Psalm 91 ~ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty

Psalm 91

Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge —
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”



Philippians 2:9-10
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.God is Love - 1 John 4:8

Father Almighty, Abba, I Am, Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ, Lamb of God, servant of God, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Bright & Morning Star, Word of Life, Jesus Christ The Righteous, Dayspring, Son of God, Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, Messiah, Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life. Savior Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Light of the World. The true light, which enlightens everyone. I am the true vine and my Father is the Gardener. I am the door.

I am Alpha & Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come. The Almighty

Listen – "Blessed Be Your Name" by Beth and Matt Redman.
Blessed be your name
in the land that is plentiful,
Where your streams
of abundance flow,
blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name
when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say ...

Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your glorious name.

Blessed be your name when
the sun's shining down on me,
When the world's
"all as it should be,"
blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name on the
road marked with suffering.
Though there's pain in the offering,
blessed be your name.

Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in,
Lord, still I will say . . .

Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your glorious name.
(repeat)

You give and take away. (Job 1:21)
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be your name.
You give and take away.
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be your name.

Blessed be THE NAME OF THE LORD,
blessed be YOUR NAME
Blessed be THE NAME OF THE LORD,
blessed be YOUR GLORIOUS NAME.

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Other Scripture for Today Blogspot posts on Psalm 91

Psalm 91 ~ Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge —

Shelter, refuge, expectant prayer, letting God's will be done , Christianity, Bible, Scripture, Jesus is Lord, Messiah, Anglican, Prayer, Faith, Hope, Love, Miracles, God for us, day of blessing, day of adversity, praise, dwelling in Him

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Ezra 1 ~ The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me

Why doesn’t Judah’s return from exile and the rebuilding of the second temple get recognition? It’s just too unlikely that a nation of slaves returned to their land with the king’s help. The king gave back the pillaged temple goods. A nation of slaves build a world-known temple for their own worship and to God’s glory. And the king understood he was privileged to be able to accomplish this for the Lord. But that is exactly what happened.


Ezra 1

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

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Psalm 126 ~ The Lord has done great things for us

Prayer increases our ability to realize God promises us He loves us. My friend and I were talking today about heaven. To read Isaiah 65, is to have a glimpse of heaven. Jesus promised the forgiven man on the cross with Him, that heaven is paradise.

Psalm 126 - Listen

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.


Matthew 11:28-29
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

1 John: 5:4
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

When I call on Jesus, All Things are Possible - Listen

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Matthew 24:29-35 ~ his angels

The picture is from the movie ‘Ben Hur’, Zechariah 6 says:

"What are these, my lord?"
5 The angel answered me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. 6 The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south."

7 When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, "Go throughout the earth!" So they went throughout the earth.

The photo today probably shouldn’t be the chariots of Ben Hur, but should be the Son of Man. Nothing is more important than to know the love of God. In all probability, we will not see the second coming of Jesus Christ; we do not see the signs in the sky. The Lord’s words will not pass away, but we will.

Today's photo shows the urgency of the angels and horses straining to do God’s will. We want to be gathered by the Lord. If He gives you an opportunity, use it for His glory and remember the urgency the angels of the Lord use after being in His Presence.

Matthew 24:29-35 (Today’s New International Version)


29 "Immediately after the distress of those days
" 'the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

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1 Corinthians 9 ~ I am not writing these things to secure any such provision

Icon of Cephas / Peter and his wife.

1 Corinthians 9 - Listen

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

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Romans 10:1-15 ~ heart

Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

Romans 10:1-15 (The Message)

1-3 Believe me, friends, all I want for Israel is what's best for Israel: salvation, nothing less. I want it with all my heart and pray to God for it all the time. I readily admit that the Israelites are impressively energetic regarding God—but they are doing everything exactly as they think -- their own righteousness, without looking for the Spirit of God. After all these years of refusing to really deal with God on his terms, insisting instead on making their own deals, they have nothing to show for it.

4-10 The old testament was intended to get us ready for the Messiah, who then puts everything right for those who trust him to do it. Moses wrote that anyone who insists on using the law code to live right before God soon discovers it's not so easy—every detail of life regulated by fine print! But trusting God to shape the right living in us is a different story— no precarious climb up to heaven to recruit the Messiah, no dangerous descent into hell to rescue the Messiah. So what exactly was Moses saying?

The word that saves is right here,
as near as the tongue in your mouth,
as close as the heart in your chest.

It's the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—"Jesus is the Son of God & I will trust him for my life"—embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!"

11-13 Scripture reassures us, "No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it." It's exactly the same no matter what a person's religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. "Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help."

14-17 But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?

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Luke 12:13-15, 22-32 ~ He said to him

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1916


Luke 12:13-15, 22-32

At that time, while Jesus was teaching one of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me."

But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?" And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

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2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ~ Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

When I call on Jesus - Nicole Mullen - Listen

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Philippians 2:27-29
27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him

Ecclesiastes 11:10
10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.

Psalm 86:7
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 24:37-39
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

John 12:27
"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

John 14:1
[ Jesus Comforts His Disciples ] "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33
"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."

Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.

Acts 16:18
She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

Romans 8:35-38
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Save the Date ~ HopePointe Anglican Church has a new location / church!

HopePointe Anglican Church
Invites
You
to
Save the Date
&
Join Us
As We Celebrate God's Goodness!

Sunday, December 21st

Our New Church Home: 3333 South Panther Creek

Corner of Woodlands Parkway and South Panther Creek

Hope Pointe Church is part of AMiA-
Anglican Mission in America

We believe God gave us his son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, we are redeemed, loved, forgiven, saved, healed and will live with Him in glory.

We believe the Holy Spirit gave us the Scriptures to learn, worship and love our Heavenly Father.

For 2,000 years, Jesus Christ’s church has worshipped Him with song, praise, liturgy and the reading of His word. In our worship, we combine this tradition and use contemporary worship as well.

We welcome newcomers with coffee from Rwanda. AMiA is part of a global church. We celebrate His Love & gospel going over all of His creation.


HopePointe Anglican Church

HopePointe Anglican Church
3333 Panther Creek
The Woodlands, Texas 77381
(281) 362-1144
Rev. Clark Lowenfield



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Acts 19:1-20 ~ Holy Spirit

I Know My Redeemer Lives, by Nicole Mullen - Listen

Acts 19:1-20 (New American Standard Version)

1 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 There were in all about twelve men.


8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.


11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.


Paraphrasing Matthew Henry – Acts 19

19:1-7 “Paul found religious people, who believed Jesus as the Messiah. They had not been led to expect the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost, nor were they informed that the gospel was especially the ministration of the Spirit. But they were ready to welcome to receive the Holy Spirit. Paul said John never intended that those he baptized should rest permanently in the baptism - John offered through God – of repentance, but told them that they should believe in Jesus as Christ. To confess with their lips and believe in their heart that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice saved them. They thankfully accepted the discovery, and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Ghost came upon them in a surprising, overpowering manner; they spoke with tongues, and prophesied, as the apostles and the first Gentile coverts did. All who profess to be disciples of Christ should welcome the seal of the Holy Ghost, the sanctifying influences, to the sincerity of their faith.”

God’s Holy Spirit is alive and well. I have seen in my life the miraculous healing of my mother’s thyroid tumor, the healing of a friend’s leukemia like blood count, our pastor’s two rotator cuffs in his arms & the healing of a woman in church’s blood vessels to her eyes and cataracts. Our dog was poisoned, prayed for and healed.

Our pastor saw a 2 year old boy’s leg grow to become normal; the healing was with 200 people in a Catholic congregation as the boy was carried down the aisle and prayed for. Seeing the power of God, in this powerful prayer meeting, convinced our pastor of God's call to become an ordained minister.

We all know the Holy Spirit is alive and well when we are prompted in acts of unselfish kindness helping and praying for each other. All good in our lives is a gift from God.

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Psalm 116 ~ because He inclined His ear to me

Holy, Holy, Holy - Michael W. Smith - Listen

Psalm 116 (Revised Standard Version)

[1] I love the LORD, because he has heard
my voice and my supplications.

[2] Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

[3] The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.

[4] Then I called on the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, I beseech thee, save my life!"

[5] Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
our God is merciful.

[6] The LORD preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.

[7] Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

[8] For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
[9] I walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.

[10] I kept my faith, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted";
[11] I said in my consternation,
"Men are all a vain hope."

[12] What shall I render to the LORD
for all his bounty to me?

[13] I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD,
[14] I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.

[15] Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.

[16] O LORD, I am thy servant;
I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid.
Thou hast loosed my bonds.

[17] I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the LORD.

[18] I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
[19] in the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

John 17:20
[ Jesus Prays for All Believers ] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

Exodus 9:29
Moses replied, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.

2 Samuel 7:18
[ David's Prayer ] Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

2 Samuel 7:27
"O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer.

1 Kings 8:22
[ Solomon's Prayer of Dedication ] Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven.

28. Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

38. and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple-

45. then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

49. then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

54. When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.

1 Kings 9:3
The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

2 Chronicles 32:20
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this.

Psalm 17:1
[ A prayer of David. ] Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Psalm 39:12
"Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were.

Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Isaiah 26:16
LORD, they came to you in their distress; when you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer.

Isaiah 56:7
these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Jeremiah 10:23
[ Jeremiah's Prayer ] I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

Daniel 9:1
[ Daniel's Prayer ] In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom-
3. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
17. "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.

21. while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.

Matthew 6:5
[ Prayer ] "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

1 Timothy 2:8
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Acts 6:4
and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

Acts 10:31
and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.

Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

James 5:13-16
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Acts 16:13
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

1 Timothy 2:1
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—

2 Corinthians 9:14
And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

Ephesians 1:15-16
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philippians 1:4
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.

Philippians 1:9
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

Philippians 1:19
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Colossians 1:3
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you

Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

2 Thessalonians 1:3
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

2 Thessalonians 3:1
Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

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1 John 4:7-12 ~ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God

This is Isabelle's tree given to us in love and kindness.

1 John 4:7-12

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

A lasting gift.
On Tuesday, September 23rd: We began a journey that would begin and end Isabelle’s life. Doctors had already told us that Isabelle had chromosome disorders and Isabelle’s life could be filled with pain. Isabelle received so much love in so many prayers. The love shown to our family gives us the remembrance to the end of the last day on this earth, the love that God gives to us. It is a sample of heaven. Isabelle was part of the church family in a strong way. Isabelle and us were blessed to have many people come over to pray and visit for hours. Many Christians called to say that more Christians were concerned and many prayers were offered.

On that day - busy, fear filled, fast-paced, unannounced day, this great congregation, this loving church family showed up, stayed, wept and provided their youngest Christian with baptism. As Isabelle was being born, her church family gave Jesus Christ to her. It was a time of tears, Isabelle would not fill the lives of her family with her life and their love. It was a time of mercy, Isabelle was born with a beautiful face and was blessedly asleep in the Lord. The youngest Christian of the church family was going to the Lord with a look of love, baby joy and contentment all over her face. Her parents will remember that peace for a lifetime. They will wait for patience for the day the Lord brings them home and know one of the first voices calling to them on that day will be Isabelle reunited with her family. It will be a great day to walk with Lord in love and a great family reunion.


Matthew 7:12
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.


Matthew 6:25
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Our church family fed us more than we could eat, Dilly was coordinating with the wonderful church family and our good neighbors had our refrigerators overflowing.
Michele and Larry, part of our Friday group, brought a thanksgiving of food that we were truly blessed. My 11 sisters in our prayer and service organization wanted to bring meals for many weeks; we were really grateful, but were trying to keep to a more normal schedule. Neighbors - Renee, SueJen, Suzanne sent meals. The church family sent meals, we had more food than we knew what to do with.

Our family travelled from all over the state of Texas and as far as California to be with us. All of our siblings and both mothers came. They stayed and provided immeasurable comfort.

Acts 15:9
9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Our pastor gave a beautiful homily and made the point that whether Isabelle was an infant, a king, or queen God sees us equally loved and important to him.

We were most fortunate to have a wonderful deacon, Lisa, and her family to give the reception after the funeral. My 11 sisters and wonderful women from the church provided the food.

We are blessed to live in an area with so many kind people. My good friend Renee and our neighbors asked me what type of tree we wanted to be given by the neighborhood to remember Isabelle. I asked for white Crepe Myrtle for the christening gown she was cremated in.

Matthew 22:29
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

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1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ~ Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

On September 5th, we learned that loved and treasured baby Isabelle had many life ending problems. The specialist said she could only live for a few months and suffer or be stillborn. It’s been the love and support of the Lord, coming through our church family making the tragedy of Isabelle’s illness and death something we could endure with hope.

Mark 2:1-5

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

We’ve discovered how the man on the mat felt as his friends worked to remove the roof and to be prayed for by the Lord.

On Saturday after the doctor’s visit, We went to see my sisters in Christ at our meeting (our group that is primarily prayer and service). I explained to them in great, emotional tears what the doctors had said about Isabelle’s health. After I had finished speaking, I saw my 11 sisters wailing. Not giving a tear, but wailing as I had wailed. I was astonished. My sisters (we are Anglican and to say we are sisters is unusual in our church history) said that we would not do this alone, never alone. One of my sisters, Lynn, was a neo-natal nurse, said she would take off work and nurse Isabelle during the duration of her life.

We received prayer from wailing women for healing and miracle intervention, overcome with grief as I was. We received practical and truthful advice from someone with knowledge. Isabelle and I received more than that; we received such love that after receiving devastating news about my longed for and loved daughter. I felt hope. I knew this was something very important in my life, and through eternity, I would not forget this group and the prayers. I realized how that man had felt as people moved to bring him to the Lord.


I John 5:14

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Our pastor visited and we agreed that now was the time to put our prayers before the Lord. Our pastor set aside time to fast for Isabelle.

We began to pray. We asked my church family to pray for Isabelle, we asked the Lord’s complete healing. We asked the Lord that Isabelle would not know suffering and pain. And our church family made sure that we were lifted in prayer.

Psalm 130
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord

Josephine came and took us in her large van, very slowly to church on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s church meeting was amazing to us. Our church is preparing to move into new building, so on Wednesdays we meet at another church’s services and combine our groups. We knew Josephine was going to pray for us, but when we arrived about 12 more people had arrived than we expected. Deb and her husband, are in charge of our prayer ministry, Deb was very, very worried. She told me that the Lord had put on her heart to begin our praying group with her saying to me something that she really wouldn’t want to say to someone. Deb said the Lord wants us to know that He loves us and loves Isabelle very much. The Lord wants us to know that He forgives me. I burst into tears. I understood not only am I someone who relies on Him for grace, but also my reading and concern the previous night was Psalm 130. Also, the man on the mat brought to Jesus for prayer by his friends had been told by the LORD, he was forgiven.

As the group began to pray for Isabelle, Isabelle began to kick more than she had ever done in her life. Not frantic kicking by any means, but to let us know forever that she had heard and been blessed.

James 5:14
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

On days that Josephine wasn’t transporting us, she called to pray for us. Karen arranged prayer partners to come to our house on Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, Karen, Melanie and Sandy came to visit and pray for a couple of hours. On Fridays, Dee and Cindy came over; we would sit, they’d place hands on Isabelle and me and pray for a couple of hours. The phone rang a lot and people offered prayer and food. Our friend Dilly arranged the communication and food, calling us all the time.

Hurricane Ike intervened and soon the entire community was without phones and electricity. So, after the hurricane people came by to see if we were home, sat & prayed in a home rattled by the hurricane and without electricity. The church offices were destroyed, people began to clean them. Our house was a mess after some hurricane damage and storm preparation, you know their homes were a mess too, but still we were loved, cared, and prayed for. The Lord is good and his people act for Him.

The men of the church worked to support my husband. Kirk replaced our hurricane struck air conditioner for cost. When our mattress was ruined, Bruce brought us another one. When Edward had a birthday and we were so sad, Bruce, Kirk and Gary worked to make his birthday dinner a kind and memorable one. When Gary saw we’d spent too many evenings at home, he and Jane took us to dinner.

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1 John 3 ~ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another

John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

In early September of this year, we heard from specialists our unborn daughter Isabelle (30 weeks, 7.5 months gestation) had multiple difficulties and would not survive. We were able to cope fairly normally in the weeks leading up to Isabelle's birth because the support given from our church family. The power of christian love, God's love being sent through our church family, provided us with love and encouragement to continue in a very difficult time. Tomorrow, Scripture for Today will include scripture supporting experiences our family had during Isabelle's illness and passing to live with the Lord.

Although it is very sad, the ultimate conclusion is a new child of God goes to live with her heavenly Father. Isabelle is alive and will be reunited with all of us one day. We are very grateful for the love given by God through his people during this time.

1 John 3

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, [Greek word adelphoi, both men and women - siblings brothers and sisters] that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Mark 12:28-31

Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' "The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

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Matthew 13:1-9 ~ A sower went out to sow

Matthew 13:1-9 (Revised Standard Version)

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
He who has ears, let him hear."

For two thousand years God, through his son Jesus Christ, has been altering lives all around the world. The real people, just like you, whose lives God has changed started GodSpeaks.com. In their own words and with their own voices, they present their stories to encourage people to know God’s love and read what He has to say. These stories/billboards are evidence that God not only exists but that He loves us and wants to be a part of our lives.

GodSpeaks.com - Doug explains why he discovered God's unconditional love. Listen and another Listen.

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Psalm 67 ~ Your ways known on earth

Psalm 67 (New International Version)

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah

5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.


Numbers 6

24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

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1 John 5 ~ the testimony of God is greater

Sunlight on King Street. Toronto, Canada.

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.


1 John 5

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God [1] will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Footnotes
(1) 5:16 Greek he

God is Love is the greatest message of the bible and is written in John’s first letter. John wants us to know that he has Personally seen Jesus with his eyes and has physically Touched Jesus. Our faith is comfort, not because John has seen God or we feel good about John’s witness, but because God has given us His testimony. In His word. Jesus gives us comfort. This chapter Assures us of victory in faith – we have been set free.

We have the witnesses today, people who have come back from near death experiences, God has given His ultimate gift to us.

Jesus is the Son of God.

Romans 8:14
Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Romans 8: 26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Ephesians 5:25
Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Matthew 3: 11
I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Luke 3: 21
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.

Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.

We have assurance of our salvation. For - ever. Today:

Luke 3: 44
Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Galatians 5: 22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

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Titus 1:15-16 ~ put in order

Titus 1:5-16 (New Revised Standard Version)

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: someone who is blameless, married only once, whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. For a bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, "Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons."

That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Finding the right bus going the right direction...

Atheists in the U.K. have raised money and will begin advertising in a campaign called No God. The buses in London will say, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." Many skeptics are exactly that, not worrying or thinking about the deeper meanings to life. The people who like this advertising said that they are tired of hearing scare tactics about hell and salvation. Hasn’t it been decades and decades since Christians opened Christian thought with hell speech? I don’t remember any anytime lately.

Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis was born in Northern Africa in a time where many men beat their wives. His Christian mother was a counselor at the local shelter and gave women advice to make their marriages peaceful. He was a disappointment to his mother; he lived with his girlfriend and had a son outside of marriage. He taught at good schools and knew the right people in Rome. Augustine became interested in a cult.

His mother didn’t decide to accept everything Augustine did in life as okay. But she didn’t cut him out of her life, she did what pleased God, she prayed a lot.

Augustine went on to become one of the greatest leaders in the Christian church in 2000 years. He had been a non-believer, debauched, rebellious and not blameless. He had not been prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He did not have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy. Augustine became a bishop in Algeria and his thinking on Christian matters is sought after 1700 years after his death. Why? He’d agree with Titus that this is the truth. No one ever gave Augustine confirmation that rowing his own boat, in his own way was the truth of Jesus Christ.

Augustine was a beloved bishop, not by thundering about hell, but the people in his part of the world - from many different cultures and races - could appreciate that he was a man who understood that he was a sinner. He was a sinner who put thought into his life, looked for the deeper meaning and began with the grace of God to read and act upon God’s love.

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Proverbs 8 ~ finds life

John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Jesus was with His Father when creation took place. Jesus gives us wisdom and fills us in on what it was like to be with God creating us and the world. God uses this Proverb to say where he wants us to use wisdom.

Proverbs 8

1 Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.

22 “The Lord fathered me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.

32 “And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”

"There will be a Day" sung by Jeremy Camp - Listen

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Acts 14 ~ Perseverance

Lystra, in present day Turkey, was a bustling city in the ancient world. Lystra is unexcavated today and is now covered with thistles, grass and spotted with fragments of ancient buildings and occasional pieces of pottery. Encouraged to persevere by Father God, the Apostle Paul returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antitoch to convert many people and his message of salvation as God’s gift in Jesus Christ has spread through the millenniums.

Bishops from Lystra were were present at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, Constantinople in 381, Chalcedon 451, and Constantinople in 879. There is evidence the city survived until the 13th century.

Acts 14

Iconium-

1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.

Lystra–

8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 "Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

From Antioch and Iconium-

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.


They returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch-

21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

John 3:16
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Lystra is one of the few cities mentioned in the Scriptures never having a synagogue. While the Christians worked tirelessly for others to see and witness God's Love. Lystra did not persevere in the most important part - the soul.

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2 Chronicles 13 ~ days of Abijah

2 Chronicles 13 - Listen

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.* 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. 4 Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! 5 Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord, 7 and certain worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them.

8 “And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are no gods. 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service. 11 They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices, set out the showbread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. 12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”

13 Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. 17 Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. 18 Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages. 20 Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down, and he died. 21 But Abijah grew mighty. And he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

* And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abijah his son reigned in his place. 2 Chronicles 12:16

David ruled the Kingdom of Israel. David's grandson Rehoboam was rejected by ten of the twelve Tribes of Israel during the disruption at Shechem, leaving only the Kingdom of Judah ruled by the Davidic line. Abijah, son of Rehoboam, grandson of Solomon, great-grandson of David lived c. 900 B.C. The Northern Kingdom (called Israel) fell to the Assyrian Empire c. 720 BC but the Kingdom of Judah survived until it was conquered in 586 BC by the Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar.(2 Kings 25:8-21). This event coincided with the destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem and with the Babylonian Captivity.

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