#0002170

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve(Jer17:9,10).- But Jesus didn't trust them, because He knew human nature. No one needed to tell Him what mankind is really like(Jn2:24,25).- Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust means. At midlife they will lose their riches, in the end, they will become poor old fools. But we worship at Your throne--eternal, high, and glorious!"

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#0002171

Jeremiah's Prayer of Confidence:..- New Living Translation, Tyndale NLT Bible.....Jer16:19-21 "Lord, You are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble! Nations from around the world will come to you and say, 'Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols. Can people make their own gods? These are not real gods at all! The Lord says, 'Now I will show them My power; now I will show them My might. At last they will know and understand that I am the Lord."

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#0002172

"O Lord, if You heal me, I will be truly healed; if You save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for You alone(Jer17:14)!- This is what the Lord says: 'Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord(Jer17:5). They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land(v6). But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence(v7). They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit(Jer17:8)."

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#0002173

Long ago, theologians used to distinguish between 'Curiosity' and 'Studiosity'. Curiosity is an empty longing for useless information, usually about other people. Curious persons want to know all about you because their own inner life is empty: there is no point to their questions, they are gulping you down like alcoholics. Studiosity, in the old sense, meant an enquiry that had a point, and a bearing on how to live. Our faith is first and foremost a way of life, not some kind of pointless gossip about the beyond. Curiosity wants to know all about the next life while sleepwalking its way through this one. Our faith is practical. And God, it tells us, is practical: what is revealed is "for our salvation"...- Claretian Communication Foundation..........1Pet2:25 "Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."

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#0002174

"About noon, your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions(Acts26:13).- Who are you, Lord? I asked. And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness(v15,16).- The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended(Isa60:19,20).- The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof(Rev21:23).- The God of all grace, . . . hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus(1Pet5:10)."

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#0002175

In charity there is no excess...- Francis Bacon............Mat6;26 "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they."

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#0002176

Listen less to your own thoughts and more to God's thoughts...- Francois Fénelon.....2Sam22:31,32 "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him. For who is God save the Lord? And who is a rock, save our God?"

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#0002177

Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own mind...- Franklin Delano Roosevelt......Psa34:8-10 "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."

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#0002178

There is always something 'over,'/When we tell of all His love;/Unreached depths still lie beneath us,/Unscaled heights rise far above:/Human lips can never utter/All His wondrous tenderness,/We can only praise and wonder,/And His name forever bless...-Margaret Barber, Streams.....Psa23:5 "You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by annointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings."

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#0002179

"He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights(2Sam22:34). He trains my hands for battle; He strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow(v35).You have given me your shield of victory; your help has made me great(v36). You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping(v37).- The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted(2Sam22:47)! He is the God who pays back those who harm me; He brings down the nations under me(v48), and delivers me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; You save me from violent opponents(v49). For this, O Lord, I will praise You among the nations; I will sing praises to Your Name(v50)."

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#0002180

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be...- Anne Frank, The Diary.....Jn12:27 "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour."

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#0002181

In an article entitled 'The Lowdown on High Self-Esteem,' as related to human behavior, Dr Roy Baumeister of Florida State U working with several other recognized authorities, concluded: 'that self-esteem, so cherished by a generation of educators, does not produce excellence, and that evil in humankind is universal. Sure, people with high self-esteem rate their own performance better--even declaring themselves smarter and more attractive than their peers--but neither objective tests nor impartial raters can detect any difference in the quality of their work, and that it is better to concentrate more on integrity, hard work, self-control and discipline.' Paul wrote that we ought not to 'think of ourselves more highly than we ought,' that none are beyond God's reach but also none is good enough to come into His presence apart from what Jesus Christ did...-Sala, Refuge And Strength.....Rom12:3 "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than…

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#0002182

"Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold(Prv22:1). The rich and poor have this in common: the Lord made them both(v2). A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences(v3). True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life(v4). Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it(v5). Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it(v6). Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender(v7). Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end(v8). Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor(v9)."

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#0002183

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds folow them(Rev14:13).- With His own blood--not the blood of goats and calves--He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever(Heb9:12).- And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter into heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water(Heb10:19-22)."

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#0002184

"Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich, Be wise enough to know when to quit(Prv23:4). In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle(v5).- Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you(Jn6:27).- Jesus told them, 'This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one He has sent'(Jn6:29).- Jesus replied, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty'(Jn6:35).- 'For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent Me, not to do My own will. And this is the will of God that I should not lose even one of all those He has given Me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is My Father's will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day(Jn6:38-40)."

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#0002185

There's A Malady confronting us today that our grandparents never faced--it is news overload! The constant barrage of bad news can depress you and send your blood pressure through the roof. News overload! You hear the news, see the news--it's practically in your face. Change TV channels and it's still there. Turn on the radio and you will inevitably hear the news discussed. Don't believe everything you hear or accept the reality that things are as bad as they appear. News is slanted to generate an emotional response. Take a newsbreak and seek to understand God's perspective. This is what most people miss entirely. They forget that nothing happens apart from God's permission. Nations rise and fall, but His truth stands forever. Read the Psalms and hear from Him...-Psa46:1,2 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear,though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."

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#0002186

If it were not for injustice, men would not know justice... - Heraclitus........1Jn1:8-10 "If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His Word has no place in our hearts."

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#0002187

I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains... - Anne Frank, The Diary.....Isa60:19 "The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory."

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#0002188

We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same... - Anne Frank, The Diary.....Luke1:46-49 "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me."

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#0002189

"He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear Him(Luke1:50). His Mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones(v51). He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble(v52). He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands(v53). He has helped His servant Israel and remembered to be merciful(v54). For He made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever(v55)."

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#0002190

"Remember that you were freed from the useless way of life of your ancestors, not with gold or silver(1Pet1:18), but with the precious blood of the Lamb without spot or blemish(v19). God, who has known Christ before the world began, revealed Him to you in the last days(v20). Through Him, you have faith in God who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him in order that you might put all your faith and hope in God(v21). In obeying the truth, you have gained interior purification from which comes sincere mutual love(v22). Love one another, then, with all your heart, since you are born again, not from mortal beings, but with enduring life, through the Word of God who lives and remains forever(v23). It is written: All flesh is grass and its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower falls(v24), but the Word of the Lord endures forever. This Word is the Gospel which has been brought to you(v25)."

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#0002191

If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning... - Mohandas Gandhi.........Luke1:45 "Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

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#0002192

The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper...- Bertrand Russell.....Jn15:4,7 "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

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#0002193

"For if you are trying to make yourself right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace(Gal5:4). But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us(v5).- What is important is faith expressing itself in love(v6b). You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth(v7)? It certainly isn't God, for He is the One who called you to freedom(v8).- For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding 'Yes!' And through Christ, our 'Amen' ascends to God for His glory(2Cor1:20).- Little children, abide in Him(1Jn2:28)."

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#0002194

Our Lord trusted no man; yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, never in despair about any man, because He put God first in trust; He trusted absolutely in what God's grace could do for any man. If I put my trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone; I will become bitter, because I have insisted on man being what no man can ever be--absolutely right. Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else...- Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.....Jn2:24,25 "Jesus would not entrust Himself to them. . . for He knew what was in a man."

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#0002195

How God looks at life is different from the way we look at it. Learning that God's perspective is best allows us to find peace in the storm and relax when winds buffet us. His perspective also gives us spiritual resources to fight back when Satan attempts to sidetrack us from doing the will of our Father...- Harold Sala, Refuge And Strength............Nahum1:7 "The Lord is good, A refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."

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#0002196

Catalysts in Life. Pain, Prosperity, and Power have far more in common than is evident at first glance. Pain, for example, has been with us from the day that Cain struck his brother and killed him. Why some suffer and why some are exempted generally has nothing to do with either your sinfulness or your righteousness, though--let's face it--bad choices, including acts of our sinful rebellion against God and what He wills for us, do produce suffering and pain. Poverty and Prosperity generally are neither a reward nor a curse. Both, however, change people. The absence or presence of wealth reduces us to stark nakedness, showing the kind of people we really are. Poverty or Prosperity also puts within our grasp the potential for great good. Both are catalysts that change us for better or worse...- Psalm62:10 "Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them."

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#0002197

Power that comes through prosperity or prominence is another catalyst. Some rise through the ranks unaffected by their importance. Others, inflated with their own accomplishments, are looking for a vacancy in the Trinity. So how can you avoid being affected by all of these? It's what's within you that matters. Realizing that you are but dust and will someday leave behind what you have accumulated is sobering but necessary. Paul's reminder to Timothy reflects this. He instructed us to lay up our treasure where no identity theft can rob you, and where it will never depreciate, and where you get exactly what you deserve...- HSala, Refuge And Strength.....1Tim6:7 "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."

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#0002198

Because you are in control of your life, don't ever forget that you are what you are because of the conscious and subconscious choices you have made...- Barbara Hall.....Prv10:7 "We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away."