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SUSTAINABLE, SIMPLE, SANE: God's Solution for Overwhelm part one- priorities Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NLT Because Jesus created us, He's the only one who can help us live a sustainable, simple, sane joy producing life. HELP BEGINS WHEN…. 1. WE STOP DENYING 2. SAY ‘NO' BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU SAY ‘YES' Every YES is a NO to something else. 3. DO WHAT MATTERS BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO IS WHAT MATTERS Priorities of God: First, Being Loved by God May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (NLT) “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 NIV Second, Loving Others Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21 NAS “So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern.” Matthew 6:31-33 NLT
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”Philippians 1:6 NLTBe very careful of whom you allowed inside your camp, it's not everybody that is going to where you are going!!
Lordwin Jeyakumar - September 29th 2024 - How Do We Embrace the Gift of Patience While Trusting God's Perfect Timing? How do you express the word 'patience' in your native language? People tend to lose patience......... Healthcare System Immigration and Visa Processing Public Transportation Traffic and Road Construction Winter Weather and Driving Housing Market Government Services Job Search and Career Advancement Parenting Challenges Relationships and Marriages Caring for Elderly Parents or aging parents What is the meaning of 'patience'? * The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble * Suffering without getting angry or upset. * According to the Bible, patience is often described as the ability to endure suffering, trials, or waiting with faith and trust in God's timing. * It is seen as a fruit of the Spirit, reflecting a calm, steadfast reliance on God's will. Ephesians 4:2 (NLT): Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Psalm 37:7 (NLT): Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. The Fruits of Patience 1. Contentment through Patience 2. Self-Sufficiency in Christ 3. Joy in Suffering 4. Temporary Grief, Eternal Joy 1. Contentment through Patience Philippians 4:11-12 (NLT) 11. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. Luke 12:15 (NLT) Then he said, Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own. 2. Self-Sufficiency in Christ 1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 3. Joy in Suffering James 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience Romans 5: 3-4 (NLT) 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 4. Temporary Grief, Eternal Joy 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT) For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! Is patience alone sufficient to navigate life's challenges, or do we also need faith? Hebrews 6:12 When God's Timing Doesn't Match Ours: A Call to Patience What does the Bible say about timing? Ecclesiastes 3:1 & Acts 1:7 (NIV) & 2 Peter 3: 8 Why doesn't God reveal every detail about our lives in advance? Have you ever been in a situation where you were hoping for something to happen and prayed to God, but it didn't happen as soon as you wanted? Why does God allow delays in our lives? Four Life Principles to Overcome Challenges * Fear Not - Isaiah 41:10 * Fret Not - Psalm 37:1 , Philippians 4:6 , Matthew 6: 25-27 * Forget Not - Psalm 103:2 , Proverbs 3: 1 * Faint Not -Isaiah 40:31 .Galatians 6:9 Are you feeling like giving up on something in your life? Marriage? Career? Faith in God? Finances? Children? Yourself Joseph's Background (Son of Jacob, favorite son) Joseph's Dreams (First and Second Dreams) Brother's Plot (Threw into a pit & sold to traders) Joseph in Egypt (Sold as a slave to Potiphar) Joseph's Trial (False accusation by Potiphar's wife) Joseph in Prison (Interpreted dreams of cupbearer & baker) God's Timing (Cupbearer forgets him for 2 years) Joseph's Rose to power (Interpreted Pharoh's dream) Joseph's Patience Rewarded (God's plan fulfilled) Genesis 40: 23 Genesis 41: 40 and 41 Isaiah 53:7 (NIV) Luke 15: 11-32
Joshua 1:6-8 NLT “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. For those who love God, for those who follow Christ, the way to reach the life goals that God created us to attain is only through Him—His way, His will, and His Word. To become everything He planned for us when He formed us in our mother's wombs. When God spoke to Joshua on behalf of the people of Israel about moving to the Promised Land, He twice said to “be strong and courageous,” and then to be very careful to follow His Word. Then they would prosper and succeed. The same is true for us today. Follow God's way, His will, and His Word, which in today's culture, will take being strong and courageous. Listen once again to this rephrasing of today's passage, this time for the Message Bible: Strength! Courage! Give it everything you have, heart and soul… Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed.” (from Joshua 1:6-8) It is clear in this passage how important it is to Study and Meditate on God's word to be successful. The path to success and achieving goals for the believer only comes through an uncompromising path through His Word. Let's pray: “Father God, please give me a hunger for Your Word, a desire to study Your Book, to meditate on it, and be careful to obey what You tell me. As above, so below.”
Why is seeking refuge in God's love essential during these turbulent times? Today, Stasi invites her beloved husband, John, to explore just that. They delve into his upcoming book, which will be released in February 2025, to talk about living in the safety of the shelter of God's love. They also highlight the vital practice of offering radical forgiveness and avoiding bitterness. Friends, our God's divine love serves as a sanctuary and is the only safe place for our hearts. We flourish under the canopy of his love. In today's podcast, we'll explore how to cultivate this in our daily lives and relationships by practicing tangible ways to stay tucked in.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: 1 John 4:7–8; 15–17 (NLT) — Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. … All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.Psalm 91:1–2 (NLT) — Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.Philippians 1:9 (NLT) — I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. Deuteronomy 4:24 (NLT) — The Lord your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God.Hebrews 12:25–29 (NLT) — Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.…..RESOURCES:Wild at Heart Podcast – Spotify: https://wahe.art/3xsHmuvWild at Heart Podcast – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildatHeartOfficialJohn's New Book – Title TBD – Releases February 2025; visit WildAtHeart.org for updatesThe Awakened Heart by Gerald May – https://amzn.to/4b5ApNP…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode – Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:Spotify Podcasts – https://spoti.fi/42SsOipApple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42E0oZ1 Google Podcasts – http://wahe.art/3M81kxLAmazon Music & Audible – https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ
One of the first things people usually notice about our children is how well they get along. Sure, they have occasional squabbles, but that is the exception rather than the rule. For the most part, they really love and admire one another and enjoy being in each other's company. They are friends. And cultivating friendship between siblings is the topic of this week's episode of Loving Life at Home. I hope you'll listen in! Show Notes VERSES CITED: - “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) - “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” (Proverbs 17:17, NLT) - “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32, NASB) - “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8, NIV) - “Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.” (Psalm 133:1) RELATED LINKS: - Cultivating Friendship Between Siblings - the original post upon which this episode is based - Pimsleur Speak & Read Essential Spanish - we invested in multiple levels of multiple language CD sets, although now all these lessons are offered through a subscription service instead - Stopping Sibling Squabbles - help for parents whose kids are constantly fighting - Help! My Children Won't Stop Fighting - my response to a frequently asked reader question - 10 Nice Things I Can Do For My Sibling - a pretty blank printable to use with bickering kids - 15 Unexpected Benefits of Big Family Living - even more reasons I love having lots of children - Best Bible Memory Tips & Tricks- smart ways to hide the Word in your children's hearts - Praying for Your Children from Head-to-Toe - pray over your child's eyes, ears, heart, brain, etc. - Praying for Your Teens - our teens need prayer, too! - Praying for Adult Children - they never outgrow their need for a mother's fervent prayers - Praying for Your Unborn Baby - never too soon to start beseeching God on your child's behalf - Praying for Your Grandchildren - don't forget to pray for your children's children, as well! - 31-Day Prayer Challenge for Parents - pray a different verse over your children every day - Benefits of Homeschooling - even more reasons to give homeschooling a try FAMILY GAMES MENTIONED: - Bananagrams - a great game to strengthen spelling and vocabulary skills - Battle Sheep - a fun strategy game that can be played by 2-4 players - So Clover - a game that stretches your ability to make associations - Q-Bitz - a clever strategy game that can be played alone or in a group
Romans 12:12 GNT: Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. NLT: Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
As we get ready to close out this year, what things are you believing God for in 2024? On today's episode, I speak about the principle of "Gratitude", and how as we are believing God for what's next we are to praise Him in the hallway! I pray that this episode will leave you feeling encouraged to simply thank God for all that He's done and what's He's getting ready to do! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to share it with another woman in your life! SUBSCRIBE to the podcast show page as well as FOLLOW ME on Instagram @ReconstructHER! Definition: Gratitude - (noun) the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Biblical References: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) - "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." Luke 16:10, 12 (NLT) - "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. If you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.", "And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own." Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV) - "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/reconstructher/support
Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: It's my heart's desire to be part of the solution with respect to tearing down stigma as it relates to mental health, especially in the church and Christian circles. Mental health issues are frequently misunderstood by people, even those diagnosed, but especially those who haven't personally experienced it. How do we tear down the stigma surrounding mental health without education? More importantly, how can we be part of the solution rather than add to the problem? Sometimes the best teacher is experience, but I would never wish mental health issues on anyone just so they could gain deeper compassion and empathy for those who are struggling, although that did happen to me after I endured both clinical depression and anxiety. In this episode, Greg Atkinson and I talk about Bipolar Disorder Stigma. Quotables from the episode: We do not put our faith in man but in God. Healing and life are found in community. A key to healing is forgiveness. Stigma is perpetuated by ignorance and a lack of understanding. Scripture References: Romans 12:15 NLT Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (NIV) Recommended Resources: The Secret Power of Kindness: 10 Keys to Unlocking Your Capacity to Change the World by Greg Atkinson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader's Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety's Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety's Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety's Grip Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader's Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader's Choice Award Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference Subdue Stress and Anxiety: Fifteen Experts Offer Comprehensive Tools in Ten Minutes a Day. Use my link plus discount code BENG99 to save $90 on course (course will be $99.) Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Social Media Links for Guest and Host: Connect with Greg Atkinson: Website / Linktree / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Breaking Anxiety's Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube Guest: Greg Atkinson is an author, speaker, pastor, coach and consultant. He is the Founder and CEO of Worship Impressions, the First Impressions Conference, as well as the Co-Founder of the Social Media Church Conference. He has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, and on CBS, FOX, and NBC. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson
1 Timothy 6:10 and Luke 12 underline the importance of avoiding greed, not identifying with material possessions, and remembering that God has the final say. The emphasis is on trust and spirituality as more meaningful values than material wealth. It expresses the hope that the subject of the discourse is seen as an instrument of benevolence rather than a fool in the end times. What we can learn from the above scripture; Beware of covetousness (envious / greediness) The man was looking to expand his storehouses. Luke 12 48b When someone has been given much, much will be required in return, and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. (NLT) Be careful of greed, don't ignore it but be on the lookout for it in your life. It was the 10° commandment, it had to be important. Exodus 20 17“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's There is more to life than acquiring things. Your soul cannot be quenched by “stuff”, your worth is not in the things you wear/eat&drink/drive or entertain yourself. God is not opposed with you having houses and cars, as long as they don't have you! 1 Samuel 10 21bSaul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 So they inquired again of the Lord, “Is there a man still to come?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” Don't hide behind your “stuff” , as a person “your” valuable to God! Don't move to an Island – the man was talking to himself. Don't be “unaccountable” , but put yourself in a position to be accountable with what you have and do. He was talking to himself! God has the last word- v20 “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required”. God always has the last word on everything. We think that our “lip service” can get us round anything, we somehow think and act as if there is no day of reckoning. We live our lives as if we're going to live for eternity! Conclusion Matthew 7 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' This is not about money, ultimately, it's all about trust! The day I die , I don't want God to call me FOOL! But I want him to say TOOL, enter in to the joy of your salvation! We want the lord to say to us “well done, my good and faithful servant” but we need to start now!
Joshua 1:6-8 NLT “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. For those who love God, for those who follow Christ, the way to reach the life goals that God created us to attain is only through Him—His way, His will, and His Word. To become everything He planned for us when He formed us in our mother's wombs. When God spoke to Joshua on behalf of the people of Israel about moving to the Promised Land, He twice said to “be strong and courageous,” and then to be very careful to follow His Word. Then they would prosper and succeed. The same is true for us today. Follow God's way, His will, and His Word, which in today's culture, will take being strong and courageous. Listen once again to this rephrasing of today's passage, this time for the Message Bible: Strength! Courage! Give it everything you have, heart and soul… Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed.” (from Joshua 1:6-8) It is clear in this passage how important it is to Study and Meditate on God's word to be successful. The path to success and achieving goals for the believer only comes through an uncompromising path through His Word. Let's pray: “Father God, please give me a hunger for Your Word, a desire to study Your Book, to meditate on it, and be careful to obey what You tell me. As above, so below.”
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. Romans 12:9-17 NIV I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT BOTH GIFTINGS AND GODLY CHARACTER MUST BE PRESENT FOR TRUE EFFECTIVENESS. 'You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 1 Peter 1:22 NLT So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:34-35 NLT Love must be sincere. Romans 12:9 NIV Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Romans 12:9 NLT “ Be tolerate with others and strict with yourself.” Marcus Aurelius Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.Romans 12:9 NIV You who love the Lord, hate evil! Psalms 97:10 NLT Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Amos 5:15 NLT hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 NIV 'If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:19 ESV 'Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.”John 18:36 ESV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 ESV 1. It is not enough to simply choose Good over Evil. 2. You will eventually drift toward your desires and feelings. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:1-4 ESV So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Colossians 3:5NLT Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. Colossians 3:5-6 NLT You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Colossians 3:7-9 NLT Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves… Colossians 3:12 NLT you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 NLT Mercy/Compassion Kindness Humility Gentleness Patience Forgiveness Love
“Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” Psalms 14:1 NLT Be yourself always and remain Focus in all you do!!!
WERE THERE NOT 10? Sunday, June 11th 2023 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Luke 17:11-19 (NIV) Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Romans 10:9-10 (ESV) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Psalm 95:1-3 (ESV) Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
I'm so thankful you're listening, and my prayer is that you will be blessed and encouraged and reminded that God's promises are true, and they are true for you. He gives these promises out of the depths of His unending love for His people, and He keeps those promises in the same manner, from the very depths of His love. We cannot separate the God who loves us from the God who keeps His promises to us. They are both true and cannot be untrue, no, not ever. With that, let's jump into today's promise. Jan's books on Amazon Connect with Jan here: Instagram @JanLBurt TikTok @JanLBurt Facebook Jan L. Burt Author & Podcaster Page You're listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, now playing in the Edifi app. This is episode number 147. Shaking. This word could sum up so much of the last three years. If you've faced an illness, job loss, have parenting struggles, aging parents, financial concerns, the list is long… this word “shaking” can hit close to home. We're shook, right? I'm shook. It's uncomfortable and it is unnerving, and this is a very real reason for grabbing hold of God's promises and refusing to let go. The God who made these promises to you is not going to leave you, forsake you, let you down, abandon you or let go of you. He is holding you tightly and you can trust Him. That's what we're looking at in this episode of TBNES. There are a few verses we find in the book of Hebrews, which is located toward the end of the New Testament, that are going to kind of reframe this shaking issue that has been so real for so many of us. I do think it has hit us all in some manner. Here's one example: I will order something that I've ordered over and over again for years and years, and I will be floored at how much it costs now. This is just one area that has such a broad impact on all of us, just one area. If we compile all the other areas where it's been a long shaking season, it compiles into something that feels overwhelming. Now the reason I mentioned the cost of just, well, anything and everything these days is because I don't want someone to stop listening to this episode because they don't think it applies to them. It really does apply to all of us. And I really don't want you to miss what I'm going to share about shaking. Because the promise of God's shaking is too important for us to not know and understand, but also a promise we don't always see as a good thing. But I think, based on the text we're looking at today, God sees His shaking as very good, and I believe He wants us to see it that way as well. Hebrews chapter 12, verses 25 through 29 from the NLT: Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai His voice shook the earth, but now He makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. Let's do a quick recap of what came prior to these verses - God disciplines us as His sons, daughters, and it proves we are His children because He disciplines those He loves and punishes the one He accepts as His child. Heb. 12 vs 1-11 talk about this concept of God's discipline being evidence of His love and of our sonship. Verse 12 says, “So take up a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” So when we are facing the discipline of the Lord, He wants us to toughen up, mark out that straight path. Nowhere does it say wallow in it, feel sorry for yourself, give up, sit down, pout. Nope. Take a new grip, it says, with your tired hands. God acknowledges you may well be very tired. But then He says to take those tired hands and adjust your grip. And the path you mark out, then and there with new grip in the midst of your own tiredness, ends up being a path so that those coming along after you who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Can you see how the Lord is clearly telling you that what you do when you are disciplined and when you feel tired, weary, fatigued has a big impact on others? This is not exactly the American way…but it is Jesus' way, so it must become our way. Verses 14-24 tell us to do the work of living at peace with everyone, to work at living a holy life (for those who are not holy will not see the Lord…did you hear that? That seems important!) To look after one another so none of us fails to receive the grace of God (this is a big part of why I have this podcast and why I am starting another podcast, to do my little part in ensuring nobody within earshot fails to receive God's grace.) And watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Ensure against immoral godlessness. And realize that you have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children whose names are written in heaven. There is no place else where it matters even a smidge for your name to be put down in permanent ink. When the roll is called up yonder, that's where it matters that your name is put down. Life kicks us around and sometimes we need to be reminded that if our name is on heaven's rolls, on the books up there, we can endure the kicking around as we await a far better day that is assuredly coming for us. You have come to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks of forgiveness. That's what comes first in Hebrews chapter 12. And then we land on our verses about the promise of God's shaking. After all those awesome, like inspiring awe in us, reminders, the author tells us that we are to be careful. When someone says to you, as an adult, to be careful, do your ears perk up? This isn't like your childhood when you let the words “Y'all be careful out there, ya here?” roll off like water on a duck's back. As adults, we take those words more seriously because we've seen a thing or two, as the Farmer's commercials say, and we know others have seen stuff too and their warning could save our hide. So, we listen. And our decisions and our behaviors are modified when we listen. What does verse 25 tell us to be careful of? That we do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. One is capitalized, and it refers to the Lord. Don't refuse to listen when He speaks. His chosen people, the Israelites, did not get away with it when they refused to listen to Moses, an earthly messenger, a great man, a man more humble than any other, but a mere man nonetheless, they did not escape for refusing to listen to him. How much more will we, grafted in Gentile believers, not get away with refusing to listen to the Lord God Almighty? And it's good to note here that when we shrug off God's word, when we don't apply it, believe it, adjust where He is telling us to adjust course, that is in His eyes the same as refusing to listen to Him. Thumbing our noses at God when He stoops down to speak with us. This is dangerous ground, and we have this stern warning so that we will know that, like the Israelites, the only solid ground beneath our feet is the Rock of Jesus, on Christ the solid Rock we must stand, or the ground could still open up beneath our very feet and swallow us whole. It's a strong warning, but a good one. Don't reject, in any way, shape, or form, the One who speaks to us from heaven. When God spoke from Mount Sinai, His voice shook the earth. And they were terrified! Covering their ears, crying out Moses to ask God to speak to him and he could pass it along to them because they did not think they could survive, like could not remain alive, if they continued to hear God's voice. We don't live in that kind of awe, reverence, astounded that this same God tore the veil so we could come directly into His presence as often as we choose to. We should be floored by this! Do we need a radical wake up call? Perhaps we do. Perhaps we need it so badly that without it we are in very dire straits. Or floating on the doldrums. Either image is frightening, and I want us to miss ZERO percent of what God intends for us to have in this life. One thing He wants for us, as made clear here in Hebrews 12, is to listen when He speaks. Pay attention. Listen well. Because verse 26 and 27 tell us that just as He shook the earth when he spoke at Mount Sinai, he makes this promise (this is the promise for today's episode, so please check back in and listen up!) - Once again God will shake not only the earth, but the heavens also. A great shaking is coming, my friend. And in fact is already beginning. Does it seem like we are in a snowglobe and the hand shaking it just keeps on shaking and shaking? Like the girl in Finding Nemo, who wouldn't stop shaking the bag, who shook her fish to death and yelled, “Fishy, why are you sleeping??” We're in a season of shaking. God will do such shaking Himself, or at times allow the evil one to do the shaking, so that all that needs to be removed falls away. Good fruit remains, securely attached to the vine, who is Jesus. Fake fruit, bad fruit, and even so much of the junk that weighs us down and renders us ineffective for the Kingdom of our God, that stuff falls away in times of shaking. And you know, while it may be hard and seem kind of brutal in the midst of it, the end result is so good. When we step into eternity, we will never wish we'd hung on to the things that hindered us in our walk with Jesus. What will matter will be the Lord, and what won't matter will be the things of this earth, which is destined to fire and will burn up, just as the Bible says. How can God's shaking be bad when the end result, the promise, is so good? Verse 27 - This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Look, what we are dealing with these last few years is very intense in so many ways, in the physical realm and the spiritual realm. But it has a purpose when we view it through the lens of the Word of God. You are becoming unshakable. And only that which is unshakable will remain. Pain and struggle and difficulty become very different when we view them through this passage. What feels impossible to make it through becomes endurable, because God has given us the promise that on the other side of this shaking comes something far beyond our wildest hopes and dreams. In other words, it is worth it. Jesus is always worth it! Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. Verses 28 and 29 of Hebrews chapter 12. Your God is a devouring fire. Would you prefer to endure this shaking now so that you can receive His unshakable Kingdom, or would you prefer to face the devouring fire that is our God? He cannot be less than He truly is, and He will not bend the knee to our whims and our fancies. He is who He is, and can be none other. He is an all-consuming, devouring fire. And He is your loving ABBA Father. When we live knowing that the One watching over us, taking careful note of all that is happening in our lives, is that devouring fire, it brings so much comfort. How can you not fully trust a Father who will be for you a devouring fire? This is the promise of God's shaking, and while not always comfortable, it is a beautiful promise all the same. Let Him do His shaking, and expect to see amazing things as you receive His Kingdom, careful to listen when He speaks and remembering that His discipline is your proof that you are His child. I hope you can rest in the assurance of His love in ever increasing measure and trust even the longest, hardest, shakiest of days to Him, knowing that in His capable and strong hands, you are in the safest place you could possibly be. Thanks for joining me for this Hot Topic podcast episode, and I'd like to share a few things about the 150th episode that is coming up very soon, in just a few weeks. My plan is to launch my new podcast, The Prayer Podcast, alongside the 150th episode of The Burt (Note Ernie) Show…which isn't going anywhere, I'm still gonna keep talking about God's promises here. The Prayer Podcast will have slightly shorter episodes and will focus on just one thing - you guessed it, prayer. And I will be praying over listeners regularly as well as sharing what the Bible tells us about prayer. And I'm also giving away some fun things - gift cards to your favorite coffee shop, an Amazon gift card, and a gift certificate to a small business run by a fellow Jesus lover, and some other prizes too. You'll hear more about how to enter the giveaway soon, so stay tuned. Oh, and the prizes will be spread out among several winners, just wanted to clarify that not all the prizes go to one winner. Spreading it around and honestly, as many giveaway prizes as I can afford, that's how many I'll give away. Episode 150 is a milestone and I want to say THANKS for being part of this show the last few years.
“When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11 NLT Be faithful in the back. 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? Luke 9:23-25.
“Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadow boxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT Be still and stand strong! “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14 NIV Go hard in the paint for your promise! “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” Exodus 14:15-16 NIV Don't stop and God won't stop! “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed. Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed. Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed. “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven! “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. “If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you. “The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them.” Deuteronomy 28:1-14 NLT
Numbers 18 (NASB) 18 So the Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons, and your father's household with you shall bear the guilt in connection with the sanctuary (that is, you should do the work), and you and your sons with you shall bear the guilt (that is, you should do the work) in connection with your priesthood. Point number 1 in your notes: God has appointed people to manage His church. Numbers 18: 20-21, 25-26 (NASB) Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. 21 “To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel as an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting. Leviticus 27:30 (NASB) 30 ‘Now all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. This is the instruction that God gave to Aaron and the priests who were to run the houses of worship. Numbers 18: 25-26 (NASB) Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. Point number 2 in your notes: Everyone has a responsibility to Tithe. Deuteronomy 12:13-14, 19 (NLT) Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like. 14 You may do so only at the place the Lord will choose within one of your tribal territories.19 And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land. Point number 3 in your notes: God did not allow anyone to make an excuse not to give Him His tithe. Matthew 23:1-3 (NLT) Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. Matthew 23:23 (NLT) 23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Mark Batterson "Let me be blunt, because on the subject of money Jesus was. Obedience can be measured in dollars. So can faith. So can sacrifice. It's certainly not the only measure, but it's one of the most accurate. If we give God 2 percent of our income, can we really say we are 100 percent committed to Him? I think not. If we withhold the tithe, can we really say, “In God we trust”? If we give God our leftovers instead of the firstfruits, can we really say we're seeking first His kingdom?" ― from "All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life" Point number 4 in your notes: What if our love for God was measured by our obedience to giving?
Ephesians 6:10-17 Series: Text Messages Title: Preparing for a Fight Date: 11/13/22 Ephesians 6:10 (NLT) A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT) Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 2 Timothy 2:1 (NLT) Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. Point number 1 in your notes: You are not prepared to fight or recognize the spiritual battle you are fighting. Ephesians 6:11 (NLT) Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Ephesians 4:14 (NLT) Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Point number 2 in your notes: Satan uses weapons in this battle: confusion, lies, pride, selfishness, secrets, chaos, addiction, and more. Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NLT) 3 We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. 4 We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. Ephesians 6:13 (NLT) Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:14 (ESV) Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Isaiah 11:5 (NLT) He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. Point number 3 in your notes: All of your spiritual armor is based upon Truth. If you are wishy-washy about truth, you're dead in the water. John 17:17 (NLT) Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Psalm 119:160 (NKJV) The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. Ephesians 6:15 (NLT) For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Isaiah 52:7 (NLT) How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns. Ephesians 6:16 (NLT) In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Ephesians 6:17 (NLT) Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Isaiah 59:17 (NLT) He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. Point number 4 in your notes: If we don't armor up and stand and fight against this enemy, people will die. Romans 8:37-39 (NLT) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Luke 18:35-37 NLT As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. Luke 18:38 NLT So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Luke 18:39 NLT “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Luke 18:40 NLT When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. Luke 18:41 NLT As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” Luke 18:42 NLT And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Luke 18:43 NLT Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
Joshua 1:6-8 NLT “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. For those who love God, for those who follow Christ, the way to reach the life goals that God created us to attain is only through Him—His way, His will, and His Word. To become everything He planned for us when He formed us in our mother's wombs. When God spoke to Joshua on behalf of the people of Israel about moving to the Promised Land, He twice said to “be strong and courageous,” and then to be very careful to follow His Word. Then they would prosper and succeed. The same is true for us today. Follow God's way, His will, and His Word, which in today's culture, will take being strong and courageous. Listen once again to this rephrasing of today's passage, this time for the Message Bible: Strength! Courage! Give it everything you have, heart and soul… Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed.” (from Joshua 1:6-8) It is clear in this passage how important it is to Study and Meditate on God's word to be successful. The path to success and achieving goals for the believer only comes through an uncompromising path through His Word. Let's pray: “Father God, please give me a hunger for Your Word, a desire to study Your Book, to meditate on it, and be careful to obey what You tell me. As above, so below.”
God wants you to discover, embrace, and grow in who He created you to be. Here's the problem: You don't know the possibilities. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12:6-8 NLT “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT You don't believe the promises. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 NIV “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NLT You aren't faithful to the process. ““If you love me, obey my commandments.” John 14:15 NLT “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” Galatians 2:20-21 NLT Be open. Believe. Obey. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NLT
Be Strong by Being Loved Today's readings are Song of Solomon 1 – 4 and Ephesians 6. We are reading from the New Living Translation. Be strong. Be loved. The strength that you need to resist the enemy's fiery attacks comes from God. It's not from us. All of the armor that he bequeaths to us: the helmet, the shield, the shoes, the sword, the breastplate, – all of it – is a gift from a loving God. So put on that loving armor, and be strong. Paul tells us to be strong. But the final words that he actually gives to us are, Be loved! Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 6:23-24 NLT) Be strong. How are we to do that? We do that by being loved, putting on the loving armor of our Lord, resting in the eternal grace that has been placed upon us. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Be strong. Put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of God's righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, lifting up the shield of faith, holding forth the sword of the Spirit. These are loving gifts from a loving God, whose grace has been eternally placed on us. You can be strong because you have been loved. Know this well, and let it's truth sink deep into your heart, so that you can draw strength from it. Support our podcast and give online HERE! or you can give via text by typing the word "Give" to 503-694-3738
1 Peter 2:12 NLT Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. Download This Week’s Sermon Notes: https://tinyurl.com/5n8yjvac For Sermon Notes visit: https://sermons.church/archived?church&sermonid=29911&cred_referrer_form_id=25 ANNOUNCEMENT […] The post Honor | This is How We Do It Week 1 | Pastor Andrew Cromwell appeared first on Koinonia Church.
1 Peter 2:12 NLT Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. Download This Week’s Sermon Notes: https://tinyurl.com/5n8yjvac For Sermon Notes visit: https://sermons.church/archived?church&sermonid=29911&cred_referrer_form_id=25 ANNOUNCEMENT […] The post Honor | This is How We Do It Week 1 | Pastor Andrew Cromwell appeared first on Koinonia Church.
Be Strong and Courageous! Our readings today are Joshua 1 -2, Psalm 37, I Corinthians 3. We are reading in the New Living Translation. This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 NLT) Be strong and courageous, the Lord tells Joshua. He also tells Joshua that wherever he places his foot, God will give him that land. In other words, God is saying, I will be with you each step of the way and enable you to claim all that is yours. It is so beautiful and encouraging that the first steps they take in to this Promised land, take them to the most unlikely of places. They step into the home of the prostitute, Rahab. Through them, God is going in, to take possession of what is His. Rahab is his. Her heart is His. Her family belongs to Him. The scarlet thread of redemption is woven through the most unlikely of places, and brings salvation to the most unlikely of homes – the home of a prostitute, Rahab. And Rahab's life plays into our redemption story. She is right there in the genealogical line of another Joshua – Jeshua - Jesus - who would come hundreds of years later. She is a direct ancestor of Jesus – the Messiah – the Lamb of God! God's feet came to Rahab. And they have come to you. They have come to the world. He is taking possession of your life and invading the home of your family and the world. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isa 52:7) God sends his Gospel to the most unlikely of places. Somehow, he gave priority to this woman. Above all the other citizens of Jericho, he went to her house. God makes you a priority, too. He comes after your heart. Live in the light of this God who has pursued you and has come to your house. May you know that love today, and share it with others.
YOU ASKED FOR IT“6 Secrets of a Happy Marriage”Philippians 2:2 NLT “Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.”Six Secrets of a Happy Marriage and Relationship1. It takes COMMUNICATIONProverbs 13:17 TLB “…Reliable communication permits progress.”Amos 3:3 NKJV “Can two walk together except they are agreed.”2. It takes CONSIDERATIONEphesians 4:2 NLT ““Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.”Romans 12:10 NKJV “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”3. It takes COMPROMISE1 Corinthians 13:4-5 TLB “….Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, (5) never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way.””4. It takes COURTSHIPProverbs 5:19 NLT “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.”Ecclesiastes 9:9 TLB “Live happily with the woman you love through the fleeting days of life, for the wife God gives you is your best reward down here for all your earthly toil.”5. It takes COMMITMENTMalachi 2:6 NLT “For I hate divorce!" says the LORD, the God of Israel. "It is as cruel as putting on a victim's bloodstained coat," says the LORD Almighty. "So guard yourself; always remain loyal to your wife."6. It takes CHRISTPhilippians 4:13 NKJV “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
What happened isn't on you. What's happening is on you. It's happening in your heart. “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. -Revelation 2:2-3 NLT “But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.” -Revelation 2:4-7 NLT Remember Repent Start Healing- Focus on what you can control (What You Do. How You Do it. Why You Do It)-Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” -Psalms 37:3-5 NLT Don't be controlled by what that you can't control-“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” -Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT Be at Peace-“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” -Philippians 4:8-9 NLT
In this parable of the Three Servants, the master had left his money in increments to each servant. One was given five, another two, and, the last only one bag and yet the last one was the only to bury his bag. The master gave each according to their abilities and God has done the same with us. Some of us like the one servant have buried our treasure out of fear of being wrong and or punished. God is expecting us to use what He has given to us and He will increase what's in our hands according to our faithfulness. Matt 25:14-30 NLT Luke 19:11-27 NLT Ecc. 2;26 NLT Exo 4:22 NLT 2 Kings 4:2 NLT Romans 10:9-10 NLT Be blessed but more importantly be a blessing
Style and Stewardship - Intentional Living, Spiritual Growth, Wellness, Nutrition, Lifestyle
32 Why did God give us the 10 Commandments? Have you ever wondered why God gave us the 10 commandments? Do you believe God gave these commands to keep something good from you? Check out this previous episode> Do you think God is keeping something good from you? Podcast Episode 12 In order to serve listeners of The Style And Stewardship Podcast best, I want to know what would encourage you. I created a quick and simple Survey in the link below: https://forms.gle/m6GNfCPqMtQ25zvD6 Scriptures referenced via bible gateway God told Cain to not give in to sin: Genesis 4:7 (NLT) The lamb was slain before the world began 1Peter 1:19-20 (NLT) Jesus called the disciples friends John 15:15 (CSB) Seek first the kingdom: Matthew 6:33 (CSB) We have been given everything to live a godly life: 2Peter 1:3 (CSB) Ask God for wisdom James 1:5 (CSB) We are drawn away by our desires James 1:13-14 (CSB) Sin gives birth to death James 1:15 (NLT) Be doers of the word James 1:22-27 (CSB) Blog: Style And Stewardship YouTube: Subscribe to Style And Stewardship Contact: hello@styleandstewardship.com New Podcast Episodes Drop on Wednesdays Thank you for listening I would love to know how this podcast is encouraging you? Leave a Review on Itunes (Apple Podcasts) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/styleandstewardship/message
Joshua 1:6-8 NLT “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. For those who love God, for those who follow Christ, the way to reach the life goals that God created us to attain is only through Him—His way, His will, and His Word. To become everything He planned for us when He formed us in our mother's wombs. When God spoke to Joshua on behalf of the people of Israel about moving to the Promised Land, He twice said to “be strong and courageous,” and then to be very careful to follow His Word. Then they would prosper and succeed. The same is true for us today. Follow God's way, His will, and His Word, which in today's culture, will take being strong and courageous. Listen once again to this rephrasing of today's passage, this time for the Message Bible: Strength! Courage! Give it everything you have, heart and soul… Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed.” (from Joshua 1:6-8) It is clear in this passage how important it is to Study and Meditate on God's word to be successful. The path to success and achieving goals for the believer only comes through an uncompromising path through His Word. Let's pray: “Father God, please give me a hunger for Your Word, a desire to study Your Book, to meditate on it, and be careful to obey what You tell me. As above, so below.”
Questions “What will we do now?” 2 Kings 6:8-23 “Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” 2Kings 6:13 (NLT) 1. I have security when I choose God's AGENDA over my own. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 (NLT) 2. I find peace when I seek God's PRESENCE. When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15 (NLT) “Don't be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 2 Kings 6:16 (NLT) Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:17 (NLT) “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10 (NIV) The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalms 9:9 (NLT) For you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Psalms 61:3 (NLT) He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. Psalms 62:2 (NLT)
1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT: "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
Key Verse – Philippians 4:8-9 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Psalm 46:10 (NLT) “Be still, and know that I am God! 1. Moments with God begin with my surrender. See Acts 9:1-9 2. Moments with God come when I'm intentional. See Genesis 25:21-26 See Genesis 32:23-31 3. Moments with God come with my humility. See Exodus 3:1-6
All of my life, I've heard people say we should not pray for patience, because God will make you go through difficult situations to obtain patience.But let's remember that the fruit of the Spirit is about a life that is changed and transformed by the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the outer evidence of a changed inner life. Each one of the fruit of the Spirit reflects the character of Jesus. This is our goal…to be like Jesus. So, whatever it takes for you and I to reflect the character of Christ…that is a good thing!The Bible teaches us that God is patient. One of the verses I love is…“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” (Psalm 145:8)In the book of Genesis, God gave the people of the world 120 years to repent before he sent the flood. Think about it. Noah's neighbors spent twelve decades watching the ark be built and hearing him preach, calling for their repentance, before God sent the waters to cover the earth.But while God is patient, we are often not patient. It's human nature to be impatient. We aren't naturally wired to be patient. We're more likely to be selfish. When you were a baby and you woke up in the middle of the night in your crib. You woke up hungry. You didn't lie there thinking, “I know Mom and Dad are tired. So I'll just wait until the morning to let them know I need something to eat. No, you wanted to be fed and you wanted it now.We grow up with this mentality. We want everything to be quick. We don't like waiting and we get frustrated when we have to. The Bible has a lot to say about patience.“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” (Proverbs 16:32 NLT)“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)Definition: Patience is the ability to accept delay or disappointment graciously. Patience is calm endurance under pressure, knowing that God is in control.Our default reaction to delay and disappointment is frustration. We often respond with anger. Patience is the ability to allow God's grace to control our personality so we can respond like God. When we think of our need for patience, we tend to think of traffic, slow wifi, grocery store lines, and how long it took to get a table at our favorite restaurant. It's true that do need the help of the Holy Spirit when we are faced with delay, but there is another place that we desperately need patience.We need patience when dealing with the imperfections of others.We are often quick to get irritated with people who don't act or do things the way we think they should. We get frustrated when people don't meet our expectations. Somehow we seem to feel we are smarter and more capable than those we criticize.The first place where we need patience with others is in our homes. We must learn to celebrate differences rather than condemn them. We must learn to set aside the arrogance that seems to feel that if someone does not do things the way I do, they are wrong, and I am right.As I think about this, I remember how patient God has been with me! Aren't you grateful God has been patient with you?Today's Challenge: In a fast-paced world, we seldom take time to slow down and enjoy the presence of God. Remember this… God is not in a hurry. Let's slow down, learn to rest, and decide to trust God and his timing.
Part 4 in our look at the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. On the menu today, we'll look at how the Word of God gives us an edge in life, how it sheds light on our every step, divided loyalties, recognizing our role as servant and rivers of tears gushing from our eyes. Plus, you'll find out why Joy loves PB so much. Psalm 119:97-136 read from the NLT Be sure to Follow, leave a comment/rating and share with friends. Facebook @lunchwithpbandj Instagram @lunchwithpbandj_podcast Email lunchwithpbandj@gmail.com YouTube @ Lunch with PB&J
Be Encouraged! Leviticus 26 - 27 and Acts 23 Paul is suffering. It seems that this is his destiny from the very beginning, from the very first moment he was knocked off his horse on the way to Damascus. It was told by none other than Jesus himself, that this Saul of Tarsus would become Paul, and that he would suffer much for Christ’s sake. He would appear before kings, Gentiles and Jews alike. That was his destiny. suffering. Over and over again we see him suffering. But God didn’t just say, you’re going to suffer a lot, Paul, and then leave it at that. No. With this proclamation came a prescription - He was going to see Jesus with great clarity. In fact, we’re told that scales came off of his eyes. He had a vision of Jesus. This clear vision of Jesus was to be the prescription for the suffering that he would encounter all through his life. It was the power that moved him into his destiny, day after day, whether he was in jail or alongside those he loved. The prescription and the power was a vision of Jesus. Time and time again the Lord renews Paul’s vision by enabling him to see Jesus in the midst of his suffering. After being arrested, alone and falsely accused, under threat of murder by a plot of assasins - in the midst of all this, the Lord appears to Paul. The word that Jesus speaks to Paul at this dark moment is this - Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well." (Acts 23:11 NLT) Be encouraged! That’s the word. Jesus shows up and Paul sees him. And the prescription, in this time of great threat and suffering, is to be encouraged. Are you under a threatening diagnosis? Is it a dark night for you, too? Have the pressures mounted? Is your diagnosis bleak? God will always offer you a vision of himself. Jesus says so. To all those who are his he says: And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20 NLT) The diagnosis for your suffering is a vision of me. See me. Be encouraged! I’m with you. My call on your life, and my purposes for your life they will not fail. I’m working something out here of great significance, of eternal weight and glory. Through this light and temporary affliction I’m working something out in your life. So be encouraged. Look at me. I’m offering you a vision of myself, in the midst of your suffering. His prescription for your suffering is a vision of him. He has the power to fulfill all his purposes in your life. Hold on to that. Make sure you are looking at Him. Make sure, in the midst of discouragement, despair and the hard diagnoses in life, that you don’t turn away from him, but rather to him. He is here. He is present. He is with you. He shows up in the middle of the night, just like he did to Paul, with a word of encouragement. Today, see that, hold to that, train your heart with this prescription of encouragement from none other than Jesus himself. May your heart be encouraged and may your eyes see remain on him.
Find our message notes, lyric sheets, Bible study and giving options at https://www.newlifecc.com/ Text "Update" to 30500 for more information. Text "Prayers" to 30500. Looking for ways to give or get help? Visit https://loveourneighbors.org/ Message Notes: Direction “Obeying The Stop Signs” “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8 (NLT) “This is not good!” Moses' father-in-law exclaimed. “You're going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Exodus 18:17-18 (NLT) 1. God gives stop signs for my PROTECTION. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG) See Exodus 18:19-24 2. God gives stop signs to prepare me for the NEXT TURN. Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalms 5:3 (NLT) 3. God gives stop signs to REST in Him. "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG) He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Psalm 23:2-3 (NLT) Be still, and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10 (NLT) ----- Connect with us! → https://linktr.ee/newlifeccThank you so much for joining us online today! We hope you have a great week! #NewLifeCC #2021
1 Peter 2:11-12 (NLT): "Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world." The problem here is what has transformed church culture and identity. We are charged with the responsibility of being the "pillar of truth", not the pillar of Christian Nationalism. And that is how we are being known. We need to reform the church back to God and His kingdom!
A beautiful Monday to you in the name of Jesus, we thank God for today and we thank God for the gift of life it's an exciting week. We're in the week of Christmas!! And we thank God for how he has kept us in a very challenging year. But in spite of the challenges we have still enjoyed His goodness and mercy, for which we are very grateful. Throughout this week we'll be talking about “ In all things and for All things” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." Ephesians 5: 20 (NLT) And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. God wants us to give thanks in every situation, in every circumstance and for everything. A couple of days ago one of our listeners, a father figure that I fondly call " Baba Bolo" sent me a video message from the President of the Latter- Day Saints, Russell Nelson. In the vedio he spoke about The Healing Power of Gratitude While listening to that video I learnt many lessons from the things things. Mr Nelson is an accomplished scientist, a medical doctor, a heart surgeon. He describes himself as a man of science and a man of faith. He spoke about the reality of science when it comes to health challenges of our world and he also spoke about the realities of faith. He spoke about the ills of our world, the pandemic, racism, unforgiveness and the likes. He said he said both science and faith agree to The healing power of gratitude. When you have a grateful heart, the healing power of gratitude begins to flow through in your life, Throughout this week we'll be taking lessons in gratitude from this 96 year old man. If you listen to his story you'll find out that in his life he was able to thank God in everything and for everything. I don't know what your situation is today, I don't know what you're going through right now, nor do I know what you've gone through before. But let's settle this: in all things and for all things we can give thanks. When we do, we'll experience how the Mystery of Thanksgiving turns things around. God bless you enjoy the rest of your week.
Hello everyone! Today is the third part in a multi part series called “Pain” after speaking with a lot of interviewees there is a lot of pain that starts the seed of unforgiveness and in this episode we will talk about “Sibling Pain”. Check this out! Show Notes: My apologies I tried to do a video of the podcast where you all could see me... But it failed lol. I will be sticking to audio podcasting from now on :) "You Can Forgive Your Parents" by Marshall Segal (https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-can-forgive-your-parents) Forgiveness - The Tale Of Two Sister by Regina (https://www.spiritual-experiences.com/real-spiritual-story.php?story=431) Family is Built Not Born by Pastor Stephen Chandler (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1BzNsIf45M&t=2s) Forgiving My Brother by Derrick Dominguez (https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/forgiving-my-brother) Bible Verses: "But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also." Matthew 5:39 New Living Translation (NLT) "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 NLT "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37 New King James Version (NKJV) "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men." Romans 12:17 NKJV "If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you." Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath" Ephesians 4:26 NKJV "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-24 English Standard Version (ESV) "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." Galatians 5:17 NLT My Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwaynestaten/ Leave me a Voice Message! https://anchor.fm/dwayne-staten5/message Schedule a Coaching Session: https://dwaynestaten.setmore.com/ Music: Moody by Jay Someday https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_moody Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/WJHTZpx9d2o
(1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT) Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. (Daniel 3:1-7 NIV) King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned […]
For our final day this week, we’ll focus on several verses that can encourage you and also are great to share with your kids. One of the best ways to teach them biblical principles such as stewardship, generosity, faithfulness, and blessing is through reading, repeating, meditating on, and memorizing Scripture together. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38 NLT) Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7-9 NLT) Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (Psalm 37:3-4 NLT) God knows how important your finances are to you and the life of your family. He knows what you need even before you need it. He wants to take care of you and your kids. The more you surrender to Him, the more your kids will learn the same. The more they see you obey God’s Word in faithfulness, the more they will learn His ways. Showing them first-hand how to rely on the Lord and place your lives into His hands will set them up for success in life, regardless of money now or money to come. For the Christ-follower, everything in life is spiritual. We hope this week you have decided to view your finances through God’s will, from God’s hand. Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, a dollar bill is just a physical resource, but what we do and how we handle our finances is such an important part of our spiritual life. Teach me to teach my kids Your ways, Your will, and Your Word. As above, so below.”
(Joshua 1:6-8 NLT) “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. For those who love God, for those who follow Christ, the way to reach the life goals that God created us to attain is only through Him—His way, His will, and His Word. To become everything He planned for us when He formed us in our mother’s wombs. When God spoke to Joshua on behalf of the people of Israel about moving to the Promised Land, He twice said to “be strong and courageous,” and then to be very careful to follow His Word. Then they would prosper and succeed. The same is true for us today. Follow God’s way, His will, and His Word, which in today’s culture, will take being strong and courageous. Listen once again to this rephrasing of today’s passage: “Be strong and courageous … Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions God gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study His Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (from Joshua 1:6-8 NLT) It is clear in this passage how important it is to Study and Meditate on God’s word to be successful. As you listen to these meditations, you hear God’s Word, but I want to encourage you to be sure you are taking it in yourself by reading your own Bible or listening on an app. The path to success and achieving goals for the believer only comes through an uncompromising path through His Word. Let’s pray: “Father God, please give me a hunger for Your Word, a desire to study Your Book, to meditate on it, and be careful to obey what You tell me. As above, so below.”
Series: God, Help Us Unite Title: United We Stand Main Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12 Supporting Scripture: Romans 12:15; Micah 6:8; 2 Chronicles 7:14; John 17:20-21&23 1 Corinthians chapter 12:12 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ” 1 Corinthians chapter 12:26 (NLT) “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all of the parts are glad” Romans 12:15 (NLT) “Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep” Micah chapter 6:8: (NLT) “Now, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right (see that justice is done), to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Do What's Right, Act Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly Admit Racism is Real LISTEN PRAY 2 Chronicles chapter 7:14 (NLT) “If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” John 17:20-23 (NLT) “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believer in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father and I am in you……I am in them and your are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” Love
JUNE 10, Be Strong by Being Loved Today's readings are Song of Solomon 1 – 4 and Ephesians 6. We are reading from the New Living Translation. Be strong. Be loved. The strength that you need to resist the enemy's fiery attacks comes from God. It's not from us. All of the armor that he bequeaths to us: the helmet, the shield, the shoes, the sword, the breastplate, – all of it – is a gift from a loving God. So put on that loving armor, and be strong. Paul tells us to be strong. But the final words that he actually gives to us are, Be loved! Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 6:23-24 NLT) Be strong. How are we to do that? We do that by being loved, putting on the loving armor of our Lord, resting in the eternal grace that has been placed upon us. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Be strong. Put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of God's righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, lifting up the shield of faith, holding forth the sword of the Spirit. These are loving gifts from a loving God, whose grace has been eternally placed on us. You can be strong because you have been loved. Know this well, and let it's truth sink deep into your heart, so that you can draw strength from it.
Monsters Under My BedGive ThanksPhilippians 4:4-7 (NKJV) – Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.Three Types of Thanks:1. END ThanksPhilippians 1:3-5 (NLT) – Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.2. IN Thanks1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) – “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”3. FOR Thanks2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (MSG) – “Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first, I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, “My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.” Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”“I realized the missing ingredient in my prayers had been “with thanksgiving.” So I put down my Bible and spent time worshipping Him for who He is and what He is. This covers more territory than any one mortal can comprehend. Even contemplating what little we do know dissolves doubts, reinforces faith, and restores joy. I began to thank God for giving me this one I loved so dearly in the first place. I even thanked Him for the difficult spots which taught me so much. And you know what happened? It was as if suddenly someone turned on the lights in my mind and heart, and the little fears and worries which, like mice and cockroaches, had been dibbling away in the darkness, suddenly scuttled for cover. “(Adapted from Worry Less, Live More, Robert J. Morgan, p. 72)
1CHRONICLES 8:Hang on! We’re almost through with the names chapters! PROVERBS 17a:I must say that it is hard to choose just one verse to highlight in today’s reading: Pro. 17:9 NLT Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,but dwelling on it separates close friends. Re-reading EPHESIANS 6:I like the way our translation of the spiritual armor portion of this chapter helps the reader understand how the various parts of the armor are actually applied or ‘picked up’ and ‘worn’. So in the podcast for today I read verses 10-17 in an English translation of our plain Indonesian translation. PET: 10 As final instructions, you should each become strong because you keep on hoping completely in the Lord's amazing power, and also because you have become one with Him. 11 Just like a soldier wears his equipment for war, you must wear all the battle equipment that God gives us. In that way you can reject the devil's lies. 12 For we aren't fighting against people on this earth. But we fight against evil spirits and all the powers who rule those evil spirits. They're the ones who now control this dark world from the sky above. 13 That's why you need to use all the tools of war given by God, so that when the enemy comes to attack you, you won't run, but can oppose him and keep enduring until the war is over. 14 So stand firm. Hold on to the true teaching from God, because true teaching is like a belt that makes you ready to act. Live a righteous life, because a righteous life is like a metal vest that will protect you from the enemy's attacks. 15 And keep holding on to the Good News about Christ. That news helps you to feel calm in the protection of God. Continually hold on to that news, just like a soldier always wears strong boots, so that you stand firm in war. 16 Besides that, keep believing in the Lord. For your [fully believing/faith] is like a shield that protects you from all of the flaming arrows that the devil shoots at us. 17 Keep on being certain that God has saved you, because that is like your war helmet. And hold onto all of God's words like holding a sword, because His words have the power of the Holy Spirit. GNT Translation notes:Eph. 6:1 Children, it is your [duty as the Lord’s followers//Christian duty] to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. [The command,]4 Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them [bitter//angry]. Instead, raise them with [the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord//Christian discipline and instruction].16 At all times carry [belief in Christ//faith] as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.23 [Dear brothers and sisters, my prayer is that//May] God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give [you peace, love and full belief//to all Christians peace and love with faith]. NLT Translation notes:Eph. 6:10 A[s my] final word: [PET: each one of you, be strong because you keep on hoping completely in the Lord's amazing power, and also because you are joined as one with Him.//NLT Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.]21-22 [PET: Our beloved brother, Tychicus, has brought this letter to you. He serves the Lord very faithfully as our brother who is joined as one with the Lord. I also sent him so that he could give you news about my situation and ministry, so that you can know about our situation and so that he can strengthen your hearts.//NLT To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.]
1CHRONICLES 7:Yesterday we heard about Levite and priestly genealogies and their allotment of towns. The pace quickens as today we hear of six tribes. PROVERBS 16b:Today’s highlighted verse is this: 18 Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall. EPHESIANS 6:This is another chapter break that interrupts the flow. Yesterday we started a new topic with the words “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” We have heard about the husband-wife relationship under this, and now we hear of two more relationship pairs. GNT Translation notes:Eph. 6:1 Children, it is your [duty as the Lord’s followers//Christian duty] to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. [The command,]4 Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them [bitter//angry]. Instead, raise them with [the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord//Christian discipline and instruction]. 16 At all times carry [belief in Christ//faith] as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.23 [Dear brothers and sisters, my prayer is that//May] God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give [you peace, love and full belief//to all Christians peace and love with faith]. NLT Translation notes:1Chr. 7:21 Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These [last] two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. ====Eph. 6:10 A[s my] final word: [PET: each one of you, be strong because you keep on hoping completely in the Lord's amazing power, and also because you are joined as one with Him.//NLT Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.] 21-22 [PET: Our beloved brother, Tychicus, has brought this letter to you. He serves the Lord very faithfully as our brother who is joined as one with the Lord. I also sent him so that he could give you news about my situation and ministry, so that you can know about our situation and so that he can strengthen your hearts.//NLT To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.]
I Am A Reflection Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) Imitate [reflect] God in everything you do [g3402 mimetes (mimic) copy in action, speech, simulate, resemble closely] because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. God Wants Your Life To Be A Reflection Of His Life! You Reflect God's Life Through Your Actions And Conversations! Ephesians 5:3-7 (NLT) Let there be no sexual immorality [fornication], impurity [uncleanness], or greed [advantage] among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. [TPT - Guard your speech. Forsake obscenities and worthless insults; these are nonsensical words that bring disgrace and are unnecessary. Instead, let worship fill your heart and spill out in your words]. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins [NASB - Let no one deceive you with empty words - devoid of truth], for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him. 7 Don't participate in the things these people do [be partakers with, share in]. You Reflect God's Life When You Choose To Shine In The Dark! Ephesians 5:8-14 (TPT) Once your life was full of sin's darkness, but now you have the very light of our Lord shining through you because of your union with Him. Your mission is to live as children flooded with His revelation-light! 9 And the supernatural fruits of His light will be seen in your—goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Then you will learn to choose what is beautiful to our Lord. 11 Don't even associate with the servants of darkness because they have no fruit in them; instead, reveal the truth to them. 12 The very things they do in secret are too vile and filthy to even mention. 13 Whatever the revelation-light exposes, it will also correct, and everything that reveals the truth is light to the soul. 14 This is why the Scripture says, “Awake, you sleeper! Rise up from the dead and the Anointed One will shine His light into you!” You Reflect God's Life When You Live Your Life For His Purpose! Ephesians 5:15-16 (NLT) Be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days [TPT - Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for His purposes]. Ephesians 5:17-20 (TPT) Don't live foolishly for then you will have the discernment to fully understand God's will [God's purpose for you]. 18 Don't get drunk with wine, which is rebellion; instead, be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 19 And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord Jehovah. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs [make songs] given by the Spirit! 20 Always give thanks to Father God… Ephesians 5:21 (TPT) Out of your reverence for Christ be supportive of each other in love [be subject to, submit to, place or rank yourself under]. Vr 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. Vr 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. Vr 32 (TPT) Marriage is the beautiful design of the Almighty, a great and sacred mystery—meant to be a vivid example [reflection] of Christ and his church. Ephesians 6:1-4 (NLT) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 "Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, "things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth." 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them [Correct, do not punish. Punishment is from a principle of revenge; correction is from a principle --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/spiritlifechurch/message
Bestselling author and Certified Daring Way™ and Dare to Lead™ Facilitator (based on the research of Brené Brown) Justine Froelker talks practical ways we can 1) approach loved ones who misunderstand us, and 2) move in close with others so they are not misunderstood. Both situations require vulnerability, but in our courage, needs can be met, relationships strengthened, and emotions solidified. Show up and identify with the feelings that linger beneath the surface - your heart, family, and friends will thank you.Romans 12:15 (NLT):Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.Authentic Enoughness 4-month Self Care Program Rising Strong Workshops (Hosted in St. Louis, MO, 2nd Tuesday of every month) The Complicated Gray by Justine FroelkerThe Prayer Warriors Podcast by Christian Broadcasting NetworkMy coach Cassandra is awesome, check her out. Justine’s Awesome T-Shirts
Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do How do I Unleash the POWER of God? Thank you for listening to The Living Beyond Podcast with Pastor Shannon Long. We hope that you hear something that helps you grow spiritually and that we have sown into your journey to find Christ. If you have time, we invite you to go over to our official Beyond Measure Ministries page where we stream live every Sunday during worship service - Beyond Measure Ministries Thank you for joining us today, and as always... Remember to Sow, Grow, and PRODUCE!
1CHRONICLES 7:Yesterday we heard about Levite and priestly genealogies and their allotment of towns. The pace quickens as today we hear of six tribes. PROVERBS 16b:Today’s highlighted verse is this: 18 Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall. EPHESIANS 6:This is another chapter break that interrupts the flow. Yesterday we started a new topic with the words “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” We have heard about the husband-wife relationship under this, and now we hear of two more relationship pairs. GNT Translation notes:Eph. 6:1 Children, it is your [duty as the Lord’s followers//Christian duty] to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. [The command,]4 Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them [bitter//angry]. Instead, raise them with [the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord//Christian discipline and instruction]. 16 At all times carry [belief in Christ//faith] as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.23 [Dear brothers and sisters, my prayer is that//May] God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give [you peace, love and full belief//to all Christians peace and love with faith]. NLT Translation notes:1Chr. 7:21 Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These [last] two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. ====Eph. 6:10 A[s my] final word: [PET: each one of you, be strong because you keep on hoping completely in the Lord's amazing power, and also because you are joined as one with Him.//NLT Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.] 21-22 [PET: Our beloved brother, Tychicus, has brought this letter to you. He serves the Lord very faithfully as our brother who is joined as one with the Lord. I also sent him so that he could give you news about my situation and ministry, so that you can know about our situation and so that he can strengthen your hearts.//NLT To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.]
Speaker: Damon Shook Title: Today “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 NLT 1. Recognize today is a special _____________ from God. 2. Refuse to miss today by focusing on the ____________ or the _________________. “I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13 “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Matthew 6:34 NLT “Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but be wise, making the most of your opportunity.” Ephesians 5:15-16 3. Rejoice in today and make it ___________________. “Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” Exodus 14:13 “I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-22 “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 3:7-8 “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6
To TEACH you how to read AND apply God's Word to your life. To HELP you see your life from God's perspective. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV) The internal work won't always line up with the external circumstances. Message Title: “Submission and Sacrifice” Your Marriage Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ… Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) Marriage is a physical representation of a spiritual reality. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV) Submission and sacrifice may not be our natural responses… but they are our supernatural responsibilities. Your CHILDREN Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV) “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV) Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV) As parents we don't lead our children based on our current season or current temperament, but based on THEIR current needs. Your WORKPLACE Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:5-9 (NIV) And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Ephesians 6:5-9 (NIV) Obedience and submission are not the same thing. You can obey and not be submitted in your heart. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Ephesians 6:6 (NIV) Your SPIRITUAL BATTLEFIELD Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:10-24 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-24 (NIV) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-24 (NIV) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-24 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people… Ephesians 6:10-24 (NIV) Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Ephesians 6:10-24 (NIV) You are not fighting FOR victory… but FROM victory.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22 (NLT) Message Title: Same Team Stop trying to change each other. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:31-33 (NLT) They aren't you and that's great news thing! Go to counseling! Maintenance is always better than repair… Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV) Build your team Find people who you want to be like and do what they do Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. 21 You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail. Proverbs 19:20-21 (NLT) Fight the Crazy Cycle Healthy conflict can only exist with a same team mentality. Keep it Current Keeping it current helps you fights the temptation to sweep issues under the rug and allow bitterness to grow. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 (ESV) Have a playbook! Where there is no vision, the people perish… Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) Let HIM lead; Let HER counsel And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:21-24 (NLT) For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word… Ephesians 5:25-26 (NLT) So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33 (NLT) Leading the home is a responsibility NOT a right… responsibility serves; right demands. When you are on the same team… what used to be viewed as CRITICISM is now seen as COUNSEL. Parent from the Same Team Support in front of them… discuss away from them. Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) Protect the 1st Team As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. Ephesians 5:31-32 (NLT) Be more concerned with hurting your spouses feeling, than hurting other people's feelings. Play with Passion Have FUN and stop making everything so SERIOUS. The team who plays together off the field will play better together on the field. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her… Ephesians 5:25 (NLT)
Mary, and then Joseph, trusted in God's plan, despite the fact that their plans for marriage and life together didn't turn out the way they had expected. In Luke 1:26-38, Mary found that she was to give birth to Jesus, but she would be pregnant before being married. Yet, despite her fear, she trusted in God's plan. Similarly, Joseph found that his fiancé was pregnant, not by him (Matthew 1:18-25). But instead of breaking up quietly and not making a public spectacle of Mary, having had a dream in which an angel spoke to him, he married her and brought up Jesus as his own son. However, not too long after the birth, things took a turn for the worse. Herod was after Jesus, so to avoid the bloodbath that to occur soon, Joseph, Mary and Jesus became refugees in Egypt, until King Herod died (Matthew 2:13-15). Despite their world being turned upside down, both Joseph and Mary trusted in God's commands, even though they didn't fully know the significance of what they were doing at that time. We too can trust that God is in control, working out his purposes in our lives, even if it appears that things have gone terribly wrong. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7, NIV-84) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28, NLT) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7, NIV-84) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)
Have you ever been afraid of something? When I first saw you, I was afraid to talk to you. When I first talked to you, I was afraid to like you. When I first liked you, I was afraid to love you. Now that I love you, I'm afraid to lose you. - Yesenia Ann Peralez This person was afraid of one thing after another, living in fear instead of rejoicing. Sometimes we too as Christians can live in fear instead of the living in the joy of the Lord. Nehemiah could have lived in fear, because there was a lot to be afraid of, but instead he trusted in the Lord and persisted in doing his work for the Lord, despite constant opposition. “Opposition is a fact: the Christian who is not conscious of being opposed had better watch himself for he is in danger.” (J. I. Packer, Knowing God) “Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12, NLT) Yet, Christians must persevere despite opposition: “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.” (Matthew 5:10–11, NLT) Be encouraged… “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3–4, NLT) “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT) “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NLT)
Coveting is a sin that is behind many more sins to this day. For example, the sin behind theft is coveting what is not legitimately ours, which leads on to stealing it. Coveting sex with someone other than our own spouse is the root sin behind the sin of adultery and rape. Coveting people's approval or esteem is the sin that lies behind impressing others through gossip. The list is long. Jesus warns of greed and covetousness: Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” (Luke 12:15, NLT) Paul tells us that covetousness is actually idolatry (Colossians 3:5 ESV). Jesus tells us that such sin comes from a heart that is not right with God (Mark 7:21-22). Paul outlines the parallel between breaking God's law and breaking the first command in Romans 7:7-11, showing that coveting was the original sin that resulted in the Fall. The alternative to coveting is to love our neighbour as ourselves. Commandments 6-10 can be “summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Romans 13:9). The key to doing this is to be content. Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NLT) I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. (Philippians 4:12, NLT) Be ought to be kind, generous, loving, giving, patient, obedient, gracious, merciful, towards others. If we do God's will first, he guarantees that we will be content and have all that we need (not necessarily all that we might want): Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT) Further, God promises that we will have our heart's desire, if we seek his “will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven”: Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (Psalm 37:4, NLT) If we follow Jesus, doing his will, obeying his commandments, trusting him with all our concerns, we will know peace in our hearts, fulfilment in our lives, contentment, and peace of mind. People are chasing after these things, but looking for them in the wrong direction, going down the path of covetousness which leaves us with an empty feeling in the long run, instead of following God when we have joy, peace, and a holistic sense of fulfilment in the long run. The gospel message is glorious – people can be fulfilled in Jesus, instead of feeling unfulfilled by chasing after the things of this world.
Coveting is a sin that is behind many more sins to this day. For example, the sin behind theft is coveting what is not legitimately ours, which leads on to stealing it. Coveting sex with someone other than our own spouse is the root sin behind the sin of adultery and rape. Coveting people's approval or esteem is the sin that lies behind impressing others through gossip. The list is long. Jesus warns of greed and covetousness: Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” (Luke 12:15, NLT) Paul tells us that covetousness is actually idolatry (Colossians 3:5 ESV). Jesus tells us that such sin comes from a heart that is not right with God (Mark 7:21-22). Paul outlines the parallel between breaking God's law and breaking the first command in Romans 7:7-11, showing that coveting was the original sin that resulted in the Fall. The alternative to coveting is to love our neighbour as ourselves. Commandments 6-10 can be “summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Romans 13:9). The key to doing this is to be content. Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NLT) I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. (Philippians 4:12, NLT) Be ought to be kind, generous, loving, giving, patient, obedient, gracious, merciful, towards others. If we do God's will first, he guarantees that we will be content and have all that we need (not necessarily all that we might want): Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT) Further, God promises that we will have our heart's desire, if we seek his “will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven”: Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (Psalm 37:4, NLT) If we follow Jesus, doing his will, obeying his commandments, trusting him with all our concerns, we will know peace in our hearts, fulfilment in our lives, contentment, and peace of mind. People are chasing after these things, but looking for them in the wrong direction, going down the path of covetousness which leaves us with an empty feeling in the long run, instead of following God when we have joy, peace, and a holistic sense of fulfilment in the long run. The gospel message is glorious – people can be fulfilled in Jesus, instead of feeling unfulfilled by chasing after the things of this world.
Have you ever been afraid of something? When I first saw you, I was afraid to talk to you. When I first talked to you, I was afraid to like you. When I first liked you, I was afraid to love you. Now that I love you, I'm afraid to lose you. - Yesenia Ann Peralez This person was afraid of one thing after another, living in fear instead of rejoicing. Sometimes we too as Christians can live in fear instead of the living in the joy of the Lord. Nehemiah could have lived in fear, because there was a lot to be afraid of, but instead he trusted in the Lord and persisted in doing his work for the Lord, despite constant opposition. “Opposition is a fact: the Christian who is not conscious of being opposed had better watch himself for he is in danger.” (J. I. Packer, Knowing God) “Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12, NLT) Yet, Christians must persevere despite opposition: “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.” (Matthew 5:10–11, NLT) Be encouraged… “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3–4, NLT) “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT) “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NLT)
Coveting is a sin that is behind many more sins to this day. For example, the sin behind theft is coveting what is not legitimately ours, which leads on to stealing it. Coveting sex with someone other than our own spouse is the root sin behind the sin of adultery and rape. Coveting people's approval or esteem is the sin that lies behind impressing others through gossip. The list is long. Jesus warns of greed and covetousness: Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” (Luke 12:15, NLT) Paul tells us that covetousness is actually idolatry (Colossians 3:5 ESV). Jesus tells us that such sin comes from a heart that is not right with God (Mark 7:21-22). Paul outlines the parallel between breaking God's law and breaking the first command in Romans 7:7-11, showing that coveting was the original sin that resulted in the Fall. The alternative to coveting is to love our neighbour as ourselves. Commandments 6-10 can be “summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Romans 13:9). The key to doing this is to be content. Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NLT) I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. (Philippians 4:12, NLT) Be ought to be kind, generous, loving, giving, patient, obedient, gracious, merciful, towards others. If we do God's will first, he guarantees that we will be content and have all that we need (not necessarily all that we might want): Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT) Further, God promises that we will have our heart's desire, if we seek his “will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven”: Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (Psalm 37:4, NLT) If we follow Jesus, doing his will, obeying his commandments, trusting him with all our concerns, we will know peace in our hearts, fulfilment in our lives, contentment, and peace of mind. People are chasing after these things, but looking for them in the wrong direction, going down the path of covetousness which leaves us with an empty feeling in the long run, instead of following God when we have joy, peace, and a holistic sense of fulfilment in the long run. The gospel message is glorious – people can be fulfilled in Jesus, instead of feeling unfulfilled by chasing after the things of this world.
Have you ever been afraid of something? When I first saw you, I was afraid to talk to you. When I first talked to you, I was afraid to like you. When I first liked you, I was afraid to love you. Now that I love you, I'm afraid to lose you. - Yesenia Ann Peralez This person was afraid of one thing after another, living in fear instead of rejoicing. Sometimes we too as Christians can live in fear instead of the living in the joy of the Lord. Nehemiah could have lived in fear, because there was a lot to be afraid of, but instead he trusted in the Lord and persisted in doing his work for the Lord, despite constant opposition. “Opposition is a fact: the Christian who is not conscious of being opposed had better watch himself for he is in danger.” (J. I. Packer, Knowing God) “Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12, NLT) Yet, Christians must persevere despite opposition: “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.” (Matthew 5:10–11, NLT) Be encouraged… “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3–4, NLT) “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT) “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NLT)
Mary, and then Joseph, trusted in God's plan, despite the fact that their plans for marriage and life together didn't turn out the way they had expected. In Luke 1:26-38, Mary found that she was to give birth to Jesus, but she would be pregnant before being married. Yet, despite her fear, she trusted in God's plan. Similarly, Joseph found that his fiancé was pregnant, not by him (Matthew 1:18-25). But instead of breaking up quietly and not making a public spectacle of Mary, having had a dream in which an angel spoke to him, he married her and brought up Jesus as his own son. However, not too long after the birth, things took a turn for the worse. Herod was after Jesus, so to avoid the bloodbath that to occur soon, Joseph, Mary and Jesus became refugees in Egypt, until King Herod died (Matthew 2:13-15). Despite their world being turned upside down, both Joseph and Mary trusted in God's commands, even though they didn't fully know the significance of what they were doing at that time. We too can trust that God is in control, working out his purposes in our lives, even if it appears that things have gone terribly wrong. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7, NIV-84) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28, NLT) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7, NIV-84) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)
Mary, and then Joseph, trusted in God's plan, despite the fact that their plans for marriage and life together didn't turn out the way they had expected. In Luke 1:26-38, Mary found that she was to give birth to Jesus, but she would be pregnant before being married. Yet, despite her fear, she trusted in God's plan. Similarly, Joseph found that his fiancé was pregnant, not by him (Matthew 1:18-25). But instead of breaking up quietly and not making a public spectacle of Mary, having had a dream in which an angel spoke to him, he married her and brought up Jesus as his own son. However, not too long after the birth, things took a turn for the worse. Herod was after Jesus, so to avoid the bloodbath that to occur soon, Joseph, Mary and Jesus became refugees in Egypt, until King Herod died (Matthew 2:13-15). Despite their world being turned upside down, both Joseph and Mary trusted in God's commands, even though they didn't fully know the significance of what they were doing at that time. We too can trust that God is in control, working out his purposes in our lives, even if it appears that things have gone terribly wrong. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7, NIV-84) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28, NLT) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7, NIV-84) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! Philippians 4:1 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) God is more concerned with what is happening IN you than what is happening TO you. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9 (NIV) Hold That Thought Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Matthew 14:22-23 (NLT) Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It's a ghost!” Matthew 14:24-26 (NLT) But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don't be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. Matthew 14:27-29 (NLT) So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Matthew 14:29-30 (NLT) Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said, “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:31 (NLT) When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him, “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. Matthew 14:32 (NLT) Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 4:23 (GNT) Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think… Romans 12:2 (NLT) But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don't be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Matthew 14:27 (NLT) 1. We don't give FEAR control For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) Bravery is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of fear. 2. We take THOUGHTS captive We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) When you take a thought captive, you'll reveal an enemy objective. 3. We stay FOCUSED Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Matthew 14:28-30 (NLT) “Faith is the byproduct of correct focus.” – Steven Furtick Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 (NIV) For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 (AMP)
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NLT) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. Philippians 2:20 (NIV) There is a big difference between genuine concern and needless anxiety. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NIV) He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 (NIV) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 (NIV) Control what you can (YOU) and trust God with all the THINGS you can't. “Worry is a down payment on a problem you may never even have.” – Joyce Myers That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. Mark 4:35-39 (NIV) A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Mark 4:37 (NIV) Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don't you care if we drown?” Mark 4:38 (NIV) He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39-40 (NIV) They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41 (NIV) He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39-40 (NIV) Jesus doesn't allow storms to test us… but to TEACH us. …When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 (NLT) If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6 (NLT) If you learn how to calm the waves within… you'll learn how to ride the waves without. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11 (NIV) The bravest thing you can do in the storm… is worship the one who controls the wind.
Title: Joy (Luke 2:9-11)(NLT) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don't be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4) (NLT) For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. …a time to laugh. (Psalm 2:4)(NIV) “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.” (Proverbs 4:23)(NLT) “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (2 Timothy 3:1-3) (NLT) You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 1. Ungrateful. Ungrateful: Being so focused on what we want that we forget to see what we have. 2. Unloving. Unloving: No longer feel love or affection toward others. 3. Unforgiving. Unforgiving: Choosing not to forgive or show mercy toward others. 4. Unholy. Unholy: Allow little compromising sins in your life. (Ephesians 6:12) (NCV) Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. (John 10:10) (NLT) The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. Stop taking life so seriously and start taking God more seriously. (Nehemiah 8:10) (NLT) …the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Proverbs 17:22) (NLT) “A cheerful heart is good medicine…” Choose Joy: 1. Make the choice every day. You cannot determine what happens to you, but you can determine what happens in you. (Hebrews 12:1-2) (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2) (NIV) For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Psalm 19:14) (NIV) “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” 2. Develop a high appreciation for life. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) (NLT) “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:28) (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 3. Find something positive in everything. (Philippians 4:8)(NIV) “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” 4. Turn everything over to God. (Philippians 4:6-7) (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Proverbs 4:23)(NLT) “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013 Be Careful Blessings Ahead DEU 8:1-20 NLT “Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord . For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. “So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath. “But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. Just as the Lord has destroyed other nations in your path, you also will be destroyed if you refuse to obey the Lord your God. ---------------- Everyone wants a blessing. We want a good life. We want more yield and just a bit better return. We want enough to share. We want to be comfortable. Who doesn't? We pray for blessing, we ask for protection. We hope for good crops, better wages, longer holidays, sunnier days and plenty of rain, but not when we need to be outside. We love fresh fruit, rich cakes, hearty beer, fine wine, choice tender meats and tasty pastries. We hope we don't get sick, we pray for healing and we long for a good night's sleep. On our best days we pray that even our enemies share in the blessings of peace, prosperity and economic growth. We applaud job creation, advances in technology and miracle cures. Endcliffe Park, Sheffield But be careful! Blessing can blind you! Abundance can bind you. Opulence breeds obesity. And people forget God. James 1:17 KJV Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Got a raise? It was from God. Did you give him credit? Healthy? That was from God? Have you thanked him? Have a good meal? Travel safely? Get a return on your investment? Have a comfortable life? Enjoying the sunshine? Get a choice? Live in peace? Be careful not to take it for granted. Your freedom wasn't won simply by your clever economics, your superior intellect, or your rigorous education. And you're not blessed because you deserve it. If you got it GOOD, it was from God! Be careful to not forget him. Give him credit. Be careful, blessing can be your undoing. Don't become proud. Don't forget God! Hunter's Bar, Sheffield
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