From: Suzianty Herawati
"With lovingkindness have I drawn thee." --Jeremiah 31:3
The thunders of the law and the terrors of judgment are all used to bring us
to Christ; but the final victory is effected by lovingkindness. The prodigal
set out to his father's house from a sense of need; but his father saw him a
great way off, and ran to meet him; so that the last steps he took towards his
father's house were with the kiss still warm upon his cheek, and the welcome
still musical in his ears.
"Law and terrors do but harden
All the while they work alone;
But a sense of blood-bought pardon
Will dissolve a heart of stone."
The Master came one night to the door, and knocked with the iron hand of the
law; the door shook and trembled upon its hinges; but the man piled every piece
of furniture which he could find against the door, for he said, "I will not
admit the man."
The Master turned away, but by-and-bye He came back, and with His own soft
hand, using most that part where the nail had penetrated, He knocked again--oh,
so softly and tenderly. This time the door did not shake, but, strange to say,
it opened, and there upon his knees the once unwilling host was found rejoicing
to receive his guest. "Come in, come in; thou hast so knocked that my bowels
are moved for thee. I could not think of thy
pierced hand leaving its blood-mark on my door, and of thy going away
houseless, 'Thy head filled with dew, and thy locks with the drops of the
night.' I yield, I yield, Thy love has won my heart." So in every case:
lovingkindness wins the day.
What Moses with the tablets of stone could never do, Christ does with His
pierced hand. Such is the doctrine of effectual calling. Do I understand it
experimentally? Can I say, "He drew me, and I followed on, glad to confess the
voice divine?"
If so, may He continue to draw me, till at last I shall sit down at the
marriage supper of the Lamb.
CH Spurgeon
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From: "Bayo Afolaranmi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Dearly Beloved,
WHO IS YOUR ASSOCIATE?
"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" (1Corinthians 15:33,
NIV).
"Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying,
'Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you
have made.' The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade" (2
Chronicles 20:37, NIV).
King Jehoshaphat of Judah was one of the good kings that did well in following
the ways of the Lord. The writers of the Scriptures wrote good things about him
and his reign. God in turn blessed him by being with him and making him
prospered (see 2 Chronicles 17:1-5). He had successes in all his military
endeavors (verse 10; 2 Chronicles 20).
Because of the peace that God granted him, he built many forts and store cities
in Judah, apart from the experienced fighting men that he had (see 2 Chronicles
17:12-19). However, he associated himself with wicked kings, Kings Ahab and
Ahaziah of Israel (see 2 Chronicles 18:1; 20:35). This made him to have
marriage alliance with them. He joined them in battle, and tried to make trade
with them.
Each of these alliances had adverse effects on Jehoshaphat. He was nearly
killed in
the battle (2 Chronicles 18); the partnership with Ahaziah failed woefully (2
Chronicles 20:37); and the marriage alliance renewed idolatry and wickedness in
Judah. In fact, Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab who married the son of
Jehoshaphat, later nearly wiped away all the royal lineage of Jehoshaphat. She
committed great atrocities in the land before God intervened (see 2 Chronicles
22:10-23:15). What a great consequence of bad company!
Many people today have been causing bad effects on themselves because of the
people with whom they associate themselves. Most of such people are good
people, but their associates are not. Some of such people have even become
corrupted because of their associates. Since they cannot beat them in most
cases, they join them in their corrupt
practices. Besides, how can God bless such partnerships? God categorically told
Jehoshaphat He would destroy such partnership, and He did! (2 Chronicles
20:37). He had earlier warned him, but he did not yield to the warning (see 2
Chronicles 19:2).
Who are your associates? With whom do you work in partnership? Will your
partnership with such people incur the blessings of God, or His wrath and
destruction? Associate with godly people so that you will be more successful in
all your undertakings.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
+234 805 515 9591
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualdigest2003/
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have
sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,
whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN"
(Philippians 1:20-21, NIV).
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From: yunike andreas
God answers prayers
God answers prayers in 3 ways
He says yes and gives you what you want
He says no and gives you something better
He says wait and gives you the Best
Jesus loves you
When..
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; When health is lost, something is lost;
When character is lost, all is lost!
Always be with you
Leave something for God, but never leave God for something. because in life,
something or someone will leave you. But only God will always be with you.
Jesus loves you.
Treat other people
Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success
will be how you treat other people.
Without a friend
No man can be happy without a friend and no man can be sure of his friend until
he is unhappy
