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The Gift of Awe and Wonder

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“Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.”  Psalm 119:129

The gift of the Word of God is full of wonderful revelations, wonderful commands, and wonderful promises! As Charles Spurgeon says of this thought:  “…the more he [David] wondered the more he obeyed.”  This obedience displays itself through joy, passion for souls, a giving attitude, unity, thankfulness, and encouragement. Could this be the problem with the Church today? Are we in awe and wonder as we open the Word of God, searching for those gems, waiting to uncover a truth that we need today?  Psalm 34:8 tells us to “…taste and see that the Lord is good!” The best Christmas gift that we can offer is time with God, furthering our relationship with Him!  This gift then spills over into our relationships with family, friends, and co-workers!  These presents are priceless!   

Posted by Tim Longnecker

Turning Point

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“We have come to a turning point in the road.  If we turn to the right mayhap our children and our children’s children will go that way; but if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and His Word.”

This quote does not come from a sermon preached last month but from one preached 130 years ago by Charles Spurgeon!  No, we cannot be held responsible for the years before we were brought into this world, but the question must be asked, “What am I doing today to make a difference in the spiritual growth of the children or grandchildren that God has blessed me with?  Am I faithful to God and His Word?  What spiritual legacy will I leave for my grandchildren?  According to Romans 14:12,at the end of life, each of us will stand before God and give an account of our lives.  Lest we think that the world has never been worse, consider Noah’s time.  Genesis 6:5 says, “…and that every imagination of the thoughts of his [man’s] heart was only evil continually.”

Reflect also on Paul who lived in a culture that was literally rotten to the very core.  WHAT IF THESE TWO MEN HAD THROWN UP THEIR HANDS IN DESPAIR AND SAID, “IT’S NOT WORTH IT!”? May God give us the strength to stand faithful to Him and His Word every day so that the generations following us will praise God for our obedience.

Posted by Tim Longnecker

Bottom of the Pile

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When was the last time that a thoughtful, penetrating question came your way? Recently I was watching a Bible lesson from Pastor Chip Ingram of Living on the Edge, and he asked the question, “Why is it that most Christians put the most important thing at the bottom of the pile?” He was referring principally to the lack of any real substance in a believer’s devotional life, the daily reading and studying of the Bible and praying. In conjunction with this thought, in my personal time with the Lord I have been going through Charles Spurgeon’s The Treasury of David, a three-volume commentary on the Psalms. The Psalmist speaks often of meditation, fifteen times alone in Psalm 119. When we place high priority on the Word of God AND meditate on it, God blesses! Matthew 6:33 speaks directly to this point: “But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” What would happen in America today if all Christians put their relationship with God at the top of their priority list!

Posted by Tim Longnecker