Is self-examination good for me?

"Periodic self-examination is needed and wise and biblical. But for the most part mental health is the use of the mind to focus on worthy reality outside ourselves."

John Piper via Justin Taylor, (http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/)

Do you ever feel, "homesick at home?"

“I had often called myself an optimist, to avoid the too evident blasphemy of pessimism. But all the optimism of the age had been false and disheartening for this reason, that it had always been trying to prove that we fit in to the world. The Christian optimism is based on the fact that we do not fit in to the world…The modern philosopher had told me again and again that I was in the right place, and I had still felt depressed even in acquiescence. But I had heard that I was in the wrong place, and my soul sang for joy, like a bird in spring…I knew now..why I could feel homesick at home.” 

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Do You Know God's Design in Distress?

"There is always design in our distress. God so values our trust in him alone that he will graciously take away everything else in the world that we might be tempted to rely on: even life itself if necessary."
Sam Storms

Have you learned the secret of counting your blessings and downplaying your struggles?

The Spirit of God extenuates (downplays) evils and crosses, and magnifies and amplifies all mercies; and makes all mercies seem to be great, and all afflictions seem to be little. But the devil goes quite contrary,..he lessens God's mercies, and amplifies evil things. Thus, a godly man wonders at his cross that it is not more, a wicked man wonders his cross is so much.."
Jeremiah Burroughs,
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Are you living for heaven?

"I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after my death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others do the same."
C.S. Lewis

As quoted in "Heaven," by Randy Alcorn, p. 455

Enjoying studying the idea of finding our "refuge" in God and how this ultimately relates to heaven. Thank God for this summer "sabbatical".

Sent from my mobile phone

Are you aware of Satan's devices?

Very helpful reading from Charles Spurgeon for today:

"Satan hindered us."—1 Thessalonians 2:18.

Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience, that Satan hinders us. From all points of the compass, all along the line of battle, in the vanguard and in the rear, at the dawn of day and in the midnight hour, Satan hinders us. If we toil in the field, he seeks to break the ploughshare; if we build the wall, he labours to cast down the stones; if we would serve God in suffering or in conflict—everywhere Satan hinders us. He hinders us when we are first coming to Jesus Christ. Fierce conflicts we had with Satan when we first looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he endeavours to hinder the completeness of our personal character. You may be congratulating yourself, "I have hitherto walked consistently; no man can challenge my integrity." Beware of boasting, for your virtue will yet be tried; Satan will direct his engines against that very virtue for which you are the most famous. If you have been hitherto a firm believer, your faith will ere long be attacked; if you have been meek as Moses, expect to be tempted to speak unadvisedly with your lips. The birds will peck at your ripest fruit, and the wild boar will dash his tusks at your choicest vines. Satan is sure to hinder us when we are earnest in prayer. He checks our importunity, and weakens our faith in order that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. Nor is Satan less vigilant in obstructing Christian effort. There was never a revival of religion without a revival of his opposition. As soon as Ezra and Nehemiah begin to labour, Sanballat and Tobiah are stirred up to hinder them. What then? We are not alarmed because Satan hindereth us, for it is a proof that we are on the Lord's side, and are doing the Lord's work, and in His strength we shall win the victory, and triumph over our adversary."

Morning & Evening, Aug 7th

Are you in troubled waters?

"Oh, the temptations that men of discontented spirits are subject to! The Devil loves to fish in troubled waters."
Jeremiah Burroughs
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment,
BTT, p. 126

Have you seen the power of grace in the midst of afflictions?

"When a Christian can walk in the midst of fiery trials..and has comfort and joy in the midst of everything, it will convince men, when they see the power of grace in the midst of afflictions."
Jeremiah Burroughs
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, BTT, p 123.

Are you skilled in being content?

"That to be skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment Is the duty, glory and excellence of a Christian."

Jeremiah Burroughs,
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Be careful what you ask for....

"Many times those who are employed in the ministry, or the magistracy [government], who sit at the stern to order the great affairs of the commonwealth and state, though you think they have a fine life, they lie awake when you are asleep."

Jeremiah Burroughs,
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, BTT 1998, p. 106

How Many Commands in the New Testament?

Do you know how many commands there are in the Old Testament? That’s right, there are 613. Well, that makes sense, because it seems that the Old Testament is full of rules, lots of “shalls” and the “shall nots”. But what about the New Testament? The Old Testament contains about 602,585 words in the English translation; the New Testament contains about 180,552 words ¹. So, if that proportion holds true for commands, you’d expect about 185 commands in the New Testament. 

Do you know how many commands are in the New Testament? The number is actually 1,050. That’s right, it’s 1,050 ². God is very interested in what we do.

Indeed, apart from him and his grace, we can do nothing. But nothing isn't the goal. Instead of thinking we can obey these commands in our own strength, we are to depend on Christ and the forgiveness and power we have in him to live a new life and thus begin to obey these wonderful commands. Christ turns the commands from condemnation-filled warnings to promise-filled invitations.

So, by his amazing grace, with great hope for his eternal blessings, start trusting and obeying!

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV)

1. See http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_words_in_the_King_James_Bible
2. See http://adrianwarnock.com/2006/02/preaching-800-commands-of-new/ et al,

Do You Know the 100 Names of Jesus?

I came across this list of the names of Jesus and was pretty amazed. I hope you are amazed too!

• Advocate (1 John 2:1)
• Almighty (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18)
• Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13)
• Amen (Rev. 3:14)
• Apostle of our Profession (Heb. 3:1)
• Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins (1 John 2:2)
• Author of Life (Acts 3:15)
• Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:2)
• Author of Salvation (Heb. 2:10)
• Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13)
• Blessed and only Ruler (1 Tim. 6:15)
• Bread of God (John 6:33)
• Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
• Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
• Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
• Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)
• Christ (1 John 2:22)
• Creator (John 1:3)
• Deliverer (Rom. 11:26)
• Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
• Everlasting Father (Isa. 9:6)
• Gate (John 10:9)
• Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11)
• Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5)
• Faith and True Witness (Rev. 3:14)
• First and Last (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
• Firstborn From the Dead (Rev. 1:5)
• God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
• Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
• Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20)
• Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)
• Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
• Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2)
• High Priest (Heb. 2:17)
• Holy and True (Rev. 3:7)
• Holy One (Acts 3:14)
• Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)
• Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27)
• Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
• I Am (John 8:58)
• Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4)
• King Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17)
• King of Israel (John 1:49)
• King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11)
• King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)
• King of the Ages (Rev. 15:3)
• Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
• Lamb of God (John 1:29)
• Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
• Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
• Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
• Light of the World (John 8:12)
• Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
• Living One (Rev. 1:18)
• Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
• Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
• Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
• Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
• Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
• LORD [YHWH] our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
• Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
• Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
• Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
• Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
• Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
• Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
• Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
• Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
• Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
• Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
• Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
• Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
• Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
• Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
• Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
• Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6)
• Prophet (Acts 3:22)
• Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
• Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
• Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
• Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
• Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
• Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
• Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
• Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
• Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
• Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
• Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
• Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
• Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
• The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
• The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
• True Bread (John 6:32)
• True Light (John 1:9)
• True Vine (John 15:1)
• Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
• Way (John 14:6)
• Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
• Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6)
• Word (John 1:1)
• Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

Taken from "100 Names of Jesus," by Eric von Atzigen, Pastor of Emmanuel Fellowship Church, Sweetwater, Texas