Written by TWFYT
Thursday October 23
"God, who is rich in mercy...raised us up...and made us sit together in...heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4,6 NKJV
For many years Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse pastored Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church. One Sunday morning a twelve year old boy in the balcony was transfixed after hearing him speak about the length and breadth and depth of God's amazing grace. Barnhouse closed his sermon by summarizing many of the great promises from Scripture in one impressive sentence: "Our sins are forgiven, forgotten, cleansed, pardoned, covered...bottled out as a thick cloud, removed as far as the east if from the west, cast behind God's back." At the end of the service when Barnhouse went to the back to greet people, they boy approached him, tugged at his sleeve, and said, "Good sermon, Doc! We're sure sittin' pretty aren't we?" That glorious phrase "in Christ" speaks to the redemptive miracle God performed for us through his Son (See Ro 8:1; 1Co 1:2; 15:22; 2Co 5:17; Eph 2:6-13). The word "in" assures us that just as out natural birth positioned un in Adam, our forefather, at the new birth God deliberately and precisely positions us in Jesus, our Redeemer. Think about it: "God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses...raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:4-6 NKJV). Note that we're seated together in the heavenly places in Christ, not beside Him. And it get even better! We're seated there so closely identified with Jesus that we're inseparably and eternally one with Him! Now if that's not sitting pretty, tell us what is!
Thursday October 23
"God, who is rich in mercy...raised us up...and made us sit together in...heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4,6 NKJV
For many years Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse pastored Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church. One Sunday morning a twelve year old boy in the balcony was transfixed after hearing him speak about the length and breadth and depth of God's amazing grace. Barnhouse closed his sermon by summarizing many of the great promises from Scripture in one impressive sentence: "Our sins are forgiven, forgotten, cleansed, pardoned, covered...bottled out as a thick cloud, removed as far as the east if from the west, cast behind God's back." At the end of the service when Barnhouse went to the back to greet people, they boy approached him, tugged at his sleeve, and said, "Good sermon, Doc! We're sure sittin' pretty aren't we?" That glorious phrase "in Christ" speaks to the redemptive miracle God performed for us through his Son (See Ro 8:1; 1Co 1:2; 15:22; 2Co 5:17; Eph 2:6-13). The word "in" assures us that just as out natural birth positioned un in Adam, our forefather, at the new birth God deliberately and precisely positions us in Jesus, our Redeemer. Think about it: "God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses...raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:4-6 NKJV). Note that we're seated together in the heavenly places in Christ, not beside Him. And it get even better! We're seated there so closely identified with Jesus that we're inseparably and eternally one with Him! Now if that's not sitting pretty, tell us what is!
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January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD
April
BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (1)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (2)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (3)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (4)REJOICE - DAY FORTY-ONE IS COMINGPASTOR, KEEP YOUR SWORD SHARPDON'T BURN OUT (1)DON'T BURN OUT (2)THE WAITING STRATEGYRESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (1)RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (2)HELP FOR CAREGIVERS
May
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOTHERKNOWING THE SEASON YOU'RE INFAITH IS NOT FAITH UNTIL IT IS ACTED UPONHAVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVEFREE FROM JEALOUSYDON'T LOVE YOUR PASSION FOR GODGET ALONE WITH GOD (1)GET ALONE WITH GOD (2)GET ALONE WITH GOD (3)WHO ARE YOU DEPENDING ON?THE SECRET TO SUCCESSHOW TO STAY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GODDEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (1)DEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (2)COMPASSION BEGINS WITH THE WORD "NOTICE"WHEN GOD ASKS YOU TO GIVEARE YOU IN A STRESS MESS?WHEN YOU FEEL BLAH