“The silence must be deafening after a sneeze at an atheist gathering.”—Ray Comfort
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Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in your way.
Psalm 2:12
Submission to Christ brings protection, rejection of Christ brings destruction.
Psalm 2:12
Submission to Christ brings protection, rejection of Christ brings destruction.
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A real man is not one who conquers women, but one who gives himself for a single one, as Christ did for His church.
April reminder: A strong marriage is not built on big events — it’s built on SMALL DAILY FAITHFULNESS! ✨ A kind word! A gentle touch! A short prayer! These small things create UNSHAKABLE strength! 💪 Zech 4:10 ❤️
Which small faithful act strengthened your marriage most this week? #StrongMarriage #April
Which small faithful act strengthened your marriage most this week? #StrongMarriage #April
Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:35
Earthly families are precious.
They are not primary.
Earthly families are precious.
They are not primary.
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“No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul like the scene on Calvary.”—Charles Spurgeon
Come my soul, thy suit prepare;
Jesus loves to answer prayer
He himself has bid thee pray
Therefore will not say thee, Nay.
Newton
Jesus loves to answer prayer
He himself has bid thee pray
Therefore will not say thee, Nay.
Newton
Do. Not. Give. Up. THIS IS A WAR. It's never easy, but ALWAYS worth it. Be patient and wait upon Christ. Trust Him. Stay focused!
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“Calvary preaching, Calvary theology, Calvary books, Calvary sermons! These are the things we want. And in proportion as we have Calvary exalted and Christ magnified, the gospel is preached.”—Charles Spurgeon
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Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. Husbands, love your wives sacrificially. Wives, respect your husbands joyfully.
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April 15: I’ll Take the Arrow
#Devotional
Deuteronomy 29:1–29; 2 Corinthians 7:8–16; Psalm 42:1–43:5
"
Better is an arrow from a friend than a kiss from an enemy."
When I first heard this saying, I was struck by what a truism it is. It wasn’t until years later, though, that I began surrounding myself with wise friends who would tell me the truth even when it was difficult to hear.
Paul was a true friend to the Corinthians, and it’s for this reason that he rebuked them:
“For if indeed I grieved you by my letter, I do not regret it.… For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death”
(2 Cor 7:8, 10).
I recently felt God asking me to rebuke someone. I was hesitant at first, but I followed through. Afterward, I was tempted to lighten the weight of my words by writing a follow-up explanation, but I was certain that it wasn’t God’s will that I do so; I felt that nearly all the words I had spoken were in His will. I had to be confident that the rebuke had power to lead the person to repentance and that the repentance could lead to salvation. I shouldn’t regret what I had done, but embrace it.
Moses had a similar experience to Paul’s. He spoke harsh words into the lives of the Israelites when renewing God’s covenant with them. He said things like:
“You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine and strong drink, so that you may know that I am Yahweh your God” (Deut 29:6).
When the Israelites were deprived of things they thought they deserved, it was so that they could learn about God; such deprivation would force them to be dependent upon Yahweh.
I had another experience lately where I was on the receiving end of a truthful rebuke. My typical response is defensiveness, but I sensed from my friend’s voice that he was genuine. He was speaking words of experience, love, and godly wisdom. God worked in my heart and I listened. Even though they hurt, I had to be thankful for the wise words. As I’ve been tempted to fall into my old patterns since then, that rebuke continues to make a difference. I’m thankful for honest friends.
We often use the phrase
“Judge not lest you be judged”
as an excuse for not speaking the truth to someone (Matt 7:1). But Paul clearly didn’t use it that way. He understood that he was the worst of sinners, and he gladly admitted it. In grace, he issued rebukes.
Judging people incorrectly and out of hate or envy is a problem in our world. But so is failing to speak up when we see someone going astray. Paul didn’t judge—rather, he stated that God would judge according to His plans and oracles. Paul said it like it was, based on what God led him to say. He didn’t degrade people; he promoted godly behavior.
Do you have godly friends who speak honest words to you? If not, how can you go about making friends that will? How can you be open to speaking the truth to others without judging them?
#Devotional
Deuteronomy 29:1–29; 2 Corinthians 7:8–16; Psalm 42:1–43:5
"
Better is an arrow from a friend than a kiss from an enemy."
When I first heard this saying, I was struck by what a truism it is. It wasn’t until years later, though, that I began surrounding myself with wise friends who would tell me the truth even when it was difficult to hear.
Paul was a true friend to the Corinthians, and it’s for this reason that he rebuked them:
“For if indeed I grieved you by my letter, I do not regret it.… For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death”
(2 Cor 7:8, 10).
I recently felt God asking me to rebuke someone. I was hesitant at first, but I followed through. Afterward, I was tempted to lighten the weight of my words by writing a follow-up explanation, but I was certain that it wasn’t God’s will that I do so; I felt that nearly all the words I had spoken were in His will. I had to be confident that the rebuke had power to lead the person to repentance and that the repentance could lead to salvation. I shouldn’t regret what I had done, but embrace it.
Moses had a similar experience to Paul’s. He spoke harsh words into the lives of the Israelites when renewing God’s covenant with them. He said things like:
“You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine and strong drink, so that you may know that I am Yahweh your God” (Deut 29:6).
When the Israelites were deprived of things they thought they deserved, it was so that they could learn about God; such deprivation would force them to be dependent upon Yahweh.
I had another experience lately where I was on the receiving end of a truthful rebuke. My typical response is defensiveness, but I sensed from my friend’s voice that he was genuine. He was speaking words of experience, love, and godly wisdom. God worked in my heart and I listened. Even though they hurt, I had to be thankful for the wise words. As I’ve been tempted to fall into my old patterns since then, that rebuke continues to make a difference. I’m thankful for honest friends.
We often use the phrase
“Judge not lest you be judged”
as an excuse for not speaking the truth to someone (Matt 7:1). But Paul clearly didn’t use it that way. He understood that he was the worst of sinners, and he gladly admitted it. In grace, he issued rebukes.
Judging people incorrectly and out of hate or envy is a problem in our world. But so is failing to speak up when we see someone going astray. Paul didn’t judge—rather, he stated that God would judge according to His plans and oracles. Paul said it like it was, based on what God led him to say. He didn’t degrade people; he promoted godly behavior.
Do you have godly friends who speak honest words to you? If not, how can you go about making friends that will? How can you be open to speaking the truth to others without judging them?
April 15 - Slander Equals Murder
#LifeOfChrist
“‘Whoever says to his brother, “You good-for-nothing,” shall be guilty before the supreme court’” (Matthew 5:22).
The word (raca) translated by the New American Standard Bible “good-for-nothing” has been variously rendered elsewhere as “brainless idiot,” “worthless fellow,” “blockhead,” and the like. It was a term of malicious abuse and slander that really has no precise modern translation. David graphically described persons who used such slander as those who
“sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips” (Ps. 140:3).
The Roman soldiers who tortured and crucified Jesus could well have used the term to mock and disrespect Him (cf. Matt. 27:29–31).
According to Jewish legend, a young rabbi had just come from a session with his famous teacher. He felt especially proud of how he had handled himself before the teacher. As he basked in those feelings of superiority, he passed an especially unattractive man who greeted him. The young rabbi responded,
“You Raca! How ugly you are. Are all men of your town as ugly as you?”
“That I do not know,” the man replied, “but go and tell the Maker who created me how ugly is the creature He has made.”
To slander someone made in God’s image is to slander God Himself and is the same as
murdering that person. Jesus called such harsh contempt murder of the heart. The contemptuous person was as much as
“guilty before the supreme court”
(the Jewish Sanhedrin, which tried the most serious cases and pronounced the ultimate penalty—death). We dare not trifle with any kind of contemptuous language toward others.
Ask Yourself
Remember, this is not just an injunction against speaking unkind, judgmental words, but also of thinking them in our minds. When God has led you to seasons of victory in your thought life, how has He accomplished it? What stopped evil thoughts from ever coming up?
#LifeOfChrist
“‘Whoever says to his brother, “You good-for-nothing,” shall be guilty before the supreme court’” (Matthew 5:22).
The word (raca) translated by the New American Standard Bible “good-for-nothing” has been variously rendered elsewhere as “brainless idiot,” “worthless fellow,” “blockhead,” and the like. It was a term of malicious abuse and slander that really has no precise modern translation. David graphically described persons who used such slander as those who
“sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips” (Ps. 140:3).
The Roman soldiers who tortured and crucified Jesus could well have used the term to mock and disrespect Him (cf. Matt. 27:29–31).
According to Jewish legend, a young rabbi had just come from a session with his famous teacher. He felt especially proud of how he had handled himself before the teacher. As he basked in those feelings of superiority, he passed an especially unattractive man who greeted him. The young rabbi responded,
“You Raca! How ugly you are. Are all men of your town as ugly as you?”
“That I do not know,” the man replied, “but go and tell the Maker who created me how ugly is the creature He has made.”
To slander someone made in God’s image is to slander God Himself and is the same as
murdering that person. Jesus called such harsh contempt murder of the heart. The contemptuous person was as much as
“guilty before the supreme court”
(the Jewish Sanhedrin, which tried the most serious cases and pronounced the ultimate penalty—death). We dare not trifle with any kind of contemptuous language toward others.
Ask Yourself
Remember, this is not just an injunction against speaking unkind, judgmental words, but also of thinking them in our minds. When God has led you to seasons of victory in your thought life, how has He accomplished it? What stopped evil thoughts from ever coming up?
“It is impossible for a person to fully realize his need for God’s grace until he sees how terribly he has failed the standards of God’s Law. It is impossible for him to realize his need for mercy until he realizes the magnitude of his guilt.” —John MacArthur
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another Man. - 1 Corinthians 15:21 NLT #verseoftheday
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Lord God, please help me to always remember I am entirely dependent on You. Every good thing You have accomplished in my life was a gift of Your undeserved grace, not an earned wage for my works.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
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Don't do what makes you happy. Do what makes you holy.
This April, make your marriage a GREENHOUSE of godliness! 🌿❤️ Create space for both of you to GROW faster toward Christ because you are together! 💪 Prov 27:17 🌱
What godly trait in your spouse has grown this month? Celebrate it! #StrongMarriage #April
What godly trait in your spouse has grown this month? Celebrate it! #StrongMarriage #April
God is real.
Jesus is real.
The Holy Spirit is real.
The Bible is real.
The gospel is real.
The resurrection is real.
Salvation is real.
Heaven is real.
Hell is real.
Repent and trust in Jesus Christ.
Christ is King!
Jesus is real.
The Holy Spirit is real.
The Bible is real.
The gospel is real.
The resurrection is real.
Salvation is real.
Heaven is real.
Hell is real.
Repent and trust in Jesus Christ.
Christ is King!
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