Christian Commentary Encouraging Devotions

Mark 13:33

Luke 21:36

Ephesians 6:18

1 Thessalonians 5:6

1 Peter 5:8

Jonathan Edwards' marks of true conversion:-

Love for Christ,

Hatred of Sin,

Love for the Word,

Love for truth,

Love for believers.

Isn't love for the Word and love for the truth the same thing?

"Not just truth protects us from deception,

rather the love of the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Develop a strong love for scripture."

"God doesn't just meet us where we are,

He comes, finds us, breaks our legs and carries us on His shoulders to die with Him." Galatians 2:19

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught,

and you don't sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;

That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed,

and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;

That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance;

when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;

That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;

That is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation,

when you can truly love to be unknown;

That is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances;

That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;

That is dying to self.

"God is more impressed with inward submission than outward appearances of Christianity. Obey from your heart."

"We must believe when we pray.

We must expect to receive when we pray.

No more wishful prayers,

it's the prayer of faith that avails much."

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2

A theme at prayer last night was...

That their eyes may be opened.

That our eyes may be opened too.

When our eyes are opened,

then we will really be there when we're there.