SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/15/2017 6:53 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-3 Purity
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
Acts 5:12b-14
Message of the verses: “They
were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. 13 But none of the rest dared to
associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. 14 And all
the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly
added to their number;”
John MacArthur writes
the following about the commitment to holiness that this early church had: “Uncompromising commitment to holiness characterized these
believers—not the fearful commitment of self-righteous legalism but on
springing out of love for the Lord. They
were a fearful group, and that kept those who loved their sin away, and those
who wanted forgiveness for sin near.
That stands in sharp contrast to the masses of uncommitted, even
unsaved, people that feel comfortable in the church today. The failure of churches to preach holy
living, and to discipline those who don’t live that way, allows sinners and
hypocrites to remain in the church, convoluting its direction, sapping its
power, robbing it of purity and marring its testimony. Men may build their churches with a tolerance
for sin, but the Lord builds His among people who love holiness and hate and
expose sin.
“Jesus
demands a high level of commitment for those who would follow Him. In Luke 9:57-62 He had the following dialogue
with some would-be followers:
‘57 As they
were going along the road, someone said to Him, "I will follow You
wherever You go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and
the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His
head." 59 And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said,
"Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." 60 But He said to
him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and
proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." 61 Another also said, "I
will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at
home." 62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to
the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."”
“In Matthew 10:32-39 He added,
‘32 “Therefore
everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father
who is in heaven. 33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him
before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace
on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS
FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER
MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN’S ENEMIES
WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. 37 “He who loves father or mother more
than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is
not worthy of Me. 38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is
not worthy of Me. 39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has
lost his life for My sake will find it.”
“The Lord Jesus Christ wants total
commitment. Only those who are willing
to forsake all, including sin, and lose their lives in submission to Him, are
worthy to be His followers. A church
made up of such people will be a pure church, with a powerful testimony to the
world.”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question: “Philippi.”
Today’s Bible question: “How
many wives did Solomon have?” (Way too
many)
Answer in our next SD.
10/15/2017 7:08 AM
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