You say to yourself or out loud, “Oh, I’m so discouraged.” The reasons for your being in that state of mind may be entirely valid. Moreover, you may admit quite readily that discouragement comes to everybody at one time or another in varying degrees of intensity.
As we look at Romans 5, we see God inviting us, too, to COME RIGHT IN, to exercise the privilege of our sonship, to delight ourselves in the secret place of His purpose and His love. “Through our Lord Jesus Christ . . . we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…” […]
Ultimately the people we live with, the ones we work with, even those with whom we casually rub shoulders are going to know quite accurately the kind of person we are. The sad stubborn fact is that people can see right through us. We “cover our tracks” only lightly.
Some three thousand years ago the wise man, Solomon, said it: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Prov. 17:22). Modern doctors echo this sentiment. They tell us that a patient’s positive outlook and cheerful spirit – if he has these ingredients – may actually increase the effectiveness of the medication that is prescribed.
Almighty God-absolutely perfect. .. and holy . . . and omnipotent. .. and omniscient … and eternal … and upholding all things by the word of His power-actually deigns to use for His great glory the weak and bungling creatures that we are!
What do we mean when we say, “Behave your beliefs”? We are saying that the great truths of the Word of God that we cherish and believe must come alive in our everyday actions if we are to have any impact on the world around us.
“Nobody’s going to push me around!” How often have you heard those words … or said them … or thought them? In the back of your mind may be the idea that lowliness is either weakness (which you avoid) or lack of recognition of one’s worth (which you deplore). So you shrink from this concept […]
