This past Sunday we were discussing the various names of God from the "Experiencing God" bible study. I wanted to get a better understanding about God so I did some research on the computer. I found a website named "All About God" which is an excellent research place to go for a better understanding of who God is.
To try to know someone I believe you must understand their characteristics. From the website it stated that A.W. Tozer said this; “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” He also states from his book titled The Knowledge of the Holy, “Man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshipper entertains high or low thoughts of God.”
The website that I was researching said to remember this acronym: WISH TO FLOSS JIM EGGO for it will help in listing the 18 characteristics that was found in the bible to describe God's attributes;
[Wisdom: “Wisdom is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve these ends by the most perfect means.” In other words, God makes no mistakes. He is the Father who truly knows best, as Paul explains in Romans 11:33: “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!”]
[Infinitude: God knows no boundaries. He is without measure. This attribute by definition impacts all of the others. Since God is infinite, everything else about Him must also be infinite.]
[Sovereignty: This is “the attribute by which He rules His entire creation.” It is the application of His other attributes of being all-knowing and all-powerful. It makes Him absolutely free to do what He knows to be best. God is in control of everything that happens. Man still has a free will, and is responsible for his choices in life.]
[Holiness: This is the attribute that sets God apart from all other created beings. It refers to His majesty and His perfect moral purity. There is absolutely no sin or evil thought in God at all. His holiness is the definition of that which is pure and righteous in all the universe. Wherever God has appeared, such as to Moses at the burning bush, that place becomes holy just for God having been there.]
[Trinity: Though the actual word is not used in the Bible, the truth of God revealing Himself in three persons is included. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all called God, given worship as God, exist eternally, and are involved in doing things only God could do. Although, God reveals Himself in three persons, God is One and cannot be divided. All are involved completely whenever One of the Three is active.]
[Omniscience: “God possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn. God has never learned and cannot learn.” Omniscience means all-knowing. God knows everything, and His knowledge is infinite. It is impossible to hide anything from God.]
[Faithfulness: Everything that God has promised will come to pass. His faithfulness guarantees this fact. He does not lie. What He has said in the Bible about Himself is true. Jesus even said that He is the Truth. This is extremely important for the followers of Jesus because it is on His faithfulness that our hope of eternal life rests. He will honor His promise that our sins will be forgiven and that we will live forever with Him.]
[Love: Love is such an important part of God’s character that the apostle John wrote, “God is love.” This means that God holds the well-being of others as His primary concern. For a full definition of love, read 1 Corinthians 13. To see love in action, study the life of Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of others is the ultimate act of love. God’s love is not a love of emotion but of action. His love gives freely to the object of its affection, those who choose to follow His son Jesus.]
[Omnipotence: Literally this word means all-powerful. Since God is infinite and since He possesses power, He possesses infinite power. He does allow His creatures to have some power, but this in no way diminishes His own. “He expends no energy that must be replenished.” When the Bible says God rested on the seventh day, it was to set an example for us and our need for rest, not because He was tired.]
[Self-existence: When Moses asked who he was talking to in the burning bush, God said, “I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS.” God has no beginning or end. He just exists. Nothing else in all the universe is self-caused. Only God. In fact, if anything else had created Him, that thing would be God. This is a difficult concept for our minds since everything else we will ever encounter comes from something other than itself. The Bible says, “In the beginning, God.” He was already there.]
[Self-sufficiency: The Bible says that God has life in Himself (see John 5:26). All other life in the universe is a gift from God. He has no needs and there is no way He can improve. To God, nothing else is necessary. He does not need our help with anything, but because of His grace and love, He allows us to be a part of advancing His plan on earth and being a blessing to others. We are the ones who change, but never God. He is self-sufficient.]
[Justice: The Bible says that God is just, but it is His character that defines what being just really is. He does not conform to some outside criteria. Being just brings moral equity to everyone. When there are evil acts, justice demands there be a penalty. Since God is perfect and has never done evil, no penalty would ever be necessary; however, because of His love, God paid the penalty for our evil deeds by going to the cross Himself. His justice needed to be satisfied, but He took care of it for all who will believe in Jesus.]
[Immutability: This simply means that God never changes. It is why the Bible says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”]
[Mercy: “Mercy is the attribute of God which disposes Him to be actively compassionate.” Since God’s justice is satisfied in Jesus, He is free to show mercy to all those who have chosen to follow Him. It will never end since it is a part of God’s nature. Mercy is the way He desires to relate to mankind, and He does so unless the person chooses to despise or ignore God at which time His justice becomes the prominent attribute.]
[Eternal: In some ways, this fact about God is similar to His self-existence. God always has been and will forever be, because God dwells in eternity. Time is His creation. It is why God can see the end from the beginning, and why He is never surprised by anything. If He were not eternal, God’s promise of eternal life for those who follow Jesus would have little value.]
[Goodness: “The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men.” This attribute of God is why He bestows all the blessing He does on His followers. God’s actions define what goodness is, and we can easily see it in the way Jesus related to the people around Him.]
[Gracious: God enjoys giving great gifts to those who love Him, even when they do not deserve it. Grace is the way we describe that inclination. Jesus Christ is the channel through which His grace moves. The Bible says, “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”]
[Omnipresence: This theological term means “always present.” Since God is infinite, His being knows no boundaries. So, clearly He is everywhere. This truth is taught throughout the Bible as the phrase “I am with you always” is repeated 22 times in both the Old and New Testaments. These were even Jesus’ words of assurance just after giving the challenge to His disciples to take His message to the entire world. This is certainly a comforting truth for all who follow Jesus.]
Our God is an awesome God, He reigns with power and love, our God is an awesome God!!!
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Are you having a bad day? Does it seem everything you are doing is going wrong? Are you thinking of the saying, "If it was not for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all? Read what Charles Spurgeon wrote in this morning's devotional. I added the lyrics from that great classic hymn which seemed so wonderful as an addition. You might want to revisit this blog now and then for God's reassurance to His children.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And He shall throw the enemy out from before you, and shall say, Destroy!
1.What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
[God-the eternal God-is himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, child of God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet “underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.”]
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
[Sin may drag thee ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the uttermost”; and to the uttermost he saves. Again, the Christian sometimes sinks very deeply in sore trial from without. Every earthly prop is cut away. What then? Still underneath him are “the everlasting arms.”]
2.O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
[He cannot fall so deep in distress and affliction but what the covenant grace of an ever-faithful God will still encircle him. The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”-they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing.]
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
[This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”]
3.What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
I have peace complete with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
[We shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be upheld by the “everlasting arms”-arms that neither flag nor lose their strength, for “the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is weary.”]
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And He shall throw the enemy out from before you, and shall say, Destroy!
1.What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
[God-the eternal God-is himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, child of God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet “underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.”]
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
[Sin may drag thee ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the uttermost”; and to the uttermost he saves. Again, the Christian sometimes sinks very deeply in sore trial from without. Every earthly prop is cut away. What then? Still underneath him are “the everlasting arms.”]
2.O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
[He cannot fall so deep in distress and affliction but what the covenant grace of an ever-faithful God will still encircle him. The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”-they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing.]
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
[This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”]
3.What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
I have peace complete with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
[We shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be upheld by the “everlasting arms”-arms that neither flag nor lose their strength, for “the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is weary.”]
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Please pray
I received this email this morning from a church family member who forwarded it to me. I thought it was very well written and so true that I wanted to share on my blog. Like so many others I also understand that we are "going the wrong way"! Everything that generations before us sacrificed for is being let go. Why? We are now paying more for things that are bad for us. The money we spend is going to other countries and we are losing the ability to make a living for ourselves and our families. The processed food that is being made available to us is poisoning our bodies. If something is better for us it costs 1/3 more. Are they telling us they want us to be sick? Think about it.
With the rapidly aging "baby boomers" that will be needing health care, it is now on the chopping block. Family structure is also rapidly falling apart. No time to pray together let alone eat together. What we once viewed on our TVs through a pair of "rabbit ears" is now costing hundreds of dollars and is poisoning our minds. Advertisement has almost taken over the programs which no longer have any substance to them.
This person who wrote this email was right on the money. I will always remember from the Bible, reading about Sodom and Gomorrah where Abraham was trying to have God spare the people. In Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh do not let Jehovah be angry, and I will speak only once more. Perhaps ten shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. Well, it is too bad for Abraham stopped at ten. What about today? Is there ten righteous?
Subject: Fwd: Please pray
To: Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 6:53 PM
We are speeding towards one world government and the second coming at a rapid pace. I remember reading about the children of Israel who turned from God time and time again, only to realize their mistake and pray for forgiveness.Each time, God would forgive them and they would walk with him for a time. So, I am going to ask you to join me in praying for our nation every day. God is in control!!!
Our president did not encourage participation in the National Day of Prayer.. He called it an event. He thinks it should be private prayer instead of Public Prayer. May God Have Mercy On America & Protect Our Troops.
In Texarkana last week, there were signs in people's yards that said, " America , prayer our only hope" with 2 Chron. 7:14 underneath. We certainly need God's help! I have no idea who started this, but I certainly agree with this e-mail. I heard a preacher on TV tonight who said if we pray for our nation that things will turn around. After a day of contemplation and soul searching, I have decided to reach out to my friends and relatives and ask you to do something that has been troubling me for a long time.
Our nation is/has been on the slippery slope for a long time. If you look around you will find corruption, greed, moral decay, and a steady move away from the things that made us great. The principles upon which this nation was founded are no longer our backbone. However, we can reverse this trend.
2 Chron. 7:14 in God's word he states, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
I am convinced that we must pray for our nation and its leaders and ask for forgiveness. So I ask you to join me in this plea to our Lord.
Would you please send this to people in your address book (send it to all of them); ask them to pray EVERYDAY... (25 to only the 5th power is 9,765,625 people.) IMAGINE if each person reaches TEN others...or all TWENTY FIVE!
If you do and they comply, we will lift up millions and millions of prayers a day to our Creator. He will hear us and in faith will answer.
Let me just add a quote from Ronald Reagan. "If we ever forget that we are
one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." I truly believe this is why the United States of America is in the shape we are in today. Most people have forgotten that we are one nation under God! Let us as Christians stand up and remind people of this!!
Today's Quote "God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him." --J. Hudson Taylor
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
With the rapidly aging "baby boomers" that will be needing health care, it is now on the chopping block. Family structure is also rapidly falling apart. No time to pray together let alone eat together. What we once viewed on our TVs through a pair of "rabbit ears" is now costing hundreds of dollars and is poisoning our minds. Advertisement has almost taken over the programs which no longer have any substance to them.
This person who wrote this email was right on the money. I will always remember from the Bible, reading about Sodom and Gomorrah where Abraham was trying to have God spare the people. In Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh do not let Jehovah be angry, and I will speak only once more. Perhaps ten shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. Well, it is too bad for Abraham stopped at ten. What about today? Is there ten righteous?
Subject: Fwd: Please pray
To: Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 6:53 PM
We are speeding towards one world government and the second coming at a rapid pace. I remember reading about the children of Israel who turned from God time and time again, only to realize their mistake and pray for forgiveness.Each time, God would forgive them and they would walk with him for a time. So, I am going to ask you to join me in praying for our nation every day. God is in control!!!
Our president did not encourage participation in the National Day of Prayer.. He called it an event. He thinks it should be private prayer instead of Public Prayer. May God Have Mercy On America & Protect Our Troops.
In Texarkana last week, there were signs in people's yards that said, " America , prayer our only hope" with 2 Chron. 7:14 underneath. We certainly need God's help! I have no idea who started this, but I certainly agree with this e-mail. I heard a preacher on TV tonight who said if we pray for our nation that things will turn around. After a day of contemplation and soul searching, I have decided to reach out to my friends and relatives and ask you to do something that has been troubling me for a long time.
Our nation is/has been on the slippery slope for a long time. If you look around you will find corruption, greed, moral decay, and a steady move away from the things that made us great. The principles upon which this nation was founded are no longer our backbone. However, we can reverse this trend.
2 Chron. 7:14 in God's word he states, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
I am convinced that we must pray for our nation and its leaders and ask for forgiveness. So I ask you to join me in this plea to our Lord.
Would you please send this to people in your address book (send it to all of them); ask them to pray EVERYDAY... (25 to only the 5th power is 9,765,625 people.) IMAGINE if each person reaches TEN others...or all TWENTY FIVE!
If you do and they comply, we will lift up millions and millions of prayers a day to our Creator. He will hear us and in faith will answer.
Let me just add a quote from Ronald Reagan. "If we ever forget that we are
one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." I truly believe this is why the United States of America is in the shape we are in today. Most people have forgotten that we are one nation under God! Let us as Christians stand up and remind people of this!!
Today's Quote "God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him." --J. Hudson Taylor
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Monday, November 9, 2009
What More Can I Do?
So walk ye in him.”
- Colossians 2:6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
At the end of October the Lord blessed me with this poem. I was thinking back on 2009 that is quickly drawing to a close. The God's Love Outreach Ministry that He entrusted me with, if all goes well will once again be more fruitful than the year before, six years in a row! Praise God!
Next year this ministry will present it's "1000" program. To God be the glory! The Lord has blessed me with writing blogs, over "40+" since September. He has also brought me to Twitter where He is reaching out to people that I will probably never meet in this life. Writing short sentences He has now sent out "1400+" through my obedience to Him. Thank You, Jesus!
Then my heart cried out to Him;
What More Can I Do?
How can I reach them Lord?
Please tell me what more can I do.
It appears the harder I try,
the farther they get away from you.
I try to show them by your example,
from the Bible I quote Your Word.
It’s like telling them of something,
that most have never heard.
What can I do Lord,
to help them understand?
Everything we are destroying on earth
was created by Your own loving hands!
Please understand Lord,
I’m not giving up on You.
You are the most important person in my life,
I just want everyone to feel that way too!
E. P. Shagott
10/31/09
Now as you read Charles Spurgeon's devotional from this morning I pray you can understand as I do how important the walking part of Christianity is. Oh, I guess we can all talk a good thing but what does your actions show?
[If we have received Christ himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with him by a walk of faith in him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflex of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk ye in him”; proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved. Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of Jesus, and may then give their hearts to the world all the day: but this is poor living; we should always be with him, treading in his steps and doing his will. Walking also implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant tenor of his life. Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget him; sometimes call him ours, and anon lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in him. We must keep to him, cling to him, never let him go, but live and have our being in him. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him”; persevere in the same way in which ye have begun, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remain for the people of God. O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.]
The answer to my poem is found in Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God! I will be praised among the nations, I will be praised in the earth. See God is and always will be in control. As Charles Spurgeon so wonderfully stated, "so let him be the same till life’s end"!
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
- Colossians 2:6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
At the end of October the Lord blessed me with this poem. I was thinking back on 2009 that is quickly drawing to a close. The God's Love Outreach Ministry that He entrusted me with, if all goes well will once again be more fruitful than the year before, six years in a row! Praise God!
Next year this ministry will present it's "1000" program. To God be the glory! The Lord has blessed me with writing blogs, over "40+" since September. He has also brought me to Twitter where He is reaching out to people that I will probably never meet in this life. Writing short sentences He has now sent out "1400+" through my obedience to Him. Thank You, Jesus!
Then my heart cried out to Him;
What More Can I Do?
How can I reach them Lord?
Please tell me what more can I do.
It appears the harder I try,
the farther they get away from you.
I try to show them by your example,
from the Bible I quote Your Word.
It’s like telling them of something,
that most have never heard.
What can I do Lord,
to help them understand?
Everything we are destroying on earth
was created by Your own loving hands!
Please understand Lord,
I’m not giving up on You.
You are the most important person in my life,
I just want everyone to feel that way too!
E. P. Shagott
10/31/09
Now as you read Charles Spurgeon's devotional from this morning I pray you can understand as I do how important the walking part of Christianity is. Oh, I guess we can all talk a good thing but what does your actions show?
[If we have received Christ himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with him by a walk of faith in him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflex of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk ye in him”; proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved. Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of Jesus, and may then give their hearts to the world all the day: but this is poor living; we should always be with him, treading in his steps and doing his will. Walking also implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant tenor of his life. Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget him; sometimes call him ours, and anon lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in him. We must keep to him, cling to him, never let him go, but live and have our being in him. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him”; persevere in the same way in which ye have begun, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remain for the people of God. O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.]
The answer to my poem is found in Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God! I will be praised among the nations, I will be praised in the earth. See God is and always will be in control. As Charles Spurgeon so wonderfully stated, "so let him be the same till life’s end"!
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Did I Tell You, Thank You Lord?
form Charles Spurgeon Gems
Gem #1 - Communion with God
["All my fountains are in you," said David. If you have all your fountains in God, your heart will be completely full. If you went to the foot of Calvary, there your heart will be bathed in love and gratitude. If you go often to your place of seclusion, and there talk with your God, it is there that your heart will be filled with calm determination. If you go out with the Master to the Mount of Olives, and looked down with Him on a wicked Jerusalem, and weep over it with Him, then your heart will be full of love for eternal souls. If you continually draw your stimulus, your life, your entire being from the Holy Spirit, without whom you can do nothing, and if you live in close communion with Christ, then there will be no fear of you having a cold heart.
One who lives without prayer—one who lives with little prayer—one who seldom reads the Word—one who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high—will be the person whose heart will become cold and barren; but the person who calls in secret to their God—who spends much time in holy seclusion—who delights to meditate on the words of the Most High—whose soul is given up to Christ—who delights in his fullness, rejoices in his complete sufficiency, prays for his second coming, and delights in the thought of his glorious return—such a person, I say, must have an overflowing heart; and as their heart is, so will be their life. It will be a full life; it will be a life that will speak from the grave, and reverberate into the future. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life," and plead with the Holy Spirit to keep it full; otherwise, the outcome of your life will be feeble, shallow, and superficial; and you might as well not have lived at all.]
To attempt to write a comment into any part of this gem would definitely diminish the impact of Charles Spurgeon's words. As I read this my heart was asking the Lord for even more. "Give me more, oh precious Lord"! To understand the meaning of a full life we must understand, that starts with Christ. All the days prior without Him do not matter. Just "wasted days and wasted nights" as the song goes. I believe that's also why once we understand this, it creates a fire within us to share with others that do not know Him.
All this month the God's Love Outreach Ministry is presenting the "Seeds of Thanks" program from the Seeds for Christ 2009 series. Toward the end of the program I share this poem that the Lord blessed me with last year.
Did I Tell You Thank You Lord
Did I tell You, “thank you Lord”
when I first awoke from sleep?
Did I tell You, “thank you Lord
for in my heart your presence I keep?
For all the many blessings
because of Your Grace I do receive,
did I tell You, “thank You Lord”
for in me You do believe?
Did I tell You, “thank You Lord”
for never giving up on me?
Even when friends and family
seemed content to just let me be.
For all those minutes, hours, and endless days
that could be empty as can be,
did I tell You, “thank You Lord”
for being that special one to me?
Well if for some reason I didn’t
please forgive me once again!
“Thank You Lord, for the beginning,
the in between, for with You there is no end!
E. P. Shagott
10/15/2008
Did you tell Him thank you today? It's not too late.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Gem #1 - Communion with God
["All my fountains are in you," said David. If you have all your fountains in God, your heart will be completely full. If you went to the foot of Calvary, there your heart will be bathed in love and gratitude. If you go often to your place of seclusion, and there talk with your God, it is there that your heart will be filled with calm determination. If you go out with the Master to the Mount of Olives, and looked down with Him on a wicked Jerusalem, and weep over it with Him, then your heart will be full of love for eternal souls. If you continually draw your stimulus, your life, your entire being from the Holy Spirit, without whom you can do nothing, and if you live in close communion with Christ, then there will be no fear of you having a cold heart.
One who lives without prayer—one who lives with little prayer—one who seldom reads the Word—one who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high—will be the person whose heart will become cold and barren; but the person who calls in secret to their God—who spends much time in holy seclusion—who delights to meditate on the words of the Most High—whose soul is given up to Christ—who delights in his fullness, rejoices in his complete sufficiency, prays for his second coming, and delights in the thought of his glorious return—such a person, I say, must have an overflowing heart; and as their heart is, so will be their life. It will be a full life; it will be a life that will speak from the grave, and reverberate into the future. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life," and plead with the Holy Spirit to keep it full; otherwise, the outcome of your life will be feeble, shallow, and superficial; and you might as well not have lived at all.]
To attempt to write a comment into any part of this gem would definitely diminish the impact of Charles Spurgeon's words. As I read this my heart was asking the Lord for even more. "Give me more, oh precious Lord"! To understand the meaning of a full life we must understand, that starts with Christ. All the days prior without Him do not matter. Just "wasted days and wasted nights" as the song goes. I believe that's also why once we understand this, it creates a fire within us to share with others that do not know Him.
All this month the God's Love Outreach Ministry is presenting the "Seeds of Thanks" program from the Seeds for Christ 2009 series. Toward the end of the program I share this poem that the Lord blessed me with last year.
Did I Tell You Thank You Lord
Did I tell You, “thank you Lord”
when I first awoke from sleep?
Did I tell You, “thank you Lord
for in my heart your presence I keep?
For all the many blessings
because of Your Grace I do receive,
did I tell You, “thank You Lord”
for in me You do believe?
Did I tell You, “thank You Lord”
for never giving up on me?
Even when friends and family
seemed content to just let me be.
For all those minutes, hours, and endless days
that could be empty as can be,
did I tell You, “thank You Lord”
for being that special one to me?
Well if for some reason I didn’t
please forgive me once again!
“Thank You Lord, for the beginning,
the in between, for with You there is no end!
E. P. Shagott
10/15/2008
Did you tell Him thank you today? It's not too late.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
My Mission, I chose to accept it!
From Charles Spurgeon's Gems
Gem #12 - Full Surrender
[Don't keep back any part of your life. Make a full surrender of every inclination of your heart; work to have but one purpose, and one aim. And for this purpose give God complete control of your heart. Cry out for more of the divine control of the Holy Spirit, so that as your soul is preserved and protected by Him, that it may be directed into one river, and one only, that your life may run deep and pure, and clear and peaceful; its only banks being God's will, its only river the love of Christ and a desire to please Him.]
As soon as I read this Gem this morning I thought, "that's me"! My friends I am not being arrogant, I'm being truthful. As I was thinking of a title for this blog I thought back to the old "Mission Impossible" series and how it started out, "Good morning Mr. Phelps, your mission if you choose to accept it..." See, God did not say to me, "Go start an Outreach Ministry, go write over 100+ poems that I will bless you with, go start writing blogs almost daily, go and become a messenger for Me using Twitter & Facebook, go a be an example of my Son to everyone that comes into your life!"
No, God didn't tell me to do any of these, but He wanted me to, if I chose to. Can you now see how Charles Spurgeon's Gem #12 relates to what my mission is? My friends if you want to be a part-time Christian, expect to get part-time results. A friend of mine asked me via an email yesterday, "How can we as Christians be losing this battle"? My friends we are not losing, we are just not committing! Charles Spurgeon wrote to make a full surrender of your heart. If you pile a lot of worldy items on top of the Holy Spirit, it will make it harder for Him to do His work for the Father. Charles Spurgeon also said, "to have one purpose, one aim". What is your mission today? Do you choose to do God's work? Do you accept what God wants you to do for the Kingdom? I do.
Charles Spurgeon wrote above your life should be one river, "its only banks being God's will, its only river the love of Christ and a desire to please Him".
There Is A River
Words and Music by Max and David Sapp
John 4:14
"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;
but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
There is a river that flows from deep within.
There is a fountain that frees the soul from sin.
Come to these waters, there is a vast supply.
There is a river that never shall run dry.
There came a sound from Heaven, like a mighty rushing wind.
It filled their hearts with singing and gave them peace within.
The Master gave this promise, the Spirit will descend
And from your inner being a river with no end.
There came a thirsty woman, who was drawing from a well.
Her life was ruined and wasted, her soul was bound for Hell.
But then she met the Master, who told of her great sin
And if you’ll drink this water, you’ll never thirst again.
There is a river that flows from God above.
There is a fountain, that’s filled with His great love.
Come to the water, there is a vast supply.
There is a river, that never shall run dry.
That never shall run dry.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Gem #12 - Full Surrender
[Don't keep back any part of your life. Make a full surrender of every inclination of your heart; work to have but one purpose, and one aim. And for this purpose give God complete control of your heart. Cry out for more of the divine control of the Holy Spirit, so that as your soul is preserved and protected by Him, that it may be directed into one river, and one only, that your life may run deep and pure, and clear and peaceful; its only banks being God's will, its only river the love of Christ and a desire to please Him.]
As soon as I read this Gem this morning I thought, "that's me"! My friends I am not being arrogant, I'm being truthful. As I was thinking of a title for this blog I thought back to the old "Mission Impossible" series and how it started out, "Good morning Mr. Phelps, your mission if you choose to accept it..." See, God did not say to me, "Go start an Outreach Ministry, go write over 100+ poems that I will bless you with, go start writing blogs almost daily, go and become a messenger for Me using Twitter & Facebook, go a be an example of my Son to everyone that comes into your life!"
No, God didn't tell me to do any of these, but He wanted me to, if I chose to. Can you now see how Charles Spurgeon's Gem #12 relates to what my mission is? My friends if you want to be a part-time Christian, expect to get part-time results. A friend of mine asked me via an email yesterday, "How can we as Christians be losing this battle"? My friends we are not losing, we are just not committing! Charles Spurgeon wrote to make a full surrender of your heart. If you pile a lot of worldy items on top of the Holy Spirit, it will make it harder for Him to do His work for the Father. Charles Spurgeon also said, "to have one purpose, one aim". What is your mission today? Do you choose to do God's work? Do you accept what God wants you to do for the Kingdom? I do.
Charles Spurgeon wrote above your life should be one river, "its only banks being God's will, its only river the love of Christ and a desire to please Him".
There Is A River
Words and Music by Max and David Sapp
John 4:14
"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;
but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
There is a river that flows from deep within.
There is a fountain that frees the soul from sin.
Come to these waters, there is a vast supply.
There is a river that never shall run dry.
There came a sound from Heaven, like a mighty rushing wind.
It filled their hearts with singing and gave them peace within.
The Master gave this promise, the Spirit will descend
And from your inner being a river with no end.
There came a thirsty woman, who was drawing from a well.
Her life was ruined and wasted, her soul was bound for Hell.
But then she met the Master, who told of her great sin
And if you’ll drink this water, you’ll never thirst again.
There is a river that flows from God above.
There is a fountain, that’s filled with His great love.
Come to the water, there is a vast supply.
There is a river, that never shall run dry.
That never shall run dry.
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Monday, November 2, 2009
God Changes Not!
“I am the Lord, I change not.”
Malachi 3:6 Descendants of Jacob, I am the LORD All-Powerful, and I never change. That's why you haven't been wiped out,
[It is well for us that, amidst all the variableness of life, there is One whom change cannot affect; One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow mutability can make no furrows. All things else have changed-all things are changing. The sun itself grows dim with age; the world is waxing old; the folding up of the worn-out vesture has commenced; the heavens and earth must soon pass away; they shall perish, they shall wax old as doth a garment; but there is One who only hath immortality, of whose years there is no end, and in whose person there is no change. The delight which the mariner feels, when, after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth-”I am the Lord, I change not.”]
Oh, how the Lord speaks to my heart through Charles Spurgeon. As I read the above paragraph I kept saying, over and over, "Praise God"! With Autumn upon us and the leaves are once again falling to the ground it tells of another change. Does God of Creation change? No. Please read this words of Charles Spurgeon over and over a couple times, the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth-”I am the Lord, I change not.”
[The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” What ever his attributes were of old, they are now; his power, his wisdom, his justice, his truth, are alike unchanged.]
I love Spurgeon's reference to the anchor. In a couple programs that the God's Love Outreach Ministry has presented this year, I have sung the song "The Anchor Holds" by Ray Boltz. One verse in the song goes like this:
"I have fallen on my knees
as I faced the ragging seas
the anchor holds
in in spite of the storm"
See God is telling His wounded through this song, "What ever you are up against I am there with you!
[He has ever been the refuge of his people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and he is their sure Helper still. He is unchanged in his love. He has loved his people with “an everlasting love”; he loves them now as much as ever he did, and when all earthly things shall have melted in the last conflagration, his love will still wear the dew of its youth. Precious is the assurance that he changes not! The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love.
“Death and change are busy ever,
Man decays, and ages move;
But his mercy waneth never;
God is wisdom, God is love.”]
My friends what do you know personally that can compare to the above words by Charles Spurgeon? For me I can truthfully say, nothing! That is why it is so important for all the people that I meet can understand through me the words from this great hymn;
What a friend we have in Jesus
all our sins and griefs to bear
what a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Malachi 3:6 Descendants of Jacob, I am the LORD All-Powerful, and I never change. That's why you haven't been wiped out,
[It is well for us that, amidst all the variableness of life, there is One whom change cannot affect; One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow mutability can make no furrows. All things else have changed-all things are changing. The sun itself grows dim with age; the world is waxing old; the folding up of the worn-out vesture has commenced; the heavens and earth must soon pass away; they shall perish, they shall wax old as doth a garment; but there is One who only hath immortality, of whose years there is no end, and in whose person there is no change. The delight which the mariner feels, when, after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth-”I am the Lord, I change not.”]
Oh, how the Lord speaks to my heart through Charles Spurgeon. As I read the above paragraph I kept saying, over and over, "Praise God"! With Autumn upon us and the leaves are once again falling to the ground it tells of another change. Does God of Creation change? No. Please read this words of Charles Spurgeon over and over a couple times, the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth-”I am the Lord, I change not.”
[The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” What ever his attributes were of old, they are now; his power, his wisdom, his justice, his truth, are alike unchanged.]
I love Spurgeon's reference to the anchor. In a couple programs that the God's Love Outreach Ministry has presented this year, I have sung the song "The Anchor Holds" by Ray Boltz. One verse in the song goes like this:
"I have fallen on my knees
as I faced the ragging seas
the anchor holds
in in spite of the storm"
See God is telling His wounded through this song, "What ever you are up against I am there with you!
[He has ever been the refuge of his people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and he is their sure Helper still. He is unchanged in his love. He has loved his people with “an everlasting love”; he loves them now as much as ever he did, and when all earthly things shall have melted in the last conflagration, his love will still wear the dew of its youth. Precious is the assurance that he changes not! The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love.
“Death and change are busy ever,
Man decays, and ages move;
But his mercy waneth never;
God is wisdom, God is love.”]
My friends what do you know personally that can compare to the above words by Charles Spurgeon? For me I can truthfully say, nothing! That is why it is so important for all the people that I meet can understand through me the words from this great hymn;
What a friend we have in Jesus
all our sins and griefs to bear
what a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
