The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes.
Unless a particular man made new year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards.
Unless a man be born again, he shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. - G.K. Chesterton
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
New Year's Countdown 3
Receive with meekness the implanted word. James 1:21
God’s Word is the source of wisdom for living, the standard of holiness for character, and the strength of the human spirit as truth. This Book, breathed by the Holy Spirit, is the foundation for our building, the fortress for our defense, and the food for our sustenance. Too much cannot be said about God’s Word.
But too little can be done.
Only as I feed daily, and only as I receive in humility what the Word says about me, does this divine masterpiece take effect. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were experts in knowing the Word but failures in receiving it. So, on the brink of a New Year, lay plans for reading through the Word. But also plan to let it read through you too. Its saving power, which saves us from confusion, error, and failure just as surely as its truth saves our eternal souls, depends on such reception.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
God’s Word is the source of wisdom for living, the standard of holiness for character, and the strength of the human spirit as truth. This Book, breathed by the Holy Spirit, is the foundation for our building, the fortress for our defense, and the food for our sustenance. Too much cannot be said about God’s Word.
But too little can be done.
Only as I feed daily, and only as I receive in humility what the Word says about me, does this divine masterpiece take effect. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were experts in knowing the Word but failures in receiving it. So, on the brink of a New Year, lay plans for reading through the Word. But also plan to let it read through you too. Its saving power, which saves us from confusion, error, and failure just as surely as its truth saves our eternal souls, depends on such reception.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
New Year's Countdown 2
But we all… are being transformed. 2 Corinthians 3:18
The Bible gives a context to the liberated life: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!” But it quickly describes exactly how the Holy Spirit works to create and sustain the freedom of His Kingdom. Study this amplification of our text.
“But we all (everyone of us deciding for ourselves), with unveiled face (not hiding behind pretense or cowering from God’s dealings with us), beholding as in a mirror (which is the Word of God) the glory of the Lord (which is the Son of God), are being transformed (that is, progressing from stage to stage as a creature undergoes metamorphosis—a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly) into the same image (of Jesus, our Master, Model, and Savior) from glory to glow (or from one stage of His grace and character to ever-expanding dimensions of the same) just as by the Spirit of the Lord (for it is only by His presence, power, and perfecting work that such a change can happen!).”
Anyone willing to be freed and changed that way is destined to a great new year!
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
The Bible gives a context to the liberated life: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!” But it quickly describes exactly how the Holy Spirit works to create and sustain the freedom of His Kingdom. Study this amplification of our text.
“But we all (everyone of us deciding for ourselves), with unveiled face (not hiding behind pretense or cowering from God’s dealings with us), beholding as in a mirror (which is the Word of God) the glory of the Lord (which is the Son of God), are being transformed (that is, progressing from stage to stage as a creature undergoes metamorphosis—a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly) into the same image (of Jesus, our Master, Model, and Savior) from glory to glow (or from one stage of His grace and character to ever-expanding dimensions of the same) just as by the Spirit of the Lord (for it is only by His presence, power, and perfecting work that such a change can happen!).”
Anyone willing to be freed and changed that way is destined to a great new year!
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Monday, December 28, 2009
New Year's Countdown 1
Love… hopes all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 [NKJV]
Today, begin a “countdown” to the beginning of the New Year. Let each point—each day—become a milestone as you “depart another way,” leaving the past behind and welcoming the Holy Spirit’s ministry to bring a glorious newness to your soul. These days, let us look at the themes of love, power, transformation, the Word, and faith: milestone markers.
Open this day and these days with a full-hearted, special welcome to the Holy Spirit to flush, to fill and to flow through your heart with love. He can and will send a surge of love, according to God’s Word (Rom. 5:5). It will come in gushing, rushing rivers (John 7:37–39) and remove every obstruction to our being perfected in a love for Christ, a love for God’s Word, a love for the lost, a love for the unlovely, and a love for those who have wounded us. He changes our attitude and outlook—hope for tomorrow becomes more than a wish. Love begets a hope that is confident.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Today, begin a “countdown” to the beginning of the New Year. Let each point—each day—become a milestone as you “depart another way,” leaving the past behind and welcoming the Holy Spirit’s ministry to bring a glorious newness to your soul. These days, let us look at the themes of love, power, transformation, the Word, and faith: milestone markers.
Open this day and these days with a full-hearted, special welcome to the Holy Spirit to flush, to fill and to flow through your heart with love. He can and will send a surge of love, according to God’s Word (Rom. 5:5). It will come in gushing, rushing rivers (John 7:37–39) and remove every obstruction to our being perfected in a love for Christ, a love for God’s Word, a love for the lost, a love for the unlovely, and a love for those who have wounded us. He changes our attitude and outlook—hope for tomorrow becomes more than a wish. Love begets a hope that is confident.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Christmas Visitation 1
The Dayspring from on high has visited us. Luke 1:78 [NKJV]
Has it occurred to you that God foresaw the eventual worldwide celebration His Son’s birth would bring about? He did! Contrary to the debunker’s refusal to enjoy a holy spirit of celebration, God seems to delight in creating festive times for His people. An entire “string of lights,” so to speak, was assembled by Him in the Old Testament where He ordered feast-times on an average of every two or three months!
Of course, carnal and commercial celebrations miss the point of Christmas—we all know and acknowledge that. But do not let the Scrooge spirit overthrow the Holy Spirit’s desire to awaken fresh expectancy and joy in your heart at this precious season.
God has visited us! That “the Word became flesh” brought about a new day. “Dayspring” means “dawn,” and as we approach Christmas this year, do so by welcoming the Holy Spirit’s rise with fresh joy, hope, and love.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Has it occurred to you that God foresaw the eventual worldwide celebration His Son’s birth would bring about? He did! Contrary to the debunker’s refusal to enjoy a holy spirit of celebration, God seems to delight in creating festive times for His people. An entire “string of lights,” so to speak, was assembled by Him in the Old Testament where He ordered feast-times on an average of every two or three months!
Of course, carnal and commercial celebrations miss the point of Christmas—we all know and acknowledge that. But do not let the Scrooge spirit overthrow the Holy Spirit’s desire to awaken fresh expectancy and joy in your heart at this precious season.
God has visited us! That “the Word became flesh” brought about a new day. “Dayspring” means “dawn,” and as we approach Christmas this year, do so by welcoming the Holy Spirit’s rise with fresh joy, hope, and love.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Back to Bethlehem
But you, Bethlehem… out of you shall come a Ruler. Matthew 2:6 [NKJV]
Even its pronunciation is musical—“Bethlehem.” The name itself sets the imagination aflame again, as we all experience the symphony of thoughts about this tiny, yet mightily historic site. Bethlehem was destined for significance by the Almighty God Himself. He whispered His intent to His prophets, and in our text we hear Micah quoted more than seven hundred years after he predicted Bethlehem would be the Messiah’s birthplace.
It is a good thing to go there—at least in our imagination; and especially at Christmastime. The fact that God would interest Himself in so tiny a village, and ordain its place and high purpose in His plan of redemption, tells us something about God and His ways.
He delights to take the ordinary and do the extraordinary there. He loves to take people like us and do wonderful things for them, to them, and through them. It is His mind and His pleasure to do great things at simple places, with plain people! Just as we sing, so let us act: “Come to Bethlehem and see!”
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Even its pronunciation is musical—“Bethlehem.” The name itself sets the imagination aflame again, as we all experience the symphony of thoughts about this tiny, yet mightily historic site. Bethlehem was destined for significance by the Almighty God Himself. He whispered His intent to His prophets, and in our text we hear Micah quoted more than seven hundred years after he predicted Bethlehem would be the Messiah’s birthplace.
It is a good thing to go there—at least in our imagination; and especially at Christmastime. The fact that God would interest Himself in so tiny a village, and ordain its place and high purpose in His plan of redemption, tells us something about God and His ways.
He delights to take the ordinary and do the extraordinary there. He loves to take people like us and do wonderful things for them, to them, and through them. It is His mind and His pleasure to do great things at simple places, with plain people! Just as we sing, so let us act: “Come to Bethlehem and see!”
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Christmas Kings
Of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:33 [NKJV]
From the time of Jesus’ conception a stream of promise begins to flow: a new government is coming to the souls of men! The issue was not political, but spiritual. The King Himself verifies this: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
But He is King, a king like no other. Look at the descriptions of His kingly role in God’s Word:
• “The King eternal” (1 Tim. 1:17)—as such, the endlessness, the unchanging durability of His rule is declared.
• “A king will reign in righteousness” (Is. 32:1)—as such, His completely just, even-handed, considerate and life-releasing method is forecast.
• “King of peace” (Heb. 7:2)—as typified in Melchizedek and fulfilled through His rising to His first throne, the cross, where He secured out peace (Eph. 2:14–18).
• “King of the saints” and “King of kings” (Rev. 15:3; 19:16)—forever praised as our saving King, and all history’s ultimate Ruler!
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
From the time of Jesus’ conception a stream of promise begins to flow: a new government is coming to the souls of men! The issue was not political, but spiritual. The King Himself verifies this: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
But He is King, a king like no other. Look at the descriptions of His kingly role in God’s Word:
• “The King eternal” (1 Tim. 1:17)—as such, the endlessness, the unchanging durability of His rule is declared.
• “A king will reign in righteousness” (Is. 32:1)—as such, His completely just, even-handed, considerate and life-releasing method is forecast.
• “King of peace” (Heb. 7:2)—as typified in Melchizedek and fulfilled through His rising to His first throne, the cross, where He secured out peace (Eph. 2:14–18).
• “King of the saints” and “King of kings” (Rev. 15:3; 19:16)—forever praised as our saving King, and all history’s ultimate Ruler!
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
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