Nothing Can Satisfy by Alistair Begg

Nothing Can Satisfy

Behold, all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 1:14

Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord's love and the Lord's own self. Some have tried to anchor in other harbors, but they have been driven out of such fatal refuges. Solomon, the wisest of men, was permitted to make experiments for us all, and to do for us what we should not attempt ourselves. Here is his testimony in his own words: "So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."¹ "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."² What! The whole of it vanity? Is there nothing in all the wealth of kings? Nothing in that vast territory reaching from the river to the sea? Nothing in those glorious palaces? Nothing in the riches of the forests of Lebanon? In all your music and dancing and wine and luxury is there nothing? "Nothing," he says, "but sorrow, and his work is a vexation." This was his verdict when he had experimented on the paths of apparent pleasure. To embrace the Lord Jesus, to rest in His love and be fully assured of union with Him—this is all in all.

Dear reader, you do not need to try these empty paths to find out whether they are better than the Christian's. If you roam the universe, you will not find another friend like Jesus; if you could have all the comforts of life but lost your Savior, you would be wretched; but if you win Christ, then you could rot in a dungeon and even there find peace. If you live in obscurity or die hungry, you will still be satisfied with favor and will be full of the goodness of the Lord.

1) Ecclesiastes 2:9-11
2) Ecclesiastes 1:2

The Deity of Christ by John MacArthur

The Deity of Christ

“[Christ] existed in the form of God” (Philippians 2:6). Christ possesses the very nature of God. In the second part of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Christiana and her children travel toward the Celestial Country. During their pilgrimage, Interpreter introduces them to one of his male servants, whose name is Great-heart. When Christiana asks Great-heart to explain the nature of Christ’s forgiveness, part of his answer is: “He [Christ] has two natures in one Person, easy to distinguish but impossible to divide. There is a righteousness that belongs to both of these natures, and each righteousness is essential to that nature, so that one might as easily kill that nature as to separate its righteousness from it.” Bunyan was affirming through his character Great-heart what Scripture says of Christ: He is God. The apostle Paul stated the same truth, saying that Christ “existed in the form of God” (Phil. 2:6). The Greek word translated “existed” (huparcho) is not the common verb for “being” (eimi). Huparcho stresses the essence of a person’s nature—his continuous state or condition. It expresses what one is, unalterably and inalienably, by nature. Paul’s point was that Jesus Christ is unalterably and continuously existing in the form of God. Clarifying the meaning of the Greek word translated “form” (morphe) is crucial to a proper understanding of this verse. According to respected Greek scholars Moulton and Milligan, morphe “always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it.” The word describes essential being or nature—in this case the essential being of God. In using the word morphe in Philippians 2, Paul was saying Jesus possessed the unchangeable, essential nature of God. That interpretation of the first phrase of verse 6 is strengthened by the second phrase, which says Jesus was equal with God. Being in the form of God speaks of Christ’s equality with God. Perhaps, like Great-heart, you know someone who needs to be grounded in the fundamental doctrines of God’s Word. Just as Great-heart helped Christiana, so also you can help someone learn about the deity of Christ and other great truths of God’s Word. Suggestions for Prayer Pray for an opportunity to teach someone the basic doctrine of Christ’s nature. For Further Study Memorize Colossians 2:9, a verse that proves the deity of Christ. From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

A Safe Place / Our Daily Bread

A Safe Place

Bill Crowder

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:6

Psalm 17:1–9

My brothers and I grew up on a wooded hillside in West Virginia that provided a fertile landscape for our imaginations. Whether swinging from vines like Tarzan or building tree houses like the Swiss Family Robinson, we played out the scenarios we found in the stories we read and movies we watched. One of our favorites was building forts and then pretending we were safe from attack. Years later, my kids built forts out of blankets, sheets, and pillows—constructing their own “safe place” against imaginary enemies. It seems almost instinctive to want a hiding place where you can feel safe and secure.

When David, the singer-poet of Israel, sought a safe place, he looked no further than God. Psalm 17:8 asserts, “[God,] keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” When you consider the Old Testament record of David’s life and the almost constant threats he faced, these words reveal an amazing level of confidence in God (v. 6). In spite of those threats, he was convinced his true safety was found in Him.

We can know that same confidence. The God who promises to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) is the One we trust with our lives every day. Although we live in a dangerous world, our God gives us peace and assurance—both now and forever. He is our safe place.

Father, the world around me can feel threatening, overwhelming, and dangerous. But You give me peace, strength, and help.

Give God thanks for being your hiding place today.

The Law And The Gospel by Oswald Chambers

The Law And The Gospel For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  JAMES 2:10 The moral law does not consider us as weak human beings at all, it takes no account of our heredity and infirmities, it demands that we be absolutely moral. The moral law never alters, either for the noblest or for the weakest, it is eternally and abidingly the same. The moral law ordained by God does not make itself weak to the weak, it does not palliate our shortcomings, it remains absolute for all time and eternity. If we do not realize this, it is because we are less than alive; immediately we are alive, life becomes a tragedy. “I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” When we realize this, then the Spirit of God convicts us of sin. Until a man gets there and sees that there is no hope, the Cross of Jesus Christ is a farce to him. Conviction of sin always brings a fearful binding sense of the law, it makes a man hopeless — “sold under sin.” I, a guilty sinner, can never get right with God, it is impossible. There is only one way in which I can get right with God, and that is by the Death of Jesus Christ. I must get rid of the lurking idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience — which of us could ever obey God to absolute perfection! We only realize the power of the moral law when it comes with an “if.” God never coerces us. In one mood we wish He would make us do the thing, and in another mood we wish He would leave us alone. Whenever God’s will is in the ascendant, all compulsion is gone. When we choose deliberately to obey Him, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us. From My Utmost for His Highest Classic Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it. from Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

Free Indeed by Charles Stanley

John 8:31-36

Would you consider yourself a free person? The truth is, most people in the world are slaves but don’t even know it. There are no physical chains or slave masters because this form of bondage has to do with the invisible state of the soul. 

When Jesus spoke about the power of truth to set people free, the Pharisees objected, claiming they were not enslaved to anyone. But they were deceived, and this is the sad state of many people today. They have no idea that they’re in bondage to sin and that it’s the result of having rejected the truth of God concerning Jesus Christ. 

Freedom comes with believing what God has testified regarding His Son, admitting we are hopeless sinners, and embracing Christ as our Savior. At that point, we are set free from the penalty and dominion of sin. Then, when we finally reach heaven, we’ll also be freed from the very presence of sin, never to be plagued by it again.

As long as we live here on earth, sin will surround us and be something we must contend with. Yet God has given us the way to become progressively free from its power. His solution is the same thing that led us into salvation: the truth. Jesus said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32).

The key is to continually fill your mind with God’s Word. As it shapes your emotions and dictates your actions, you’ll gain victory over sinful thoughts, attitudes, and habits.

The Incarnation of Christ by John MacArthur

The Incarnation of Christ

“Although [Christ] existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). Christ is the perfect example of humility. In his book Miracles, English scholar C.S. Lewis used this analogy to describe the incarnation of Christ: One may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to colour and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover. He and it are both coloured now that they have come up into the light: down below, where it lay colourless in the dark, he lost his colour, too. That was how Lewis illustrated the Incarnation, the central miracle of Christianity, which is also addressed in Philippians 2:5-8. In those verses Jesus is shown to be the perfect model of humility—the perfect illustration of Paul’s instructions in verses 3-4. He did nothing out of selfishness or conceit but regarded others as more important than Himself. We are to imitate Christ’s perfect example of humility. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” What about your life? Does it demonstrate a Christlike humility that God will delight to honor by exaltation? Suggestions for Prayer Thank the Lord for Christ, whose life exemplifies the perfect pattern of humility for you to follow. Think of areas in your life where you are especially prone to exalt yourself at the expense of others. Acknowledge your sin to God and ask Him to help you be humble in those areas. For Further Study Read Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-19, which tell of Lucifer’s fall from his exalted position in the presence of God. Write down ways his attitude is opposite Christ’s in Philippians 2:5-8. From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

Come Boldly To God

Come Boldly To God

 

Paul writes in Hebrews 4:16, "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

 

I try to picture this situation in my mind's eye; We, simple humans, boldly approaching Almighty God who made everything and has power over everything.  How could that be appropriate?  Yet  just like an earthly father, who wants to provide for his family's needs and help them be all they can be, God wants us to come to him with the confidence that He has mercy and grace beyond our understanding to help us.

 

Dear Lord, what a humbling and powerful confidence this gives us to know that we can come to you boldly and you will always be there with mercy and grace for us when we are in need.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

 

Draw Near / ONLY ADOPTED

ONLY ADOPTED

"You're not a real child. You're only adopted." These words sent Marsha into tears. The mocking taunts of her five-year-old playmates sounded in her ears as she ran to her mother and cried, "Mother, am I adopted?" He mother placed loving arms around her and wisely answered, "Honey, Daddy and I wanted a little girl for many years. We looked and looked for a child who would be just right. When we finally found you, we knew you were the one we wanted for our daughter. Other parents have to accept the child born into their family, but we were able to choose our daughter from among many children. We chose you." From that time on, Marsha felt a little bit better than her playmates who had not been "chosen."

Jesus came into this world to make us children of God. In the passage today, He is described as the Word Who came offering adoption to any who receive Him. The Gospel records: He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:11-13).

In this world of sin, we are orphans from God. We desperately need adoption. Every day, we need the wisdom, help, and guidance of a heavenly Father. The good news of the Gospel is that God offers us the opportunity to become His sons and daughters. Let us always remember that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Are You Backsliding With A Bible Under Your Arm? by Adrian Rogers

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11

Did you know that you can backslide with a Bible under your arm? I had more difficulty maintaining my spiritual life when I was in seminary than any other time in my life. 

I’m not putting down seminary. It wasn’t their fault. It was my fault. I started reading the Bible like a math book instead of a love story.

You can know the letter, but the letter kills if you are not clean. The test of your Bible Study is not how many facts you know or how fast you can take apart a Greek verb and put it back together. The test is: Are you becoming like Jesus because you spent time in His Word?

May God help us as teachers, soul winners, disciples, and deacons to be using the Word of God to clean us, convict us, and challenge us to be more like Christ.

December 1 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman: The Devils Burdens

There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God(Hebrews 4:9).

The rest includes victory, "And the Lord gave them rest round about;... the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand" (Joshua 21:44). "Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

An eminent Christian worker tells of his mother who was a very anxious and troubled Christian. He would talk with her by the hour trying to convince her of the sinfulness of fretting, but to no avail. She was like the old lady who once said she had suffered so much, especially from the troubles that never came.

But one morning the mother came down to breakfast wreathed in smiles. He asked her what had happened, and she told him that in the night she had a dream. She was walking along a highway with a great crowd of people who seemed so tired and burdened. They were nearly all carrying little black bundles, and she noticed that there were numerous repulsive looking beings which she thought were demons dropping these black bundles for the people to pick up and carry.

Like the rest, she too had her needless load, and was weighed down with the devil's bundles. Looking up, after a while, she saw a Man with a bright and loving face, passing hither and thither through the crowd, and comforting the people. At last He came near her, and she saw that it was her Saviour. She looked up and told Him how tired she was, and He smiled sadly and said: "My dear child, I did not give you these loads; you have no need of them. They are the devil's burdens and they are wearing out your life. Just drop them; refuse to touch them with one of your fingers and you will find the path easy and you will be as if borne on eagle's wings."

He touched her hand, and lo, peace and joy thrilled her frame and, flinging down her burden, she was about to throw herself at His feet in joyful thanksgiving, when suddenly she awoke and found that all her cares were gone.

From that day to the close of her life she was the most cheerful and happy member of the household.

And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.
--Longfellow

Complain Less, Give Thanks More by Alistair Begg

Complain Less, Give Thanks More

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:8

If we complained less and were more thankful, we would be happier, and God would be more glorified. Every day thank God for ordinary mercies—we refer to them as ordinary, and yet they are so priceless that without them we are ready to perish. Let us thank God for our eyes with which we see the sun, for the health and strength to walk around, for the bread we eat, for the clothes we wear. Let us thank Him that we are not among the hopeless or confined among the guilty; let us thank Him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts. Let us praise Him, in fact, for everything that we receive from His generous hand, for although we deserve little, He provides an abundance.

The sweetest and the loudest note in our thankful songs should be of redeeming love. God's redeeming acts toward His chosen are forever the favorite themes of their praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our hymns of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, lifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ—our shackles of guilt have been removed. We are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can anticipate the time when we will be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

Even now by faith we wrap ourselves in the fair linen that is to be our everlasting array and rehearse our unceasing thankfulness to the Lord our Redeemer. Child of God, can you remain silent? Stir yourselves with thoughts of your inheritance, and lead your captivity captive, crying with David, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name."¹ Let this new month begin with new songs.

1) Psalm 103:1

Fit for a King! Gold by David Jeremiah

Fit for a King! Gold

DECEMBER 1, 2018

The name of the first [river] is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good.
Genesis 2:11-12

 Recommended Reading: 1 Kings 6:20-22

The most timeless store of value in history has been gold. It is beautiful, durable, malleable, conductive, and does not tarnish. It has been the precious metal of choice for kings and rulers through the ages. Gold is the first metal mentioned in the Bible, suggesting its timeless value (Genesis 2:11-12). In the numerous places where the three most precious metals are mentioned in Scripture—gold, silver, and bronze—gold is usually mentioned first.

Solomon covered the inside of the temple in Jerusalem with gold—suitable for the dwelling place of God. It is no surprise, then, that when the Magi came to worship the “King of the Jews,” they brought gold as a gift (Matthew 2:2, 11). As the most timeless store of value in the world, gold is the right gift for the One who transcends time—the eternal Son of God.

What gift of gold can we give that is fit for our King? Our timeless devotion to Him. Let your love for Christ be timeless until you see Him face to face.

The Preeminence of Christ by John MacArthur

The Preeminence of Christ

"God . . . has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:1-3). Christ is superior to everyone and everything. The book of Hebrews was addressed to an audience composed of Jewish Christians, Jewish non-Christians who were intellectually convinced about Jesus but hadn't yet committed themselves to Him, and Jewish non-Christians who didn't believe the gospel at all. The author's goal was to demonstrate Christ's superiority over everyone and everything that had preceded Him, whether Old Testament persons, institutions, rituals, or sacrifices. He specifically contrasted Christ with angels, Moses, Joshua, Aaron and his priesthood, the Old Covenant, and the sacrificial system. The Jewish believers needed this focus on Christ's superiority because most of them were suffering some form of persecution because of their Christian testimony. Some were in danger of confusing the gospel with Jewish ceremonies and legalism, and drifting back into their former practices. Those who were intellectually convinced but spiritually uncommitted needed to be warned not to stop at that point, but to go all the way to saving faith. They were in danger of committing the greatest sin any person can commit: rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Those who didn't believe in Christ at all needed to see that Jesus was in fact who He claimed to be. To such people the author explains the unique priesthood of Christ, and the urgency of turning to Him in faith. Within your circle of friends and associates, you probably have Christians who are weak of faith and need your encouragement and instruction. Be available to minister to them whenever possible. Undoubtedly you also know people who are intellectually convinced that Jesus is who He claimed to be, but aren't willing to embrace Him as their Lord. Don't be shy about urging them to move on to salvation. To those who reject Christ outright, boldly proclaim the gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to convict their hearts. Suggestion for Prayer Praise Christ for His preeminence and surpassing grace. For Further Study Read Hebrews 1-2. To whom does the writer compare Christ? Be specific. From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

God Hears / Our Daily Bread

God Hears

Alyson Kieda

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Romans 12:9–2

Diane listened as the others in the group asked for prayers for their family members and friends facing challenges or illness. She had a family member who had been struggling with an addiction for years. But Diane kept her request silent. She couldn’t bear to see the looks on people’s faces or hear the questions or advice that often followed whenever she spoke the words aloud. She felt that this request was usually better left unspoken. Others simply didn’t understand how her loved one could be a believer in Jesus and still struggle daily.

Although Diane didn’t share her request with that group, she did have a few trusted friends she asked to pray with her. Together they asked God to set her loved one free from the very real bondage of addiction that he might experience freedom in Christ—and that God would give Diane the peace and patience she needed. As she prayed, she found comfort and strength from her relationship with Him.

Many of us have earnest, persistent prayers that seem to go unanswered. But we can be assured that God does care and He does hear all our requests. He urges us to continue to walk closely with Him, being “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). We can lean on Him.

Lord, Your Word urges us to pray continually. Help us to be persistent in prayer, and enable us to be faithful partners in prayer with others.

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. Hebrews 10:22