Where would I be without my precious Lord Jesus. Lost and alone in a hostile world.

Salvation is from The Lord

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

1 Timothy 4:9,10 NIV

__________________

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:3-7 KJV

__________________

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:4-7 NASB

__________________

It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began--to show his love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus.

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the coming of Christ Jesus, our Savior, who broke the power of death and showed us the way to everlasting life through the Good News.

2 Timothy 1:9,10 NLT

The ransomed of the LORD will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 51:11 NIV

__________________

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:
they shall walk, O LORD,
in the light of thy countenance.

In thy name shall they rejoice all the day:
and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

Psalm 89:15,16 KJV

__________________

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;

For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness
and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:10,11 NASB

__________________

Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month to rejoice over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the LORD your God of his covenant with you. I am the LORD your God."

Numbers 10:10 NLT

__________________

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Sing to the LORD with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,

With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King.

Psalm 98:4-6 NKJV

Jan 2, 2009
Effective Prayer
Mark 11:24-25

John 14:14 reads, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." People sometimes interpret this to mean that any request ending with the words "in Jesus' name, amen" will automatically be fulfilled.

Yet basing our entire concept of prayer on one isolated verse would lead to a skewed perspective. It is also important to consider . . .

Our Fellowship With God. For God to hear and answer prayers, we must first be saved from our sin through the redeeming blood of Jesus. Once we have trusted Christ as Savior, God will hear us only when we walk in righteousness before Him. Of course, He understands our weakness and doesn't expect perfection. But if we knowingly continue in sin and fail to repent, He will not listen.

Our Request. For some people, ending prayers with "In Jesus' name, amen" can seem like a magic charm, but nothing can force God's hand. This saying did originate from a good motive, though: the desire to ask only for what is consistent with Jesus' character. When we ask, we should pray with faith, believing that God is able and will do whatever is in His will. And we should willingly submit our desires to Him.

Our Motive. The Lord won't say yes to prayer that will hurt us or His purpose. When we bring supplications before Him, it is important to check our motive. Is our goal to glorify God and let others see Him in us? Or is our motive selfish, greedy, or impure?

Our heavenly Father tells us to pray. And He will answer when our hearts are pure. 

For Unto Us A Child Is Born... The Son of God

Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth


______________

Messiah would be the Son of God

Prophecy:

"Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?"

Proverbs 30:4

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fulfillment:

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3:16-17

(see also: Luke 1:31-35; John 1:34; 2 Peter 1:17)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Prophecy:

"I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee."

Psalm 2:7

Fulfillment:

"For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him."

Hebrews 1:5-6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

Acts 13:30-33


______________

We need a Savior because we are sinners,
and the wages of sin is death...

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

Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church praises the Macedonian believers at Philippi for their generosity. Despite deep poverty and great troubles, they desired to bless others materially. From their example, we know God is pleased when we give . . . 

1. According to divine revelation. The Lord has revealed in Scripture how we are to live. He wants us to base our decisions on biblical principles rather than on our own thinking. Looking solely at a paycheck or bank balance before determining the size of a donation is relying on "self," not trusting God.

2. Out of our need. The Macedonians were poor, but they didn't let that keep them from contributing. They gave out of the little they had. The widow who gave her last two copper coins was praised for her offering to the Lord (Mark 12:42-44). We don't need to have extra money in order to give.

3. To those who spiritually nourish us. The Bible tells us to bring our gifts to the local church, where it can be used to further
God's work. The apostle Paul and others were able to evangelize because of the support provided by the church in Jerusalem. Recognizing that they owed those believers a debt, the Macedonian Christians desired to give something back.

Human reasoning tells us that we cannot part with our funds when debt seems too large or income too small. But the Scriptures tell us to trust the Lord to provide for our needs (Phil. 4:19)--and to give generously. Are you living according to these principles?

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
I called on the LORD in distress;
The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
The LORD is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in princes.
All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the LORD helped me.
The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD.
The LORD has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, I pray, O LORD;
O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Parents' Responsibilities

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your strength.

And these words which I command you today shall be in your
heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when
you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

__________________

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

Psalm 78:4-7 NIV

__________________

Train up a child in the way he should go,
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 NASB

__________________

And now a word to you fathers. Don't make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4 NLT

__________________

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14,15 NIV

Children - God's Blessing

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:3-5 NKJV

__________________

Children's children are the crown of old men;
and the glory of children are their fathers.

Proverbs 17:6 KJV

__________________

He gives the barren woman a home,
so that she becomes a happy mother.

Praise the LORD!

Psalm 113:9 NLT

__________________

And said to me, "Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.'

Genesis 48:4 NKJV

__________________

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Mark 10:14-16 NIV

Fear Not!

The waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Proverbs 1:32,33 NIV

__________________

All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
And great shall be the peace of your children.

In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression,
for you shall not fear;
And from terror,for it shall not come near you.

Isaiah 54:13,14 NKJV

__________________

The LORD is thy keeper:
the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:
he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and
thy coming in from this time
forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 121:5-8 KJV

__________________

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.

Romans 8:14-16 NASB

Pray for Our Leaders

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 KJV

__________________

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

1 Peter 5:1-3 NIV

__________________

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:7,8 NASB

 

Serve the Lord with Gladness!

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

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

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

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

Joshua 24:15-18 NASB

__________________

Serve the LORD with fear
and rejoice with trembling.

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

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2:11,12 NIV

__________________

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

Romans 14:11 KJV

Grace to you and peace

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I have hope in Him."

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.

It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the LORD.

Lamentations 3:22-26 NASB

__________________

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:2-6 NKJV

Concerning Self Denial

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 NIV

__________________

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13 KJV

__________________

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:24,25 NASB

__________________

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:16-18 ESV

He Is Faithful!

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

__________________

He is the LORD our God:
his judgments are in all the earth.

He hath remembered his covenant for ever,
the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

Psalm 105:7,8 KJV

__________________

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

Hebrews 10:23 NASB

__________________

I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying,
"O Lord, the great and awesome God,
who keeps covenant and steadfast love with
those who love him and keep his commandments."

Daniel 9:4 ESV

__________________

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

I Corinthians 1:9

God loves a cheerful giver

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:6,7 NASB

__________________

You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.

Deuteronomy 15:10 ESV

__________________

O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

1 Chronicles 29:16,17 KJV

Ye are the sons of the living God

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:16-18 NASB

__________________

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

Acts 5:32 NIV

__________________

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Hosea 1:10 KJV

__________________

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:12,13 ESV

Your Kingdom Is Everlasting

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The LORD sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.

You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Psalm 145:13-16 NASB

__________________

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:10,11 KJV