HE is Sufficient: by TA Sparks

 

God... who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

The object of our meditation is: Jesus Christ in heaven as our Sufficiency.... Our Lord Jesus’ resources came from His Father when He was here on this earth. He voluntarily lived in a state of absolute dependence on Him. He willed it to be so. He refused to have anything in Himself. Everything He needed He drew from heaven; He received it from above. When we are in resurrection-union with Christ, the Holy Spirit brings us into oneness with Him who is in heaven for us. That means: all the resources upon which the Lord Jesus lived are at our disposal. These resources were secret resources, that is, they were unknown to the world. The people around Him were absolutely in the dark as to the source of His power. There was a secret relationship between Him and His Father which impressed them. They saw that there was something in the background of His life, a mysterious power and knowledge, which was not ordinary to man. He had a whole set of resources at His command which no one possessed. He had a knowledge which was far beyond man’s understanding. And because He lived a secret life, a life in His Father, His resources were mysterious and wonderful to men.

If we live in heavenly union with Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, the same resources are at our disposal. Let us remind ourselves of the Word which is at the basis of our meditation: “The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.” That means that all the resources which are in Christ are available for us. But we have to learn to live in such close fellowship with Him as He lived with His Father in the days of His flesh.

His Birth and Our New Birth: by Oswald Chambers

 

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Matthew 1:23

His Birth in History. “…that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.

His Birth in Me. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you…” (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me. And once “Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.

God Evident in the Flesh. This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.

Jesus Calling: by Sarah Young

 

John 1:14 
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Matthew 2:9-11
⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Come to Me, and rest in My Presence. As you ponder the majestic mystery of the Incarnation, relax in My everlasting arms. I am the only Person who was ever sired by the Holy Spirit. This is beyond your understanding. Instead of trying to comprehend My Incarnation intellectually, learn from the example of the wise men. They followed the leading of a spectacular star, then fell down in humble worship when they found Me.
     Praise and worship are the best responses to the wonder of My Being. Sing praises to My Holy Name. Gaze at Me in silent adoration. Look for a star of guidance in your own life, and be willing to follow wherever I lead. I am the Light from on high that dawns upon you, to guide your feet into the way of Peace.

Luke 1:35
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."
Luke 1:78-79
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet [in a straight line] into the way of peace and serenity.”

Opposition to Christmas: by Henry Blackaby

 

An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”      Matthew 2:13

Whenever God clearly speaks to you and you obey His will, you can expect to face opposition. Spiritual assaults and attacks by the ungodly are not always signs that you are out of the will of God; they may even indicate that you are in the very center of God’s will. Mary’s husband, Joseph, was a righteous man who feared God, yet his obedience to God forced him to flee for his life to a foreign country. Joseph’s hardship came, not because of his sin, but because of his obedience. Although Joseph and Mary were forced to move to another country, they remained in the center of God’s will.

Jesus warned His disciples to expect persecution from the world as they obeyed the Father. He reminded them that they would not face persecution alone, for Jesus, too, had faced the hostility of the world and had been victorious (John 16:33).

Don’t become discouraged when you face opposition. Opposition may indicate that you are acting in obedience to God. Do not let opposition cause you to doubt God’s will. Examine your heart. If you have done what you know He has asked you to do, trust Him to see you through the antagonism that comes from those who are not walking with Him. When they encountered persecution, the disciples did not ask God to remove their opponents, but to give them boldness as they faced opposition (Acts 4:24-31). God’s will for you may involve hardship, as it did for His Son (John 15:20), but He loves you and will not allow you to face more than you are able to handle.

WHO AM I? (Identity) by Andrew Murray

 

Set your affection on things above… for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:2-3

When entering God’s presence in the morning hour, the Christian must realize where he stands in relation to God. Each person who claims access and an audience with the Most High must have a living sense of the place he has in Christ before God.

Who am I? Who is it that comes to ask God to meet me and spend the whole day with me? I am one who knows that I am in Christ and that my life is “hid with Christ in God.” In Christ I died to sin and the world. I am now taken out of them, separated and delivered from their power. I have been raised together with Christ; and in Him, I live unto God. My life is “hid with Christ in God.” I can come to God to claim all the divine life that is hidden away in Him for today’s need and supply.

Yes, this is who I am. I am one who longs to say, “Christ is my life.” The longing of my soul is for Christ, revealed by the Father Himself within the heart. Nothing less can satisfy me. My life is “hidden with Christ.” He can be my life in no other way than as He is in my heart. Christ is the Savior from sin, the gift and instrument of God’s love. Christ is my indwelling Friend and Lord.

If God should ask, “Who are you?” I would reply, “I live in Christ and Christ in me. Lord, You alone can make me know and be all that this truly means.”

I am sure you realize how important the morning hour is to secure God’s presence for the day. During that time, you take a firm stand on the foundation of redemption. Accept what God has bestowed on you in Christ. Be what God has made you to be. Confess your position in Christ. In a battle, much depends upon an unshakable position. Take your place where God has placed you.

The very attempt to do this may at times interfere with your ordinary Bible study. This will be no loss. Your daily Christian walk depends on knowing who your God is and who you are as His redeemed one in Christ. When you have learned the secret, it will, even when you do not think of it, be the strength of your heart, both in going in before God and going out with Him to the world.

He is SUFFICIENT: by TA Sparks

 

God... who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

The object of our meditation is: Jesus Christ in heaven as our Sufficiency.... Our Lord Jesus’ resources came from His Father when He was here on this earth. He voluntarily lived in a state of absolute dependence on Him. He willed it to be so. He refused to have anything in Himself. Everything He needed He drew from heaven; He received it from above. When we are in resurrection-union with Christ, the Holy Spirit brings us into oneness with Him who is in heaven for us. That means: all the resources upon which the Lord Jesus lived are at our disposal. These resources were secret resources, that is, they were unknown to the world. The people around Him were absolutely in the dark as to the source of His power. There was a secret relationship between Him and His Father which impressed them. They saw that there was something in the background of His life, a mysterious power and knowledge, which was not ordinary to man. He had a whole set of resources at His command which no one possessed. He had a knowledge which was far beyond man’s understanding. And because He lived a secret life, a life in His Father, His resources were mysterious and wonderful to men.

If we live in heavenly union with Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, the same resources are at our disposal. Let us remind ourselves of the Word which is at the basis of our meditation: “The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.” That means that all the resources which are in Christ are available for us. But we have to learn to live in such close fellowship with Him as He lived with His Father in the days of His flesh.

Enlarge Your Tent! by Henry Blackaby

 

Enlarge the place of your tent,

And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;

Do not spare; Lengthen your cords,

And strengthen your stakes.           

Isaiah 54:2

When God comes to a life in power, it is always a time of rejoicing and expectation for the future! Isaiah described this experience as similar to that of a child born to a previously barren woman. The child’s arrival changes everything! Life cannot continue as usual! Whereas the dwelling place might have been large enough for two, it must now be made bigger. The child’s presence causes the parents to completely rearrange the way they were living.

Isaiah proclaimed that when God comes, you must make room for Him in your life. You must “enlarge the place of your tent” because God’s presence will add new dimensions to your life, your family, and your church. You do not simply “add Christ on” to your busy life and carry on with business as usual. When Christ is your Lord, everything changes. Whereas before you may not have expected good things to come through you or in your life, now you should have a spirit of optimism. You ought to expect your life to become richer and fuller. You can anticipate God blessing others through your life. You can look for God to demonstrate His power through your life in increasing measure.

As a Christian, how do you make room for Christ in your life? You repent of your sin. You allow Christ the freedom to do what He wants in you. You watch eagerly for His activity in your life and in your family and in your church. You live your life with the expectancy that Christ will fill you with His power in the days to come and will “stretch” you to do things in His service that you have never done before.

The Word is a Seed: by Andrew Murray

 

The kingdom of heaven is like a…seed.
Matthew 13:31

I think that in all of nature, the best illustration for the Word of God is that of the seed. The points of resemblance between the two are quite evident. There is the apparent insignificance of the seed—a little thing as compared with the tree that springs from it. There is the life, enclosed and dormant within a husk. There is the need for suitable soil, without which growth is impossible. There is the slow growth, with its length of time calling for long patience. And there is the fruit, in which the seed reproduces and multiplies itself. In all these respects, the seed teaches us precious lessons as to our use of God’s Word.

A seed bears a fruit that contains the same seed for new reproduction. In the same way, the Word will not only bring you the fruit it promised, but that fruit will become a seed that you carry to others to give life and blessing.

Not only the Word, but “the kingdom of heaven is like to a…seed.” The kingdom’s attributes come as a hidden seed in the heart of the regenerate person. Christ is a seed. The Holy Spirit is a seed. The exceeding greatness of the power (see Ephesians 1:19) that works in us is a seed. The hidden life is there in the heart, but it is not always felt in its power. The divine glory is there, to be counted on and acted on even when not felt, to be waited for in its springing forth and its growth.

As this central truth is firmly grasped and held as the law of all heavenly life on earth, the study of God’s Word becomes an act of faith, surrender, and dependence on the living God. I believe humbly, almost tremblingly, in the divine seed that is in the Word, and I believe in the power of God’s Spirit to make it true in my life and experience. I yield my heart hungrily and entirely to receive this divine seed. I wait on God in absolute dependence and confidence to give the increase in a power above anything we can ask or think. (See Ephesians 3:20.)

The Opposition of the Natural: by Oswald Chambers

 

Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. —Galatians 5:24

The natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh….” The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” (Matthew 16:24). That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.

The natural life is not spiritual, and it can be made spiritual only through sacrifice. If we do not purposely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural to us. There is no high or easy road. Each of us has the means to accomplish it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of sacrificing, and thereby performing His will.

The Power of God’s Word: by Andrew Murray

 

The word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
—1 Thessalonians 2:13

The value of a man’s words depends upon what I know about him. If a man promises to give me half of all he has, it greatly matters whether he is a poor man or a millionaire. One of the first requirements for fruitful Bible study is the knowledge of God as the Omnipotent One and of the power of His Word.

The power of God’s Word is infinite. “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made….For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” (Psalm 33:6, 9). God’s power works in His Word. God’s Word has creative power and calls into existence the very thing of which it speaks.

The Word of the living God is a living Word, and it gives life. It can call into existence and make alive again what is dead. Its quickening power can raise dead bodies, can give eternal life to dead souls. All spiritual life comes through it, for we are born of incorruptible seed “by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).

The Word has power to illuminate our darkness; in our hearts it will bring the light of God and the knowledge of His will. The Word can fill us with courage to conquer every enemy. The Word will cleanse, sanctify, and work in us faith and obedience. It will become in us the seed of every trait in the likeness of our Lord. It will make all that is in the Word true in us and so prepare our hearts to be the habitation of the Father and the Son.

What a change would come over our relationship with God’s Word and to the morning watch if we really believed this simple truth! Let us begin our training for that ministry of the Word by proving its power in our own experience. Let us begin to seek to learn the great faith lesson, the mighty power of God’s Word.

The Word of God is true because God Himself will make it true in us. We have much to learn regarding what hinders that power, much to overcome to be freed from these hindrances, and much to surrender to receive that power. But all will be right if we study our Bibles with the determination to believe that God’s Word has omnipotent power in our hearts to accomplish every blessing of which it speaks.

Opened Eyes: by TA Sparks

 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know... His incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 1:18-20

Resurrection is the paramount miracle. Death is the greatest power against God's work, God's likeness, God's purpose. Death is the greatest power in this universe against man; his labors, his hopes, his wellbeing. Death is the last word in the creation as it is. Outside of God there is no power in this universe as great as death. When it has intervened and done its work there is nothing that can reverse or destroy it. In the realm of evil there is no power that exceeds the power of death. This is why, in referring to the resurrection of Christ from the dead, the words are used: "the exceeding greatness of His power" (Eph. 1:19). When death has exceeded every other evil power – sin, suffering, sorrow, and destruction, then God's unique and exclusive answer is the only hope, and the one answer. More importance and glory is placed upon resurrection in the New Testament than upon any other matter. Indeed, everything else is declared to be in vain and worthless until resurrection is established. Resurrection is stated to give the value to every testimony and every work. Death, spiritual death (not cessation of being) – of which the physical is only one small aspect – is Satan's horizon. Resurrection is God's horizon in Christ.

Resurrection, we repeat, is the answer to death in all its forms and aspects: God's answer in His Son, Jesus Christ. Having said that, let us proceed to note that the next thing revealed in the New Testament is that this supreme truth in Jesus Christ is the birthright of every one born into God's spiritual family; the heritage of every truly born-again child of God. But the point for special realization is that we must not make the mistake that Martha of Bethany made, when she received such a revealing correction. She said, concerning her brother: "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection." It is not something in the future for believers, but for the moment when they believe on the Lord Jesus and receive Him. The order now is first the resurrection of the human spirit and at last the resurrection body. This, for any born-anew Christian needs no stating, although the meaning may take years to learn.

PROFITABLE: by Henry Blackaby

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,

for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

that the man of God may be complete,

 thoroughly equipped for every good work.     

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is profitable! Knowing this, we cheat ourselves when we do not access every book, every truth, every verse, and every page of our Bibles for the promises and commands God has for us. Because every verse of Scripture is inspired by God and gainful to us, we should not pick and choose which verses we will read and study. We should not claim verses we like and ignore those that convict us! If we are to become mature disciples of Jesus, we must allow every Scripture to speak to us and teach us what God desires us to learn. Scripture enables us to evaluate the soundness of doctrines that are being taught. Scripture ought to be the basis for any reproof or correction we bring to another.

If you are not firmly grounded in God’s Word, you will be bombarded with an assortment of doctrines, lifestyles, and behaviors, and you will have no means to evaluate whether or not they are of God. You cannot develop a righteous life apart from God’s Word. Righteousness must be cultivated. As you fill your mind with the words of God, and as you obey His instructions, He will guide you in the ways of righteousness. Scripture will equip you for any good work God calls you to do. If you feel inadequate for a task God has given you, search the Scriptures, for within them you will find the wisdom you need to carry out His assignment. Allow the Word of God to permeate, guide, and enrich your life.