Sons Of God

What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father.
But cannot this be said of every man, Christian or not? Emphatically no! The idea that all men are children of God is not found in the Bible anywhere. The Old Testament shows God as the Father, not of all men, but of His own people, the seed of Abraham, 'Israel is my son, even my firstborn: and i say into thee, Let my son go...' (Exodus 4:22).
The New Testament has a world vision, but it too shows God as the Father, not of all men, but of those who, knowing themselves to be sinners, put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their divine sin-bearer and master, and so become Abraham's spiritual seed. 'Ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus... ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. And if yes are Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed' (Galatians 3:26).
Sonship to God is not, therefore a universal status upon which everyone enters by natural birth, but a supernatural gift which one receives through receiving Jesus. 'No man cometh unto the Father' - in other words, is acknowledged by God as son - 'but by me' (John 14:6).
The gift of sonship to God becomes ours, not through being born, but thorough being born again. 'As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in His name: which were born, not of blood, not of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God' (John 1:12)

J. I. Packer, Knowing God

When The Word Falls On Fertile Soil

One of the most dramatic examples of the Bible's divine ability to transform men and women involved the famous mutiny on the "Bounty." Following their rebellion against the notorious Captain Bligh, nine mutineers, along with the Tahitian men and women who accompanied them, found their way to Pitcairn Island, a tiny dot in the South Pacific only two miles long and a mile wide. Ten years later, drink and fighting had left only one man alive--John Adams. Eleven women and 23 children made up the rest of the Island's population. So far this is the familiar story made famous in the book and motion picture. But the rest of the story is even more remarkable. About this time, Adams came across the "Bounty's" Bible in the bottom of an old chest. He began to read it, and the divine power of God's Word reached into the heart of that hardened murderer on a tiny volcanic spec in the vast Pacific Ocean--and changed his life forever. The peace and love that Adams found in the Bible entirely replaced the old life of quarreling, brawling, and liquor. He began to teach the children from the Bible until every person on the island had experienced the same amazing change that he had found. Today, with a population of slightly less than 100, nearly every person on Pitcairn Island is a Christian.

-K.L.W.M.C-

Vision For Discipleship

William Kelly an outstanding student of the Bible whose scholarship and spirituality made him a real power for God in Great Britain at the close of the last century. Kelly had once helped a young relative prepare for Trinity college in Dublin and in this way came to the attention of the professors there. They urged him to take up work at the college and thus distinguish himself. When Kelly showed a complete lack of enthusiasm for their suggestion, they were nonplussed. One of them asked in exasperation, "But Mr. Kelly, aren't you interested in making a name for yourself in the world?" To which Kelly adroitly replied, "Which world, gentlemen?"

The Marriage Bond

There is a custom in an area of the Netherlands where a newlywed couple enter their house through a special door. The door is never used again until one dies and the body is carried out through that same door. God designed marriage like that house. It has one door that is locked tightly. That lock, which keeps the marriage bond secure, is loving commitment for life.
(elbourne.org)

Scripture Reading : Luke 6:27-36
Love For Enemies
"But I tell you who hear me. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

"If you love those who love, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners' expecting to be repaid in full. But love you enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Faith Is Daring The Soul To Go Beyond What The Eyes Can See

Now faith is the sentence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (HEBREWS 11:1 NKJV)

A small-town chamber of commerce once invited a man to address their annual banquet. The speaker was asked to be motivational, since the town's economy had been bad that year and people were discouraged.

During his presentations, the speaker took a very large piece of white paper and made a black dot in the center of it with a marker pen. He then held the paper up before the audience and asked, "What do you see?" One person replied, "I see a block dot." The speaker said, "Fine. What else do you see?"

Others chimed in, "A black dot." The speaker asked, "Don't you see anything besides the dot?" The audience responded with a resounding "NO!"

"But you've overlook the most important thing," The speaker replied. "You've missed seeing the sheet of paper!" He then went to explain, "In our lives, we are often distracted by small, dot like failures. They keep us from seeing blessings, successes, and joys that are far more important than the disappointments that try to monopolize our energy and attention. I encourage you to focus on the big picture of what is right rather than the small view of what is wrong."

Are you so preoccupied today with what is, that you've lost sight of what can be? Step back and see the bigger picture!