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2009

THE CP GROUP GUIDANCE THOUGHTS

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#0002400

"When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you[Deut20:1]! When you prepare for battle, the priest must come forward to speak to the troops[v2]. He will say to them, 'Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them[v3]. For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory[v4]!"

#0002401

When Jesus was here, He never minced words. On occasion He rebuked people sharply, shocking them out of the funk that caused them to ignore reality. 'Fool,' was the description He used of the businessman who spoke of tearing down His storehouses and building larger ones. He added, "This very night your life will be demanded from you(Luke12:20a)." And the final question is one for you to ponder: "Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself(Luke12:20b)?" One of the questions that ultimately must be faced is this: For what purpose has God given me the resources I control?..- Sala, Refuge And Strength............Luke12:21 "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."

#0002402

"Get wisdom, get understanding(Prv4:5).- The wisdom that is from above(Jam3:17).- Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God(Col3:1).- But do people know where to find wisdom? Where they can find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living(Job28:12,13).- God alone understands the way to wisdom; He knows where it can be found, for He looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens(Job28:23,24). He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall. He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning. Then He saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly. And this is what He says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding'(Job28:25-28)."

#0002403

"Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy Name(Psa61:5).- But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from Me. I, the Lord, have spoken(Isa54:17)!- For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing(Psa34:7-10). Come, my children, and listen to Me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it(Psa34:14)."

#0002404

Sometimes the Problems of Life--the difficulties and challenges you face--are no less foreboding than giants who make you feel like a midget, and they are certainly no less intimidating. When David faced Goliath, he had two options: turn and run or face the giant and defeat him with God's help. So is it with the gigantic problems that confront us today. Moses had his own experience with giants, the descendants of Anak, on the way to the Promised Land. That's the way it is with the giant you must fight. Without taking on the giants in your life, you will never know that God is bigger than any problem you will ever face...- Sala, Refuge And Strength.......Numbers14:9 "Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."

#0002405

Anything you consider to be more important than God is Idol Worship. Because of whatever it is that consumes your life today, you are in bondage to the attachments of this life. Jesus came to set us free from bondage; but we must receive Him and let go. God's promise in Ex6:6 says, " . . I Am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you . . . I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment." You have to know who God is! How, by His Word made flesh in the Bible, that you may love Him in His unfailing love for you...- Jeff Chaves, Shadow Hills, Setting The Captives Free.....Exodus6:7,8 "I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression . . . I will bring you into the land . . . I will give it to you as your very own possession. I Am the Lord!"

#0002406

"Nicodemus . . . he that came to Jesus by night(John7:50).- Among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God(John12:42,43).- The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in God shall be safe(Proverbs29:25)."

#0002407

"Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out(John6:37).- A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench(Isaiah42:3).- Faith as a grain of mustard seed(Mat17:20).- God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord(2Timothy1:7,8).- Little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming(1John2:28).- Whosoever . . . shall confess Me before men, Him will I confess also before My Father which is in Heaven(Matthew10:32)."

#0002408

In war, then, let your object be victory, not lengthy campaigns. 'War is not a thing to be trifled with'...- Sun Tzu, Chapter2.19, The Art of War by James Clavell...............2Tim2:3-7 "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things."

#0002409

Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting...- Sun Tzu, Chapter3.2, The Art Of War by James Clavell.....2Tim1:1,2 "Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others."

#0002410

Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared. 'Spells and incantations should be strictly forbidden, and no officer allowed to inquire by divination into the fortunes of an army, for fear the soldier's minds should be seriously perturbed'...- Sun Tzu, The Art Of War, Chapter11.26, by James Clavell.....2Cor10:3-5 "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ."

#0002411

The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.- In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.- Measurement owes its existence to earth; Estimation of quantity to Measurement; Calculation to Estimation of quantity; Balancing of chances to Calculation; and Victory to Balancing of chances. -A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a pound's weight placed in the scale against a single grain.- The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep. So much for tactical dispositions...- Sun Tzu, Chapter4.16-20, The Art of War, by James Clavell.....Eph6:13 "Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm."

#0002412

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory. 'In warfare, first lay plans which will ensure victory, and then lead your army to battle; if you will not begin with stratagem but rely on brute strength alone, victory will no longer be assured'...- Sun Tzu, Chapter4.15, The Art of War, by James Clavell.....Eph6:12 "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God."

#0002413

Turn from your running and submit. Claim by faith to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus and face your trials in Him. There is nothing in your life that distresses or concerns you that cannot become submissive to the highest purpose. Remember, they are God's mountains. He puts them there for a reason, and we know that He will never fail to keep His promise. "God understands the way to it and He alone knows where it dwells, for He views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens(Job28:23,24)."So when we come to the foot of the mountains, we will find our way from Christ. The purpose of our trials is not only to test our worthiness but also to increase it, just as the mighty oak is tested by the storms as well as strengthened by them..- FBMeyer, Streams.....Isa49:11 "I will turn all My mountains into roads."

#0002414

I had never yielded my life to God with a definite act of my will. Yet as I thought of my own 'precious' plans that might be thwarted, my beloved hopes to be surrendered, and my chosen profession that I might have to abandon--I was afraid. I completely failed to see the better things God had for me, so my soul was running from Him. Dear friend, you can trust the Man who died for you. You can trust Him to thwart each plan that should be stopped and to complete each one that results in His greatest glory and your highest good. You can trust Him to lead you down the path that is the very best in this world for you...- Cowman-Reimann, Streams.........Romans6:13 "Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life."

#0002415

God often guides us through our circumstances. One moment, our way may seem totally blocked, but then suddenly some seemingly trivial incident occurs, appearing as nothing to others but speaking volumes to the keen eye of faith. And sometimes these events are repeated in various ways in response to our prayers. They certainly are not haphazard results of chance but are God opening up the way we should walk, by directing our circumstances. And they begin to multiply as we advance toward our goal, just as the lights of a city seem to increase as we speed toward it while traveling at night. If you go to God for guidance, He will guide you. But do not expect Him to console you by showing you His list of purposes concerning you, when you have displayed distrust or even half-trust in Him. What He will do, if you will trust Him and go cheerfully ahead when He shows you the way, is to guide you still farther...- Cowman-Bushnell, Streams.....Psalm78:72 "With skillful hands he led them."

#0002416

If when God said, 'Go,' you stayed because you were so concentrated about your people at home, you robbed them of the teaching and preaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach; as long as you would not obey, you were in the way. Watch where you begin to debate and to put what you call duty in competition with your Lord's commands. 'I know He told me to go, but then my duty was here;' that means you do not believe that Jesus means what He says...- Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest.....Mat11:1 "After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee."

#0002417

He teaches where He instructs us not to. Are we playing the spiritual amateur providence in other lives? Are we so noisy in our instruction of others that God cannot get anywhere near them? We have to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us in regard to His Son, He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration, and we will not let Him. When we are certain of the way God is going to work, He will never work in that way anymore. He works where He sends us to wait. Wait on God and He will work, but don't wait in spiritual sulks because you cannot see an inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual hysterics to wait on God? To wait is not to sit with folded hands, but to learn to do what we are told...- Chambers, My Utmost.....Mat11:25 "At that time Jesus prayed this prayer. 'O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way'."

#0002418

"He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding(Ephesians1:7,8). God has now revealed to us His mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill His own good pleasure(v9). And this is the plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ--everything in heaven and on earth(v10). Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan(v11)."

#0002419

Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye...- Austin O'Malley.......Hebrews12:2 "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne."

#0002420

As we graciously walk in His ways and obedience, what comfort and strength we have to know that we have a mighty God to depend on...- Tyndale, NLT Life App Bible

#0002421

Deut31:6-8 "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, 'Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you'."

#0002422

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth(1Tim6:6). After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it(v7). So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content(v8). But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction(v9). For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows(v10). But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness(v11). Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses(v12)."

#0002423

"Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment(1Tim6:17). Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others(v18). By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life(v19)."

#0002424

Self-Conceit may lead to Self-Destruction...- Aesop.....Psalm138:1-3 "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down, you are familiar with all my ways."

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