Tag: . #godliness

Becoming Perfect

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #ransom, ego, forgiveness, Heaven, judging, patience, Saved from hell, things, worshipLeave a comment

changes-in-worship-cover-mediumThe scripture for today, October 15 (10/15), is Deuteronomy 10:15 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob] and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants [Jews], above all the nations, as it is today.”

Mankind has spent millenniums trying to figure out how to be perfect so we can deserve heaven.

God gave us that opportunity the first several thousand years of mankind. Some people of the world he left alone to figure out on their own how to be perfect. They created many kinds of religions and philosophies. But to the Jews, he sent the Law of Moses containing over 600 intricate laws which, if kept perfectly, would make them perfect. They were also to be a kingdom of priests for the rest of the world.  In all cases, no one could be perfect.

Then, when mankind was willing to admit we cannot be perfect, the Word of God materialized and came to us to live that perfect life that is impossible for us to live. Now, all you have to do is follow Jesus and be IN Jesus (Galatians 3:27) for the forgiveness of your sins, and God will consider you perfect too.

God sets his affections on you. Do you run from him? Do you harbor resentments toward him? Are you too busy or having too much fun or too tired to give him a second thought?   Is your “worship” centered around entertaining and inspiring yourself? He will not force you, but he runs after you begging you to come to him for safety. Oh, how affectionate he feels toward you.

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00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnailWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY gives dates, names, and places of the changes and the martyrdoms of those who objected.  In some cases, familiar hymns written by these martyrs before their torturous deaths are included.  This is a must-have for students of church history.  Or give a copy to a friend you have some influence with who worships the “new” ways made possible to them through the blood of martyrs.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Worship-Change

WORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY

You are my soul

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn church, Enemies, Fear, Inspirational, joy, patience, persecution, praise, prayer, victory, worshipLeave a comment

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I adore you and worship you, Adonai God. You made all I see and beyond and deserve my worship.  You rebuild when we tear down, heal when we injure, resurrect when we kill. You lift up the fallen, protect the endangered, console the sorrowful. You are the sun in my sky by day, the moon at night. You are the rainbow after rain and each star that shines down on me from unimaginable heights. You are heaven and earth to me. Without you I am nothing. With you I am everything. You are my soul.

How do I get through the seekers? How do I penetrate the shell of those who run from you? I should know by now. Forgive me for not recognizing who they are and shying away from them.

Thank you for the freedom I have in my country to worship you without being threatened with prison, torture, and death.  Thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ and that we love each other enough to rejoice when one rejoices, weep when one weeps, and share each other’s burdens. Thank you for the way you want me to worship you ~ with simplicity. You do not demand pomp and ceremony, you do not demand grand performances. All you ask is my simple voice in song and prayer. I have so much to be grateful for. And so, I worship you with thanksgiving.

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00-hero-alone-cover-kindle-lgthumbnailYOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE: SURVIVAL STORIES FOR THE COURAGEOUS ISOLATED CHRISTIAN:  contains short stories of Bible people who had to stand alone in difficult times.  After each story are a few multiple-choice questions and then practical thought questions.  Can be used as a class book to   help us understand the isolated Christian. Or order a copy for someone in prison, in the military, large university campus. Or send to missionaries to give their isolated converts.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/BeAHeroAlone

 

YOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE: Survival Stories for the Isolated Christian

 

 

 

More than conquerors

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, discouragement, ego, Enemies, Inspirational, judging, patience, persecution, problems, temptation, victoryLeave a comment

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.medium-newhttps://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-3-hearts-afire-adults-childs-versions/The Scripture for today, October 13 (10/13), is 1st Corinthians 10:13 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Let’s balance this verse with Romans 8:37  which says,  “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”  We cannot be more than conquerors unless we have something to conquer.

What are you tempted to do or not do on a regular basis in your everyday life?  Take a long hard look at them and remind yourself of the source.

Romans 6:16 explains, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey ~ whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Physically, if you lift heavy things, you will grow more muscles. If you run beyond your endurance, you build stamina.  God allows some temptation in your life in order to build your spiritual muscles and spiritual stamina.  What Satan intends to break you down can instead build you up if you resist.

So, with courage in your soul and boldness in your heart, stand up and say, “No more! I am not your slave, Satan. I will win over you. God and I are stronger than you. Satan, get used to it: You lose.

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0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.thumbnail-newHEARTS AFIRE is biblical historical novel 3 in the THEY MET JESUS series.  Jesus recruits the last of the apostles.   They are all strong willed.  They will have to be in order to conquer the world. But they are so different, they hardly get along.  Even in Jesus’ last hour with them he tells them to love each other.  But, early on, their hearts are on fire with excitement. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Hearts-Fire

Book 3: Hearts Afire

Unrealized Blessings

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, #Handicaps, attitude, Bible, blessings, Fear, good works, joy, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

OldOldTunes-mediumMy life, Lord, is like a small boat on a vast ocean. I cannot walk on anything solid, but your heaven has streets of gold.  I cannot see anything beyond the vast waters of time, but you can see the future.  When waves of verbal and physical attacks threaten, you steady me and say, “Peace!  Be still.”  I cannot tell what is lurking below me, ready to swallow me up, but you surround me with an impenetrable shell.  I am thirsty, but you give me the water of life. I am hungry and you give me the bread of life. My life is not my own because you are my guide, my protector, my defender. For all this and more, I praise you.

Thank you for the mentally handicapped, especially those who are adults. They are so trusting and smile so easily when they talk to me.  They have the innocence of a child while in an adult body. They are a wonderful reminder to me that I need to be more child-like in my attitudes.  I love talking to them and hearing their plans and dreams. Oh, to be that innocent again.  And loving. They love everyone and are happy to share their stories with anyone who will listen. Thank you for these special people you have sent the world. They are such a blessing.

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OldOldTunes-ThumbnailTHE OLD OLD STORY SET TO OLD OLD TUNES is a fun way for young people to learn the Bible with 40 songs of the Old Testament and 40 of the New Testament.  All are set to old folk tunes.  Try not to giggle too much as you sing.  Great for classes, get-togethers, homeschoolers and for grandparents who know those old tunes best.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/OldStoryOldTunes

 

THE OLD OLD STORY SET TO OLD OLD TUNES

Pleasing yourself

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, Daily, ego, ethics, family, good works, judging, sin, truthLeave a comment

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-MediumThe scripture for today, October 11 (10/11), is Psalm 10:11 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“He says to himself, ‘God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees.’ “

You believe in God in some form. And you believe that God knows what you do. But do you sometimes bury your beliefs in your subconscious mind so you can go around doing things you know are wrong? Do you believe you won’t get caught, and you can slide into heaven doing whatever you want?

In other words, do you justify your favorite sins? Do you justify your sins of attitude, such as jealousy, impatience, pride, short temper under the guise of an unhappy childhood, or getting what you deserve?  Do you justify your sins of omission ~ good things you should be doing but are not ~ under the excuse that you don’t have time? Do you justify questionable things you do by saying they’re “not so bad” or God is so good, he will forgive anything you do as long as you say you’re sorry each time?

Do you do as children do who cover their eyes so they cannot see anyone and think that, therefore, no one can see them?

God loves you more than you can ever imagine. He never forgets you. He sees and hears everything you do. The only things he does not approve of are things that will ultimately hurt you and which he calls sin.

Here’s a jewel for you.  Polish it, shine it up and put it on display: Pleasing your Creator is the ultimate form of pleasing yourself.

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Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS is part of the TOUCHING GOD series.  Adding to GOLDEN SCRIPTURE THOUGHTS: GOD’S HEART TO YOURS and SILVER-WINGED PRAYERS: YOUR SPIRIT TO GODS, you have a perfect personal or family devotional for morning, noon or evening. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/365PearlsOfWisdom

 

365 Pearls of Wisdom: God’s Soul to Yours

 

How many times?

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #ransom, blessings, Inspirational, love, patience, praise, prayer, problems, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

I praise and adore you, Lord God of the unfathomable  universe. You are my 000-COVER-KINDLE-MediumKing, my Maker, my betrothed. All glory and majesty belong to you. This is your world and no one ese’s. You are willing to fight Satan and get him away from me because he is too strong for me.  I give in to him so often, especially with my attitudes and use of my time. But you run after me and snatch me away from him again and again and again. You never tire of returning me from unknown and unsuspected danger to the safety of your everlasting arms.  I do not comprehend such love. All I can do is praise and worship you every day from the depths of my heart and the heights of my spirit.

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me so much. You have been so good to me ~ far beyond what I deserve. I have salvation from Satan and peace of soul.  I have freedom from sin and fulness of life. When I think of so many people without you, without hope, without understanding, all wondering what this hard life is all about, my heart aches. How much more does your heart ache for them? Thank you for my time on earth when I can work along side you to seek and save the lost just as you did me those days long ago.

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000-COVER-KINDLE-ThumbnailLAZARUS THE SAMARITAN covers 45 years of Zarus’ life.  Each chapter he lives one of Jesus’ parables.  When he marries a Jewish girl, no one comes to the wedding, so her father sends to the highways and byways for wedding guests.  His son grows up to be the prodigal son. His daughter’s wedding maids are the ten virgins whose lamps flicker at midnight.  He becomes rich, but while in a far country, his servants turn on him. He is the Good Samaritan and at the end he is the beggar who dies and is carried away by the angels.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/LazarusTheSamaritan

 

Book 1 ~ Lazarus: The Samaritan

Love Letters

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, #ransom, Inspirational, joy, love, patience, praise, prayerLeave a comment

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILYou delighted so when you made me.  Ah, yes. You gave eyes for my body to see the beautiful earth you made for me, and eyes for my heart to see the beauty sometimes hidden deep in other people’s hearts.  You gave ears for my body to hear the songs of the birds, the brooks, the rustling leaves, and eyes for my soul to hear the songs sometimes hidden deep in other people’s souls. You gave a mind for my body so I can reason through the many happenings of life, and a mind for my spirit to reason through the many temptations of life sometimes hidden deep in other people’s spirits.  You made my body and the earth I live on as a parable to help me understand your world. You thought of everything. How I love and praise you for it.

Oh, glorious King Jesus. You reign over all who have been reborn with clean souls.  You search the hiding places of those who have escaped your protection thus far. You are so good to us.  Though you had to die to pay our ransom to Sin, Satan and Death, you never resented us for it or threw it up to us. Your love is strong and unrelenting. Your love is unstoppable and unbeatable. How can I thank you enough? I will spend eternity trying.

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Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILLOVE LETTERS OF JESUS TO HIS ECCLESIA.  With over 500 footnotes, the Song of Solomon on his wedding day is paraphrased with updated terms of couples in love and how each reflects on the love of Christ for his church and the sometimes wanderings of his beloved church who he gently brings back to him.  Great as a class book or personal reflections.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/LoveLettersOfJesus

Love Letters of Jesus & His Bride, Ecclesia

Noble magnificence

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, attitude, blessings, discouragement, faith, good works, Heaven, Inspirational, joy, patience, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

My God, whether my last days on earth be amid turmoil or peace, I will Rhoda Book Cover KINDLE-thumbnailpraise you. Whether my last days are from sickness or injury, I will praise you. Whether my last days are amid friends or enemies, whether they are in a hospital or a prison, whether I die from natural causes or am slain, I will praise you. Forever in this life and the life I will have with you on the other side, I will praise you.

Father, there are some children that would go to church with me if I asked them. They like me and I think their parents would let them go with me.  What am I waiting for? Why do I keep putting it off?  One of them could be a great missionary someday. One of them could be a doctor someday. One of them could be a preacher someday. Get Satan away from me and make me go see those children and ask them.

Ah, my Lord, in gratitude I fall before your throne. You made it possible for me to join you and live with you someday. Yes, I know you are with me now. But, when you give me a glorious body like Jesus’, I will be able to see you with new spiritual eyes.  Oh, to see you face to face. To behold your noble magnificence and divinity with my own eyes. It remains my heart’s desire and my spirit’s dream. Until then, my Lord, my soul will bow down to you and worship.

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Rhoda Book Cover KINDLE-thumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE KIDS: RHODA.  She’s nearly a teenager and gets silly sometimes. But she has a good heart and helps support her and her mother. People don’t always understand her,  but everyone loves her just for being her.  Come along and spend a day with Rhoda.  Think & Do at the end of each chapter.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/KidRhods

A Child’s Bible Kids Book 8 ~ Rhoda

Kicking and screaming

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, ego, judging, knowledge, truth, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 5, (10/5) is 2nd Corinthians 10:5f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now, these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”

This is about the 40 years the Jews wandered in the wilderness between leaving their slavery in Egypt and beginning a nation for themselves. They had the mindsets of slaves. They did not know how to make decisions for themselves. One of those decisions was to leave the gods of Egypt and worship only the one true God.

It was easier to fall in line with what they were raised to believe. That had long been their comfort zone. They took the easy way out rather than follow the God who had proved the Egyptian gods were not gods at all. They would rather die than change. So they did. They died.

Do you take the easy way out? Do you stick with things you were raised to believe even though you have learned more of the Bible and see those old beliefs are not what God said?

Those early Jews did not listen to God. What about you? Today He is calling out to you in the scriptures. “Come to me. I want to save you. Please come.”

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00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-PAUL: THE UNSTOPOPABLE.  Stubborn?  Indeed, stubborn.  Paul just wouldn’t listen to Jesus when he was alive, so Jesus had to “drag him kicking and screaming” to stop everything and listen to him.  Moses had done the same thing centuries earlier when he dragged Abraham’s great grandchildren out of Egypt kicking and screaming.  We humans are a stubborn lot.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover nor paste this:  https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul

Book 2 ~ Paul: The Unstoppable

You follow me around

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn blessings, Daily, faith, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, joy, love, persecution, praise, prayer, worshipLeave a comment

You, Lord God, travel through time at your ease. Time means nothing to you. I am confined to seeing and hearing on a single highway as I travel through life. But you are above that highway and can see and hear everything going on around me, both past and future. It is all the same to you. Perhaps time is good for me because it offers me forgetfulness of pain that ever lurks in the shadows of eternity and anticipation of the exciting that rises with each son. You need none of that because you are everywhere at once and have been from eternity to eternity.  Some day you will dissolve time when all is well and I am home with you at last.

Thank you, God of my heart, for following me around, even when I am not thinking about you. You guard me. You guide me. You surround me. You are in me. I am never away from you, for I am your child. You hover over me, turn me around, stop me. You do whatever is necessary to keep me on the path to heaven. I am never alone. In sadness and joy, in danger and safety, in sickness and health, in poverty and wealth. How can I thank you? I cannot adequately. Still, my puny gratitude flows from my heart and soul to yours.

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CHRISTIANITY OR ISLAM: THE CONTRAST.  One third quotes from the Qur’an and Bible on the same subjects w/o comment.  One third explains misunderstandings Muslims have about Christianity.  One third is 100 quotes from some of my Muslim students who have decided Jesus was the Son of God and not just a prophet.  Can be given to a Muslim w/o offending.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/3-IslamContrast

 

CHRISTIANITY OR ISLAM ~ THE CONTRAST