A TOTALITARIAN DEMAND

July 7

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Psalm 34:8

Christianity is a way of life. And it is a way of life that demands a total commitment; it is, if you like, a totalitarian demand. It does not merely ask that we consider it and say, “Oh yes, I can take on that teaching; that’s a good emphasis there, I’ll add that!” No; it is not something to be applied as we think and when and where. Jesus says, “Seek ye first.”

In other words, let me put it like this: Men and women will never know the truth of Christianity or the blessings that it can give until they have given themselves to it. You can examine Christianity from the outside, but you will never know it, you will never get it. “If any man will do his will,” says our Lord, “he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God” (John 7:17).

Here is a great fundamental principle about this way of life: “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). You will never know that the Lord is good until you have tasted Him, until you have tried Him. So many of us are like a man standing in an orchard, and there he looks at an apple tree or a pear tree, and he examines it at a distance. Somebody says, “You know, that has a most wonderful flavour. If only you would try it, you would say that it is the most wonderful fruit you’ve ever tasted in your life.” But the man looks on, and he is not quite satisfied; he is not convinced, and he can argue and stay there for as long as he likes, but he will never know the fruit until he takes it and puts it in his mouth and bites it and proves it. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.”

A theoretical examination of Christianity will never bring us anywhere. Our Lord always calls for a committal.

A THOUGHT TO PONDER 

Christianity is a way of life that demands a total commitment.

WALKING WITH GOD DAY BY DAY ~ Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones

July 5 "Called to be saints"

         “Called to be saints.”

         —Romans 1:7

We are very apt to regard the apostolic saints as if they were “saints” in a more especial manner than the other children of God. All are “saints” whom God has called by His grace, and sanctified by His Spirit; but we are apt to look upon the apostles as extraordinary beings, scarcely subject to the same weaknesses and temptations as ourselves. Yet in so doing we are forgetful of this truth, that the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely has he to mourn over his own evil heart; and the more his Master honours him in his service, the more also doth the evil of the flesh vex and tease him day by day. The fact is, if we had seen the apostle Paul, we should have thought him remarkably like the rest of the chosen family: and if we had talked with him, we should have said, “We find that his experience and ours are much the same. He is more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than we are, but he has the selfsame trials to endure. Nay, in some respects he is more sorely tried than ourselves.” Do not, then, look upon the ancient saints as being exempt either from infirmities or sins; and do not regard them with that mystic reverence which will almost make us idolaters. Their holiness is attainable even by us. We are “called to be saints” by that same voice which constrained them to their high vocation. It is a Christian’s duty to force his way into the inner circle of saintship; and if these saints were superior to us in their attainments, as they certainly were, let us follow them; let us emulate their ardour and holiness. We have the same light that they had, the same grace is accessible to us, and why should we rest satisfied until we have equalled them in heavenly character? They lived with Jesus, they lived for Jesus, therefore they grew like Jesus. Let us live by the same Spirit as they did, “looking unto Jesus,” and our saintship will soon be apparent.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. London: Passmore & Alabaster.

we are forgetful of this truth, that the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely has he to mourn over his own evil heart; and the more his Master honours him in his service, the more also doth the evil of the flesh vex and tease him day by day.

“Called to be saints.”

         —Romans 1:7

John Frith burned to death by Roman Catholicism

July 4

John Frith, the man of peace and purity was burned to death at the stake on July 4, 1533 at the age of 30 because he had quoted scriptures to argue that the bread and wine do not actually turn into Jesus' flesh and blood. He also denied that there is a purgatory after death.

He was born at Westerham in Kent in 1503. The family moved to Sevenoaks where his father became an innkeeper. He was educated at Eton College before attending King's College. His tutor was Stephen Gardiner. Frith's abilities as a scholar were noticed by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and was invited to leave Cambridge University to join his recently formed Cardinal College (afterwards Christ Church) at Oxford University. 

During his studies, he became acquainted with William Tyndale who deeply influenced Frith's beliefs. Like Tyndale and Luther, Frith played an influential role in the Protestant Reformation. John Frith came under the influence of Robert Barnes, who had been converted to the ideas of Martin Luther. 

On 24th December 1525, Barnes preached a sermon in St Edward's Church, in which he attacked the corruption of the clergy in general and that of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in particular. He was arrested on 5th February 1526. Miles Coverdale helped him prepare his defence. Taken to London, Barnes appeared before Wolsey and found guilty. 

Fearing arrest, John Frith fled to join William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale in Antwerp. Tyndale began work on an English translation of the New Testament. This was a very dangerous activity for ever since 1408 to translate anything from the Bible into English was a capital offence.

He joined William Tyndale in Germany and helped him with his Bible translation. But when he remembered the people in England who did not understand how to come to God, he felt he had to go back, however much danger there was to him.

John Frith's writings are in answer to, or debate with, the beliefs of men such as Bishop John Fisher, Sir Thomas More, and John Rastell. In 1531 Frith published three attacks on the doctrines of purgatory and transubstantiation, which left him, according to his biographers, a wanted man. His views on Eucharist (the Lord's Supper) fell into the hands of a spy. His enemies had intended for him to pay for his heresy with his life. 

In England, John Frith was arrested as a vagabond. He dared not give his name lest he be executed; he saved himself by quoting elegant Greek and Latin lines to a local scholar. After his release, he secretly went from place to place preaching. His writings fell into Sir Thomas More's hands which sealed his fate. More, who was chancellor to the king, ordered John Frith arrested. He offered a great reward to anyone who would deliver him over to the authorities. More's agents hunted everywhere for John just as they had hunted everywhere for William Tyndale. 

John planned to escape back to the Germany. But he was betrayed as he tried to board his ship. He was sent to prison. While in prison, he prayed to be able to convert at least one of his enemies to the truth. His prayer was heard when Sir Thomas More's son-in-law switched to Protestant views.

Bishop Stephen Gardiner suggested to Henry VIII that an example should be made of John Frith. Henry ordered Frith to recant or be condemned. Frith refused and he was examined at St Paul's Cathedral on 20th June 1533.

He was convicted and taken to Smithfield to be burned. On 4th July 1533, Frith was led to the stake, where he willingly embraced the wood and fire, giving a perfect testimony with his own life. A young man named Andrew Hewitt was chained with him. John encouraged him to trust his soul to God. The men were two hours dying, because the wind blew the fire away from their bodies.

In his revision of Foxe's Book of Martyrs, author Harold Chadwick writes the following about John Frith: "Master Frith was a young man noted for his godliness, intelligence, and knowledge. In the secular world, he could have risen to any height he wished, but he chose, instead, to serve the Church and work for the benefit of others and not himself."

https://spartacus-educational.com/John_Frith.htm

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/john-frith-burned-for-beliefs-11629954.html%3famp=1

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frith

Expenses

Jeremiah 39:1–41:18; Romans 9:13–29; Proverbs 24:1–22

It’s important to pause occasionally to reflect on the cost of sin. If we don’t, we can find ourselves living in it without thought of the ramifications. Few passages illustrate the cost of sin more vividly than the fall of Jerusalem recorded in Jer 39. The fall of Jerusalem is brutal, depressing, and sadistic, but we can learn from Jeremiah’s account of the event.

We could view Jeremiah’s depictions as merely historical, or we could recognize the theological lessons they offer: Sin is expensive. Sin will destroy you. Sin will bring a nation to its knees. Sin will leave you begging for mercy. Sin is death. That’s what God’s people learned from this event: Disobeying Yahweh is a costly action. It’s not that God wants His people to endure this pain, but pain is a natural consequence of their decisions. He cannot defend people who refuse to live as beacons of light—of goodness, beauty, and blessing—to the world. If they aren’t willing to live in His image, then He is not willing to be their defender. If Yahweh did not allow for Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem, the people would never learn. And the exile that comes in this moment is also a natural result of their sin.

When we’re faced with the horror of the destruction of Jerusalem, we’re given a choice: Will we listen to the Scripture and respond accordingly? Will we hear God when He calls us back to obedience? Or will we continue to live in sin and suffer the consequences?

As a side effect of the grace that God has given us in Jesus, many people assume that sin is somehow okay—that it’s okay to allow it to exist. God’s response is the opposite. The grace is unmerited, and we must respond with the only merited response: complete dedication and obedience to Him. We must see the death of sin and deny it.

What sin is currently present in your life? What do you need to repent from? Have you asked God to direct you in this?

(JOHN D. BARRY

Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.)

SALVATION

SALVATION

WHAT’S LIFE ALL ABOUT?

Life is about God. Everything in our life is intended to point us to the majesty and splendor of an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-sufficient God. This God shows grace to mankind. Grace is undeserved favor. It means that anything God chooses to do is because He chooses it, not because He owes anyone anything. The nature of grace means that it can never be repaid. It is a gift that magnifies the giver, not the recipient.

GOD

He is the beginning of all things and the giver of all life. As the Creator, He alone deserves our love, worship, and obedience.

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me.

REBELLION

We have failed to love, worship, and obey Him the way He has commanded. We have chosen to live our life on our own terms, outside of God’s authority. Because we have failed to follow God’s standard of right and wrong, we deserve justice and punishment for our sin.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23 For the wages of sin is death…

ATONEMENT

Atonement means “to reconcile a relationship. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to make amends for the wrong we committed against God. Jesus Christ followed God’s standard of right and wrong. He loved, worshipped, and obeyed His Father completely and perfectly. He willfully took our place and received the wrath of God for our sins so that we could be reconciled back to God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

CONVERSION

To receive atonement, we must repent from trusting in our own righteousness and believe that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ satisfied God’s wrath against sin. There is no other way to be reconciled to God than by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

ETERNAL LIFE

If you understand that it is God’s grace that saves you, you understand the nature of the greatest gift ever given, eternal life. Eternal life is more than just a duration of time, it is a quality of life. It means that you are now able to live and understand life so that it magnifies God and not yourself. You should seek to publically make known your new life as soon as possible by being baptized by immersion in a local church.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ from Way of Life Literature on Vimeo.

Jeremiah 1 || The call of Jeremiah || Youth Message

~ Andrew Kingsly Raj

GOD calls Jeremiah, Son of Hilkiah the priest. He began to prophesy in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign (Jer 1:2). It was a surprise to hear the calling of God. God has degrees for every child that is yet to be born. Doesn't these words of the LORD give us assurance? 

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Jer 1:5

"You're not what you think you are. You're what GOD degreed you are."

~ AKR

Trust GOD. Don't confuse about the calling of the LORD. You have to know for sure, that the gifts calling of the LORD are Irrevocable. He is the GOD who is unchanging. It is the whole duty of every Christian to share the whole Gospel with everyone next to him that lost and dying in sin. It is not promised Christians a persecution-free Earth. But do not be anxious. Even if we get questioned by Kings (/officials) of the Earth, our LORD shall put in our mouth what we must answer. The whole world follows the path of sin such as corruption, promiscuity, adultery, homosexuality, abortion, idolatry, pride, etc., The whole world disobeys God's moral law. We as Christian must stand for the truth. 

"It is not politically correct to tell others of sin but it is Biblically correct to stand for the truth and expose light on sin's darkness." ~ David Burnette #Jer2

"God chooses people based on their willingness to serve obediently, not based on their ability to perform perfectly." ~ Christian Busse

Isaiah 66 || The Final Judgement

     Each day we walk through the Bible. Isaiah, the great old testament evangelist I ever saw talks about the final judgement in his last chapter. Let us learn from our text today that we (human beings) have a choice of free will to choose or reject JESUS CHRIST. In doing so we will suffer the consequences both now and for eternity. Let us not choose our own ways which will definitely end up in hell. "...they have chosen their own ways, ..." God has chosen the delusions for CHRIST rejectors. All believers shall worship their LORD every week in the New Jerusalem (which will descend out of Heaven to New Earth. Rev 21:10). While on the other end, Christ rejectors shall take their part in Hellfire. Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched. Choose JESUS CHRIST before it's too late. 

     For while we were still weak and sinners, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Rom 5:6 ,8) JESUS CHRIST manifested in the fless, bore all our sins, died on the cross, buried and rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, seen by angels, appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1Ti 3:16) Believe Him and be saved, All the Earth.