gift to men had really come. But many other shook their heads and said, "We do not believe this teaching."

    When Paul saw that many would not believe he said, "It is just as the Holy Spirit spoke by the prophet Isaiah, saying, 'The heart of this people has grown hard, and their ears will not hear my words.' But the Gentiles," said Paul, "will hear and believe the salvation which God has sent to all men."

    As a prisoner in Rome, Paul taught many people about Jesus. He also wrote letters to the Christians who lived in other cities where he had preached. Some of these letters we have today in our Bibles. They are called epistles.

    One day while in Rome, Paul chanced to meet with a runaway slave, named Onesimus. This runaway belonged to a man who lived in Colosse, in Asia Minor, and who was a Christian and a friend of Paul's. Many people in those days owned slaves, just as farmers now own horses and cattle and sheep. They bought and sold these slaves, men, women, and children, just as people buy animals today. But Onesimus had run away from his master, and had come all the long distance to Rome.

    Paul talked kindly to this runaway, and finally he helped Onesimus to find God. How happy this poor slave became when he knew the joy of salvation brings! He longed to stay with Paul and to learn more about Jesus. He liked to do acts of kindness for this chained prisoner who had done so much for him. But Onesimus knew he belonged to Philemon, who lived in Colosse, and from whom he had run away, so he decided to return again to his master.

    Paul loved this slave who had become a Christian. He knew how cruelly the law treated runaway slaves when they were captured; but he believed that Philemon would not treat Onesimus so unkindly. He wrote a letter to Philemon and sent it by Onesimus. In this letter he told Philemon about the helpful deeds this slave had done for him since they had met in Rome. He urged Philemon to welcome Onesimus as brother, not as a wicked runaway, for God had saved him from his sins and now he, too, was a Christian. This letter to Philemon we have in our Bibles. Onesimus also delivered the letter Paul wrote to the church at Colosse, ant that letter we have in our Bibles, too.

    The Acts of the Apostles does not tell us any more about Paul, nor about the other apostles. But history tells us that Paul was finally killed by the wicked Nero, who was ruler of Rome. Not long before Paul was killed he wrote a letter to Timothy, the young man whom he loved as his own son. In this letter he said that soon he must die. He did not seem discouraged, but rejoiced because he had worked faithfully for God. And he said, "I am now ready to be offered." He told Timothy that a crown of righteousness was waiting for him in heaven, and not only for him but for every one who loves the Lord and desires to see him. This beautiful letter is also in our Bibles, and the words Paul wrote to Timothy encourage every Christian who reads them.

Tomorrow: Things We Learn from the Epistles

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WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer is basically talking with God. It is simply expressing your heart and spending time with Him. It is not a one way activity, God speaks, we listen, we speak and God listens to our hearts. Prayer can be exciting, powerful and fulfilling.

I am going to be focusing mostly on intercession, but I also wanted to provide an overview on other types of prayer that will hopefully inspire you to pursue your own personal study on this subject.

Types of Prayer

A. Thanksgiving
B. Petition
C. Prevailing
D. Intercession
A. Thanksgiving - Giving thanks to God for all things in your life. We are commanded to give thanks in all circumstances. Being thankful is being grateful for his protection, provision, blessing, and most of all for his Son.

B. Petition - We ask God for the specific things we need in our life. Give us our daily bread. Give us the things we need to survive, a roof over our heads, employment etc. Petitions are usually self orientated, presenting our personal needs to our Heavenly Father, in trust that He will provide. Be specific in your petitions, pray in details and not in generalities.

C. Prevailing Prayer - fervent consistent insistent prayer until a breakthrough takes place, whether in your personal life, or for someone else (intercession). Example Believing for emotional or physical healing.

Biblical Example: Luke 18:1-8.(NIV) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, `Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, `Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

D Intercession - Love on its knees in prayer, for others. Pleading on behalf of the needs of someone else. Standing in the gap, that is, praying prayers of repentance, etc., identifying yourself with the sins of those for which you are in prayer.

Biblical Example: Nehemiah, a godly man, identified with the sins of his people, praying prayers of repentance, asking the Lord to forgive and to have mercy and to raise up once again the nation of Israel.

Confirmation of Conversion

Reading: John 3:1-16

"If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things

have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Cor 5:17)

Can we identify a genuine experience of salvation? Surely yes!

First of all, there will be the true peace and joy through the Holy Spirit in the heart! When we make peace with God we have the peace of God. Jesus called it the peace the world cannot give (Jn 14:27). The burden of sin is rolled away! Guilt is gone! The converted man is overflowing with gratitude to God. He shouts with exuberance, "Thank you, Lord, thank You!" If over one sinner who repents there is great joy among the angels "in Heaven," will the angels "on earth" around him stay unmoved (Lk 15:10)?

Secondly, the converted man begins to hate sin and the evil ways of the world. The sinful acts he was indulging in during the past so willingly appear obnoxious to him now. The joy of the Lord has replaced the silly pleasures of sin. This does not mean he will never ever commit any sin. Before getting saved he was like a pig; he would be wallowing in the mire! Now he is a lamb. Even if someone pushes the lamb into the mire, it will atonce jump out and not stay there. Have you understood the difference? A child of God will not "live" in sin!

Thirdly, the saved man begins to love Bible meditation, prayer and fellowship of God's children. It is no more the routine of reading the Bible for a few minutes as a religious custom, but a delightful desire to spend hours in meditating it (Psa 1:2). Prayer becomes his very breath. Earlier he had not known God. But now he knows God as his Father. Hence this longing to speak to Him! He begins to feel and appreciate the love of God who has redeemed him (1 Jn 3:1). Fellowship with saints is necessary to comprehend the width, length, depth and height of that love (Eph 3:18).

Fourthly, those who are saved will walk in love with others (1 Jn 3:14). They will restitute matters with the wronged (Mt 5:23,24). Loving the enemies, the persecutors and the opposers is a proof of our being children to a God of love (Mt 5:43-48).

Fifthly, the saved man will just be anxious to share his new-found joy with others (Jn 4:28,29; Mk 5:19). "Let the world get the joy I got!"- This will be his motto.

More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show;

More of His saving fullness see;

More of His love-who died for me!

(Eliza E. Hewitt, 1851-1920)

Letter From Hell. - Scary but true

Conversation between Man and Jesus

Man: Its impossible.
Jesus: All things are possible. Luke 18:27
Man: I am too tired.
Jesus: I'll give you rest. Mathew 11:28
Man: Nobody really loves me.
Jesus: I love you. John 3:16
Man: I cant go on.
Jesus: My grace is sufficient for you. II Corinthians 12:9
Man: I have no guidance.
Jesus: I'll direct your steps. Proverbs 3:5,6 & Psalms 32:8
Man: I am afraid.
Jesus: I've not given you the spirit of fear. II Timothy 1:7
Man: I feel all alone.
Jesus: I'll never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

GOOD POST, GOD BLESS FOR THIS

27 May 2008 at 08:23

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