Seasonal Fruit

If every year I produce only a new harvest of the same compassion and kindness and a longing for others to see and receive the mercy of God (with fresh worship springing out of that, both in them and in me), I am very content to be that kind of tree!

Cold to the LOVE of God?

If we are merely being convinced as to the TRUTH of God in Jesus, but we are utterly cold to the LOVE of God poured out on us because of Jesus, I dare say we have not been savingly convinced....

Yes, only Jesus!

Simple and well-put by Bonnke on his FB account, earlier today. Please read slowly and deliberately:

"The Gospel is like breathing - there's no future in the alternative. Everybody has a right to choose, but the options are pretty limited - live or die. People think they have found alternatives; mind-power, meditation, Buddhism, New Age, healing cults, but they are no more alternatives than a game of chess. They are no answer to the crippling power of sin and do not deliver us from guilt. People need saving and ONLY JESUS SAVES. You may look where you like – there is no other Savior. Yes, only Jesus. God bless you." ~REINHARD BONNKE

"...Correct but COLD."

I may have posted on this before, but today's quote by Bonnke on Facebook is worth requoting, with this side-note:

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones once made a similar remark, to the effect that "right doctrine" IS essential; it's equivalent to us building the altar. But we must ALSO call on God to send the FIRE from heaven! Thank you, Lord! ~L

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke:

"Unless we are burning we can never set anybody else on fire. We can be so orderly, doing everything with dignity and decorum but … without fire! Correct but cold. On Mount Carmel the pagans laid everything correctly on the altar ready for the sacrifice but the devil could not bring a spark from hell to light it. Elijah then rebuilt the altar, stones, wood, sacrifice, everything according to the book, and called down fire from heaven. And it came! And it comes!"

Worship is Enjoying the Presence of God

some bits from a really great, thought-provoking article I read today:

"WORSHIP IS [that is, this is the very ESSENCE, the defining nature of worship] ENJOYING THE PRESENCE OF GOD."

"Many Christians, today, do not have the conscious presence of God in their lives."

"The Holy Spirit is to us what the pillar of cloud and of fire were to the children of Israel. The Holy Spirit is God's manifested presence in our lives."

"Many people confess faith in the Lord Jesus, but do not have his presence in their lives; and [consequently,] they do not have the assurance of their salvation."

"Some of the most frightening words in the Bible are found in Exodus 33:1-3 where God gave the children of Israel his Protection, his Provision, and his Promise, but not his PRESENCE...."

"Do not settle for God's protection, his provision, or even the promised land [!] without his presence. When you have the presence of God, you need nothing more; and you should settle for nothing less!"

[note, I do not yet know who the author of this article is ~ but if/when I find, I will add as a comment to this post for future reference.]

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*Heard elsewhere: "God doesn't call the qualified; God qualifies the called."

*(convicting!) repost from Desiring God: “No worship...that leaves us harsh with our workers on Monday, or contentious with our spouses at home, or self-indulgent in other areas of our lives, is true, God-pleasing worship.” ~John Piper

*‎5 I's of Dishonor (from sermon by Keith Moore): Ignoring, Interrupting, Intruding, Interfering, Insulting.

*Receiving the discipline of God as a GOOD and beautiful thing is not easy, but produces SWEET fruit....Thank you, Lord! (cf Hebrews 12)

*Pride isn't sinful first because it EXALTS self; it only need be PREOCCUPIED with and interpret the world by self.