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Insights From "Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!" by Donnie Swaggart - Chapters 16 & 1712/30/2020
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Insights From "Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!" by Donnie Swaggart - Chapters 14 & 1512/28/2020 CHAPTER 14
"THE POWER OF PENTECOST" Acts 3:1-8 "...a man born lame. His physical infirmity serves as a picture of unsaved humanity. Born into sin, all are born spiritual cripples, as unredeemed man cannot walk the path of holiness & righteousness." "The church can only be of help to hurting humanity if the Holy Spirit is allowed to move & operate in all of its services & activities." "THE STATE OF THE MODERN PENTECOSTAL CHURCH" "The Pentecostal Church of the 21st century is for the most part a shell of what it once used to be. By & large too many Pentecostal churches of today know nothing at all of real Pentecost; too many don't know what the power of God really is." "...if they did, they wouldn't be resorting to the schemes, fads, programs, & foolishness being subscribed to, supported, & offered to their people." "...the power of God in a service can do more to meet the need of an individual in one second than all the sermons preached & schemes practiced." "The power & presence of the Holy Spirit transforms lives, heals the sick, & mends broken hearts. This is what we need & this is what we must have." "In 2006, the 100-year anniversary of Azusa Street, The Pew Forum On Religion & Public Lifedid a study on Pentecostal churches in 10 nations."
"THE GREAT MIRACLE" "...the Pentecostal church of today. They are spiritually crippled. They are powerless." "It is because the Holy Spirit is not there. He is no longer welcomed or sought after." "HE WAS A BEGGAR" "...a perfect picture of the Pentecostal church of today, begging for the latest church methods" "PETER & JOHN" Mark 16:17 "Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the preacher is nothing more than an empty suit, wasting God's time & the people's time." "LOOK ON US" "...we should be proclaiming to the world that we have the answer to the needs of the human heart." "SILVER & GOLD" "The beggar was looking for money, but money wasn't going to change his problem." "Money is not our greatest need. Jesus Christ is our greatest need. The Word Of Faith people must decide what they want - silver & gold or the power of the Holy Spirit." "BUT SUCH AS I HAVE" "...the power of God." "...what do you have? Is it religion or the power of the Holy Spirit? Works or grace? Celebrate Recovery or God the Holy Spirit?" "IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH" "The name of Jesus is our power of attorney to use against the powers of darkness & the results of the power of darkness. The name of Jesus backed by the power & anointing of the Holy Spirit changes everything." "THE RESULT" "Immediately, his ankle bones received strength, & he began walking, leaping & praising God. This is the power of Pentecost, & this - & only this - is all we need." CHAPTER 15 "THE BENEFITS OF SPEAKING IN OTHER TONGUES" I Corinthians 14:18 "The gift of tongues is an utterance in tongues given in a public meeting that is meant to be interpreted." I Corinthians 14:1 "There is a difference in tongues, as it regards one's own personal prayer language, & the gift of tongues. While every Spirit-filled believer speaks in tongues, not every Spirit-filled believer has the gift of tongues." "WHAT GOOD IS IT?" "1. The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah nearly 800 years before the day of Pentecost (Isaiah 28:11) 2. The last words spoken by our Lord to His disciples ...Acts 1:4 - 5" "Tongues are important & beneficial to every believer."
"BIBLE PROPHECY FULFILLED" "Speaking in tongues is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy." Acts 2:17-18 Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!, by Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 103 - 120. Insights From "Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!" by Donnie Swaggart - Chapter 1312/23/2020 "FOLLOW THE MAN BEARING THE PITCHER OF WATER"
Mark 14:12-16 "The baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues is God's greatest gift to the church." "...one could say that the Spirit is the executive of the Godhead, working in us & on behalf of us." "The infilling of the Holy Spirit is a separate & distinct work of grace afforded to us by & through what Christ did at Calvary." "Without the Holy Spirit, the work that could be done is greatly hindered." "PASSOVER" "...the Passover typified Calvary & our salvation. This tells us that all of the great benefits of Calvary (healing, deliverance, joy, peace, etc.) can only come to us after our conversion & the infilling of the Spirit, for power & service can only come after one has been saved." "During Passover, approximately 250,000 lambs would be offered up in sacrifice. A quart of blood would be drained out of each lamb." "...when Christ, the Lamb of God, died on Calvary, one drop of His blood was enough to atone for all sin - past, present, & future." "When the Passover was observed, the entire lamb was to be eaten, except for some of the inward parts, meaning, you must accept all of Christ & not just the part of Him you desire." "They were to eat the lamb in a reclining or resting position, typifying the rest that comes to man through Christ (Mat. 11:18-30)." "They were to eat the lamb with bitter herbs, meaning, they were never to forget that they were once slaves in Egypt, unable to free themselves. Today, man cannot free himself from sin except through the blood of Christ. Man cannot earn it, buy it, or inherit it. Only through the acceptance of Christ as man's Redeemer can one be free from the bitter slavery of sin." "They would eat the meal with unleavened bread, meaning, there could be no sin in the Passover." "Then they would drink a cup of wine, with the wine representing joy - the joy that comes to man when he knows that all sin has been forgiven & cleansed." "THE MAN BEARING A PITCHER OF WATER" "1. The water is one of the symbols of the Holy Spirit (Ex. 17:6; Ezek. 36:25-27; 47:1; Jn. 3:5; 4:14; 7:38-39). The Holy Spirit is the fountain of Living Water, the purest & the best. The Holy Spirit is a veritable River of Life. As natural water purifies, refreshes & quenches thirst, so the Holy Spirit purifies, refreshes, & quenches our spiritual thirst. As natural water is an indispensable source of physical life, the Holy Spirit is an indispensable element of spiritual life. 2. Men in those days didn't carry water. This was a task reserved for women, thus, a man carrying water would stand out amongst the entire crowd crossing the streets of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit stands out. He cannot be hidden. You can spot a person, work, or a church that is full of the River of Life; they stand out." "It is the will of the Lord that after salvation, the believer go on & be filled with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:1-4." "FOLLOW HIM" "...as believers, we are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Everything we do is to be done in accordance with the guidance & leading of the Holy Spirit." "UPPER ROOM" "'He will show you a large upper room.' This pertains to all we need for life & godliness. Everything is found in the upper room." "FURNISHED" "The room is already furnished; we don't add anything to it. The Holy Spirit knows what we need." "PREPARED" "The large upper room is furnished & prepared by the Holy Spirit & not man, a church, or a denomination, but by the Holy Spirit alone." "So, follow the man bearing a pitcher of water!" Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!, by Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 95 - 102. Insights From "Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!" by Donnie Swaggart - Chapter 1212/21/2020 CHAPTER 10
"...wealth which men get unjustly will do them no good, because God will blast it: Treasures of wickedness profit nothing." "The soul of the righteous shall be kept alive by the word of God, & faith in his promise when young lions shall lack & suffer hunger." "...those who are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, are likely to be rich in faith & rich in good works." "He who gets knowledge & wisdom in the days of his youth gathers in summer, & he will have the comfort & credit of his industry; but he who idles away the days of his youth will bear the shame of his indolence when is old." "Blessed men leave behind them blessed memories." "Bad men are & shall be forgotten, or spoken of with contempt." "He that perverts his ways... shall be made an example of, for warning to others" "Violence covers the mouth of the wicked; what he got by violence shall by violence be taken from him" "Love, instead of proclaiming & aggravating the offence, conceals & extenuates it as far as it is capable of being concealed & extenuated." "Love will cover a multitude of sins." "It is a man's honour to have wisdom, but much more to be instrumental to make others wise." "The things of this world are good or evil, life or death, as they are used, & as those are that have them." "He that refrains his lips, that often checks himself, suppresses what he has thought, & holds in that which would transpire, is a wise man" "Wickedness shortens men's lives, & frustrates their hopes: The years of the wicked, that are spent in the pleasures of sin & the drudgery of the world, shall be shortened." "That joy of the Lord which is to be found only in the way of the Lord, will be our strength (Neh. 8:10), & therefore the righteous shall never be removed." CHAPTER 11 "Integrity & uprightness will preserve men. Psalms 25:21." "It is righteousness only that will deliver from the evil of death." "By the knowledge of God, & the scriptures, & their own hearts shall the lust be delivered from those that lie in wait to deceive, & so to destroy. Romans 16:18, 19." "Righteousness inclines, disposes, & leads the soul to life." "...nothing is more pleasing to God than sincerity & plain-dealing: Such as are upright in their way, such as aim & act with integrity, such as have their conversation in the world in simplicity & godly sincerity" "Men that have any sense of gratitude will return it if there be occasion; the merciful shall find mercy & the kind be kindly dealt with." "When those that take root in the world wither those that are grafted into Christ & partake of his root & fatness shall be fruitful & flourishing." CHAPTER 12 "Those that have grace & love it will delight in all the instructions that are given them by way of counsel, admonition, or reproof by the word or providence of God; they will value a good education, & think it not a hardship, but a happiness, to be under a strict & prudent discipline." "That prosperity which is raised by sin is built on the sand" "Those that by faith are rooted in Christ are firmly fixed; in him their comfort & happiness are so rooted as never to be rooted up." "The best reputation is that which attends virtue..." "What it is that keeps a wise man from being a fool; he is willing to be advised, desires to have counsel given him, & hearkens to counsel" "What is true will always be true; we may abide by it, & need not fear being disproved & put to shame." "The lie will be disproved." "Those that are diligent & honest when they are apprentices will come to be masters" "A good word from God, applied by faith, makes it glad" "In the way of righteousness there is life, & no death, life & immortality." CHAPTER 13 "...those that take pains in the service of God find both the pleasure & profit of it." "Those that are humble & peaceable are wise & well adapted." "He that fears the commandment, that stands in awe of God, pays a deference to his authority, has a reverence for his word, is afraid of displeasing God & incurring the penalties annexed to the commandment, shall not only escape destruction, but shall be rewarded for his godly fear. In keeping the commandment there is great reward." "The service of sin is perfect slavery & the road to hell is strewed with the thorns & thistles that are the products of the curse." "The desire of good men towards the favour of God & spiritual blessings brings that which is sweet to their souls" "Multitudes are brought to ruin by bad company: A companion of fools shall be broken" "Those that feed on the bread of life, that feast on the promises, meet with abundant satisfaction of soul there, eat & are filled." "It is the misery of the wicked that, through the insatiableness of their own desires, they are always needy" "...their sensual appetite is always craving." Matthew Henry's Commentary: Job To Song Of Solomon, Mac Donald, pgs. 842 - 866. Insights From "Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!" by Donnie Swaggart - Chapter 1112/16/2020 "THE REST & THE REFRESHING"
Isaiah 28:12 "The infilling of the Holy Spirit is as life changing to the believer as salvation is to the sinner." "Everything that the Lord does in the world & in our lives is done through the person & office work of the Holy Spirit." "The Holy Spirit is not a thing or an it. He is neither a material nor ethereal substance, nor is He an impersonal force. He is not a quality (of goodness, love, morality, etc.). The Holy Spirit is not an abstract idea, a universal mind, or some vague life-giving force." "The Holy Spirit is a person, a real being who thinks, acts, wills, feels, loves & speaks." "The Holy Spirit is a person, but He is also deity, the third person of the Godhead." "CHARACTERISTICS & ATTRIBUTES" "The Holy Spirit is:
"BENEFITS TO THE BELIEVER"
"OUR EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING" "When Christ died on the Cross... His death... paid the price for our peace of mind." "REST" "This speaks of the tiredness of the journey of life. Satan attacks the mind, filling us with thoughts of hopelessness. The cares of life grow heavier, & we grow weary; however, when we begin to pray in the Spirit, we are brought to a place of rest." "...an oasis in the midst of the desert." "The Holy Spirit is our oasis. It's where we find rest from the troubles of life." "The problems are still there, but we have rest in the midst of them." "THE REFRESHING" "...the refreshing is that aspect of the Holy Spirit that re-energizes & replenishes one for the journey ahead." "The journey of life is too great & difficult for us to endure in our own strength; therefore, we must have the rest & refreshing that comes from the Holy Spirit." Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!, Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 75 - 86. CHAPTER 6
"It is the excellency of the word of God that it teaches us not only divine wisdom for another world, but human prudence for this world, that we may order our affairs with discretion" "See what care God, in his word, has taken to make men good husbands of their estates, & to teach them prudence in the management of them." "...learn wisdom, consider, & be wise; that is the thing we are to aim at in all our learning, not only to be knowing, but to be wise." "We must prepare for hereafter, & not mind the present time only." "Poverty & want will certainly come upon those that are slothful in the service of God" "God hates sin; he hates every sin" "But there are some sins which he does in a special manner hate" "...pride is the first" "God sees the pride in the heart & hates it there" "Falsehood, & fraud..." "God & all good men hate & abhor lying." "Cruelty & blood-thirstiness." "...wisdom to do evil, a heart that designs & a head that devises wicked imaginations." "Vigour & diligence in the prosecution of sin - feet that are swift in running to mischief" "False-witness bearing." "The word of God reveals to us truths of eternal certainty, & is built upon the highest reason." "We must retain the word of God & the good instructions which our parents gave us out of it." "We must make use of the word of God & of the benefit that is designed us by it." "If we govern ourselves by the precepts of the word all day, & make conscience of the duty God has commanded to us, we may shelter ourselves under the promises of the word at night, & take the comfort of the deliverances God does & will command for us." "Those that will be wrought upon by flattery make themselves a very easy prey to the tempter" "He that commits adultery is in the high road to destruction." "The fire of lust kindles the fire of hell." "Stand in awe therefore, & sin not; expose not thyself to all this misery for a moment's sordid pleasure, which will be bitterness in the end." CHAPTER 7 "Where sin was written (Jer. 17:1) let the word of God be written." "We must make the word of God familiar to us, consult it, & consult its honour, & take a pleasure in conversing with it." "Those become an easy prey to Satan, who, when they have arrived to the stature of men, have scarcely the understanding of children." "We must take heed, not only of idle days, but of idle evenings, lest they prove inlets to temptation." "True love is from heaven; this is from hell. How can those pretend to solace themselves & love one another who are really ruining themselves & one another?" "The bird that hastes to the snare looks only at the bait, & promises herself a good bit from that, & considers not that it is for her life. Thus this unthinking unwary young man dreams of nothing but the pleasures he shall have in the embraces of the harlot, while really he is running headlong upon his ruin." "Let reason, & conscience, & the fear of God ruling in the heart, check the inclinations of the sensual appetite." "...the flames of lust, if not quenched by repentance & mortification, will burn to the lowest hell. Therefore stand in awe & sin not." CHAPTER 8 "Wisdom speaks openly; truth seeks no corners, but gladly appeals to the light." "When sinners leave their sins, & become truly... (in covenant-love relationship w/ Jesus Christ), then the simple understand wisdom." "Lying is wickedness, & we should not only refrain from it, but it should be an abomination to us, & as far from what we say as from what God says to us." "Instruction must not only be heard, but received." "We must receive instruction as the main matter, & then be indifferent whether we receive silver or no" "Divine wisdom gives men good heads." "Wherever there is an awe of God there is a dread of sin." "Conceitedness of ourselves, pride & arrogancy, are sins which Christ hates, & so do all those who have the Spirit of Christ" "Where the word of God dwells richly, it makes a man perfect & furnishes him thoroughly for every good word & work." "This is that fruit of wisdom which is better than gold, than fine gold, it leads us in the way of righteousness, shows us that way & goes before us in it, the way that God would have us walk in & which will certainly bring us to our desired end." "In Wisdom's promises believers have goods laid up, not for days & years, but for eternity; her fruit therefore is better than gold." "We must be diligent hearers of the word" "Read the word written, sit under the word preached, bless God for both, & hear him in both speaking to you." "It is not enough to be hearken unto Wisdom's words, but we must keep here ways, do every thing that she prescribes, keep within the hedges of her ways, & not transgress them, keep in the tracks of her ways, proceed & preserve in them." "Those are blessed that watch & wait at Wisdom's gates" "Those that are at variance with Christ are in love with their own ruin." CHAPTER 9 "Heaven is the house which Wisdom has built to entertain all her guests that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb" "Our Saviour came, not to call the righteous but sinners, not the wise in their own eyes, who say the see (John 9:41) but the simple, those who are sensible of their simplicity & ashamed of it, & him that is willing to become a fool, that he may be wise. I Corinthians 3:18." "The first step towards virtue is to shun vice, & therefore to shun the vicious." "It is not enough to forsake the foolish, but we must join ourselves with those that walk in wisdom, & walk in the same spirit & steps." "The word of God is intended, & therefore so is the ministry of that word, for reproof, for correction, & for instruction in righteousness." "It is as great an instance of wisdom to take a reproof well as to give it well" "None must think themselves too wise to learn, nor so good that they need not be better & therefore need not be taught." "The pleasures of prohibited lusts are boasted of as more relishing than those of prescribed love; & dishonest gain is preferred to that which is justly gotten." "Sweetness & pleasantness constitute the bait" "Terrors attend those pleasures like the terrors of death itself." "The depths of Satan are the depths of hell. Remorseless sin is remediless ruin; it is the bottomless pit already." Matthew Henry's Commentary: Job To Song Of Solomon, Mac Donald, pgs. 820 - 842. CHAPTER 2
"We must closely attend to the word of God, for that is the word of wisdom, which is able to make us wise unto salvation." "We must, accordingly, receive the word of God with all readiness of mind, & bid it welcome, even the commandments as well as the promises, without murmuring or disputing." "We must not only receive, but retain, the word of God, & lodge it in our hearts, that it may be always ready to us." "We must cry after knowledge, as one that is ready to perish for hunger begs hard for bread." "We must cry, as new-born babes, after the sincere milk of the word. I Peter 2:2." "The Lord not only is wise himself, but he gives wisdom, & that is more than the wisest men in the world can do" "The same that is the Spirit of revelation in the world is a Spirit of wisdom in the souls of those that are sanctified, that wisdom of the prudent which is to understand his way; & it is sound wisdom, its foundation firm, its principles solid, & its products of lasting advantage." "If we depend upon God, & seek to him for wisdom, he will uphold us in our integrity, will enable us to keep the paths of judgment, however we may be tempted to turn aside out of them" "A principle of grace reigning in the heart will be a powerful preservative both against corruptions within & temptations without. Ecclesiastes 9:16, 18." "The ways of sin are ways of darkness, uncomfortable & unsafe; what fools are those that leave the plain, pleasant lightsome paths of uprightness, to walk in those ways! Psalms 82:5; I John 2:11." "Those that live in forbidden pleasures are dead while they live. Let discretion preserve every man, not only from the evil woman, but from the evil house, for the house inclines to death; it is in the road that leads directly to eternal death" "Wisdom will keep thee from being captivated by the carnal mind, & from subjecting the spirit to the dominion of the flesh, that notorious adulteress which forsakes its guide, violates the covenant of our God, which inclines to death, & which, when it has got an undisturbed dominion, makes the case of the soul desperate." "We must avoid the way of the evil man, & the strange woman, in order that we may walk in good ways; we must cease to do evil, in order that we may learn to do well." CHAPTER 3 "We must have a continual regard to God's precepts" "Not only our heads, but our hearts, must keep God's commandments" "We must have a continual regard to God's promises" "We must have a continual regard to God's providence, must own & depend upon it in all our affairs, both by faith & prayer." "...we must believe that he is able to do what he will, wise to do what is best, & good, according to his promise, to do what is best for us, if we love him, & serve him." "Our eye must be ever towards God; to him we must, in every thing make our requests known." "Those that put themselves under a divine guidance shall always have the benefit of it." "To fear the Lord, so as to depart from evil, is true wisdom & understanding" "...the more God gives us the more we should study to honour him." "Those that do good with what they have shall have more to do good with." "...giving for God's honour will make us rich. Hag. 2:19." "True wisdom consists in the due discharge of our duty towards man, as well as towards God, in honesty as well as piety" "When accounts are balanced, it will be found there is little got by striving." "We must not envy the prosperity of evil-doers." "Sinners are under the curse of God, they & their houses; saints are under his blessing, they & their habitation" "The end of sinners will be everlasting shame, the end of saints endless honour." "Sinners are fools, for they are not only preparing disgrace for themselves, but at the same time flattering themselves with a prospect of honour" CHAPTER 4 "Let all young people, in the days of their childhood & youth, take pains to get knowledge & grace, for that is their learning age, & then their minds are formed & seasoned." "Let all that would receive instruction come with the disposition of children, though they be grown persons. Let all prejudices be laid aside & the mind be as white paper." "...if we must keep to the good old way, why should we scorn the good old words? Jeremiah 6:16." "Be sure to mind that branch of wisdom which is the top branch of it, & that is the fear of God." "Wait at wisdom's gate. Proverbs 8:34." "True wisdom is God's gift." "Those that have got this wisdom must take heed of losing it again by returning to folly" "In honouring those that fear the Lord, though they are low in the world, & in regarding a poor, wise man, we exalt wisdom." "Love wisdom, & cleave to her, & she shall preserve thee, she shall keep thee from sin, the worst of evils, the worst of enemies; she shall keep thee from hurting thyself, & then none else can hurt thee." "Those that make God's word their rule shall walk at liberty, & be at ease in themselves." "For fear of falling into wicked courses, we must shun wicked company." "...it is our wisdom to keep close to the path of the just." "What sure guide have those that cast God's word behind them?" "There is in the word of God a proper remedy for all our spiritual maladies." "Out of a heart well kept will flow living issues, good products, to the glory of God & the edification of others." "We must act with steadiness, caution, & consistency: 'Let all thy ways be established'" "Those that would approve themselves wise must always be watchful." CHAPTER 5 "...uncleanness is a sin that does as much as any thing blind the understanding, sear the conscience, & keep people from pondering the path of life." "Those that would be kept from harm must keep out of harm's way." "If we thrust ourselves into temptation, we mocked God when we prayed, Lead us not into temptation." "Those years that should be given to the honour of a gracious God are spend in the service of a cruel sin." "Let him that is married take delight in his wife, & let him be very fond of her, not only because she is the wife that he himself has chosen & he ought to be pleased with his own choice, but because she is the wife that God in his providence appointed for him & he ought much more to be pleased with the divine appointment." "If the dictates of reason may be heard, the laws of virtue will be obeyed." "Those that are so foolish as to choose the way of sin are justly left of God to themselves to go in it till they come to that destruction which it leads to, which is a good reason why we should guard with watchfulness & resolution against the allurements of the sensual appetite." Matthew Henry's Commentary: Job To Song Of Solomon, Mac Donald, pgs. 798 - 820. "Those are truly wise, & none but those, who are universally conscientious; & the design of the scripture is to teach us that wisdom, justice in the duties of the first table, judgment in those of the second table, & equity (that is sincerity) in both; so some distinguish them."
"...if young people will but take heed to their ways according to Solomon's proverbs, they will soon gain the knowledge & discretion of the ancients." "This book will not only make the foolish & bad wise & good, but the wise & good wiser & better" "Even wise men must hear, & not think themselves too wise to learn." "A wise man, by increasing in learning, is not only profitable to himself, but to others also." "Industry is the way to honour; & those whom God has blessed with wisdom must study to do good with it, according as their sphere is." "Fools (atheists, who have no regard to God) despise wisdom & instruction; having no dread at all of God's wrath, nor any desire of his favour, they will not give you thanks for telling them what they may do to escape his wrath & obtain his favour." "Those are fools who do not fear God & value the scriptures" "Those are truly valuable, & shall be valued, who value themselves more by their virtue & piety than by their worldly wealth & dignity." "It is the ruining mistake of thousands that they over-value the wealth of this world & look on it as precious substance." "The way of sin is down-hill; men not only cannot stop themselves, but, the longer they continue in it, the faster they run, & make haste in it." "Christ himself is Wisdom, is Wisdoms, for in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom & knowledge, & he is the centre of all divine revelation, not only the essential Wisdom, but the eternal Word, by whom God speaks to us & to whom he has committed all judgment" "We do not make a right use of the reproofs that are given us for that which is evil if we do not turn from it to that which is good; for for this end the reproof was given. Turn, that is, return to your right mind, turn to God, turn to your duty, turn & live." "Those are marked for ruin that are deaf to reproof & good counsel." "Those who do not choose the fear of the Lord show that they have no knowledge." "Those that perish must thank themselves, & can lay no blame upon any other." "Would we be safe from evil, & quiet from the fear of it? Let... (covenant-love relationship w/ God) ...always rule us & the word of God be our counsellor. That is the way to dwell safely in this world, & to be quiet from the fear of evil in the other world." Matthew Henry's Commentary: Job To Song Of Solomon, Mac Donald, pgs. 791 - 798. CHAPTER 148
"...there is above us a world of blessed angels by whom God is praised, an innumerable company of them." "All the creatures that praised God at first for their creation must praise him still for their continuance." "Those that will not fulfill God's word, but rise up in rebellion against it, show themselves to be more violent & head-strong than even the stormy winds, for they fulfil it." "It is the greatest honour that can be put upon a man to be brought near to God, the nearer the better; & it will be best of all when nearest of all in the kingdom of glory." CHAPTER 149 "The saints must praise God, saints in profession, saints in power, for this is the intention of their sanctification; they are devoted to the glory of God, & renewed by the grace of God, that they may be unto him for a name & a praise." "Our praises of God should flow from a heart filled with delight & triumph in God's attributes, & our relation to him." "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, & then, in a holy zeal for his honour, let them take a two-edged sword in their hand to fight his battles against the enemies of his kingdom." "...let them praise the Lord, & continue Christ's faithful servants & soldiers to the end of their lives." CHAPTER 150 "Where should he be praised, but there where he does, in a special manner, both manifest his glory & communicate his grace?" We must praise the Lord "...for all the instances of his might, the power of his providence, the power of his grace, what he has done in the creation, government, & redemption of the world, for the children of men in general, for his own church & children in particular." "...since he is greater than we can express or conceive, we must raise our conceptions & expressions to the highest degree we can attain to. Be not afraid of saying too much in the praises of God, as we often do in praising even great & good men." "...all the danger is of saying too little; & therefore, when we have done our utmost, we must own that though we have praised him in consideration of, yet not in proportion to, his excellent greatness." "Praise God, with a strong faith; praise him with holy love & delight; praise him with an entire confidence in Christ; praise him with a believing triumph over the powers of darkness; praise him with an earnest desire towards him & a full satisfaction in him; praise him by a universal respect to all his commands; praise him by a cheerful submission to all his disposals; praise him by rejoicing in his love & solacing yourselves in his great goodness; praise him by promoting the interests of the kingdom of his grace; praise him by a lively hope & expectation of the kingdom of his glory." "What have we our breath, our spirit, for, but to spend it in praising God, & how can we spend it better?" "Having breath, let the praises of God perfume our breath" Matthew Henry's Commentary: Job To Song Of Solomon, Mac Donald, pgs. 782 - 789. |
AuthorCross Preaching Pentecostal Pastor. Husband to Tonia, Father to 3 beautiful girls, Monica, Zoe & Briana, & Grandfather to Wesley & Elliott Archives
September 2023
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