What Does It Take to Understand the Bible? (Part 2)

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Wayne Davies


What do you need to understand the Bible?

Many things come to mind:

A vital and ever-growing relationship with the Father through His Son.
The presence of the Holy Spirit who guides us into His truth.
A hunger for divine wisdom.
A sincere desire to know God.
An attitude of humility and faith.
The self-discipline to spend much quality time in this endeavor.

The list goes on . . .

How do you answer this question?

Today I’d like to focus on an often overlooked answer to this all-important question: Prayer.

Understanding the Bible is nothing short of the miraculous work of God in our hearts and minds, and so we must cry out to Him to provide comprehension.

This is why the psalmist asks God to “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18).

Do you pray before, during and after your time in the Word? I pray that you do!

But what, specifically, should you pray? The verse above is a great place to start.

And as we read the rest of Psalm 119 we find three more short but oh-so-powerful prayers that the psalmist prayed repeatedly. I commend them to you today, so please take time to read this article:

3 Great Prayers to Pray When Reading the Bible

And may the God of truth answer your prayer to understand His Word.

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My Favorite Sermon of 2020

Posted on October 25, 2020 by Wayne Davies

October is “Pastor Appreciation Month,” so I’d like to express my gratitude to King Jesus, our Chief Shepherd, for the ministry of my human pastor, Ryan Cochran.

God has blessed Pastor Ryan with the gift of teaching. He has a knack for explaining biblical truth in a way that benefits believers at all levels of spiritual growth. What Thomas Spurgeon (son of Charles Spurgeon) wrote of the book Pilgrim’s Progress can be said of Ryan’s preaching ministry: “Here is milk for babes and meat for men . . . Moreover, the meat is such that the ‘babes’ will enjoy a taste of it, and the ‘men’ will be all the better for a sip or two of milk.”

On January 26, 2020 Pastor Ryan preached a sermon entitled “Following Jesus in Sorrow and Stress” at Broadway Christian Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana). It’s my favorite sermon of 2020 and contains a powerful look at Matthew 14:13-33 – the account of two of Jesus’ best-known miracles: the feeding of the 5,000 and the walking on water. Pastor Ryan makes a compelling presentation of how Jesus did these miracles for the spiritual growth of Jesus’ disciples (and us).

Several “discipleship lessons” are drawn from the passage:

1 – The importance of rest and solitude

2 – Offer what we have to Jesus for His glory

3 – Take a risk

4 – Remember who we are trusting

It is this fourth lesson that I’d like to focus on, because this is my favorite part of the sermon. Listening to this exaltation of Jesus made my spirit soar into the heavenly realms, for the deity of Christ is described in a way that makes one of Scripture’s most important teachings (Jesus is God) also one of its most practical teachings (because He is God, we can trust Him in times of sorrow and stress).

To set the context, let’s read Matthew 14:25-33.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

The following is a transcript of the 4th discipleship lesson: Remember who we are trusting.

Pastor Ryan’s comments:
“This is the first time the disciples worshipped Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. Throughout the gospel, up to this point, they have been amazed by Him. They have committed their lives to Him. They give praise to God when they see Him do amazing things. They watch Him heal people. But here, they worship Him.

They offer Jesus something they know only God can receive. And Jesus receives it.

The story of Jesus walking on the water is a revelation of who Jesus is. Matthew was a brilliant story teller . . . with divine help. That’s a great combination for a story like this.

This story reveals to the disciples and to us that Jesus was more than a great teacher. He was more than the smartest person who has ever lived. He was more than a miracle worker. He was more than the Messiah. He is all of those things. And He is God in the flesh. The Creator of heaven and earth climbed back into the boat with Peter . . . and they worshipped Him.

Throughout the Old Testament there is only One who has power over the sea, and it is God the Creator.

Job 9:4-10 says this:
4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

Psalm 77 says this:
16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.

And Psalm 107 says this:
23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.

Throughout the Old Testament, there is only One who has power over the sea, and it is God the Creator.

Then there is another example of Matthew revealing who Jesus is. Right in the middle of this passage, when Jesus and Peter are having this conversation, Jesus says to them, “Take courage. It is I.” In Greek that is “Ego eimi” – which is, “I am.”

“Take courage. I am.”

The name that God gave to Moses at the burning bush was “I am.” When Moses asked God for His name before going to lead His people out of Egypt, God said, “My name is ‘I am.’ ” And in this story of Jesus rescuing His disciples from the storm, Jesus says the same thing about Himself. And Matthew puts it write in the middle of the story. There are 90 Greek words before that phrase and 90 Greek works after that phrase, and right in the middle, “I am.” It’s as if Matthew had some help writing this.

Friends, this story reminds us, as followers of Jesus, we need to remember who we are following. We are following the Creator of heaven and earth. You are following the One who made you. He is the One who knows you and designed you. He knows what He designed you for and what is best for you.

And not only is He the Creator of the universe and the constellations, but He is also the lover of your soul, the One who knows the innermost parts of you, who knows your thoughts better than you do. The One you can’t hide from, even when you hide from yourself. He is the One who knows you for who you are, the deepest places of your heart – both the good and the glory of who you are, and also the bent and twisted desires of your heart. He knows all of that. And He loves you!

He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and He is the lover of your soul.

And that is who you follow.

It can be a great encouragement when our brothers and sisters in Christ tell us to not be afraid, to take courage, to not fear. But when the Creator of heaven and earth and the Lover of our soul says, “Don’t be afraid,” you don’t have to be afraid.

Jesus is seeking to make us, His disciples, a particular kind of people in the world: people who are at rest even in times of sorrow and pain; people who are non-anxious in a world that is going crazy; people who don’t fear; people who take the time to look at their own hurts and pain and allow God to heal that, so they can then turn and serve others from a place of love and compassion rather than obligation.

Jesus is seeking to make us a people of courage in times of our stress; people who are willing to take risks and to fail, because we know we are following Jesus, the One who can reach out and save us, and that He will.

And because we know that we are following the Creator of heaven and earth, the Lover of our souls, we can trust Him. We can trust Him.
END OF SERMON TRANSCRIPT

The deity of Christ is no dry doctrine. It is a fountain of spiritual life for all who follow Him.

Knowing and believing that Jesus is God has become precious truth for me. In 2004, After 20+ years of atheism, God used C.S. Lewis’ explanation of Christ’s divine nature to bring me to repentance. (You can read about that here:
https://godwrotethebook.com/meet-the-man-who-led-me-to-christ/)

But embracing Jesus as God is not only essential for our justification, it is also indispensable for our sanctification. May we live every day with ever-increasing awareness, acknowledgment and adoration of Christ as the Creator of the universe and the Lover of our souls.

NOTE: To listen to all of Ryan’s sermon on Matthew 14, visit:
http://www.broadwaychristian.org/messages
Just scroll down to “Media Archive” and input the date “1/26/2020” and you can listen to the sermon and/or download the MP3 file. Enjoy!

 

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Meet the Man Who Led Me to Christ

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Wayne Davies

I’d like you to meet the man who led me to Jesus.

In 1983 I left the ministry (and Jesus) in the dust, deciding I was better off being the master of my fate and the captain of my soul. By 2004, after 21 years of ignoring God and convincing myself He didn’t exist, I found myself thinking about Him again and wondering if I was a fool to live like an atheist.

To continue my search for truth, I decided to read a book by C.S. Lewis entitled Mere Christianity. Perhaps you’ve heard of Lewis. He is best known for a series of delightful children’s books (which grown-ups love, too) called The Chronicles of Narnia. He was also a brilliant scholar, a prolific author, and a former atheist turned devout Christian.

I didn’t just read Mere Christianity, I devoured it.

For me, the climax of this book begins on page 40, where he explains the essence of Christianity: this man named Jesus.

Let me now quote directly from Mere Christianity:

“There suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God. He claims to forgive sins. He says He has always existed. He says He is coming to judge the world at the end of time.”

The four sentences in that paragraph hit me like a ton of bricks.

Lewis is summarizing what are known as “The Claims of Christ.” Who did Jesus claim to be? Who did He say He was? And having studied the New Testament many years earlier, I couldn’t erase from my brain these incredible statements. Jesus was many things to many people – a great teacher, a dynamic preacher, a miracle worker and healer beyond compare. But when it came to what Jesus said about Himself, I could not deny it: this man Jesus claimed to be God.

Back to Lewis:
“And when you have grasped that (the claim of Jesus to be God), you will see that what this man said was, quite simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.”

Now I want you to think about that for just a moment, because when I read Lewis’ book and saw those words on the page, I couldn’t stop thinking about it – a man claims to be God. I could not disagree with Lewis’ point – that has to be the craziest thing anyone has ever said.

If you are a committed Christian, the deity of Christ may be “old news.” Maybe you even take it for granted. I had heard this claim countless times, and as a young man, thought I believed it. But now, it was like I was hearing it for the first time. And I was mesmerized by its profound simplicity – a man claiming to be God in a human body.

Back to Lewis, as he continues to discuss the significance of Christ’s claim to be God. “No part of the claim tends to slip past us unnoticed because we have heard it so often that we no longer see what it amounts to. I mean the claim to forgive sins: any sins. Now unless the speaker is God, this is really so preposterous as to be comic.

“We can all understand how a man forgives offences against himself. You tread on my toe and I forgive you, you steal my money and I forgive you. But what should I make of a man, himself unrobbed and untrodden on, who announced that he forgave you for treading on other men’s toes and stealing other men’s money? Asinine fatuity is the kindest description we should give of his conduct.

“Yet this is what Jesus did. He told people that their sins were forgiven, and never waited to consult all the other people whom their sins had undoubtedly injured. He unhesitatingly behaved as if He was the party chiefly concerned, the person chiefly offended in all offences. This makes sense only if He really was the God whose laws are broken and whose love is wounded in every sin.

“In the mouth of any speaker who is not God, these words would imply what I can only regard as a silliness and conceit unrivalled by any other character in history.”

Are you following his logic here? I sure was.

And then came the main point of the whole book:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say.

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.

“Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

I was spellbound by the logic of this presentation. In my mind, it was irrefutable. I knew what I had to do. I knew what God was saying to me as plain as the clear blue sky: “You must make your choice.” I knew I had to answer this question for myself: Who is Jesus? Is He who He said He was? Is He God? Is He a lunatic? Or is He the biggest fraud who ever walked the planet?

I was home alone, lying on my bed, when I read these words. When I got to the last section and was confronted with the haunting words, “You must make your choice,” I finished reading and sat up. Then I got out of bed and stood up. I had to do something. I was ready to make that choice. I became overwhelmed with the reality of the claim of Christ to be God, and I knelt down next to my bed and began to cry and pray.

I can’t really remember how long I stayed in that position. I do remember crying like I’ve never cried before. And I remember telling God that I was ready to accept the claims of Christ. I acknowledged Jesus as the only God of the universe, the only One who could forgive my sin of 21 years of rebellious defiance. I begged God to take me back and never let me go. I no longer wanted to be my own God. I wanted Jesus to be my Lord and my God.

I thank God every day for C.S. Lewis, for Mere Christianity, and that God brought me to Himself through His Son and my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

That is my story of the irresistible grace of God, poured out on a rebel like me. God did for me what only He can do: He drew me to Jesus like a magnet, for the Son of Man said that “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). I chose Him because eons ago, God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4).

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How to Stay Consistent with Your Bible Reading

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Wayne Davies

Thanks to the Internet, we are blessed with a boatload of sound Bible study resources at our fingertips. One of my favorite websites is www.Crossway.com. Here you’ll find plenty of free articles and podcasts that will enrich your time in the Word.

I came across these gems recently:

Help! I Can’t Stay Consistent with My Bible Reading
https://www.crossway.org/articles/help-i-cant-stay-consistent-with-my-bible-reading/

8 Bible Reading Habits to Establish as a Young Person
https://www.crossway.org/articles/8-bible-reading-habits-to-establish-as-a-young-person/

How to Become a Better Bible Reader
https://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-how-to-become-a-better-bible-reader-phil-ryken/

A 7-Step Approach to In-Depth Bible Study
https://www.crossway.org/articles/7-step-approach-to-in-depth-bible-study/

5 Myths about Studying the Bible
https://www.crossway.org/articles/5-myths-about-studying-the-bible/

Help! I Want to Read the Bible, but I Find It Boring
https://www.crossway.org/articles/help-i-want-to-read-the-bible-but-i-find-it-boring/

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg at this website. Take a look around and see what else you can find.

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9 Tips for Making the Most of Your Bible Study (per Jen Wilkin)

Posted on October 4, 2020 by Wayne Davies

I have benefited from many excellent Bible teachers over the years. God has used men like John Piper, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul and J.I. Packer to help me greatly. Their books and sermons have been valuable resources to deepen my knowledge of Scripture and my knowledge of Him.

There’s another Bible teacher that I’d like to introduce you to today – a woman by the name of Jen Wilkin. My wife and I read her book Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds (available on Amazon). It’s a wonderful book and I give it two thumbs up. (But don’t let the title fool you. It’s not just for women. Any man can read this book and be blessed.)

She also has plenty of free resources. For starters, you can check out this article:
9 Tips for Making the Most of Your Bible Study
https://www.crossway.org/articles/9-tips-for-making-the-most-of-your-bible-study/

Then take a look at this 5-part video series:
How to Study the Bible: A 5-Day Plan
https://www.crossway.org/articles/how-to-study-the-bible-a-5-day-plan-with-jen-wilkin/

Finally, if you’re looking for an in-depth Bible study, I highly recommend Jen’s study of James: Living a Life of Genuine Faith. There’s a downloadable workbook, along with access to audios of her teaching sessions, which are jam-packed with solid Bible teaching. All at no cost.
https://www.jenwilkin.net/downloads

Enjoy!

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10 Books Every Christian Should Read (per Tim Challies)

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Wayne Davies

I like Top 10 Lists. Here’s one I just discovered:

10 Books Every Christian Should Read (other than the Bible), by Tim Challies of www.Challies.com.

Head over to this link to hear Tim take you through the list and why he picked these particular books.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9AGsgcEm7Q

NOTE: when to go to the YouTube video, right below the video you’ll also find a list of the 10 books and a link to each one on Amazon.

I was glad to see that his #1 choice is Knowing God by J.I. Packer. This is the only Christian book (other than the Bible) I’ve read 3 times.

To read some of my thoughts on this book, you can check out these blog posts:

What did J.I. Packer think of the Bible?
https://godwrotethebook.com/j-i-packer-on-the-bible/

What is the difference between “knowing God” and “knowing about God”?
https://godwrotethebook.com/knowing-about-god-vs-knowing-god/

How do you know that you know God?
https://godwrotethebook.com/how-do-you-know-that-you-know-god/

How does Packer describe the love of God?
https://godwrotethebook.com/the-staggering-truth-of-gods-love-for-sinners/

J.I. Packer died on July 17, 2020 at age 93. But his ministry lives on. You can meet him here:
https://www.crossway.org/jipacker/

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What Is God Doing Through the Coronavirus?

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Wayne Davies

As the pandemic continues, perhaps you have wondered, “Where is God in all this sickness and death? What is God doing through the coronavirus?”

In his book Coronavirus and Christ, John Piper offers six biblical answers to that question, showing us how God is at work in this crisis.

I have read this controversial book and recommend it to you.

 

 

It is available for free in various formats here (MP3 audiobook, EPUB, MOBI, PDF):
https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ

You can also purchase the Kindle and paperback formats via the above link.

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How Great Is God’s Love? Thoughts on Psalm 103:11

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Wayne Davies

I like to begin my day by reading a psalm, typically one each day, which then leads to a time of praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is and what He has done for me.

Lately, though, I’ve been spending more than one day in any particular psalm. About 10 days ago I read Psalm 103. And I’m still reading it every day. It has so much to say about the greatness and goodness of God, I think I’m “stuck” in this psalm! I’ve had several “favorite” psalms over the years, and it looks like Psalm 103 has become my favorite . . . for now.

And you know, I can’t think of a better place to be stuck than in the wonder of God’s glory. Like many psalms, this is a psalm that calls us to worship God — to give Him praise for His many benefits and attributes.

Today I am meditating on verse 11: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.”

Do you ever get tired of praising God for His love?

How great is God’s love for those who fear Him? It’s as great as the heavens are high. And how high are the heavens? Infinitely high.

David is doing his best to describe the infinitely great love of God for us. Of course, when he wrote this, no one had any idea how high the heavens are above the earth. They could only look up into the sky and be amazed at the beauty, majesty and grandeur of it all.

Today, however, we have invented devices that can measure mind-boggling distances in outer space. According to NASA, the universe is so big that if you were launched into the heavens at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), it would take you 225 trillion years to reach what is believed to be the edge of the universe (assuming there is such a place).

That is how high the heavens are above the earth. And that is how great God’s love for you is.

What intrigues me about Psalm 103:11 is the very first word, “for.” This links verse 11 to what comes immediately before it. When we go back a couple verses we read that God “will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (v. 9-10).

Because of a lifetime of sin, God has every reason to rightly accuse us of wrongdoing and to be angry with us. As David wrote elsewhere, “God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day” (Psalm 7:11).

If we got what we deserved from God for our rebellious ways, where would we all be?

Yes, you are correct. In hell.

But where are you right now? Take a look around.

No matter how good or bad you may view your current location or situation, I guarantee that you are much better off than if you were in hell. Amen?

David’s point is that God has not done to us what He could have done the first time we sinned. And thousands of sins later, we still have not received the just punishment for our transgressions, because “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (v. 8).

He does not treat us as our sins deserve.
He does not repay us according to our iniquities.

Why not?

“For” (or “because”) His love is so great, He provided a way for us to be acquitted of all our high crimes, misdemeanors and acts of treason. Instead of pouring out His wrath on us (which would have been fair), God the Father punished God the Son instead.

4 Surely he (Jesus) took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him (Jesus) punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6

In Psalm 103:11, by the little word “for,” God’s love is amazingly and eternally linked to His cancellation of the death penalty hanging over our heads, all because of the death of Christ for guilty sinners like you and me.

When you think of God’s love, what comes to mind? Throughout Scripture, there is often a direct connection between the love of God and the death of Christ.

Consider these New Testament verses:
“God demonstrates His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
“The Son of God . . . loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:2).
“Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).
“This is how we know what love is: Christ laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16)
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

Ray Comfort summarizes this truth well: “The cross is the focal point of God’s love for the world” (The School of Biblical Evangelism).

And because God treats us this way, we have all the reason in this infinitely large universe to “Praise the Lord, O my soul. All my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2).

Would you join me today in thanking the Father for His love that sent the Son to the cross so that you and I could receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life instead of eternal condemnation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What is your favorite Psalm? And why? I’d love to hear how God has used a particular psalm in your life, so please feel free to comment below.

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What Is The Secret of Contentment?

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Wayne Davies

With the coronavirus continuing to spread, is it possible to be content?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Over the past few months, I’ve have days of discontentment, disappointment and frustration. 

How about you?


I don’t know your situation. The impact of COVID-19 has varied greatly, depending on your particular location and individual circumstances.

In the midst of this crisis, it’s good to know that Scripture provides an example of a man who had a multitude of personal struggles, yet he continued to maintain an attitude of contentment. While imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel, the Apostle Paul wrote these words:

“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Paul says he “learned . . . to be content” in whatever situation he encountered. Other than Jesus, this man faced more trials and difficulties than perhaps any person in the Bible. And yet he remained content. This simple truth amazes me and begs the question, “How did he do it?”

Paul says he was content. Yet he doesn’t take credit for it.

The answer to this question is found in verse 13 – Paul was able to experience contentment while chained to a Roman soldier “through Him who strengthens me.” His contentment was the direct result of his intimate relationship to Jesus Christ. The King of the universe provided Paul with the strength to be content.

A life of contentment “in any and every circumstance” can be difficult and, at times, seem impractical if not humanly impossible. But when empowered by the Spirit of Christ who indwells us, a life of consistent contentment can be a reality – regardless of what is going on in the world or in your life.

Philippians 4:13 is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. When Paul says he can do “all things” through Jesus, he was speaking specifically of “all things” necessary for contentment.

In this season of stress, uncertainty and anxiety, do you lack contentment in Christ? If so, please be encouraged by the example of the Apostle Paul. What Jesus did for Paul, He can do for you and me, too.

True biblical contentment is found only in Jesus Christ. He is the source of our peace and joy. He is the One who can satisfy our soul regardless of external circumstances.

For more insights into the meaning of Philippians 4:11-13, please listen to and/or read these sermons by John MacArthur. This 3-part series entitled “The Secret of Contentment” is available free here:
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/50-43/the-secret-of-contentment-part-1
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/50-44/the-secret-of-contentment-part-2
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/50-45/the-secret-of-contentment-part-3

I listened to them this past week and found them extremely helpful. Enjoy!

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What’s So Good About Good Friday?

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Wayne Davies

Today we commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

To say that Jesus died on “Good Friday” is an understatement. The day Christ died is arguably the best day in the history of the world, for this is the day that God provided salvation to all those who would repent of their sins and believe in His Son.

The death of Jesus is a recurring theme in Scripture that begins in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the Gospel of Christ’s death was first planted) and ends in the book of Revelation, where the apostle John writes, “I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain . . . “ (Revelation 5:6).

John continues his account by giving us the words to a hymn that is being sung in heaven:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

Angels join the celebration, and they are singing these words:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise” (Revelation 5:12).

So in heaven we will be continually reminded of the death of Jesus, for even there He is described as “the Lamb who was slain.”

Aren’t you glad Jesus was slain?

His death brought you countless blessings, the blessing of salvation: forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, adoption – all these incredible gifts are possible because Jesus was willing to suffer and die.

Please take time today to join the angels in heaven in a song of praise to our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When you think of Jesus today, remember the words of John the Baptizer, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

I can never learn enough about the meaning of the death of Christ. I trust you will take advantage of any opportunity you have today to ponder the sacrifice of our Savior. Here are some suggestions on how to do that:

#1 — If your local church offers a Good Friday service, please make it a priority to join God’s people to celebrate the most important event in the history of the world.

#2 — You can stimulate your gratitude for the death of Jesus by reading one or more of the Gospel accounts that detail what happened on Good Friday: Matthew 26-27; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-19.

#3 — Listen to a sermon about the death of Jesus. Here are 3 sermons by R.C. Sproul that you can access online at no charge:

The Passover
https://renewingyourmind.org/2021/03/23/the-passover

The Curse Motif of the Atonement
https://renewingyourmind.org/2021/03/31/the-curse-motif-of-the-atonement

It Is Finished
https://renewingyourmind.org/2021/04/02/it-is-finished

Enjoy!  And may this Good Friday be the best one you’ve ever had.

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