“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” – 2 Timothy 1:7

Fearfulness does not come from God. As children of God, who believe in the perfection and power of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to worry about the future, or fret over circumstances, or be anxious about what others may think.

Rather, Paul reminds us, we are to rely upon the power and love and mental soundness that we are granted by God. This is the only way to make God-honoring, God-directed decisions.

In Christ, we know that we will be granted the strength to do anything that He requires of us. Out of love for Christ—and through Him to others—we must be willing to do whatever tends to His glory and their good. And with careful, thoughtful discipline we should therefore chart the course that He directs.

It is so easy to crumble because of conflict, or to surrender because of our situation, or to be paralyzed because of possible problems. But through his admonition to timid Timothy, Paul confronts our natural fearfulness and exhorts us to courageously make wise decisions, out of love for God.

Which paradigm best describes your decision making? Are you most concerned about financial security, or social approval, or selfish pleasure? Or are you walking in paths that are guided by the power of the Spirit, motivated by a love for Christ, and carefully chosen according to faith? – The Baptist Hour

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

“He cannot be my disciple”. – Luke 14:26, 27, 33

I have a great interest in the subject of discipleship, as all Christians should. As I started to write an article about it I ran across this quote from the late Vance Havner in my notes, so I decided to use it instead. It’s bold and blunt, but in this day of lukewarmness it’s exactly what we need to hear rather than a little feel good sermonette. He said:

“We have too many casual Christians who dabble in everything but are not committed to anything. They have a nodding acquaintance with a score of subjects but are sold on nothing. ‘Of course I’m interested in church—but with my club and my lodge and my golf and my bridge and my stamp collecting and my ceramics and my African violets, I just can’t get too excited about religion.’ Our Lord had no place in His program for casual disciples. It was all or nothing. 

If we hate not family and even our own lives; if we bear not our cross and come after Him; if we forsake not all that we have, we cannot be His disciples. He does not say we will be poor disciples, He says we cannot be His disciples at all. Tone it down all you will, the cleverest exegesis cannot do much with this threefold test. Why is it that we are so silent on such texts today? We have let down the bars and we take all comers. Our catch-all invitations gather in a motley mixture, a mixed multitude. Screen them with these three ‘cannots’ and see how much wheat is left when the chaff is gone!

These words were spoken to a great multitude. We would be flattered by such a following, but our Lord immediately thinned His crowd. Is it not time we whittled down Gideon’s unwieldy band to a hard core of effectives? But, alas, this is the day of statistics, and we must make a good showing on the books.”

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

“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” – Psa. 40:5

If we think much about Jesus we will think much of Jesus. As the old song says, “I stand amazed in the presence, Of Jesus the Nazarene, And wonder how He could love me, A sinner condemned, unclean. How marvelous, how wonderful, And my song will ever be, How marvelous, how wonderful, Is my Saviour’s love for me.” Indeed! As we look unto Jesus and consider Him we get lost in the wonder of it all. Setting our sights on Him changes our perspective on everything.

When I’m —-

— wicked, Jesus is my righteousness

— wayward, Jesus is my guide

— weak, Jesus is my strength

— worried, Jesus is my peace

— wrong, Jesus is my Helper

— wounded, Jesus is my Great Physician

 — weary, Jesus is my rest

— without, Jesus is my supply

— worldly, Jesus is my Sanctifier

— wavering, Jesus is my solid rock

— wondering, Jesus is my teacher

— worshipping, Jesus is the object of my affection and adoration.

There was a time when I dared not lift my eyes up to heaven, nor speak of Him, but now I can’t take my eyes off of Him, nor quit speaking of Him. There was a time when He was nothing to me, but now He is everything. There was a time when my affections were set on the things on earth, but now “All that thrills my soul is Jesus!” Christ is all to me! “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Gal. 6:14) – HDS

As Joseph Addison (1672-1719) wrote: “When all thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I’m lost In wonder, love, and praise.”

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

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”– Matthew 4:4

We have to eat to live. Yet, Jesus reminds us (and Satan), food is not all that is needed. You could have all the food in the world and yet remain empty and lifeless.

The one thing that truly energizes and fills and sustains is the Word of God. With God’s Word as your constant companion and sustenance, you can be content even when other food is withheld, just like Jesus was after fasting for 40 days.

But notice that we are to live by every word that proceeds from God’s mouth, not just our pet passages or favorite verses. There is not a word in God’s Word that we do not need, that we cannot profit from. God’s Word is a well-rounded meal and we are not meant to leave any part of it out.

Do you agree with Jesus? Do you see that consuming everything this world has to offer would still leave you empty, and yet each word of God is able to build you up and strengthen you for life’s journey?

If you agree with Jesus, do you live like Jesus? Do you forgo Satan’s temptation to find fulfillment in earth-bound pleasures, in order to enjoy the far greater pleasure of communion with God?

Are you living on bread alone, or by every word of God’s Word? – Baptist Bible Hour

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

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me ” (Ps. 138:8)

There is a Divine mystery in suffering, a strange and supernatural power in it, which has never been fathomed by the human reason. There never has been known great saintliness of soul which did not pass through great suffering. When the suffering soul reaches a calm sweet carelessness, when it can inwardly smile at its own suffering, and does not even ask God to deliver it from suffering, then it has wrought its blessed ministry; then patience has its perfect work; then the crucifixion begins to weave itself into a crown. 

It is in this state of the perfection of suffering that the Holy Spirit works many marvelous things in our souls. In such a condition, our whole being lies perfectly still under the hand of God; every faculty of the mind and will and heart are at last subdued; a quietness of eternity settles down into the whole being; the tongue grows still, and has but few words to say; it stops asking God questions; it stops crying, “Why hast thou forsaken me ?” 

The imagination stops building air castles, or running off on foolish lines; the reason is tame and gentle; the choices are annihilated; it has no choice in anything but the purpose of God. The affections are weaned from all creatures and all things; it is so dead that nothing can hurt it, nothing can offend it, nothing can hinder it, nothing can get in its way; for, let the circumstances be what they may, it seeks only for God and His will, and it feels assured that God is making everything in the universe, good or bad, past or present, work together for its good. 

Oh, the blessedness of being absolutely conquered! of losing our own strength, and wisdom, and plans, and desires, and being where every atom of our nature is like placid Galilee under the omnipotent feet of our Jesus. –Soul Food

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