Yesterday I was reading this first devotional and was so blessed by reading it, I knew God wanted me to share with someone. See being obedient means doing what is asked of you. As what happens sometimes is I ran out of minutes in the day and I didn't get to posting and commenting on what the devotional meant to me and what God was speaking to me through it.
Today as I read another of A. B. Simpson's devotional, which I also added to this posting, I am in awe how I am so touched by someone else words and then realize God was speaking to them and that is what brings me to the devotionals. The common thread between both is "God!"
January 30 [A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
"Cast down but not destroyed" (II. Corinthians iv. 9).
[How did God bring about the miracle of the Red Sea? By shutting His people in on every side, so that there was no way out but the divine way. The Egyptians were behind them, the sea was in front of them, the mountains were on every side of them. There was no escape but from above.
Some one has said that the devil can wall us in, but he cannot roof us over. We can always get out at the top. Our difficulties are but God's challenges, and He makes them so hard, often, that we must go under or get above them.
In such an hour, if there is a divine element, it brings out the highest possibilities of faith and we are pushed by the very emergency into God's best.
Beloved, this is God's hour. If you will rise to meet it you will get such a hold upon Him that you will never be in extremities again, or if you are, you will learn to call them not extremities, but opportunities, and like Jacob, you will go forth from that night at Peniel, no longer Jacob, but victorious Israel. Let us bring to Him our need and prove Him true.]
As I read that devotional I thought of in my life the many times I almost went under. The Red Sea and Egyptians were represented by daily problems, work, family, friends, financial and constant sin that surrounded me. When I looked up and cried out, I was embraced in "God's hour"!
January 31 [A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
"Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (I. Corinthians i. 30).
[More and more we are coming to see the supreme importance of getting the right conception of sanctification, not as a blessing, but as a personal union with the personal Saviour and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Thousands of people get stranded after they have embarked on the great voyage of holiness.
They find themselves failing and falling, and are astonished and perplexed, and they conclude that they must have been mistaken in their experience, and so they make a new attempt at the same thing and again fall, until at last, worn out with the experiment, they conclude that the experience is a delusion, or, at least, that it was never intended for them, and so they fall back into the old way, and their last state is worse than their first.
What people need to-day to satisfy their deep hunger and to give them a permanent and Divine experience is to know, not sanctification as a state, but Christ as a living Person, who is waiting to enter the heart that is willing to receive Him.]
My friends, today's post is "Two for", two blessing for you from God. Even in today's times as back when A. B. Simpson was writing down these devotionals people were failing, falling, perplexed, worn out, delusion-ed and why? Not knowing Christ as a living Person. See at my lowest point I cried out, reached up, grabbed hold and never let go. Jesus will not let go, why would any of us want to let go of Him?
Grab Hold
I started to fall
and didn’t know why.
I needed help
and started to cry.
I looked around
for someone to see.
I started to yell,
please someone help me.
I looked to my left
and then to my right,
my worst fear was known
there was no one in sight.
No one to my back
or to my front,
I couldn’t walk
and I couldn’t run.
I cried out to the Lord,
where are You to behold?
He said, “Lookup My child,
and just grab hold”!
E. P. Shagott
1/31/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
If Only You Will See
[Mrs. Charles Cowman Devotional - Streams in the Desert]
Like the Cedars of Lebanon
"What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter" (John 13:7).
[We have only a partial view here of God's dealings, His half-completed, half-developed plan; but all will stand out in fair and graceful proportions in the great finished Temple of Eternity! Go, in the reign of Israel's greatest king, to the heights of Lebanon. See that noble cedar, the pride of its compeers, an old wrestler with northern blasts! Summer loves to smile upon it, night spangles its feathery foliage with dewdrops, the birds nestle on its branches, the weary pilgrim or wandering shepherd reposes under its shadows from the midday heat or from the furious storm; but all at once it is marked out to fall; The aged denizen of the forest is doomed to succumb to the woodman's stroke!
As we see the axe making its first gash on its gnarled trunk, then the noble limbs stripped of their branches, and at last the "Tree of God," as was its distinctive epithet, coming with a crash to the ground, we exclaim against the wanton destruction, the demolition of this proud pillar in the temple of nature. We are tempted to cry with the prophet, as if inviting the sympathy of every lowlier stem--invoking inanimate things to resent the affront--"Howl, fir tree; for the cedar has fallen!"
But wait a little. Follow that gigantic trunk as the workmen of Hiram launch it down the mountain side; thence conveyed in rafts along the blue waters of the Mediterranean; and last of all, behold it set a glorious polished beam in the Temple of God. As you see its destination, placed in the very Holy of Holies, in the diadem of the Great King--say, can you grudge that "the crown of Lebanon" was despoiled, in order that this jewel might have so noble a setting?
That cedar stood as a stately prop in Nature's sanctuary, but "the glory of the latter house was greater than the glory of the former!"
How many of our souls are like these cedars of old! God's axes of trial have stripped and bared them. We see no reason for dealings so dark and mysterious, but He has a noble end and object in view; to set them as everlasting pillars and rafters in His Heavenly Zion; to make them a "crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of our God." --Macduff
"I do not ask my cross to understand, My way to see-- Better in darkness just to feel Thy hand, And follow Thee."]
If Only You Will See
If only you will see,
how the Lord cares for you and me.
If you can take the time to understand
the workings of His mighty hands.
If only you will see,
from this world you can be free.
Free from sin, pain, doubt and fear,
free to reach out to someone else this year.
If only you will see,
the true life He has for you and me.
A life that He created just because of His love,
a life that was created to bring praise to Him above.
If only you will see,
just what you were really meant to be.
His Word was left for you and me,
if only you will see.
1/29/10
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Like the Cedars of Lebanon
"What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter" (John 13:7).
[We have only a partial view here of God's dealings, His half-completed, half-developed plan; but all will stand out in fair and graceful proportions in the great finished Temple of Eternity! Go, in the reign of Israel's greatest king, to the heights of Lebanon. See that noble cedar, the pride of its compeers, an old wrestler with northern blasts! Summer loves to smile upon it, night spangles its feathery foliage with dewdrops, the birds nestle on its branches, the weary pilgrim or wandering shepherd reposes under its shadows from the midday heat or from the furious storm; but all at once it is marked out to fall; The aged denizen of the forest is doomed to succumb to the woodman's stroke!
As we see the axe making its first gash on its gnarled trunk, then the noble limbs stripped of their branches, and at last the "Tree of God," as was its distinctive epithet, coming with a crash to the ground, we exclaim against the wanton destruction, the demolition of this proud pillar in the temple of nature. We are tempted to cry with the prophet, as if inviting the sympathy of every lowlier stem--invoking inanimate things to resent the affront--"Howl, fir tree; for the cedar has fallen!"
But wait a little. Follow that gigantic trunk as the workmen of Hiram launch it down the mountain side; thence conveyed in rafts along the blue waters of the Mediterranean; and last of all, behold it set a glorious polished beam in the Temple of God. As you see its destination, placed in the very Holy of Holies, in the diadem of the Great King--say, can you grudge that "the crown of Lebanon" was despoiled, in order that this jewel might have so noble a setting?
That cedar stood as a stately prop in Nature's sanctuary, but "the glory of the latter house was greater than the glory of the former!"
How many of our souls are like these cedars of old! God's axes of trial have stripped and bared them. We see no reason for dealings so dark and mysterious, but He has a noble end and object in view; to set them as everlasting pillars and rafters in His Heavenly Zion; to make them a "crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of our God." --Macduff
"I do not ask my cross to understand, My way to see-- Better in darkness just to feel Thy hand, And follow Thee."]
If Only You Will See
If only you will see,
how the Lord cares for you and me.
If you can take the time to understand
the workings of His mighty hands.
If only you will see,
from this world you can be free.
Free from sin, pain, doubt and fear,
free to reach out to someone else this year.
If only you will see,
the true life He has for you and me.
A life that He created just because of His love,
a life that was created to bring praise to Him above.
If only you will see,
just what you were really meant to be.
His Word was left for you and me,
if only you will see.
1/29/10
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Do you understand?
Here are two great Spurgeon devotionals from yesterday. January 26th, 2010. The first was from the morning and the second was the evening one. If you understand and agree to the first, then you definitely will with the second. I can add nothing more for Charles Spurgeon said it all so well, so many years ago.
“Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?”
- Matthew 6:26
God’s people are doubly his children, they are his offspring by creation, and they are his sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call him, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Father! Oh, what precious word is that. Here is authority: “If I be a Father, where is mine honour?” If ye be sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is most cheerfully rendered-which would not be withheld even if it might. The obedience which God’s children yield to him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster’s toil, but run in the way of his commands because it is your Father’s way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father’s will, and his will should be the will of his child. Father!-Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love, that the King’s crown is forgotten in the King’s face, and his sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of mercy-the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of him who wields it. Father!-Here is honour and love. How great is a Father’s love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not attempt, a father’s heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father! He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word-Father! There is all I can ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can say, “Father.”
“And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.”
- Luke 2:18
We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God’s glory, though it may not express itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as “the Wonderful.” That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction, should himself undertake to be man’s Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself. It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope. If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard, but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the throne, by wondering at what God has done.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
“Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?”
- Matthew 6:26
God’s people are doubly his children, they are his offspring by creation, and they are his sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call him, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Father! Oh, what precious word is that. Here is authority: “If I be a Father, where is mine honour?” If ye be sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is most cheerfully rendered-which would not be withheld even if it might. The obedience which God’s children yield to him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster’s toil, but run in the way of his commands because it is your Father’s way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father’s will, and his will should be the will of his child. Father!-Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love, that the King’s crown is forgotten in the King’s face, and his sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of mercy-the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of him who wields it. Father!-Here is honour and love. How great is a Father’s love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not attempt, a father’s heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father! He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word-Father! There is all I can ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can say, “Father.”
“And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.”
- Luke 2:18
We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God’s glory, though it may not express itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as “the Wonderful.” That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction, should himself undertake to be man’s Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself. It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope. If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard, but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the throne, by wondering at what God has done.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Fogiveness
After reading this devotional by Adrian Rogers from yesterday I got to where he spoke of “Gospel dynamite”. I said, “that I want to read and understand”. But for me to fully understand I had to go back a few verses. Also when I read verse 20 below my mind thought back to Genesis 6:6 And Jehovah repented that He had made man on the earth, and He was angry to His heart. Just think, God’s greatest creation, and He was angry that He made man. What was He angry about, “sin.” Man turned from God whom he was created to have a relationship with, and became an evil doer. But thank you Noah for as you read in Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of Jehovah.
I encourage you just as Adrian Rogers does in this devotional “forgive before it is too late!” I will always remember that my father and his brother passed on never forgiving each other for something that was said 40 years prior. My neighbor up the street told me the other day that she and her brother never got along and she has done everything she could. Has she?
JANUARY 25
The Ultimate Act of Forgiveness
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18 (MKJV)
Suppose someone were to punch you in the nose? And suppose in an act of compassion you were to say to that person who punched you, "I forgive you." And suppose they responded, "There's no need for you to forgive me. I've already forgiven myself." You'd feel a little cheated. Only the one who was punched can forgive the hitter.
Sin is a clenched fist in the face of God, and only God can forgive sin. There's enough Gospel dynamite in 1 Peter 3:18 to blow the sin, the hatred, the sorrow, and the sickness out of anybody's life, but that dynamite must be ignited by the spark of faith.
Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? Maybe someone from whom you need to ask forgiveness? Go do it now. Tomorrow may never come.
1Peter 3:8 And finally, all be of one mind, having compassion on one another, loving the brothers, tenderhearted, friendly.
1 Peter 3:9 Never give back evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, giving blessing, knowing that you are called to this so that you might inherit blessing.
1 Peter 3:10 For he that wants to love life and to see good days, let him restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile.
1 Peter 3:11 Let him turn aside from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.
1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayers. But the Lord's face is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:13 And who is the one who will harm you if you become imitators of the good?
1 Peter 3:14 But if you also suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. And do not fear their fear, nor be troubled,
1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;
1 Peter 3:16 having a good conscience, that while they speak against you as evildoers they may be shamed, those falsely accusing your good behavior in Christ.
1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God wills it, to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, indeed being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit;
1 Peter 3:19 in which also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
1 Peter 3:20 to disobeying ones, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared (in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through water);
1 Peter 3:21 which figure now also saves us, baptism; not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven, where the angels and authorities and powers are being subjected to Him.
“Forgive Me”
For every word that is said
Off every tongue when they depart
Regardless how well they are spoken
Given time they will impact the heart
It could be in a very good way
Very bad is likely too
Especially when spoken
No one is really thinking of you
Every time we go to speak
Stopping to think is very smart
Sensitive knowing it will somehow, affect that person’s heart!
E. P. Shagott
From God’s heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
I encourage you just as Adrian Rogers does in this devotional “forgive before it is too late!” I will always remember that my father and his brother passed on never forgiving each other for something that was said 40 years prior. My neighbor up the street told me the other day that she and her brother never got along and she has done everything she could. Has she?
JANUARY 25
The Ultimate Act of Forgiveness
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18 (MKJV)
Suppose someone were to punch you in the nose? And suppose in an act of compassion you were to say to that person who punched you, "I forgive you." And suppose they responded, "There's no need for you to forgive me. I've already forgiven myself." You'd feel a little cheated. Only the one who was punched can forgive the hitter.
Sin is a clenched fist in the face of God, and only God can forgive sin. There's enough Gospel dynamite in 1 Peter 3:18 to blow the sin, the hatred, the sorrow, and the sickness out of anybody's life, but that dynamite must be ignited by the spark of faith.
Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? Maybe someone from whom you need to ask forgiveness? Go do it now. Tomorrow may never come.
1Peter 3:8 And finally, all be of one mind, having compassion on one another, loving the brothers, tenderhearted, friendly.
1 Peter 3:9 Never give back evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, giving blessing, knowing that you are called to this so that you might inherit blessing.
1 Peter 3:10 For he that wants to love life and to see good days, let him restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile.
1 Peter 3:11 Let him turn aside from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.
1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayers. But the Lord's face is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:13 And who is the one who will harm you if you become imitators of the good?
1 Peter 3:14 But if you also suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. And do not fear their fear, nor be troubled,
1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;
1 Peter 3:16 having a good conscience, that while they speak against you as evildoers they may be shamed, those falsely accusing your good behavior in Christ.
1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God wills it, to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, indeed being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit;
1 Peter 3:19 in which also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
1 Peter 3:20 to disobeying ones, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared (in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through water);
1 Peter 3:21 which figure now also saves us, baptism; not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven, where the angels and authorities and powers are being subjected to Him.
“Forgive Me”
For every word that is said
Off every tongue when they depart
Regardless how well they are spoken
Given time they will impact the heart
It could be in a very good way
Very bad is likely too
Especially when spoken
No one is really thinking of you
Every time we go to speak
Stopping to think is very smart
Sensitive knowing it will somehow, affect that person’s heart!
E. P. Shagott
From God’s heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Monday, January 25, 2010
God's Gift
All I added was the poem. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”
- Romans 3:31
[Charles Spurgeon devotional]
[When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of his will. Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Then not because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not because the law says, “Love thy neighbour,” but because Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments;” and this is the commandment that he has given unto you, “that ye love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asketh of thee.” Does the Word say, “Love God with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah! commandment, Christ hath fulfilled thee already-I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.” May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s love, that your prayer may be, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.]
[F. B. Meyers devotional]
[F. B. Meyers said this of God’s Grace. His Joy is unspeakable, His Peace passeth understanding, His Love is beyond knowledge! Get great thoughts of God, who holds the ocean depths as a drop in the hollow of his hand, and weighs the mountains as grains of dust in His scales. Lie upon that bank of flowers, and consider their multitude; sweep the skies with a telescope and see if you can tell the stars; number the sand-grains upon the shore, and count the shells strewn along the strand; and when you have considered the gifts of His hand, ascend to the wealth of His heart. Study the infinite map of God's nature; compare it with the need of your little life, and then remember that the Father loves you infinitely, so much so that for your salvation and mine He gave His Only-Begotten Son. He has set His love upon you, and will certainly deliver you! He will set you on high because you have known His Name. All the resources of eternity and infinity are at His disposal, and He can make all grace abound toward you, that always having all sufficiency in all things, you may abound to every good work.
This is a very wonderful text! Count the number of universals in it. All Grace Always! All Sufficiency! All things! God abounding to us that we may abound. The word translated abound might be rendered literally "to flow or pour over." "My cup runneth over." Our Lord said: "I am come that they might have life, and have it overflowingly"; "Where sin overflows, grace much more overflows" (Joh_10:10; Rom_5:20).
Let us remember that God does not pour in unless we pour out. If we are filled with the Presence and Grace of Christ in our hearts, we must give ourselves out to others.
PRAYER
Give me grace, O Lord, to see the beauty lying at my feet in the commonplaces of life; and to feel that Thou art as near, and that life is as wonderful today, as when men beheld Thee in the days of Thy flesh. AMEN.]
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
God’s Gift
Think of all the wonderful gifts
that you have already received.
How can anyone of them compare
to God’s gift, once you first believed?
It will never be out dated,
nor decay as the years pass by.
The gift of salvation is for you and me,
just because of God’s love, we didn’t even have to try.
A gift to last forever,
just because we are His.
A gift that was paid in full,
Oh, what a special gift it is.
So remember to say “thank You”,
every morning, noon, and night.
The only person to give a gift like this,
is Jesus, because He definitely has the right!
E. P. Shagott
1/25/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”
- Romans 3:31
[Charles Spurgeon devotional]
[When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of his will. Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Then not because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not because the law says, “Love thy neighbour,” but because Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments;” and this is the commandment that he has given unto you, “that ye love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asketh of thee.” Does the Word say, “Love God with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah! commandment, Christ hath fulfilled thee already-I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.” May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s love, that your prayer may be, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.]
[F. B. Meyers devotional]
[F. B. Meyers said this of God’s Grace. His Joy is unspeakable, His Peace passeth understanding, His Love is beyond knowledge! Get great thoughts of God, who holds the ocean depths as a drop in the hollow of his hand, and weighs the mountains as grains of dust in His scales. Lie upon that bank of flowers, and consider their multitude; sweep the skies with a telescope and see if you can tell the stars; number the sand-grains upon the shore, and count the shells strewn along the strand; and when you have considered the gifts of His hand, ascend to the wealth of His heart. Study the infinite map of God's nature; compare it with the need of your little life, and then remember that the Father loves you infinitely, so much so that for your salvation and mine He gave His Only-Begotten Son. He has set His love upon you, and will certainly deliver you! He will set you on high because you have known His Name. All the resources of eternity and infinity are at His disposal, and He can make all grace abound toward you, that always having all sufficiency in all things, you may abound to every good work.
This is a very wonderful text! Count the number of universals in it. All Grace Always! All Sufficiency! All things! God abounding to us that we may abound. The word translated abound might be rendered literally "to flow or pour over." "My cup runneth over." Our Lord said: "I am come that they might have life, and have it overflowingly"; "Where sin overflows, grace much more overflows" (Joh_10:10; Rom_5:20).
Let us remember that God does not pour in unless we pour out. If we are filled with the Presence and Grace of Christ in our hearts, we must give ourselves out to others.
PRAYER
Give me grace, O Lord, to see the beauty lying at my feet in the commonplaces of life; and to feel that Thou art as near, and that life is as wonderful today, as when men beheld Thee in the days of Thy flesh. AMEN.]
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
God’s Gift
Think of all the wonderful gifts
that you have already received.
How can anyone of them compare
to God’s gift, once you first believed?
It will never be out dated,
nor decay as the years pass by.
The gift of salvation is for you and me,
just because of God’s love, we didn’t even have to try.
A gift to last forever,
just because we are His.
A gift that was paid in full,
Oh, what a special gift it is.
So remember to say “thank You”,
every morning, noon, and night.
The only person to give a gift like this,
is Jesus, because He definitely has the right!
E. P. Shagott
1/25/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Saturday, January 23, 2010
In Christ
A few years back I got a call from a friend, my ex-pastor in Texas. Since I live in New York we keep in touch sometimes monthly to check on each other. On this day all he said was, “Eddy, I want you to go and buy a book titled “Who I Am in Christ” by Neil T. Anderson. That was the end of our conversation. It was quick and to the point. Well, I did just as my friend asked and what a blessing it was. As I read the book it was like a missing link in my walk with Christ.
As I read today’s devotional by A. B. Simpson he talks about this, “being in Christ”. My friends I lost “one’s self” as he puts it, back in 1997. I am totally free. As you read this devotional ask yourself, “Do I want this freedom?” I pray you will answer truthfully, “yes!” This world we live in is encased with trouble and burdens. Some it seems experience more than others. What I have found in Christ my self-consciousness is now dropped and I am focused on others. When a burden comes into my life, I look up and Jesus says to me, “I got it Ed, keep doing my will and care for those that don’t know or understand!”
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
"I know a man in Christ" (II. Corinthians. xii. 2).
[It is a great deliverance to lose one's self. There is no heavier millstone that one can be compelled to carry than self-consciousness. It is so easy to get introverted and coiled round one's self in our spiritual consciousness. There is nothing that is so easy to fasten on as our misery; there is nothing that is more apt to produce self-consciousness than suffering, until it becomes almost a settled habit to hold on to our burden, and pray it unceasingly into the very face of God, until our very prayer saturates us with our own misery, instead of asking for power to drop ourselves altogether, and leave ourselves in His loving hands and know that we are free, and then rise into the blessed liberty of His higher thoughts and will, and His love and care for others.
The very act of letting go of ourselves really lifts us into a higher plane, and relieves us from the thing that is hurting. This habit of prayer for others, and especially for the world, brings its own recompense, and leaves upon our hearts a blessing like the fertility which the Nile deposits upon the soil of Egypt, as it flows through to its distant goal.]
New Through Christ
Ever since the day I was born
my life was not my own.
It had a purpose to fulfill
until He calls me home.
But what is always most troubling
as each day I strive to live,
is understanding it is not about me
but to all the others that I must give.
It is not about my accomplishments,
but instead what Christ has done for me.
I am no longer of myself,
because Jesus set me free.
He freed me from this worldly sin,
which is upon us day and night.
As His sinless body hung nailed to the Cross,
that made me special in the Father’s sight.
My days are all for Him now,
my burdens are oh so few.
I am this righteous child of God
through Christ I am brand new.
E. P. Shagott
1/23/10
From God’s heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
As I read today’s devotional by A. B. Simpson he talks about this, “being in Christ”. My friends I lost “one’s self” as he puts it, back in 1997. I am totally free. As you read this devotional ask yourself, “Do I want this freedom?” I pray you will answer truthfully, “yes!” This world we live in is encased with trouble and burdens. Some it seems experience more than others. What I have found in Christ my self-consciousness is now dropped and I am focused on others. When a burden comes into my life, I look up and Jesus says to me, “I got it Ed, keep doing my will and care for those that don’t know or understand!”
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
"I know a man in Christ" (II. Corinthians. xii. 2).
[It is a great deliverance to lose one's self. There is no heavier millstone that one can be compelled to carry than self-consciousness. It is so easy to get introverted and coiled round one's self in our spiritual consciousness. There is nothing that is so easy to fasten on as our misery; there is nothing that is more apt to produce self-consciousness than suffering, until it becomes almost a settled habit to hold on to our burden, and pray it unceasingly into the very face of God, until our very prayer saturates us with our own misery, instead of asking for power to drop ourselves altogether, and leave ourselves in His loving hands and know that we are free, and then rise into the blessed liberty of His higher thoughts and will, and His love and care for others.
The very act of letting go of ourselves really lifts us into a higher plane, and relieves us from the thing that is hurting. This habit of prayer for others, and especially for the world, brings its own recompense, and leaves upon our hearts a blessing like the fertility which the Nile deposits upon the soil of Egypt, as it flows through to its distant goal.]
New Through Christ
Ever since the day I was born
my life was not my own.
It had a purpose to fulfill
until He calls me home.
But what is always most troubling
as each day I strive to live,
is understanding it is not about me
but to all the others that I must give.
It is not about my accomplishments,
but instead what Christ has done for me.
I am no longer of myself,
because Jesus set me free.
He freed me from this worldly sin,
which is upon us day and night.
As His sinless body hung nailed to the Cross,
that made me special in the Father’s sight.
My days are all for Him now,
my burdens are oh so few.
I am this righteous child of God
through Christ I am brand new.
E. P. Shagott
1/23/10
From God’s heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Friday, January 22, 2010
God Is Looking
"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him"
(2 Chronicles 16:9).
This is a very inspiring devotional that I read this morning and wanted to share. In my own life now I find myself asking God, "show me more of Yourself". I love in the 2nd part of this devotional when it was describing George Mueller how he was listing all that he loved now being lost. I now can relate to his words that were spoken so long ago. This is an awesome statement that he made, "God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else." My friends each day of my life now, this is my goal.
[A devotional Mrs. Charles Cowman Devotional - Streams in the Desert]
[God is looking for a man, or woman, whose heart will be always set on Him, and who will trust Him for all He desires to do. God is eager to work more mightily now than He ever has through any soul. The clock of the centuries points to the eleventh hour.
"The world is waiting yet to see what God can do through a consecrated soul." Not the world alone, but God Himself is waiting for one, who will be more fully devoted to Him than any who have ever lived; who will be willing to be nothing that Christ may be all; who will grasp God's own purposes; and taking His humility and His faith, His love and His power, will, without hindering, continue to let God do exploits. --C. H. P.
"There is no limit to what God can do with a man, providing he will not touch the glory."
In an address given to ministers and workers after his ninetieth birthday, George Mueller spoke thus of himself: "I was converted in November, 1825, but I only came into the full surrender of the heart four years later, in July, 1829. The love of money was gone, the love of place was gone, the love of position was gone, the love of worldly pleasures and engagements was gone. God, God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else. And by the grace of God this has remained, and has made me a happy man, an exceedingly happy man, and it led me to care only about the things of God. I ask affectionately, my beloved brethren, have you fully surrendered the heart to God, or is there this thing or that thing with which you are taken up irrespective of God? I read a little of the Scriptures before, but preferred other books; but since that time the revelation He has made of Himself has become unspeakably blessed to me, and I can say from my heart, God is an infinitely lovely Being. Oh, be not satisfied until in your own inmost soul you can say, God is an infinitely lovely Being!' --Selected
I pray to God this day to make me an extraordinary Christian. --Whitefield.]
Another awesome statement from today's devotional is "There is no limit to what God can do with a man, providing he will not touch the glory." That is the fine line of ministry. See, as God is working in and through us we see His wonders and it is with us that He is accomplishing these wonders but we can not, not for one second think it is ourselves, for if we do then the glory can not be on God, and it must! God is always looking for good men and women. Are you ready or have you already said, "Here I am Lord!"
I‘m Talking To You
Why are you so down?
What can it be?
I raised my eyes above and asked
“God, are You talking to me?”
He said, “Everything that is,
and all you see,
was made just for you
and it all comes from Me!
The blood I shed,
the tears I cry,
is all for you
and still you doubt, why?
All I ask,
since you don’t seem to see,
is that someday you will choose
to believe in Me!
My Word was left
so you would know,
I am always here
and love you so!
So don’t be so down
and to My name always be true,
Yes, my child
I’m talking to You!”
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
(2 Chronicles 16:9).
This is a very inspiring devotional that I read this morning and wanted to share. In my own life now I find myself asking God, "show me more of Yourself". I love in the 2nd part of this devotional when it was describing George Mueller how he was listing all that he loved now being lost. I now can relate to his words that were spoken so long ago. This is an awesome statement that he made, "God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else." My friends each day of my life now, this is my goal.
[A devotional Mrs. Charles Cowman Devotional - Streams in the Desert]
[God is looking for a man, or woman, whose heart will be always set on Him, and who will trust Him for all He desires to do. God is eager to work more mightily now than He ever has through any soul. The clock of the centuries points to the eleventh hour.
"The world is waiting yet to see what God can do through a consecrated soul." Not the world alone, but God Himself is waiting for one, who will be more fully devoted to Him than any who have ever lived; who will be willing to be nothing that Christ may be all; who will grasp God's own purposes; and taking His humility and His faith, His love and His power, will, without hindering, continue to let God do exploits. --C. H. P.
"There is no limit to what God can do with a man, providing he will not touch the glory."
In an address given to ministers and workers after his ninetieth birthday, George Mueller spoke thus of himself: "I was converted in November, 1825, but I only came into the full surrender of the heart four years later, in July, 1829. The love of money was gone, the love of place was gone, the love of position was gone, the love of worldly pleasures and engagements was gone. God, God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else. And by the grace of God this has remained, and has made me a happy man, an exceedingly happy man, and it led me to care only about the things of God. I ask affectionately, my beloved brethren, have you fully surrendered the heart to God, or is there this thing or that thing with which you are taken up irrespective of God? I read a little of the Scriptures before, but preferred other books; but since that time the revelation He has made of Himself has become unspeakably blessed to me, and I can say from my heart, God is an infinitely lovely Being. Oh, be not satisfied until in your own inmost soul you can say, God is an infinitely lovely Being!' --Selected
I pray to God this day to make me an extraordinary Christian. --Whitefield.]
Another awesome statement from today's devotional is "There is no limit to what God can do with a man, providing he will not touch the glory." That is the fine line of ministry. See, as God is working in and through us we see His wonders and it is with us that He is accomplishing these wonders but we can not, not for one second think it is ourselves, for if we do then the glory can not be on God, and it must! God is always looking for good men and women. Are you ready or have you already said, "Here I am Lord!"
I‘m Talking To You
Why are you so down?
What can it be?
I raised my eyes above and asked
“God, are You talking to me?”
He said, “Everything that is,
and all you see,
was made just for you
and it all comes from Me!
The blood I shed,
the tears I cry,
is all for you
and still you doubt, why?
All I ask,
since you don’t seem to see,
is that someday you will choose
to believe in Me!
My Word was left
so you would know,
I am always here
and love you so!
So don’t be so down
and to My name always be true,
Yes, my child
I’m talking to You!”
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
That's me!
"Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of" (Luke ix. 55).
After reading this devotional this morning, the title jumped out at me. As I was reading these words almost fit me to a "T" as they say;
* simple - probably my wife could explain that one best
* tender - goes with that big heart of mine
* tolerant - yep, it takes a lot before something gets to me
* considerate of others - that is a very strong trait of mine
* like a little child - that one is important for it is written in the Bible, Matthew 18:3 and said, Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[Some one has said that the most spiritual people are the easiest to get along with. When one has a little of the Holy Ghost it is like "a little learning, a dangerous thing"; but a full baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a really disciplined, stablished and tested spiritual life, makes one simple, tender, tolerant, considerate of others, and like a little child.
James and John, in their early zeal, wanted to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans. But John, the aged, allowed Demetrius to exclude him from the church, and suffered in Patmos for the kingdom and with the patience of Jesus. And aged Paul was willing to take back even Mark, whom he had refused as a companion in his early ministry, and to acknowledge that he was profitable to him for the ministry.
I want the love that cannot help but love;
Loving, like God, for very sake of love.
A spring so full that it must overflow,
A fountain flowing from the throne above.
"Now abideth faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."]
I Am Someone Special
I am someone special
for all the world to see,
but when you look upon my face,
you are not really seeing me.
The face that you are seeing,
is the person I want to be.
I want to be like Jesus,
for my Lord and Savior is He.
So when you look into my eyes,
may they reflect His love indeed.
May my mouth speak His Words of love,
that have set so many free.
May my ears be always listening
for those worse off than me.
May my hands reach out as Jesus would,
to help all those in need.
May each person that I meet
as I travel on my way,
tell someone in their lives,
“I think I just saw Jesus today!”
E. P. Shagott
1/17/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
After reading this devotional this morning, the title jumped out at me. As I was reading these words almost fit me to a "T" as they say;
* simple - probably my wife could explain that one best
* tender - goes with that big heart of mine
* tolerant - yep, it takes a lot before something gets to me
* considerate of others - that is a very strong trait of mine
* like a little child - that one is important for it is written in the Bible, Matthew 18:3 and said, Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[Some one has said that the most spiritual people are the easiest to get along with. When one has a little of the Holy Ghost it is like "a little learning, a dangerous thing"; but a full baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a really disciplined, stablished and tested spiritual life, makes one simple, tender, tolerant, considerate of others, and like a little child.
James and John, in their early zeal, wanted to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans. But John, the aged, allowed Demetrius to exclude him from the church, and suffered in Patmos for the kingdom and with the patience of Jesus. And aged Paul was willing to take back even Mark, whom he had refused as a companion in his early ministry, and to acknowledge that he was profitable to him for the ministry.
I want the love that cannot help but love;
Loving, like God, for very sake of love.
A spring so full that it must overflow,
A fountain flowing from the throne above.
"Now abideth faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."]
I Am Someone Special
I am someone special
for all the world to see,
but when you look upon my face,
you are not really seeing me.
The face that you are seeing,
is the person I want to be.
I want to be like Jesus,
for my Lord and Savior is He.
So when you look into my eyes,
may they reflect His love indeed.
May my mouth speak His Words of love,
that have set so many free.
May my ears be always listening
for those worse off than me.
May my hands reach out as Jesus would,
to help all those in need.
May each person that I meet
as I travel on my way,
tell someone in their lives,
“I think I just saw Jesus today!”
E. P. Shagott
1/17/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Thursday, January 14, 2010
His standard does not change!
"Unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ"
(Eph. iv. 13).
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[God loves us so well that He will not suffer us to take less than His highest will. Some day we shall bless our faithful teacher, who kept the standard inflexibly rigid, and then gave us the strength and grace to reach it, and would not excuse us until we had accomplished all His glorious will.]
Now there is an opening for a good devotional. What an awesome Father He is. How often as I look back with my children, that it was easy to take the lesser way than stick to what we know is best for them. Easy to let the chores slip rather than be firm that they must get done. It really wasn't about the chore but completing the task ahead of you. It is that final goal for us Christians, Heaven, and in this life accomplishing God's will for our lives. Right now that is the task ahead of you, don't let it slip by.
[Let us be inexorable with ourselves. Let us mean exactly what God means, and have no discounts upon His promises or commandments. Let us keep the standard up, and never rest until we reach it. "Let God be true and every man a liar." If we fail a hundred times don't let us accommodate God's ideal to our realization, but like the brave ensign who stood in front of his company waving the banner, and when the soldiers called him back he only waved it higher, and cried, "Don't bring the standard back to the regiment, but bring the regiment up to the colors."]
Sometimes it appears the easiest way is to do nothing. Maybe to do a little but not give it your all. This is not what the Father wants from His children. His instructions to us is clear. Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. Jesus also said to Mark 16:15And He said to them, Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation. We should not wait for the world to come to us but "Go", "proclaim", "to all"! My friends the world is outside the four or five walls that contain you.
[Forward, forward, leave the past behind thee,
Reaching forth unto the things before;
All the Land of Promise lies before thee,
God has greater blessings yet in store.]
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
(Eph. iv. 13).
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[God loves us so well that He will not suffer us to take less than His highest will. Some day we shall bless our faithful teacher, who kept the standard inflexibly rigid, and then gave us the strength and grace to reach it, and would not excuse us until we had accomplished all His glorious will.]
Now there is an opening for a good devotional. What an awesome Father He is. How often as I look back with my children, that it was easy to take the lesser way than stick to what we know is best for them. Easy to let the chores slip rather than be firm that they must get done. It really wasn't about the chore but completing the task ahead of you. It is that final goal for us Christians, Heaven, and in this life accomplishing God's will for our lives. Right now that is the task ahead of you, don't let it slip by.
[Let us be inexorable with ourselves. Let us mean exactly what God means, and have no discounts upon His promises or commandments. Let us keep the standard up, and never rest until we reach it. "Let God be true and every man a liar." If we fail a hundred times don't let us accommodate God's ideal to our realization, but like the brave ensign who stood in front of his company waving the banner, and when the soldiers called him back he only waved it higher, and cried, "Don't bring the standard back to the regiment, but bring the regiment up to the colors."]
Sometimes it appears the easiest way is to do nothing. Maybe to do a little but not give it your all. This is not what the Father wants from His children. His instructions to us is clear. Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. Jesus also said to Mark 16:15And He said to them, Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation. We should not wait for the world to come to us but "Go", "proclaim", "to all"! My friends the world is outside the four or five walls that contain you.
[Forward, forward, leave the past behind thee,
Reaching forth unto the things before;
All the Land of Promise lies before thee,
God has greater blessings yet in store.]
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Use what He gave you!
“I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.”
- Job 36:2
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
A very good devotional for Christians. I thought it would be interesting to read this and comment on it a few sentences at a time. First I thought how Christianity hasn't changed over the years. From the days of Charles Spurgeon, to the days of Ed Shagott, what is important is to get your eyes off yourself and on God for the good of others. "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine! Hide it under a bushel no!
[We ought not to court publicity for our virtue, or notoriety for our zeal; but, at the same time, it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others. A Christian is not to be a village in a valley, but “a city set upon a hill;” he is not to be a candle under a bushel, but a candle in a candlestick, giving light to all.]
Now this next few sentences Charles Spurgeon mentions retirement. This is something I can relate to and also what he says we should do, I do! I do it for Christ. My friends, I have retired in Him!
[Retirement may be lovely in its season, and to hide one’s self is doubtless modest, but the hiding of Christ in us can never be justified, and the keeping back of truth which is precious to ourselves is a sin against others and an offence against God. If you are of a nervous temperament and of retiring disposition, take care that you do not too much indulge this trembling propensity, lest you should be useless to the church. Seek in the name of him who was not ashamed of you to do some little violence to your feelings, and tell to others what Christ has told to you.]
The other day I, and a few church family, men of God, got together for breakfast. I was not aware that one of the true reasons we were there was to talk about "Evangelism". But let me say right now, maybe my tongue is not like a trumpet, but more like a beating drum. My words, deeds, my being is about Jesus!
[If thou canst not speak with trumpet tongue, use the still small voice. If the pulpit must not be thy tribune, if the press may not carry on its wings thy words, yet say with Peter and John, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” By Sychar’s well talk to the Samaritan woman, if thou canst not on the mountain preach a sermon; utter the praises of Jesus in the house, if not in the temple; in the field, if not upon the exchange; in the midst of thine own household, if thou canst not in the midst of the great family of man. From the hidden springs within let sweetly flowing rivulets of testimony flow forth, giving drink to every passer-by.]
For many years I didn't realize I had any talents. It was not until I released my life to Him, that I understood He was molding these talents within me, that now come pouring out for Him, almost uncontrollably. Yes, it is the Lord that releases our tongues so the Holy Spirit can talk for us.
[Hide not thy talent; trade with it; and thou shalt bring in good interest to thy Lord and Master. To speak for God will be refreshing to ourselves, cheering to saints, useful to sinners, and honouring to the Saviour. Dumb children are an affliction to their parents. Lord, unloose all thy children’s tongue.]
Talent
A talent is something each of us has,
but to discover it is the trick.
Don't be afraid to try something new
for this might be what it is.
And once you realize you have it,
not to use it is a shame.
The good Lord has a reason for giving us this,
that only he will be able to explain.
So when we meet our maker
and he asks how we did,
he'll also ask if we used what he gave us
for a talent is a special gift.
Be grateful when you find it
and use it the best each day.
Remember to thank the Lord above,
making you special in this way.
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
- Job 36:2
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
A very good devotional for Christians. I thought it would be interesting to read this and comment on it a few sentences at a time. First I thought how Christianity hasn't changed over the years. From the days of Charles Spurgeon, to the days of Ed Shagott, what is important is to get your eyes off yourself and on God for the good of others. "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine! Hide it under a bushel no!
[We ought not to court publicity for our virtue, or notoriety for our zeal; but, at the same time, it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others. A Christian is not to be a village in a valley, but “a city set upon a hill;” he is not to be a candle under a bushel, but a candle in a candlestick, giving light to all.]
Now this next few sentences Charles Spurgeon mentions retirement. This is something I can relate to and also what he says we should do, I do! I do it for Christ. My friends, I have retired in Him!
[Retirement may be lovely in its season, and to hide one’s self is doubtless modest, but the hiding of Christ in us can never be justified, and the keeping back of truth which is precious to ourselves is a sin against others and an offence against God. If you are of a nervous temperament and of retiring disposition, take care that you do not too much indulge this trembling propensity, lest you should be useless to the church. Seek in the name of him who was not ashamed of you to do some little violence to your feelings, and tell to others what Christ has told to you.]
The other day I, and a few church family, men of God, got together for breakfast. I was not aware that one of the true reasons we were there was to talk about "Evangelism". But let me say right now, maybe my tongue is not like a trumpet, but more like a beating drum. My words, deeds, my being is about Jesus!
[If thou canst not speak with trumpet tongue, use the still small voice. If the pulpit must not be thy tribune, if the press may not carry on its wings thy words, yet say with Peter and John, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” By Sychar’s well talk to the Samaritan woman, if thou canst not on the mountain preach a sermon; utter the praises of Jesus in the house, if not in the temple; in the field, if not upon the exchange; in the midst of thine own household, if thou canst not in the midst of the great family of man. From the hidden springs within let sweetly flowing rivulets of testimony flow forth, giving drink to every passer-by.]
For many years I didn't realize I had any talents. It was not until I released my life to Him, that I understood He was molding these talents within me, that now come pouring out for Him, almost uncontrollably. Yes, it is the Lord that releases our tongues so the Holy Spirit can talk for us.
[Hide not thy talent; trade with it; and thou shalt bring in good interest to thy Lord and Master. To speak for God will be refreshing to ourselves, cheering to saints, useful to sinners, and honouring to the Saviour. Dumb children are an affliction to their parents. Lord, unloose all thy children’s tongue.]
Talent
A talent is something each of us has,
but to discover it is the trick.
Don't be afraid to try something new
for this might be what it is.
And once you realize you have it,
not to use it is a shame.
The good Lord has a reason for giving us this,
that only he will be able to explain.
So when we meet our maker
and he asks how we did,
he'll also ask if we used what he gave us
for a talent is a special gift.
Be grateful when you find it
and use it the best each day.
Remember to thank the Lord above,
making you special in this way.
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
It is there for the taking!
"Ask and it shall be given you" (Matt. vii. 7).
I thought before I would comment, it would be best to read this mornings devotional first.
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[We must receive, as well as ask. We must take the place of believing, and recognize ourselves as in it. A friend was saying, "I want to get into the will of God," and this was the answer: "Will you step into the will of God? And now, are you in the will of God?" The question aroused a thought that had not come before.
The gentleman saw that he had been straining after, but not receiving the blessing he sought.
Jesus has said, "Ask and ye shall receive." The very strain keeps back the blessing. The intense tension of all your spiritual nature so binds you that you are not open to the blessing which God is waiting to give you. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
He tells me there is cleansing
From every secret sin,
And a great and full salvation
To keep the heart within.
And I take Him in His fulness,
With all His glorious grace,
For He says it is mine by taking,
And I take just what He says.]
The amazing thing about the Gospel is how real it is today as it was when God spoke, "Let there be light." Sometimes we can hear or read and even say how precious that freely given grace to each of us is, but yet some can't grasp it. As I read devotionals like this one I am excited as when God first made them real to me. Maybe that is why He has encouraged me to put His words, that He speaks to others and now to me, open so all can hear or read.
Once I opened my heart to Him and freely gave Him my life, then His Word and others that He has touched, brings me to a closer understanding of His Will. This life no longer becomes mine, but His. Does this mean problems disappear, no, not at all. Maybe in some ways they may increase, for there are many that still have not, and maybe will not accept His marvelous gift, that it is hard for them to understand my joy with Him. Maybe this could fall into that saying, "misery loves company?"
Once you receive the blessings then you want to show your happiness. Even before asking and receiving the important part is the "knowing" that it will be. Read that scripture above again, see it is a done deal. It is written! It is God's Word. It will not and can not change. Accept it, take it, live it, for it is God's will!
Jesus Is Hope!
Jesus is hope
when all is gone,
He is there,
when life seems wrong.
Jesus will be
what you will need,
He is the light,
when dark you see.
Jesus will take
away the pain,
and give you back
that hope again.
Is there any hope,
is what you ask?
Remember Jesus is the first,
and never the last.
So in this life
there will be pain,
I pray you understand
In Jesus name.
12/15/09
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
I thought before I would comment, it would be best to read this mornings devotional first.
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[We must receive, as well as ask. We must take the place of believing, and recognize ourselves as in it. A friend was saying, "I want to get into the will of God," and this was the answer: "Will you step into the will of God? And now, are you in the will of God?" The question aroused a thought that had not come before.
The gentleman saw that he had been straining after, but not receiving the blessing he sought.
Jesus has said, "Ask and ye shall receive." The very strain keeps back the blessing. The intense tension of all your spiritual nature so binds you that you are not open to the blessing which God is waiting to give you. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
He tells me there is cleansing
From every secret sin,
And a great and full salvation
To keep the heart within.
And I take Him in His fulness,
With all His glorious grace,
For He says it is mine by taking,
And I take just what He says.]
The amazing thing about the Gospel is how real it is today as it was when God spoke, "Let there be light." Sometimes we can hear or read and even say how precious that freely given grace to each of us is, but yet some can't grasp it. As I read devotionals like this one I am excited as when God first made them real to me. Maybe that is why He has encouraged me to put His words, that He speaks to others and now to me, open so all can hear or read.
Once I opened my heart to Him and freely gave Him my life, then His Word and others that He has touched, brings me to a closer understanding of His Will. This life no longer becomes mine, but His. Does this mean problems disappear, no, not at all. Maybe in some ways they may increase, for there are many that still have not, and maybe will not accept His marvelous gift, that it is hard for them to understand my joy with Him. Maybe this could fall into that saying, "misery loves company?"
Once you receive the blessings then you want to show your happiness. Even before asking and receiving the important part is the "knowing" that it will be. Read that scripture above again, see it is a done deal. It is written! It is God's Word. It will not and can not change. Accept it, take it, live it, for it is God's will!
Jesus Is Hope!
Jesus is hope
when all is gone,
He is there,
when life seems wrong.
Jesus will be
what you will need,
He is the light,
when dark you see.
Jesus will take
away the pain,
and give you back
that hope again.
Is there any hope,
is what you ask?
Remember Jesus is the first,
and never the last.
So in this life
there will be pain,
I pray you understand
In Jesus name.
12/15/09
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Seed is Christ!
Luke 8:13 Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy. And these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
[A morning devotional by Charles spurgeon]
This is a good lesson to be learned. For a long time I would walk into church and shortly forget what the Lord was speaking to me about. Charles Spurgeon talks about how important it is to receive Jesus into your soul for without Him earnestly that all feelings and impressions cast our way, would soon fade away like seeds planted on rocky ground. See though my intentions were good, going to church, it was my commitment to Jesus, saying You are Lord, You are Master of my life, then the Word became real. Then the Seed of Christ began to grow inside me. Then the Seed began to show on the outside, this is the fruit from the seed.
Interesting is how through this sinful world satan, (not capitalized on purpose), will do everything in his power to weaken me, the Seed for Christ remains strong and it's fruitful purpose sprouts outward.
On Christ the rock I stand, all others is sinking sand!
[My soul, examine thyself this morning by the light of this text. Thou hast received the word with joy; thy feelings have been stirred and a lively impression has been made; but, remember, that to receive the word in the ear is one thing, and to receive Jesus into thy very soul is quite another; superficial feeling is often joined to inward hardness of heart, and a lively impression of the word is not always a lasting one.]
I believe churches today are trying various approaches to bring in people so they can find and experience God there. If the heart of the church is Jesus, you don't need an approach, you just have to be sincere in what you are portraying to those entering the house of God. I also believe the heart of the individual is already prepared by God before entering the doors of the church. What the individual needs is Jesus! Once that has happened the church then becomes a nourishment of His seed. Read on as Charles Spurgeon writes about this.
[In the parable, the seed in one case fell upon ground having a rocky bottom, covered over with a thin layer of earth; when the seed began to take root, its downward growth was hindered by the hard stone and therefore it spent its strength in pushing its green shoot aloft as high as it could, but having no inward moisture derived from root nourishment, it withered away. Is this my case? Have I been making a fair show in the flesh without having a corresponding inner life? Good growth takes place upwards and downwards at the same time. Am I rooted in sincere fidelity and love to Jesus? If my heart remains unsoftened and unfertilized by grace, the good seed may germinate for a season, but it must ultimately wither, for it cannot flourish on a rocky, unbroken, unsanctified heart. Let me dread a godliness as rapid in growth and as wanting in endurance as Jonah’s gourd; let me count the cost of being a follower of Jesus, above all let me feel the energy of his Holy Spirit, and then I shall possess an abiding and enduring seed in my soul. If my mind remains as obdurate as it was by nature, the sun of trial will scorch, and my hard heart will help to cast the heat the more terribly upon the ill-covered seed, and my religion will soon die, and my despair will be terrible; therefore, O heavenly Sower, plough me first, and then cast the truth into me, and let me yield thee a bounteous harvest.]
How important it is for us that understand and yield Christ's bounty, to share with those that still through their choice have not come to let the Father ploughing turn and prepare their hearts to receive Christ's heavenly seed of love.
Planting Seeds
I am His little gardener,
whom God chose me to be.
He said, “Little gardener of Mine
go plant these love seeds for Me”
I said, “Lord where do I plant,
these seeds of Your love?”
God said, “Just listen to your heart,
as I speak to you from above.
Do not be surprised
if rejected now and then,
these seeds are the beginning
that will spiritually nourish them to the end.
So I reached deep into my heart,
and grabbed one of His special love seeds.
From my mouth they were planted as I said,
“This is from God’s love, and also they are from me!”
E. P. Shagott
12/28/09
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
[A morning devotional by Charles spurgeon]
This is a good lesson to be learned. For a long time I would walk into church and shortly forget what the Lord was speaking to me about. Charles Spurgeon talks about how important it is to receive Jesus into your soul for without Him earnestly that all feelings and impressions cast our way, would soon fade away like seeds planted on rocky ground. See though my intentions were good, going to church, it was my commitment to Jesus, saying You are Lord, You are Master of my life, then the Word became real. Then the Seed of Christ began to grow inside me. Then the Seed began to show on the outside, this is the fruit from the seed.
Interesting is how through this sinful world satan, (not capitalized on purpose), will do everything in his power to weaken me, the Seed for Christ remains strong and it's fruitful purpose sprouts outward.
On Christ the rock I stand, all others is sinking sand!
[My soul, examine thyself this morning by the light of this text. Thou hast received the word with joy; thy feelings have been stirred and a lively impression has been made; but, remember, that to receive the word in the ear is one thing, and to receive Jesus into thy very soul is quite another; superficial feeling is often joined to inward hardness of heart, and a lively impression of the word is not always a lasting one.]
I believe churches today are trying various approaches to bring in people so they can find and experience God there. If the heart of the church is Jesus, you don't need an approach, you just have to be sincere in what you are portraying to those entering the house of God. I also believe the heart of the individual is already prepared by God before entering the doors of the church. What the individual needs is Jesus! Once that has happened the church then becomes a nourishment of His seed. Read on as Charles Spurgeon writes about this.
[In the parable, the seed in one case fell upon ground having a rocky bottom, covered over with a thin layer of earth; when the seed began to take root, its downward growth was hindered by the hard stone and therefore it spent its strength in pushing its green shoot aloft as high as it could, but having no inward moisture derived from root nourishment, it withered away. Is this my case? Have I been making a fair show in the flesh without having a corresponding inner life? Good growth takes place upwards and downwards at the same time. Am I rooted in sincere fidelity and love to Jesus? If my heart remains unsoftened and unfertilized by grace, the good seed may germinate for a season, but it must ultimately wither, for it cannot flourish on a rocky, unbroken, unsanctified heart. Let me dread a godliness as rapid in growth and as wanting in endurance as Jonah’s gourd; let me count the cost of being a follower of Jesus, above all let me feel the energy of his Holy Spirit, and then I shall possess an abiding and enduring seed in my soul. If my mind remains as obdurate as it was by nature, the sun of trial will scorch, and my hard heart will help to cast the heat the more terribly upon the ill-covered seed, and my religion will soon die, and my despair will be terrible; therefore, O heavenly Sower, plough me first, and then cast the truth into me, and let me yield thee a bounteous harvest.]
How important it is for us that understand and yield Christ's bounty, to share with those that still through their choice have not come to let the Father ploughing turn and prepare their hearts to receive Christ's heavenly seed of love.
Planting Seeds
I am His little gardener,
whom God chose me to be.
He said, “Little gardener of Mine
go plant these love seeds for Me”
I said, “Lord where do I plant,
these seeds of Your love?”
God said, “Just listen to your heart,
as I speak to you from above.
Do not be surprised
if rejected now and then,
these seeds are the beginning
that will spiritually nourish them to the end.
So I reached deep into my heart,
and grabbed one of His special love seeds.
From my mouth they were planted as I said,
“This is from God’s love, and also they are from me!”
E. P. Shagott
12/28/09
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Sunday, January 10, 2010
One Leads to the Other
[Leave It At The Cross a devotional by Max Lucado]
“Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 NIV
[The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill. At the top of the hill is a cross. At the base of the cross are bags. Countless bags full of innumerable sins. Calvary is the compost of guilt. Would you like to leave yours there as well?]
God is Awesome!
As I was reading my devotionals today I first read that one, by Max Lucado, that the Lord brought me to, then the one from Charles Spurgeon below. How awesome it is how the first devotional leads into the second one. See, if not for the Cross we definitely would not, or could not expect to have a crown or mansion waiting for us after this life on earth is over.
One of my fondest memories is when I heard a Christian friend, who was then the music director of our church, sing the song, "Via Dolorosa", which is about the narrow path that Christ walked, carrying the Cross, our cross of sins, to Calvary. I loved that song so much, that I found the music for it and sing it in the Seeds of Salvation program from the Seeds for Christ series with the God's Love Outreach Ministry. No way close to how my sister in Christ sang it, but I pray with the same feeling and compassion for what our Savior endured because of His love for us.
Now as I read the devotional by Charles Spurgeon below I have no doubt of my crown, which I gladly take to give to Jesus and the mansion that will be ready for me when I hear the Fathers voice say, "Come my child, come home!"
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
2Timothy 4:8 Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing.
[Doubting one! thou hast often said, “I fear I shall never enter heaven.” Fear not! all the people of God shall enter there. I love the quaint saying of a dying man, who exclaimed, “I have no fear of going home; I have sent all before me; God’s finger is on the latch of my door, and I am ready for him to enter.” “But,” said one, “are you not afraid lest you should miss your inheritance?” “Nay,” said he, “nay; there is one crown in heaven which the angel Gabriel could not wear, it will fit no head but mine. There is one throne in heaven which Paul the apostle could not fill; it was made for me, and I shall have it.” O Christian, what a joyous thought! thy portion is secure; “there remaineth a rest.” “But cannot I forfeit it?” No, it is entailed. If I be a child of God I shall not lose it. It is mine as securely as if I were there. Come with me, believer, and let us sit upon the top of Nebo, and view the goodly land, even Canaan. Seest thou that little river of death glistening in the sunlight, and across it dost thou see the pinnacles of the eternal city? Dost thou mark the pleasant country, and all its joyous inhabitants? Know, then, that if thou couldst fly across thou wouldst see written upon one of its many mansions, “This remaineth for such a one; preserved for him only. He shall be caught up to dwell for ever with God.” Poor doubting one, see the fair inheritance; it is thine. If thou believest in the Lord Jesus, if thou hast repented of sin, if thou hast been renewed in heart, thou art one of the Lord’s people, and there is a place reserved for thee, a crown laid up for thee, a harp specially provided for thee. No one else shall have thy portion, it is reserved in heaven for thee, and thou shalt have it ere long, for there shall be no vacant thrones in glory when all the chosen are gathered in.]
Back to Calvary
An angel of the Lord
came and said to me,
“I want to take you back
to a place called Calvary.”
So back through time we went
the Lords angel and me,
back before all time that passed
back to that special place, named Calvary!
Though I knew of this place
from the Bible I did read,
I was so excited to be there
where our Lord died for you and me.
As I stood very still
with the Lords angel at my side,
I really didn’t notice anyone but Jesus
as He looked into my eyes.
In my heart I felt His suffering,
in my eyes I saw His pain,
and through it all He smiled at me
and then He said my name.
I fell to my knees and said,
“Lord so many just don’t see
the love you have for all of us
and the importance this place is, called Calvary.
E. P. Shagott
3/9/2009
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
“Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 NIV
[The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill. At the top of the hill is a cross. At the base of the cross are bags. Countless bags full of innumerable sins. Calvary is the compost of guilt. Would you like to leave yours there as well?]
God is Awesome!
As I was reading my devotionals today I first read that one, by Max Lucado, that the Lord brought me to, then the one from Charles Spurgeon below. How awesome it is how the first devotional leads into the second one. See, if not for the Cross we definitely would not, or could not expect to have a crown or mansion waiting for us after this life on earth is over.
One of my fondest memories is when I heard a Christian friend, who was then the music director of our church, sing the song, "Via Dolorosa", which is about the narrow path that Christ walked, carrying the Cross, our cross of sins, to Calvary. I loved that song so much, that I found the music for it and sing it in the Seeds of Salvation program from the Seeds for Christ series with the God's Love Outreach Ministry. No way close to how my sister in Christ sang it, but I pray with the same feeling and compassion for what our Savior endured because of His love for us.
Now as I read the devotional by Charles Spurgeon below I have no doubt of my crown, which I gladly take to give to Jesus and the mansion that will be ready for me when I hear the Fathers voice say, "Come my child, come home!"
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
2Timothy 4:8 Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing.
[Doubting one! thou hast often said, “I fear I shall never enter heaven.” Fear not! all the people of God shall enter there. I love the quaint saying of a dying man, who exclaimed, “I have no fear of going home; I have sent all before me; God’s finger is on the latch of my door, and I am ready for him to enter.” “But,” said one, “are you not afraid lest you should miss your inheritance?” “Nay,” said he, “nay; there is one crown in heaven which the angel Gabriel could not wear, it will fit no head but mine. There is one throne in heaven which Paul the apostle could not fill; it was made for me, and I shall have it.” O Christian, what a joyous thought! thy portion is secure; “there remaineth a rest.” “But cannot I forfeit it?” No, it is entailed. If I be a child of God I shall not lose it. It is mine as securely as if I were there. Come with me, believer, and let us sit upon the top of Nebo, and view the goodly land, even Canaan. Seest thou that little river of death glistening in the sunlight, and across it dost thou see the pinnacles of the eternal city? Dost thou mark the pleasant country, and all its joyous inhabitants? Know, then, that if thou couldst fly across thou wouldst see written upon one of its many mansions, “This remaineth for such a one; preserved for him only. He shall be caught up to dwell for ever with God.” Poor doubting one, see the fair inheritance; it is thine. If thou believest in the Lord Jesus, if thou hast repented of sin, if thou hast been renewed in heart, thou art one of the Lord’s people, and there is a place reserved for thee, a crown laid up for thee, a harp specially provided for thee. No one else shall have thy portion, it is reserved in heaven for thee, and thou shalt have it ere long, for there shall be no vacant thrones in glory when all the chosen are gathered in.]
Back to Calvary
An angel of the Lord
came and said to me,
“I want to take you back
to a place called Calvary.”
So back through time we went
the Lords angel and me,
back before all time that passed
back to that special place, named Calvary!
Though I knew of this place
from the Bible I did read,
I was so excited to be there
where our Lord died for you and me.
As I stood very still
with the Lords angel at my side,
I really didn’t notice anyone but Jesus
as He looked into my eyes.
In my heart I felt His suffering,
in my eyes I saw His pain,
and through it all He smiled at me
and then He said my name.
I fell to my knees and said,
“Lord so many just don’t see
the love you have for all of us
and the importance this place is, called Calvary.
E. P. Shagott
3/9/2009
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Thursday, January 7, 2010
By, Through, and Unto
As I was continuing reading my new bible, that I got as a Christmas gift, I was reading in the Book of Genesis about Noah and the ark. Many of us know the story but what I like about this bible, the Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible, is the article that he writes and then associates to a certain verse. Of course he wrote about Noah and the ark. But what I found interesting was how he tied it to grace, God's grace.
He begins by drawing a comparison of the time of Noah to today. The same sins that brought God's wrath back then he writes "have reached Heaven again." How true. Adrian Rogers wrote, "We stand on the threshold of imminent judgement and no one cares. We just yawn in the face of God." My friends I don't know about you, but I can see that today.
As I was reading in Genesis I got to Chapter 6 verse 6 and my heart sank. It states, "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." My friends do you honestly think He is any happier today?
Well, back to Noah. See Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, Genesis 6:8. As Adrian Rogers wrote, "in these dangerous days we need God's amazing grace, like Noah found." He also states, "God has only one plan of salvation from beginning to end, and that is grace." Nothing we do can save us, only by the grace of the Almighty God. I love how Adrain Rogers describes the word G-R-A-C-E, "God's Riches At Christ's Expense."
The article then went on to explain just how Noah was saved. By grace, through faith, unto good works. Noah found grace in the Lord, and through faith went into the ark. See Noah had to take that step of faith to get into the ark even though it wasn't raining. Adrian Rogers wrote, "Noah wasn't saved by doing good works. He was saved to do good works. So Noah was saved by grace through faith unto good works."
My friends when the Lord calls me home and He reaches out those loving arms and says, "Well done good and faithful servant", it's not what I did for salvation but what I have done after salvation. Salvation is a gift of grace through Christ Jesus. The "well done" is what you now want to do for Him. Thank You, Jesus!
As Adrian Rogers wrote, "There is an Ark of Safety for you today and His name is Jesus. "If you don't get on board, you're going down."
Throne of Grace
I was called to the Throne of Grace
for my life God wanted to review.
With His loving Son sitting by His side
God said, “what was done with the gifts I gave to you?”
It was for sure God knew the answers
to each question that He asked of me.
But He waited very patiently
for the answer I would give you see.
My body started to tremble
as I struggled with what to say.
I’ve heard this mentioned in many sermons
that the Pastor spoke of in so many ways.
Gifts like wisdom, knowledge, faith,
healing, prophecy and tongues,
my mind was searching frantically
what did I have, was it many or just one?
As I raised my head to answer
Jesus looked down from the throne above
He looked over to our Heavenly Father
and said, “Father this child is special because of his love!”
Remember the many wounded, lost and hurting
that so many others just let be?
Each and everyone you touched with love my child
you were actually touching Me!
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
He begins by drawing a comparison of the time of Noah to today. The same sins that brought God's wrath back then he writes "have reached Heaven again." How true. Adrian Rogers wrote, "We stand on the threshold of imminent judgement and no one cares. We just yawn in the face of God." My friends I don't know about you, but I can see that today.
As I was reading in Genesis I got to Chapter 6 verse 6 and my heart sank. It states, "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." My friends do you honestly think He is any happier today?
Well, back to Noah. See Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, Genesis 6:8. As Adrian Rogers wrote, "in these dangerous days we need God's amazing grace, like Noah found." He also states, "God has only one plan of salvation from beginning to end, and that is grace." Nothing we do can save us, only by the grace of the Almighty God. I love how Adrain Rogers describes the word G-R-A-C-E, "God's Riches At Christ's Expense."
The article then went on to explain just how Noah was saved. By grace, through faith, unto good works. Noah found grace in the Lord, and through faith went into the ark. See Noah had to take that step of faith to get into the ark even though it wasn't raining. Adrian Rogers wrote, "Noah wasn't saved by doing good works. He was saved to do good works. So Noah was saved by grace through faith unto good works."
My friends when the Lord calls me home and He reaches out those loving arms and says, "Well done good and faithful servant", it's not what I did for salvation but what I have done after salvation. Salvation is a gift of grace through Christ Jesus. The "well done" is what you now want to do for Him. Thank You, Jesus!
As Adrian Rogers wrote, "There is an Ark of Safety for you today and His name is Jesus. "If you don't get on board, you're going down."
Throne of Grace
I was called to the Throne of Grace
for my life God wanted to review.
With His loving Son sitting by His side
God said, “what was done with the gifts I gave to you?”
It was for sure God knew the answers
to each question that He asked of me.
But He waited very patiently
for the answer I would give you see.
My body started to tremble
as I struggled with what to say.
I’ve heard this mentioned in many sermons
that the Pastor spoke of in so many ways.
Gifts like wisdom, knowledge, faith,
healing, prophecy and tongues,
my mind was searching frantically
what did I have, was it many or just one?
As I raised my head to answer
Jesus looked down from the throne above
He looked over to our Heavenly Father
and said, “Father this child is special because of his love!”
Remember the many wounded, lost and hurting
that so many others just let be?
Each and everyone you touched with love my child
you were actually touching Me!
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Differences
"The body is not one member, but many" (I. Corinthians xii. 14).
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson}
I like the point that A. B. Simpson was making in this devotional both religious and also secular. As for the religious aspect to fully understand we must read these other verses along with verse 14.
1Corinthians 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 1Corinthians 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 1Corinthians 12:17 If all the body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If all hearing, where would be the smelling? 1Corinthians 12:18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him.
Ah, there lies the answer, "as it has pleased Him." I believe that is why we were put here, not one is any more important than the other. Once He becomes, because we let Him, part of our lives, we all please Him! Now read as A. B. Simpson in this devotional explains about the "phonograph". Keep in mind this was written, "a long time ago". I had to do research to understand what he was talking about. Yea, right! Forgive me lord for that fib.
[We have a friend who has a phonograph for his correspondence. It consists of two parts. One is a simple and wonderful apparatus, whose sensitive cylinders receive the tones and then give them out again, word for word, through the hearing tube. The other part is a common little box that stands under the table, and does nothing but supply the power through connecting wires.
Now, the little box might insist upon being the phonograph, and doing the talking; but if it should, it would not only waste its own life but destroy the life of its partner.
Its sole business is to supply power to the phonograph, while the latter is to do the talking. So some of us are called to be voices to speak for God to our fellow-men, others are forces to sustain them, by our holy sympathy and silent prayer. (Some of us are little dynamos under the table, while others are phonographs that speak aloud the messages of heaven.)
Let each of us be true to our God-given ministry, and when the day comes our work will be weighed and the rewards distributed.]
Amen, to that comment about being true to our God-given ministry. Please be what God created you to be.
Now about the secular aspect I found in this devotional. Man and woman. Let me explain. For Christmas I got a new Bible as a Christmas present called the Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible. As I was starting my daily reading plan, beginning in Genesis, I read one of his many articles pertaining to a bible verse or verses. In chapter two of Genesis Mr. Rogers speaks about "Celebrate the Difference". Just as A. B. Simpson was discussing each body part being better or more important that the other, Adrian Rogers asked, "who is better man or woman?" He made me chuckle when he said the answer is "yes!" He wrote that God made us different that He might make us one. Interesting.
Mr. Rogers wrote that the difference between male and female is the difference between the beauty and the beast. Another difference is what Adrain Rogers wrote as the tortoise and the hare. Guys we are the hares. We may have a lot more energy but the women have durability. Therefore the women are going to outlast us. A third difference is what Adrian Rogers called the romantic and the mechanic. He wrote man has a job to keep the garden. Remember now he is referring to Genesis and the Garden of Eden. So man needed a hard outer shell. The woman was the homemaker, she is to love, nurture, and raise the kids. I loved reading as Adrian wrote, "a smart man will learn to be romantic, a smart woman learns to keep herself as physically attractive as possible." Which is better, neither, God made us different.
OK, two differences left. The radar and the computer. The man takes in and analyzes information logically, like a computer. A woman takes in the same data but also sweeps a scene like radar, noticing and feeling what a man might miss. As I think about myself, "might miss?". Now get this part about the brains hemisphere's. Adrian Rogers writes the man uses the left hemisphere while woman uses both sides of their brains. That is why science is showing "men only have half a brain!" Guys, Adrian Rogers wrote it, I just rewrote it.
Now the last difference is the lover and the achiever. The man wants to fix, looking for admiration for his achievements whereas the woman wants to be loved. She wants to be understood and cherished. That is why God's Word tells husbands to love their wives, and He tells women to reverence or respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:33 So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband. ). Why? So that we can meet each other's deepest need.
God made us different that He might make us one!
OH, sure now I get it!
My thanks to my daughter for a wonderful Christmas gift. Your mother was right all those times she said, "your father has only half a brain!" I love you.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson}
I like the point that A. B. Simpson was making in this devotional both religious and also secular. As for the religious aspect to fully understand we must read these other verses along with verse 14.
1Corinthians 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 1Corinthians 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 1Corinthians 12:17 If all the body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If all hearing, where would be the smelling? 1Corinthians 12:18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him.
Ah, there lies the answer, "as it has pleased Him." I believe that is why we were put here, not one is any more important than the other. Once He becomes, because we let Him, part of our lives, we all please Him! Now read as A. B. Simpson in this devotional explains about the "phonograph". Keep in mind this was written, "a long time ago". I had to do research to understand what he was talking about. Yea, right! Forgive me lord for that fib.
[We have a friend who has a phonograph for his correspondence. It consists of two parts. One is a simple and wonderful apparatus, whose sensitive cylinders receive the tones and then give them out again, word for word, through the hearing tube. The other part is a common little box that stands under the table, and does nothing but supply the power through connecting wires.
Now, the little box might insist upon being the phonograph, and doing the talking; but if it should, it would not only waste its own life but destroy the life of its partner.
Its sole business is to supply power to the phonograph, while the latter is to do the talking. So some of us are called to be voices to speak for God to our fellow-men, others are forces to sustain them, by our holy sympathy and silent prayer. (Some of us are little dynamos under the table, while others are phonographs that speak aloud the messages of heaven.)
Let each of us be true to our God-given ministry, and when the day comes our work will be weighed and the rewards distributed.]
Amen, to that comment about being true to our God-given ministry. Please be what God created you to be.
Now about the secular aspect I found in this devotional. Man and woman. Let me explain. For Christmas I got a new Bible as a Christmas present called the Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible. As I was starting my daily reading plan, beginning in Genesis, I read one of his many articles pertaining to a bible verse or verses. In chapter two of Genesis Mr. Rogers speaks about "Celebrate the Difference". Just as A. B. Simpson was discussing each body part being better or more important that the other, Adrian Rogers asked, "who is better man or woman?" He made me chuckle when he said the answer is "yes!" He wrote that God made us different that He might make us one. Interesting.
Mr. Rogers wrote that the difference between male and female is the difference between the beauty and the beast. Another difference is what Adrain Rogers wrote as the tortoise and the hare. Guys we are the hares. We may have a lot more energy but the women have durability. Therefore the women are going to outlast us. A third difference is what Adrian Rogers called the romantic and the mechanic. He wrote man has a job to keep the garden. Remember now he is referring to Genesis and the Garden of Eden. So man needed a hard outer shell. The woman was the homemaker, she is to love, nurture, and raise the kids. I loved reading as Adrian wrote, "a smart man will learn to be romantic, a smart woman learns to keep herself as physically attractive as possible." Which is better, neither, God made us different.
OK, two differences left. The radar and the computer. The man takes in and analyzes information logically, like a computer. A woman takes in the same data but also sweeps a scene like radar, noticing and feeling what a man might miss. As I think about myself, "might miss?". Now get this part about the brains hemisphere's. Adrian Rogers writes the man uses the left hemisphere while woman uses both sides of their brains. That is why science is showing "men only have half a brain!" Guys, Adrian Rogers wrote it, I just rewrote it.
Now the last difference is the lover and the achiever. The man wants to fix, looking for admiration for his achievements whereas the woman wants to be loved. She wants to be understood and cherished. That is why God's Word tells husbands to love their wives, and He tells women to reverence or respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:33 So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband. ). Why? So that we can meet each other's deepest need.
God made us different that He might make us one!
OH, sure now I get it!
My thanks to my daughter for a wonderful Christmas gift. Your mother was right all those times she said, "your father has only half a brain!" I love you.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
I Saw The Light
Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
As one of my Christmas gifts I received a new bible. I am always in awe of those individuals that say "I have read the Bible from cover to cover. Some I have met have done this more than once. To be honest I have tried several times but have still not accomplished keeping to a continual reading of it. So as my new bible came just at the beginning of the year I am trying to, with God's help, maintain a daily reading. I have learned more about the bible last year than any previous years. See once the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to His Word it becomes real. Now as I read God's scripture I can say, "I saw the light"! We need His light, through His Word, to take us through the darkness of this world. Read as Charles Spurgeon writes about God's light.
[This morning we noticed the goodness of the light, and the Lord’s dividing it from the darkness, we now note the special eye which the Lord had for the light. “God saw the light”-he looked at it with complacency, gazed upon it with pleasure, saw that it “was good.” If the Lord has given you light, dear reader, he looks on that light with peculiar interest; for not only is it dear to him as his own handiwork, but because it is like himself, for “He is light.” Pleasant it is to the believer to know that God’s eye is thus tenderly observant of that work of grace which he has begun. He never loses sight of the treasure which he has placed in our earthen vessels. Sometimes we cannot see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than for me to think I see it. It is very comfortable for me to know that I am one of God’s people-but whether I know it or not, if the Lord knows it, I am still safe. This is the foundation, “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” You may be sighing and groaning because of inbred sin, and mourning over your darkness, yet the Lord sees “light” in your heart, for he has put it there, and all the cloudiness and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from his gracious eye. You may have sunk low in despondency, and even despair; but if your soul has any longing towards Christ, and if you are seeking to rest in his finished work, God sees the “light.” He not only sees it, but he also preserves it in you. “I, the Lord, do keep it.” This is a precious thought to those who, after anxious watching and guarding of themselves, feel their own powerlessness to do so. The light thus preserved by his grace, he will one day develop into the splendour of noonday, and the fulness of glory. The light within is the dawn of the eternal day.]
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
May This Be The Year
May this be the year
that you understand as I do,
it is not about what happens today,
but that God was there to get you through.
May this be the year
that He will touch your heart,
in such a way it can change your life
so that with Christ you never be apart.
May this be the year
as you see just what a blessing is
to think of all the other people
that really don't even know Him.
May this be the year
that you can tell some one today,
"Look what He has done for me,
for He is the truth, the light and the way!"
E. P. Shagott
1/5/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
As one of my Christmas gifts I received a new bible. I am always in awe of those individuals that say "I have read the Bible from cover to cover. Some I have met have done this more than once. To be honest I have tried several times but have still not accomplished keeping to a continual reading of it. So as my new bible came just at the beginning of the year I am trying to, with God's help, maintain a daily reading. I have learned more about the bible last year than any previous years. See once the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to His Word it becomes real. Now as I read God's scripture I can say, "I saw the light"! We need His light, through His Word, to take us through the darkness of this world. Read as Charles Spurgeon writes about God's light.
[This morning we noticed the goodness of the light, and the Lord’s dividing it from the darkness, we now note the special eye which the Lord had for the light. “God saw the light”-he looked at it with complacency, gazed upon it with pleasure, saw that it “was good.” If the Lord has given you light, dear reader, he looks on that light with peculiar interest; for not only is it dear to him as his own handiwork, but because it is like himself, for “He is light.” Pleasant it is to the believer to know that God’s eye is thus tenderly observant of that work of grace which he has begun. He never loses sight of the treasure which he has placed in our earthen vessels. Sometimes we cannot see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than for me to think I see it. It is very comfortable for me to know that I am one of God’s people-but whether I know it or not, if the Lord knows it, I am still safe. This is the foundation, “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” You may be sighing and groaning because of inbred sin, and mourning over your darkness, yet the Lord sees “light” in your heart, for he has put it there, and all the cloudiness and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from his gracious eye. You may have sunk low in despondency, and even despair; but if your soul has any longing towards Christ, and if you are seeking to rest in his finished work, God sees the “light.” He not only sees it, but he also preserves it in you. “I, the Lord, do keep it.” This is a precious thought to those who, after anxious watching and guarding of themselves, feel their own powerlessness to do so. The light thus preserved by his grace, he will one day develop into the splendour of noonday, and the fulness of glory. The light within is the dawn of the eternal day.]
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
May This Be The Year
May this be the year
that you understand as I do,
it is not about what happens today,
but that God was there to get you through.
May this be the year
that He will touch your heart,
in such a way it can change your life
so that with Christ you never be apart.
May this be the year
as you see just what a blessing is
to think of all the other people
that really don't even know Him.
May this be the year
that you can tell some one today,
"Look what He has done for me,
for He is the truth, the light and the way!"
E. P. Shagott
1/5/10
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Monday, January 4, 2010
Are You There
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the scornful.
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[Three things are notable about this man:
1. His company. "He walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."
2. His reading and thinking. "His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night."
3. His fruitfulness. "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."]
As I was reading this devotional my mine keep say, "how true, how true!" I understand the three notable things that A. B. Simpson was writing about in a Godly man. Usually once a month I sing with a business men's gospel group. One of the songs is called "There Is A River." The song talks about a woman at the well who was drawing water. Then she met Jesus there and was never again the same. For lyrics to this song click here to go to another blog of mine.
[The river is the Holy Ghost; the planting, the deep, abiding life in which, not occasionally, but habitually, we absorb the Holy Spirit; and the fruit is not occasional, but continual, and appropriate to each changing season.
His life is also prosperous, and his spirit fresh, like the unfading leaf. Such a life must be happy. Indeed, happiness is a matter of spiritual conditions. Put a sunbeam in a cellar and it must be bright. Put a nightingale in the darkest midnight, and it must sing.]
A lot of people I meet either through the God's Love Outreach Ministry or in my daily life say that I am a happy man. How true that is. I also tell them I chose to be happy but I also believe that choice was the same one I made when I asked Christ to take control of my life. The fruit I am bearing for the Kingdom now is continual. I am drawn less and less to ungodly things as the minutes tick away on the clock. Praise God that my eyes were opened and are now in tune with my heart. My prayer for each reader of this and also those they may not read this, that they can feel as I do if they don't already.
Closer to the Lord
I went up to the mountain top
so closer to the Lord I could be.
My eyes looked in all directions
but my Savior I did not see.
I thought maybe if I yelled
from the top of my lungs,
the Lord would hear my voice
and see how far I’d come.
So as I stood and waited
for my Savior to appear,
I let my heart be still
and waited without fear.
And then within the moment
in my heart He did speak.
Jesus said, “My child,
what is it that you seek?”
I felt His presence in my spirit,
and said, “My Lord with You I want to be!”
Jesus’ love touched me deeply and replied,
I am with you always, even in the valleys.
Jesus said, My Spirit is within you
no matter where you roam,
His love is the same as the Father’s and Mine,
and through Our love it will bring you home.
3/12/2009
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]
[Three things are notable about this man:
1. His company. "He walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."
2. His reading and thinking. "His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night."
3. His fruitfulness. "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."]
As I was reading this devotional my mine keep say, "how true, how true!" I understand the three notable things that A. B. Simpson was writing about in a Godly man. Usually once a month I sing with a business men's gospel group. One of the songs is called "There Is A River." The song talks about a woman at the well who was drawing water. Then she met Jesus there and was never again the same. For lyrics to this song click here to go to another blog of mine.
[The river is the Holy Ghost; the planting, the deep, abiding life in which, not occasionally, but habitually, we absorb the Holy Spirit; and the fruit is not occasional, but continual, and appropriate to each changing season.
His life is also prosperous, and his spirit fresh, like the unfading leaf. Such a life must be happy. Indeed, happiness is a matter of spiritual conditions. Put a sunbeam in a cellar and it must be bright. Put a nightingale in the darkest midnight, and it must sing.]
A lot of people I meet either through the God's Love Outreach Ministry or in my daily life say that I am a happy man. How true that is. I also tell them I chose to be happy but I also believe that choice was the same one I made when I asked Christ to take control of my life. The fruit I am bearing for the Kingdom now is continual. I am drawn less and less to ungodly things as the minutes tick away on the clock. Praise God that my eyes were opened and are now in tune with my heart. My prayer for each reader of this and also those they may not read this, that they can feel as I do if they don't already.
Closer to the Lord
I went up to the mountain top
so closer to the Lord I could be.
My eyes looked in all directions
but my Savior I did not see.
I thought maybe if I yelled
from the top of my lungs,
the Lord would hear my voice
and see how far I’d come.
So as I stood and waited
for my Savior to appear,
I let my heart be still
and waited without fear.
And then within the moment
in my heart He did speak.
Jesus said, “My child,
what is it that you seek?”
I felt His presence in my spirit,
and said, “My Lord with You I want to be!”
Jesus’ love touched me deeply and replied,
I am with you always, even in the valleys.
Jesus said, My Spirit is within you
no matter where you roam,
His love is the same as the Father’s and Mine,
and through Our love it will bring you home.
3/12/2009
E. P. Shagott
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Jesus Is Our Everything
Isaiah 49:8 So says Jehovah, in a favorable time I replied to You, and in a day of salvation I have helped You; and I will preserve You, and give You for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause them to inherit the wasted inheritances;
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
The first Sunday of the New Year and what a devotional to read this morning. Please read how Charles Spurgeon describes Jesus as our covenant.
[Jesus Christ is himself the sum and substance of the covenant, and as one of its gifts. He is the property of every believer. Believer, canst thou estimate what thou hast gotten in Christ? “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Consider that word “God” and its infinity, and then meditate upon “perfect man” and all his beauty; for all that Christ, as God and man, ever had, or can have, is thine-out of pure free favour, passed over to thee to be thine entailed property forever. Our blessed Jesus, as God, is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. Will it not console you to know that all these great and glorious attributes are altogether yours?]
What does it mean to be omniscient? - all-knowing: knowing or seeming to know everything.
What does it mean to be omnipresent? - always present everywhere: continuously and simultaneously present throughout the whole of creation.
What does it mean to be omnipresent? - all-powerful: possessing complete, unlimited, or universal power and authority.
Wow, how can anyone go wrong with Jesus in your life? Read on as Charles Spurgeon more of Christ's attributes. And to think it is all ours because of His grace. Praise God!
[Has he power? That power is yours to support and strengthen you, to overcome your enemies, and to preserve you even to the end. Has he love? Well, you may dive into the immense ocean of his love, and you may say of it all, “It is mine.” Hath he justice? It may seem a stern attribute, but even that is yours, for he will by his justice see to it that all which is promised to you in the covenant of grace shall be most certainly secured to you. And all that he has as perfect man is yours. As a perfect man the Father’s delight was upon him. He stood accepted by the Most High. O believer, God’s acceptance of Christ is thine acceptance; for knowest thou not that the love which the Father set on a perfect Christ, he sets on thee now? For all that Christ did is thine. That perfect righteousness which Jesus wrought out, when through his stainless life he kept the law and made it honourable, is thine, and is imputed to thee. Christ is in the covenant.]
I love that sentence about Christ's love, "there is not a drop of love in his heart which is not yours", I get excited just reading those words. Did we deserve His love? No, but because He loves us we can sing words like this refrain from the hymn "Greater Than All Our Sin" states:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Listen to how Charles Spurgeon writes about His love!
[“My God, I am thine-what a comfort divine!
What a blessing to know that the Saviour is mine!
In the heavenly Lamb thrice happy I am,
And my heart it doth dance at the sound of his name.”]
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
[A devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
The first Sunday of the New Year and what a devotional to read this morning. Please read how Charles Spurgeon describes Jesus as our covenant.
[Jesus Christ is himself the sum and substance of the covenant, and as one of its gifts. He is the property of every believer. Believer, canst thou estimate what thou hast gotten in Christ? “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Consider that word “God” and its infinity, and then meditate upon “perfect man” and all his beauty; for all that Christ, as God and man, ever had, or can have, is thine-out of pure free favour, passed over to thee to be thine entailed property forever. Our blessed Jesus, as God, is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. Will it not console you to know that all these great and glorious attributes are altogether yours?]
What does it mean to be omniscient? - all-knowing: knowing or seeming to know everything.
What does it mean to be omnipresent? - always present everywhere: continuously and simultaneously present throughout the whole of creation.
What does it mean to be omnipresent? - all-powerful: possessing complete, unlimited, or universal power and authority.
Wow, how can anyone go wrong with Jesus in your life? Read on as Charles Spurgeon more of Christ's attributes. And to think it is all ours because of His grace. Praise God!
[Has he power? That power is yours to support and strengthen you, to overcome your enemies, and to preserve you even to the end. Has he love? Well, you may dive into the immense ocean of his love, and you may say of it all, “It is mine.” Hath he justice? It may seem a stern attribute, but even that is yours, for he will by his justice see to it that all which is promised to you in the covenant of grace shall be most certainly secured to you. And all that he has as perfect man is yours. As a perfect man the Father’s delight was upon him. He stood accepted by the Most High. O believer, God’s acceptance of Christ is thine acceptance; for knowest thou not that the love which the Father set on a perfect Christ, he sets on thee now? For all that Christ did is thine. That perfect righteousness which Jesus wrought out, when through his stainless life he kept the law and made it honourable, is thine, and is imputed to thee. Christ is in the covenant.]
I love that sentence about Christ's love, "there is not a drop of love in his heart which is not yours", I get excited just reading those words. Did we deserve His love? No, but because He loves us we can sing words like this refrain from the hymn "Greater Than All Our Sin" states:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Listen to how Charles Spurgeon writes about His love!
[“My God, I am thine-what a comfort divine!
What a blessing to know that the Saviour is mine!
In the heavenly Lamb thrice happy I am,
And my heart it doth dance at the sound of his name.”]
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Pray for the New Year
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer and watch in it with thanksgiving,
[Devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
As I read this devotional this morning I was reminded as we start the second day of 2010, the importance of prayer. Charles Spurgeon takes us on a brief walk through the Word, by mentioning how so many of the men mentioned within knew the importance of talking with the Lord through prayer.
[It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises. We scarcely open the Bible before we read, “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;” and just as we are about to close the volume, the “Amen” of an earnest supplication meets our ear. Instances are plentiful. Here we find a wrestling Jacob-there a Daniel who prayed three times a day-and a David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas. We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises. What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord’s mercy show thee thy misery!]
In this last paragraph Charles Spurgeon tells it like it is. Just reading the words "Christless soul" brings a chill in my thought. Just thinking in this past year how many times I have prayed because of my need, or the needs of so many. Praise God those prayers were answered. One that will always be most prevalent on my heart was praying for a 1 year old baby boy who had tumors throughout his body. As church family and I prayed in one accord, we learned that every tumor was removed from his body. Prayer works! In this wonderful bible verse we understand why, Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.
[A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian. If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father’s face, and live in thy Father’s love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of his love. Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master. The motto for this year must be, “Continue in prayer.”]
My friends let us start the New Year in prayer. Prayer for our country, our leaders of this great country, our neighbors for we are to love them as we love ourselves, for all non-believers that they can be brought to the cross, for our spiritual leaders that they may continue to hear the Word of the Lord and that our ears will be open to hear it. Also for all our friends and family that they may have a closer relationship with Jesus.
Then and Now
Many, many years ago,
back in the Garden of Eden,
Adam and Eve because of their sin
from God’s eyes they wanted to be hidden.
Though God called out to each of them
and knew exactly where they were,
Adam and Eve‘s sin seemed so much greater
than the relationship with God they wanted to share.
Though many days has passed since then
and in this world sin is still all around,
God is still calling out to you and me
and knows exactly where we are to be found.
Please listen to His Words of love
and ask Him to forgive you of your sin,
make sure to give thanks to Jesus, His Son,
a relationship we can have today, just because of Him!
E. P. Shagott
12/29/09
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
[Devotional by Charles Spurgeon]
As I read this devotional this morning I was reminded as we start the second day of 2010, the importance of prayer. Charles Spurgeon takes us on a brief walk through the Word, by mentioning how so many of the men mentioned within knew the importance of talking with the Lord through prayer.
[It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises. We scarcely open the Bible before we read, “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;” and just as we are about to close the volume, the “Amen” of an earnest supplication meets our ear. Instances are plentiful. Here we find a wrestling Jacob-there a Daniel who prayed three times a day-and a David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas. We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises. What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord’s mercy show thee thy misery!]
In this last paragraph Charles Spurgeon tells it like it is. Just reading the words "Christless soul" brings a chill in my thought. Just thinking in this past year how many times I have prayed because of my need, or the needs of so many. Praise God those prayers were answered. One that will always be most prevalent on my heart was praying for a 1 year old baby boy who had tumors throughout his body. As church family and I prayed in one accord, we learned that every tumor was removed from his body. Prayer works! In this wonderful bible verse we understand why, Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.
[A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian. If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father’s face, and live in thy Father’s love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of his love. Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master. The motto for this year must be, “Continue in prayer.”]
My friends let us start the New Year in prayer. Prayer for our country, our leaders of this great country, our neighbors for we are to love them as we love ourselves, for all non-believers that they can be brought to the cross, for our spiritual leaders that they may continue to hear the Word of the Lord and that our ears will be open to hear it. Also for all our friends and family that they may have a closer relationship with Jesus.
Then and Now
Many, many years ago,
back in the Garden of Eden,
Adam and Eve because of their sin
from God’s eyes they wanted to be hidden.
Though God called out to each of them
and knew exactly where they were,
Adam and Eve‘s sin seemed so much greater
than the relationship with God they wanted to share.
Though many days has passed since then
and in this world sin is still all around,
God is still calling out to you and me
and knows exactly where we are to be found.
Please listen to His Words of love
and ask Him to forgive you of your sin,
make sure to give thanks to Jesus, His Son,
a relationship we can have today, just because of Him!
E. P. Shagott
12/29/09
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
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