It is only in Christ that we can be refreshing in the ways that people most seriously need refreshment. We should see being a Christian not only in terms of what we can get (being refreshed) but also in terms of what we can give (refreshing others).

It’s a huge step in our return to God when we acknowledge that our sins against Him have been deliberate. If all we can say is, “What I did was inadvisable, but I couldn’t have done otherwise,” we’re a long way from seeing our need for forgiveness.

Christ’s kingdom can’t be measured by any of the criteria the world uses to judge how powerful something is. And because it is spiritual, Christ’s kingdom is not vulnerable to any of the threats that earthly kingdoms have to worry about.

If we have not accepted the lordship of Christ before the day of judgment, it will be too late for an acknowledgement at that time to save us. In reality, Christ IS the Lord. But will we ACCEPT His lordship? That is what the gospel asks us to decide.

It was not merely by being humble that Jesus procured our salvation — it was “by becoming obedient” (Philippians 2:8). We have learned nothing of Jesus Christ and His gospel if we have not learned the necessity of obedience (Hebrews 5:8,9).

Out of all we have learned from the Scriptures, only a fraction of that has truly been “received.” Today, let’s determine that we will not let pride keep God’s word from pricking our conscience and moving us to greater obedience (James 1:21).

While we are busy wishing we could serve God within the framework of someone else’s circumstances, He is no doubt saying to every one of us individually: “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

If we’re praying to be anything other than the unique package of problems and possibilities that we are, that’s a prayer that can’t be answered. The sooner we give up on that false hope, the sooner we can concentrate on God’s plan for our own lives.

We make two mistakes regarding mercy: we suppose that God extends His mercy to those who deserve it and withholds it from those who don’t, or that after receiving God’s forgiveness we are somehow more deserving in His sight than we were before.

When we have let go of our illusions, that is when God is able to redeem us from our reality. There is no other way for the gospel to save us. We must realize that we are ruined. “How else but through a broken heart may the Lord Christ enter in?”

Although we naturally prefer to dwell on God’s mercy, it is the wretchedness of our plight without God that makes His mercy meaningful. We can’t enjoy the latter very deeply if we haven’t thought about the former very honestly.

Minds that do not normally think of God at other times will find it hard to stay focused on Him during occasional periods of prayer. Thus it will help us, when we are praying, to be people who are accustomed to living prayerfully.

While life under the sun lasts, we had better be thinking about life beyond the sun. Death is coming, and we need to ask whether we’re doing anything that won’t be erased by that event. Only one such thing is available to us, and that is godliness.

Short of heaven, I don’t want to hear the Lord say, “You have your reward.” I don’t want anything in this world — or all of it put together. What I want can’t be had in this world, and that’s a sinless, eternal relationship with my God in heaven.

There is nothing in the world that is ours to keep — we must let go of all of it. The only thing we’ll never have to give up is God. Let’s allow the One Thing to be our security that was MEANT to be our security and see everything else as temporary.

A greater life can be ours in Christ. May we spend our days seeking Him and His forgiveness, on whatever terms He stipulates, so that when this life slips away, as it surely will, the thing that will be waiting for us is real life — life indeed.

As long as even one of your parents is alive, you can still view yourself as the “younger” generation, but when both parents are gone, the truth is unavoidable: you are “next” on the brink. For the Christian, that should be a thrilling thought!

We need to give tomorrow as much of an advantage as possible. Why would we put off doing anything today if doing it would put us ahead of schedule tomorrow? And if we can make tomorrow easier, why would we do anything to make it harder?