Aging has my attention theses days. Perhaps because my grey hairs keep increasing. Receiving my my Medicare card last year made my “senior citizen” status somewhat undeniable! All who are past their prime in life are increasingly aware of the discouraging symptoms of physical decline. As Bill Gillham would say, our “earth suit” is wearing…

“Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:3,4) [Should the believer…

“God our Savior…desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:…

“…Let us take notice of a great and substantial aid to prayer, namely, thanksgiving: “In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).   Probably the advantage of thanksgiving as an aid to the…

“I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the…

“Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith.”– Heb 10:22. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.”– Eph 3:17. FAITH IS our power of appropriation. The pity is that we are so slow to make use of our Lord’s resources! He does not force Himself upon us. Though…

Reflections on Consecration “But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14) [David’s prayer when he dedicated his treasures for the building of God’s Temple ] What…

[“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:4-6…

“And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.…

“…I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which…

Orchestra members recognize the importance of following the conductor. As a trumpet and French Horn player, I have fond memories of many concert experiences. Our high school band marched in halftime shows (at football games), parades and gave concerts. At Florida Bible College I was a member of the orchestra, and then began a two…

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). As I look forward to the New Year, I have mixed emotions. On the one hand I am ready for an exiting year of growth despite the challenges we may face, but on the other hand I…

“Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) Sealed by Him “In Him [Jesus Christ] you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the…

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end… Isaiah 9:6,7a [1] Perhaps none of…

Identity “In Christ Jesus” is the definition of all Christians, and it defines them as a people identified with the One who as a man has entered into the presence of God; “for in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that he lives, he lives unto God” (Rom. 6:10). “In Christ”…

“I have called you friends” (John 15:15). “You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). If you meditate upon these words, you will never reach their profound depths, nor shall we even in eternity. For who shall tell what friendship with Christ involves? No one can or ever will gauge…

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” – Acts 1:8. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:4. “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see…

Creation [You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Rev. 4:11 NKJV] O my God! before You made the Heavens and the earth, there was none other but You. You were, because of Your years there was…

“Fight the good fight of faith.” – 1 Tim. 6:12. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ (or, who at all times is leading us in triumph in Christ).” – 2 Cor. 2:14. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” –…

“Take heed unto yourselves.” – Deut. 4:23. “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” – 1 Cor. 16:13. “Be watchful in all things” – 2 Tim. 4:5. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” –…

[There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest… “ Heb. 4:10-12a] Often the stress today is upon our putting things right, our efforts to live…

“That power belongs to God.” – Ps. 62:11 “Christ the power of God.” – 1 Cor. 1:24. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” – 2 Chron. 16:9 “And He said to me, “My…

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.” – John 15: 8. “Being fruitful in every good work.” – Col. 1:10. “Your fruit is found in Me.” – Hos. 14:8. “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in…

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” – 2 Cor. 3: 18 “Both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one.” –…

The Law of Liberty in the Spiritual Life by Evan H. Hopkins ContentsAppendix Notes A-E  Contents: Links to the chapters on GraceNotebook.com Ch. 1. SIN Ch. 2. NO CONDEMNATION Ch. 3. LIFE Ch. 4. LIBERTY Ch. 5. SANCTIFICATION Ch. 6. CONFORMITY TO THE DEATH OF CHRIST Ch. 7. CONDITIONS OF POWER Ch. 8. WATCHFULLNESS Ch.…

[Annotated edition; bold, colors and bracketed content added. Pages numbers from the CLC edition] “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free…

EVAN HOPKINS – A UNIQUE GIFT TO KESWICK AND THE CHURCHEvan Henry Hopkins was born on 16 September, 1837, in the town of Santa Ana, in New Grenada, South America, where his parents were then living, for his father’s duties as a civil engineer had taken him to survey and supervise the silver mine near…

Here are some additional diagrams that John uses in personal ministry: Self Life to Christ Life Commitment Selfers Prayer ______________________________________

[See Table of Contents and Appendix] “Sin is lawlessness.” – I John 3:4 “All unrighteousness is sin.” – I John 5:17 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” – Rom. 6:12. “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” –…

[Isaiah 50:4-11 is the third of four “Servant Songs” that prophesy the coming of the Jesus, Messiah.] “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To…