Quote for the Day
Month: August 2024
Reflection on Matthew 4:1–2
Scripture
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Observation
The Holy Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness for a confrontation with the devil.
Jesus fast for 40 days and nights and becomes very hungry.
Application
This verse is very confronting for us if we let it be!
We don’t think of the Holy Spirit as placing us in a state of weakness and trial. After forty days of fasting, Jesus would have been very weak in the flesh, but forced to become more dependent on the Father. Hence He was weak in the flesh but strong in the spirit.
It is at this place that satan comes to tempt Jesus. We must marvel at the sheer cheek of satan to test the Son of God.
If Jesus was tempted so thoroughly by satan, we must not ignore the reality of temptation in the lives of his followers. This is a constant reality of the Christian life. If satan tempted our Lord, he will surely tempt His followers.
Satan’s temptations come to us the form of the three G’s – gold (that is, love of money and possessions), glory (pride), and girls/guys (ie sexual or romantic sin). These are the wounds in human psychology that become chinks in our spiritual armour. Every Christian will find that they have one or more of these three. We must be vigilant of satan’s probing all the days of our life on earth.
I believe that the Holy Spirit leads us all into some form of wilderness to be tempted. We think of temptation as a negative, but in fact it is a positive. As we learn to rely on our Heavenly Father for courage and the ability to stand firm, He builds up our spiritual muscles to make us more holy.
Prayer
Father, when the day of testing comes may I be strong in you. Grant me grace to stand firm in you. Amen.
1 Million Muslims in Iran Turning To Jesus
1 Million Muslims Embrace Christianity, Leading to Mosque Closures – Charisma Magazine Online
CBN News — Read time: 1 minute
Amid talk of a broader war in the Middle East, there is also news that a Jesus revolution may be underway.
An unprecedented number of Muslims are choosing to follow Christ, especially in Iran as people search for a better life.
Iranians are growing tired of the ayatollahs and a nation led by the empty promises of their Islamic theocracy. An anonymous internal poll found that 80% now prefer a democratic government, and many are leaving Islam.
“You have a country with one of the highest drug addiction rates in the world. You have a country where corruption runs rampant. You have a country where more than half the people live below the poverty line,” explained Todd Nettleton of The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM).
“And the people of Iran are looking at this and they are saying, ‘Wait a minute. If this is what Islam has brought us in the last 45 years, we’re not interested. We want to know what the other options are.’”
According to Nettleton, Vice President of Messaging at VOM, the faith option many are choosing is Jesus with at least a million Muslims reportedly leaving Islam for Christianity.
So, how is the regime reacting to this with a reported 50,000 of 75,000 mosques now closed?
“This is not something that is making the regime happy. And, really, in many ways, they are seeking to solidify their power and to crush any kind of dissent,” Nettleton said. “We have heard multiple stories this year of Bible study, a home church being raided. Everyone there is photographed, everyone there is questioned. But then the leader of the meeting is held on to. They are arrested. They are detained, they’re put in prison.”
To read the full story, visit our content partners at CBN News.
Christ’s Body- Us!
Quote for the Day
That’s the reason I say this could be the finest hour of the institutional church. But if the institutional church will not accept the Holy Ghost, will not accept the manifestations of the Spirit, then, my friends, the Holy Spirit will continue His work in spite of the institutional church. Kathryn Kuhlman
Walk by the Spirit
Reflection on Matthew 3: 13-17
Scripture
A voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Observation
Jesus goes to the Jordan River to be baptised by John. John argues with Jesus saying, “You should be baptising me!”
Jesus says that it is necessary to do all that God requires. So John baptises him.
As Jesus comes out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends on him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven says, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Application
I am a son of the Most High God. Despite my many failings and sins, He counts me as a son who brings Him great joy.
My children are all grown up now, but they have been sources of joy over many years. I count their births as the most joyful events of my life. Seeing them pass various milestones, grow up, and mature into adults has also brought me great joy.
Sure, there have been times of sadness, but even in those times there have been glimmers of joy and hope.
If my earthly children give me great joy as a father, why is it so hard to believe that I bring joy to my Heavenly Father?
We have a faulty view of God, I think. We think that expects total perfection and flawless obedience all the time, and when we fail we fear that He will withhold His love and blessings from us.
God loves us despite our sins. He doesn’t stop loving us when we fall short of his glory. No, He gives us grace to keep walking.
God is full of joy at His family, even me.
Prayer
Thank you, Father, for the assurance that I give you great joy. I confess that I often feel like I don’t give you joy at all, but I believe that this is true despite how I may feel. Amen.
New Heavens and a New Earth
Quote for the Day
When one has been filled with the Holy Spirit, when one is controlled by the Holy Spirit, he will never be boastful. Never. Kathryn Kuhlman
You can make your plans, but…
New Life Narrabri 