Faith's Checkbook - The Right to Holy Things - C.H. Spurgeon
"But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat." (Leviticus 22:11)
Strangers, sojourners, and servants upon hire were not to eat of holy things. It is so in spiritual matters still. But two classes were free at the sacred table, those who were bought with the priest's money and those who were born into the priest's house. Bought and born, these were the two indisputable proofs of a right to holy things.
Bought. Our great High Priest has bought with a price all those who put their trust in Him. They are His absolute property -- altogether the LORD's. Not for what they are in themselves, but for their owner's sake they are admitted into the same privileges which He Himself enjoys, and "they shall eat of his meat." He has meat to eat which worldlings know not of. "Because ye belong to Christ," therefore shall ye share with your LORD.
Born. This is an equally sure way to privilege. If born in the Priest's house we take our place with the rest of the family. Regeneration makes us fellow-heirs and of the same body, and, therefore, the peace, the joy, the glory, which the Father has given to Christ, Christ has given to us. Redemption and regeneration have given us a double claim to the divine permit of this promise.
Days of Heaven on Earth - A.B. Simpson
VERSE: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God... 1 Peter 5:6
The pressure of hard places makes us value life. Every time we come through such a trial, it is like a new beginning, and we learn better how much life is worth and make more of it for God and man. The pressure helps us to understand the trials of others and fits us to help and sympathize with them. There is a shallow, superficial nature that gets hold of a theory or a promise and talks very glibly about the distrust of those who shrink from every trial. But the man or woman who has suffered much never does this. Knowing what suffering really means, he or she is very tender and gentle. This is what Paul meant when he said, Death worketh in us, but life in you (2 Corinthians 4:12). Trials and hard places are needed to press us forward, even as the furnace fires in the hold of the mighty steamship give the force that moves the Piston, drives the engine and propels that great vessel in the face of winds and waves.
Counterfeit Christians - A.W. Tozer
VERSE: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. John 3:36
...If we compare what we ought to be and could be with what we are, and we don't see that we are in a rut and we are not concerned, then one of three things may be wrong. First, we may not be converted at all. I am convinced that many evangelicals are not truly and soundly converted. Among the evangelicals it is entirely possible to come into membership, to ooze in by osmosis, to leak through the cells of the church and never know what it means to be born of the Spirit and washed in the blood. A great deal that passes for the deeper life is nothing more or less than basic Christianity. There is nothing deeper about it, and it is where we should have been from the start. We should have been happy, joyous, victorious Christians walking in the Holy Spirit and not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. Instead we have been chasing each other around the perpetual mountain. What we need is what the old Methodists called a sound conversion. There is a difference between conversion and a sound conversion. People who have never been soundly converted do not have the Spirit to enlighten them. When they read the Sermon on the Mount or the teaching passages of the epistles that tell them how to live or the doctrinal passages that tell how they can live, they are unaffected. The Spirit who wrote them is not witnessing in their hearts because they have not been born of the Spirit. That often happens.
The Shepherd’s Desire - Greg Laurie
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” John 10:10
What is the desire of the Good Shepherd for His sheep? His desire for His flock is for them to flourish. He wants them to be well-fed and cared for. He wants them to be content and satisfied.
Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:10–11 NLT).
However, this abundant life that Jesus spoke of may not necessarily be a long one. But it certainly is a full one. Medical science has had breakthroughs of late that might extend our lives. But only Jesus Christ can add life to our years.
It is the Good Shepherd’s joy to lead us to “green meadows” and “beside peaceful streams” (see Psalm 23:2 NLT). Jesus not only promises life beyond the grave. He also said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). Thus, like David we can say, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need” (Psalm 23:1 NLT).
Contentment is a great thing to have in our lives. The apostle Paul said, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11–13 NLT).
It isn’t the idea of being content because we have a lot; rather, it’s being content regardless of what we have. As followers of Jesus Christ, our contentment doesn’t come from what we have; it comes from Who we know.
We know this is true because there are so many miserable, wealthy people in the world today. We read about them all the time. Their lives are falling apart. Their marriages are falling apart. They’re battling addictions. And they are not content.
But we can find contentment in a relationship with the Good Shepherd. Jesus said, “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NLT).
And Hebrews 13:5 tells us, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’” (NLT).
God isn’t austere and angry and reluctant to work in our lives. He loves us and has a tender heart toward us. And it gives Him pleasure to give to us His kingdom and His blessing.
When you put your trust in Christ, not only does He forgive you of your sins, but He also puts His righteousness in your spiritual account, so to speak. Your account is full. And everything you need to live a full and productive life is there in a relationship with God.
Beschneide deinen Avatar
