We are continuing with the series on The Glorious Doctrine of Sanctification, Part 4 now under the subject The Value of Suffering.
God is doing a glorious work in the lives of his people. He is transforming his people into the same image (the image of Christ) from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18). In a world of broken promises and failed intentions, we might wonder if this will ever be achieved, but God has committed himself to it and he will complete it.
In our last article we thought of the way suffering is connected with our final glory…
Why do you face trials?
a) To test your faith
The first reason why God sends us a package of trials constantly is to test our faith! Remember that as far as our spiritual lives are concerned, there is nothing more important than our FAITH. God has to keep on keeping it on check through trials. And so James in this letter is very concerned that we may have a real, genuine, living faith. As much as testing is necessary to establish the quality of gold that perishes, so is the testing of our faith which is far more precious…
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:1–4
What would hinder you from serving the Lord as considered in the verse 1? Trials! As soon as tough times come our way, the automatic response is, ‘WHY?’ Why do you face trials?
Undoubtedly we all are enduring some trials — you may be feeling very frustrated with your husband or perhaps you are very annoyed with…
We are continuing with the series on The Glorious Doctrine of Sanctification, Part 3 now under Sanctification and Suffering
God is at work in the life of every true believer, making each of his people more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. In the previous post we saw that the Holy Scriptures, the word of God, is the primary instrument that the Holy Spirit uses in that whole process. Just as God uses Scriptures to make the believer holy. We must never forget, therefore, that the Bible plays an essential part in the life of the people of God…
When a person experiences true conversion to Christ its usually a painful process, much as natural birth is such a traumatic experience for the human frame. The new convert possibly will have gone through a period of deep and intense conviction of sin when he feels himself to be worthless in the sight of God. He may have said as Job did, “The arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me,” (Job 6:4). Then came the joy of knowing that all sins have been forgiven in Christ…
“Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17)
In the previous article, we saw that sanctification is a life long process. The Lord has begun a good work in us, and he intends to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). His great purpose is to make us like the Lord Jesus Christ, and, therefore, ready to share his glory. Of course, we shall never be absolutely perfect in this life; we shall feel and wrestle with inward sin until we are finally delivered from it through death, or when the Lord returns. We…
The main reason why families should have a time of worship in the home is because of the examples we have in the Bible. Consider first the example of Abraham,the father of the faithful, and the friend of God. It was for his domestic piety that he received blessing from Jehovah Himself. “For I have known him in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice”(Genesis 18;19). Abraham is there commended for instructing his children and his servants in the most important…
….being confident of this very thing that he who has began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1;6).
Conversion marks the beginning of a wonderful process that must go on in the believers life until he ceases to be in this present world. It is called sanctification and is the process by which God is preparing us for the eternal glory. We shall not be fit to share in all that God has planned for us if we do not pass through it. Of course, our acceptance with God can only…
SOME men are never awake when the train starts, but crawl into the station just in time to see that everybody is off and then sleepily say, “Dear me, is the train gone? My watch must have stopped in the night!” They always come into town a day after the fair and open their wares an hour after the market is over. They make their hay when the sun has left off shining and cut their corn as soon as the fine weather is ended. They cry, “Hold hard!” after the shot has left the gun and lock the stable…
We began a series on the book of 1 John. The overall theme of this book is Christian Certainty. Last time we looked at The Divine Answer to Sin & today we forge ahead to;
1 JOHN 2:3–11
There are two factors which must be present in the line of a person who says “I know Him.” They are (1) Obedience to the word, vs. 3–6, and (2) Love for one’s brother vs.7–10. Without these Christian profession is a lie, v.4, and the individual is in darkness, v.11.
Obedience is the proof of loving Him, v.5. Obedience is the proof…