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Brothers and Sisters,

The title of this thread says it all. I'm hoping that every one will share a favorite portion of Scripture here, an uplifting thought, or just a word of encouragement for other Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

I'll start it off with a beautiful portion of Scripture that has always been one of my favorites:

Titus 2:11-14 NASB  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Isaiah 33:14-16 (AMP) The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the godless ones. [They cry] Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with those everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud and from oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil. [Such a man] will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; water for him will be sure.

My favourite is:

Psa 16:5  The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
Psa 16:6  The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Psa 16:7  I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
Psa 16:8  I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psa 16:9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psa 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Amen & hallelujah

My favorite for today is:

Proverbs 4:24-27 (NKJV)
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

Where are your feet taking you today?  :)

All of Psalm 91 especially verse 4.........He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. NASB

Don't know where this one is...........I just remember it.

The name of the Lord is a Strong Tower.  The righteous runs to it and is safe.

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 NASB  But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?  For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Can't really say I have a favourite, but there are a few speaking loudly to me at the moment.

I keep this one before my face quite freaquently:

1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Of course, I like the Amplified version much better:

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([a]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].


And this one has been constantly before my face:

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Look at all those benefits man!! I mean, there ain't no benefit package in any company that I know of that can come close. And pay closer attention to verse 4: "who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies".
That word crown in Hebrew means to compass (about), or surround. We are SURROUNDED by the lovingkindness of God. Lovingkindness is the Hebrew word hesed, which is the equivalent to the Greek agape. And if that ain't enough, we are also surrounded by the tender mercies of God.

Oh man. Here I go getting emotional again. Never used to do this. Must be something that happens when you pass 40.

All I can say is HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!

AMEN ZAKDAR!

Brother, I share your emotions.

Romans 10:8 AMP  But what does it say? The Word (God's message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, [Deut. 30:14.]
Romans 10:9 AMP  Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:10 AMP  For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.
Romans 10:11 AMP  The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed. [Ps. 34:22; Isa. 28:16; 49:23; Jer. 17:7.]

I wish that all people could experience the fulness of joy in JESUS CHRIST, our LORD AND SAVIOUR.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Hebrews 13:20-21 ASV  Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Another Amen Zakdar. These have always been a favorite of mine.

1Co 16:14  Let all your things be done with charity.


Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.


1Jo 4:14  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
1Jo 4:15  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1Jo 4:16  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1Jo 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jo 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1Jo 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.
1Jo 4:20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jo 4:21  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

 :)  No single verse from any book in scripture touches my heart more...   :)

Man I love this!! More! More!

I like this verse too.  Dean and Mary Brown wrote an entire song from this verse.  It's beautiful.

Romans 8 verses 38 and 39

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 2:8-11 NASB  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Psa 40:16  Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.


Psa 97:10  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Remember that old song by the Byrds, "Turn, Turn, Turn"?

This is where they got it from - the lyrics, that is.

Yeah, Kutless does a great song on Strong Tower.

You can quote two verses on this, by the way. Psalm 61 by David, or Proverbs 18:10 by his son. Cool, eh? The Spirit taught David, who in turn, taught his son!

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NASB  For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

Psalms 27:1-3 NASB  The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.


I love this portion of Scripture, and I have beautiful thoughts each time I read it. It's one of many portions of Scripture that I never get tired of reading and thinking about. One could think about fear and the enemy, but that is not the dominant theme of this portion of Scripture. The LORD is my light, but I also know that the LIGHT is in me and I am in the LIGHT. The LIGHT is my place of safety and refuge, so I have nothing to fear. My enemies stumble, but I have the LIGHT to guide me and direct my path. The LIGHT, core and MASTER of my life is JESUS!

Philemon 1:4-6 NASB  I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;  and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake.

Brothers and Sisters, we should all pray for each other every day, build each other up in the LORD, and strengthen each other for the work that God has for us to do. We are never alone because we always have JESUS walking with us and the Holy Spirit in our Hearts, but we can and should also have each other.

I love this one, it is the chapter I was called to service with.
Very near and dear to this lady's haert.

For some odd reason, I have had a funny day. Even though I have been in alot of pain. :(

Psalms 2:4 "He who sits in heaven will laugh, the Lord will mock them."

Psalms 59:9 "But as for You, God, You laugh at them; You mock all nations."

Job 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Remember everyone, there  is a time to laugh. That is one of Gods gifts to us.

Dreamweaver,

Brother, you and I know of many sweet Christians who suffer with pain and illness, but we have JESUS and the prayers and love of each other. I give thanks that we already pray for each other every day.

I was just thinking that many lost people would think it strange to hear about Christians who are ill and suffering pain still talking about joy and peace. The Joy and Peace of belonging to JESUS and knowing that we will spend eternity with HIM overshadows everything else. We also know that our time here will be short and this world is not our home. So, I'm thinking that we have a special perspective to help the lost understand, so that's why God still gives us work to do. Brother, I give thanks for you and the work God has given you to do. You have given me encouragement and edification countless times.

Brothers and Sisters, Dreamweaver (Brother Bob) called an ambulance for himself while he was posting his last message. I would sincerely appreciate you joining me in prayer for Brother Bob.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 15:5-7 NASB  Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

John 17:20.  "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21.  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
 22.  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
 23.  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

Jesus Christ praying for all believers that believe through the words that will be given by the Apostles.

This prayer covers all believers even we who believe today.



ollie

Hello ForHisGlory,

AMEN! I think that all Christians should read precious portions of Scripture like this one regularly. We especially need a reminder constantly that any righteousness we have is in JESUS ALONE, not in us. There is a mystery here that can be solved that ends a futile struggle. Some people struggle to obey the law or be good enough to earn their own Salvation. All the while, the righteousness of Christ is a free GIFT of LOVE AND GRACE FROM GOD! This is a beautiful truth that sets us free. In fact, the law of faith in Jesus Christ sets us free from the curse of sin and death. What we look for can only be found in JESUS, and JESUS is the ONLY WAY, TRUTH, AND LIFE!

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Peter 1:3 NASB  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Psa 73:28  But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Psa 143:10  Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Psa 147:1  Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

Jam 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jam 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Jam 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

I pray daily for all on here. I join now in prayer for Brother Bob in this also.

For all the scientists out there, and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true?
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland.
They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now.. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits.
We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.
They scratched their heads and tore their hair out.. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.' While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us, '
He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.'
There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right... 'The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!'
(Joshua 10:12-13)
The astronauts and scientists said, There is the missing day! They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and! found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes ... not a whole day.
They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now.
Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?'
Hezekiah said, 'It is nothi! ng for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backw ard 10 degrees.' Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!
Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe! Isn't it amazing?
References: Joshua 10:8 and 12,13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.
Forward this to as many people who you believe would think this is equally as cool.
This was emaled to me. I think this is real food for thought.

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

   "For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
   we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
   

   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."[/i]

- Romans 8:31-39

I love this passage because it reminds me of Abba Father.  He will lovingly discipline me.  But nothing can separate me from His love - a love that not only saved me, but justifies me.  If I cannot be separated from His love, how then could I ever be separated from His justification?  My security has been bought by His blood, given by His grace, and secured by His love.   :)

I love the fact that it reminds me time and again that I am in the servise of the Almighy, and that I am not to boast, or to feel totally incompetant, since He has called me, and He knows the way. ;D

                 Thought For Today
Mind your thoughts, for they become your words.
Choose your words, for they become actions.
Understand your actions, for they become habits.
Study your habits, for they will become your character.
Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.

PHIL 4:8 Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things. 9Do those things which you have also learned and received and heard and seen in me. And the God of peace shall be with you.

Amen!

Colossians 1:16-18 NASB  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

This beautiful portion of Scripture speaks of our Precious Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST! It testifies to the absolute fact that Jesus Christ is and always has been the CREATOR, ALMIGHTY GOD! This and other portions of Scripture explain why the only way to obtain peace with GOD is faith in JESUS CHRIST. Believers are members of the ONLY true CHURCH, a CHURCH not made by human hands, THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST! JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OVER THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH!

The joy and strength of a Christian grows as we learn to put JESUS CHRIST first in everything.

Romans 16:24-27 NASB  [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.] Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

This beautiful portion of Scripture speaks of a mystery that was kept secret through the ages. The mystery was not revealed to any of the prophets of the Old Testament, and it is the greatest REVELATION of all human history.

Leading up to this mystery is the most precious and written about event in all history - JESUS, His Crucifixion on the Cross, His Resurrection from the dead on the third day, and His ascension back to Heaven.

The man, JESUS, who was Crucified on the Cross was VERY GOD made manifest in the flesh. They did, IN FACT, Crucify the LORD OF GLORY! - THE CHRIST! HE was the only PERFECT and HOLY Sacrifice Who could take the punishment for the sins of the World in HIS Own Body. In fact, HE took our place on the Cross, and Faith in HIM is the only way to be Saved from eternal punishment. HIS BLOOD on the Cross IS payment for our sins when we place our faith in HIM and ask HIM to be the LORD over our lives. Truly, JESUS is the ONLY Way, the Truth, and the Life!

Now we find out about the beautiful MYSTERY not known to men of other ages. The MYSTERY is a Church not made with human hands, the CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. JESUS CHRIST Himself is the Head and believers are MEMBERS of HIS BODY. SO, there is only ONE TRUE CHURCH, and it is not made with brick and mortar, nor is this CHURCH of this world.

A person can't join this CHURCH, pay any amount of money to belong to this CHURCH, or work hard enough to be worthy of this CHURCH. Faith in JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour is the only way to join THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE CHURCH! This ONE TRUE CHURCH is the MYSTERY, and it doesn't bear ANY of man's labels, tags, or denominations.

I really hope that you study this portion of Scripture, follow the references, and spend enough time to fully understand the biggest and most precious MYSTERY in human history.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NASB  For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.   For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

A Christian's earthly body is described as a tent for a good reason. It is only a temporary dwelling for our short life here on earth. It represents the flesh, something that Christians have to fight for their entire short life on this earth.

We will not be spending eternity in this earthly body. At God's appointed time, Christians will be given glorified bodies for eternity. There won't be any more pain or illness in our glorified body, and that is only part of the promises of God. I must add that all of God's promises are so sure that the Holy Bible speaks of them in a tense indicating they are already done.

Amen, my Brother, that is why the Temple at Jerusalem has not been rebuilt, we God's people are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. God Himself rebuilt the Temple just as He said, when He said 'I will build this Temple up in 3 days' those 3 days he was talking about we all know, and when He was resurrected, and told Mary in the garden not to touch Him for He had not yet ascended unto the Father, later that day, (after He had presented Himself to the Father), He appeared unto His disciples, and He breathed on them and said "receive the Holy Spirit", this was the first time that the disciples were born again. (John 20:22) This was not the baptism of the Holy Spirit as we read in the Book of Acts, this was the Holy Spirit within. Amazing. GOD is so AMAZING.

Ephesians 1:7-8 NASB  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.

Brothers and Sisters,

I was just thinking about how worthy JESUS is and how unworthy I am. HE is perfect and Holy and I am the opposite, yet HE loved me enough to die on the Cross for me.

Grace is unmerited favor. I don't deserve anything except punishment, but GOD has lavished HIS Grace upon me. I don't deserve to be forgiven, and I wouldn't be forgiven except for the precious Blood of JESUS. I am thinking right now about how happy it makes me to know that I belong to JESUS. I can't imagine what this short life would be like without JESUS. JESUS gives us much more than forgiveness and love.

Thanks be unto GOD for HIS unspeakable GIFT!, JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever!

If you are lost and reading this, please don't wait another moment. Right now is a good time to accept JESUS CHRIST as your Lord and Saviour.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Colossians 1:13-14 NASB  For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

2 Peter 3:9 NASB  The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

John 10:8-10 NASB  "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Matthew 11:28-30 NASB  "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Ephesians 1:11-14 NASB  also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

With everthing happening in the world today. Only one book, and chapter, and verse, has been in my mind, the past three days.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

In no other age, has the word of God, been so wide spread.

Resting in the hands, of the Lord.
Bob

Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

AMEN

May I add in no other age, have so many of Jesus' prophecies come to pass all in a short amount of time, ie. floods, earthquakes, famine, pestilences, etc. Brother we are so close to the end, and every minute that goes by just brings us that much closer. It is exciting, but I mus add that it should also move us to spend more time in prayer, and intercedeing for others, especially those that are our own family members, they may not want to hear us, but they can't stop us from praying for them. So I ask again for all my Brothers and Sisters here at the forum to please jot the names of my son Gene, daughters Gina and Lupe, brothers, Manny, Joey, Charly, Angel and Ricky on your prayer list. And of course my Grandson William (17) and my other grandchildren. I believe that if we as a Christian family intercede for each others family members we can have a tremendous impact. Just as the early Christians did when they prayed for Peter, who was to be executed and God heard their prayers and Peter was delivered in the midnight hour. We need to be doing this for each other. A three fold cord is not easily broken, but God loves His saints so much that when we intercede for others He hears us. If anyone has other family members they want me to pray for or any of our great brothers and sisters, please I encourage you to post and request prayer. Also let us not forget that prayer is not only for when we are in trouble, or facing a health issue, but prayer is for EVERYTHING. James in his Book stated that we should be intercedeing for each other at all times in all manner of prayer.

I thank God for his promise to us.

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I praise God for His wonderful mercies.

Romans 1:16-17 NASB  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

Brothers and Sisters,

JESUS and the CROSS is still the most powerful message in the history of man. Righteousness and Faith are very interesting Bible Study Topics. Man, apart from JESUS, has no righteousness of his own. In fact the righteousness of man is as filthy rags. Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour changes everything. The Righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer and God sees the believer through Christ. So, the Righteousness of a believer is in Christ alone, and man has nothing to boast of except CHRIST! Without Faith in Jesus Christ, there are no righteous or just men.

1 Corinthians 1:18  NASB  For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The WORD of the CROSS is what saved us, and it is the Power of GOD within us. This is a beautiful TRUTH. If we yield to the Will of God, the Holy Spirit will build upon this TRUTH and give us ever increasing STRENGTH through the Word of God.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 John 5:4-5 NASB  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Glorifying God - The Sum of Christian Duty

Philippians 4:8-9 NASB  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Brothers and Sisters,

This is just a portion of a Bible Study I am doing now. I am hoping to post the entire study soon. In the meantime, please take some time out of your busy schedule to study and enjoy the short but very beautiful Book of Philippians. Find a quiet time, lean back, and listen to the things of the LORD.

I had planned to do something else first, but I felt led to do this study when one of the references was Philippians 4:8-9. This beautiful portion of Scripture applies more today than ever. I can't think of a time where the average person is assaulted so frequently with the things of the world, and it is sometimes very difficult to shut the things of the world out of our lives and the lives of our children. If we are Christians, we have personal duties to GOD and duties to our children for GOD. This small and precious portion of Scripture actually serves as a summary for all Christian duty. We will NOT measure up, but we should pray for God's help and guidance to try. I must say that I think Philippians is one of the most beautiful books in the Bible. It's only (4) short chapters, so please take a rest and read the entire book. I think that you will agree that many individual Scriptures in Philippians speak volumes and have many Christian applications.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Philippians 1:27-28 NASB  Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Acts 1:6-11 NASB  So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

Brothers and Sisters,

This beautiful portion of Scripture speaks volumes, much more than anyone would first imagine. Jesus Christ was and is the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and HE will rule and reign over the earth for 1,000 years from King David's throne in Jerusalem, but that time is not yet.

Can you imagine what kind of witness you would be if you saw something like this and knew it to be true? They actually saw the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords ascend up to heaven. We know this is true because we have the Holy Spirit living in our hearts. JESUS CHRIST is coming again in MIGHT AND GLORY, and the Kingdom they spoke of will be all REALITY. We know this because GOD promised it, and GOD keeps all of HIS PROMISES perfectly!

We didn't physically watch JESUS CHRIST ascend back to heaven on that day about 2,000 years ago, and we didn't physically watch HIM die on the Cross. BUT, are these events any less true simply because we didn't see with our own eyes? Many did see with their own eyes, and their accounts are recorded in the Holy Bible. Further, we have the absolute proof living in our hearts, SO WHAT KIND OF WITNESSES ARE WE FOR CHRIST? JESUS has saved us from the horrible wrath to come.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 5:8-9 NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Brothers and Sisters,

I was reading this beautiful portion of Scripture this morning and just had to share it. The precious old hymn seems to go with the Scripture quite well.

Revelation 21:14-27 NASB  And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Therefore we also,since we are surrounded by  so great a cloud of witnesses,let us lay aside every weight,and the sin which so easily ensnares us,and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.Looking unto Jesus,the author and finisher of our faith,who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.HEBREWS 12:1-2(NKJV)
The cloud of witnesses are not actually spectators watching us,they are people of faith who is at home with the Lord.Weight is anything that hinders us to run this race.We need to fix our eyes and focus on Christ,instead of our circumstances.Christ has done everything necessary for us to endure our faith.He is our example and model,He focus on the joy that was set before Him.His attention was not on the Cross but on the crown,not on the suffering but the reward.
God Bless :)
 

SMILE - Part 1 - No Commentary Necessary

John 3:14-18 NASB  "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Brothers and Sisters,

This precious portion of Scripture speaks volumes, and it spoke to me this morning. It tells Christians about how GOD will give us power and peace. Let me make a distinction here - it is NOT our power and peace, rather the POWER AND PEACE OF ALMIGHTY GOD!

This portion of Scripture makes for a beautiful Bible Study, one that is almost impossible to stop after you start. The references and comparisons simply add more power and peace that GOD wants to give us in our Christian walk. More than ever, Christians need POWER to stand and keep standing. Our enemies are powerful, and they want to rob us of the JOYS in CHRIST, but more specifically they wish to stop us from bearing fruit. The devil can't stand when he comes against the STRENGTH OF CHRIST!

Brothers and Sisters, we make peace with God when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. GOD accepts us because we are seen through JESUS. We are seen through JESUS because we are IN JESUS. This is a PEACE that lasts for eternity, and it is extended because of God's Grace and Love for us. Let's be realistic and know that Christians will be involved in almost constant warfare during this short life, but we also have the PEACE of and from GOD. GOD has equipped us and will equip us for the work HE has for us to do. The Strength, Power, Peace, and Tools God has given us are beyond human imagination, but we must remember one of the most important things - HE IS WITH US, AND HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US!

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 4:36-38 NASB  "Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. "For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

John 10:8-10 NASB  "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Brother Tom,
So often, I find myself being reminded by the Holy Spirit of the beautiful Scripture (Phil 4:8-9).
I have been physically challenged, emotionally challenged, financially challenged, just as almost, if not all of us have been. satan knows that if he can take our mind off Jesus, he can start chipping away at our faith in God, and start making us feel sorry for ourselves, and angry at those that have hurt us, to the point that we might even be angry at ourselves for having forgiven those that have hurt us, and even wanting to get revenge, or get even, or start trouble... these things can happen when we take our eyes off Jesus....even for a second. satan know he can't defeat Jesus, the only thing he can do to hurt Jesus now is to hurt us..or to take us down...
Every time my thoughts start to wander away from the things of God, or I start thinking about how someone either etrayed me, hurt me lied to me, or anything else... I think on this Scripture..
You see it's not about me, it's about Jesus, He is and should always be the main focus of my life...sometimes I need to be reminded of that... praise God, He knew that and He put that Scripture there to remind me...
God Bless

Amen Sister Maria!!

Your post touched my heart. YES, many of us are afflicted in one way or another, but I also know that many of us came closer to JESUS because of that affliction or trial in our lives.

This is difficult to explain as a positive experience that lasts for the rest of your life unless you've actually been in that situation that everyone knows is a major life crisis. Some of the strongest and most effective Christians I've ever met in my life have been through a crisis or they are still dealing with a crisis. We can do all things in JESUS, and HE Will walk with us every step of the way in this short life if we simply pray and ask HIM to. We are weak, BUT HE IS STRONG! I give thanks that my major life crisis DID bring me closer to JESUS, and I give thanks that HE is with me every second of every day. THANK YOU JESUS!!


Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 116:12-13 NASB  What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?  I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of the LORD.

Romans 8:16-18 NASB  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Psalms 121:2 NASB  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

AMEN
I tell you Brother Tom, sometimes when I am reading some Scripture or studying a certain verse, I am almost certain God put it there just for me.  :D
And I'm glad He did. ;D

Brothers and Sisters,

Romans 8 has always been among my favorite portions of Scripture, and that's what I read this morning. I stopped after verse 2 and started looking for references. I stopped because this was already a LOT to think about and give thanks for.

Romans 8:1-2 NASB  Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:1-2 is one of the most powerful portions of Scripture in the Holy Bible.  It is very blunt and to the point, but it speaks volumes. I like to let this portion of Scripture speak for itself, but I would like to add some references for you to study.

References:

Romans 4:7-8 NASB  "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT."

Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

John 3:18-19  NASB  "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

John 5:24  NASB  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Galatians 3:13  NASB  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"--
________________________

Brothers and Sisters, I hope you enjoy this little study as much as I did. If you want to consider all of the references and put them in context, this would be a lengthy and beautiful study.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Galatians 2:19-21 NASB  "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

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Any scripture you choose is always a good one.  But the one or ones that especially touches your heart is the one that somehow brought you closer to God.

Mine is Hebrews 4:12 "For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

I can't say that one without also going to Psalm 139:14-16  "I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret.  Your eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in your book all my members were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." ( did skip some of the words.)

I am always so amazed that God knows all about me.  He knows my beginning and my end.  He made a pattern to use just for me.  No one else is exactly like me.  (I don't want to be cloned.)  No one else is exactly like you either.

Hebrews is especially dear to me now.  God promised He was going to heal me.  Right now He is dealing with my thoughts and intents of my heart.  Showing me the errors that have been deeply buried.  He is bringing them to the front to make me aware of them.

  Then He can get rid of them when I am ready to let Him do so.  Our souls and spirits are often in much disagreement but God can change that, too. 

Study them together.  In  75 years plus 9 months, God fearfully and wonderfully made me.  I don't know how long He worked on you so far.  He is the potter and we are the clay.   He continues to mold us until He is satisfied with the finished product.  Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
I hope this makes sense to you but that is the way I see it. When God works on me, I get closer and closer to Him.    Same should be for you.  He is a wonderful, loving God.  We owe Him our all.

Jer 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb...............


A very long time .............

 ;) ;)

Brothers and Sisters,

I was reading some beautiful portions of Scripture this morning, and I wanted to share a portion that really gave me a blessing. Studying the references and comparisons for this portion of Scripture makes for a beautiful Bible study.
________________________________________

2 Corinthians 9:5 NASB  So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness.

2 Corinthians 9:6 NASB  Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

2 Corinthians 9:7 NASB  Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

2 Corinthians 9:9 NASB  as it is written, "HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER."

2 Corinthians 9:10 NASB  Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;

2 Corinthians 9:11 NASB  you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:12 NASB  For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

2 Corinthians 9:13 NASB  Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,

2 Corinthians 9:14 NASB  while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

2 Corinthians 9:15 NASB  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
________________________________________

It is important that Christians recognize that everything good originates and comes from God. God supplies His children with everything we need, and this is nothing that we have earned or deserved, rather everything good comes about because of the Grace of GOD.

There are many other important issues addressed in this portion of Scripture, but I only want to mention maybe two more. Our Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST, died on the Cross for us as a GIFT. This most important event in the history of mankind was the greatest expression of GOD'S Love, Mercy, and GRACE (undeserved GIFT) toward mankind. Those of us who have received the precious GIFT of JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour should have hearts of love and appreciation. Anything we do for others in the name of God or on His behalf MUST be done in the same spirit of grace, love, joy, cheer, and as a gift for GOD to be pleased with our work. If we work for GOD in a spirit of dread or as a chore, GOD will NOT be pleased with our work. GOD freely gave us everything in GRACE and LOVE, and that's what we MUST do with others.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Isaiah 55:10-11 NASB  "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

A verse from my "today" favorite song!  :D

"Truly I've been through the storm and rain.
I know every thing about heartache and pain.
But God carried me through it all!
Without His protection I'd surely fall.
I've been broke, without a dime to my name.
But all my bills got paid because I called on Jesus' name.
You can't tell me that God isnt real!
'Cause I've got the victory and that's why I'm still here."

Yolanda Adams
Album: Day by Day
Track: Victory

Romans 8:35-37  35 Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword? 36 Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors [a]and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

Conquerors! We win!! When you open up the last book of the Bible, Revelation, that is the message Christians win because Jesus is the one true conqueror. No matter how the battle is going for you right now, remember that in the end, we win because Jesus wins!

BUSY AND BARREN
By: Bob George

Someone experiences a genuine conversion to Jesus Christ that results in immediate changes. But there seems to be something lacking in knowing how to live from that point. He dutifully obeys the instructions that other believers give him, and jumps onto the treadmill of service. It isn't long before he discovers that no amount of service - sincere though it may be ­ will make a person spiritual. In desperation he re-doubles his efforts but, like a person struggling in quicksand, it seems that the harder he tries, the deeper he sinks.

Other people get bound up in fear and guilt, effectively frustrating their personal growth.

Like children living under hyperauthoritarian parents, they live in a state of constant worry that they will suffer the application of God's big wooden spoon. Consciously or unconsciously, they live by a list of rules. When they keep those rules, they are "okay." When they slip, they get ready to bend over. As a result, many born-again Christians live in terrible bondage, constantly worrying if they are obeying the right rules or doing the right activities to please God. An oppressive burden of guilt becomes their normal, everyday experience.

We don't necessarily recognize these people as hurting. On the outside, they may be smiling, repeating the usual Christian cliches, and performing the expected church functions. But inside, they know they are putting on an act. They would love to be free of the burden. They deeply desire to share their fears, pains, and doubts, but don't for fear of being condemned, so they suffer their own silent condemnation, wondering if God will ever find it in His heart to accept them.

Is this then, what Jesus had in mind when He talked of an "abundant life"? No! But if people have never experienced anything different, they will accept their predicament as normal. They will assume "that's just the way it is."

I have got great news. The Christian life really isn't a matter of perfecting your acting ability. It can be real!

From: Classic Christianity. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers. ©1989.

Brothers and Sisters,

I was just reading the Bible and felt led to share a portion of Scripture that speaks volumes. It is beautiful and powerful without any commentary at all:

Colossians 1:15 NASB  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Colossians 1:16 NASB  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 1:17 NASB  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:18 NASB  He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

Colossians 1:19 NASB  For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,

Colossians 1:20 NASB  and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Isaiah 66:1-2 NASB  Thus says the LORD, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? "For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.


Brothers and Sisters,

I read some portions of Isaiah this morning, and I'm glad that I did. Some portions of Isaiah are quite beautiful, and other portions describe the terror of the wicked.

The first thing this portion of Scripture should accomplish is remind us that the might and majesty of ALMIGHTY GOD is beyond human description. We need GOD and we should know from many portions of Scripture that we should be humble, beg for forgiveness, and yield completely to HIS WORD and WILL.

Any thought we could possibly have about ALMIGHTY GOD would be an understatement. YES, we should tremble before him with awe, respect, love, and fear. We do worship a GOD of great mercy, grace, and love toward us, but we should also remember that HE is a GOD of great wrath and HIS mercy does come to an end. There will come a day when GOD will pour out HIS WRATH on evil, and that day could be soon.

I really wanted to share a few thoughts with you about our HEAVENLY FATHER:

1 - HE is the KING OF KINGS, our CREATOR, and HE loves us.

2 - We should always place HIM FIRST and never take HIS love and grace for granted.

3 - HE gives us all we have, and all to HIM we owe.

Ability     

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done. -Longfellow

 
A buried talent is never a buried treasure.  Talents become treasures only through use. -Rupert

They are able because they think they are able. -Vergil

 Mt 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

 Ac 11:29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:

 1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Afflictions

 
There are no crown-wearers in heaven that were not cross-bearers here below.
-Spurgeon
 
 
The greatest affliction of life is never to be afflicted. -Anonymous

 2Co 2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2Co 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

AGE

An aged Christian, with the snow of time upon his head, may remind us that those points of earth are whitest which are nearest to heaven. -Chapin

The only thing to come to us without effort. -Anonymous

Age doesn't matter unless you are cheese. -Burke

It is not years that make souls grow old, but having nothing to love, nothing to hope for.  -Congreve

Psa 39:5  Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

Psa 92:13  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psa 92:14  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Zec 8:4  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

 

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you.

 ANGELS
Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth unseen, both when we sleep and when we awake. -Milton

 Ps 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

 Mt 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

 Lu 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Psa 31:14  But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.


1Ch 23:30  And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

James 1:4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

ATHEIST

An orphaned heart, which has lost the greatest of fathers. -Richter

A man who believes himself an accident. -Thompson

1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

 Ps 14:1 ¶ <<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.>> The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.

There may be some sins of which a man cannot speak, but there is no sin which the blood of Christ cannot wash away. -Spurgeon

Plunge into the "fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins," and in an instant you are whiter than snow.  Every speck, spot, and stain of sin is gone, and gone forever. -Spurgeon
 
Trust Christ and you shall live.  The bloody sacrifice of Calvary is the only hope of sinners. -Spurgeon

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
What can wash our sins away? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

Diffuculty

The best way out of a difficulty is through it. -Anonymous

Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star,

Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?

Yet I was wounded by the archers, spend,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned:

Hast thou no wound?
No wound, no scar?

Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And, pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far

Who has no wounds nor scar?

by Amy Carmichael, a lady who lived and died for Christ in India

I speak as a man of the world to men of the world, and I say to you: search the Scriptures.  The Bible is the Book of all others to read at all ages and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once or twice or thrice through and then laid aside; but to be read in small portions of one or two chapters a day and never to be omitted by some overwhelming necessity. --John Quincy Adams
 


The study of God's Word, for the purpose of discovering God's will, is the secret discipline which has formed the greatest characters. --J.W. Alexander
 



A young Christian packing his bag for a journey said to a friend, "I have nearly finished packing.  All I have to put in are a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a few biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer, and a set of tools."  "But you cannot put all that into your bag," objected the friend. "Oh, yes," said the Christian.  "Here it is." And he placed his Bible in the corner of the suitcase and closed the lid. -Anonymous


The devil is not afraid of the Bible that has dust on it. -Anonymous


The highest earthly enjoyments are but a shadow of the joy I find I reading God's word. -Grey
 
No one ever graduates from Bible study until he meets the Author face to face. -Harris

As a nation we are indebted to the Book of Books for our national ideals and representative institutions.  Their preservation rests in adhering to its principles. --Herbert Hoover
 

My fav bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11-13:

"For i know the plans that i have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you'll call upon me and I'll answer you, you'll search for me and find me, when you search for me with all of your heart."

JesusFreak

Timelessness

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

- Abraham Lincoln

Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away."

John 10:27
My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
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Joh 17:17 ¶ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Brothers and Sisters,

I read this portion of Scripture today in Luke and I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

Luke 12:1-9 NASB  Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. "But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. "Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
__________________________________

1 - I read a recent statistic that 150,000 people die every day around the world. I don't know how accurate this figure is, but all Christians should know that many of them were lost. Those who were lost don't have any second chance, and their eternity will be in hell. It makes me very sad to even think about this, but it also encourages me to keep praying and keep doing whatever the LORD lays on my heart to do.

2 - I also thought about many people who call themselves Christians, but the LORD doesn't know them. They might even sit in Church pews once a week and be known as a good person in the community, but they haven't given their life over to JESUS CHRIST. We all know that JESUS CHRIST is the only way for Salvation, and no amount of good deeds is recognized unless that person belongs to JESUS and has the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD in their heart.

3 - I also wondered about religious experiences by many versus Salvation experiences. I know that some people have emotional experiences of many kinds, think that they are Christians, and still have a dead heart. In my heart and mind, I know that really accepting JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour is the greatest life-changing experience that a human being can have. Please don't confuse anything I say here as implying that good works are required for salvation, but I will say there should be some kind of evidence somewhere in that person's life that they belong to JESUS. In fact, some people calling themselves Christians have evidence that they aren't Christians. One has to wonder if someone is not capable of speaking the words, "JESUS CHRIST", and one also has to wonder if there is no fruit at all. Only GOD knows the heart, but I firmly believe that every individual self-proclaiming Christian should EXAMINE THEMSELVES. Right now is the time to determine if we had an emotional experience or a Salvation experience. Tomorrow might be too late. If we didn't have a massive change in our lives, hunger for the things of the LORD, and strong feelings of love and appreciation for JESUS CHRIST - we might not be Saved at all. There are many other things that we could and should do to EXAMINE OURSELVES to see if we have placed our faith in the only one who can Save us - JESUS CHRIST.

If you aren't sure, it's long past time for you to stop, think, pray, and decide to make peace with GOD by accepting JESUS CHRIST as the LORD over your life.

Love In Christ,
Tom


1:  Romans 3:10 NASB  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

2:  Romans 3:23  NASB  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:  Romans 5:12  NASB  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

4:  Romans 6:23  NASB  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:  Romans 1:18  NASB  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6:  Romans 3:20  NASB  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

7:  Romans 3:27  NASB  Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

8:  Romans 5:8-9  NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

9:  Romans 2:4  NASB  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

10:  Romans 3:22  NASB  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

11:  Romans 3:28  NASB  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

12:  Romans 10:9  NASB  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

13:  Romans 4:21  NASB  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

14:  Romans 4:24 NASB  but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

15:  Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

16:  Romans 10:10  NASB  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

17:  Romans 10:13  NASB  for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."