Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

Blessings of obedience
See, a king will reign in righteousness
and rulers will rule with justice.

Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Isaiah 32:1,2 NIV

__________________

Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king's son.

May he judge Your people with righteousness
And Your afflicted with justice.

Let the mountains bring peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.

May he vindicate the afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy
And crush the oppressor.

Psalm 72:1-4 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Praying in the Holy Ghost.”

Jude 20

Mark the grand characteristic of true prayer — “In the Holy Ghost.” The seed of acceptable devotion must come from heaven's storehouse. Only the prayer which comes from God can go to God. We must shoot the Lord's arrows back to him. That desire which he writes upon our heart will move his heart and bring down a blessing, but the desires of the flesh have no power with him.

Praying in the Holy Ghost is praying in fervency. Cold prayers ask the Lord not to hear them. Those who do not plead with fervency, plead not at all. As well speak of lukewarm fire as of lukewarm prayer — it is essential that it be red hot. It is praying perseveringly. The true suppliant gathers force as he proceeds, and grows more fervent when God delays to answer. The longer the gate is closed, the more vehemently does he use the knocker, and the longer the angel lingers the more resolved is he that he will never let him go without the blessing. Beautiful in God's sight is tearful, agonizing, unconquerable importunity.

It means praying humbly, for the Holy Spirit never puffs us up with pride. It is his office to convince of sin, and so to bow us down in contrition and brokenness of spirit. We shall never sing Gloria in excelsis except we pray to God De profundis: out of the depths must we cry, or we shall never behold glory in the highest. It is loving prayer. Prayer should be perfumed with love, saturated with love—love to our fellow saints, and love to Christ. Moreover, it must be a prayer full of faith. A man prevails only as he believes. The Holy Spirit is the author of faith, and strengthens it, so that we pray believing God's promise. O that this blessed combination of excellent graces, priceless and sweet as the spices of the merchant, might be fragrant within us because the Holy Ghost is in our hearts! Most blessed Comforter, exert thy mighty power within us, helping our infirmities in prayer.

 

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How to Fight in the Supernatural
Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night?

I can only imagine that Sam and Dean from the CW series Supernatural were once very afraid of those things, because one of them murdered their mother.

But now they are 20-somethings with incredible power and a deep-seated motivation to take out the demon that destroyed their family. Armed with the warrior training imparted to them by their late father and the secrets of supernatural victory in his diary, they are on a fantastic crusade to destroy as much evil as possible and ultimately save the world.

Just a plot for a TV series, right? After all, that’s why so many people tune into shows like Supernatural, because it provides fantasy food for the imagination and an adrenaline rush for the mind.

However, I would like to propose that if you are a follower of Christ, you are more like Sam and Dean than you probably realize. The Bible paints a picture of the universe that naturalistic viewpoints simply cannot explain. This world is not just made up of things we perceive with our five senses, because there is an unseen world that is superimposed over ours.

And if we could put on special glasses that would allow us to see the unseen, it would send our heads spinning!

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), we don’t have glasses like that—but we do have the secrets of spiritual battle written down for us by our Father in heaven. Here’s how the Bible puts it in Ephesians 6:12-13:

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

It’s also clear from these verses that God has given us the armor we need to enter the fight. Do you want to make a difference? Are you ready to get off the sidelines and into battle? If so, here’s what you need to do.

1. Put on the full armor of God. If you walk into spiritual warfare without spiritual armor, you’ll be pummeled into spiritual silly putty. The armor is listed in Ephesians 6:14-17.

Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.

2. Pray! Pray! Pray! Samuel Chadwick once said: “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”

Did you get that last part? He trembles when we pray! That’s why Paul finishes up in Ephesians 6 with this command:

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (Ephesians 6:18).

Bottom line: We live in the supernatural, so let’s use the supernatural weapons we have been given to fight for the souls of our friends!

Like Sam and Dean, we have a chance each day to fight the unseen and be a part of advancing God’s Kingdom! So enter the fray and engage with your friends about the spiritual realities of the world in which we live. Try using Supernatural as an opportunity to introduce God into your conversation with your friends. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Ask your friends if they think there are spiritual forces of good and evil at work in the world.
• Do they think there is a cosmic battle being waged? Listen, then share what you believe about this battle.
• Sam and Dean are in a battle against evil—this hero role in stories is sometimes known as the “messianic” role. Ask your friends if they know the story of the real Messiah, who came to earth, battled evil and rescued a planet from spiritual destruction.

PRAY: Father, thank You for providing the armor of God for us so that we can fight in the battle. Help us keep our eyes fixed on You so we can be victorious

READ: 1 Chronicles 5:20. They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him.

GET: www.lifein6words.com. For help explaining the real battle between good and evil and Jesus our Messiah to your friends, check out this seeker friendly website.

 

[beensetfree]

Offer sacrifices of thanksgiving...
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD .

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

Psalm 27:5-7 NIV

__________________

But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13:5,6 NKJV

__________________

He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.

Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!

Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And tell of His works with joyful singing.

Psalm 107:20-22 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Whom he did predestinate, them he also called.”

Romans 8:30

In the second epistle to Timothy, first chapter, and ninth verse, are these words — “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling.” Now, here is a touchstone by which we may try our calling. It is “an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.” This calling forbids all trust in our own doings, and conducts us to Christ alone for salvation, but it afterwards purges us from dead works to serve the living and true God. As he that hath called you is holy, so must you be holy.

If you are living in sin, you are not called, but if you are truly Christ's, you can say, “Nothing pains me so much as sin; I desire to be rid of it; Lord, help me to be holy.” Is this the panting of thy heart? Is this the tenor of thy life towards God, and his divine will? Again, in Philippians, 3:13, 14, we are told of “The high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Is then your calling a high calling? Has it ennobled your heart, and set it upon heavenly things? Has it elevated your hopes, your tastes, your desires? Has it upraised the constant tenor of your life, so that you spend it with God and for God?

Another test we find in Hebrews 3:1 — “Partakers of the heavenly calling.” Heavenly calling means a call from heaven. If man alone call thee, thou art uncalled. Is thy calling of God? Is it a call to heaven as well as from heaven? Unless thou art a stranger here, and heaven thy home, thou hast not been called with a heavenly calling; for those who have been so called, declare that they look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, and they themselves are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. Is thy calling thus holy, high, heavenly? Then, beloved, thou hast been called of God, for such is the calling wherewith God doth call his people.

 

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Bulletproof

The American Indian chief looked scornfully at the soldiers on the field before
him. How foolish it was to fight as they did, forming their perfect battle lines out
in the open, standing shoulder to shoulder in their bright red uniforms. The British
soldiers -- trained for European warfare -- did not break rank, even when braves
fired at them from under the safe cover of the forest. The slaughter at the Monongahela
River continued for two hours. By then 1,000 of 1,459 British soldiers were killed or
wounded, while only 30 of the French and Indian warriors firing at them were injured.

Not only were the soldiers foolish, but their officers were just as bad. Riding on
horseback, fully exposed above the men on the ground, they made perfect targets.
One by one, the chiefs marksmen shot the mounted British officers until only one remained.

"Quick, let your aim be certain and he dies," the chief commanded. The warriors -- a
mix of Ottawa, Huron, and Chippewa tribesmen -- leveled their rifles at the last officer on
horseback. Round after round was aimed at this one man. Twice the officer's horse was
shot out from under him. Twice he grabbed a horse left idle when a fellow officer had been
shot down. Ten, twelve, thirteen rounds were fired by the sharpshooters. Still, the
officer remained unhurt.

The native warriors stared at him in disbelief. Their rifles seldom missed their mark.
The chief suddenly realized that a mighty power must be shielding this man. "Stop
firing!" he commanded. "This one is under the special protection of the Great Spirit."
A brave standing nearby added, "I had seventeen clear shots at him . . . and after all
could not bring him to the ground. This man was not born to be killed by a bullet."

As the firing slowed, the lieutenant colonel gathered the remaining troops and led the
retreat to safety. That evening, as the last of the wounded were being cared for, the
officer noticed an odd tear in his coat. It was a bullet hole! He rolled up his sleeve and
looked at his arm directly under the hole. There was no mark on his skin. Amazed,
he took off his coat and found three more holes where bullets had passed through
his coat but stopped before they reached his body.

Nine days after the battle, having heard a rumor of his own death, the young
lieutenant colonel wrote his brother to confirm that he was still very much alive.

As I have heard since my arrival at this place, a circumstantial account of my
death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity of contradicting the first and
of assuring you that I have not as yet composed the latter. But by the all-powerful
dispensations of Providence I have been protected beyond all human probability or
expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me
yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!

The battle on the Monongahela, part of the French and Indian War, was fought on
July 9, 1755, near Fort Duquesne, now the city of Pittsburgh. The twenty-three-year-old
officer went on to become the commander in chief of the Continental Army and the
first president of the United States. In all the years that followed in his long career,
this man, George Washington, was never once wounded in battle.

Fifteen years later, in 1770, George Washington returned to the same Pennsylvania
woods. A respected Indian chief, having heard that Washington was in the area,
traveled a long way to meet with him.

He sat down with Washington, and face-to-face over a council fire, the chief told
Washington the following:

I am a chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the great
lakes and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path that I might
see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on the day when the white man's blood
mixed with the streams of our forests that I first beheld this chief .

I called to my young men and said, "Mark yon tall and daring warrior? He is not of
the red-coat tribe -- he hath an Indian's wisdom and his warriors fight as we do--himself
alone exposed. Quick, let your aim be certain, and he dies."

Our rifles were leveled, rifles which, but for you, knew not how to miss -- 'twas all in
vain, a power mightier far than we shielded you.

Seeing you were under the special guardianship of the Great Spirit, we immediately
ceased to fire at you. I am old and shall soon be gathered to the great council fire of
my fathers in the land of the shades, but ere I go, there is something bids me speak
in the voice of prophecy:

Listen! The Great Spirit protects that man , and guides his
destinies -- he will become the chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him
as the founder of a mighty empire. I am come to pay homage to the man who is the
particular favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle.

* * *

This story of God's divine protection and of Washington's open gratitude could be
found in many school textbooks until the 1930s. Now few Americans have read it.
Washington often recalled this dramatic event that helped shape his character and
confirm God's call on his life.

"Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you." Psalm 91:7 NLT

 

[beensetfree]

The Lord is at hand
Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

Romans 14:4,5 NASB

__________________

Let your gentleness be known to all men.
The Lord is at hand.

Philippians 4:5 NKJV

__________________

You too, be patient and stand firm,
because the Lord's coming is near.

Don't grumble against each other,
brothers, or you will be judged.

The Judge is standing at the door!

James 5:8,9 NIV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.”

John 14:26

This age is peculiarly the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus cheers us, not by his personal presence, as he shall do by-and-by, but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Ghost, who is evermore the Comforter of the church. It is his office to console the hearts of God's people. He convinces of sin; he illuminates and instructs; but still the main part of his work lies in making glad the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all those that be bowed down.

He does this by revealing Jesus to them. The Holy Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If we may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician, but Jesus is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by applying the holy ointment of Christ's name and grace. He takes not of his own things, but of the things of Christ. So if we give to the Holy Spirit the Greek name of Paraclete, as we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our blessed Lord Jesus the title of Paraclesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other is the Comfort.

Now, with such rich provision for his need, why should the Christian be sad and desponding? The Holy Spirit has graciously engaged to be thy Comforter: dost thou imagine, O thou weak and trembling believer, that he will be negligent of his sacred trust? Canst thou suppose that he has undertaken what he cannot or will not perform? If it be his especial work to strengthen thee, and to comfort thee, dost thou suppose he has forgotten his business, or that he will fail in the loving office which he sustains towards thee? Nay, think not so hardly of the tender and blessed Spirit whose name is “the Comforter.” He delights to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Trust thou in him, and he will surely comfort thee till the house of mourning is closed for ever, and the marriage feast has begun.

 

[beensetfree]

CAN'T BUY ME LOVE -- BECOMING A FRIEND WORTH HAVING


John 13:14
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash
one another's feet."

Start

Money can't buy happiness, but it can borrow a few friends. Outside your house you
could toss up a swimming pool with multilevel waterslides--and inside, carve out a
not-so-mini arcade and an eye-popping, ear-bursting home theater with multiple
game systems. With playthings like that, you'd be a real friend magnet. Until
someone else throws a better party.

What's the best way to get friends?

Read John 13:4-5, 12-14
" got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel
around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash
his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to
his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.
"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that
I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet."

Think

You probably don't have the option of handing out cash or prizes to make friends,
but maybe you wish you did. Jesus unleashes a more dazzling, durable way to
win friends. As the clock ticks down the final hours before his crucifixion, he
shows his followers "the full extent of his love" (John 13:1 NIV). Then he
commands us to act the same way. If you want to be a friend worth having,
Jesus demonstrates how.

Jesus does a crazy thing to show love to his closest friends: He washes
their feet. Why do that?

Picture those disciples: burly, sandal-wearing men who spend their days
clomping down dusty dirt roads. It's a recipe for filthy, stinking feet. By
untying his guys' sandals and scrubbing their feet, Jesus performed a
practical, necessary deed. But foot washing was the job for a household's
lowliest servant. Unlike Jesus, none of the disciples seized this obvious
opportunity to serve. In fact, the book of Luke shows them hotly debating
which one of them is the greatest (Luke 22:24).

What does Jesus expect his followers to learn from his act of servanthood?

Live

Suppose you were God. King of the universe. Ruler of all. Tell how you'd
expect to be treated.

What do you think of what Jesus did?

People today won't get the point if you just snatch their shoes and socks
and powerwash their toes. But Philippians 2:3-4 tells what genuine servanthood
looks like in any time and place: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your
own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Servanthood
doesn't mean you let others stomp on you. Instead, you make their needs as
important as your own.

True or false: Taking the role of a servant can help you make and maintain
friends. Explain your answer.

Wrap

Do you want a collection of friends who care about your needs as much as
they care about their own? That's the love God wants to grow among his
people, a kind of care that sticks people together forever. If you grow in
showing that Jesus-like mindset toward other people, you won't have to
buy friends. People will beg to be around you.

More thoughts to mull

- Do something today that honors another person, putting his or her interests
before yours.

- Who do you know--someone nearby or someone famous--who knows how
to serve like Jesus? How do people respond to that person's attitude and actions?

- What's the difference between being a chump and being a Jesus-like servant?

More scriptures to dig

- The mother of two of Jesus' closest followers once tried to score the best
seats in heaven for her boys by kneeling before Jesus and begging that
James and John be allowed to sit at the Lord's left and right. The guys
weren't embarrassed by their loud-mouthed mom, but the other disciples
roared. Jesus called them together and said the real path to greatness is
the low path, not the high road. He said, "Whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant" (Matthew 20:26). Catch the whole story
in Matthew 20:20-28.

- While you're looking at Matthew 20, don't miss a couple more essential
truths from that event. In Matthew 20:25 Jesus points out that it's human
nature to rub your rank in other people's faces. But Jesus did just the
opposite. In Matthew 20:28 he outlines his one-of-a-kind approach to life:
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many."

- Read Philippians 2:1-11 for a summary of Jesus' intense unselfishness.
It's woven together with details on how you can imitate him. You might be
surprised to learn this passage makes servanthood sound downright
beautiful, and the poetic words of verses 6-11 were probably lyrics sung
by early Christians.

- Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the Old Testament told of a
"servant" who would arrive on the scene to take up our pain and bear our
sufferings. Check out Isaiah 53:1-12 for an amazing description of Jesus'
ultimate sacrifice--his death on the cross for humankind's sins.

 

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The kindness of God
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

So that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:4-7 NASB

__________________

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

1 Peter 2:1-3

__________________

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Love is strong as death.”

Song of Solomon 8:6

Whose love can this be which is as mighty as the conqueror of monarchs, the destroyer of the human race? Would it not sound like satire if it were applied to my poor, weak, and scarcely living love to Jesus my Lord? I do love him, and perhaps by his grace, I could even die for him, but as for my love in itself, it can scarcely endure a scoffing jest, much less a cruel death. Surely it is my Beloved's love which is here spoken of — the love of Jesus, the matchless lover of souls.

His love was indeed stronger than the most terrible death, for it endured the trial of the cross triumphantly. It was a lingering death, but love survived the torment; a shameful death, but love despised the shame; a penal death, but love bore our iniquities; a forsaken, lonely death, from which the eternal Father hid his face, but love endured the curse, and gloried over all. Never such love, never such death. It was a desperate duel, but love bore the palm. What then, my heart? Hast thou no emotions excited within thee at the contemplation of such heavenly affection? Yes, my Lord, I long, I pant to feel thy love flaming like a furnace within me. Come thou thyself and excite the ardor of my spirit.

“For every drop of crimson blood
Thus shed to make me live,
O wherefore, wherefore have not I
A thousand lives to give?”


Why should I despair of loving Jesus with a love as strong as death? He deserves it: I desire it. The martyrs felt such love, and they were but flesh and blood, then why not I? They mourned their weakness, and yet out of weakness were made strong. Grace gave them all their unflinching constancy—there is the same grace for me. Jesus, lover of my soul, shed abroad such love, even thy love in my heart, this evening.

 

[beensetfree]

How You Can Have Hope In A Hopeless World


If ever there was a time for hope, it is today, because it seems there is nothing but bad news, but for there is actually good news for many.
Hopeless
Today it seems there is bad news just about everywhere you turn, including on the news. Violence in the streets, white supremacists groups are growing, natural catastrophes, protests, some of which comes with rioting, looting, and violence has captured the headlines. In some parts of the U.S., devastating floods, while drought and fires rage in the West, and through all of this, for many, hope is slowly slipping away.

For those who had hope at the beginning of the year, many have seen their hopes dashed to the ground. In our own state of Kansas, violent crimes such as murders are up about 12%, and for those who live around the local casino that opened up about 5 years ago, they have seen an associated increase in divorce, spousal abuse, DUI’s, and bankruptcy. Earlier this year, the Prince’s Trust Macquarie Youth Index for 2017 reported that 42% of British millennials believe owning a house or getting a steady job is unrealistic for them, while 16% think that no matter how hard they try, their life will amount to nothing, and most alarmingly, 34% anticipate a lower standard of living than their parents , which is almost double the number of the pre-war generation, and so it’s no wonder that 56% of young people stated they’ve experienced a mental health problem and didn’t believe in themselves while they were in school. What’s happening to hope in this world?
Replacing Hope
When hope is missing in a person’s life, it is often replaced by something else, but that replacement is not always a good because it can be filled with drugs, alcohol, and for many, gambling. A University of Bristol study found that 25 percent of men between 18 and 24 had gambling problems of varying degrees of severity. These same researchers polled more than 1,000 patients in 11 Bristol waiting rooms. About one in 20 people had a gambling problem and one in five of those had a severe problem.

It seems when hope is missing, something else is sought to replace that hope, but instead of it being hope, it is for many, hoping to win and break their “bad luck.” One security guard I interviewed at the nearby casino said that the busiest time of the month is at the very beginning of the month when welfare recipients received their checks, but tragically, instead of receiving some hope by means of winning, instead, they spend money that is earmarked for their families is gone…spent at the local casino, so those who have long been linked to gambling, are creating gambler’s addictions and ripping apart families.

The vulnerable or lower class (including the poor) are more are likely to become addicted than those of other economic classes. I have yet to see a study that shows a lessening of crime when and after a casino is built. According to the KBI (Kansas Bureau of Investigation), there has been an overall increase in violent crimes (4.2%) such as murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults and batteries. This increase occurred even after a sharp 11.2 percent increase for these types of violent crimes in the previous year (2015). Reports from other states across the U.S. have had similar reports. Michael Churi, a partner at the McKinsey Global Institute said, “Because of the aging population, we don’t have enough workers to have the economic growth we need,” so trouble in economics, society, and the environment is robbing many of hope, but the problem isn’t hope…it’s where that hope is placed.

Hope in God
If we only have hope in this world, we are going to be disappointed.

The world’s idea of hope is radically different than the hope mentioned in Scripture. The world’s hope comes and goes, but those who hope in God shall never be disappointed. If the only hope I had was in this world, my hope would turn to disappointment because nothing in this world, outside of Christ, offers any hope beyond today. The truth is, there is no hope without Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that even if things look hopeless, there is always hope in God. The Apostle Paul says our hope is in Christ, and knowing that death is not the final chapter, Paul writes, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1st Cor 15:17-19), however we have a sure and certain hope in Jesus Christ because “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). That means we have hope beyond the grave. For those who die in the faith, funerals are not as hard since they have the hope of the resurrection and seeing their loved ones again…that is, if they have trusted in Christ.

Hope is a good thing, and for many, it is the only thing that keeps them going. The Apostle Paul told Felix, “I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust” (Acts 24:14b-15). Daniel the Prophet spoke of this great hope while simultaneously speaking of the judgment of God on unbelievers. Daniel wrote of a coming time when “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above: and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Dan 12:2-3).

Conclusion
If you are holding out in hope for things to get better in this world, I believe you have hoped in the wrong thing, or more specifically, in the wrong Person. Like the author of Hebrews, “we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end” (Heb 6:11), and so “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (Heb 6:18). Our hope in Christ is “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain” (Heb 6:19). The encouraging message from Hebrews is for all who believe; “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23).

 

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Trust the LORD & do good
Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Psalm 37:3-6 NIV

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"If you would prepare your heart,
And stretch out your hands toward Him;

And your life would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.

And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.

Job 11:13,17-18 NKJV

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“And be not conformed to this world.”

Romans 12:2

If a Christian can by possibility be saved while he conforms to this world, at any rate it must be so as by fire. Such a bare salvation is almost as much to be dreaded as desired. Reader, would you wish to leave this world in the darkness of a desponding death bed, and enter heaven as a shipwrecked mariner climbs the rocks of his native country? then be worldly; be mixed up with Mammonites, and refuse to go without the camp bearing Christ's reproach.

But would you have a heaven below as well as a heaven above? Would you comprehend with all saints what are the heights and depths, and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge? Would you receive an abundant entrance into the joy of your Lord? Then come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Would you attain the full assurance of faith? you cannot gain it while you commune with sinners. Would you flame with vehement love? Your love will be damped by the drenchings of godless society. You cannot become a great Christian — you may be a babe in grace, but you never can be a perfect man in Christ Jesus while you yield yourself to the worldly maxims and modes of business of men of the world.

It is ill for an heir of heaven to be a great friend with the heirs of hell. It has a bad look when a courtier is too intimate with his king's enemies. Even small inconsistencies are dangerous. Little thorns make great blisters, little moths destroy fine garments, and little frivolities and little rogueries will rob religion of a thousand joys. O professor, too little separated from sinners, you know not what you lose by your conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength, and makes you creep where you ought to run. Then, for your own comfort's sake, and for the sake of your growth in grace, if you be a Christian, be a Christian, and be a marked and distinct one.

 

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Loving Your Hurting Friends

Main Scripture:

"Three of Job's friends were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. When they heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to demonstrate their grief. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. And no one said a word, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words." (Job 2:11-13, NLT)

Other Scriptures:
Job 13:4-5; Psalm 62:1-2; Proverbs 17:27-28; 2 Corinthians 1:4



What Jesus Might Say to You:


Your friends are hurting. How can you help? How can you comfort and encourage them in their times of need? What do you say? It's definitely not easy.

Please don't feel like you have to provide them with answers to solve their problems and ease their pain. Take some pointers from Job's three friends. Job suffered great tragedy and his friends responded. What did they do right? What did they do wrong?

When they first heard the news, they grieved deeply with Job. They simply sat with him in his despair for seven days. Later on they attempted to give Job some advice on the reasons and solutions for these tragedies. What was Job's response? He says, "You are merely useless doctors, who treat me with lies. The wisest thing you can do is to keep quiet" (Job 13:4-5, CEV). Oops. They should have stuck with their first response!

Does this ever happen to you--you try to help but make things worse? To sympathize you say, "I know how you feel," but your friend responds, "No, you don't. No one does!"

Answers are overrated--it's your presence that is powerful. Comfort your friend the way I comfort you (2 Corinthians 1:4). I hold you close and remind you of my love for you. This is more powerful than simply giving you a to-do list of solutions to fix pain. I am simply there with you and want you to rest in me. I am the only way to true hope and peace.

Comfort your friends. Be with them. Listen to them. Meet them where they're at. Do as I do. Whether they know me or not, you will be pointing them to me. Pain is a powerful doorway for my love.

Your Guide in comforting others,
Jesus

 

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Overcoming Faith!
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:3,4 NIV

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Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1,2 KJV

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By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

Hebrews 11:3,4 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“He first findeth his own brother Simon.”

John 1:41

This case is an excellent pattern of all cases where spiritual life is vigorous. As soon as a man has found Christ, he begins to find others. I will not believe that thou hast tasted of the honey of the gospel if thou canst eat it all thyself. True grace puts an end to all spiritual monopoly. Andrew first found his own brother Simon, and then others. Relationship has a very strong demand upon our first individual efforts. Andrew, thou didst well to begin with Simon.

I doubt whether there are not some Christians giving away tracts at other people's houses who would do well to give away a tract at their own — whether there are not some engaged in works of usefulness abroad who are neglecting their special sphere of usefulness at home. Thou mayst or thou mayst not be called to evangelize the people in any particular locality, but certainly thou art called to see after thine own servants, thine own kinsfolk and acquaintance. Let thy religion begin at home.

Many tradesmen export their best commodities — the Christian should not. He should have all his conversation everywhere of the best savour; but let him have a care to put forth the sweetest fruit of spiritual life and testimony in his own family. When Andrew went to find his brother, he little imagined how eminent Simon would become. Simon Peter was worth ten Andrews so far as we can gather from sacred history, and yet Andrew was instrumental in bringing him to Jesus. You may be very deficient in talent yourself, and yet you may be the means of drawing to Christ one who shall become eminent in grace and service.

Ah! dear friend, you little know the possibilities which are in you. You may but speak a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart which shall stir the Christian church in years to come. Andrew has only two talents, but he finds Peter. Go thou and do likewise.

 

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3 Things That Bring On Spiritual Attacks


What 3 things can the believer do that may bring on spiritual attacks from the enemy?
Obedience
Why do demons attack? What does the Bible say the reason is? May I suggest these 3 reasons that spiritual warfare happens. Demonic or spiritual attacks come from studying the Word of God, from teaching the Word, from obeying the Word of God, from sharing the Word of God, and from growing in the Word of God. Satan and his minions don’t waste their time on those who are not making a difference in the kingdom, so if you’re under spiritual attack, that’s good! That shows you are doing something right, and that you’re on the right side. The enemy doesn’t attack those who are headed down the broad path of destruction. To be sure, we’re not battling an enemy that we can see with our eyes, because “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12).

The demons of darkness are opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and will do anything in their power to prevent people from being saved. They’ve gone so far as to have their own ministers (2 Cor 11:4), but they will do anything they can to make you lose your testimony or not share your faith. It should also be noted that demons may work through unbelievers to attack, insult, degrade, and persecute those who do believe, but that’s good because the truth is, “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12). Of course, not everyone that persecutes you is under demonic influence, but no doubt, some are. The surprising thing is if someone claims to be a believer but has never suffered persecution.

Something’s very wrong there, but if you receive verbal abuse for sharing Christ, then I say, “Good!” This too is a blessing (Matt 5:10-12; 1 Pet 4:14). I am not saying we should cram the gospel down people’s throat. No! Jesus never forced Himself on anyone, but if you are hated for your faith, or despised for what you write for Christ, then you must understand that they’re reading someone else’s mail. They cannot understand the Word of God without the Spirit of God (Rom 8:5, 7-9; 1 Cor 2:14, 2 Cor 4:3-4) like the children of God can (Rom 8:5-9). All we can do…no, all we must do is to love them…pray for them, and return good for evil (Luke 6:28). Be sure of this; grow in the Word of God and you’ll experience more spiritual warfare. Obey it, and look out!


Making a Difference
We know from Scripture that only God can take or give life. Satan has no power to kill, but sometimes we fear him and give him too much credit, but God limited what Satan could do to Job, telling him, “the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord” (Job 1:12). Sometimes we think that Satan is omnipresent. Especially when people have told me that Satan is attacking them. I am leery of that because Satan is a created being, and he can only be in one place at a time, so if 10 people claim they are being attacked by Satan, and all at the same time, we know it’s not Satan because he’s not omnipresent. As a created being, he can only be in one place at a time. More likely, it’s demonic influence. We give him too much credit. First of all, He is God’s Devil.


Satan doesn’t waste his time on individual members of the church as much as he does in influencing world leaders and inspiring false teachers, prophets, and pastors to proclaim a gospel without repentance and faith. I’m not big enough of a problem for Satan to waste his time on me, but he’ll likely delegate some of his demons to harass me, but again, that’s good. They don’t waste their time on those headed down the broad path of destruction, or on those who are lukewarm believers. They make no difference in the kingdom, so the Devil most likely spends his time attacking the most effective evangelists, teachers, preachers, or missionaries, but he also spends his time on world leaders and influential people that are financing evil practices. I’m small peanuts to him, but rather, He is the prince of the power of the air (2 Cor 4:4), influencing or controlling those who are the most influential in human affairs. Demons don’t waste their time on those who are wasting their time. They go after those who are making a difference.
Prayer Time
When I am praying to God, it seems as though all kinds of unwholesome thoughts start to enter my mind. It’s almost like a full frontal attack. It becomes hard to concentrate, and my mind begins to think on things that are anything but godly, so I double down and ask God’s Spirit to protect my mind while I pray, and it does help, but it seems the more I pray, the more I struggle with thoughts that are not from God. When the enemy tries to break the lines of communication, you are under spiritual warfare. If demons can keep us from praying, then we’ve lost our most important contact in the universe. We can get too busy to pray. At other times when I pray, it seems I’m flooded with thoughts of worthlessness, feeling unworthy to even talk to God.

The enemy may even send me thoughts where I doubt my own salvation, but then I return to the Word and to prayer. It is warfare my friends. Like the movie War Room, there’s an invisible war going on, and what makes it most deadly is that the enemy is invisible. We don’t think about what we don’t see…and that’s just what they want. To unbelievers, an enemy that doesn’t exist is no enemy at all, but for believers, they are all too real.

If they can make you feel like you’ve never really been saved, then you’ll feel it’s useless to pray to God. The enemy hates the idea that believers are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb forever, and that Satan and his demon’s fate is sealed forever, so when you’re under spiritual attack, do what Dr. Irwin Lutzer said: “When the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future” (Rev 20:9-10). Quote that Scripture if necessary. We know the end…but so does He! They cannot rob anyone’s salvation, but they can rob the joy of your salvation. This happened to King David, but for a very good reason (Psalm 51:12-14). When a believer feels condemned and has lost their joy, they’re less likely to witness for Christ, but they are also less likely to pray to God. That vicious cycle repeats itself until the lukewarm believer makes no difference at all.

That kind of believer will experience fewer spiritual attacks because they live the Christian life in a way that makes little or no difference to God. They may lose their assurance and their joy. If that happens, you can be sure there will be less witnessing, and there will be less prayer. All of these things will keep you from spiritual attacks, but being under spiritual attacks is good. It shows you’re making a difference, and being in the battle, you know you’re on the right side, so when you feel least like praying, is the very time you need it most!

Conclusion
The Bible speaks about leavening as representing sin because it puffs up and grows, and leavening works best in lukewarm water, so the more a believer sins, the more lukewarm they become…and they may reach a point where even the demon’s won’t waste their time because they’re no longer effective for Christ. The way to stop spiritual attacks is to stop obeying Christ, stop making a difference for Christ, and stop praying to God through Christ, but if you do these things, then you will be under spiritual attack…and contrary to how we might think, that’s actually a good thing. As Paul Chappell once said, “The devil doesn’t persecute those who aren’t making a godly difference in the world.”

 

[beensetfree]

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

The people answered and said, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods;

for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed.

"The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God."

Joshua 24:15-18 NASB

__________________

Serve the LORD with fear
and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2:11,12 NIV

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For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,
every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue
shall confess to God.

Romans 14:11 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck.”

Exodus 34:20

Every firstborn creature must be the Lord's, but since the ass was unclean, it could not be presented in sacrifice. What then? Should it be allowed to go free from the universal law? By no means. God admits of no exceptions. The ass is his due, but he will not accept it; he will not abate the claim, but yet he cannot be pleased with the victim. No way of escape remained but redemption — the creature must be saved by the substitution of a lamb in its place; or if not redeemed, it must die.

My soul, here is a lesson for thee. That unclean animal is thyself; thou art justly the property of the Lord who made thee and preserves thee, but thou art so sinful that God will not, cannot, accept thee; and it has come to this, the Lamb of God must stand in thy stead, or thou must die eternally. Let all the world know of thy gratitude to that spotless Lamb who has already bled for thee, and so redeemed thee from the fatal curse of the law. Must it not sometimes have been a question with the Israelite which should die, the ass or the lamb? Would not the good man pause to estimate and compare? Assuredly there was no comparison between the value of the soul of man and the life of the Lord Jesus, and yet the Lamb dies, and man the ass is spared.

My soul, admire the boundless love of God to thee and others of the human race. Worms are bought with the blood of the Son of the Highest! Dust and ashes redeemed with a price far above silver and gold! What a doom had been mine had not plenteous redemption been found! The breaking of the neck of the ass was but a momentary penalty, but who shall measure the wrath to come to which no limit can be imagined? Inestimably dear is the glorious Lamb who has redeemed us from such a doom.