DECEMBER 20

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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1 John 1:8

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

Matthew 1:21

“She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.”

Romans 7:15-18 (Amp.)

“ For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent).  So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.  For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not.”

Romans 7:24-25a (Amp)

“ Wretched and miserable man that I am! Who will [rescue me and] set me free from this body of death [this corrupt, mortal existence]?  Thanks be to God [for my deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

2 Corinthians 5:21 (Amp)

“He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].”

Ephesians 2:13 (Amp)

“But now [at this very moment] in Christ Jesus you who once were [so very] far away [from God] have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Matthew 5:4 (Amp)

“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].”

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This month we will read choices from Charles Spurgeon’s (known affectionately as the “prince of preachers”)  devotional, “Beside Still Waters.”   It’s no secret that this world system is getting more evil by the day.  We have to stand strong in the Lord and look to Him more than ever to get through, and to be guided through, what is in the future……..known and allowed  by Him alone…..as well as whatever personal things we are experiencing in our lives.

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PASTOR SPURGEON:

Our trophies are never won without a battle.  When we live by faith our earthly careers are a constant conflict.  We may never doubt Christ, but we may wonder if God has forgotten to be gracious.  One day you are on Tabor’s summit witnessing your Master’s transfiguration and another day you are in the Valley of Humiliation, brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 

One day you are as strong as a giant and all things seem possible; another day you are as weak as a baby, weeping for joys that have fled.

Sometimes full of hope, you leap forward with joyful steps, but then the sun ceases to shine and large raindrops fall.  The fog rises, and you sit with folded arms and tearful eyes and become depressed.

If you have just begun your journey with Christ, you may think that you will never have to fight sin.

Remember, you have just left the shore.  Yu will not reach port until your vessel has been buffeted, tossed, and heaved by contrary winds.  You may not understand this now, because it appears to you as if God’s saints live in perpetual sunshine.  Not so!  Those that God highly honors will tell you quite another tale.  God has a way of taking His children behind the door and showing them some of their terrible sins. (Romans chapter 7)

Yet, at the same time, He is showing them the beauties of Christ and enabling them to feed on Him.

If you are well into your journey with Christ, do not think your case is extreme because your spiritual life is much contested with sin.  Far from it!  I believe that this is typical of the way in which the Lord deals with all His own beloved ones.

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