God Knows

God Knows

Bible Verse
Come quickly, LORD, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die. Psalms 143:7 (NLT)

Thoughts & Message
How I thank God for the honesty of David. When I went through a dark season in my life the Psalms were an oasis for my soul.
I would come to today’s verse and felt a deep assurance that God knew exactly how I felt. Why? Because He understood David’s plea. David cried out to God in his depression and requested, “Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.” It was this deep trust in God that led him to the assurance that he would be delivered. David finishes the Psalm by writing, “May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. For the glory of your name, O LORD, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.” Today, come to God with your deepest concerns, with your heavy heart and walk away like David with the full assurance that God has heard your cries and will rescue you.

Prayer
Dear Father, I come to You today knowing that You hear my concerns, that You care for me and I can trust You. Thank You for Your love.
AMEN

Pray

Pray

Bible Verse
O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Psalms 5:1-2 (NLT)

Thoughts & Message
Jesus said, “Abide in me and I will abide in you.” What a relationship God is offering us. David knew about it. He was abiding with God. He writes, “Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” He brought God His groaning; his deepest concerns; the cries from the bottom of his heart. Paul picks up on this same theme and writes, “The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” Today, abide in God. Pray and share your heart with Him. He knows you. He loves you. He cares for you. Abide in Him.

Prayer
Dear Father, thank You for Your love and concern for me. Thank You for hearing my prayers and helping me with all my needs. Today I want to abide in You and have You abide in me. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

The First Open-Air Sermon

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The First Open-Air Sermon
By Gawin Kirkham

THE SEARCHING QUESTION

“Where art thou?” -Gen. 3. 9.

[This sermon outline was taken from the book, “The Open-Air Preacher’s Handbook” written by Gawin Kirkham. Brother Kirkham was the Secretary of the Open-Air Mission of London, England. The book was published in 1890, but has a timeless message for street preachers of today.]

Ask the Audience: “What was the first Open-air Text ?”

The reply will generally be an inquiring look at the Preacher.

Then tell them that the first Preacher was the Lord God Almighty: the hearers were Adam and Eve; the place was the Garden of Eden: and the Text was, “WHERE ART THOU?”

I. Hiding.- Adam was hiding from God. This is what man has been trying to do ever since.

II. Reason for Hiding.- FEAR. “I heard Thy voice in the garden; and I was afraid.” (ver. 10.)

III. Reasons for Fear.-

God’s Holiness.-Illus., MOSES- Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exod. 3. 6.) ISAIAH- See Isa. 6. JOHN- “I fell at His feet as dead.” (Rev. 1. 17.)

MAN’S SINFULNESS-Illus., JOB- “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear,” etc. (Job 13. 5)

IV. How Men Try to Hide.- Behind their innocency; their ignorance; their respectability; their sincerity; their circumstances; their indifference; their religiousness, etc.

V. Trying to do the Impossible.- “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.” (Prov. 28. 13.)” Though they dig into hell, thence shall Mine hand take them,” etc. (Amos 9. 2-4.) Illus., DAVID”Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?” etc. (Psa. 139. 7-12.) JONAH- “Rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1.3)

VI. Only One Hiding-Place.- The wounded side of Jesus. “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself.” (Prov. 21. 3.) Illus., DAVID- “I flee unto Thee to hide me.” (Psa. 143. 9.)

” Rock of Ages! cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.”

VII. It Will Soon be Too Late!- See Rev. 6. 12-17. Men hide themselves in dens and rocks, but are overtaken by the great day of wrath. Only those who are hid in Christ will then be safe.

NOTE.-It is interesting, in connection with this subject, to notice that the first question in the Old Testament is- “Where art thou?” while the first in the New Testament is- “Where is HE?” (Matt. 2. 2.) This opens the door of hope to the hiding and the fearful ones; because “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19. 10.)

Justification by Faith, Out of Date?

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Justification by Faith, Out of Date?
By Billy Graham

We have been saved by grace through faith. The apostle Paul emphatically states, “a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16).

Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ’s death and resurrection and our faith in Him. The word Paul uses (dikaioo), comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous, or to pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God who is Judge. It is the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s suppose for a moment that I died tonight and stood before the Lord God who is the Supreme Judge of the Universe. No doubt He would ask me, “Wil Pounds, why should I let you into my heaven? You are a guilty sinner. How do you plead?”

My response would be, “I plead guilty, Your Honor.”

My advocate, Jesus Christ, who is standing there beside me speaks up for me. He says, “Your Honor. It is true that Wil Pounds is a grievous sinner. He is guilty. However, Father, I died for him on the cross and rose from the dead. Wil Pounds has put his faith and trust in Me and all that I have done for Him on the Cross. He is a believer. I died for him, and he has accepted Me as his substitute.”

The Lord God turns to me and says, “Is that true?”

I will respond to Him, “Yes sir! That is the truth. I am claiming the shed blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse me of all my sins. I have put my faith in Jesus to save me for all eternity. This is what You have promised in Your Word. Jesus said, ‘For God so loved the world (and this includes Wil Pounds), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'”

The Lord God responds: “Acquitted! By order of this court I demand that you be set free. The price has been paid by My Son.”

Furthermore, I get to go home and live with the Judge!

Justification means that at the moment of salvation God sovereignly declares the believing sinner righteous in His sight. The believing sinner is declared to be righteous in His standing before God. From that moment on throughout life, through death, that sinner who has believed is now and forever right before God. God accepts him, and he stands acquitted of his sins.

A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).