#0002481

Err on the side of simplicity, be accused of overgenerosity, and gain your reputation among the forgotten...- Peter Reese, Hope Is The Harvest..........Psalm16:5,6 "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."

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#0002482

Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must first be overcome...- Samuel Johnson.........1Cor1:8 "God will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."

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#0002483

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives(John12:24). Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity(v25). Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me(v26). Now My soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But this is the very reason I came(v27)! Father, bring glory to Your name(v28).- My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me(Gal2:20)."

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#0002484

"Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us(Eph2:18).- It shall come to pass, when he crieth unto Me, that I will hear; for I am gracious(Ex22:27).- So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered Heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most(Heb4:14-16)."

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#0002485

"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone(Isaiah42:16). They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame, Who trust in idols, Who say to molten images, 'You are our gods'."

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#0002486

Not houses finely roofed or the stones of walls well builded, nay nor canals and dockyards make the city, but men able to use their opportunity...- Alcaeus.....Matthew6:32,33 "Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

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#0002487

"Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day(Psalm91:5). Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday(v6). Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you(v7). Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished(v8)."

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#0002488

"If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter(Psalm91:9), no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home(v10). For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go(v11). They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone(v12). You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet(v13)!"

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#0002489

"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My Name' (Psalm91:14). When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them(v15). I will reward them with a long life and give them My salvation(v16)."

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#0002490

Remembering that 'this too shall pass' helps you realize that difficulties--in your health, your relationships, your finances, your circumstances--teach us that nothing is forever except God. The Lord will walk with you, guide you, and strengthen you. We must not forget this even when we cannot see it. That's what faith is about...- Sala, Refuge And Strength..........Isaiah58:11 "The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring."

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#0002491

"For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps(1Peter2:21). He never sinned nor ever deceived anyone(v22). He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly(v23). He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed(v24). Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls(1Pet2:25)."

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#0002492

To enjoy the things we ought and to hate the things we ought has the greatest bearing on excellence of character...- Aristotle.....Psalm29:11 "The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace."

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#0002493

The world's finest china is fired in ovens at least three times, and some many more. Dresden china is always fired three times. Why is it forced to endure such intense heat? Shouldn't once or twice be enough? No, it is necessary to fire the china three times so the gold, crimson, and other colors are brighter, more beautiful, and permanently attached. We are fashioned after the same principle. The human trials of life are burned into us numerous times, and through God's grace, beautiful colors are formed in us and made to shine forever...- Cortland Myers, Streams.....Phi1:29 "For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him."

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#0002494

Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, 'Well done!' True excellence being, 'To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions and baulk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood'...- Sun Tzu, The Art Of War, by James Clavell.....Isaiah25:4 "Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."

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#0002495

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart(Psalm27:14).- Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary . No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless(Isaiah40:28,29).- For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing(James1:3,4).- So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised(Hebrews10:35,36)."

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#0002496

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking(James1:5). But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind(v6). Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord(v7). Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do(v8)."

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#0002497

"Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them(James1:9). And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field(v10). The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements(Jam1:11)."

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#0002498

"God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him(James1:12). And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, 'God is tempting me.' God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else(v13). Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away(v14). These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death(Jam1:15)."

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#0002499

"So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters(James1:16). Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow(v17). He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true Word. And we, out of all creation, became His prized possession(James1:18)."

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#0002500

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy(James1:2). For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow(v3). So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing(Jam1:4)."

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#0002501

Shaping the Future. From teaching them to brush their teeth and tie their shoes to helping them with their homework and encouraging them to make wise decisions, your goal is to prepare your children for the day when you won't be there. But what about their spiritual foundations? Have your children learned from you what it means to walk with Christ every day? Have you taught them to pray, to understand the Bible, and to live by its truths? Have you encouraged them to give their lives to Jesus Christ? Don't leave it until it's too late, but begin now to help them build the moral and spiritual foundations they need for life...- Billy Graham, Hope For Each Day.....Deut6:7 "Impress these commandments on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

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#0002502

Any one of the relationships our Lord mentions may be a competitive relationship. I may prefer to belong to my mother, or to my wife, or to myself; then, says Jesus, you cannot be My disciple. This does not mean I will not be saved, but it does mean that I cannot be "His." Our Lord makes a disciple His Own possession, He becomes responsible for him. 'You will be My witnesses.' The spirit that comes in is not that of doing anything for Jesus, but of being a perfect delight to Him. 'I am His, and He is carrying out His enterprises through me.' Be entirely His...- Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest.....John17:6 "They were Yours; You gave them to Me."

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#0002503

"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(1Timothy6:17). 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)."

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#0002504

When Paul wrote to the Romans who were struggling to determine what God expected of them, he urged them to "stop being conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds"--a negative injunction followed by a positive one. Today we often cloak aberrant behavior with the garments of science, alleging that we are biologically driven by our impulses and can't help being the way we are. So are we to acquiesce to our culture? "No," said Paul, adding that instead of conforming to our culture, we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds, something that the Holy Spirit does. Conformation or transformation is your choice--not a biological compulsion you cannot overcome. Transformation of your mind and heart is the work of God's Holy Spirit, who started indwelling you when you became a believer. It is an ongoing, daily work as He convicts us, points us to a different direction, encourages us to do the right thing, and leads us into truth. By being soaked in God's Word and by saturating our lives with it, we begin to think the thoughts of Jesus Christ and thus break out of the world's mindset...- Sala, Refuge and Strength.....Rom12:2 "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

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#0002505

Straining and striving does not accomplish the work God gives us to do. Only God Himself, who always works without stress and strain and who never overworks, can do the work He assigns to His children. When we restfully trust Him to do it, the work will be completed and will be done well. And the way to let Him do His work through us is to so fully abide in Christ by faith that He fills us to overflowing. 'Not overwork but overflow.' There is no straining effort in an overflowing life, and it is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites each of us to enter--today and always...- Cowman-Reimann, Streams In The Desert.....Mark6:48 "He saw the disciples straining at the oars."

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#0002506

The 'loud shout' of steadfast faith is the exact opposite of the groans of wavering faith and the complaints of discouraged hearts. Of all "the secrets of the Lord(Psa25:14)," I do not believe there are any more valuable than the secret of of this 'loud shout' of faith. "The Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men(Josh6:2). God had declared, and faith believed this to be true. And many centuries later the Holy Spirit recorded this triumph of faith in the book of Hebrews as follows: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days"(Heb11:30)...- Hannah Whitall Smith, Streams.............Joshua6:5 "When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

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#0002507

"Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no(Deut8:2).- But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, 'Live.' And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel . . . I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became Mine(Ezkiel16:6-8).- You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will(John13:7)."

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#0002508

"Jesus replied, 'Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life'(Jn4:13,14).- Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me! Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart'(Jn7:37,38). This spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive(v39).- Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink--even if you have no money! Come take your choice of wine or milk--it's all free(Isa55:1).- The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life(Rev22:17)."

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#0002509

"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My Name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My Name, and I will do it(John14:12-14).- Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee(Psalm86:4,5).- Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy(Psalm63:4-6)."

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#0002510

Men are equal it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference...- Voltaire.....Galatians:22-25 "But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; He must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another."

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#0002511

Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life...- Roosevelt, Eleanor.....Galatians5;13-15 "As for you, my friends, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another. For the whole law is summed up in one commandment: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' But if you act like wild animals, hurting and harming each other then watch out, or you will completely destroy one another."