The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living


#460 2 March 10



. . . our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power which enables Him even to subject all things to Himself . . .
Philippians 3:20-21


Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! The above verse is a great promise and gives us Christians something wonderful to look forward to! The true commonwealth or citizenship of the believer is in heaven. The world is not the believer's spiritual home, for it is impermanent and dominated by Satan, whereas heaven obeys the rule of God and endures forever. The normal attitude of the believer who is in this world but not of it, is to look for the coming of the Lord to celebrate His triumph over the powers of evil and perfect His work of redemption. The Christian rejoices in the prospect of living in the glory of Christ's presence, and of enjoying the bliss and delight of heaven's eternal home.
At the same time, one should nether overlook nor underestimate the present and effective Lordship of Christ over all things.

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *

You say: "I'm not able .." ........... God says: I am able .................. 2 Cor 9:8


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. During the NT times what was the Greek word for charitable love?
2. Which book tells us not to forget to entertain strangers, since some have thus entertained angels?

* * * * * * * * *
I have been saved from the penalty of sin. I am being saved from the power of sin.
I will be saved from the possibility of sin.
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt 6:33

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know what the problem with many of us is? Our faith is something tacked onto our lives. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters…” (Matthew 6:24). Do you believe that? You are to have but one goal in your life, and that is to know Jesus Christ personally, powerfully, passionately, and preeminently. Everything else will flow out of that. You say, “But wait a minute. I’ve got other things to do! I’ve got a job. I’ve got to rest. I’ve got to have recreation. I’ve got to have friends. I can’t just narrow my interests to one.” When you bring your life into a burning focus, all of these other things will contribute to the main thing.

ACTION POINT:
What is the burning focus of your life? Make it Jesus and you’ve made it!

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
On overcoming temptation:
If you want to take a bone from a dog, give him a steak, and he'll drop the bone.
* * * * * * * * *


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Blessing: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and purify
us from all unrighteousness 1 Jn 1:9
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* * * * * * * * *
Our sins were the nails that nailed Him to that tree,
and our hard hearts were the hammers that drove those nails.
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of REVELATION: Because The Time IS Near

HARVEST TIME: THE GRAIN HARVEST [14:14-16]


Joel, Isaiah, and the Lord Jesus Christ all spoke of a coming harvest of divine wrath when the Messiah will execute final judgment (Joel 3:12-13, 21; Isa 63:1-6; Matt 13:30, 39-42). That final outpouring of the judgmental fury of the Lamb is the theme of the remaining text of Revelation 14.
This passage pictures the final harvest of divine wrath in two agricultural motifs: the grain harvest symbolizes the seven bowl judgments. The grape harvest symbolizes the judgment of Armageddon. Both harvests involve a sickle and reaping.


1. The Reaper . . .
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 14:14
The familiar phrase "I looked, an dbehold" often intorduces a new and important subject in Revelation .. cf. 4:1; 6:2, 5,8; 7:9; 14:1 .. What caught John's attention was "a white cloud," an image drawn from Daniel 7:13-14. John saw "sitting on the cloud . . . one like a son of man." This is Jesus Christ, coming to establish His kingdom in fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy. The brilliant, white cloud symbolizes His glory and majesty .. 1:7; Acts 1:9 .. The reaper is sitting as He waits for the proper time to stand and begin the reaping. That reaping (the seven bowl judgments) will be followed by Christ's return to establish His kingdom.
The description of Christ as "one like a son of man" also derives from Daniel's prophecy .. Dan 7:13 .. It was Christ's favorite title during His earthly ministry. . . when He "emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and [was] made in the likeness of men . . . [and was] found in appearance as a man" .. Phil 2:7-8 .. This is the last time Scripture refers to Him by that title, and it presents a marked contrast with the first time the New Testament calls Him the Son of Man. Then He did not even have a place to lay His head .. Matt 8:20 .. Now He is about to take possession of the entire earth.
The reaper is further described as "having a golden crown on His head." This crown is not the kind worn by a king (Greek diadema) but the type of crown (Greek stephanos) worn by victors in war or athletic events. It pictures the Son of Man as the triumphant conqueror over all His enemies .. Matt 24:30 ..
The reaper also had "a sharp sickle in His hand." A sickle was a long, curved, razor-sharp iron blade attached to a long, broomstick-like wooden handle. Sickles were used to harvest grain. They were held with both hands spread apart and swept back and forth, their sharp blades would cut off the crain stalks at ground level. The picture is of the Lord Jesus Christ, mowing down His enemies like a harvester cutting grain.

2. The Ripeness
And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." 14:15
Another angel, the fourth one mentioned in this chapter (verses 6, 8-9), appears on the scene. The first three angels proclaimed that judgment was coming. The fourth brings the command to execute it. This angel came out of the heavenly temple before the throne of God. In a loud voice conveying the authority delegated to him from God, the angel cries out, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." He delivers the message from God and Father to the Son of Man that it is time for Him to move in judgment. God's anger has reached its limit, and His wrath is poured out. The verb translated "is ripe" actually means "dried up" or "withered." The grain pictured here has passed the point of any usefulness and it fit only to be "gathered up and burned with fire" .. Matt 13:40 ..

3. The Reaping
Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped 14:16
Here is one of the most tragic and sobering statements in all of Scripture. Without fanfare, it announces the executing of divine judgment. The frightening details of that judgment are unfolded in Revelation 16. Those seven rapid-fire bowl judgments marked the first phase of the final reaping of the earth.

next week: THE GRAPE HARVEST .. 1. The Reaper 2. The Ripeness 3. The Reaping

* * * * * * * * *
Temptation is trying to get us to fulfill a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.
* * * * * * * * *


En Route to Heaven by David Jeremiah



For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Heb 13:14




When evangelist Billy Graham turned 91 last November, the Tennessean sent him some questions to answer. One involved the difficulties of aging. Graham said that the burdens of life remind us this world is not our final home. "My wife Ruth died almost two years ago," he said, "and every day I miss her very, very much. But someday soon we'll be together in Heaven--in God's presence forever, free from all the burdens of this life. If our hope is truly in Christ, we know we are only pilgrims on this earth, en route to our eternal home in Heaven. Old age should make us look forward with joy to heaven."



Heaven is real, Christ is coming, and we should discipline our thoughts accordingly. If we're pilgrims eager for an eternal city, we'll be happier, harder-working, more forward-thinking people on earth, whatever our age. Our permanence isn't on earth; we long for the city whose builder and maker is God. So let's work till Jesus comes, then we'll be gathered home. Recommended reading: Hebrews 13:10-16



Alas! How we forget that we are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth; that we are journeying to our eternal home, and will soon be there!
Octavius Winslow


* * * * * * * * *
When you see Jesus through Scripture, you see God at work
* * * * * * * * *

REASONS FOR GLADNESS
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you
Matt 5:12

JESUS PROVIDES US WITH TWO reasons for our rejoicing and being glad when we are persecuted for His sake.
First, He says, "Your reward in heaven is great." Whatever we do for the lord now, including suffering for Him - especially suffering for Him - reaps eternal dividends.
But God's dividends aren't ordinary dividends. They are not only "eternal" but also "great." We often hear, and perhaps are tempted to think, that it is unspiritual and crass to serve God for the sake of rewards. But that is one of the motives God Himself gives for serving Him. We first of all serve and obey Christ because we love Him. But it was also because of "the joy set before Him" that Christ Himself "endured the cross, despising the shame" .. Heb 12:2 .. It is neither selfish nor unspiritual to do the Lord's work for a motive that He Himself gives and has followed.
Second, we are to rejoice because the world "persecuted the prophets who were before" us in the same way that it persecutes us. Persecution is a mark of our faithfulness just as it was a mark of the prophets' faithfulness. When we suffer for Christ's sake, we know beyond a doubt that we belong to God because we are experiencing the same reaction from the world that the prophets experienced. So realize that if you are persecuted, you belong in the line of that great company of righteous servants.


Ask YOURSELF
What's your immediate reaction to the idea that we labor for the "reward" of God's blessing? God knows our hearts. He has given us desires to register our growth and progress in the faith. As long as the reward we seek is more of Jesus and to see Him glorified, should we be averse to wanting return on our faithful investment?



* * * * * * * * *
Sin is not just breaking God's laws; it is breaking His heart.
* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. During the NT times what was the Greek word for charitable love?
A. Agape
2. Which book tells us not to forget to entertain strangers, since some have thus entertained angels?
A. Hebrews 13:1


* * * * * * * * *
[this week's chuckle:] A Nun Grading Papers

Imagine a Nun sitting at her desk grading these papers, all the while trying to keep a straight face and maintain her composure!
[pay special attention to the wording and spelling. If you know the Bible, even a little, you'll find this pretty amusing! It comes from a Catholic Elementary School test]

Kids were asked questions about the Old and New Testaments. The following statements about the the Bible were written by children. They have not been retouched or corrected. Incorrect spelling has been left in. . . .

1. In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis. God got tired of creating the world so he took the Sabbath off.
2. Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. Noah's wife was Joan of Ark. Noah built and ark and the animals came on in pears.
3. Lots wife was a pillar of salt during the day, but a ball of fire during the night.
4. The Jews were a proud people and throughout history they had a trouble with unsympathetic genitals.
5. Sampson was a strongman who let himself be led astray by a jezebel like Delilah.
6. Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the Apostles...
7. Moses led the Jews to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread, which is bread without any ingredients.
8. The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert. Afterwards, Moses went up to mount cyanide to get the ten commandments.
9. The first commandments was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple.
10. The seventh commandment is Thou Shalt Not Admit Adultery.
11. Moses died before he ever reached Canada then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
12. The greatest miricle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.
13. David was a Hebrew king who was skilled at playing the liar. He fought the Finkelsteins, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.
14. Solomon, one of Davids sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.
15. When Mary heard she was the mother of Jesus, she sang the Magna Carta.
16. When the three wise guys from the East side arrived they found Jesus in the manager.
17. Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption...
18. St. John the blacksmith dumped water on his head.
19. Jesus enunciated the golden rule, which says to do unto others before they do one to you. He also explained a man doth not live by sweat alone.
20. It was a miricle when Jesus rose from the dead and managed to get the tombstone off the entrance.
21. The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.
22. The epistels were the wives of the Apostles.
23. One of the oppossums was St. Matthew who was also a taximan.
24. St. Paul cavorted to Christianity, he preached Holy Acrimony, which is another name for marriage.
25. Christians have only one spouse. This is called monotony.




I tried to eliminate a couple to save space ... which one would you take out?



Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<

This week's Memory Verse: James 1:5
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

Remember:
A man may go to heaven......
without health, without wealth;
without fame, without a great name;
without learning, without earnings;
without culture, without beauty;
without friends and without ten thousand other things-----
But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.

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The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

#454 19 January 10



. . . It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God
and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him . . .
Romans 8:16-17


Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! The Scripture defines the children of God as those who have received Christ as their Savior and are regenerated: He gave power to become children of God .. Jn 1:12 .. There is no biblical basis for the common supposition that all men are by nature the children of God. By means of the new birth, sinners not only become saints; they are adopted into the family of God as His sons and daughters .. Jn 1:13; 1 Jn 3:2 ..

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *

This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Fill in the following blank with two words: "Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be _______ he cannot see the kingdom of God."
2. What river did God dry up to let the Israelites cross?

* * * * * * * * *
Faith honors God and God honors faith
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Cor 9:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil wants you to live your life from an empty cup. He wants you to think that God’s cup of grace has dried up for you. He wants you to be disenchanted with God. Most especially, he wants you to feel that God is a cosmic killjoy…that God is always thinking of ways to rob you of joy and peace. Satan knows that if you start to feel negatively about God, then he can have his way with you in other areas. Take courage. Be strong. Jesus has won the victory for you! Send those lies back to the pit where they came from and claim the promises of God.

ACTION POINT:
Wish someone the peace and joy of the Lord today.


from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense... Job 22:25
* * * * * * * * *



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing: I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble,
thou has known my soul in adversities .. Psalm 31:7
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What God Knows about You – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
— Psalm 56:8

Scientists now tell us that we never forget anything. It is estimated that in a lifetime, the human brain can store one million billion bits of information. I have a hard time believing that, because it seems like I forget a lot. Yet there have been times when certain things have triggered memories that go back so many years, and I am surprised that I can still remember them so vividly.

God remembers everything—at all times. There is never a lapse in His memory. He never forgets someone. God is omniscient, which means He knows everything. God's knowledge is as eternal as He is. What God knows now, He has always known and always will know. God doesn't learn new things; He knows them from the beginning. And He doesn't forget what He has learned like we do. We learn new things, but God never does.

The Bible says that God knows about every little bird that falls to the ground. And not only that, He knows about you. Jesus said, "The very hairs on your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30). Now it doesn't require a lot to number the hairs on my head. But for others, it is a lot more work.

This awesome God who created the universe is interested in you. What bothers you? What concerns you? What brings heartache to you? What brings tears to your eyes? It is of concern to God. So whatever you are facing right now, He knows about it. He is concerned about it. He is aware of the wrongs that are done in our world today. Nothing catches Him by surprise, because He dwells in the eternal realm. He knows the end from the beginning. This all-knowing God loves you. And He welcomes you into fellowship with Him.



* * * * * * * * *
No one is ever saved without the act of will
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of REVELATION: Because The Time IS Near

TRIBULATION ANNOUNCEMENTS ...


THE 144,000

THEIR PRAISE

And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.
Rev 14:2-3

Standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, the 144,000 will join in the heavenly song of redemption. With all the trouble they have faced, one might expect them to be too sorrowful to sing. However, they will joyously praise the Lord for their protection and triumph.
This is not the first time John heard a voice from heaven .. Rev 4:1; 10:4, 8; 11:12; 12:10 .. nor the last .. vs 13; 18:4; 19:1 .. The voice he heard was very loud and continuous, "like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder" .. see Eze 43:2; Rev 1:15; 19:6 ..
The mighty voice was not mere noise. It had a musical quality, "like the sound of harpists playing on their harps." The reference to harpists and harps suggests that the voice expressed joy. Heaven will resound with loud praise when Jesus returns in triumph.
The new song sung in heaven is the song of redemption. The angels will join the Old Testament saints, the raptured church, and the redeemed tribulation martyrs in praising God for salvation. All heaven will overflow with praise because God's redemptive work culminating in the return of Christ is accomplished.
John notes that "no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth." Why the song is restricted to the one hundred and forty-four thousand is not stated. However, it is clear that the focus is upon the praise of Jesus for His redemptive work.

next week: THEIR PURITY; PARTISANSHIP; PURPOSE; PRECISION; and PERFECTION

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No sinner will ever be willing until the power of God enters
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THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:10

OUR LORD MADE IT CLEAR from His earliest teaching that following Him was costly. Those who entered His kingdom would suffer for Him before they would reign with Him.
The cost of discipleship is billed to our account in many different ways. A believer today might be expected to hedge on the quality of his work to increase company profits. To follow one's conscience in obedience to the Lord might cost him his job or at least a promotion. A Christian housewife who refuses to listen to gossip or to laugh at the crude jokes of her neighbors may find herself ostracized. Some costs will be great and some will be slight. But by the Lord's and the apostles' repeated promises, faithfulness always has a cost, which true Christians are willing to pay.
In the early days of the church, the price paid was often the ultimate. To choose Christ might mean choosing death by stoning. To choose Christ could mean torture by any number of excessively cruel and painful methods. That was the very thing Christ had in mind when He identified His followers as those willing to bear their crosses. That is His call to be ready to die, if need by, for the cause of the Lord .. Matt 10:35-39; 16:24-25 ..
Are you willing to pay that cost?

Ask YOURSELF
What are our usual reasons for not being willing to pay the cost of discipleship? Fear? Reputation? A stronger desire to be liked than to be lumped together with Christ's followers? Ask yourself, "What makes me more strongly attached to these excuses than to bearing the name of my Lord?"



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Jesus went to the cross willingly. No one had to force Him there
* * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. Fill in the following blank with two words: "Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be _______ he
cannot see the kingdom of God."
A. Born again .. John 3:3
2. What river did God dry up to let the Israelites cross?
A. The Jordan River Josh 3:13-14

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Jesus was forsaken in order that we might be forgiven

* * * * * * * * *





This week's chuckle:

A large commercial jet was flying from Chicago to Los Angeles. About an hour after takeoff, the passengers on board heard a voice over the loudspeaker. It began: "This is a recording. You have the privilege of being on the first wholly electronically controlled jet. The plane took off electronically. It is now flying at forty thousand feet electronically. And it will land in Los Angeles electronically.

"This plane has no pilot, it has no copilot, and no flight engineer because they are no longer needed. But do not worry, nothing can possibly go wrong . . . go wrong . . . go wrong . . . go wrong . . . go wrong."





[whoa there! kindly let me off this plane, wait, where are the parachutes?]



Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<

This week's Memory Verse: Philippians 1:6
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

Remember:
A man may go to heaven......
without health, without wealth;
without fame, without a great name;
without learning, without earnings;
without culture, without beauty;
without friends and without ten thousand other things-----
But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.
~ This is a FREE e-mailing ~

This Bible Study is sent to subscribers only according to our strict NO SP*M policy. If you appreciate the information
contained in this letter, please forward it to your friends. If you have acquired this letter from a friend and want to subscribe:

Send an e-mail with Subscribe in the subject to: hisfootprints4us@comcast.net

The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living


#429 28 July 09


. . . What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should
not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." . . .
Romans 7:7

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! This whole passage (7:7-25 .. take the time to read it! It pertains to 'The Christian struggle'), dealing with Paul's experience with the law is one which is the subject of widely different interpretations. The principal question is whether Paul is speaking of his life before or after conversion. Perhaps the answer is not a sharp either/or but a both/and. Paul shows what God's law, itself holy, just, and good (vs 12), did for him. Before Paul was conscious of the Law's demands he was unaware of his own sin and so, relatively speaking, he was then alive (vs 7, 9); but with the knowledge of the law came the awareness of his own sin and guilt. Thus sin sprang to life and "killed" Paul. Sin is powerless apart from the law; the law itself is good, but sin works through it to convict a man of his own sinfulness (vs13).
Paul's description of the civil war raging within him (vs 15-24) is so intimate and vivid as to make it quite probable that he was talking of the paradox of the Christian life, stressing here the element of struggle, the recognition of one's own helplessness in attempting to live up to God's requirements. It is precisely the man who has experienced God's free grace and forgiveness who is the most acutely aware of his own sin and plight. The cry of despair, who will deliver me from this body of death? is answered at once in the grateful assertion, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! God's grace is immeasurably greater than man's sin.

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Who adopted Moses?
2. Who did Jesus tell the disciples would come after he had gone to Heaven and who would help them remember all the things Jesus had told then?

* * * * * * * * *
Conscience .. is that thing that feels bad when everything else feels good
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine." John 21:12a
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14


DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Is Satan whispering that God is not for you in your daily battles? Is he whispering lies that God is going to erase your name from the Book of Life for something you’ve done, yet repented over? Satan never had it so wrong! And Jesus never had it so right! Salvation in Christ is not a funeral, but a feast! The Bible is a continual feast from Genesis right through to Revelation. Covenant meals and meals of fellowship are frequent occurrences in Scripture. Our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, has given many examples of His open invitation to be replenished and restored, to remember, and to rejoice at His table.
A little boy was trying to roll a rock as his father watched from a distance. The boy was heaving and sighing, but he couldn’t turn the stone over. His dad with a smile said, “Son, are you using all of your strength?” He said, “Yes, Daddy, I’m using all my strength.” And the father said, “No, you’re not because you haven’t asked me to help you. My strength is your strength.” Sometimes we wrestle with problems and say, “I don’t know what to do.” Our Father wants us to say, “I’ve run out of my strength,” and run into His. He is there. There is no problem too big for Jesus to solve. Do you believe that? I hope so.

ACTION POINT:
Call your family together and celebrate the Lord’s Supper this week as a family…remembering the powerful promise of His resurrection, replenishment, and restoration.
Is there a problem too big for you to solve? Give it to Jesus. He can handle it.


from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
On Sin: You'll get what you want,
but you won't want what you get.
* * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing: If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself,
that where I am, there you may be also .. John 14:3
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * *
Sin will take you farther than you want to go,
keep you longer than you want to stay,
and cost you more than you want to pay
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near

THE LITTLE BOOK AND TWO GREAT WITNESSES


THE MEASURED TEMPLE:

Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months." Rev 11:1-2

After his renewed commission to write the prophecies yet to come in Revelation (10:11), John again became involved in one of the visions he was recording. He was given a "measuring rod like a staff," by either the same angel in 10:8 or the strong angel in 10:9-11. The Greek word translated "measuring rod" refers to a reedlike plant that grew in the Jordan Valley to a height of fifteen to twenty feet. It had a stalk that was hollow and lightweight, yet rigid enough to be used as a walking staff or to be shaved down into a pen. The stalks, because they were long and lightweight, were ideal for use as measuring rods. In Ezekiel's vision, an angel used such a rod to measure the millennial temple .. Eze 40:3 - 43:17 .. .
John was told to measure the temple of God, including "the altar, and those who worship in it." Obviously, this was not an effort to determine its physical dimensions, since none are given, but was conveying some important truth beyond architecture. It could have indicated, as in the Old Testament, that God sometimes marks things out for destruction .. 2 Sam 8:2; 2 Ki 21:13; Isa 28:17; Amos 7:7-9 .. However, John's measuring is better understood as signifying ownership, defining the parameters of God's possessions .. 21:15; Zech 2:1-5 .. This measuring signified something good, since what was not measured was evil. It is best to see it as God's measuring off Israel for salvation and His special protection, preservation, and favor. The prophecies yet to be given to John will distinguish between God's favor toward Israel and His wrath on the world.
The Greek word for "temple" does not refer to the entire temple complex, but to the inner temple, made up of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The altar is probably the brazen altar, located outside the inner sanctuary in the courtyard, since that is where those who worship in the temple would have gathered. The people were never permitted into the inner temple. Only the priests could enter the Holy Place. The worshipers in John's vision depict a remnant of believing Jews worshiping God during the tribulation.
The tribulation temple will be built early in the first half of the tribulation under the influence of Antichrist. Many orthodox Jews today dream of rebuilding their temple, but its site is now occupied by the Islamic Dome of the Rock. Because Muslims believe it to be the place from which Muhammad ascended to heaven, it is among the most sacred shrines in the Islamic world. For the Jews to take that site from the Muslims and build their temple there would be unthinkable in today's political climate. But during the tribulation, under the protection of Antichrist .. Dan 9:24-27 .. they will be able to rebuild the temple.
John's instructions on measuring the temple included a significant omission. He was commanded, "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it." The reference is to the court of the Gentiles, located outside the courtyard containing the brazen altar. It marked the boundary where Gentiles were forbidden to go. In New Testament times, the Romans had given the Jews the right to execute any Gentile who went beyond the court of the Gentiles. For a Gentile to do so was to defile the temple .. Acts 21:28-29 ..
John was told not to measure the outer court because "it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months." The forty-two months (three and one-half years) correspond to the overtly evil career of Antichrist, which dominates the last half of the tribulation (13:5). That period will be the culmination of the "times of the Gentiles" .. Lk 21:24 .. the thousands of years during which Gentile nations have in various ways occupied and oppressed Jerusalem.


next week: SALVATION THROUGH TWO WITNESSES: THEIR DUTY

* * * * * * * * *
Nothing is more destructive than sin.
Sin fascinates, and then it assassinates. Sin thrills, and then it kills.
* * * * * * * * *

GENTLENESS AS DEFINED BY JESUS
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Matt 5:5

In this verse, "Gentleness" [a word often rendered "meek" in other translations] means mild or soft. Looking ahead to His triumphal entry, the prophet hailed Christ this way: "Behold your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey" .. Matt 21:5; cf Zech 9:9 ..
From Old Testament times, gentleness has been God's way for mankind. The book of Job says God "sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety" .. Matt 5:11; cf Ps 25:9 .. "Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth" .. Num 12:3 ..
Gentleness does not connote weakness, but rather a way of utilizing all its resources and emotions appropriately .. Prov 16:32; 25:28 .. The gentle person has died to self and therefore does not resort to violence to defend himself, knowing his person has nothing to commend before God. Gentleness is not cowardice, lack of conviction, or niceness. It is the spirit of Christ, who defended the Father's glory, not His own, and left us an example: He "committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" .. 1 Peter 2:22-23 ..
Christ's gentleness, however, did not mean He was passive in defending righteousness. He guarded the temple against the moneychangers .. Jn 2:14-15 .. denounced the hypocritical religious leaders .. Matt 23:1-33 .. and warned the disobedient of judgment .. Matt 25:45-46 .. His gentleness was power completely surrendered to God's control.


Ask YOURSELF
What's been your interpretation of "meekness" or "gentleness"? Is this a quality you value and aspire to? If gentleness was more a part of your demeanor, what benefits would you begin to see in your daily life?

* * * * * * * * *
Sin that used to slink down the
back alley now STRUTS down Main Street.
* * * * * * * * *

Life Without Rules . . . by Dr. J. Vernon McGee



Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1



Timothy was not the son of Paul in a physical way. He was his spiritual son in the sense that it was under Paul's ministry that this young man had turned to Christ. A child of God is born into God's family by means of his faith in Christ. "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" .. 1 Pet 1:23 .. Timothy is in the family of God, and he is a child of God.

I love this - "be strong in grace." My friend, if you think that you can grit your teeth and go out and live the Christian life on your own, you're in for a great disappointment. If you feel that you can follow a few little rules or some clever gimmicks to make you a mature Christian, then you have fallen into a subtle trap of legalism. Paul gives no rules, and the Word of God has no rules to tell the child of God how to live the Christian life. We are saved by grace, and now we are to live by the grace of God and be strong in that grace.

Let me give you an example from my boyhood. My dad traveled a great deal in his work, and he always put down a few rules for me to follow while he was away. Some of them I obeyed. I had to cut the wood, and I didn't mind that. But my father had some other rules that I frankly didn't go for. I hate to admit this, but one of those rules was that I should attend Sunday school. The interesting thing is that he never went himself, but he always made me go. Anyway, when he was away from home, I didn't go. One time I was fishing, and he came home suddenly and found me. I had just pulled out a fish, turned around, and there stood my dad. He said, "Son, are you having any luck?" Well, my luck ran out right at that moment! I appealed to him and admitted that I had done wrong, and by grace he was good to me. I really took advantage of his good nature and the fact that I was his son.

My father died when I was fourteen, but now I have a heavenly Father, and I sure do appeal to His grace. When things go wrong down here, I go to Him and appeal to Him. When I fail, I don't run from Him like I used to. I have found that when I am away from Him, the whipping He gives me hurts lots worse. I don't want to et out at the end of that switch where it really stings. I come in close to Him, and the closer I am the less it hurts. I am a son of my heavenly Father. What a marvelous figure of speech!

When I hear Christians say, "I don't do this, and I don't do that, and I am following a set of rules," I immediately recognize that they now very little about the grace of God. They are trying to live the Christian life in their own strength. But Paul says, "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."




* * * * * * * * *
Everything that is not nailed down is coming loose.
And the devil is pulling nails as fast as he can.
* * * * * * * * *

Thorns and Snares in America

I read a statistic that stated that 1.1 million teenagers become pregnant in America each year. One-third of all births in this nation are born to unwed people.
Do you know what they said when they put the Ten Commandments on the walls of some schools and then took them down? They said, that may be harmful to some child reading them.
Do you know what is wrong in America? God has just taken away His protection, Judges 2:3 says, “Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.”

America has thorns in its side and snares around its feet. Why? One generation generates, another generation speculates, a third generation dissipates. That’s where we are today.

Adrian Rogers



* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. Who adopted Moses?
A. Pharaoh's daughter Ex 2:10
2. Who did Jesus tell the disciples would come after he had gone to Heaven and who would help them remember all the things Jesus had told then?
A. The Holy Spirit or Ghost John 14:26

* * * * * * * * *
This week's Chuckle: Trading up . . .
One stormy night, a Marine private was on his first guard-duty assignment.
Presently, a general stepped out to take his dog for a walk.
The nervous young private snapped to attention, made a perfect salute, and cried out, "Sir, good evening, sir!"
The general, out for some relaxation, returned the salute and said, "Good evening, soldier. Nice night, isn't it?"
It was hardly a nice night, but the private wasn't about to disagree with the general, so he saluted again and replied, "Sir, yes, sir!"
The general continued, "You know there's something about a stormy night that I find soothing. It's all really relaxing, don't you agree?"
The private didn't agree, but then the private was just a private, and responded, "Sir, yes, sir!"
Indicating the dog, the general said, "This is a Golden Retriever, the best type of dog to train."
The private glanced at the dog and saluted yet again. "Sir, yes, sir!"
The general continued, "I got this dog for my wife!"
The private said, "Good trade, sir!"

* * * * * * * * *

OOPS!! : ) . . .


Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<

This week's Memory Verse: 1 Cor 1:18
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

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#426 30 June 09


. . . For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. . . .
Romans 8:14-17

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! According to the verses above, the Scripture defines the children of God as those who have received Christ as their Savior and are regenerated: he gave power to become children of God .. Jn 1:12 .. There is no biblical basis for the common supposition that all men are by naure the children of God. By means of the new birth, sinners not only become saints; they are adopted into the family of God as His sons and daughters .. Jn 1:13; 1 Jn 3:2 ..


Be a blessing this week! Do you know that you are one of His adopted children?

* * * * * * * * *


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. What three factors cause worry for those who store up treasures on earth, according to Jesus in the gospel of Matthew?
2. How did Jesus reply to the disciple who asked to bury his father before following Jesus?

* * * * * * * * *
A Disciple is someone who wants to learn about God -
wants to know HIm, love Him, and serve Him
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which live and abides for ever." 1 Pet 1:23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A little girl was supposed to take her birth certificate to school. Her mother had solemnly warned her not to lose it because of its tremendous importance, but lose it, she did. Later, she was sitting on the steps of the school crying. The janitor asked her what was wrong. She replied, "I lost my excuse for being born." Now, that’s a funny story, but it has a sobering analogy. You don’t need an excuse for being born again. You have a Savior, and He’s calling your name.

ACTION POINT:
Have you been born again? Have you experienced the cleansing power of Jesus' blood that washes all your sin away? If not, I invite you to come to Him in repentance and faith. Discover Jesus today.


from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
Growing and learning because the Word of God
is 'our' source of strength for each day
* * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing: But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being
no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing .. James 1:25
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * *
You can't be like Christ without Christ
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near

THE LITTLE BOOK AND TWO GREAT WITNESSES

FIVE UNUSUAL EVENTS ...
AN UNUSUAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. 10:5-7

In a solemn act, the angel whom John "saw standing on the sea and on the land" [vs 2] "lifted up his right hand to heaven" -- the standard gesture for taking a solemn vow .. Deut 32:40; Dan 12:7 .. To take such a vow is to affirm before God that one is going to speak the truth. That vow indicated that what the angel was about to say was of the utmost importance and truthfulness.
The angel took his vow in the name of "Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it." That designation of God stresses His eternity and sovereign power in and over all creation. This identification of God as Creator echoes the praise song of the twenty-four elders recorded in 4:11: "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."
The specific content of the angel's oath was that there will be delay no longer, answering the question of the martyrs, "How long?" [6:10], the prayers of the saints in 8:3-5. The phrase "but in the days of the voice of the seventh trumpet is about to come and that it is not a single event, but covers days, indicating a period of time. This period includes the seven bowl judgments [16:1-21], which would appear to require some weeks or months to unfold. The sounding of the seventh trumpet brings the final judgment depicted in the bowls of fury poured out on the earth. The time of God's patience is seen as having ended. The time for the final acts of judgment is seen as being at hand. The time anticipated in the disciples' questions recorded in Matthew 24:3 and Acts 1:6 has come.
At that time "the mystery of God is finished." Mystery in Scripture refers to truths God had hidden and will reveal in His time. Mysteries hidden in the past that the New Testament reveals include the "mysteries of the kingdom" .. Matt 13:11 .. the mystery of Israel's blindness .. Rom 11:25 .. the mystery of the rapture .. 1 Cor 15:51 .. the "mystery of lawlessness" .. 2 Thess 2:7 .. the "mystery of Christ" and of "Christ and the church" Eph 3:4; 5:32 .. the mystery of Christ in the believer .. Col 1:26-27 .. and the mystery of the incarnation .. 1 Tim 3:16 .. Paul saw himself as a "steward" or guardian of these great mysteries .. 1 Cor 4:1 .. to "bring to light" these mysteries "which for ages [have] been hidden in God" .. Eph 3:9 .. The mystery of God of which the angel spoke is that of "the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth" .. Eph 1:10 .. It is the consummation of God's plan in bringing His glorious kingdom in Christ to fulfillment. It involves the salvation of the elect and their place in His glorious kingdom and all that goes with that. It includes the judgment of men and demons. The mystery preciously hidden refers to all the unknown details that are revealed from this point to the end of Revelation, which the new heavens and new earth are created. To believers living at that time in a world overrun by demons and unparalleled natural disasters, the realization that God's glorious plan is on schedule will bring great comfort and hope in the midst of judgment.

next week: AN UNUSUAL ASSIGNMENT

* * * * * * * * *
The More you know the Truth the more you love the Truth
* * * * * * * * *

HINDRANCES TO TRUE MOURNING:
PRESUMPTION AND PROCRASTINATION
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Matt 5:4

We talked Last week about two specific sins that hinder biblical mourning. Let's consider two others today. The sin of presumption is actually a form of pride. Presumption is satisfied with cheap grace and expects God to forgive just a little bit because it sees so little to be forgiven. It leads us to think our sins are not really bad enough for us to confess them, repent of them, and forsake them. But Isaiah exhorts sinners as follows: "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" .. Isa 55:7 .. The kind of gospel [so popular today] that omits any need for repentance and mourning is a false, unscriptural gospel -- or as Paul calls it, "a different gospel" .. Gal 1:6 ..
Procrastination, as the term suggests, hinders true mourning simply by putting it off. We tend to think when things are better and the time is more convenient, we will ask God to cleanse and forgive our sins. But that is foolish and risky because "you do not know what your life will be like tormorrow. You are just a vapor that apears for a little while and then vansihes away" .. Jas 4:14 .. If we do not deal with sin sooner rather than later, we can't be sure God's comfort will ever come.
The best and surest way to eliminate hindrances to mourning is to look, through prayer and the Word, to the holiness of God and Christ's great atoning sacrifice for sins.

Ask YOURSELF
Unlike some of our sins, these tend to be more subtle and soft-pedaled. But sins of all kinds are capable of blinding us to our utter dependence on God and His forgiveness. Ask Him to reveal to you any hidden sins, wanting to bring to the surface everything that dishonors Him.

* * * * * * * * *
Follow the example of mature Christians -
Have the desire to want to know the Truth
* * * * * * * * *

Candy for Breakfast! by David Jeremiah

Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24




Have you ever wondered why children never hesitate to ask for anything? They have the audacity to ask if they can eat candy for breakfast, buy a toy every time they are in a store, and stay up past bedtime on a school night. And on a more practical level, they ask for something to drink when they are thirsty, help with their homework when they are struggling, and new shoes for gym class. The reason they come to their parents so freely is that they are dependent upon them, and they understand that without asking, they won’t receive.

God’s purpose in instructing us to ask Him for anything is to remind us to be dependent upon Him and give Him the glory when He provides for us. So often we rob Him of the glory and ourselves of joy when we become self-sufficient. The Bible clearly states that we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2).

Whenever we have a need, let us try going to the Lord first. We should ask without hesitation, keep our motives in check, and expect God to provide. Recommended reading: Jas 4:2-4



He is your Shepherd, and has charged Himself with the care and keeping of you…for with such a Shepherd how could it be possible for you ever to want any good thing?
Hannah Whitall Smith


* * * * * * * * *
No sinner will ever be willing until the power of God enters
* * * * * * * * *
A Great Song: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus . . .

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but he blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus: Oh! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon this I see: nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing, this my plea: nothign but the blood of Jesus.
Chorus . . .


Nothing can for sin atone -- nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done -- nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Chorus . . .

This is all my hope and peace: nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness: nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Chorus . . .
* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. What three factors cause worry for those who store up treasures on earth, according to Jesus in the gospel of Matthew?
A. Moths, rust, and thieves Matt 6:19
2. How did Jesus reply to the disciple who asked to bury his father before following Jesus?
A. That he should let the dead bury their dead Matt 8:22


* * * * * * * * *
This week's Chuckle:

Recently a friend of mine went to a high-priced psychiatrist on Park Avenue in New York City. Once inside my friend was faced with two doors. One said "Consultant," the other said, "Analyst." Entering the door reading "Analyst," my friend encountered two more doors. One said, "With Couch," the other said "Without Couch." Entering the door advertising "With Couch" were two more doors. One read "Really Sick" and one read "Just Kidding Around." My friend entered through the door reading "Really Sick" only to find two more doors. One read "Income over $50,000 a year" and the other read "Income under $50,000 a year." My friend entered the door reading "Under $50,000 a year" . . . and found himself back on Park Avenue.



* * * * * * * * *

Oh dear! I think I'd rather take the phone call that allows me to push the buttons.. : ) . . .


Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<
This week's Memory Verse: 1 Cor 1:18
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

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#428 21 July 09


. . . For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have
wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs . . .
1 Tim 6:10

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! Thank you for your notes of encouragement, you make my day!!
The above verse does not teach that there is anything evil in money as such, or in the possession of wealth. But it does teach that the love of money is sinful. Men have been known to commit almost any crime for the sake of money. Hence, as Paul states, the love of money is the root of all evils. In verses 17 and 18 Christians are charged to trust in God and not in riches, but they are also admonished to be rich in good works.
In the context, this sin applies to false teachers specifically, but the principle is true universally. Money itself is not evil since it is a gift from God .. Deut 8:18 .. Paul condemns only the love of it .. Mat 6:24 .. which is so characteristic of false teachers. Wandered away from the faith .. From the body of Christian truth. Gold has replaced God for these apostates, who have turned away from pursuing the things of God in favor of money.

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Who was the only identified female distant cousin of Jesus who speaks in the NT?
2. How many books in the NT consist of only one chapter?

* * * * * * * * *
Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
But don't worry; God never blinks.
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." 1 John 3:2


DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If Jesus is Lord of your life, then not only is your entire life ordered, but so is every single step within your life. God has a plan for the plumber as well as the preacher, for the mechanic as well as the missionary. And if God, for instance, calls you to be a mechanic and you become a missionary, you are accepting second best! To find God's will is the highest achievement in your life. Success is not spelled M-O-N-E-Y. Nor is it spelled F-A-M-E. Success is the continuous realization of the will of God -- what God desires for your life. God does not make clones; He makes children! There is an ultimate purpose for your life as His child -- to be like Jesus.

ACTION POINT:
Do you have children? Share with them these important insights about their future.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
It's OK to let your children see you cry.
* * * * * * * * *

From Point A to Point B

But deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:13




If you see a large brown truck with yellow lettering in your neighborhood, or a white one with blue and orange lettering, you know why they are there. They're delivering. Delivery is the process of moving something or someone from point A to point B in the physical world. And it means almost the same in the spiritual world.

The members of the "deliver" family of words appear 553 times in the New King James Version of the Bible. It would not be unfair to say that the Bible is all about deliverance. In the largest sense, every Christian has experienced the ultimate form of moving from point A ("the power of darkness") to point B ("the kingdom of the Son of His love") .. Colossians 1:13 .. But think of all the other ways we continually need God's deliverance after being saved: deliverance from enemies, disease, Satan's attacks, temptation, the world, lethargy, carnality—there is no end to our need for deliverance. That's why Jesus taught His disciples to continually pray for deliverance from Satan and all his attempts to derail our walk with Christ.

When was the last time you prayed for God to deliver you from the evil one? If it wasn't today, you may want to stop and pray.

Recommended reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3



Salvation is not deliverance from hell alone, it is deliverance from sin.
Charles H. Spurgeon



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord .. Rom 6:23
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * *

Don't compare your life to others.

You have no idea what their journey is all about.

* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near

THE LITTLE BOOK AND TWO GREAT WITNESSES

THE INTERLUDE'S SECOND HALF:

TWO UNUSUAL WITNESSES . . .
Throughout history God has faithfully sent His spokesmen to call sinners to repentance. During the long, dark years of Israel's rebellion, "the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets" .. 2 Ki 17:13; 2 Chro 36:15 .. Prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, and the others confronted both wayward Israel and sinful Gentile nations. In the future, God will raise up two exceptional and powerful preachers.

THE FEARLESS WITNESSES . . .
These two witnesses will fearlessly proclaim the gospel during the last half of the seven-year tribulation. During that time of horrific divine judgments on the earth, their gospel preaching will be part of a final expression of God's grace offered to repentant and believing sinners.
In addition to preaching the gospel, these two preachers will proclaim God's judgment on the wicked world. Their ministry will likely stretch from the midpoint of the tribulation until just before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. They will declare that the disasters falling on the world are the judgments of God. They will participate in fulfilling the words that the "gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" .. Matt 24:14 .. They will also be used by God to bring salvation to Israel.

next week: THE INTERLUDE'S SECOND HALF: THE MEASURED TEMPLE

* * * * * * * * *
If you're too busy to pray, you're too busy

* * * * * * * * *

Are you Mourning as Christ Commands?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Matt 5:4

Two Crucial Determinants Will tell you if you are mourning over sin as Jesus commands. First, you will have true sensitivity to and sorrow for your sins. Your primary concern will be how your sin detracts from God's glory, not how its exposure might embarrass you or hurt your reputation.
The mock piety of hypocrites demonstrates no sensitivity to sin, only to their personal prestige and pride [Matt 6:1-18]. Likewise, the mock gratitude of those like the Pharisees who think they are better than others [Lk 18:11] certainly does not show mourning for sin. King Saul twice admitted he had sinned when he did not destroy King Agag and all the Amalekites, and even asked Samuel for pardon, but he was more concerned for his own honor than God's [1 Sam 15:10-35].
If your mourning is godly, you will lament the sins of other believers and the world, as well as your own. You will agree with the psalmist, "My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law" [Ps 119:136]. You will weep over your community, as Jesus did over His [Lk 19:41].
The second way to know if you are mourning rightly is to check your sense of God's forgiveness. Have you expeienced the sense of spiritual freedom and real release that comes with knowing your sins are forgiven? Can you point to true happiness, peace, and joy in your life that only God gives in response to mourning for sin [Ps 126:5-6]?

Ask YOURSELF
What is your main problem with sin -- only that it gives you that sick feeling of guilt and hypocrisy? Only that it seems to expose you around those who know you best? Take all the personal inconveniences out of the equation, and be more gravely concerned that your sin offends the God you profess to serve.

* * * * * * * * *
Repentance is not just words but actions
* * * * * * * * *

Can We Really Know God's Will? – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

Does God still speak to people today? Does He actually have a master plan for your life and mine? If so, how do we discover it? How can we know the will of God?

The answer to first question is yes. God still speaks to people today. But let me also say that after years of walking with the Lord, I have not discovered a foolproof method for knowing the will of God under all circumstances.
However, I have discovered certain principles from the Scripture that, if applied, will better enable you to hear and respond to the voice of God.
The good news is that God does not play hide-and-seek. He wants you to hear His voice even more than you want to hear it. But far too often, we may not like what God is saying and, thus, we will be resistant to it.
The goal is to discover the will of God for our lives and then to walk in it. Here is something to consider: in the long run, God's will is always better than ours.

I use the term "long run" for a reason, because there are times when we have difficulty understanding why God is doing certain things or why He is not doing certain things.
Remember that God is always looking out for your spiritual and eternal welfare, where we tend to look out for our physical and immediate welfare. What is good now is not necessarily good for eternity, and what is difficult now may be the best thing for eternity.
We tend to look at things in the short-term: What will benefit me now? What is easier for me now? But God looks at eternity, and the ultimate plan of molding and shaping me into the image of Jesus Christ.
I am interested primarily in the physical, while God is interested in the spiritual.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, "For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen . . . " (NLT).
So if we want to know the will of God, then we must look for it. And the best place to begin is in the pages of Scripture.
Today, God primarily speaks to us through His Word. Therefore, the Bible is the bedrock of truth that we must measure all other truth by. We must not interpret the Bible in light of contemporary culture; we must interpret contemporary culture in the light of the Bible. It is the absolute.
The Bible is the clear revelation by which we must measure all so-called human revelations. It is the rock of stability by which we measure our fickle human emotions. That way, we know what is right or what is wrong in the light of Scripture.

Everything you need to know about God is found in the Bible. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right" (NLT).
Yet so many people today are not taking time for the Word of God. So many people today are not acting and thinking biblically. Instead, they are allowing this world to squeeze them into its mold and are not looking at things in light of what the Bible says.
The only way we will be conversant with the Scripture, however, is by spending time in it in on a daily basis.

Psalm 1 tells us that the blessed, or happy, person meditates in God's Word day and night. This is something we all need to do in our lives. And as we search the Word of God, He will speak to us. When you read the Bible, you are disciplining and preparing yourself to think and act biblically.
God has given us His Word, but we must look for His will. As you apply the principles of Scripture to your life, pray and ask the Lord to lead you. Nothing is too insignificant or too minute to pray about.
As the Jewish proverb says, "it is better to ask the way ten times than to take the wrong road once."

* * * * * * * * *
The most powerful testimony is a godly life
* * * * * * * * *
A Great Praise Song:

I have a Maker, He formed my heart
Before even time began, my life was in His hand.

Chorus:
He knows my name, He knows my ev'ry thought,
He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call.

I have a Father, He calls me His own;
He'll never leave me no matter where I go

Chorus . . .

* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. Who was the only identified female distant cousin of Jesus who speaks in the NT?
A. Elizabeth Luke 1:36
2. How many books in the NT consist of only one chapter?
A. Four Philemon, 2 John, 3 John and Jude

* * * * * * * * *
This week's Chuckle: the 'Ring Bear'



A little boy was in a relative's wedding. As he was coming down the aisle he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd (alternating between bride's side and groom's side). While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar loudly.

So it went, step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR all the way down the aisle.

As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the front. The little boy, however, was getting more and more distressed from all the laughing, and was near tears by the time he reached the pulpit. When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, 'I was being the Ring Bear.'




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Aaaawww hope they took pictures of the 'expression' on his face : ) . . .


Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<

This week's Memory Verse: Phil 4:13
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

Remember:
A man may go to heaven......
without health, without wealth;
without fame, without a great name;
without learning, without earnings;
without culture, without beauty;
without friends and without ten thousand other things-----
But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.
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The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living


#427 14 July 09


. . . Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretest for evil; but live as servants of God . . .
1 Peter 2:16

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! We had just celebrated our Nation's "Freedom", which is what makes our Country so envied by 'others', who dream of living here and having that same freedom. Some [actually, a lot of people] have risked and even lost their lives trying to reach our 'land of the free'. This we celebrate only once a year.
But its totally different from the freedom that Christ offers and will give to those who will believe in Him. A lot people have died for this country to keep its freedom. But only one man died for ALL men, women and children to have a different kind of freedom. A freedom from death itself. A freedom from pain - sorrow - sickness - disease... Galations 5:1 tells us that Christ has set us free. What Christ did for us on that cross we 'celebrate' once a month, when we take communion . . thanking Him for shedding His precious blood on our behalf, we should be the ones on that cross, paying for our own penalty. But He did it for ALL, and only one time is all that was necessary.
We are slowly losing some of the freedoms we have had for 200 years - beinning with prayer in schools, even the Flag Salute has been removed from the classroom. But we will NEVER lose our freedom in Christ - who will one day soon come again [as He promised] and take us out, to be with Him forever more!
Finally, friends, according to Galations 5:1, Christian Liberty is a consequence of salvation by grace and is secure to the believer in and through Jesus Christ. While the believer should resist any threat to his true liberty under the gospel, he must also remember that his very liberty has brought him into total subjection to Christ, whose servant he is and whom he must always obey. Romans 12:1 - Paradoxically the Christian finds his greatest liberty when he is in bondage to Jesus Christ!
According to the Word of God - we have Freedom from:
1. the Law Rom 7:6 - 8:2
2. the curse of the law Gal 3:13
3. the fear of death Heb 2:15
4. Sin Rom 6:17, 18
5. the yoke of O.T. ritual ordinances Col 2:20 - Gal 4:3

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. What two things often found on farms did Pharaoh dream about and ask Joseph to explain?
2. What insect was the writer of Proverbs talking about when he said: "Consider her ways and be wise."?

* * * * * * * * *
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"What man is he that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose." Psalm 25:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
You are free to choose. You are not free, however, not to choose. Then, after you make a choice, your choice chooses for you. There are consequences for your choices – always. If you choose to step off the roof of a ten-story building, you are not, then, free to choose the consequences of your choice. Your choice has chosen for you. What if you make a bad choice? What is God’s reaction? First, He is in control. Your choices will not take Him by surprise. Thanks be to God, He can prevail over our bad choices to restore us into fellowship with Himself!

ACTION POINT:
Have you made a choice in your past that has brought you consequences reverberating even today? Share this insight with someone who is younger in the faith than you.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

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In God's eyes it is a great thing to do a little thing well
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Blessing: For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more .. Heb 8:12
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* * * * * * * * *
God uses life's stops to prepare us for the next start
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near

THE LITTLE BOOK AND TWO GREAT WITNESSES


AN UNUSUAL ASSIGNMENT:
Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land." So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and king." Rev 10:8-11

The voice John had earlier heard from heaven [vs 4] forbidding him to record the words of the seven peals of thunder spoke to him again. As he had earlier [1:17; 4:1; 5:4-5; 7:13-14], John again became an active participant in this vision. He left the place of an observer to become an actor in the drama. The voice said to him, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land." This third reference to the location of the angel emphasizes strongly the unusual authority he has over the earth. Then, in a graphic illustration of what a proper response on the part of believers to God's impending judgment should be, John was told, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." The angel knew what John's reaction to this truth would be. Obediently, like Ezekiel before him .. Eze 2:9 - 3:3 .. John in the vision symbolically took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it.
The act of eating the scroll symbolized the absorbing and assimilating of God's Word .. Ps 19:10; Jer 15:16; Eze 3:1-3 .. When John took in the divine words concerning the remaining judgments as the Lord took possession of the universe, he found them both "sweet as honey" and "bitter". Sweet because John, like all believers, wanted the Lord to act in judgment to take back the earth that is rightfully His and be exalted and glorified as He deserved. Yet the realization of the terrible doom awaiting unbelievers turned that initial sweet taste into bitterness.
All who love Jesus Christ can relate to John's ambivalence. Believers long for Christ to return in glory, for Satan to be destroyed, and the glorious kingdom of our Lord to be set up on earth, in which He will rule in glory while establishing in the world righteousness, truth, and peace. But they, like Paul .. Rom 9:1-3 .. mourn bitterly over the judgment of the ungodly.
In keeping with his bittersweet experience, John was told, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." The use of "again" indicates John was being commissioned a second time [1:9] to write the rest of the prophecies God was going to give him. What he was about to learn would be more devastating than anything yet revealed - and more glorious. He was to be faithful to his duty to record all the truth he had seen and would soon see. The prophecies John would receive would relate to everyone everywhere. John is to warn of all the bitter judgments coming in the seventh trumpet and the seven bowls.
As an exile on Patmos [1:9], he had no opportunity to preach to all nations, but he was to write the prophecies and distribute them, so as to warn all people of the bitterness of judgment to come, and of death and hell. Sinners everywhere may know because John recorded these prophecies that, while judgment is presently restrained, a future day is coming when the seventh angel will sound his trumpet and sin's dominion will be broken, the freedom of Satan and his demons will come to an end, godless men will be judged, and believers will be glorified.

next week: THE INTERLUDE'S SECOND HALF: TWO UNUSUAL WITNESSES . . . THE FEARLESS WITNESSES

* * * * * * * * *
Christ's cleansing power can remove the deepest stain of sin
* * * * * * * * *

HINDRANCES TO TRUE MOURNING:
PRESUMPTION AND PROCRASTINATION
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Matt 5:4

Last week we learned about two specific sins that hinder biblical mourning. [despair & conceit] Let's consider two others today. The sin of presumption is actually a form of pride. Presumption is satisfied with cheap grace and expects God to forgive just a little bit because it sees so little to be forgiven. It leads us to think our sins are not really bad enough for us to confess them, repent of them, and forsake them. But Isaiah exhorts sinners as follows: "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" .. Isa 55:7 .. The kind of gospel [so popular today] that omits any need for repentance and mourning is a false, unscriptural gospel -- or as Paul calls it, "a different gospel" .. Gal 1:6 ..
Procrastination, as the term suggests, hinders true mourning simply by putting it off. We tend to think when things are better and the time is more convenient, we will ask God to cleanse and forgive our sins. But that is foolish and risky because "you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" .. Jas 4:14 .. If we do not deal with sin sooner rather than later, we can't be sure God's comfort will ever come.
The best and surest way to eliminate hindrances to mourning is to look, through prayer and the Word, to the holiness of God and Christ's great atoning sacrifice for sins.

Ask YOURSELF
Unlike some of our sins, these tend to be more subtle and soft-pedaled. But sins of all kinds are capable of blinding us to our utter dependence on God and His forgiveness. Ask Him to reveal to you any hidden sins, wanting to bring to the surface everything that dishonors Him.

* * * * * * * * *
A heartfelt greeting can energize the weary and encourage the lonely
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Daily Bread .. by David Jeremiah

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11



One of the lines of demarcation between poor and wealthy people in the world has to do with food. If you have food for the day at the beginning of the day, you could be called wealthy. If you have no food at the beginning of the day and are forced to find food for the day, you could be called poor. In other words, the concept of "reserves" or "ready supply" moves one from the category of poverty to non-poverty.

There is nothing official about that classification; it serves only to highlight the temptation to trust in reserves rather than trust in God. It is not wrong to have reserves; the Bible is filled with illustrations of the wisdom of preparing for the future (Genesis 41:46-49; Proverbs 6:6-11). But it is interesting that when Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them to ask God for daily—not weekly, monthly, or yearly—bread. Why? Because it reminds us who the source of bread (and everything) really is. Even if we have food at the beginning of the day, asking and thanking God for daily bread reminds us of His blessing; reminds us that "all things come from [Him]" 1 Chr 29:14.

God is committed to caring daily for "the birds of the air… Are you not of more value than they?" Matt 6:26



A piece of bread with God's love is angels' food.

Thomas Watson

Recommended reading: Phil 4:18-20



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The Goodness of God speaks volumes about His character
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Angels in Charge – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.com

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11

We don't know how many times angels have been working behind the scenes in our lives, how many times they have delivered us, or how many times they have intervened on our behalf. But we do know that God has given us a wonderful promise: that He will send His angels to protect us and keep us.

However, there is a condition to God's promise that His angels will be actively involved in the lives of His children. We find it in Psalm 91:9–11:
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

From this passage, we see that the condition is making the Lord our refuge. So here is the point. God says, "I will do my part, but you must do yours."

The phrase, "dwelling place," in verse 9 gives the idea of permanence of position, of settling down to stay somewhere.

So our goal should be to maintain a close relationship and fellowship with God, to abide with Him. His promise to us is that His angels will protect us. He will be there for us. He will be actively involved in our lives. He will keep us in all our ways.


* * * * * * * * *
When telling others what Christ can do for them, tell them what He has done for you
* * * * * * * * *

Interesting Biblical Fact:
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Shaddai", meaning "Almighty" occurs 31 times alone in the book of Job.

* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. What two things often found on farms did Pharaoh dream about and ask Joseph to explain?
A. Cows and corn Gen 41:1-7
2. What insect was the writer of Proverbs talking about when he said: "Consider her ways and be wise."?
A. An ant Prov 6:6

* * * * * * * * *
This week's Chuckle:

A slight, withered old man walked into the headquarters of a lumber company in Western Canada.

"I'd like a job as a lumberjack," he said.

The foreman politely tried to talk him out of the idea. After all, he was old, small and much too weak to fell trees.

Undaunted, the old man took up an ax and proceeded to chop down a huge tree in record time.

"That's just astounding," the foreman said.

"Where did you learn to fell trees like that?"

"Well," said the old man, "you've heard of the Sahara Forest?"

Replied the foreman, "You mean the Sahara Desert."

The old man said, "Sure, that's what it's called now."





* * * * * * * * *

: )


Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<
This week's Memory Verse: 1 Cor 1:18
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

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The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living


#428 21 July 09


. . . For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have
wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs . . .
1 Tim 6:10

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! Thank you for your notes of encouragement, you make my day!!
The above verse does not teach that there is anything evil in money as such, or in the possession of wealth. But it does teach that the love of money is sinful. Men have been known to commit almost any crime for the sake of money. Hence, as Paul states, the love of money is the root of all evils. In verses 17 and 18 Christians are charged to trust in God and not in riches, but they are also admonished to be rich in good works.
In the context, this sin applies to false teachers specifically, but the principle is true universally. Money itself is not evil since it is a gift from God .. Deut 8:18 .. Paul condemns only the love of it .. Mat 6:24 .. which is so characteristic of false teachers. Wandered away from the faith .. From the body of Christian truth. Gold has replaced God for these apostates, who have turned away from pursuing the things of God in favor of money.

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Who was the only identified female distant cousin of Jesus who speaks in the NT?
2. How many books in the NT consist of only one chapter?

* * * * * * * * *
Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
But don't worry; God never blinks.
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." 1 John 3:2


DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If Jesus is Lord of your life, then not only is your entire life ordered, but so is every single step within your life. God has a plan for the plumber as well as the preacher, for the mechanic as well as the missionary. And if God, for instance, calls you to be a mechanic and you become a missionary, you are accepting second best! To find God's will is the highest achievement in your life. Success is not spelled M-O-N-E-Y. Nor is it spelled F-A-M-E. Success is the continuous realization of the will of God -- what God desires for your life. God does not make clones; He makes children! There is an ultimate purpose for your life as His child -- to be like Jesus.

ACTION POINT:
Do you have children? Share with them these important insights about their future.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

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It's OK to let your children see you cry.
* * * * * * * * *

From Point A to Point B

But deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:13




If you see a large brown truck with yellow lettering in your neighborhood, or a white one with blue and orange lettering, you know why they are there. They're delivering. Delivery is the process of moving something or someone from point A to point B in the physical world. And it means almost the same in the spiritual world.

The members of the "deliver" family of words appear 553 times in the New King James Version of the Bible. It would not be unfair to say that the Bible is all about deliverance. In the largest sense, every Christian has experienced the ultimate form of moving from point A ("the power of darkness") to point B ("the kingdom of the Son of His love") .. Colossians 1:13 .. But think of all the other ways we continually need God's deliverance after being saved: deliverance from enemies, disease, Satan's attacks, temptation, the world, lethargy, carnality—there is no end to our need for deliverance. That's why Jesus taught His disciples to continually pray for deliverance from Satan and all his attempts to derail our walk with Christ.

When was the last time you prayed for God to deliver you from the evil one? If it wasn't today, you may want to stop and pray.

Recommended reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3



Salvation is not deliverance from hell alone, it is deliverance from sin.
Charles H. Spurgeon



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Blessing: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord .. Rom 6:23
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * *

Don't compare your life to others.

You have no idea what their journey is all about.

* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near

THE LITTLE BOOK AND TWO GREAT WITNESSES

THE INTERLUDE'S SECOND HALF:

TWO UNUSUAL WITNESSES . . .
Throughout history God has faithfully sent His spokesmen to call sinners to repentance. During the long, dark years of Israel's rebellion, "the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets" .. 2 Ki 17:13; 2 Chro 36:15 .. Prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, and the others confronted both wayward Israel and sinful Gentile nations. In the future, God will raise up two exceptional and powerful preachers.

THE FEARLESS WITNESSES . . .
These two witnesses will fearlessly proclaim the gospel during the last half of the seven-year tribulation. During that time of horrific divine judgments on the earth, their gospel preaching will be part of a final expression of God's grace offered to repentant and believing sinners.
In addition to preaching the gospel, these two preachers will proclaim God's judgment on the wicked world. Their ministry will likely stretch from the midpoint of the tribulation until just before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. They will declare that the disasters falling on the world are the judgments of God. They will participate in fulfilling the words that the "gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" .. Matt 24:14 .. They will also be used by God to bring salvation to Israel.

next week: THE INTERLUDE'S SECOND HALF: THE MEASURED TEMPLE

* * * * * * * * *
If you're too busy to pray, you're too busy

* * * * * * * * *

Are you Mourning as Christ Commands?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Matt 5:4

Two Crucial Determinants Will tell you if you are mourning over sin as Jesus commands. First, you will have true sensitivity to and sorrow for your sins. Your primary concern will be how your sin detracts from God's glory, not how its exposure might embarrass you or hurt your reputation.
The mock piety of hypocrites demonstrates no sensitivity to sin, only to their personal prestige and pride [Matt 6:1-18]. Likewise, the mock gratitude of those like the Pharisees who think they are better than others [Lk 18:11] certainly does not show mourning for sin. King Saul twice admitted he had sinned when he did not destroy King Agag and all the Amalekites, and even asked Samuel for pardon, but he was more concerned for his own honor than God's [1 Sam 15:10-35].
If your mourning is godly, you will lament the sins of other believers and the world, as well as your own. You will agree with the psalmist, "My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law" [Ps 119:136]. You will weep over your community, as Jesus did over His [Lk 19:41].
The second way to know if you are mourning rightly is to check your sense of God's forgiveness. Have you expeienced the sense of spiritual freedom and real release that comes with knowing your sins are forgiven? Can you point to true happiness, peace, and joy in your life that only God gives in response to mourning for sin [Ps 126:5-6]?

Ask YOURSELF
What is your main problem with sin -- only that it gives you that sick feeling of guilt and hypocrisy? Only that it seems to expose you around those who know you best? Take all the personal inconveniences out of the equation, and be more gravely concerned that your sin offends the God you profess to serve.

* * * * * * * * *
Repentance is not just words but actions
* * * * * * * * *

Can We Really Know God's Will? – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

Does God still speak to people today? Does He actually have a master plan for your life and mine? If so, how do we discover it? How can we know the will of God?

The answer to first question is yes. God still speaks to people today. But let me also say that after years of walking with the Lord, I have not discovered a foolproof method for knowing the will of God under all circumstances.
However, I have discovered certain principles from the Scripture that, if applied, will better enable you to hear and respond to the voice of God.
The good news is that God does not play hide-and-seek. He wants you to hear His voice even more than you want to hear it. But far too often, we may not like what God is saying and, thus, we will be resistant to it.
The goal is to discover the will of God for our lives and then to walk in it. Here is something to consider: in the long run, God's will is always better than ours.

I use the term "long run" for a reason, because there are times when we have difficulty understanding why God is doing certain things or why He is not doing certain things.
Remember that God is always looking out for your spiritual and eternal welfare, where we tend to look out for our physical and immediate welfare. What is good now is not necessarily good for eternity, and what is difficult now may be the best thing for eternity.
We tend to look at things in the short-term: What will benefit me now? What is easier for me now? But God looks at eternity, and the ultimate plan of molding and shaping me into the image of Jesus Christ.
I am interested primarily in the physical, while God is interested in the spiritual.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, "For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen . . . " (NLT).
So if we want to know the will of God, then we must look for it. And the best place to begin is in the pages of Scripture.
Today, God primarily speaks to us through His Word. Therefore, the Bible is the bedrock of truth that we must measure all other truth by. We must not interpret the Bible in light of contemporary culture; we must interpret contemporary culture in the light of the Bible. It is the absolute.
The Bible is the clear revelation by which we must measure all so-called human revelations. It is the rock of stability by which we measure our fickle human emotions. That way, we know what is right or what is wrong in the light of Scripture.

Everything you need to know about God is found in the Bible. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right" (NLT).
Yet so many people today are not taking time for the Word of God. So many people today are not acting and thinking biblically. Instead, they are allowing this world to squeeze them into its mold and are not looking at things in light of what the Bible says.
The only way we will be conversant with the Scripture, however, is by spending time in it in on a daily basis.

Psalm 1 tells us that the blessed, or happy, person meditates in God's Word day and night. This is something we all need to do in our lives. And as we search the Word of God, He will speak to us. When you read the Bible, you are disciplining and preparing yourself to think and act biblically.
God has given us His Word, but we must look for His will. As you apply the principles of Scripture to your life, pray and ask the Lord to lead you. Nothing is too insignificant or too minute to pray about.
As the Jewish proverb says, "it is better to ask the way ten times than to take the wrong road once."

* * * * * * * * *
The most powerful testimony is a godly life
* * * * * * * * *
A Great Praise Song:

I have a Maker, He formed my heart
Before even time began, my life was in His hand.

Chorus:
He knows my name, He knows my ev'ry thought,
He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call.

I have a Father, He calls me His own;
He'll never leave me no matter where I go

Chorus . . .

* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. Who was the only identified female distant cousin of Jesus who speaks in the NT?
A. Elizabeth Luke 1:36
2. How many books in the NT consist of only one chapter?
A. Four Philemon, 2 John, 3 John and Jude

* * * * * * * * *
This week's Chuckle: the 'Ring Bear'



A little boy was in a relative's wedding. As he was coming down the aisle he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd (alternating between bride's side and groom's side). While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar loudly.

So it went, step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR all the way down the aisle.

As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the front. The little boy, however, was getting more and more distressed from all the laughing, and was near tears by the time he reached the pulpit. When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, 'I was being the Ring Bear.'




* * * * * * * * *

Aaaawww hope they took pictures of the 'expression' on his face : ) . . .


Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<

This week's Memory Verse: Phil 4:13
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

Remember:
A man may go to heaven......
without health, without wealth;
without fame, without a great name;
without learning, without earnings;
without culture, without beauty;
without friends and without ten thousand other things-----
But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.
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The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living


#425 23 June 09


. . . As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love . . .
John 15:9

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! Welcome to our new list reader! God loves you!
(Well, I am eating my words from the last Bbl Stdy when I made the comment "I don't usually spend too much time in the Old Testament. . .
for the Bible Study" as the Lord has really been nudging me on that subject.. so, you will be seeing more from the Old Testament as the Lord leads. He has been reminding me of how we, the believer can learn from the WHOLE Bible and not just one section or the other. Amen?)
The verse above is a wonderful teaching of Christ [as you read the first 8 vs..] being the True Vine, we [the believers..] are the branches.. In those verses there four relationships of love that are expressed here:
1. the Father loves the Son
2. the Son uses his Father's love for Him as a pattern of His love for the disciples (as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you); the measure of His love is expressed by His death for those He loves .. 15:13 ..
3. His disciples are to love Him and to abide in His love .. 15:10 ..
4. the disciples are likewise to love one another .. 15:17 .. Elsewhere, Scripture speaks of Christ's love for His church .. Eph 5:25 .. and affirms that nothing shall separate believers from His love .. Rom 8:35 ..


Be a blessing this week! Allow His love to move you and express it to those that YOU love . . .

* * * * * * * * *


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. What musical instrument did David play?
2. A woman once said to Jesus that even the dogs eat crumbs from their master's table.
She meant that even though we are all sinners, we should not be afraid to do what?

* * * * * * * * *
If you would measure your love for the Father,
you must measure your love for your brother
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 1:21

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know what you're doing in the morning when you have a quiet time? Weeding your garden. You’re weeding the garden of your mind, so that the good seed of the Word of God can multiply. Now, the next step is to plant the seed and cultivate His harvest. And when you go out to win souls, water the crop with your tears. Read how the Lord's heart broke over the people He longed to embrace and love unto Himself .. John 17 .. Learn this same sort of compassion in the garden God has given you to harvest for His kingdom.
Guilt dogs the footsteps of mankind. It gnaws. It growls. It eats away at the joy God intends for us. Is there no peace from guilt? Will the ghosts of our guilt always lurk nearby? Not with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and the healing power of our Lord in us! The devil is the prosecuting attorney who is going to point his bony finger of accusation at you. But the Holy Spirit is not the accuser. He is the Convictor. In love, He convicts to lead us to confession. Then we can confidently come to God and ask for cleansing. No psychologist or psychiatrist can take away guilt. Only Christ Jesus can.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God to put you into His fields of service today. Ask Him to make you bold, yet compassionate and wise to share His Good News.
Read the story of the adulterous woman in John 8:1-11. Praise God for His lovingkindness and generous mercy!

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
If you need encouragement, give it.
If you need love, give it.
Whatever you need, give it away.
* * * * * * * * *

Our Biblical Godhead - Joseph R. Chambers - jrc@pawcreek.org

The God of Christianity is awesome because He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. He is Sovereign in all these attributes. There is none that can approach His Holiness except the holy. In His Omnipotence, He is unlimited in all of His powers and there is nothing beyond His fullness. In His Omniscience, He is without limits in knowledge. He knows every thought and every nuance of wisdom in the Universe. In His Omnipresence, there is no reach in His great world that extends beyond Himself. His presence is capable of touching every sphere of His entire Heavens and creation.

This greatness is known in the beauty of His Godhead. He exists in three persons, each fully possessing the perfection of their individuality. Yet, each individual is a perfect part of the whole; so, that we do not have three Gods but one. This perfect unity is greater than our human reach can extend but will be understood when we awake in our future glory. It is a unity that sin robs from us but will be restored in our resurrection. The perfect oneness of the Trinity cannot be enlarged or reduced. To try and limit this truth is darkly harmful to the worshippers. One God in three persons fills the Holy Scripture.

The Father is the Omnipotence of the Godhead. All unlimited power extends from the person named the Heavenly Father. He is Omnipotent to the point that He calls things that are not into existence. His words instantly become reality. He cannot speak or think without the substance of His mind becoming the full result of what He thought. The Universe is the creation of every great idea He has conceived.

The Son of God is the Omniscience of the Godhead. As the Omniscient, He is the Word, both written and manifested. Every Word of the Holy Bible is as much Himself as is His own Person. He lives in the Scripture in such a manner that to read and devour the Word is to progressively know Him in your heart. You cannot possess the Word of God in your soul without possessing Him. The Word of God is only a dead letter until you let this Word possess you into the regions of your whole life. In possessing you, His authority masters you. It is life eternal and transcending.

God and Christ’s Holy Spirit is the Omnipresence of the Godhead. The Father is on His throne and His Son is at His right hand, but the Holy Spirit extends all they are into every realm of the Universe. Even nature is a material expression of the reach of the Spirit of Life. There is no fact of life apart from God. The person of the Holy Spirit is seen as “Seven Lamps of Fire,” because the duty of His office is to fill all the reach of God to all the fullness of existence. The darkest sinner owes their very existence to the life of God, which is manifested in the person of the Holy Spirit. The smallest creature in the world is a product of that life that flows by the Spirit.

The Father makes our “God in Three Persons” perfect in Omnipotence. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, makes our God complete in knowledge and Omniscience. The Holy Spirit makes our God Omnipresent so that there is not any place where they are not present. The perfection of the Godhead gives the devil an endless headache. Satan is so determined to be God that he is soon to produce an unholy trinity (Revelation 12, 13). It will be his last hoorah, because he is only a created being that rebelled and lied to himself. His time is almost over and his last action will soon be finished.

What a Creator we are invited to worship and experience! Unless we surrender and receive the greater life of the Spiritual realm, our physical life is extremely short and quickly passing. The name of the unwilling and resisting will be soon forgotten. “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot” (Proverbs 10:7).

The Creator has a plan for you, but He made His plan your choice. If you resist that plan, the end is eternal judgment and the Lake of Fire. He does not send you there, you send yourself. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This great Heavenly Father sent His Son to redeem you from Adam’s fall into sin. You are invited to bow before Him and give up the life you think you own, but that life has only been loaned to you. Your life has wonderful potential because He put His life in you; but that life is in your spirit hid behind the cloak of self. Only when self is relinquished can His life appear. It’s serious business and His Spirit is calling you to the love of God in Christ. His Blood was offered to cleanse you from the guilt of sin and self and to restore you to the rightful King that made you for Himself. Simply, surrender to Him and He will reveal Himself. The Holy Bible is where you will find all that He is waiting to give you, which is His gift of eternal life. Remember, your surrender must be complete before He can take control.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing: For He will give His angel[s] charge of you to guard you in all your ways .. Ps 91:11*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* this verse tells us that we don't have A guardian angel watching over us, we have more than one guardian angel!

* * * * * * * * *
We're to love people and use things
NOT
love things and use people.
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near

THE LITTLE BOOK AND TWO GREAT WITNESSES

FIVE UNUSUAL EVENTS ...

AN UNUSUAL ACT He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. 10:2b-3

That the angel put one foot on the sea and the other on the land shows his massive size from the perspective of John's vision. This action of the angel demonstrates God's sovereign authority to judge the entire earth .. 7:2; Exo 20:11; 1 Cor 10:26 .. which He will soon take back from Satan. The angel's act also symbolically anticipates the coming judgments of the seventh trumpet and the seven bowls on the whole earth.
In keeping with his huge size, the angel "cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars." His loud cry reflects the power and authority of God. The Old Testament prophets also connect a loud, lionlike roaring voice with judgment .. Jer 25:30; Hos 11:10 Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; 3:8 ..
After the angel cried out, an amazing thing happened -- "the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices." "Seven" speaks of completeness and perfection. "Thunder" is often a mark of judgment in Scripture .. 8:5; 11:19; 16:18; 1 Sam 2:10; 2 Sam 22:14 .. These seven loud, powerful voices cry out for vengeance and judgment upon the sinful earth. The thunder was separate from the Angel's voice and may have represented the voice of God .. 1 Sam 7:10; Ps 18:13 .. The text does not reveal what the thunder said, but hearing it certainly would have added to the terror of the scene of judgment.

AN UNUSUAL ANSWER When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them." 10:4

The seven peals of thunder did not merely make a loud noise, but communicated information that John was about to write. In obedience to God's commands, John had already written much of what he saw in his visions. Later in Revelation, John would once again be commanded to write what he saw in his visions .. 14:13; 19:9; 21:5 ..
But before John could record the message of the seven peals of thunder, he heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them." Whether the voice was that of the Father, Jesus Christ, or an angel is not revealed. The command, however, clearly originated with God. The reason John was forbidden to record the message is not revealed. It may be that the judgment is simply too terrifying to be recorded. Any speculation as to the specific content of their message is pointless. If God had wanted it to be known, He would not have forbidden John to write it. They are the only words in the book of Revelation that are sealed.

next week: AN UNUSUAL ANNOUNCEMENT

* * * * * * * * *
You can't be right with God and be wrong with a brother
* * * * * * * * *

HINDRANCES TO TRUE MOURNING: LOVE OF SIN
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Matt 5:4

A GENERAL LOVE OF SIN IS the greatest hindrance to true spiritual mourning, because holding on to sins causes our hearts to harden. One of the less advertised but more common sins is the sin of despair, which is essentially the same as giving up on God and putting ourselves outside His grace -- refusing to believe He can save or help us. The prophet Jeremiah wrote this of such people: "But they will say, 'It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart'" .. Jer 18:12 .. Despair attempts to hide God's mercy behind our self-made cloud of doubt.
Another hindrance to mourning is the sin of conceit. It seeks to hide the sin itself and tell us we really have nothing to mourn about. Conceit is analogous to a physician treating cancer as if it were just a common cold. If Christ had to shed His blood on the cross for our sin, then sin must be significant and something over which we must mourn.
To be a true mourner, it's imperative that you remove all basic, sinful hindrances that keep you from mourning. Otherwise you will grieve the Holy Spirit, question the truth of His Word, and restrict His grace from plowing up your hard heart and leading you to obey Him.

Ask YOURSELF
It's time to get honest about your sins today, identifying and confessing anything that stands between you and free-flowing fellowship with your Lord and Savior. Is it despair? Conceit? Whatever it is, you probably know it well. Repent of it all. And walk again in the beauty and freedom of holiness.

* * * * * * * * *
What you ARE is God's gift to you.
What you BECOME is your gift to God.
* * * * * * * * *

Q & A by Dr. J. Vernon McGee

Q: Are the "Book of Life" and the "Lamb's Book of Life" the Same Thing?
A: It doesn't seem to me that there are two books; they're one and the same book. We're told that at the Great White Throne Judgment, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life" .. Rev 20:12 .. Now I take it that the Book of Life there is not a list of the whole human race but of those that have been saved by faith in Jesus Christ, and that's the same as the Lamb's Book of Life. The other books mentioned in this passage are the books of works, so that God will fairly and justly judge everyone. But, of course, no one is saved by [their works]. You have to have your name written in the Book of Life.

* * * * * * * * *
Why settle for anything less than God's best for you?
* * * * * * * * *
A Great Song: "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"

O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise,
The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease,
'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the pow'r of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean - His blood availed for me.

Hear Him ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb, your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come; and leap, ye lame, for joy.

My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad the honors of Thy name.

* * * * * * * * *

Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. What musical instrument did David play?
A. Harp 1 Sam 16:23
2. A woman once said to Jesus that even the dogs eat crumbs from their master's table.
She meant that even though we are all sinners, we should not be afraid to do what?
A. Ask Jesus' help Matt 15:27


* * * * * * * * *
This week's Chuckle:

After checking in at the Hotel, the man goes up to the Register, asks the lady behind the desk: "May I have some stationery?"

and the nice lady behind the desk reply's with a question in return, "Are you a guest of the Hotel?" The man, in his quick wit

replies with this timely response: "No, I'm paying eighty dollars a day."



* * * * * * * * *

I hope he was smiling when he said that! : ) . . .


Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<
This week's Memory Verse: John 14:2-3
Read it out loud a few times, I did.

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#414 7 April 09


. . . Then He [Jesus] said to them [the disciples], "These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" . . .
Luke 24:44 - 47


Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

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Greetings! I love this time of year, not only is there new life growing all around us, but Easter is a time of new life within ourselves. Not just because of the 'season', but because of what Christ did for us on the Cross. What He did on that Cross, gave us new life in Him. It was necessary for Him to die for us. It was a plan that He and His Father made from the very beginning.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is clearly set forth as a historical event in the New Testament.
The Resurrection was necessary . . .
1. to make possible the forgiveness of sins .. 1 Cor 15:17
2. to fulfil the Scriptures . . Lk 24:45, 46
3. to afford justification for beleivers .. Rom 4:25 .. 8:34
4. to furnish a solid basis for Christian hope .. 1 Cor 15:19
The Resurrection was brought to pass . . .
1. by the power of God .. Acts 2:24 .. Rom 8:11 .. Eph 1:19, 20
2. by the Lord Jesus Himself .. Jn 2:19 .. 10:18


Be a blessing this week! Happy Resurrection Day!!!

* * * * * * * * *

This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]
1. Who anointed Jesus' head with an expensive oil known as spikenard?
2. Where was Jesus when a sinful woman poured an alabaster jar of perfume on his feet?


* * * * * * * * *
The more time you spend in the the Word ..
the more you want to know Him
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." Psalm 104:33

"For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him." 1 Corinthians 15:27

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
We have a God who is simply presented in all of creation; we should recognize Him. We have a God who is sovereignly powerful; we should respect Him. We have a God who is surely purposeful; we should reverence Him. We have a God who is savingly personal; we should receive Him. All of that is in Genesis 1:1 which says, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." We have an obligation to God. We are twice His. First, we are His because of creation, and secondly, we are His because of redemption. He made us and He bought us.
God has given us kingdom authority. Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19). When problems get over your head, remember they are under His feet. You need not be discouraged when troubles strike. It is the pathway your Savior has walked before you. It is the way of the cross, and He has won the victory!

ACTION POINT:
Have you ever had something very precious and lost it? Then gratefully, it was restored to you again? That's just an inkling of the treasure you are to God!

Write down the hardest thing you're having to deal with today. Now, put that paper on the floor. Look down on it. Now you have a glimpse of God's vantage point over the problems in your life.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
The more you want to know Him the more you will love Him
* * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing:

... there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and
rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.... He is not here; for He has risen, as He said ... Matt 28:2 & 6
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * *
The more you love Him the more you want to be like HIm
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near.

THE BELIEVERS OF THE TRIBULATION

SOUNDING:
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them .. Rev 8:2 ..

Following the half hour of heaven's silence, John experienced the seven angels who stand before God. The use of "the" appears to set them apart as a unique group, which some have called the presence angels. The Greek verb translated "stand" indicates that they were inthe presence of God and had been there for a time. Scripture describes various ranks and orders of angels, such as cherubim .. Gen 3:24 .. seraphim .. Isa 6:2 .. archangels .. 1 Thess 4:16; Jude 9 .. thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities .. Col 1:16 .. and powers .. Eph 6:12 .. These seven appear to be one such order of hight-ranking angels. Gabriel may have been one of them .. Lk 1:19 ..
As John watched, seven trumpets were given to these angels, in preparation for the trumpet judgments that would shortly follow. As they did in the seal judgments .. 6:1, 3, 5, 6, 7 .. and will in the bowl judgments ..16:2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 17 .. angels participate in the trumpeet judgments. That involvement is consistent with the teaching of Jesus that angels will play an important role in God's future judgments .. Matt 13:39-41, 49-50; 16:27; 25:31 ..
Each of the seven trumpets unleashes a specific judgment of greater intensity than the first six seals, yet not as destructive as the seven bowls .. 16:1-21 .. The first four trumpets destroy the earth's ecology .. 8:6-12 .. the next two produce demonic destruction of humanity .. 8:13; 9:1-11, 13-19 .. and the seventh trumpet introduces the final outpouring of God's wrath contained in the seven bowl judgments.
Having been introduced and given their trumpets, the seven angels did not immediately blow them. They had to wait for other important events to transpire.

SUPPLICATION:
Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incese was given tohim, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand .. 8:3-4 ..

John's attention was drawn from the seven angels with their trumpets to another angel who came and stood at the altar of incense .. cf. 6:9 .. Some identify him as Christ. However, this is unlikely because: 1) Christ is already identified in the heavenly scene as the Lamb .. 5:6; 6:1; 7:17 .. 2) Jesus is nowhere identified as an angel in the New Testament; 3) the angel in verse 3 is described as another of the same kind, like those in verse 2; and 4) everywhere He appears in Revelation, Jesus is clearly identified. If He were the One at the altar, it is reasonable to assume that He would be specifically identified.
John notes that "the angel came and stood at the altar." That altar is the heavenly counterpart ot the altar of incense in the temple, which also was made with gold .. Exo 30:3 .. It was the same golden incense altar seen by Isaiah in his vision .. Isa 6:6 .. and by Ezekiel .. Eze 10:2 .. The further description of this altar as 'before the throne" assures John's readers that the altar of incense was the earthly counterpart to this heavenly incense altar. That is evident because the altar ofincense in the tabernacle and the temple was the nearest thing to the Holy of Holies where God's glory dwelt. Consistent with that identification is that the angel held a golden censer, or firepan. In the Olt Testament, the priests would twice daily take hot, fiery coals from the brazen altar and transport them intot the Holy Place to the incense altar .. Exo 30:7, 8 .. The angel took the incense symbolizing the multiplied prayers of God's people .. 5:8; 6:9-11 .. that was given to him. Though it does not say who gave the angel the incense, the verb "was given" frequently refers in Revelation to something given by God. This was so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints already rising from the altar. Those prayers were for Satan to be destroyed, sin to be defeated, their deaths to be avenged, and Christ to come. As the angel added his incense to that already burning on the altar, the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. These are undoubtedly the cries of believers in the great tribulation against their persecutors and all who blaspheme God and Christ in that time.

next week: STORM and THE FIRST TRUMPET


* * * * * * * * *
The more you want to be like Him the more you
love what He loves and hate what He hates
* * * * * * * * *

SALT and LIGHT -- THE NATURE of BELIEVERS
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
You are the salt of th earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it given light to all who are in the house. Let your light sine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:13-16

In THESE FOUR VERSES THE Lord summarizes the function of believers in the world - influence. This is a mandate for Christians to influence the world. The Beatitudes are not to be lived in isolation or only among fellow believers, but everywhere we go.
In verses 13 and 14, the pronoun "you" is emphatic. The idea is, "You are the only salt the earth knows and the only light the world sees." The world's corruption won't be retarded and its darkness won't be illumined unless God's people are its salt and light. "You" in both verses is plural; that means the whole body, the church, is called to be the world's salt and light.
By definition, an influence must be different from that which it influences, and Christians must be different from the world they are called to influence. We cannot influence the world for God if we are worldly ourselves, nor can we give light to it if we retreat to places and ways of darkness ourselves.

Ask YOURSELF
Is there anything that's currently taking the bite out of your saltiness, or dimming the brightness of your light? Deal openly with the Lord about these things, asking Him to rid you of their influence to that you can be used of God to influence others.

* * * * * * * * *
The more you invest in a relationship with Christ
the more precious it becomes
* * * * * * * * *


Question & Answer with McGee . . . [an old one, but is still a great teaching of God's Truth..]

Q: When Jesus was on the cross, why did He cry, "My God", instead of "My Father, My Father"?
A. If you will recall, He was made "sin for us, who knew no sin" .. 2 Cor 5:21 .. God separated Himself from Him, and as a result God the Father and God the Son were divided at that moment when the Son was made sin. I think it's highly appropriate that He said, "My God," and not "My Father" at a time like that, because sin puts you and me in the position today where we are not sons of God. We are not sons of God until we come to Christ and receive Him as Savior. Now, a savior is a savior from something. What's He a savior from? He's a savior from sin! He's a savior from the penalty of sin, a savior from the presence of sin, and He's a savior from the power of sin. I didn't give it in chronological order. He saved us from the penalty of sin by His death over 1900 years ago, He can save us today from the power of sin by the Holy Spirit, and He's going to save us someday from the presence of sin when He takes us to a place where there is no sin. And if He gets us there, the sin question is sure going to have to be settled in our hearts and in our lives, because we're told that no sin is going to enter into that city.

* * * * * * * * *
With grace there is nothing to earn, but much to learn
* * * * * * * * *
Quilt of Holes an inspiration . . .
As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty,like binding air. Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes,creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!



* * * * * * * * *
Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. Who anointed Jesus' head with an expensive oil known as spikenard?
A. Mary, Lazarus's sister. John 12:3
2. Where was Jesus when a sinful woman poured an alabaster jar of perfume on his feet?
A. At the home of Simon the Pharisee. Luke 7:36-50

* * * * * * * * *

This week's chuckle:
A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story.
From time to time, the little girl would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch her grand-dad's wrinkled cheek. She would alternately stroke her own cheek, then his again.
Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did God make you?" "Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God make me a long time ago." "Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?"
"Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago."
Feeling their respective faces, again, she observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't He?"
* * * * * * * * *


Quite an observant little girl. . . [precious!] ; )

Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<
We all need to memorize scripture, why not do it together? This week's Memory Verse: Luke 9:23
Read it out loud a few times, I did.
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#413 31 March 09


. . . [Jesus said to Peter:] "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" . . .
Matthew 16:19

Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !

(\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/)

Greetings! Another great verse to learn from. My study Bible teaches this: The keys of the kingdom were not given to Peter alone. They were for all of the apostles and for the church in all ages. Nor is it to be supposed that the power of the keys includes the power of any individual to forgive sins. The Greek tense of the verbs shall be bound and shall be loosed means "shall have been." Thus men of God have the power to declare that God has forgiven the sins of those who have repented and received Christ by faith. No one may pronounce absolution, but anyone may announce that sins have been forgiven when gospel terms have been met. Peter made the first significant use of the "keys" in Acts 2 when he preached the gospel to all the pilgrims at Pentecost and proclaimed the message of salvation to them.

Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *

This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]
1. According to Ecclesiastes 5:12, what does a working man (or laborer) enjoy more than a rich man, once a day?
2. What did Solomon ask for when God said he could have anything he wanted?


* * * * * * * * *
The Church is a society of sinners who finally admitted it
* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20
"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
To be found in Jesus, Paul says, is worth more than all of his religion, race, and ritual. It is a relationship with the Almighty God. It is Jesus. Paul says, "I'm tired of trying. I'm going to start trusting." Basically, Paul lived a life of working his way to heaven before he met the Lord on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9). Legalism is a terrible thing. It is a harsh task master under which no one can succeed. Liberty, not legalism, is what the Lord Jesus Christ offers -- freedom, not bondage; relationship, not religion. We give up nothing for which Jesus will not abundantly offer more than we could ever hope or dream.
Paul thought it was the greatest of blessings to be found "in Him" (see Philippians 3:9). Paul exchanged a set of rules for a friend. Hadn't you rather have a friend than a set of rules? Before this, Paul had the law. Now, he has the Lord, and what a difference! What a safe place to be found -- in Jesus Christ. If you are saved, you're not just a church member; you are in Christ. You are in His body, and He is in you. Talk about fellowship divine! You may be alone, but you'll never be lonely again because the Lord Jesus Christ is in you and you are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

ACTION POINT:
Read Colossians 3:11. What does it mean for Christ to be your "all in all"?
If you have a hymnal at your disposal, find the hymn "In The Garden" and meditate on its truth: "He tells me I am His own."
[NOTE:** below are the words to the song]

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding .. by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *
If your religion hasn't changed your life,
you had better change your religion
* * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blessing:

And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must
believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.
1 Peter 5:5
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * *
I'm firmly convinced that if we would clean up the
pulpits of America, we'd go a long way to cleaning up America
* * * * * * * * *

This week's teaching by John MacArthur on the book of Revelation: Because The Time IS Near.


The Six TRUMPET JUDGMENTS REV 8:1 - 9:21

When the Lamb opens the seventh and last seal on the little scroll that is the title deed to the earth (5:1), the judgments of the day of the Lord will intensify and expand dramatically.
This final seal contains within it all of the remaining judgments of the time of the great tribulation, including the trumpet and bowl judgments. Though some believe the events of the trumpet and bowl judgments happen simultaneously with those of the sixth seal, it seems better to understand them as telescoping out of each other sequentially. That the seventh seal contains the seven trumpet judgments seems clear, since there is no description of judgment in the seventh seal, but an anticipation of severe judgment followed immediately in the text by the seven trumpet judgments. In a similar manner, the seventh trumpet does not describe a judgment (10:7; 11:15-17), but rather contains the anticipation of heavenly rejoicing over the judgment to come.
The progressive judgments within the seventh seal will take place over an indefinite period of time. The effects of the fifth trumpet, for example, will last for five months (9:10). While the exact timetable for the trumpet and bowl judgments is not revealed, their escalating devastation indicates that they all occur during the last half of the tribulation. Therefore, the seventh seal encompasses all of God's final wrath up to the return of Christ.

THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL Rev 8:1-6

Silence
When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour vs 1

When Jesus broke the seventh seal a unique response occurred - silence. A review of the visions up to this point makes it clear that John had heard much noise in heaven. Beginning in Revelation 4, "sounds and peals of thunder" emanated from God's throne, (vs 5) and "the four living creatures . . . [did] not cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come'" (vs 8). Later John heard a "strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?'", the cries of the martyrs for vengeance (6:9-10), the loud roar of a powerful earthquake (6:12), and an angel who "cried out .. . saying, 'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads'" (7:2-3).
But after all that loudness, when the judgment becomes visible on the scroll, both the redeemed and the angels are reduced to silence. They face the reality of the future destruction they see written and answer with the silence of foreboding and awe at what God is about to do.
While eternal heaven has no time, the apostle John, who is seeing the vision, does. Each minute of that half hour of silence must have increased the sense of suspense for John. Heave, which had resounded with loud praises from the vast crowd of people and angels, became strangely still. The greatest event since the fall is about to take place. All heaven is seen waiting in great expectancy.
next week: SOUNDING and SUPPLICATION


* * * * * * * * *
Not only can negative emotions take life from your years,
they can take years from your life
* * * * * * * * *

QUALITIES OF FISHERMEN/EVANGELISTS
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matt 4:19

OUR LORD DID NOT MERELY COMMAND His new disciples to become "fishers of men," He promised to help them catch people's souls. He would remind them many times that they would never be effective disciplers - or successful disciples at all - if they didn't rely on His power: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" .. Jn 15:5 ..
Certain qualities that make a person a good fisherman also can make Christians good evangelists. Consider the following four fisherman traits and how they can apply to evangelism.
First, a fisherman knows he often must be patient to locate a school of catchable fish. Second, a good fisherman must have perseverance in going from place to place, sometimes repeatedly, until he finds the fish. Third, effective fishermen have good instincts about being in the right place at the right time for dropping their line or net. Poor timing has lost many catches, both of fish and people. Finally, a good fisherman stays out of sight as much as possible. Similarly, the effective evangelist does not get in the way of his or her witnessing, so as not to be a hindrance to sinners coming to Christ.
Following Christ's example and realizing the qualities of good evangelists, our churches must not only call us to evangelism but continually encourage us in that calling .. cf. Matt 28:18-19 ..

Ask YOURSELF
How much "fishing" have you been doing lately? This is not a job for the trained and educated but for all who have been called by God into His service. You won't always come away with a catch, but you can know you were faithful to drop your line into the water.

* * * * * * * * *
It is safer on the waves with Jesus than in the boat without Him
* * * * * * * * *

HUMAN RECALL
Recall notice to all Human Beings
Important Recall Notice

The maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to the serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the small defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed, 'Subsequential Internal Non-Morality', or more commonly known as S-I-N, because its primary symptom is loss of moral judgment.
Other symptoms include:
Loss of direction .. Foul vocal emissions .. Amnesia of origin .. Lack of peace and joy .. Selfish, or violent behavior .. Depression or confusion in the mental component .. Fear .. Idolatry
The manufacturer, who is neither liable or at fault for this defect, is providing factory authorized repair and service, free of charge to correct this SIN defect. The number to call for the recall station in your area is:
P-R-A-Y .. Love .. Joy .. Peace .. Long Suffering .. Gentleness .. Goodness .. Faith .. Meekness .. Temperance

Please call the operation manual, HOLY BIBLE, for further details on the use of these fixes.
WARNING! Continuing to operate the human unit without correction, voids the manufacturers warranty, exposing owner to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on JESUS.
DANGER: The human units not receiving this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace . . . .
.. Author unknown ..

* * * * * * * * *
If you woke up this morning, and you're still here -
GOD STILL HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE!
* * * * * * * * *


Answers to this week's Trivia's:
1. According to Ecclesiastes 5:12, what does a working man (or laborer) enjoy more than a rich man, once a day?
A. Sleep
2. What did Solomon ask for when God said he could have anything he wanted?
A. Wisdom or an understanding heart 1 Kings 3:5-12


** IN THE GARDEN **

I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing;
And the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing
I'd stay in the garden with Him though the night around me be falling;
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling.

CHORUS:

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own,
and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

This week's chuckle: Two Little Boys
After a hardy rainstorm filled all the potholes in the streets and alleys, a young mother watched her two little boys playing in the puddle through her kitchen window.
The older of the two, a five year old lad, grabbed his sibling by the back of his head and shoved his face into the water hole.
As the boy recovered and stood laughing and dripping, the mother runs to the yard in a panic.
' Why on earth did you do that to your little brother?!' she asks as she shook the older boy in anger.
'We were just playing 'church' mommy, ' he said.
'And I was just baptizing him.....in the name of the Father, the Son and in...the hole-he-goes.'
* * * * * * * * *

Oh my goodness! ; )

Until next time, remember, "Keep Looking Up!"
God loves you and yours . . . He really does!

Nancy <\\\><<
We all need to memorize scripture, why not do it together? This week's Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:32
Read it out loud a few times, I did.
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