Wednesday 8/15 ~ Be brave and rest in God

The scripture for today, August 15 (8/15), is Romans 8:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”

I knew someone a long time ago who went through a period of being afraid of everything, something she just could not control. Then she found this scripture and applied it to all her fears. She had read it many times before, but this time was able to apply it to her constant fear. She thought to herself, “Stop being afraid! You are a child of God! He is right there with you. Be brave now. And rest in God.”

Are there times in your life when you are a slave to fear? Perhaps it is fear of the dark. Or fear of losing health. Or fear of strangers. Or of a certain nationality. Or of losing a job or home. Or of losing a loved one.

Stop being afraid! God is right there with you. Be brave. And rest in God.

~~Click here to buy book about martyred Stephen’s journey from fear to courage

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Tuesday 8/14 ~ When I feel rotten, does God’s Spirit…

The scripture for today, August 14 (8/14), is Romans 8:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Well, how are you supposed to know the Spirit is leading you? Is it guesswork? Does it depend on your emotions and how you are feeling that day? It doesn’t seem fair of God to leave you guessing.

But God does not make you guess. Jesus said in John 14:16,17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever ~ the Spirit of Truth.” And in John 17:17, praying to God the Father, Jesus said, “Sanctify them by the Truth; your Word is Truth.”

Jesus said you are sanctified by God’s Spirit, God’s Truth, God’s Word. How? Not by feelings. Not because someone else said so. Not by touching it or carrying it around in your pocket. But by reading it and following it. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. That is how the Spirit leads you.

You don’t have to guess. Just follow it. Even if you are feeling rotten today, as long as you are following the Spirit of Truth, you are a child of God ~ not a slave, but His child.

~~~OneClickBuyBookLink:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MGW0MG2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i15

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Sunday 8/5 ~ Amazingly simple

The scripture for today, August 5 (8/5), is Romans 8:5 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

That makes sense to a Christian. But how are you supposed to know what the Spirit desires? Certainly, God doesn’t leave you to guessing.

Jesus said in John 14:17 that he was going to send the Comforter ~ the Spirit of Truth. And in John 17:17, talking to the same people, he said, God’s Word is Truth. Amazingly simple.

If you want to know what the Spirit desires, then find out what the Word desires. God has given you the Bible full of examples of every possible circumstance and experience of life ~ what works and what doesn’t work.

Someone says, “Well, I shall let the Spirit move my heart.” However, by researching all verses in the Bible where someone’s heart was moved, it was always by God the Father, not God the Spirit. Isn’t that interesting? Not what most of us have been told.

Some people pray and pray about a major decision believing Romans 8:28 says “all things work together for the best…”  It does not say that. It says “for good”. In other words, whatever decision you make, God will turn it into some kind of good. So, go ahead and make your decision. Whatever it is, God will make it work out for you.

You can always rely on what the Bible says, which is exactly what the Spirit says.

~~EasyBookBuyLink:  amzn.to/HolySpiritIn592Verses

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Wedesday 8/1 ~ What is your reason for being?

The scripture for today, August 1 (8/1), is Romans 8:1 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

There are a lot of religious groups out there in the world who control their people with fear. If you don’t do such and such, it proves you aren’t spiritual enough. If you do such and such one second before you die, you’re going to hell.

They put burdens on you that just are not in the New Testament. By making you feel guilty, they make you depend on them for your salvation and that boosts their ego. The Apostle Paul wrote to the congregations in Galatia (today’s Turkey) and warned them with tears:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel ~ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently, some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached [past tense] to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again:

If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? ” (Galatians 1:6-10).

Are you sure you are IN Christ Jesus? Do your church leaders dance around scriptures they wish weren’t in the Bible and tell you they don’t really mean what they say? Or add things that the scriptures say nothing about? Are you sure they aren’t people pleasers instead of God pleasers? What do they do with Romans 6:3-4 and Galatians 3:27? Look it up and compare.

Oh to be sure we are indeed IN Christ Jesus and can someday live in his world. This is our longing. Our hope. Our reason for being.

~~EasyBookBuyLink: amzn.to/WorshipFirstCentury

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Sunday 7/29 ~ Innocence of childhood

The scripture for today, July 29 (7/29), is Ecclesiastes 7:29 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

03-Naaman'sMaid-ThumbnailCover“This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”

You begin your life upright ~ sinless. But as you grow out of innocent childhood, you begin to want recognition, money, and to make your surroundings beautiful.

True, God does not want to deprive you if you can obtain these things. But Solomon (who wrote this), was the richest man in the world with all his worldwide fame, wealth, and beauty. Yet, he still felt empty.

Today, you can even read the Bible and go to worship and still feel empty. Why? Because you need to add good works to your faith (James 2) ~ helping others with the same enthusiasm with which you pursue recognition, money and beauty – yes, and worship.

Sometimes, to fill your emptiness, you need to just return to your early childhood when you saw life through innocent eyes. Through simple eyes. Through eyes that believe so easily in God, and so easily love him.

Sometimes, as you progress through life, why not return to that more innocent way of life?

~~EasyBuyBook: amzn.to/NaamansMaid

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Sunday 7/22 ~ How do you know what you believe is true?

The scripture for today, July 22 (7/22), is 2nd Samuel 7:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-Thumbnail“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

How do you know there is no God but the God of the Bible that we read about and “hear with our own ears” (when scriptures are read aloud)? How do you know our God is the only true God, and our Bible his only true words?

Investigating the numerous built-in proofs is how we know. Prophecies fulfilled of people and entire nations as given in the Bible and verified in secular encyclopedias. Scientific facts not known in early centuries. Over 300 archaeological facts.  Here is a colorful website showing most of them: 

bit.ly/BibleKingdomProphecies

Therefore, you can KNOW what God is like, what he wants and how he views you, for you have heard with your own ears and seen with your own eyes. How lucky you are. How blessed.

~~~Easy BUYlink for BOOK: amzn.to/Luke-Slave-Physician (He was born a pagan. How did he sort through all the false gods to find the one true God?)

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Saturday 7/21 ~ How about teaching your teachers?

Our scripture for today, July 21 (7/21), is Matthew 7:21ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Acts of the Apostles-Cover-Thumbnail“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “

There are hundreds of denominations/sects out there all contradicting each other. It’s impossible for them all to be right. We cannot all be on different roads going to the same place. We cannot all be pleasing God if we decide opposing things please him.

We can never rely on what someone else says just because they look and act holy and say all the right holy words and phrases and pray such holy-sounding prayers. We must never rely on our religious leaders to tell us what to believe. Shall we take their opinion or God’s opinion?

Romans 10:1 in the Bible mentions some people who had a lot of zeal for God, but were lost because it was not according to the proper knowledge.

Well, how do you get God’s opinion? Read the Bible for yourself! Use a concordance (lists every word in the Bible and every scripture with that word) and look up your chosen subject.  Then, having found the truth, why not go back to the religious leaders in love and try to teach your teachers? Some just might listen to you.

~~BUYLINK for BOOK:  amzn.to/Acts-Of-Apostles

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Tuesday 7/17 ~ What is God’s assignment for you?

The scripture for today, July 17 (7/17), is 1st Corinthians 7:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-Thumbnail“Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.”

In some situations in life, this scripture is hard to accept. Sometimes life gets very, very hard. Sometimes it is difficult to keep smiling, even to keep breathing. When will it end? Will it ever end?

But can it be that this is where God wants you? Can it be that the difficulties in your life right now are your assignments from God? God fights Evil from heaven and it is our place to fight Evil from earth. It is an ongoing battle. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

For some reason that cannot be understood right now, you are where God wants you to be. This is your assignment from God. Remember, we are “ambassadors for Christ” (II Corinthians 5:20). We must show the world that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord” (Romans 8:28).

As a soldier for Christ, be brave. Think with a clear head. Stand firm of faith, strong in spirit, pure of heart.

~~1-click BOOK BUY link: amzn.to/Luke-SlavePhysician

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Friday 7/6 ~ Don’t be lazy. There’s too much at stake

The scripture for today, July 6 (7/6), is Mark 7:6f as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Clouds in blue sky“He [Jesus] replied, ‘Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ “

It is the trend today to say that all religions ~ even those who teach opposing things ~ are right and all are good. But Jesus did not say this. Well, then, how do we know which religious things we are taught and do today are from God and which from men?

You are smart. Don’t be lazy.  Read the holy books of all major world religions for yourself. Who knows? What you have been told all your life may be wrong.  Do the other holy books have built-in proofs they really originated from God?  Perhaps scientific, archaeological, ancient inscriptions, prophecies fulfilled? Here is a website with those holy books on it:  http://www.sacred-texts.com  Here is a website with nearly 400 proofs the Bible is from God: http://www.churchofchrist-cg-az.com/Bible

If you conclude the Bible is true, use a concordance and do a study of everything the Bible says about any topic. That way you will have God’s opinion, not men’s.

Here is a website with an online Bible concordance and it’s easy to use:  http://bibletab.com

You can find out for yourself  ~ you can KNOW ~ whether what you were told to believe by family, friends, and leaders is what God told you to believe.

~~~BUYLINK to eBOOK and discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/IslamQuotes

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#HolyBook, #Scriptures, #SacredWritings, #SacredTexts, #concordance, #knowledge, #Koran, #Quran, Bible, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church

Tuesday 7/3 ~ Gear up and take that leap!

The scripture for today, July 3 (7/3) is Acts 7:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail” ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ “

This is part of a speech by Christian Stephen soon after the church began. He was reminding the Jewish leaders how God told their ancestor Abraham to leave his religion, home and family, and move to where God had something special for him ~ to begin the Jewish nation and religion.

But when Stephen got to the part where now God wanted his audience to leave the Jewish religion and move on to a still better one ~ the Christian religion ~ they were outraged. They were not like Abraham; they did not want to change. So, not liking the message, they killed the messenger. These religious leaders stoned Stephen to death.

It is hard to change. It takes a great big “leap of faith.” But when God does the recommending, we can know he has something special in mind for us. So gear up and take that leap!

~~~BUYLINK for eBOOK and discount PAPER;  http://bit.ly/stephenmartyr

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