Tanzania: Islamic Persecutors Target Christian Pastors

For many years Christians in Tanzania have felt safe worshipping, given the country's Christian majorities.

Now, their security is quickly evaporating following a wave of persecution threatening churches and targeting pastors. Tanzanian churches are growing and witnessing a new unity, but Christians have paid a painful price.

Persecution of Pastors

Generosa Kachila told CBN News she burst into tears when her neighbor stormed in with the nightmarish news,"I shouted, my Jesus, my Jesus, why have you forsaken me?"

February 11, 2013, a Muslim mob brandishing machetes murdered Generosa's husband, Tanzania Assemblies of God Pastor Mathayo Kachila. The brutal attack occurred as the pastor walked to the home of a friend.

The motive? Anger grew after Christians began butchering and selling meat. The lucrative business traditionally belonged to Muslims, who prepare it in their religious way known as halal.

In his last few breaths, Pastor Mathayo identifed his killer. Ezekiel Meschach said the pastor told him it was a neighbor named Abdallah.

"I was not surprised because just before the attack I saw Abdallah leaving the mosque carrying a machete," Meschach explained. "He grew a long beard and often wore pants and a vest that resembled those worn by Taliban fighters."

Locals believe Abdallah fled to neighboring Burundi.

Witnesses On The Run

Victor Ligala is also on the run, but not for committing murder. Militant Muslims threatened to kill him because he videotaped the riot, capturing their images on camera. Ligala also visited the local morgue and shot exclusive photos and video of the deceased pastor's wounds. They are too graphic to show without blurring the images.

Ligala expressed frustration about his inability to help save the pastor's life:

"I was highly affected by seeing the pastor killed in that way because he was a fellow Christian and I didn't have any power to rescue his life, but only to watch events unfold. I have known him for a long time," he said.

Ligala is a teacher who is now without money because he is in hiding from those who are threatening to kill him. He said he does not regret shooting the video.

"I want the whole world to learn that has happened to our country, so nothing like this will happen again," he explained. 

Targeting Catholic Priests

It is not just Protestant pastors who are facing threats -- Catholics are also being targeted. Last Feb. 17, Father Evaristus Mushi was arriving at St. Theresa's church in Zanzibar to celebrate mass. He was gunned down about 10 yards away from the church entrance.  Sister Maria Gaspara said Father Mushi was a kind and loving man who possessed a good sense of humor. She told CBN, "He was devoted to his work. He loved Jesus."

Some Tanzanian Christians say Father Mushi's murder proves that the goal of Islamic extremists is to target church leaders.

One pastor who knew Mathayo Kachila, Pastor Isaiah Ikiri, said he believes Islamic extremists have a long-term strategy for Tanzania.

"They plan to Islamize the whole of Tanzanian nation. Islamic leaders have urged Muslims to come together to attack, fight and kill bishops, priests and pastors," Ikiri said.

Anglican Bishop Michael Hafidh was among those targeted. He said many Zanzibarian Christians are afraid.

"We are sometimes standing strong," Bishop Hafidh said. "But you know we are human beings. Fear comes in sometimes.They don't know tomorrow what is going to happen for me or for another one. I tell my congregation don't be afraid, God is with us."

And Mathayo's widow Generosa believes God is with her and her 12 children. She trusts He will provide for them and she believes God has a greater purpose in Mathayo's death.

"I believe God knew Mathayo's destiny and no matter how he lived it was necessary that he go through this so that it would be a lesson to the remaining people, but also so the Lord can harvest into His kingdom," she said.

And while the recent deaths of these faithful pastors now leave even fewer laborers, Tanzanian Christians say they are ready to follow their example and reap a bountiful harvest.

Make sure to 'like' us on Facebook, and become a 'Follower' here, or sign up for email notifications on the bottom right of this page. As always, thanks for stopping by, and may God bless you! -Walking In The Way

Pastor Saeed Thrown in Solitary, Health Failing

Saeed Abedini, the American pastor imprisoned for his faith in Iran, is now in solitary confinement.
    
Family members have confirmed Pastor Saeed was sent there with nine other prisoners.
    
According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the move comes after Saeed and others from Ward 350 petitioned Evin Prison about its inhumane conditions.
    
Since his imprisonment last fall, Saeed has sustained internal bleeding and now there are fears his kidneys are failing.

"Saeed had previously told his family that when he was in solitary confinement in the past, that was the hardest time in his life," Pastor Saeed's wife, Naghmeh, said, "That every hour was like one year and that he was losing his memory and his health was deteriorating quickly."

"Please pray for his health and healing," she said. "Pray for his release. Pray that the Lord would use this for His Glory and salvation of many."

Make sure to 'like' us on Facebook, and become a 'Follower' here, or sign up for email notifications on the bottom right of this page. As always, thanks for stopping by, and may God bless you! -Walking In The Way

Divine Hunger

“Oh! I would to God there should come upon us a divine hunger which cannot stay itself except men yield themselves to Jesus; an intense, earnest, longing, panting desire that men should submit themselves to the gospel of Jesus. This will teach you better than the best college training how to deal with human hearts. This will give the stammering tongue the ready word; the hot heart shall burn the cords which held fast the tongue. You shall become wise to win souls, even though you never exhibit the brilliance of eloquence or the force of logic.” Charles Spurgeon

Claiming God's Promises

Psalms 119:49

Whatever your particular need may be, you will find some promise in the Bible related to it. Are you faint and feeble because your way is rough and you are weary? Here is the promise--"He gives power to the faint."1 When you read such a promise, take it back to the great Promiser and ask Him to fulfill His own word. Are you seeking for Christ and thirsting for closer communion with Him? This promise shines like a star upon you--"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."2 Take that promise to the throne continually; do not plead anything else, but go to God over and over again with this--"Lord, You have said it; do as You have said."

Are you distressed because of sin and burdened with the heavy load of your iniquities? Listen to these words--"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."3 You have no merit of your own to plead why He should pardon you, but plead His written promises and He will perform them. Are you afraid that you might not be able to hold on to the end and that after having thought yourself a child of God you should prove a castaway? If that is your condition, take this word of grace to the throne and plead it: "The mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you."4

If you have lost the sweet sense of the Savior's presence and are seeking Him with a sorrowful heart, remember the promises: "Return to me . . . and I will return to you."5 "For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you."6 Feast your faith upon God's own Word, and whatever your fears or wants, take them to the Bank of Faith with your Father's note, which reads, "Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope." 7

1Isaiah 40:29 2 Matthew 5:6 3Isaiah 43:25 4Isaiah 54:10 5Zechariah 1:3 6Isaiah 54:7 7Psalm 119:49

God, Our Helper

I am like a sheltered olive tree protected by the Lord himself. I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
–Psalm 52:8 (TLB)

Turn to your Bible and read the wonderful stories of men who were alone in godless surroundings but who, by the help and presence of the living God, made a marvelous contribution to their own times. Joseph was surrounded by sin and intrigue in Egypt. His master’s wife tried to seduce him. He was tested by imprisonment, but through it all he trusted in God and sought to know and do His will; and he stands today as a wonderful example of the keeping and strengthening power of God in the heart of a man who believed in Him.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
In the dark days, I will put out my hand and You, loving Lord, will be there.

Our Fault

Psalms 67:6

It is strange how little use we make of the spiritual blessings that God gives us, but it is even stranger that we make such little use of God Himself. Though He is "our God," we scarcely give ourselves to Him, and we ask so little of Him.

How seldom do we seek counsel at the hands of the Lord! How often do we go about our business without seeking His guidance! In our troubles how we constantly struggle to bear our burdens ourselves instead of casting them upon the Lord, that He may sustain us! This is not because we may not, for the Lord seems to say, "I am yours, soul; come and make use of Me as you will. You may freely come to My store, and the more you come, the more welcome you will be."

It is our own fault if we do not enjoy the riches of our God. Since you have such a friend, and He invites you, draw from Him daily. Never be wanting while you have a God to go to; never fear or faint while you have God to help you; go to your treasure and take whatever you need--there is all that you can ever want. Learn the divine skill of making God all things to you. He can supply you with everything; or better still, He can be everything to you.

Let me urge you, then, to make use of your God. Make use of Him in prayer. Go to Him often, because He is your God. Will you fail to use such a great privilege? Run to Him; tell Him all your needs. Use Him constantly by faith at all times. If some dark providence has cast a shadow on you, use God as a sun; if some strong enemy has attacked you, find in Jehovah a shield, for He is a sun and shield to His people. If you have lost your way in the mazes of life, use Him as a guide, for He will direct you. Whatever you are, and wherever you are, remember, God is just what you want and just where you want, and that He can do everything you want.

Joy in Sharing

We . . . offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name.
–Hebrews 13:15 (TLB)

Jesus knew that one of the real tests of our yieldedness to God is our willingness to share with others. If we have no mercy toward others, that is one proof that we have never experienced God’s mercy. Emerson must have been reading the gauge of human mercy when he said, “What you are speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” Satan does not care how much you theorize about Christianity, or how much you profess to know Christ. What he opposes vigorously is the way you live Christ.

Some time ago a lady wrote and said, “I am 65 years old. My children are all married, my husband is dead, and I am one of the loneliest people in all the world.” It was suggested to her that she find a way of sharing her religious faith and her material goods with those around her. She wrote a few weeks later and said, “I am the happiest woman in town. I have found a new joy and happiness in sharing with others.” That’s exactly what Jesus promised!

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
There is no greater joy, Father, than sharing Your love. Help me to convey this in all my dealings with others.

How to Walk by the Spirit John MacArthur

http://youtu.be/n9H1Zua5b6g


Make sure to 'like' us on Facebook, and become a 'Follower' here, or sign up for email notifications on the bottom right of this page. As always, thanks for stopping by, and may God bless you!-Walking In The Way

Jesus is Alive!

Because I live, ye shall live also.
–John 14:19

For personal Christianity, the resurrection is all-important. There is a vital interrelation to the existence of Christianity itself, as well as to the individual believer, in the message of the Gospel. The Swiss
theologian, Karl Barth, said, “Do you want to believe in the living Christ? We may believe in Him only if we believe in His corporeal resurrection. This is the content of the New Testament. We are always free to reject it, but not to modify it, nor to pretend that the New Testament tells something else. We may accept or refuse the message, but we may not change it.” Christianity as a system of truth collapses if the resurrection is rejected. That Jesus rose from the dead is one of the foundation stones of our faith.

Lord, let me live today with the constant thought that You are alive!

Renew Your Covenant

Nehemiah 9:38

There are many occasions in our experience when we may very rightly, and with benefit, renew our covenant with God. After recovery from sickness when, like Hezekiah, we have had a new lease of years added to our life, we may do so appropriately. After any deliverance from trouble, when our joys spring forth anew, let us again visit the foot of the cross and renew our consecration. Especially let us do this after any sin that has grieved the Holy Spirit or brought dishonor upon the cause of God; let us then look to that blood that can make us whiter than snow and again offer ourselves to the Lord.

We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same. If we ever meet with occasions that deserve to be called "crowning mercies," then surely, if He has crowned us, we ought also to crown our God; let us bring out again all the jewels of the divine regalia that have been stored in the jewel-closet of our heart, and let our God sit upon the throne of our love, arrayed in royal apparel. If we could learn to profit by our prosperity, we would not need to face so much adversity. If we would gather from a kiss all the good it might confer upon us, we would not have to bear the imprint of punishment so often.

Have we recently received some blessing that we hadn't expected? Has the Lord opened our way? Can we sing of mercies multiplied? Then this is the day to put our hand upon the horns of the altar and say, "Bind me here, my God; bind me here with cords, even forever." Just as we need the fulfillment of new promises from God, let us offer renewed prayers that our old vows may not be dishonored. This morning let us make with Him a firm covenant because of the sacrifice of Jesus that we have been considering with gratitude for the last month.

How are you fighting sin?

Romans 8:37

We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins. Paul issues this rebuke: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? . . . Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"1 Take your sins to Christ's cross, for the flesh can only be crucified there: We are crucified with Him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear that pierced the side of Jesus.

To give an illustration--if you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go about it? It is very possible that you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it. How did I get salvation? I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted Him to save me. I must kill my angry temper in the same way. It is the only way in which I can ever kill it. I must go to the cross with it and say to Jesus, "Lord, I trust You to deliver me from it." This is the only way to give it a deathblow.

Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil as long as you please, but if it is your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any other way than by the blood of Jesus. Take it to Christ. Tell Him, "Lord, I have trusted You, and Your name is Jesus, for You save Your people from their sins. Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it!"

Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification. Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears--the whole of them put together--are worth nothing apart from Him. Only Jesus can do helpless sinners good, and helpless saints too. You must be conquerors through Him who has loved you if you will be a conqueror at all. Our laurels must grow among His olives in Gethsemane.

1-Galationas 3:1-3

Principles for Living to God's Glory: Endangerment

by John MacArthur

By God’s grace, each of us has been created with warning systems to prevent us from harm. Pain is your physical warning system, letting you know when something is wrong with your body. Imagine how susceptible you would be to burns, exposure, and all kinds of physical dangers if you couldn’t detect pain.

In the same way, your conscience is your spiritual warning system. It alerts you when your thoughts, words, or behavior are contradicting the moral law that’s been established in your heart. Romans 2:14-15 says that every person has God’s law written in his or her heart—it’s what gives each of us our basic understanding of right and wrong.

But your conscience isn’t a perfect warning system. It’s shaped, informed, and sharpened by several external factors, like your culture and your faith. It can be twisted, seared, and manipulated—sometimes even without your knowledge. It falls to each person to guard and protect his conscience from corruption.

In the end, your conscience functions properly only when it’s oriented to God’s Word, and when you’re actively paying attention to it. Your conscience can be right in line with God’s righteous standards, but it is useless if you ignore its warnings.

So when it comes to making decisions about issues and activities in life’s gray areas—matters on which God’s Word is silent—it’s important to ask yourself, Will participating in this train me to ignore my conscience?

Last week we considered Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians for esteeming the convictions of other, less mature believers—his exhortation was to not let the exercise of our Christian liberty be a stumbling block to weaker brothers and sisters in Christ.

In a parallel passage, Paul gave similar instruction to the Roman church regarding food offered to idols. In so doing, he made one point very clear—it is dangerous to do anything that violates your conscience and causes you to doubt your actions, even if other Christians feel free to so act. “He who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). We sin if we act in any way that goes contrary to the convictions of our own faith and properly informed consciences.

In 1 Corinthians 10:25-29, Paul makes three references to abstaining from certain practices “for conscience’ sake.” Never train yourself to violate your conscience. If your conscience is troubled by what you are thinking about doing, don’t do it. If you are not sure about it, don’t do it. Instead, heed Paul’s warning to Timothy that rejecting or ignoring your conscience leads to spiritual shipwreck (1 Timothy 1:19).

It is hard to overstate the value of a clear conscience, and it is definitely worth keeping your conscience clear so that your relationship with God will not be hindered (cf. Psalm 66:18). If you keep yourself in prayer and the study of God’s Word, you will rightly inform your conscience so you can “walk as children of Light . . . trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8, 10).

Charles Wesley wrote a hymn called “I Want a Principle Within” about our need for a clear, sensitive conscience. That hymn is rarely sung these days, but the truth of Wesley’s words ought to resonate with every believer.

I want a principle within
Of watchful, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to feel it near.
Help me the first approach to feel
Of pride or wrong desire;
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.

From Thee that I no more may stray,
No more Thy goodness grieve,
Grant me the filial awe, I pray,
The tender conscience give.
Quick as the apple of an eye,
O God, my conscience make!
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake.

Exalted with Him

Acts 5:31

Jesus, our Lord, who once was crucified, dead, and buried, now sits upon the throne of glory. The highest place that heaven affords is His by undisputed right. It is vital and helpful to remember that the exaltation of Christ in heaven is a representative exaltation. He is exalted at the Father's right hand, and though as Jehovah He had eminent glories, in which finite creatures cannot share, yet as the Mediator, the honors that Jesus wears in heaven are the heritage of all the saints.

It is delightful to think of how close Christ's union is with His people. We are actually one with Him; we are members of His body; and His exaltation is our exaltation. He will allow us to sit upon His throne, even as He has overcome and is seated with His Father on His throne. He has a crown, and He gives us crowns too. He has a throne, but He is not content with having a throne to Himself; on His right hand there must be His queen, dressed in fine gold. He cannot be glorified without His bride.

Look up, believer, to Jesus now. Let the eye of your faith see Him with many crowns upon His head; and remember that one day you will be like Him, when you will see Him as He is. You shall not be as great as He is, you will not be as divine; but you will, in some measure, share the same honors and enjoy the same happiness and the same dignity that He possesses. Be content to live unknown for a little while and to walk your weary way through the fields of poverty or up the hills of affliction; for soon enough you will reign with Christ, for He has "made [us] a kingdom and priests to our God," and we shall reign forever and ever.1

What a wonderful thought for the children of God! We have Christ for our glorious representative in heaven's courts right now, and soon He will come and receive us to Himself, to be with Him there, to see His glory and to share His joy.

1-Revelation 5:10

Depend on Him

I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to.
–Galatians 5:16 (TLB)

To walk in the Spirit is a challenging and inspiring exercise, for it combines activity with relaxation. To walk means to place one foot in front of the other. If you stop doing this, you are no longer walking—you are standing still. Walking always implies movement, progress, and direction. Sin shall no longer rule or dominate you when you are allowing the Holy Spirit to live Christ’s life through you. It is living by faith, living by trust, living in dependence upon God.

If we look to our own resources, our own strength, or our own ability, as Peter did when he walked on the water, we will fail. You cannot live the Christian life by yourself. The Holy Spirit must live in you and express Himself through you. Living for Christ is a day-by-day experience. It is a continuous dependence upon the Spirit of God. It is believing in His faithfulness.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Lord, so often I have walked on my own instead of walking in Your Spirit. Guide my footsteps this day, I pray in Jesus’ name.

Torn in Two

Matthew 27:51

No small miracle was performed in the tearing of so strong and thick a curtain; but it was not intended merely as a display of power--many lessons were contained in it.

The old law of ordinances was put away and, like a worn-out garment, torn and set aside. When Jesus died, the sacrifices were all finished, because they were fulfilled in Him; and therefore the place of sacrifice, the temple, was marked with a clear sign of this change.

With the curtain torn, all the hidden things of the old dispensation became apparent: The mercy-seat could now be seen, and the glory of God gleaming above it. By the death of our Lord Jesus we have a clear revelation of God, for He was "not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face."1 Life and immortality are now brought to light, and things that have been hidden since the foundation of the world are displayed in Him.

The annual ceremony of atonement was also abolished. The atoning blood that once every year was sprinkled inside the curtain was now offered once for all by the great High Priest, and therefore the place of the symbolical rite was finished. No blood of bullocks or of lambs is needed now, for Jesus has entered inside the curtain with his own blood.

Therefore access to God is now permitted and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. It is not just a small opening through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the tear reaches from the top to the bottom. We may come with boldness to the throne of heavenly grace.

Is it wrong to suggest that the opening of the Holy of Holies in this marvelous manner by our Lord's expiring cry was signifying the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? Our bleeding Lord has the key of heaven; He opens and no man shuts; let us enter in with Him to the heavenly places and sit with Him there until our common enemies shall be made His footstool.

1- 2Corinthians 3:13

National Sins

“There are such things as national sins, and there are consequently such things as national punishments. In looking back upon the history of the world, though skeptics might entertain a doubt as to individual transgression and personal punishment, they must confess that there have been such things as national judgments sent from the hand of God. If I could take you to-day to the dreary wilderness of Babylon, I would bid you listen to the hooting of the owl, and shiver amid the lonely ruins. I would remind you that this was the throne of one of the greatest monarchies. You ask, ‘And why were these people swept from off the face of the earth? Why has the palace been consumed with fire, and the beautiful city become desolate?’ We can give you but one answer, that the sin of this people at last became so intolerable that from the very force of its own rottenness it crumbled to decay.” Charles Spurgeon

Amos 8:1 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2And He said, “Amos, what do you see?” So I said, “A basket of summer fruit.”

Every Day

Hebrews 12:22, 24

Reader, have you come to "the sprinkled blood"? The question is not whether you have come to a knowledge of doctrine or an observance of ceremonies or to a certain form of experience, but have you come to the blood of Jesus?

The blood of Jesus is the life of all vital godliness. If you have truly come to Jesus, we know how you came--the Holy Spirit kindly brought you there. You came to the sprinkled blood with no merits of your own. Guilty, lost, and helpless, you came to take that blood, and that blood alone, as your everlasting hope. You came to the cross of Christ with a trembling and an aching heart; and what a precious sound it was to you to hear the voice of the blood of Jesus!

The dropping of His blood is as the music of heaven to the penitents of earth. We are full of sin, but the Savior bids us lift our eyes to Him; and as we gaze upon His streaming wounds, each drop of blood, as it falls, cries, "It is finished; I have made an end of sin; I have brought in everlasting righteousness."

Sweet language of the precious blood of Jesus! If you have come to that blood once, you will come to it constantly. Your life will be "looking to Jesus." Your whole conduct will be epitomized in this--"to whom coming." Not to whom I have come, but to whom I am always coming. If you have ever come to the sprinkled blood, you will feel your need of coming to it every day. He who does not desire to wash in it every day has never washed in it at all. Believers constantly feel it to be their joy and privilege that there is still a fountain opened. Past experiences are doubtful food for Christians; a present coming to Christ alone can give us joy and comfort. This morning let us sprinkle our doorpost fresh with blood, and then feast upon the Lamb, assured that the destroying angel must pass us by.

Wisdom to Understanding

Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest.
–Genesis 28:15

When Jesus uttered His words of comfort in the first few verses of the fourteenth chapter of John’s Gospel, concluding with, “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:4), Thomas said unto Him, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). Jesus answered him with a statement which has in it the ring of eternity. It was sublimely simple and yet profoundly deep. Its surface meaning was clear to all, and yet the great theologians have never completely sounded its mighty depths. This is that statement, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

In one majestic sweep, these words silenced Thomas’ questioning tongue and brought reassurance and peace to the hearts of the other disciples. Within the marvel of that authoritative sentence from the lips of the Son of God, there was enough comfort to assuage the sufferings of the tormented, enough wisdom to satisfy those who yearned for understanding, and enough power to set the great Christian movement in motion.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Knowing You are with me is all the comfort I need, Lord.

Bombs at Boston Marathon

Please join us in prayer for those that are injured at the Boston Marathon where two bombs have gone off!

Common Courtesy

Have you ever had the experience of showing someone “road courtesy” and they don’t bother to acknowledge it? I have to admit, those who don’t show appreciation make me mad. I immediately wish I hadn’t bothered to be nice. However, if I slow down to let someone merge in front of me, and they give a small wave or a nod of appreciation, it makes me feel good. I don’t think many of us like ingratitude. We feel upset if we give a child a piece of candy, and he snatches it, stuffs it into his mouth, and runs off without so much as a “Thank you.”

But that was me for 32 years. I was an ungrateful brat, who never once thanked God for His incredible kindness. I never showed an ounce of gratitude for having eyes to see this incredible creation. I never thanked Him for ears to enjoy good music, or taste buds to enjoy good food. Not once did I ever humbly bow my head before a meal and thank God for my food. Ingratitude is a horrible sin.

Then again, gratitude without obedience to God is nothing but empty hypocrisy. True appreciation for His goodness will also bow to His will. Those who don’t do God’s will lose their most precious possession. If death seizes them while they are still in their sins, they will never again see God’s gift of light, of color, beauty, love, and laughter. They will never again hear a kind word, or feel the warmth of human comfort. They weren’t thankful, so they will be damned from all of God’s goodness. Forever. Imagine that—never seeing beauty ever again. Never hearing laughter ever again. Never satisfying the craving of unspeakable thirst. Ever. All because of sin.

2 Samuel 22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

Focus first on God

I will give thanks to the LORD
according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17

There is a mystery, an aura about the living God that is designed to force us to trust Him, even when we cannot figure Him out (which is most of the time).

The mystery is purposeful, because His overall plan is profound.

His plan is not designed to make us comfortable; it's designed to make us more like Christ, to conform us to His will.

In this life, we have focus choices. We can focus on ourselves, we can focus on our circumstances, we can focus on other people, or we can focus on God. When you think biblically, you focus first on God.

Regardless of what you want, regardless of the circumstances you're under, regardless of what others say or think, regardless of how you feel, God and God alone is working out His great plan.

And in the final tally, it will be fabulous!

Tender Conscience

To know the Lord, simply humble yourself, and with a tender conscience look at the Ten Commandments. Have you ever lied, stolen, blasphemed, looked with lust (adultery of the heart), etc. Then judge yourself—are you guilty or innocent? Would you go to heaven or hell? Then look to the cross—God in the person of Jesus Christ took your punishment upon Himself, paying your fine so that you could leave the courtroom. Through His death and resurrection, you can have everlasting life, if you will repent (something the hypocrite fails to do) and trust the Savior. The minute you do so, you will come to know the Lord (see John 14:21 for details).

1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.

A Heavy Hard

Psalms 22:14

Our blessed Lord experienced a terrible sinking and melting of soul. "A man's spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?"1 Deep spiritual depression is the most devastating of all trials; nothing compares to it. No wonder the suffering Savior cries to His God, "Do not be far off," for more than at any other time a man needs his God when his heart is melted within him because of heaviness.

Believer, come to the cross this morning, and humbly worship the King of glory as one who has been brought far lower, in mental distress and inward anguish, than anyone among us; and consider Him a faithful High Priest who is able to sympathize with our weakness. Especially let those of us whose sadness springs directly from the withdrawal of a present sense of our Father's love enter into near and intimate communion with Jesus. Let us not give in to despair; our Master has already walked this dark road.

Our souls may sometimes long and faint, and thirst even to the point of anguish, to see the light of the Lord's face; at such times let us calm ourselves by focusing on the sympathy of our great High Priest. Our drops of sorrow may be forgotten in the ocean of His griefs; how high ought our love to rise! O strong and deep love of Jesus, come in like a flood, cover all my powers, drown all my sins, wash away all my cares, lift up my earthbound soul, and bring me up to my Lord's feet.

Let me lie, a poor broken shell, washed up by His love, having no virtue or value; but knowing that if He will bend His ear to me, He will hear within my heart faint echoes of the vast waves of His own love that have brought me to where I am happy to stay, even at His feet forever.

1Proverbs 18:14

Never stop Pleading

Never stop pleading with those who are not receptive to the gospel. That seemingly hardhearted person may be thinking about every word you speak. We tend to overlook the fact that Jesus rebuked the hardhearted Pharisees and other religious leaders, because He cared enough about them to speak the truth. We do not know how many of them were in that great crowd on the Day of Pentecost and ended up being part of the Church, because of His love.

2 Chronicles33:10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

Broken and Bruised

Psalms 22:14

Did earth or heaven ever witness a sadder spectacle than this? In soul and body, our Lord felt Himself to be weak as water poured upon the ground. The placing of the cross in its socket had shaken Him with great violence, had strained all the ligaments, pained every nerve, and more or less dislocated all His bones. Burdened by His own weight, the impressive sufferer felt the strain increasing every moment of those six long hours. His sense of faintness and general weakness were overpowering, and He felt Himself to be nothing but a mass of misery and swooning sickness.

When Daniel saw the great vision, he describes his sensations in this way: "No strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength."1 How much more devastating must it have been for Jesus when He saw the dreadful vision of the wrath of God and felt it in His own soul! Sensations that our Lord endured, we could not have faced, and unconsciousness would have had to come to our rescue. In His case He was wounded and felt the sword; He drained the cup and tasted every drop.

O King of Grief! (a title strange, but true,
To Thee of all kings only due)
O King of Wounds! how shall I grieve for Thee,
Who in all grief savest me!

As we kneel before our ascended Savior's throne, let us carefully remember the way by which He prepared it as a throne of grace for us; let us in spirit drink of His cup, that we may be strengthened for our hour of heaviness whenever it may come. In His natural body every member suffered, and so must it be in the spiritual; just as out of all His griefs and woes His body emerged uninjured to glory and power, similarly His mystical body will come through the furnace with not so much as the smell of smoke upon it.

1Daniel 10:8

Always Fit

As soldiers of Christ we must always be “fit” to go to war and to do battle. We should always be prepared to share our faith (1 Pet. 3:15). So, practice what you preach. Practice how to answer everyone—atheist, agnostic, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, etc.—with the reason for the hope that is within you.

“We are not called to proclaim philosophy and metaphysics, but the simple gospel. Man’s fall, his need of a new birth, forgiveness through atonement, and salvation as the result of faith, these are our battle-ax and weapons of war.” Charles Spurgeon

1 Chronicles 7:11 All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle.

Comfort on the Hill

Luke 23:33

The hill of comfort is the hill that is called The Skull or Calvary; the house of consolation is built with the wood of the cross; the temple of heavenly blessing is based upon the riven rock--riven by the spear that pierced His side. No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul like Calvary's tragedy.

Is it not strange, the darkest hour
That ever dawned on sinful earth,
Should touch the heart with softer power,
For comfort, than an angel's mirth?
That to the Cross the mourner's eye should turn,
Sooner than where the stars of Bethlehem burn?

Light springs from the midday-midnight of Golgotha, and every herb of the field blooms sweetly beneath the shadow of the once accursed tree. In that place of thirst, grace has dug a fountain that runs continually with water pure as crystal, each drop capable of alleviating the woes of mankind. You who have had your seasons of conflict will confess that it was not at Olivet that you ever found comfort, not on the hill of Sinai, nor on Tabor; but Gethsemane and Golgotha have been a means of comfort to you. The bitter herbs of Gethsemane have often taken away the pains in your life; and the groans of Calvary yield rare and rich comfort.

We never would have known Christ's love in all its heights and depths if He had not died; nor could we guess the Father's deep affection if He had not given His Son to die. The common mercies we enjoy all sing of love, just as the seashell, when we put it to our ears, whispers the sounds of the deep sea from which it came; but if we desire to hear the ocean itself, we must not look at everyday blessings, but at the transactions of the crucifixion. If you want to know love, then go afresh to Calvary and see the Man of Sorrows die.

The Source of His Grief

Luke 23:27

Among the rabble that hounded the Redeemer to His doom, there were some gracious souls whose bitter anguish found an outlet in wailing and lamentations--suitable music to accompany that woeful march. When I can, in imagination, see the Savior bearing His cross to Calvary, my soul joins the godly women and weeps with them; for, indeed, there is true cause for grief--cause lying deeper than those mourning women recognized. They bewailed innocence maltreated, goodness persecuted, love bleeding, meekness about to die; but my heart has a deeper and more bitter cause to mourn. My sins were the scourges that lacerated those blessed shoulders and crowned with thorns those bleeding brows: my sins cried, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" and laid the cross upon His gracious shoulders.

His being led forth to die is sorrow enough for one eternity: but my having been His murderer is more, infinitely more, grief than one poor fountain of tears can express. The reason for those women's love and tears is plain to read, but they could not have had greater reasons for love and grief than my heart has. The widow of Nain saw her son restored--but I myself have been raised to newness of life. Peter's mother-in-law was cured of the fever--but I of the greater plague of sin. Out of Magdalene seven devils were cast--but a whole legion out of me. Mary and Martha were favored with visits--but He dwells with me. His mother bore His body--but He is formed in me, the hope of glory. Since I am not behind the holy women in debt, let me not be behind them in gratitude or sorrow.

Love and grief my heart dividing,
With my tears His feet I'll lave--
Constant still in heart abiding,
Weep for Him who died to save.

What are your chances?

Luke 23:31

Among other interpretations of this suggestive question, the following is full of teaching: "If the innocent substitute for sinners suffers in this way, what will be done when the sinner himself--the dry tree--falls into the hands of an angry God?"

When God saw Jesus in the sinner's place, He did not spare Him; and when He finds the unregenerate without Christ, He will not spare them. O sinner, Jesus was led away by His enemies; and you will be dragged away by fiends to the place appointed for you. Jesus was deserted by God; and if He, who was only imputedly a sinner, was deserted, how much more will you be?

"Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?" What an awful shriek! But what will be your cry when you shall say, "O God! O God! Why have You forsaken me?" and the answer shall come back, "Because you have ignored all My counsel and would have none of My reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you."

If God did not spare His own Son, how much less will He spare you! What whips of stinging pain will be yours when your conscience smites you with all its terrors. You rich, you merry, you most self-righteous sinners--who would stand in your place when God says, "Awake, O sword, against the man that rejected Me; smite him, and let him feel the sting forever"?

Jesus was spat upon. Sinner, what shame will be yours! We cannot sum up in one word all the mass of sorrows that met upon the head of Jesus who died for us; therefore it is impossible for us to tell you what streams, what oceans of grief must roll over your spirit if you die as you are now. You may die in this state; you may die now. By the agonies of Christ, by His wounds and by His blood, do not bring upon yourselves the wrath to come! Trust in the Son of God, and you shall never die.

Your Cross

Luke 23:26

We see in Simon's carrying the cross a picture of the work of the church throughout all generations; she is the cross-bearer after Jesus. Notice, Christian, that Jesus does not suffer so as to prevent your suffering. He bears a cross, not that you may escape it, but that you may endure it. Christ exempts you from sin, but not from sorrow. Remember that, and expect to suffer. But let us comfort ourselves with this thought, that in our case, as in Simon's, it is not our cross but Christ's cross that we carry. When you are persecuted for your piety, when your faith is the occasion of cruel jokes, then remember it is not your cross, it is Christ's cross; and what a privilege it is to carry the cross of our Lord Jesus!

You carry the cross after Him. You have blessed company; your path is marked with the footprints of your Lord. The mark of His blood-red shoulder is upon that heavy burden. It is His cross, and He goes before you as a shepherd goes before his sheep. Take up your cross daily, and follow Him.

Do not forget, also, that you bear this cross in partnership. It is the opinion of some that Simon only carried one end of the cross, and not the whole of it. That is very possible. Christ may have carried the heavier part, against the transverse beam, and Simon may have borne the lighter end. Certainly that is the case with you; you only carry the light end of the crossChrist bore the heavier end.

And remember, though Simon had to bear the cross for only a short while, it gave him lasting honor. Even so, the cross we carry is only for a little while at most, and then we shall receive the crown, the glory. Surely we should love the cross and, instead of shrinking from it, count it very dear, for it works out for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Die to Yourself

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.
–Psalm 34:18 (TLB)

In God’s economy, you must go down into the valley of grief before you can scale the heights of spiritual glory. You must become tired and weary of living alone before you seek and find the fellowship of Christ. You must come to the end of self before you begin to live. The mourning of inadequacy is a weeping that catches the attention of God. The Bible says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” The happiest day of my life was when I realized that my own ability, my own goodness, and my own morality was insufficient in the sight of God; and I publicly and openly acknowledged my need of Christ. I am not exaggerating when I say that my mourning was turned to joy, and my sighing into singing.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
In the valleys I have been drawn closer
to You, my God and Comforter.

Why Preachers are Afraid to Talk about Hell and Homosexuality

I banned a very nice orthodox priest from my Facebook page recently. He was polite, kind, respectful, friendly, and it seemed that he was always talking about the importance of love and forgiveness. However, after one of my posts he asked, “Why do you bring fear into the gospel?” The question was a little strange, so I asked if he believed in the existence of a literal Hell. After some hedging he revealed that he believed that Hell was “the fire of God’s love,” and he linked me to an article that said that it was disgusting to go around warning people about Hell. Up until that point I had already banned 1,449 atheists for cussing, and when the friendly priest joined them, I was suddenly flooded with angry protesting atheists who loved him. I told them that they were very welcome on my page, but even any professing Christian who betrayed the cause of the gospel would be banned.

There are many preachers in pulpits that are like the popular priest. One atheist spoke of one when he commented, “I went to church four days ago. I liked the preacher because he didn't yell and scream and tell me I was going to Hell. He smiled the whole time he talked. Why can't more of them be like that?" I told him that it seemed that his smiley preacher (like the friendly priest), either didn’t believe the words of Jesus, or he didn’t care that people who die in their sins would end up in Hell.

These are, however, difficult times for the average preacher. If we warn of Hell or speak of the Bible’s stance on homosexuality, we are quickly accused of hate speech. But there are ways that you and I can talk about the reality of Hell and reach homosexuals with the gospel, and have it make sense.

One reason preachers avoid speaking of Hell isn’t because they don’t believe in it. It’s because they misunderstand the purpose of the moral Law (the Ten Commandments). God’s Law shows us that the One we must face on Judgment Day is morally perfect, and that He considers lust to be adultery (see Matthew 5:27-28) and hatred to be murder (see 1 John 3:15). It is because of this perfect righteousness that He abhors evil and warns that a day of ultimate and perfect justice is coming. Any human judge who is good must see that justice is done, and God’s goodness will see to it that ultimate justice will be satisfied. Murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, fornicators, adulterers, etc., will get what is due to them.

When preachers don’t use the Law to show God’s absolute righteousness, and instead talk of His love and kindess, adding “But He will send you to Hell if you don’t trust in Jesus” makes no sense. It paints God as a vengeful tyrant. So any such talk is avoided.

However, when Paul reasoned with Felix, we are told that he spoke of sin (which is transgression of the Law—1 John 3:4), righteousness (which is of the Law) and temperance, and Felix “trembled.” In the light of his own exceeding sinfulness and the perfect righteousness of God, the self-indulgent governor understood that he was in big trouble. He trembled because Hell suddenly made sense. The Law makes Hell reasonable.

When I speak with a homosexual, I avoid talk about his sexual orientation. This is because I don’t want him to be offended before I share the gospel. So I simply ask if he thinks he’s a good person. When he predictably says that he is, I take him through the Ten Commandments (because scripture says that the moral Law was made for homosexuals--1Timothy 1:8-10)). Has he lied or stolen? Has he blasphemed God’s name? And when I ask about looking with lust, I deliberately don’t mention any gender.

Before seeing his sin, he was proud and self-righteous (thinking he was morally good), but now he’s humble of heart. That means he is able to be reasoned with, without being defensive. So I tell him that to be saved from Hell he must repent of all sin and trust alone in Jesus. I then show him what “sin” is, by referring him to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: “Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” I then lovingly tell him that if he has a problem with the list, he should take it up with God, because it’s His list, not mine.

I want to see adulterers, fornicators, thieves and others on that list avoid the terror of Hell, so why should I exclude homosexuals because I’m afraid of being accused of hatred. Love cannot do that.

Great preachers of past centuries understood the necessity of doing what Jesus did—using the Ten Commandments to bring the knowledge of sin (see Mark 10:17). A failure to do so has resulted in the Church being filled with false converts, and this has dissipated its ability to be salt and light in a dark and sinful world. It has relegated the Church to irrelevance in the eyes of the world (see Matthew 5:13). It’s time to go back to biblical evangelism. -Ray Comfort

Slow to Speak

Matthew 27:14

Jesus had never been slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He would not say a single word for Himself. "No man ever spoke like this man," and no man was ever silent like Him. Was this singular silence the index of His perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that He would not utter a word to prevent His crucifixion, which He had dedicated as an offering for us? Had He so entirely surrendered Himself that He would not interfere on His own behalf, even in the smallest details, but be crowned and killed an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim?

Was this silence a type of the defenselessness of sin? Nothing can be said to excuse human guilt; and, therefore, He who bore its whole weight stood speechless before His judge.

Patient silence is the best reply to a world of cruel opposition. Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to provide no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean will soon enough confound themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet and find silence to be its wisdom.

Evidently our Lord, by His silence, furnished a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. A long defense of Himself would have been contrary to Isaiah's prediction: "Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."1 By His silence He declared Himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we worship Him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart let us hear the voice of Your love.

1Isaiah 53:7

Glory in The Cross

As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
–Galatians 6:14 (TLB)

What glory is there in the cross? It was an instrument of torture and shame. Why did Paul glory in it? He gloried in it because the most selfless act ever performed by men or angels took place upon it. He saw—emanating from that rough, unartistic beam upon which the Son of God had been crucified—the radiant hope of the world, the end of the believer’s bondage to sin, and the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of men. A lone man dying on a cross did more to restore man’s lost harmony with God, his fellowman, and himself, than the combined genius and power of earth’s mighty. With my finite limitations, I cannot fully comprehend the mystery of Christ’s atonement. I only know that all who come to the cross in simple, trusting faith lose all their guilty stains and find peace with God.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Like the Apostle Paul, Father, help me to glory in the cross of Jesus and more fully understand the tremendous meaning it has for me as a believer and for all who would come to its foot and kneel.