Friends of India Ministries

A Promise for You! "I will make with them an everlasting covenant that I will not turn away from doing good to them ... I will rejoice in doing good to them" (Jeremiah 32:40, 41). This is one of those promises of God that I come back to again and again when I get discouraged (yes, that happens to pastors). Can you think of any fact more encouraging than that God rejoices to do you good? He doesn't begrudgingly fulfill His promise (Romans 8:28). It is His joy to do you good.... And not just sometimes. Always! "I will not turn away from doing good to them." But sometimes our situation is so hard to bear we just can't muster any joy. When that happens to me I try to imitate Abraham: "In hope he believed against hope" (Romans 4:18). God has always been faithful to guard that little spark of faith for me and eventually (not right away) to fan it into a flame of happiness and full confidence. O how glad I am that the thing that makes Almighty God happiest is doing good for you and me! Resting in the Promise,

One of the greatest helps in feeling hopeful is to know God wants us to feel hopeful. It is small comfort to believe some people are saved but not to know if we are included. My own heart has been so gladdened recently by the assurance of my own salvation that I want you all to share this with me. Beloved in our dearest Lord, you are those worthies ‘of whom this world is not worthy,’ Hebrews 11:38. You are the princes ‘that prevail with God,’ Genesis 32:28. You are those ‘exc...ellent ones’ in whom is all Christ’s delight, Psalm 16:3. You are his glory. You are his picked, culled, prime instruments which he will make use of to carry on his best and greatest work against his worst and greatest enemies in these latter days. The statement that moved me most recently is Hebrews 6:17, When God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise It hit me so powerfully. It was so fresh, so needed, so precious. Namely, that God desires to show us convincingly that his saving purposes for us are unshakable. God wants me to enjoy the security of his good plans for me. So many religions (and even some brands of Christianity) say, Yes, God saves people. But no, you can’t be sure if you are included. You can’t be sure your works are good enough or your faith is strong enough. This is deadly. And it is wrong. God has done and said so much to give his people assurance and security, it is an assault on his integrity to say that we can’t have it. 1 John 5:13 - I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 2 Corinthians 5:1, 5 - We know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavensHe who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. Hebrews 10:21, 23 - Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faithLet us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. Brooks tells the story of Alexander the Great, who gave away his gold when he went on a hopeful expedition. When asked why, he said, For the hope of greater and better things. The same with us. If we are confident of greater and better things, we will have the freedom to live radically for Jesus. Anchored in God,

"Lest You Be Hardened" Hebrews 3:13 Your thoughts, your words, your ways Are high,... So far above my place That I Sometimes perceive your broad Daylight Your brilliant blue, your sun As night. You love me with some shock, A threat. Am I then in the dock, In debt? You answer, "No, you're blest. It's my Alert, my kindness, lest You die." I see. Then, Lord, invoke Your Dove. Cause me to feel this stroke As love. Come, teach my heart in this To rest, To savor and to kiss This lest. by John Piper

Is there a word to help us feel the weight of Adam's fall? All. How heavy will this burden weigh,... (Spare not!) on those who fell? Hell. O Lord, so great this forfeiture! Was there sufficient reason? Treason. Then whence could any traitor hope before your burning face? Grace But surely that will cost beyond our wage. How is it priced? Christ. Entirely paid? By him? O God, and is that gift for me? Free. I would receive this gift, O Lord! How soon would you allow? Now.