December

Are You Prepared to Meet Your God?

12-31-18

Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 215

When he pastored the Methodist church in Scarborough, William Sangster had an eccentric member who tried to be a zealous Christian. Unfortunately, the man was mentally deficient and usually did the wrong thing.

While working as a barber the man lathered up a customer for a shave, came at him with the poised razor, and asked, "Are you prepared to meet your God?" The frightened man fled with the lather on his face!

“Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”

Amos 4:12

As Israel was warned by the Lord, He so instructs us to be ready to meet Him. We, who belong to the Lord Jesus, daily need to walk in close fellowship with Him, loving Him with our entire being (Mathew 22:37), and allowing Him to give us His strength to serve and obey in every area of our lives to the praise of His glory because we will stand before Him to give an account of our service for Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9-16). We want to bear much fruit to the praise of His glory!

We need to be tactful (not like the man above) and lovingly share the Gospel with those who do not know the Lord.

If you do not belong to Him, come to the Lord Jesus NOW! If you reject Him you will not only go to hell (hades) when you die but you will also be sentenced at the Great White Throne Judgment and be cast into the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:14-15). The Lord Jesus wants to be your Lord and Savior!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

A Plea for Fishing

12-28-18

Darrell W. Robinson, People Sharing Jesus, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), pp. 21-23

Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.

Week after week, month after month, and year after year, these who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.

Continually, they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing. Further they said, "The fishing industry exists by fishing as fire exists by burning." They loved slogans such as "Fishing is the task of every fisherman." They sponsored special meetings called "Fishermen's Campaigns" and "The Month for Fishermen to Fish." They sponsored costly nationwide and world-wide congresses to discuss fishing and to promote fishing and hear about all the ways of fishing such as the new fishing equipment, fish calls, and whether any new bait had been discovered.

These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called "Fishing Headquarters." The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however: They didn't fish.

In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.

Large, elaborate, and expensive training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, where to find fish, the psychological reactions of fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. Year after year, after tedious training, many were graduated and were given fishing licenses. They were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters which were filled with fish.

Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded. They were commissioned and sent to fish. But like the fishermen back home, they never fished. Like the fishermen back home, they engaged in all kinds of other occupations. They built power plants to pump water for fish and tractors to plow new waterways. They made all kinds of equipment to travel here and there to look at fish hatcheries. Some also said that they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt called to furnish fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen. Others felt that simply letting the fish know they were nice, land-loving neighbors and how loving and kind they were was enough.

After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity for Fishing," one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fishermen's General Board as a person having considerable experience.

Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen yet never fished. They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men?"

Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don't catch fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if, year after year, he never catches a fish? Is one following if he isn't fishing?

“And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:19

Are you daily walking close to the Lord and allowing Him to make you an effective fisher of men?

If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW! “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” – Romans 10:13.

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

The Tragedy of Indiscipline

12-26-18

Wm. Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, p. 280

Coleridge is the supreme example of tragedy of indiscipline. Never did so great a mind produce so little. He left Cambridge University to join the army; he left the army because he could not rub down a horse; he returned to Oxford and left without a degree. He began a paper called "The Watchman" which lived for ten numbers and then died. It has been said of him, "he lost himself in visions of work to be done, that always remained to be done.

Coleridge had every poetic gift but one&md;the gift of sustained and concentrated effort." In his head and in his mind he had all kinds of books, as he said, "completed save for transcription." But the books were never composed outside of Coleridge's mind, because he would not face the discipline of sitting down to write them out. No one ever reached any eminence, and no one having reached it ever maintained it, without discipline.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear (timidity or cowardice); but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (sound judgment and personal discipline, a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].”

2 Timothy 1:7

The Fruit of the Spirit is “temperance” (Galatians 5:23), “discipline, self-control.” If we, who belong to the Lord Jesus are going to produce super abundant fruit (John 15:8,16) to the praise of His glory, we must submit daily to the Lordship of Christ and the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). We need His control in order to live out the character of our Lord and Savior (Galatians 5:22-23) and to be the disciplined people we must be to honor the Lord Jesus in every area of our lives.

If He is not your Lord and Savior, repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and surrender you life to Him NOW, while you can!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insight

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Paderewsky

12-22-18

Today in the Word, August 3, 1993

When Polish pianist Ignace Jan Paderewsky played before Queen Victoria, he won her enthusiastic approval. "Mr. Paderewsky," she exclaimed, "you are a genius."

Paderewsky shook his head. "Perhaps, Your Majesty, but before that I was a drudge," he replied, alluding to the number of hours he spent practicing every day.

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit…..But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”

1 Corinthians 12:4,7

Every born-again child of God has natural talents and at least one spiritual gift. It is their responsibility to daily submit to the Lordship of Christ and the control of the Holy Spirit and continually develop those talents and spiritual gifts so that they will glorify their Lord and Savior in every area their life. We need to be the best we can to bring praise and honor to His name. Are you daily enjoying an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

If you have not repented of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

Careless Living

12-19-18

A. S. Tozer in Men Who Met God

We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician's instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not "disciplined"?

“But I keep under my body (discipline my body) and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (become disqualified).”

1 Corinthians 9:27

There is much careless living among born-again Christians today. In order to be effective in reaching lost people for Christ, we need to be disciplined regarding our…

- Time so that we do not waste it and make good use of the time we have to serve our Lord.

- Bodies that we remain as healthy as possible to serve Him.

- Finances and possessions so that they are invested in reaching the lost for Him and in the building up of fellow believers in the faith.

- Our actions that we do not live sinfully but righteously so that Christ is seen in every area of our lives.

- Our attitudes that they are Christlike and glorify Him.

If we are going to live disciplined lives, we must daily submit to the Lordship of Christ and the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23).

If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW, before it’s too late!

“ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23.

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

Dying Honorably

12-17-18

Our Daily Bread, January 28, 1995

Robert Louis Dabney was an outstanding Presbyterian theologian during the mid-19th century. He served as a minister, as a chaplain, as chief of staff to General Stonewall Jackson, and as a seminary professor. He also helped establish a seminary in Austin, Texas.

As he aged, Dabney began to worry about his impending death, and he expressed his fears in a letter to a former student and theologian, C.R. Vaughan. Dabney wondered about his ability to die honorably and to hold on to his Christian faith.

Vaughan replied: "Dear friend, let me advise you now as you often have me. If you were about to cross a deep chasm, and there were a bridge over it, would you stand there looking in at yourself, wondering if you trusted enough in bridges to be able to cross? Or would you not rather go and examine the beams and timbers of the bridge and the quality of its construction, and determine whether the bridge were trustworthy, and then pass over it in confidence? Our faith is in Christ; spend yourself focusing on Him and His sufficiency, rather than on yourself."

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Yes, the born-again child of God can die fearlessly and confidently because they know that the Lord Jesus has bought them with His precious blood and that they are His; that He is looking forward to the day when they will be with Him (John 17:24). They car rest in the arms of their Lord and Savior every day all the way to glory!

If you cannot say that because Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, delay no longer! Come to Him NOW, while you still can”

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Confederate Soldier

12-15-18

Anonymous Confederate soldier;1861-65/ died in battle in the War Between the States

A young soldier, while dying very happily, broke out in singing the following stanza: "Great Jehovah, we adore thee, God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, joined in glory on the same eternal throne: Endless praised to Jehovah, three in one." The chaplain then asked if he had any message to send his friends. "Yes," said he. "Tell my father that I have tried to eat my meals with thanksgiving." "Tell him that Christ is now all my hope, all my trust, and that he is precious to my soul." "Tell him that I am not afraid to die; all is calm" "Tell him that I believe Christ will take me to himself, and to my dear sister who is in heaven."

The voice of the dying boy faltered in the intervals between these precious sentences. When the hymn commencing, "Nearer, my God to thee," was read to him, at the end of each stanza he exclaimed, with striking energy, "Oh Lord Jesus, thou are coming nearer to me." Also at the end of each stanza of the hymn (which was also read to him) commencing, "Just as I am; without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bid'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come," he exclaimed, "I Come! O Lamb of God, I Come!" Speaking again of his friends, he said, "Tell my father that I died happy."

His last words were, "Father, I'm coming to thee!" Then the Christian soldier sweetly and calmly "fell asleep in Jesus."

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” - John 14:6

Yes, the person who has trusted Christ and Him alone to be their Lord and Savior possesses the knowledge that their sins are forgiven and that they have the gift of eternal life and home with their Lord and Savior!

If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, daily seek to share the truth of the gospel with those who do not belong to Him so that they can have the opportunity to know Him as their Lord and Savior.

If you do not belong to Him, come to Him NOW while you can!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Burial of an Emperor

12-13-18

One World, May, 1982

Peter Kreeft tells us that in the Latin rite for the burial of an Austrian emperor, the people carry the corpse to the door of the great monastic church. They strike the door and say: "Open." The abbot inside says: "Who is there?" "Emperor Karl, the king of ..." The response from inside: "We know of no such person here." So the people strike the door again. "Who is there?" asks the abbot. "Emperor Karl." "We know of no such person here." So they strike a third time. "Who is there?" asks the abbot again. "Karl," say the people. And the door is opened.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10: 13

There is no respect of persons with our Lord. Whether a person is a king or a homeless person, there is only one way to Heaven for all and that is by repenting of our sins (Luke 13:3,5) and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you have not done so, come to Him NOW, while you can!

If He is your Lord and Savior, you have the awesome privilege and responsibility of being His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). As Him everyday to make your heart sensitive to the needs and people that you come in contact and share the glorious news of salvation in Christ with them in every way possible, verbally, literature-wise, etc. The eternal destiny of souls is at stake and we must not be negligent in our responsibility!

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

2 Corinthians 5:20

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

If You Want to Kill the Church

12-11-18

Source unknown

Never go to your church or meetings held there. If you do go, be late, it's no one's affair. If the weather is bad, either too hot or snowing, just stay home and rest, for there'll be others going.

But should you attend, be sure and remember to find fault with the work, each official and member. Be sure to hold back on your offerings and tithes, The bills will be paid by the rest of the guys.

And never take office if offered the post, but eagerly criticize work of the host. If not on a committee you're placed, be sore! If you find that you are, don't attend any more.

When asked your opinion on this thing or that, have nothing to say, just turn them down flat. Then after the meeting, shine out like the sun by telling the folks how it should have been done.

Don't do any more than you possibly can, Leave the work for some other woman or man. And when you see faithful ones work themselves sick, then stand up and holler, "It's run by a clique!"

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

Hebrews 6:10

If you have been saved by the matchless grace of God, you ought to be so thankful for all that the Lord Jesus has done to give you the forgiveness of all your sins and the gift of eternal life the you will passionate love Him, His Word and His work. You ought to do everything possible to keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3) in your church and serve Him in every way that the Lord Jesus has gifted you. You should be eagerly helping fellow Christians to grow up in Him (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) and to reach as many as possible with the gospel so that they can come to know Him as their Lord and Savior (2 Corinthians 5:20).

If you do not belong to the Lord Jesus, come to Him NOW!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23.

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

To Be Like Christ

12-09-18

Source unknown

When the wife of missionary Adoniram Judson told him that a newspaper article likened him to some of the apostles, Judson replied, "I do not want to be like a Paul or any mere man. I want to be like Christ. I want to follow Him only, copy His teachings, drink in His Spirit, and place my feet in His footprints. Oh, to be more like Christ!"

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30

The words in our text were spoken by John the Baptist. We should not be striving to be like the fellow Christian we admire the most but, rather, we should have a consuming desire to grow and become more and more like our Lord and Savior. If everyday we are surrendered to His Lordship and the control of the Holy Spirit, we will be more like Him in all the areas of our lives: in our attitudes, actions, the way we do our work, our relationships, etc.

The more we become like the Lord Jesus, the more effective witness we will have to those we desire to lead to salvation in Him. Also, we will be more effective in our ministry of discipleship with fellow believers.

If you do not have the desire to be like Him because He us not your Lord and Savior, repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and surrender you life to Him NOW, before it is too late.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23.

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Jesus is Going to Win

12-07-18

Morning Glory, January 4, 1994, p. 9

Vernon Grounds writes, "A friend told me of an incident that happened while he was in seminary. Since the school had no gymnasium, he and his friends played basketball in a nearby public school.

Nearby, an elderly janitor waited patiently until the finished playing. Invariably he sat there reading his Bible. One day my friend asked him what he was reading. The man answered, The book of Revelation.' Surprised, my friend asked if he understood it. Oh, yes,' the man assured him, I understand it!' What does it mean?' Quietly the janitor answered, It means that Jesus is gonna win.'"

Grounds concludes, "That's the best commentary I have ever heard on that book. Jesus is going to win. That's the biblical mind-set."

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20

Yes, the Lord Jesus will bring an end to all evil and dispense the final judgment. We, who belong to Him, know that in our daily lives now that He is sovereign and wins in every situation, taking care of us all the way to our Heavenly Home with Him. What a confidence we possess because He is our Lord and Savior!

If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW! Repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and receive Him as your Lord and Savior before it is too late!

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

1 John 5:12

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Second Coming

12-04-18

Source unknown

After church, where she had been taught about the Second Coming, a little girl was quizzing her mother.

"Mommy, do you believe Jesus will come back?"

"Yes."

"Today?"

"Yes."

"In a few minutes?"

"Yes, dear."

"Mommy, would you comb my hair?"

Don Hussong

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” - 1 John 3:2-3

Many who belong to the Lord Jesus say that they believe He is coming back as promised but they certainly do not live as though they believe it. If they truly believe it, their attitudes and actions would reveal it. They would want to be like the little girl. They would want to make sure that they are pleasing Him in all areas of their lives. Are you doing so?

If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW! “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” – Romans 10:13.

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Paderewski

12-01-18

Source unknown

On one occasion the great Paderewski came to London for a piano concert. Joseph Parker, a former pastor of City Temple in London, and an accomplished musician himself, went to hear him play. The minister was so moved by what he heard that he did a very strange thing when he returned home. Standing by his piano, he called to his wife, "Bring me an ax! Today I heard great music for the first time. By comparison, what I can do amounts to nothing at all. I feel like chopping my piano to pieces."

Although Parker did not follow through with this threat, he realized that he could never be a Paderewski by simply following his example. To do so, he would need Paderewski's hands; yes, the very soul of the great musician.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,”

Ephesians 3:17

The person who has received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior has Christ living in them; they possess the very soul, character of Christ and His strength to be everything He wants them to be and to do everything He wants them to do to the praise of His glory! Therefore, there is no excuse for failing to produce abundant fruit for Him.

If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW! Repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and surrender your life to Him!

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” – Romans 10:13.

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!