The presence of Jesus is surrounding you and He wants to fill you with His awesome fragrance! Today, are you basking in the sweet fragrance of Jesus Christ, or are you carrying your own odor around? Perhaps sometimes you forget how precious you are--you forget how valuable you are. Maybe you had an ex-husband who slapped you around. Maybe you had a dad who never said a kind word to you or a mother who was always mean. Maybe you had a boyfriend who abused you. But in God's kingdom, you are amazing and valuable to Jesus! It doesn't mean that you haven't had setbacks or mistakes; it means that in Jesus Christ, His love has covered the multitude of past sins and failures.
Evangelism is a dialogue, not a monologue. And the best way to engage a person in a conversation is to listen. In starting a conversation, the objective is to build a bridge. That is what we want to do.
"Greg Laurie"
If our life is but a vapor of smoke then it is not about what you are doing for God but how well you know Him. I get to serve my Lord and I love it but even if this was not possible, my relationship would be enough.
It's not what happens to you that matters. It's how you respond to what happens to you that makes a difference."- Zig Ziglar
Instead of living to get, live to give.
The Holy Spirit is the great beautifier of the souls.
~John Owen~
It is certainly disturbing to read and hear about the many tragedies that have fallen upon our Christian brothers and sisters -- even in our present day. However, there is one thing we know: Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ! No matter what we're going through -- nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Pause for a moment now and thank the Lord for His peace even in turbulent times.
If you will embrace the disciplines associated with the new opportunity you will soon find that your self-confidence starts to grow,
“Initial response illustrates a great deal about someone's personal philosophy.” –Jim Rohn
“If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree.” – Jim Rohn
External (outside) fears lead to internal (inside) fears — fear based on what happens when you fail or are close to failing. Your reaction to internal fear determines your fate. It's not what happens to you, it's what you do with what happens to you.
Our lives touch the people around us, so our sin also affects their lives. We must live our lives thinking of others and how our actions affect others.
Sin always comes home to roost.
~James Philip~
You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know
how soon it may be too late.
~Thomas Fuller~
The light of the gospel, when shone on your marriage, will compel you love with the same love you've experienced in Christ.
It’s a gift. We don’t earn it. We can’t lose it. But we can forget it. If we’re not careful, we can become guilt-laden. Understand, guilt is God’s idea. He uses it the way highway engineers use rumble strips. When we swerve off track, they call us back. Guilt alerts us to what God desires. It stirs repentance and renewal.
God is not looking for ability as much as He is looking for availability.
Be determined, be stirred.
A wise person tucks Godly wisdom into the words they speak and even more into the words they choose not to speak.
The only kingdom that will prevail in this world is the kingdom that is not of this world.
The world watches with great interest when a Christian faces adversity. Every one of us faces hardship. Every one of us loses loved ones. Every one of us faces sickness. Every one of us encounters difficulties and hardships in life. But when it happens to Christians, nonbelievers watch to see if our faith is genuine. That is the time to show them what Christ can do, even in hard times.
Greg Laurie
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Loved one, God walks beside you today, even if you don’t feel Him. There is no sleepless night He does not see you laying there, awake. When you feel numb and without joy, He hurts too. Your Creator knows what you are made of and how anxiety affects your life.
Loved one, God walks beside you today, even if you don’t feel Him. There is no sleepless night He does not see you laying there, awake. When you feel numb and without joy, He hurts too. Your Creator knows what you are made of and how anxiety affects your life.
We need our minds and hearts to be filled with the Word of God in Scripture so that we might know God truly and so that we might do what God wishes. In this way we will construct our lives so that they will be strong and truly make a difference in this world.
Knowledge Alone Does Not Transform
Lee Strobel was a skeptic of Christianity until 1981. Sure he knew the Bible stories, but how much of it was fact versus fiction? Armed with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School, and award-winning legal editor for the Chicago Tribune, Lee was uniquely qualified to apply the legal tests of correlating witness testimony combined with physical evidence to disprove the claims of Christianity. That's right, as a spiritual skeptic his original goal was to disprove the Gospel once and for all. The opposite happened. Lee was overwhelmed by the mountain of evidence that supported and proved (by legal standards in his book The Case for Faith) that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, the only Son of God, and He lived, died, and rose from the dead. Lee's investigation turned knowledge into belief, but it didn't stop there: his belief was transformed into faith when he accepted the truth of Jesus Christ.
James 2:19, "You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder."
As long as we let the Word of God be our only armor, we can look confidently into the future.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~
As we walk by faith, God's grace is imparted into our lives, bringing us many blessings in our Lord. We have seen that among these heavenly delights are the assurance of salvation and security of salvation.
It’s better to deny faith outright than to profess it in weak and shallow ways. Many have become immune to Christianity by contracting a mild and unbiblical form of it. True Christianity is a dynamic and persuasive competitor in the marketplace of ideas.
Randy Alcorn
The enemy of our souls would love to devour our lives.
The only people who can ever walk in victory over the world are born again believers in Jesus Christ. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world." We desperately need the overcoming grace of God, because of the earthly enticements that the devil can use against us. "For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world" (1 John 2:16). Bob Hoekstra
If God feels far away from you, guess who moved.
Jason Robinson
As far as God is concerned we're already glorified. Ephesians 2:4-6: "...because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus..." Therefore God -- who transcends time and space, who lives in the eternal now -- sees us presently in our future glorified state. In other words, as if we have already taken our place in heaven with Jesus.
As long as we’re addicted to the praise of others, we never look up to see the glory of God.
Michael Reeves
Be united with other Christians. A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together.
~Corrie Ten Boom~
I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know are yea and amen.
~John Wesley~
"Where love is, God is. When we love, we become the hands and feet of God on earth."
“God’s grace is immeasurable; His mercy is inexhaustible; His peace is inexpressible.” — Charles Stanley
"Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change."
It is the will of God that we learn to walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord: "that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him" (Colossians 1:10). Again, such godly living can only be developed by faith. Much helpful insight into such a life is provided in Enoch's pleasing walk with God, by faith.
The Lord desires that people become true spiritual worshipers of Him. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23). This can only become a reality through faith in the Lord. One helpful example of this is Abel's acceptable worship sacrifice, by faith.
In order to live by grace, we must be willing to walk by faith. For those who actually depend upon the Lord day by day (thereby accessing His grace), the Scriptures regularly proclaim the extensive consequences of walking by faith.
First, let's consider the significant characteristics of faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for." Faith is the assuring confirmation of the wonderful things that we anticipate God will do. As our faith grows in the promises and purposes of God, that faith brings us more substantiation of the certainty of God's heavenly plans. Also, faith is "the evidence of things not seen." Faith brings us verification of realities the human senses cannot observe. Faith convinces us of the absolute existence of God and His angels, Adam and Eve, the devil and demons, heaven and hell, and the prophets and apostles of old.
“There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it.” George Bernard Shaw
Jesus knows we will go through troubles. He knows the exact problems and crises we come up against, but He will never leave us. No matter what is going on today, Jesus Christ is facing it with us. ~
When Jesus promised that He would leave us His peace, He did not ignore the reality of conflict in our lives.
There is nothing too big or too small to pray to God about.
Don’t quit talking to God, no matter what! Bring Him every concern, big and small. He cares about what you care about. When tough times come, remember that this life belongs to Him. ~
When we pray God’s Word over our kids, we literally cover them with the presence of Christ.
Let’s pray for our kids! God will never leave them, never forsake them. Wherever they go, the Lord is with them. As parents, we have the privilege of covering them in scriptural prayer. Let’s do it! ~
Believers who were in wheelchairs on earth won’t need them in Heaven. Believers who didn’t have the use of their eyes or arms or some other part of their bodies will have the use of them in Heaven. They will have new, glorified bodies.
The Rapture will be instantaneous. The Bible says the Rapture will happen in a moment, “in the blink of an eye.” In the flash of a second, every living Christian on earth will suddenly, instantaneously, find themselves in God’s presence.
The Rapture will be a reunion. Not only will we meet the Lord in the Rapture, but we also will reunite with our friends and loved ones who already have gone on to meet the Lord. This means that one day we could be walking down the street thinking about a loved one who has gone to Heaven, and suddenly we’ll be looking at that person face-to-face.
We have the favor of the Lord, the power of His might, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The Lord will never leave you, let you down, or forsake you. The Lord always provides in our lives. So don't take chances that lead to condemnation, away from the presence of God.
Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly relationships than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.
Emotions are a gift from God. While emotions themselves are not sin, the place we give them can be. Since God created us with the capacity for strong emotions, we can rest assured that He has a plan for managing them. It is a step-by-step plan that begins with our commitment to being honest and transparent about every emotion, especially the negative ones.
Few people have the spiritual resources to be both wealthy
and godly.
~Billy Bray~
Nathanael said to Philip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip answered, “Come and see.” (John 1:46)
The question about Jesus still lingers. And the answer of Philip still suffices. Come and see. Come and see what Christ has done.
Some will, some won't, so what next!!
"Lack of direction, not lack of time is the problem. We all have 24-hour days."- Zig Ziglar
The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.
The Bible is a love story. It is the account of a loving God in pursuit of a loving relationship with His creation. It's not about law, logic, or reason.
“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.”
— Henry Ford
"Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither."
~ Mere Christianity
Sometimes you have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.
Robert Kiyosaki
Jumping into the unknown has an obvious factor of fear involved. It also has potential for huge rewards. I choose to focus on the latter.
There is no limit to the good a man can do if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.
~Author Unknown~
If you put your faith and trust in the Lord, you will have clean hands before Him and you will not have bitterness or hate in your heart.
Faith is the surest of all sin-killers.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
Sometimes we want to put God in a box. That is how it was when the Lord commanded Moses to send twelve men to spy out the Promised Land. Ten men came back and reported obstacles, challenges, giants, and defeat. But the other two saw the challenges for what they were. Joshua and Caleb saw that God would give them the victory if they would obey Him.
There always will be people who are very small in their thinking. There always will be people who will discourage us from what God might be calling us to do. Even so, we need to take bold steps of faith. So what if everything isn't a complete success? We learn lessons from partial failures—and even outright failures.
Joshua and Caleb saw God for who He is. And so should we. Greg Laurie
Our purpose is to know God and to know God is to learn humility.
Who can know the sovereign will of God apart from the Lord Himself?
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa.55:8-9
God has all the power we need to face whatever might come our way. He won’t necessarily give us that power before we need it. But we can be certain that He will give us all the power we need when we need it. So trust the Lord. His power gives courage.
Greg Laurie
your belief in what the Bible says about the present and the future will separate you from the world.
When worry takes over our thought processes, we are reflecting a lack of faith in God’s ability to work out the details of our lives.
A concern for the glory of God is the ultimate motive for Christian living.
“Sometimes we don’t need another chance to express how we feel or to ask someone to understand our situation. Sometimes we just need a firm kick in the pants. An unsmiling expectation that if we mean all these wonderful things we talk about and sing about, then let’s see something to prove it.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Charles Spurgeon once said that His Word is as a two-edged sword slicing away your pride with one edge and your despair with the other. In the many forms of His mercy, He counteracts the tendencies of evil.
Followers of Jesus are blessed to be peacemakers in our world, those who seek God’s justice and healing, and who seek to live out our calling through humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
We are given a ministry of “reconciliation.” It is a lifetime of being transformed, renewed, and yes, reconciled to God, and to others.
Ray Bently
We all delight in hearing God's voice in words of forgiveness and comfort. But are we willing to hear His voice in unvarnished truth and naked honesty? "Speak, for your servant is listening" or are we?
~A. W. Tozer~
Prayer becomes a meaningful experience when we move past viewing it as a routine box to check and instead approach it from the posture of intimacy.
BREON WELLS
It is the distinguishing mark of God’s people that they
know the love of Christ.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
“Embracing conflict can be a joy when we know that irritation and frustration can lead to growth and the re-energizing of ourselves and others. Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.”
~Billy Graham~
If you want to build your life on a solid foundation, Jesus says you should hear and do his words. This is surely relevant in our churches and families, in our neighborhoods, and among our friends. But what about our workplaces? In fact, Jesus doesn’t limit the applicability of his teachings to our private relationships. Rather, we are to put his words into practice in every context of life, including our workplaces. In this way, we build our lives, including our work lives, on the most reliable foundation there is.
As you go throughout your day, whatever tasks you must accomplish, people you meet, or problems you encounter, know that God is right there with you. The Holy Spirit is ready to teach, help, comfort, and guide you. The Bible teaches about the role of the Holy Spirit, God, yet having a different function than the Father and the Son. The Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one yet three persons, is marvelous and sometimes hard to comprehend.
Don’t judge a man by where he is, because you don’t know how far he has come.
~C.S. Lewis~
We can't change the past so we have only two choices: Become crippled by tragedy, or trust God to make something good of it. I choose God.
No matter what you fear, God understands. No matter your hesitations, you can share everything with God. If you’re afraid of failing, tell God about it. And God, in His goodness, will deliver you from the grip of your fear. Take refuge in God!
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