“Behold, he prayeth.“ – Acts 9:11

Some folks get so discouraged that they despair to the point that it seems useless to even pray – so they don’t. They neglect the one thing they need the most. If that describes you please consider these wise words from the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven. The moment Saul began to pray the Lord heard him. Here is comfort for the distressed but praying soul. Oftentimes a poor broken-hearted one bends his knee, but can only utter his wailing in the language of sighs and tears; yet that groan has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music; that tear has been caught by God and treasured in the lachrymatory of heaven. “Thou puttest my tears into thy bottle,” implies that they are caught as they flow. The suppliant, whose fears prevent his words, will be well understood by the Most High. He may only look up with misty eye; but “prayer is the falling of a tear.” Tears are the diamonds of heaven; sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah—s court, and are numbered with “the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high.” Think not that your prayer, however weak or trembling, will be unregarded. Jacob—s ladder is lofty, but our prayers shall lean upon the Angel of the covenant and so climb its starry rounds. Our God not only hears prayer but also loves to hear it. “He forgetteth not the cry of the humble.” True, He regards not high looks and lofty words; He cares not for the pomp and pageantry of kings; He listens not to the swell of martial music; He regards not the triumph and pride of man; but wherever there is a heart big with sorrow, or a lip quivering with agony, or a deep groan, or a penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open; He marks it down in the registry of His memory; He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up therefrom.

“Faith asks no signal from the skies, To show that prayers accepted rise, Our Priest is in His holy place, And answers from the throne of grace.

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”- Rev. 3:15-16

In his book, Paths to Power, A.W. Tozer commented on the spiritual condition of the church, “To any casual observer of the religious scene today, two things will at once be evident: one, that there is very little sense of sin among the unsaved, and two, that the average professed Christian lives a life so worldly and careless that it is difficult to distinguish him from the unconverted man.” This statement was published in the 1940’s…I wonder what Tozer would think of the church in this new millennium? The truth is, what really matters is what God thinks.

Apathy is a cancer, not only to the body as a whole, but to every member that makes it up. Cancer typically begins in one isolated area, but is not confined there. It spreads, it grows, it takes over.  Before long, if left unattended, it shuts down the entire operation.  The truth is, whatever is wrong in the body, it is the result of something being wrong in the parts first. And it doesn’t matter who you are or how healthy you are, anyone can get it. Like cancer, apathy can kill the strongest of Christians.

More than any other group in the world, believers must safeguard themselves from this plague of indifference.  I believe one of the reasons so few people come to Christ in these last days is because they are afraid they will end up like those who confess to know Him. As Tozer said, the average Christian lives in such a way that it is difficult to distinguish him from the unconverted man.  If an individual confesses Christ and does not emanate joy, gladness, hope, and the such, then that individual is either unconverted or unmoved by the deep things of God. – copied

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried,,,” – Psalm 18:30

Here is one of the great understatements of the Bible: the word of the LORD is tried.

God’s people, for thousands of years, have cast their lives into the mold of God’s Word. They have married, invested, raised children, decided careers, and set their ambitions according to the Word of God. They have found in the Bible their comfort in times of loss, their direction in times of change, and their joy in times of prosperity.

God’s Word has been tried, tested, scrutinized, and relied upon by Christians throughout the ages. And, just as David testified, they have found it more than sufficient for their every need. They have discovered, in every generation and in every imaginable circumstance, that God’s Word truly is perfect.

His counsel is always wise, his history is always accurate, his lessons are always true, and his commands are always relevant. God’s way is perfect.

But David was not merely making an observation or teaching an academic lesson; David’s point is that because God’s Word has been tried and tested by millions of saints through the centuries, and has been found perfect, each of us should therefore build our lives on this tried and sure foundation.

Who do you look to for direction and for advice? Do you trust popular opinion, or well-meaning friends, to help you make decisions and find meaning in life? Or do you go to God’s perfect Word over and over again, for counsel in every area of life?

The Word of the Lord is tried, it is proven, it is sure — but have you tried it? – Baptist Bible Hour

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” – Luke 12:13-15

I read about a pilot who always looked down intently on a certain valley in the Appalachians when the plane passed overhead. One day his co-pilot asked, “What’s so interesting about that spot?” The pilot replied, “See that stream? Well, when I was a kid I used to sit down there on a log and fish. Every time an airplane flew over, I would look up and wish I were flying… Now I look down and wish I were fishing.”

An ancient philosopher said that if all of the troubles in the world were placed in one pile so that everyone could see what burdens others bore, each person, given the choice, would take home the same problems with which he arrived.

It is always tempting to think that others have it better than we do, and that if we just had “a little more” everything would be fine. But contentment cannot be achieved by increasing possessions. Nothing will ever be enough.

Covetousness—a driving desire for more and more and more—is a snare that leads many people away from the truth. In fact Paul wrote that covetousness “is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). When we are not content with what God has given us, we are placing something else on the throne of our heart. While we are too sophisticated to carve idols of wood or stone and bow to them, many in our society worship cars, homes, bank accounts, and clothing. This false worship leads inevitably to disappointment and often to ruin. Rather than wishing for what you don’t have, give thanks for what you do have, and covetousness will not take root in your heart.(Daily in the Word)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. – 2 Timothy 2:1-4

I often find notes in my drafts that I saved without always recording the source. But, regardless of the author the truth bears repeating. That’s especially true in a matter so important as living so as to please God.

There are many reasons that motivate service to God, but the most important one is a desire to acknowledge the love He has shown to us by acting in ways that please Him. Paul’s life was transformed by meeting Jesus Christ, and the man who had led the persecution of believers became the greatest missionary of the early church. But Paul’s new life was not an easy life. He faced opposition, persecution, and great hardship; yet his service to God never wavered. The love God had showed toward him created an obligation on Paul’s part to do the work to which God had called him. He wrote, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

If our motive for serving God is not right, it will not withstand the trials and hardships of life. Many people start out serving God only to later turn aside. If we recognize that our lives are not about pleasing ourselves but about pleasing God, it changes the way we look at both service and difficulty. When our hearts are filled with love for God and appreciation for the love He has freely given to us, we will be quick to serve. We will be willing to give up certain things, even those to which we may have a right, in order to be a more effective servant of Jesus Christ. Our highest goal should be to honor and please God because of His grace and great love for us.

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346