“Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent …
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
“And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
– Acts 13:26, 38-39, emphasis added
Dr. Robert L. Sumner
Note especially the words in the above text we have emphasized: “to you is the word of this salvation sent.” It is not alone a message to the “children of the stock of Abraham,” but it is for anyone who fears God. In other words, it is a message of salvation directed by God to you!
It is a “sent” message. God sent this message through His Son. In I John 4:9, 10, we read: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
One of my most prized possessions is my mother’s Bible. Its cover is well worn – the brown leather comes through the black dye. The pages are turned up at the corners and show wrinkles from tear stains. Verses are underlined and endless notes in the margins show her thoughts and insights about different passages. There are dates next to many promises of God where she claimed them for her husband and children, missionaries and friends.
But there is one verse that sums up her undying faith in God: Ephesians 3:20. In the column next to it she wrote: If God s your partner, make your plans large!
Why?
Ephesians 3:20 says, God is able to do. Well, people can do too. But the verse continues…
God is able to do abundantly. Many times, however, people are limited and unable to do what needs to be done. And then Paul added something else…
God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask. What more, if anything, is there, Paul?
God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think!
Is there anything beyond exceedingly abundantly?
Only asking and thinking. No wonder she wrote, If God s your partner, make your plans large.
Prayer: How unfortunate, Father, that we limit You when we limit what we believe You can do for us and through us. Increase our faith to match Your power. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Scripture for Today:Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Come SOW with us: Please forward this message to ten of your best friends, on behalf of Sower Ministries. And if these Seeds have ministered to you, email us and let us know, please.
This is the important question that we all should face before our death. Dr. Joe Henry Hankins made a provoking statement, “If you are not saved nothing else matters.” Should you take the time and expend the energy and expense you could go around the world and ask people, where ever you meet them, this question: “Can you tell me how I can be sure, when I die, I will go to Heaven?” You will be amazed at the various answers you will receive. You will soon determine, very few people know the way to Heaven and even fewer can tell you how you can be sure that you will make it there. Don’t just go to people who never attend a church, but include those that attend church each week, religious people. The majority of people, to whom you speak, will not give you a convincing answer. I will place that important question to you. I think we can agree that today…this very day that you are living in right now…this day is the first day of the rest of your life…that being said please give your undivided attention to the following question and thought.
Do you know for certain that if you had to face the Lord in the next 10 seconds, do you know that you would go to Heaven? If you cannot answer that question with a resounding yes, please watch the following short video and then if you want to read more, then click on the link below it and read a short presentation of “God’s Simple Plan of Salvation.”
I worked with Dr. John R. Rice for the last eight years of his life serving in the ministry he founded, The Sword of the Lord Foundation. The greater part of his ministry was the publishing of the foremost revival weekly Christian paper, The Sword of the Lord. In this paper, published each week, he presented at least three sermons; One addressed to the unsaved; one by a leading pastor or evangelist of the day; another would usually be a sermon or message by Dr. Rice. The paper was scattered far and wide in the thousands of copies. At one time over 300,000 ( for a brief time, almost a year, we sent the paper to 500,000 homes in the USA) people subscribed to the paper each week. In the files at the ministry headquarters in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, there are thousands of salvation decisions from those who read one of these sermons or read Dr. Rice’s Gospel tract, “What Must I Do to be Saved?” Now you can read his famous tract and learn first-hand how you, too, can be saved and know for sure you will go to Heaven when you die. Just click the link below and you will see a picture of Dr. Rice and find his tract ready for you to read.
Dr. Mike Stevens was in my church when I was pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Lumpkin, Georgia. Mike and his family were charter members of that church born out of an old-fashioned tent meeting conducted by Dr. Paul Johnson. Dr. Johnson at that time was a teacher at Tennessee Temple University, Chattanooga, TN. Dr. Johnson was a home-town boy from Lumpkin and his parents were still members of that church while I was there. They were my dear friends and godly Christians happy to support their new pastor. I salute their memory as I point you to Dr. Mike Stevens’ website and this little video where he tells you How to Get to Heaven. Dr. Stevens’ website: http://www.drmikestevens.com
Dr. Mike shown here with his guitar. Mike is an accomplished musician and experienced Gospel preacher. A successful pastor and now serving the Lord in evangelism. Preaches to thousands each year.
Dr. Billy Graham has preached hundreds of sermons, perhaps thousands. But none more important than this one on the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Here is Billy Graham at his best.
If you have an unsaved loved one, point them to this message. I spoke to a man that I had known to be the town bootlegger in a little town in Georgia. He had lived a very ungodly life. He very happily told me he had been saved watching Billy Graham on TV. He died a short time later. This is a great message that all need to hear.
Here is another sermon by Dr. Graham, “Born Again.” What does this Bible term mean? How can a person be “born again?” Is it possible for a sinner to turn from that sin and experience a new birth? Listen as Billy Graham makes this important Bible subject crystal clear from the Scriptures. Click this link:
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Ephesians 5:21
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
First Corinthians 11:3 says, “The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” Sometimes we get confused about what it means to be the “head” of the family. Anything with no head is dead and anything with two heads is abnormal. Just because the man is the head doesn’t mean that the wife is inferior. Both men and women bear the image of God. Both are heirs of the grace of life. Both are equal before God. But while male and female are equal, God has given them different roles. In the family, men have been given the role of leader.
ACTION POINT:
How would our world function if no one was in charge? How would your body function without your head? Pray for leaders in your home, community, church, state, and nation.
For more details and information about the ministry of the late Dr. Adrian Rogers and the worldwide impact that ministry is still having, go to: http://www.lwf.org Dr. Rogers in his lifetime touched the whole world for Christ and that ministry is still going forward. Amazing!
While counseling an anxious young college student recently, he said, I need your guidance. I know that you are very successful so I know that any advice you give me would be very worthwhile. Can you give me a few words that can guide me through life?
Yes, I replied. But first you must know that they come from the Bible and that I have found them most reliable.
The first word is anything. Be willing to do any work or task that God places before you. Accept all of His assignments with confidence because He has never planned for anyone to fail.
The second word is anywhere. Be ready to follow Him wherever He leads you. The will of God won t lead you where the grace of God can t protect you or His power provide for your every need.
Finally, any cost. Nothing is too precious to give up for the Lord. And whatever you give up for Him will be given back to you many, many times over. And above all remember this: Give up everything for Him but do not give Him up for anything.
Jesus said, Take up your cross and follow me! To be one of His disciples means carrying a cross. Carrying a cross as He did means we are willing to submit and surrender our lives to Him and do what He asks us to do.
Prayer: Father, may we realize that being Your disciples carries with it a supreme sacrifice – carrying a cross as You did. Help us to be willing to pay the price. In Jesus Name, Amen.
When David Talmage, the father of the famous preacher, T. DeWitt Talmage, was an eighteen-year-old boy still living at home with his brother Jacob and his sister, one night the three of them were going to a party.
Their mother, who was an invalid, just before they left, called them to her bedside and said, You are going out to a festive party; but I want you to know that I shall be on my knees praying for you until you return.
They went, and on their return passed their mother’s door at two o’clock, catching a glimpse of her still kneeling by her bed.
Early the next morning, Mother Talmage wakened her husband and asked him to get up and see what was the matter, for she heard someone weeping.
Going hastily down to the living room Father Talmage found his daughter on her knees weeping, but when he undertook to speak to her, she said, Go to the barn, father, for David is in worse need of you than I am. I shall be all right.
Going to the barn the old gentleman found David weeping his heart out from the mighty conviction that had seized him. However, when Mr. Talmage had prayed a short time with him, David said, Go to Jacob, he needs you more than I do now, I presume. He’s in the wagon shed.
So it turned out that the Lord saved all three of the Talmage children that morning, in answer to the determined and definite praying of their mother.
David had a sweetheart living down the lane, and rising from his knees, he went right down to her home and told her the wonderful news about himself and his brother and sister being saved, urging her to give her heart to God.
In the prayer there they had together she, too, was added to the host of the redeemed. The news reaching the church produced a tremendous sensation, and a gracious and widespread revival followed!
This sweetheart of David’s later became the mother of T. DeWitt Talmage. Some years afterwards she made a solemn covenant with four other women to meet with them every Wednesday afternoon and pray for their children, until every child in the five homes was saved.
The covenant was kept until every child in the five families was converted.
Written by T. DeWitt Talmage
Editor’s Note: Here is a moving, powerful sermon from the heart of the late T. DeWitt Talmage entitled, Tears in Heaven. Click the following link for immediate access.http://bit.ly/ypfoIw
General Jimmy Doolittle was the first pilot to fly an airplane relying only on the aircraft s instruments. He is also the one who led the impossible, yet successful, raid on Tokyo in World War II. On one occasion he said to his crew, I can honestly say that I have never felt fear.
Fear grips us when we sense an impending danger, a situation that might harm or destroy our well-being. Fear comes to us when we feel or sense that a situation is beyond our control. Fear can be either helpful or harmful.
On one occasion David said, I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
In other words, David was saying, How much damage or harm can people do to me if my trust is in the Lord? People can try to destroy our reputation. They can make statements that hurt us. They can inflict pain and suffering and even death. But they cannot destroy our relationship with God or remove our name from the Book of Life.
God has given each of us complete responsibility to accept or reject His salvation. We have the power of choice within the grace of God to trust Him for our salvation and the privilege of being with Him in eternity. Jesus said, Do not be afraid of those…who can kill your body. They cannot touch your soul. Our only fear should be of God who controls this life and the one to come.
Prayer: We thank You, Lord, for being a God whom we can trust and whose Word endures forever. We are grateful that we trust in You and never be afraid. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Scripture for Today: Psalm 56:4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
Come SOW with us: Please forward this message to ten of your best friends, on behalf of Sower Ministries. And if these Seeds have ministered to you, email us and let us know, please.
You may move the hands of a clock to suit you, but you do not change the time; so you hurry the unfolding of God’s will, but you harm and do not help the work. You can open a rosebud but you spoil the flower. Leave all to Him. Hands down. Thy will, not mine.”
Stephen Merritt, who wrote those words, died on this day, January 29, 1917. A wealthy New Yorker, he gave much time to overseas missions and to New York’s poor. He had studied the work of the Holy Spirit. This led to the encounter for which he is most famous.
As a secretary to the Methodist missionary-bishop, William Taylor, Stephen met many missionaries. One was a young lady named Elizabeth MacNeil. Stephen could see that she was feeling overwhelmed as she left for Africa. Gently he advised her to humble herself before the Lord and commit herself to Him. The Holy Spirit, he assured her, would empower her to do the work for which she was sent abroad.
Lizzie taught a young African named Sammy Morris everything she knew about the Holy Spirit. Sammy hungered to learn more. When she said there was nothing else she could teach him, he asked, “Who taught you about the Holy Spirit?”
“Stephen Merritt,” she replied. Sammy questioned her. Who was this Stephen? Where did he live? Satisfied, he said goodbye. Without money or a map, he headed for America. Protected by God, who miraculously met his needs, Sammy arrived in New York. Stephen lived several miles from the dock. God arranged that the first person Sammy met was an alcoholic who had once been in one of Stephen’s shelters.
The man led Sammy to the St. James Street Methodist Episcopal Church where Stephen served as pastor. Stephen was heading off to a prayer meeting and sent Sammy next door to a rescue mission he bankrolled. Stephen had gotten into trouble with the law because his prayer meetings had a way of running too late at night. However, on this night, he returned home about 10:30. Remembering Sammy, he drove back to the mission. There he found seventeen men kneeling around the African, who had led them to Christ. That night, to the surprise of his wife, Dolly, Stephen took Sammy into his home and put him up in the bishop’s room. Sammy was the first black man who ever ate at Stephen’s table. Much of what we know about Sammy and his fervor for Christ was recorded by Stephen.
He told this story on himself. “I took him (Sammy) in a coach with a prancing team of horses, as I was going to Harlem to officiate at a funeral. I said: ‘Samuel, I would like to show you something of our city and Central Park.’” Stephen showed Sammy the sights. Suddenly Sammy asked, ‘Stephen Merritt, do you ever pray in a coach?’ Stephen assured him he did.
Sammy placed his great, black hand on the white man’s “…and, turning me around on my knees, said: ‘We will pray,’ and for the first time I knelt in a coach to pray. He told the Holy Spirit he had come from Africa to talk to me about Him, and I talked about everything else, and wanted to show him the church, and the city, and the people, when he was so desirous of hearing and knowing about Him; and he asked Him if He would not take out of my heart things, and so fill me with Himself, that I would never speak or write or preach or talk, only of Him. There were three of us in that coach that day. Never have I known such a day. We were filled with the Holy Spirit, and He made him the channel by which I became instructed and then endued as never before.”
Bibliography:
Holden, David. Select Seed from the Granary. #99-4.
“Sammy Morris. A New World Appears, Quoting from Stephen Merritt.” http://www.geocities.com/virtuallibrary2000/ SammyMorris/6-A-New-World.html
Whalin, W. Terry. Samuel Morris, The Apostle of Simple Faith. Barbour Books, 1996.
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