Open your door for Jesus

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him… Revelation 3:20

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I. THAT THERE IS IN THE HUMAN SOUL A DOOR FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE TRUTH.

1. The intellect. Is not the theology of the Bible in its broad outlines reasonable? Christ, in the evidence, enlightenment, and conviction of the truth, stands knocking at the mind of man, and the greater the knowledge of the truth, the louder is the appeal for entrance.
2. The heart. Man is endowed with the capability of love and sympathy. He has warm affections. He is so constituted as to be attracted by the pathetic and the beautiful. Hence, he looks out upon nature with admiring eye. And it is to this capability in man that the truth appeals. It presents to him an ideal beauty in the life of Christ, as recorded by the gospel narrative, which ought to win his spirit into an imitation of the same.
3. The conscience. Man has the ability to turn his natural judgment to moral and spiritual questions, and this is what we mean by conscience. To this faculty the truth presents its requirements; convinces of failure in the devotion of the inner life to Christ; and spreads out before it the threat of avenging justice.
4. But, strange to say, the door of the soul is closed to the entrance of the truth. The door of the mind is closed by error, by ignorance, and by prejudice. The door of the heart is shut by pride, by unbelief, and by wilful sin. The door of the conscience is barred by a continued habit of evil.


II. THAT AT THE DOOR OF THE HUMAN SOUL TRUTH MAKES CONTINUED APPEALS FOR ENTRANCE.

1. This appeal of truth is authoritative. Truth comes to men with authority, even with the claim of a sinless life, and with the emphasis of a Divine voice. Its distinguished character should gain for it an immediate and hearty welcome into the soul, as a king should be welcomed into a cottage. But truth comes to men not only with the authority of character, but also with the authority of right. The faculties of the human mind were made to receive it.
2. The appeal of Truth is patient. Other guests have entered — wealth in splendid apparel, ambition with loud clamour, and pride with haughty mien — but Christ with gentle spirit has remained without. His patience has been co-extensive with our neglect of Him. It is Divine.
3. The appeal of truth is benevolent. The truth does not seek to enter the soul of man merely to spy out its moral defilement, to pass woful sentence on its evil-doings, but to cleanse it by the Holy Spirit, to save it by grace, to enlighten it by knowledge, and to cheer it by love.
4. The appeal of truth is heard. "And knock." Knocks at the door are generally heard. And certainly this is the case in reference to the advent of Christ to the soul. It is impossible to live in this land of religious light and agency without being conscious of Divine knockings at the portal of the soul.

III. THAT THE HUMAN SOUL HAS THE ABILITY OF CHOICE AS TO WHETHER IT WILL OPEN ITS DOOR FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE TRUTH OR NOT.

1. The door of the soul will not be opened by any coercive methods. Does it not seem strange that Christ should have the key of the soul and yet stand without? This is only explained by the free agency of man. But though He enter not to dwell, the soul is visited by spiritual influences which are the universal heritage of man.
2. The door of the soul must be opened by moral methods. Calm reflection, earnest prayer, and a diligent study of the inspired Word, together with the gentle influences of the Divine Spirit, will open the soul to the entrance of Christ (Acts 16:14).

IV. THAT IF THE HUMAN SOUL WILL OPEN ITS DOOR TO THE RECEPTION OF THE TRUTH, CHRIST WILL ENTER INTO CLOSE COMMUNION WITH IT.

1. Then Christ will inhabit the soul. "I will come in to him." Thus, if Christ come into the soul He will dwell in its thoughts, in its affections, in its aspirations, in its aims, and in all its activities. He will elevate and consecrate them all. True religion just means this, Christ in the soul, and its language is (Galatians 2:20).
2. Then Christ will be in sympathy with the soul. "And will sup with him." It is impossible to have a feast in the soul unless Christ spreads the table; then the meal is festive. It removes sorrow; it inspires joy. While we are partaking of it we can relate to Christ all the perplexities of life. The good man carries a feast within him (John 4:32).
3. Then Christ will strengthen the soul. He will strengthen the moral nature by the food He will give, by the counsel He will impart, and by the hope He will inspire. The feast, the supply of holy energy will be resident within.
(J. S. Exell, M. A.)


http://ibiblestudies.com/auth/exell/christ_knocking_at_the_door_of_the_soul.htm

Planetshakers - Hallelujah / Anthem

Proverbs 6:6-11

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Greatness of Jesus' Humility "GREATER" - Conference Devotion Day 07‏ Hope Church Singapore

The Greatness of Jesus

Greatness of Jesus' Humility

TODAY'S VERSES:
John 13:1-12, Philippians 2:1-8

In Bible times, people walked around in sandals on dusty and dirty routes. Washing the guests’ feet was a common practice for household slaves when the guests arrive at a house. Such a task was reserved for the lowliest of menial servants for the society at that time. Feet-washing is thus perceived as a very lowly task. Being their Rabbi, the disciples would most likely be glad to wash Jesus' feet, but it would be unthinkable for them to wash each other's feet.

One night, just as the supper was being served, Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist, kneeled down before each of his disciples (even the one who later betrayed him), took their filthy feet into His hands and begun to wash them as the lowliest slave would do.

Nathanael should have been the one pouring the water. Andrew should have been the one carrying the towel. But none of them did. Rather, they were arguing over ‘which one among them is the greatest’ (Luke 22:24) as they bickered, Jesus stood up to illustrated the answer to their question and taught them to do what He has done, to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14).

The act of feet washing is not only a symbol of spiritual cleansing (John 13: 6-9) but also a model of the attitude of true humility. Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of all creation, and yet he is willing to give up His rights in order to obey God and serve His people. His service to His creation is supremely exemplified by His death on the cross.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(Mark 10:45)

The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11)

Christ’s example is for every Christian to have His attitude of self-sacrificing humility to love and serve others. Are you willing to follow Christ’s example of serving? Whom can you serve today? There is a special blessing for those who not only agree that humble service is Christ’s way, but who also follow through and do it.

"You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:13-17)

Every day, we can choose our attitudes – we can expect to be served or we can look for opportunities to serve others. Ultimately, in Christ’s humility, He served his creation, even to death on the Cross (Philippians 2:8).


"GREATER" - Conference Devotion Day 7‏ Hope Church Singapore

The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. “They will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them. “For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. “Remember Lot’s wife. “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. “There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. [“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”] And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”


Luke 17: 20-37

To live is Christ and to die is gain.

Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die I'll have even more.
Philippians 1:21 (God's Word translation 1995)


Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
1:21-26 Death is a great loss to a carnal, worldly man, for he loses all his earthly comforts and all his hopes; but to a true believer it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery. It delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings him to possess the chief good. The apostle's difficulty was not between living in this world and living in heaven; between these two there is no comparison; but between serving Christ in this world and enjoying him in another. Not between two evil things, but between two good things; living to Christ and being with him. See the power of faith and of Divine grace; it can make us willing to die. In this world we are compassed with sin; but when with Christ, we shall escape sin and temptation, sorrow and death, for ever. But those who have most reason to desire to depart, should be willing to remain in the world as long as God has any work for them to do. And the more unexpected mercies are before they come, the more of God will be seen in them.

Ready for Life or Death 

A lady once said to John Wesley, "Suppose you knew you were to die at 12 o'clock tomorrow night, how would you employ the intervening time?" "Why, just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening at Gloucester, and again at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. After that I should ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon, meet the Societies in the evening. Then repair to friend Martin's, who expects to entertain me, converse and pray with the family as usual, retire to my room at 10 o'clock, commend myself to my heavenly Father, lie down to rest, and wake up in glory!"

Colossians 4:5-6

Be wise in the way you act toward those who are outside the Christian faith. Make the most of your opportunities. Everything you say should be kind and well thought out so that you know how to answer everyone.

Proverbs 16:1-3

The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Romans 12:9-10

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

1 Peter 1:8

— 1 Peter 1:8 —

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy...

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The world’s way of pursuing riches is grasping and hoarding. You attain Christ's riches by letting go and giving. The more you give yourself to Christ and his ways, the more he will fill you with inexpressible, heavenly Joy. 

http://www.barbaralehrman.com/ 

Jeremiah 1:17

Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
dismayed … confound-the same Hebrew word; literally, "to break." Be not dismayed at their faces (before them), lest I make thee dismayed before their faces (before them), that is, "lest I should permit thee to be overcome by them" (compare Jer 49:37).

To Obey

Blessings of Obedience
1‘You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God.2‘You shall keep My sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the LORD.3‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out,4then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.5‘Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land.6‘I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land.7‘But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword;8five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.9‘So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you.10‘You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new.11‘Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you.12‘I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.13‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.


Penalties of Disobedience
14‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments,15if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,16I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.17‘I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you.18‘If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.19‘I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze.20‘Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.


Leviticus 26:1-20






Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

I also will do this unto you,.... Henceforward follow threatenings of dreadful evils to the transgressors and despisers of the commandments of God, which thus begin:

I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart; some, as Aben Ezra observes, take these to design what may affect the seed sown and the increase of it, such as blasting and mildew, because it follows: "ye shall sow in vain"; but no doubt diseases of the body are intended; for what we translate "terror" does not signify terror of mind, but some sudden, hasty, terrible distemper; perhaps the pestilence, as the Targum of Jonathan; some have thought of the falling sickness, as Bishop Patrick, because the word has the signification of haste and precipitance; and the second is a disease well known among us, and so called from its wasting and consuming nature; Jarchi interprets it of a disease which swells the flesh, either fills it with tumours and pustules, the Septuagint calls it the itch; or with wind or water, which has led some to think of the dropsy; and the last of them seems to be rightly rendered a burning ague or fever, though the Septuagint takes it for the jaundice, but that seems not to be so threatening, terrible, and dangerous, as what may be here supposed: now these diseases and all others are by the appointment of God, they come and go by his order, and while they continue have the power over persons, nor can they rid themselves of them at pleasure; and these have such an effect on persons seized by them, as to cause dimness of sight, a hollowness of their eyes, which sink into the head, as well as fill the heart with grief and sorrow; either through present pains and agonies, or in a view of future judgment and wrath to come:

and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it; either eat it up for forage before it is ripe, or, if ripe and gathered in the barn, should come and besiege their cities and plunder their granaries.

Seek the Lord with all your heart, Turn to Him and come near Him, Let Him be found by you

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 1:3

Come near to God and he will come near to you.
James 4:8a

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deu 4:29

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
1 Chron 28:9

The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
2 Chron 15:2

I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.
Isa 45:19

“From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
Malachi 3:7
Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 
Mat 10:32-33


MALACHI 3
The Purifier
1“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.2“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.3“He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.4“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.6“For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7“From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

You Have Robbed God
8“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.9“You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!10“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.11“Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts.12“All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts.
13“Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’14“You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts?15‘So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.’”
The Book of Remembrance
16Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name.17“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.


MALACHI 4
Final Admonition
1“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”2“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.3“You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the LORD of hosts.
4“Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.
5“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.6“He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”  

Be happy in your confidence, be patient in trouble, and pray continually.
Romans 12:12

Fellowship with believers

— Hebrews 10:24-25 —

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

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God created us to be in community, first with Him and then with other believers. In fact, this is an important imperative. Our Christian relationships enable us to develop confidence to face whatever life may throw at us. God's family provokes one another to do good works, provides encouragement, and promotes love. As the day of Christ's coming draws ever nearer, make fellowship with other believers a priority. 

In the world ye shall have tribulation

"In the world ye shall have tribulation."
John 16:33

Art thou asking the reason of this, believer? Look upward to thy heavenly Father, and behold him pure and holy. Dost thou know that thou art one day to be like him? Wilt thou easily be conformed to his image? Wilt thou not require much refining in the furnace of affliction to purify thee? Will it be an easy thing to get rid of thy corruptions, and make thee perfect even as thy Father which is in heaven is perfect? Next, Christian, turn thine eye downward. Dost thou know what foes thou hast beneath thy feet? Thou wast once a servant of Satan, and no king will willingly lose his subjects. Dost thou think that Satan will let thee alone? No, he will be always at thee, for he "goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Expect trouble, therefore, Christian, when thou lookest beneath thee. Then look around thee. Where art thou? Thou art in an enemy's country, a stranger and a sojourner. The world is not thy friend. If it be, then thou art not God's friend, for he who is the friend of the world is the enemy of God. Be assured that thou shalt find foe-men everywhere. When thou sleepest, think that thou art resting on the battlefield; when thou walkest, suspect an ambush in every hedge. As mosquitoes are said to bite strangers more than natives, so will the trials of earth be sharpest to you. Lastly, look within thee, into thine own heart and observe what is there. Sin and self are still within. Ah! if thou hadst no devil to tempt thee, no enemies to fight thee, and no world to ensnare thee, thou wouldst still find in thyself evil enough to be a sore trouble to thee, for "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Expect trouble then, but despond not on account of it, for God is with thee to help and to strengthen thee. He hath said, "I will be with thee in trouble; I will deliver thee and honour thee."

Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening - Friday, May 3, 2013
http://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/