GRATITUDE

Dean Swift thought ill of the education given him by a charitable uncle. "Yes," he once said when asked if his uncle had not educated him, "he gave me the education of a dog."

"And you," replied his interlocutor, "have not the gratitude of a dog."

- (moreillustrations.com)

“It is easy to be grateful for a bonus; it is character to be grateful for a salary.” -  Jack Hyles.

1 Sam 12:24 (GW): “Fear the Lord, and serve him sincerely. Consider the great things he did for you.”

“Thou who has given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart.” -  George Herbert.

HAPPINESS

It has been said that Happiness consists of three things:- 

i.              Something to love.

ii.             Something to do.

iii.            Something to hope for. 

For the believer, Christ is the One he loves; His service is the something he has to do: and His approval & eternal companionship is what he hopes for.

- Scripture Truth (moreillustrations.com)

Ps 112:1 (GNT): “Praise the Lord! Happy is the person who honors the Lord, who takes pleasure in obeying his commands.”

“No man should desire to be happy who is not at the same time holy. He should spend his efforts in seeking to know and do the will of God, leaving to Christ the matter of how happy he should be.” -  A.W. Tozer.

“If man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?” -  Blaise Pascal.

CONSECRATION

“Will you please tell me in a word,” said a Christian woman to a minister, “what your idea of consecration is?”

Holding out a blank sheet of paper the pastor replied:

“It is to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet, and to let God fill it in as He will.”

- (ministry127.com)

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.” (Josh 3:5 CSB)

“It does not take great men to do great things; it only takes consecrated men.” -  Phillips Brooks.

“The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.” -  Billy Graham.

FREEDOM & LIFE

Many young people starting out in life believe that freedom means the right to do the things that they want to do, regardless of whether or not that right interferes with the rights & comforts of others.

They mistake license for freedom; they are spiritually nearsighted. They want to be free to see life. This is a noble desire, but it is too often misunderstood & turned in the wrong direction.

They should know that living does not consist in the dissipation of life but in the conservation of life.

-You Magazine (moreillustrations.com)

“Do you find life too difficult for you? So did we, but not now, with the amplitudes of grace there are for us in Jesus Christ, it grows satisfying and successful and exciting beyond measure, becomes another and a richer thing.” -  A.J. Gossip.

Ecc 12:13- 14 (GNT): “After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.  God is going to judge everything we do, whether good or bad, even things done in secret.”

THE SPIRIT BEFORE & AFTER PENTECOST

Now let me suggest an analogy to illustrate the experience of the Spirit before & after Pentecost. 

Picture a huge dam for hydroelectric power under construction, like the Aswan High Dam on the Nile, 375 feet high & 11,000 feet across. Egypt's President announced the plan for construction in 1953. The dam was completed in 1970 & in 1971 there was a grand dedication ceremony & the 12 turbines with their ten billion kilowatt-hour capacity were unleashed with enough power to light every city in Egypt.

During the long period of construction, the Nile River wasn't completely stopped. Even as the reservoir was filling, part of the river was allowed to flow past. The country folk downstream depended on it. They drank it, washed in it, watered their crops & turned their mill-wheels. It was their life. But on the day when the reservoir poured through the turbines, a power was unleashed that brought possibilities they had only dreamed of.

Well, Pentecost is like the opening of the Aswan High Dam. Before Pentecost, the river of God's Spirit blessed the people of Israel & was their very life. But after Pentecost, the power of the Spirit spread out to light the whole world. None of the benefits enjoyed in the pre-Pentecostal days were taken away. But much more than ten billion kilowatts were added to enable the church to take the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ to every tongue & tribe & nation.

- John Piper (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com)

Ep 5:18 (NLT): “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

LAZINESS & BACKSLIDING

An old mountaineer & his wife were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening taking life easy.

After a long silence, the wife said: "Jed, I think it's raining. Why don't you get up & go outside & see?"

The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire for a while, sighed & then said, "Aw, Ma, why don't we just call in the dog & see if he's wet."

That's what you call the height of laziness. And I wouldn't want to say that we are downright lazy, but we all have a lazy streak in us.

And laziness is a faith killer.

If you're too lazy to open & read your Bible...

If you're too lazy to pray & be thankful to God...

If you're too lazy to memorize & meditate scriptures...

Read this: You Are In A Big Trouble!

Laziness is a good indicator that you're slipping away from the hands of God.

- (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com)

“Taking it easy is often the prelude to backsliding.” -  Vance Havner.

Heb 6:12 (GNT): “We do not want you to become lazy, but to be like those who believe and are patient, and so receive what God has promised.”

HONESTY

A Chinese who had newly come to the faith, was being tempted by one of his countrymen to cheat. Upon his refusal, his tempter asked why.

"Because three will know that I cheated," replied the native Christian. "You will know, I will know & Heaven will know."

And this applies to all lands. All things are naked & open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do

- (moreillustrations.com)

2 Chro 16:9 (GNT): “The Lord keeps close watch over the whole world, to give strength to those whose hearts are loyal to him.”

“More depends on my walk than talk.” -  D.L. Moody.