Tag Archives: Abiding

November 17, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

I suppose that it’s easy to doubt the things we believe about God. We have an enemy that is working to deceive us. It seems that there is a passive deception in the world when we see so many things that are evil and wrong. The glimpse of reality is darkened by the clouds of doubt that actively or passively seek to hide the truth.

There’s a clear connection between our confidence in God and our obedience to the Lord’s commands. When people who claim to believe the truth do not do what he commands of us that actively and passively hides the truth and attempts to deceive us.

When we gladly obey the good things God has told us to do such as loving our brothers not only word but in deed then we not only display that we believe the truth but we also know that we are of the truth. This assures our hearts before God. No doubt it also assures others that we and they are of the truth. Instead of deceiving your fellow brothers by disobedience you encourage them actively and passively.

1 John 3:16-21

[16] By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. [17] But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? [18] Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

[19] By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; [20] for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. [21] Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God

Let us know the love of Christ in that he didn’t merely say he loved us but proved his love by laying down his life for us. So too, prove your love for Christ by loving your brother and then you will also prove your love for your brother. And you will be confident in the truth because his love and truth have become visible and abides in you.

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, Christ, encouragement, Faith, gospel, Grace, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Perseverance, Prayer, Promises, resurrection, The Glory of God, Waiting | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

November 14, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

After preaching and hearing a strong warning from Hebrews 6 on Sunday, it is fitting to hear the assurance offered to those who believe. However one works out assurance of salvation, we must at least hold to that the promises of God are only for those who believe.

And if you believe which was a work of grace through the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Good Shepherd that laid down his life for the sheep then assurance is available because of the Good Shepherd.

John 10:14-16

[14] I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

He’s not like the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. He’s not like the hired hand who abandons the sheep when the wolf comes. He saves the sheep by laying down his own life for them. The thief and hired hand always seek to save their own lives but not the Good Shepherd.

It might seem strange that the sheep are saved by way of the death of the Shepherd. It seems normal to think that the life of the sheep lie in the life of the Shepherd. In this analogy, the life of the sheep that is eternal life rests in the death of the Shepherd but this Shepherd doesn’t remain dead.

John 10:18

[18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

He died but was raised to Shepherd his sheep to eternal life. Because he’s alive, we will be kept safe forever by our loving Good Shepherd.

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, Christ, encouragement, Faith, gospel, Grace, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Mercy, Perseverance, Promises, The Glory of God, Waiting | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

October 12, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

I suppose this is a simple encouragement but I hope helpful nonetheless. James ends with a list of things as do several of the NT letters. He begins that list like this…

James 5:13

[13] Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

I’ve often wondered what a service like this would look like. It seems as though it’s in the context of the gathering. How do you decide who is to pray? Anyone among the body who is suffering. Who sings? Anyone among the body who is cheerful.

Obviously, there are other places where order is demanded and rightly so. But where does this fit in? And did you notice, we often pray for those who suffer and we should. But here the one suffering ought to pray. The one who is to sing is one who’s of good courage not the one most talented in musical skills.

Maybe this isn’t meant to be something done in the assembly. Nevertheless, we ought to pray when we suffer and not merely leave it to someone else. When we are cheerful we ought to sing praises to the Lord and not just enjoy our own cheerfulness as though we have obtained it on our own.

Prayer and praise are fundamental responses of the believer! We are going to suffer and we are going to be cheerful. Let’s spend them on godward things not ourselves.

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, cheerful, encouragement, Faith, Grace, Hope, James, Joy, Opposition, Perseverance, Prayer, praying, singing, suffering | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

October 11, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

I am encouraged as I read through Jeremiah to see the obedience of some to accept hard things God pronounced against them that will essentially last for 70 years. In chapters 26-29 this morning, their obedience to give themselves over to Babylon which came from the Lord through Jeremiah was displaying their TRUST in the Lord.

This has been a good reminder of how obedience works with faith. They heard His word prophesied and it was a hard word but they trusted the Lord to do what He promised. Like this one:

Jeremiah 24:6-7

[6] I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. [7] I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.

Jeremiah sent the exiles a letter that said, “Settle in. It’s going to be a while.” Build houses. Plant gardens. Get married. Pray for the city to prosper and you will prosper too. But remember that the Lord will keep his eye on you and you will return to the promised land someday.

There’s a nice connection in my reading from James this morning too concerning endurance.

James 5:7-8

[7] Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. [8] You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

We too are waiting for that heavenly city, the lasting one. There we will be under the perfect reign of our perfect King who will also be our Shepherd/Pastor forever as our great High Priest. He will protect us forever and lead us in worship and service of our great God—forever.

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, Believing, encouragement, Hope, Humility, Jesus, Prayer, resurrection, sovereign, Waiting | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

October 6, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

As I was preparing for our Wednesday night study in Proverbs, one of the phrases that we did not get to was the one above from Proverbs 3:7. So, fearing the Lord in part is turning away from that which God says is evil. The wise see God’s instruction as good and life-giving.

As I was reading Ecclesiastes this morning, the Preacher says this:

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.

As we know from Proverbs, the wise become wiser by continually seeking to gladly walk in God’s amazing ways. To be wise does not mean there’s nothing else for us to learn. While it may be that you know God’s ways, it’s another thing to do them and apply them to every situation that is thrown at you in life all of your days.

As we get older as the passage from Ecclesiastes points out concerning the youth and old, even the aged can be foolish. Old age does not guarantee wisdom. Indeed, there are temptations for us all. But in particular, those advanced in years tend to think they need no further instruction nor any need to grow. That’s just not true.

But don’t miss the great value spoken of concerning wisdom: it’s better to be poor and wise than foolish and king (powerful and wealthy). If God’s good ways are not valuable to you then you will likely find yourself thinking you are wise in your own eyes which is a dangerous place to be.

Seek the good in your youth and when you are advanced in years. Seek wisdom no matter the current outcome. Do what is right no matter the cost. In other words, trust in Christ and follow him and you will save your soul forever.

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, encouragement, Faith, following, foolishness, God, Grace, Humility, Jesus Christ, Joy, obeying gladly, old, Perseverance, poor, Proverbs, trusting, wealthy, Wisdom, youth | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

September 23, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

The faith of the thief on the cross was sufficient to save him. It seems clear there was evidence of faith by his words and actions until he died. It was necessary for him to endure to the end of life as it is for all who believe. That length was short for him yet his reward will be far less.

With that said, those who believe and continue to live are in need of endurance too. Hebrews 12 makes that point very clear as it flows from multiple examples of those who did. The promises of God are conditional and only for those who have faith.

Part of the way we endure is through the discipline of the Lord. If the Lord does not discipline us then we are not a legitimate child of God. This is one of the ways he keeps us believing. There will be a mixture of those who “believe” that are illegitimate children. We can only know that by the fruit of our lives.

Additionally, we ought to lay aside every sin and weight that so easily entangles us. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. There are sins and things that are not necessarily sin that will hinder the race. Let us gladly put them aside knowing what awaits on that glorious day!

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, encouragement, Faith, Fear, Grace, Hebrews, Hope, persecution, Perseverance, sovereign | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

September 22, 2023

Daily Encouragement

By Jason

This passage might not seem encouraging but their choices as pilgrims of this strange land point us to something much, much better to come.

Hebrews 11:35-38

Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

To refuse release is not to say what they were going through wasn’t severely painful. Their release may have demanded some sort of denial of the faith by which they were approved before the Lord. Whatever the case, they saw beyond the suffering of this world to the promise of a better resurrection—a better life. To give up the faith would have been to forfeit the greater for the lesser.

What these people endured in this brief life, show us their faith and the extreme value they had in Christ. The witness they are to us should stir our hearts to press on in faith as Hebrews 12 concludes.

Your life may show others your faith and your value of Christ as you refuse to deny the One who suffered in your place and long for the better resurrection. Jesus is worth it. And that which is coming to us will not only be void of suffering, it will never come to an end.

Leave a comment | tags: Abiding, Bold Faith, Christ, encouragement, Faith, Fear, Fear of the Lord, Grace, Hebrews, Hope, Martyrdom, persecution, Perseverance, Sacrifice, sovereign, suffering | posted in Daily Exhortations and Encouragements

April 20, 2023

A Life Well Lived

By Jason

A life well lived needs a trajectory. It needs a peculiar perspective. It needs to sit safely in the reality of the resurrection of Christ and our own resurrection at the end of the age. I think this poem helps remind us or point us to living a life well lived.

Only One Life

By C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,