Forwarded from Winning the Lost (SavedthruGrace_David)
Turn Trials into Pearls
The oyster takes a grain of sand and turns it into a beautiful pearl.
Many people are just the opposite—they take pearls and turn them into grains of sand.
James 1:3
“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
The oyster takes a grain of sand and turns it into a beautiful pearl.
Many people are just the opposite—they take pearls and turn them into grains of sand.
James 1:3
“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
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“For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”
Ephesians 5:5-7 KJV
Ephesians 5:5-7 KJV
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Forwarded from The Narrow Gate
C. H. Spurgeon's
Evening Reading
(April 7th)
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness." — Psalm 51:14
In this SOLEMN CONFESSION, it is pleasing to observe that David plainly names his sin. He does not call it manslaughter, nor speak of it as an imprudence by which an unfortunate accident occurred to a worthy man, but he calls it by its true name, bloodguiltiness. He did not actually kill the husband of Bathsheba; but still it was planned in David's heart that Uriah should be slain, and he was before the Lord his murderer. Learn in confession to be honest with God. Do not give fair names to foul sins; call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter. What God sees them to be, that do you labour to feel them to be; and with all openness of heart acknowledge their real character. Observe, that David was evidently oppressed with the heinousness of his sin. It is easy to use words, but it is difficult to feel their meaning. The fifty-first Psalm is the photograph of a contrite spirit. Let us seek after the like brokenness of heart; for however excellent our words may be, if our heart is not conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness.
Our text has in it AN EARNEST PRAYER-it is addressed to the God of salvation. It is His prerogative to forgive; it is His very name and office to save those who seek His face. Better still, the text calls Him the God of my salvation. Yes, blessed be His name, while I am yet going to Him through Jesus' blood, I can rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The psalmist ends with A COMMENDABLE VOW: if God will deliver him he will sing-nay, more, he will "sing aloud." Who can sing in any other style of such a mercy as this! But note the subject of the song-"THY RIGHTEOUSNESS." We must sing of the finished work of a precious Saviour; and he who knows most of forgiving love will sing the loudest.
Evening Reading
(April 7th)
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness." — Psalm 51:14
In this SOLEMN CONFESSION, it is pleasing to observe that David plainly names his sin. He does not call it manslaughter, nor speak of it as an imprudence by which an unfortunate accident occurred to a worthy man, but he calls it by its true name, bloodguiltiness. He did not actually kill the husband of Bathsheba; but still it was planned in David's heart that Uriah should be slain, and he was before the Lord his murderer. Learn in confession to be honest with God. Do not give fair names to foul sins; call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter. What God sees them to be, that do you labour to feel them to be; and with all openness of heart acknowledge their real character. Observe, that David was evidently oppressed with the heinousness of his sin. It is easy to use words, but it is difficult to feel their meaning. The fifty-first Psalm is the photograph of a contrite spirit. Let us seek after the like brokenness of heart; for however excellent our words may be, if our heart is not conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness.
Our text has in it AN EARNEST PRAYER-it is addressed to the God of salvation. It is His prerogative to forgive; it is His very name and office to save those who seek His face. Better still, the text calls Him the God of my salvation. Yes, blessed be His name, while I am yet going to Him through Jesus' blood, I can rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The psalmist ends with A COMMENDABLE VOW: if God will deliver him he will sing-nay, more, he will "sing aloud." Who can sing in any other style of such a mercy as this! But note the subject of the song-"THY RIGHTEOUSNESS." We must sing of the finished work of a precious Saviour; and he who knows most of forgiving love will sing the loudest.
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“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
Habakkuk 2:2-4 KJV
Habakkuk 2:2-4 KJV
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God Our Provider
“Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."” (Matthew 17:27)
In 2024, teenager Keegan happily reeled in a two-foot barramundi. But his happiness became elation when his little sister pointed out a tag on the fish. His catch was worth one million dollars as part of an Australian fishing competition. The annual event had been held since 2015; Keegan was the first to win the coveted top cash prize.
However slim the odds of catching that fish, the odds were far lower that a fish caught at random would have a coin in its mouth. But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructed His disciple Peter to “go to the lake and . . . take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin” (17:27).
The context of this unlikely catch was a question of whether Jesus paid the temple tax (v. 24). The irony of insisting that Jesus—God’s Son—pay a tax to support God’s temple, wasn’t lost on Him. He pointed out that the king’s children don’t pay taxes to the king (vv. 25-26).
But there was no need to “cause offense” and distract others from His teaching by being perceived as a tax evader (v. 27). So Jesus instructed Peter to catch that fish, which had the exact amount to pay both His and Peter’s tax! Perhaps in part it was a reminder to Peter—and to us—that God is a provider who is always with His children as they follow Him.
By Monica La Rose
Reflect & Pray;
When have you experienced unlikely events in which you saw God’s hand at work? How does trusting Him free you to live in obedience?
Loving God, Please help me rest in Your provision as I follow You.
Scriptural Insight;
The law stipulated that every adult Israelite had to pay a tax to support the temple (Nehemiah 10:32). When Jesus was reminded that this tax was due, He said that just as kings don’t demand tribute from their own children, He—as the Son of God—is exempt. He’s “greater than the temple” (Matthew 12:6), for the temple belonged to Him. But as a law-abiding Jew, He’d pay the tax so that He wouldn’t be accused of breaking the law and causing others to stumble (17:27; see 11:6). He then miraculously provided Peter with the needed tax, showing that He’s the Lord of creation and will provide for our needs. Christ assures us “not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. . . . Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (6:25, 32 nlt). As children of God, we can trust Him to provide for our needs.
By: K.T. Sim
https://odbm.org/
The Gospel of Jesus Christ;
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
“”Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good””. - Psalm 122:6-9
Bless Israel in ALL Things;
“I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." - Genesis 12:3
“Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."” (Matthew 17:27)
In 2024, teenager Keegan happily reeled in a two-foot barramundi. But his happiness became elation when his little sister pointed out a tag on the fish. His catch was worth one million dollars as part of an Australian fishing competition. The annual event had been held since 2015; Keegan was the first to win the coveted top cash prize.
However slim the odds of catching that fish, the odds were far lower that a fish caught at random would have a coin in its mouth. But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructed His disciple Peter to “go to the lake and . . . take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin” (17:27).
The context of this unlikely catch was a question of whether Jesus paid the temple tax (v. 24). The irony of insisting that Jesus—God’s Son—pay a tax to support God’s temple, wasn’t lost on Him. He pointed out that the king’s children don’t pay taxes to the king (vv. 25-26).
But there was no need to “cause offense” and distract others from His teaching by being perceived as a tax evader (v. 27). So Jesus instructed Peter to catch that fish, which had the exact amount to pay both His and Peter’s tax! Perhaps in part it was a reminder to Peter—and to us—that God is a provider who is always with His children as they follow Him.
By Monica La Rose
Reflect & Pray;
When have you experienced unlikely events in which you saw God’s hand at work? How does trusting Him free you to live in obedience?
Loving God, Please help me rest in Your provision as I follow You.
Scriptural Insight;
The law stipulated that every adult Israelite had to pay a tax to support the temple (Nehemiah 10:32). When Jesus was reminded that this tax was due, He said that just as kings don’t demand tribute from their own children, He—as the Son of God—is exempt. He’s “greater than the temple” (Matthew 12:6), for the temple belonged to Him. But as a law-abiding Jew, He’d pay the tax so that He wouldn’t be accused of breaking the law and causing others to stumble (17:27; see 11:6). He then miraculously provided Peter with the needed tax, showing that He’s the Lord of creation and will provide for our needs. Christ assures us “not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. . . . Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (6:25, 32 nlt). As children of God, we can trust Him to provide for our needs.
By: K.T. Sim
https://odbm.org/
The Gospel of Jesus Christ;
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
“”Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good””. - Psalm 122:6-9
Bless Israel in ALL Things;
“I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." - Genesis 12:3
www.odbm.org
Our Daily Bread Ministries
Our Daily Bread Ministries helps people grow closer in their relationship with God, become more like Jesus, and respond to God’s Word through the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
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In John 21:15–17, Jesus brings Peter into a moment that feels both familiar and uncomfortable. They are sitting around a fire. The smell. The setting. The atmosphere. It is not random. Because the last time Peter stood by a fire like this, he denied Jesus three times (John 18:17–18).
Now here he is again. Same type of place. Same kind of moment. But this time, Jesus is sitting right in front of him.
And that creates a real tension. Why would Jesus bring Peter back to the same setting? Why return to the place that represents his greatest failure? If anything, you would expect Jesus to avoid that memory, to move past it, to restore Peter in a completely different environment.
But Jesus doesn’t avoid it.
He redeems it.
Three times, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love Me?” And each time Peter responds, Jesus commissions him: “Feed My sheep.” What looks like a painful reminder is actually a powerful restoration. The place of denial becomes the place of calling.
This is the revelation. Jesus does not heal you by skipping over your worst moment. He heals you by stepping into it with you and redefining it completely.
Through the finished work of Jesus, your past is not something God is trying to ignore. It is something He has already dealt with fully. Hebrews 10:14 says that by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. That means Peter’s failure did not change his standing with Jesus. And it does not change yours either.
Notice this. Jesus never brings up Peter’s sin to condemn him. He brings him back to that place to free him from it. There is no anger. No distance. No punishment. Only restoration, identity, and purpose.
The deeper truth is this. The very place you think disqualifies you is often the place God reveals your calling the clearest.
Peter thought his denial was the end. Jesus turned it into the beginning.
In everyday life, this changes how you view your past. You are not defined by your worst moment. You are not labeled by your failure. Because of the finished work of Jesus, what has been done in your past has already been dealt with at the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. That includes the parts of your story you wish never happened.
Practically, this means you stop running from your past and start seeing it through the lens of redemption. When memories come up, you do not shrink back in shame. You recognize that Jesus has already stepped into that place and rewritten its meaning.
It also means you stop disqualifying yourself from what God is calling you to do. Peter denied Jesus publicly, and yet Jesus restores him publicly and entrusts him with people. Your calling is not based on your performance. It is rooted in His finished work.
And this is where peace comes in. You do not have to fix your past. You do not have to prove that you have changed enough. Jesus has already dealt with it. Fully. Completely. Permanently.
That fire that once represented failure now represents restoration.
And the same is true for you.
Because of the finished work of Jesus, He does not avoid your worst moment. He meets you there, restores you there, and calls you forward from that very place.
~Brian Romero
Now here he is again. Same type of place. Same kind of moment. But this time, Jesus is sitting right in front of him.
And that creates a real tension. Why would Jesus bring Peter back to the same setting? Why return to the place that represents his greatest failure? If anything, you would expect Jesus to avoid that memory, to move past it, to restore Peter in a completely different environment.
But Jesus doesn’t avoid it.
He redeems it.
Three times, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love Me?” And each time Peter responds, Jesus commissions him: “Feed My sheep.” What looks like a painful reminder is actually a powerful restoration. The place of denial becomes the place of calling.
This is the revelation. Jesus does not heal you by skipping over your worst moment. He heals you by stepping into it with you and redefining it completely.
Through the finished work of Jesus, your past is not something God is trying to ignore. It is something He has already dealt with fully. Hebrews 10:14 says that by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. That means Peter’s failure did not change his standing with Jesus. And it does not change yours either.
Notice this. Jesus never brings up Peter’s sin to condemn him. He brings him back to that place to free him from it. There is no anger. No distance. No punishment. Only restoration, identity, and purpose.
The deeper truth is this. The very place you think disqualifies you is often the place God reveals your calling the clearest.
Peter thought his denial was the end. Jesus turned it into the beginning.
In everyday life, this changes how you view your past. You are not defined by your worst moment. You are not labeled by your failure. Because of the finished work of Jesus, what has been done in your past has already been dealt with at the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. That includes the parts of your story you wish never happened.
Practically, this means you stop running from your past and start seeing it through the lens of redemption. When memories come up, you do not shrink back in shame. You recognize that Jesus has already stepped into that place and rewritten its meaning.
It also means you stop disqualifying yourself from what God is calling you to do. Peter denied Jesus publicly, and yet Jesus restores him publicly and entrusts him with people. Your calling is not based on your performance. It is rooted in His finished work.
And this is where peace comes in. You do not have to fix your past. You do not have to prove that you have changed enough. Jesus has already dealt with it. Fully. Completely. Permanently.
That fire that once represented failure now represents restoration.
And the same is true for you.
Because of the finished work of Jesus, He does not avoid your worst moment. He meets you there, restores you there, and calls you forward from that very place.
~Brian Romero
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Forwarded from The Narrow Gate
C. H. Spurgeon's
Morning Reading
(April 8th)
"If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" — Luke 23:31
Among other interpretations of this suggestive question, the following is full of teaching: "If the innocent substitute for sinners, suffer thus, what will be done when the sinner himself -the dry tree-shall fall into the hands of an angry God?" When God saw Jesus in the sinner's place, He did not spare Him; and when He finds the unregenerate without Christ, He will not spare them. O sinner, Jesus was led away by His enemies: so shall you be dragged away by fiends to the place appointed for you. Jesus was deserted of God; and if He, who was only imputedly a sinner, was deserted, how much more shall you be? "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" what an awful shriek! But what shall be your cry when you shall say, "O God! O God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" and the answer shall come back, "Because ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of My reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh." If God spared not His own Son, how much less will He spare you! What whips of burning wire will be yours when conscience shall smite you with all its terrors. Ye richest, ye merriest, ye most self-righteous sinners-who would stand in your place when God shall say, "Awake, O sword, against the man that rejected Me; smite him, and let him feel the smart for ever"? Jesus was spit upon: sinner, what shame will be yours! We cannot sum up in one word all the mass of sorrows which met upon the head of Jesus who died for us, therefore it is impossible for us to tell you what streams, what oceans of grief must roll over your spirit if you die as you now are. You may die so, you may die now. By the agonies of Christ, by His wounds and by His blood, do not bring upon yourselves the wrath to come! Trust in the Son of God, and you shall never die.
Morning Reading
(April 8th)
"If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" — Luke 23:31
Among other interpretations of this suggestive question, the following is full of teaching: "If the innocent substitute for sinners, suffer thus, what will be done when the sinner himself -the dry tree-shall fall into the hands of an angry God?" When God saw Jesus in the sinner's place, He did not spare Him; and when He finds the unregenerate without Christ, He will not spare them. O sinner, Jesus was led away by His enemies: so shall you be dragged away by fiends to the place appointed for you. Jesus was deserted of God; and if He, who was only imputedly a sinner, was deserted, how much more shall you be? "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" what an awful shriek! But what shall be your cry when you shall say, "O God! O God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" and the answer shall come back, "Because ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of My reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh." If God spared not His own Son, how much less will He spare you! What whips of burning wire will be yours when conscience shall smite you with all its terrors. Ye richest, ye merriest, ye most self-righteous sinners-who would stand in your place when God shall say, "Awake, O sword, against the man that rejected Me; smite him, and let him feel the smart for ever"? Jesus was spit upon: sinner, what shame will be yours! We cannot sum up in one word all the mass of sorrows which met upon the head of Jesus who died for us, therefore it is impossible for us to tell you what streams, what oceans of grief must roll over your spirit if you die as you now are. You may die so, you may die now. By the agonies of Christ, by His wounds and by His blood, do not bring upon yourselves the wrath to come! Trust in the Son of God, and you shall never die.
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Forwarded from Thieves of Wonders & Friends channel🍀 (Jasmina)
"Traveling far and wide around the world, I've met magnificent dreamers, men and women who stubbornly believe in their dreams. They nurture them, cultivate them, share them, multiply them. I, humbly, in my own way, have done the same."
Luis Sepúlveda
(Trieste, Italy)
Have a wonderful and blessed day friends!🙏❤️
Luis Sepúlveda
(Trieste, Italy)
Have a wonderful and blessed day friends!🙏
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