We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Flesh is the old ego that is self-reliant and does not delight to yield to any authority or depend on any mercy. It craves the sensation of self-generated power and loves the praise of men.
John Piper

We must learn to trust the power of God’s Word to convince, convert, and change lives (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23)...without the help of our man-made systems… We must be so convinced, or we will be tempted to add things to the preaching of the Word to secure greater commitments… Here is the real question: How powerful is the Word of God? Can it change men from sinners into saints without the use of an altar call? Will it convict and convert (as God promises), or will we need to add something that helps men “settle it”? You will never be able to do without the invitation system until you are thoroughly convinced of the power of God’s Word.
Jim Ehrhard

DEVOTIONS FOR THE FESTIVAL SEASONS

DEVOTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS.

Read St Mark ii.; St. Luke ii.; St. John i. 1-14.

Almighty God, who hast commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, and, by the
Incarnation and glorious Nativity of Thine
Only-begotten Son, hast brought life and
immortality to light; shine into my heart,
and give me the light of the knowledge of
Thy glory in the face of Thy dear Son.

Lord Jesus Christ, eternal God, who as on
this day wast born into the world, very Man,
in all things like unto us, that Thou mightest
be a faithful and merciful High-priest,
touched with the feelings of our infirmities;
grant unto me strong consolation, and a sure
and steadfast hope.

Holy Ghost the Comforter, the Lord, and
Giver of life, by whom I have been quick-
ened together with Christ, and made par-
taker of His resurrection; shed abroad in
my heart the love of God, and endow me
with His perfect freedom; and grant that,
with open face beholding the glory of the
Lord, I may be changed into the same image,
from glory to glory. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose
great mercy we are enabled to consecrate
this day to the memory of the Incarnation
of Thy Son, our Saviour; grant unto me
and all Thy people such fellowship in that
which we celebrate, that we who have been
redeemed by Thy grace, and received among
the number of Thy children, may abide
undoubtingly in Thine adoption.

Grant us, O Lord, such confidence of faith,
that, confessing Thy Only-begotten Son, who
dwelt with Thee in Thy glory from all eter-
nity, but in the fulness of time took upon
Himself our nature of the flesh and blood
of the Virgin Mary, we may overcome all
adversities in this present life, and may
come at last to the abiding joys of the life
to come: through the same Thy Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth
with Thee and the Holy Ghost, One God,
world without end. Amen.