WORDS of Encouragement ( no "topics" ) ;)

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Starr71

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Don't Talk Too Much
PROVERBS 10:19 ICB
19 If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.


1 PETER 3:10 LB
10 If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies.


JAMES 1:19 NLT
19 My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.


PROVERBS 17:27-28 ICB
27 The person who has knowledge says very little. And a person with understanding stays calm.
28 Even a foolish person seems to be wise if he keeps quiet. He appears to have understanding if he doesn't speak.


ECCLESIASTES 5:3 NLT
3 Just as being too busy gives you nightmares, being a fool makes you a blabbermouth.


TITUS 3:2 NKJ
2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.


2 TIMOTHY 2:16 NKJ
16 But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.


1 TIMOTHY 1:6 NIV
6 Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.


1 TIMOTHY 5:13 NKJ
13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.


MATTHEW 12:36-37 NKJ
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."



SAY THIS: Lord, please help me to control my tongue and only say what is acceptable to you.
 
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Starr71

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His Extravagant Love
"All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God"
Deuteronomy 28:2
Some people have very low expectations of what God will provide for them materially. They trust Him to feed and clothe them, but they don't trust Him to feed and clothe them very well !
Somehow they've gotten the idea that God's an old miser who will do little more than put rags on their backs and beans on their tables. But that's not what Jesus told us. He said in Matthew 6 that God would clothe us better than He clothed Solomon. That one statement alone proves that God wants to do more than just meet our basic needs. He wants to bless us abundantly. I know that from personal experience.
A few years ago I came home and found two expensive automobiles parked in my driveway. They'd been given to me to use by men who'd been blessed by the Lord through my ministry.
I was baffled. "Lord," I said, "I didn't need these cars. I hadn't asked You for them, and I wasn't believing for them. What are they doing here?"
Then the Lord spoke up on the inside of me. "Have you ever read the scripture in Deuteronomy that says blessings shall come on and overtake those who hearken to My voice?"
"Yes," I answered.
"Well, son," He said, "you've just been overtaken."
Am I saying God gave me those expensive cars just so I could enjoy them? Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
First Timothy 6:17 says, "He giveth us richly all things to enjoy." God is a loving Father. He gets great pleasure from Blessing His children. He's extravagant where we're concerned. But don't let that worry you. He can afford it.
Hearken to His voice and it won't be long before His blessings will be overtaking you.

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 10:1-24
The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon


1 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at [a] the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.


6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."

10 And she gave the king 120 talents [b] of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 (Hiram's ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood [c] and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon's Splendor


14 The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, [d] 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the land.


16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred bekas [e] of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas [f] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

18 Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's days. 22 The king had a fleet of trading ships [g] at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

23 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.
 
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Starr71

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Live Long And Strong

DEUTERONOMY 34:7 NIV
7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.



Old age should not be a time to dread. We can look to God and receive strength, health, and provision for a full and enjoyable life.

God's plan for you is NOT an old age full of sickness, poverty, and loneliness.

Moses and Caleb are examples for us.

JOSHUA 14:10-11 NKJ
10 "And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.
11 "As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.


GALATIANS 3:13-14 NKJ
13 Christ has 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"),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.



Galatians 3 tells us we are to receive the blessing of Abraham -- through faith -- because of what Jesus has done. Now, read the following verses about Abraham.

GENESIS 13:2 NKJ
2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.


GENESIS 25:8 NASB
8 And Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.



Because Jesus has redeemed us from the curse, we also should believe God for a long, enjoyable, and productive life. And we should resist the devil who would try to steal it away from us.

We have the promise of God that He will satisfy us with life. (If you are not satisfied with your life, make some changes. God intends for you to be satisfied.)

PSALM 91:16 NKJ
16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."


PSALM 103:5 NKJ
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.


God made our bodies to repair and renew themselves. As we walk and talk in faith, looking to the promises of God, the life of God will renew our bodies. (We should also allow God to guide us in the things we take into our bodies -- only putting good things into our mouths.)

PSALM 92:14 NKJ
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,


ISAIAH 46:4 NIV
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.



God is faithful. He will always be our wonderful Father, our great Provider, Helper, and Healer -- no matter how old we are, or what we face.

SAY THIS: Jesus redeemed me from the curse, so I will live a long, enjoyable life to the glory of God.
 
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Starr71

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Better Things to Come
"But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
2 Timothy 1:10
Have you ever wondered what it will be like when your body dies and you go on to heaven? Well, according to the Word, when that time comes, this flesh and blood tent you live in will die, but you won't feel a thing. You'll just take off the cloak of your flesh, lay it down, and go to a better place.
Believers who have died and come back say that they have no sensation of loss-no sting. Their minds stay intact, and they even have arms and legs, but they are spirit and not flesh. One man said he couldn't even tell he wasn't in his body until he tried to grasp something. His hand would just go right through the material object. He was spirit and not flesh.
According to the Apostle Paul, to be absent from the Body is to be present with God. (2 Corinthians 5:1). So, when God calls you home, you'll just abandon your fleshly body and go to be with Him Forever.
It's interesting though. God doesn't even refer to our old, abandoned bodies as being dead. He says they're just asleep. Why? Because He knows that just as sleep is temporary, so is the death of the body. He's planned a day when our sleeping bodies will be awakened and raised up in glory just like Jesus' was.
Hallelujah! There's coming a day when not only our spirits have victory over death, our physical bodies do too!
Death is not the end for you. It's only a change to a better place!

Scripture Reading:
2 Corinthians 5:1-9
Our Heavenly Dwelling


1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.


6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

 
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Starr71

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Life Is Good


God says that all He made is good.
GENESIS 1:31 NKJ
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.



The devil wants us to believe that life is bad.

(One way he tries to accomplish this is through all the bad news reported daily.

Feeding too much on bad news is not good for you. You can get the top news stories without spending hours every day listening to the bad things the devil is trying to do in the earth.)

If you think life is bad, you will be depressed, or maybe even bitter.

If you think life is good, you will be thankful.

No matter what your circumstances are, there are always things to enjoy and rejoice about.

If we focus on the goodness and greatness of God: all He has created and all He has done for us, life will seem good. If, instead, we focus on our pains and problems, we will not enjoy life much.

Even the bad things of life -- which are all the result of sin, not what God did -- can benefit us IF they cause us to draw nearer to God and act on His Word.

God's main purpose is to prepare us to be fit companions for Himself for eternity. (See Romans 8 -- we WILL be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.) What God wants you to do is submit to Him, feed on His Word, be thankful, walk in faith, and let Him make you like Jesus Christ.

God's plan is good.

Marriage is good. If we disobey God by husbands not loving their wives, and wives not respecting their husbands -- it can be bad. But only because we make the wrong choice, to disregard God's instruction.

Work is good. It is satisfying to do a job well and accomplish something. But when we don't do our work as unto the Lord, or try to make our jobs our source, worshiping and serving money instead of God -- work can be bad.

Family is good. Being surrounded by those you love and care for, and who love and care for you, is a wonderful blessing. But, when we fail to walk in love, and allow strife into our relationships -- it can be bad.

If your life is not good, then you need to make adjustments based on the Bible.

When you see your cup as half full, instead of half empty -- life will be better for you. Take time to smell the flowers, and rejoice in all the goodness of God. Rejoice in all the beauty of God's creation -- life.

SAY THIS: God made life, and it is very good.
 
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Starr71

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He Will Lead You
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Galatians 5:16
Walking in the Spirit. That's the key to overcoming the flesh. If you follow the promptings of the Spirit of God within you, you won't be dominated by the pressure your flesh tries to put on you.
As you listen to the written Word and the Holy Spirit telling you what to do, you'll constantly be making little adjustments in your life according to what He says. And those little adjustments will keep darkness from overtaking you.
You see, God knows just what you need. He can look ahead in your life and see the traps and pressures the devil is laying for you. So follow the Holy Spirit's leading and He will maneuver you safely around them to victory.

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 10:1-14
Warnings From Israel's History


1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.


6Now these things occurred as examples[a] to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."[b] 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Idol Feasts and the Lord's Supper


14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
 
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Starr71

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God Cares


1 PETER 5:7 Amplified
7 Casting the whole of your care -- all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all -- on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully.

EXODUS 3:7 NIV
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.


ISAIAH 63:9 NIV
9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.


JOHN 11:35 KJV
35 Jesus wept.



Of course, the question arises, "If God cares, why doesn't He do something?"

The answer is that God has already done something. Now it is our turn to act. God has redeemed mankind and set us free from the dominion of darkness by the sacrifice of Calvary. Now we must believe God's Word and act on it.

The truth, which you may find hard to accept, is that God is already doing all He can to help you. But often, we are blocking God's help in our lives by our unbelief and acting contrary to the instructions of God's Word.

The solution is to ask God to help us see the truth and act on it. We should ask God to show us how we can stop hindering Him from blessing us as He desires.

SAY THIS: God cares about me and everything that concerns me.
 
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Starr71

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3 Keys To A Happy Marriage

(Or, any relationship.)
JOHN 13:17 KJV
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

1. Be thankful.


It all starts with attitude. If you don't stay on the positive side, failure is inevitable. You cannot have a happy marriage without happy people. Have you noticed that unthankful people are never happy?

2. Express your appreciation.



Let your spouse know by word and deed that you appreciate them. Be specific and lavish in your praise and thanks. Nothing encourages people like encouragement.
People love people who love them. If you want your spouse to love you, the best thing you can do is love them, and let them know it.

3. Aim to please.



If you make them happy, you will be happy. True happiness is never found in trying to please ourselves. Fulfillment comes from accomplishment, and the greatest accomplishment is helping someone else in their life.

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will have a happy marriage.
 
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Hisbygrace

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What a truly wonderful promise our Lord gives us! His eyes are always on us as He
is always with us. There is nothing to great that He can't handle and nothing to small
that He doesn't see! God bless!
 
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Starr71

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Let God Rub Off on You

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:29 The Ampilified Bible

As a believer, you're destined to be molded into the image of Jesus, to grow in spirit until you look just like Him. God's supernatural power began that process the moment you were born again. You were changed on the inside instantly. How successful you are in allowing this change to progress to the outer man is mostly up to you. We grow up spiritually just like we grow up physically.
What can you do to speed this growing process along?
Spend more time pursuing the things of the Spirit than you spend pursuing the things of the flesh. Become dedicated to the Word of God and to fellowship with Him. Be willing to pull aside from the busy things of life and get alone with Him, so He can guide you, teach you and share His likeness with you.
Have you ever noticed that if you spend time around people who have strong personalities, you will automatically be affected by them? You'll find yourself doing the things they do. Their mannerisms will rub off on you. You can't help it. They just influence you, especially if they are people you respect and admire.
The same thing is true in you relationship with God. If you spend enough time with Him, He's going to rub off on you! His ways will become your ways.
So make yourself available to Him by praying in the Spirit and worshiping and loving Him. Hang around His Word and the people who love His Word and live it.
Before you know it, you'll begin to notice yourself changing. You'll find your character becoming more like His. You'll begin to think like He does and talk like He does and even act like He does. His image will begin to shine forth in you!!!

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 3:5-18



5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

16Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise.


 
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Starr71

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Defeat Your Giant
David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
1 Samuel 17:26
You may be facing a giant today. He may be a giant of sickness or failure, of financial shortage or another kind of trouble. But don't let him scare you. You have a secret weapon. A weapon that once turned a shepherd boy into a bear-busting, lion-killing, giant-slaying champion. That weapon was a blood covenant with Almighty God.
Back in David's day, circumcision was the sign of that covenant. So, when he called Godliath uncircumcised, David was saying: This guy may be a giant; he may be strong; but he has no covenant with God and that's why I can kill him.
Like David, you, too, have a covenant. But yours is better. The covenant David had offered a wealth of blessings to those who kept it, but it also included curses for those who broke it.
Yours doesn't. Yours in a New Covenant that Jesus bought with His own blood. It doesn't depend on your ability. It depends on Him and what He has already done. He has done it all! All you have to do is believe it and receive it.
Right now, read Deuteronomy 28:16-68.
That's a list of the curses Christ has freed you from. You might even call it a list of the giants Jesus has already slain for you. It contains every diabolical thing the devil could ever use to destroy you.
Read it and rejoice. God has healed you and delievered you from those things!
Don't let any giant intimidate you. You have a blood covenant with Almighty God. There's no uncircumcised circumstance on the face of this earth that can take your victory away from you.

Scripture Reading:
Galatians 3:13-29

13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."[a] 14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

The Law and the Promise


15Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"[b] meaning one person, who is Christ. 17What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ[c] that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Sons of God


26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 
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Starr71

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Called to Be Peculiar
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
John 17:15-16
Being peculiar. That's not something most of us work to achieve, is it? But, you know, we should.
God has called us to be perculiar-to stand out from the rest of the world as living proof of His power and His love (1 Peter 2:9).
He doesn't, for example, want us to share the ailments of the world. He doesn't want us to share their sickness and peverty and failure. He's never wanted that for His people.
He gave us a physical illustration of that during the time the nation of Israel was held captive in Egypt. Pharaoh had refused to set Israelietes free, so God had allowed a thick darkness to cover the whole land. The darkness was so dreadful thoughtout Egypt that no one moved for three days.
"But," says Exodus 10:23, "all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."
What a thrilling example of how God wants us to live. We should be glorifying God by the miraculously victorious lives we lead. We should constantly have people telling us, "Ive heard how God healed you," Or "Ive heard how God prospered you and saved your children!"
So don't hold back. Put the Word of God to work in your life and dare to receive the rich blessings that belong to those who believe. Start using the Word to draw boundaries around your life, to paint spiritual warning signs for the devil. Signs that say:
Off Limits! According to God's Word, I don't belong to you anymore. My family doesn't belong to you. My health doesn't belong to you. My money doesn't belong to you. My ministry doesn't belong to you. I belong to a different kingdom. Now, Back off in Jesus' Name!
Does that sound a little peculiar? Good. That's exactly what God has called you to be!

Scripture Reading:
Exodus 10:20-29


20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

The Plague of Darkness

21 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt—darkness that can be felt." 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind."

25 But Moses said, "You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD."

27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die."

29 "Just as you say," Moses replied, "I will never appear before you again."
 
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Starr71

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Let the Revelations Begin
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4

People go to great lengths trying to wring knowledge from God when all they need to do is go to the Bible. God's not holding Himself back from anybody. It's His will for every man and woman to walk in revelation of Him.
"Well now, Brother Copeland," you might say, "God's not going to give all these sinners out here a revelation." Really? Why do you think He sends evangelists to preach to them? Why do you think He sent His Word? To reveal the truth!
So, if you want to know that truth, just open the Book and read it. All of it....not just the parts that are in red. Those aren't the only parts Jesus said. He said everything in Genesis. He said everything in Exodus. He said everything in Numbers. He said everything in Deuteronomy. He said everything in Leviticus. He said everything in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He said everything in Romans. He said everything in the Book. He is the Word!
In fact, If you'll read the third chapter of Galatians, you'll discover that every promise made to Abraham was for Jesus! It was the promises tht brought Him. It was the promises that enabled Him to heal and deliver people. He didn't minister by some special power nobody else could have. He based His ministry on the revelations He'd received through faith in the written Word of God.
When devil came to tempt Him, He didn't fight him off with a special legion of angels who'd been assigned to protect Him because He was God's Son. He fought him off with the phrase, "It is written."
God has equipped you to do the same. He's given you His written Word, and He's given you His Holy Spirit to help you understand it. He's morethan ready to give you the knowledge you need. You don't have to wring it out of Him-just open the Book and let the revelations begin.

Scripture Reading:
John 16:7-15

7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
 
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Starr71

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Act On God's Word
JAMES 1:22 NKJ
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

How easily we fall into the trap of listening to, or even studying, the Bible -- but not acting on its instructions. According to this verse, that opens us up to deception. We think we are spiritual. We think we are safe. But then, when things don't work out we will blame God and question why He let us down.
LUKE 6:46-49 NKJ
46 "But why do you call Me `Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
47 "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
48 "He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
49 "But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

Trouble is coming -- it's part of this life. If you act on the Word, trouble will not destoy you and your household. If you neglect acting on the Word -- no matter how much you hear it -- when trouble comes your way, it may be devastating.
Why?
Not because it's God's will, or God doesn't love you. Simply because you refused to act on the instructions which God -- who knows more than you do -- gave you for your protection.
DEUTERONOMY 12:28 NKJ
28 "Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

God gave us His Word because He loves us and desires to help us. Not because He likes to boss people around and give orders. Acting on God's Word is for our benefit.

SAY THIS: I will act on what God's says to me in His Word.
 
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Your Body Is Your House

2 CORINTHIANS 5:1 NKJ
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.


The "real you" is not your body. Your body is just a house you live in so you can function here on earth.
Just as someone can change houses where they live, you can, and will someday, leave your body and still exist.
We focus too much on our body. The inner part of us is most important. These bodies we live in are not eternal.
It is not wrong to take care of our bodies, any more than it is wrong to take care of the house or apartment where we live. It is a mistake, however, to spend all our time on our body and neglect our spirit and mind.

1 TIMOTHY 4:8 RSV
8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Who a person is on the inside is more important than what their body looks like.
We judge too often on the house (body) that people live in, instead of focusing on the real person living inside that body.

SAY THIS: My body is only a temporary house where I live.
 
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Don't Hurt God

Fortunately for us, God is not motivated or moved or controlled by His feelings. But that does not mean God has no feelings.
We are made in His image, in His likeness. Just as we have feelings, and can be hurt, God also has feelings, as the following verses show.
GENESIS 6:6 NIV
6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.


EPHESIANS 4:30 KJV
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.



It is inevitable in human relationships that there will be misunderstandings and hurts.

When we are hurt, the natural response is to strike back, to retaliate so they will know we are hurt, and they will also hurt.

(Doing that, we hurt not only the other person -- but God Himself. Just as a human parent is upset when they see their child acting badly, God is hurt when we act badly.)

But the way of God is different. God's command to us is to walk in divine love.
JOHN 13:34 NKJ
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.



When you have been hurt, and are starting to retaliate, to strike back, remember that when you walk out of love, it is God that you hurt and disappoint.

(Often people don't even know they are hurting us. Most people are not doing it intentionally.)

We can choose how we respond. As a child of God, we have God's divine love deposited in our inner being. We can allow that divine love inside us to respond.
ROMANS 5:5 NKJ
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.



After all the love God has shown you, does He really deserve to be hurt?

SAY THIS: Just because someone hurts me, is not a good reason for me to hurt God.
 
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God Feeds The Birds
MATTHEW 6:26 LB
26 Look at the birds! They don't worry about what to eat-- they don't need to sow or reap or store up food -- for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are.



Have you ever watched birds eating on a snowy day? It takes some effort on their part. They don't just sit in a heated house waiting for someone to bring them food.

Is God feeding them? Directly or indirectly?
Jesus stated clearly that God is the one who provides food for the birds. This implies that God provides for every creature.

Yet, if a bird sits still, instead of gathering the food God has provided for them, they will starve.

Yes, the birds can be a good lesson for us.

They don't worry. Neither should we. They gather what God provides for them. So should we.

I don't know whether the birds are thankful to God, or not. But we should be thankful. And we should recognize that God is the Source of all the good that we enjoy in life.

So work, but don't worry. (And if you can't do normal work -- still don't worry, because God cares more for you than He does the birds, and He will provide for you somehow.)

SAY THIS: God cares for the birds, so I know He will take care of me.
 
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Having men Trouble....?

I don't subscribe to this at all but a female colleague passed this on to me...

Woman has Man in it;

Mrs. has Mr. in it;

Female has Male in it;

She has He in it;

Madam has Adam in it;

Okay, Okay, it all makes sense now...

I never looked at it this way before:

Ever notice how all of these problems start with MEN?

MENtal illness !

MENstrual cramps

MENtal breakdown

MENopause

GUYnecologist

AND

When we have REAL trouble, it's a.. HISterectomy.
 
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tsubasa

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You Are Worthy

Don’t see yourself as insignificant
Not worthy to come before God
Fearing the stains are too deep to clean
From the sins you’re guilty of
And don’t feel as though you’re not worthy
To dine at His table of grace
Nor even to gather the scraps that fall
Nor look into His loving face

But see yourself clothed in garments
Fit only to clothe a king
Eating as His honoured guest
And wearing His signet ring
For that is how God sees you
A worthy child indeed
A royal priesthood bearing His name
The moment you came to believe

For surely as Christ’s blood has washed you
You shall be whiter than snow
So don’t see yourself as someone unworthy
A tiny speck nobody knows
For that only belittles the value
Of Jesus Christ’s spilled blood
For it’s through His blood he’s cleansed you
And showed you how much He loved

He says ‘My child you are precious
More than you can comprehend
For nothing you’ve done could lessen my love
For I’d always call you my friend
My heart just longs for you to come
And bask in my embrace
My child I will always love you
And pour out my mercy and grace

So don’t feel afraid to draw near
Nor feel you have no worth
My son’s blood has purchased you
And has given you new birth
So come enjoy my presence
And let me hear you sing
The new song I have given you
For to me you are everything’

© By M.S.Lowndes
 
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Are You In Trouble?

JAMES 5:13 NIV
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.



The Greek word translated as trouble in this verse means to suffer trouble, be afflicted, or to endure hardship or evil.

The best thing anyone facing trouble can do is pray. You don't have to know how, just pour out your heart to God and discuss the situation with Him.

We are tempted to do many other things: cry, complain, criticize others, but Scripture says we should pray when we face tough problems.

Notice it does not say you should ask everyone else to pray for you. It says you should pray.

There is nothing wrong with having other people pray for you. But there is something wrong with expecting others to pray, while you never pray.

By praying, we do not mean begging God for help. God loves you, and always desires to assist you.

What is needed is not twisting God's arm to get Him to help. Usually a part of the answer is God getting us quiet enough for long enough so He can speak to our hearts and show us what needs to be done.

Sometimes we have missed it, and that is why we are in trouble. Other times, we may face trouble just because we live in a fallen world. But always, when we are in trouble, we need to know God's direction as to what to do.

Discuss your situation with the Lord. Lay it out in detail. Often just telling Him honestly about the situation will cause you to realize what should be done. Pour out your soul to the Lord, but also wait in His presence with thanks and praise. Let your heart and mind get quiet. Let God's peace overcome your turmoil and worry.

God tells us that if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. This is why you should pray. You need God's help.

He has the wisdom and knowledge to get you out of the trouble you face.

Direction may not come the first time you determine to seek God and pray. You may not seem to get the answer while you pray. But know this: God is working, and the answer is coming. So keep praying. Keep on drawing closer to God.

Help will come.

JOHN 16:33 NIV
33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."



SAY THIS: When I face trouble I will pray and draw near to God, and He will help me.
 
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