Be Quick To Listen

JAMES 1:19 NLT
19 My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to
speak, and slow to get angry.

You learn by listening -- not by talking.

The biggest barrier to learning is thinking you already know a
subject. If you think you already know everything, it is
difficult to learn anything more.

You can learn from every person -- if you will just listen to
what they have to say. Everyone knows something you do not
know.

Pride robs you from learning from others. Pride keeps you
ignorant -- while making you think you are wise.

ROMANS 1:22 NLT
22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.

This is not to say you should accept everything you hear as
truth -- just that you should be humble enough, and respect
people enough, to listen and evaluate what they have to say.

Listen and learn. Talk too much and only embarrass yourself.

PROVERBS 17:27-28 ICB
27 The person who has knowledge says very little. And a person
with understanding stays calm.
28 Even a foolish person seems to be wise if he keeps quiet. He
appears to have understanding if he doesn't speak.

Proud people act as if they have a duty to display their
superior knowledge to all who will listen. They are quick to
speak, because they "know" they are right.

PROVERBS 10:19 ICB
19 If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin. If you are wise, you
will keep quiet.

It is not wrong to talk -- just don't talk too much. And don't
be so anxious to impress people with what you know.

ECCLESIASTES 5:3 NLT
3 Just as being too busy gives you nightmares, being a fool
makes you a blabbermouth.

SAY THIS: I will be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to
become angry.

Be Heaven's Ambassador

2 CORINTHIANS 5:20 LB
20 We are Christ's ambassadors. God is using us to speak to
you: we beg you, as though Christ himself were here pleading
with you, receive the love he offers you--be reconciled to God.

An ambassador is a resident representative for the head of state
of their own country.

As citizens of Heaven, we are authorized to represent our King,
the Lord Jesus Christ, here on Earth.

An ambassador is a very important person. Unless they do their
job correctly, misunderstanding can easily develop -- and
possibly even war.

This is Heaven's problem. Its ambassadors have not always
clearly communicated the correct message to Earth's
inhabitants. That is why so many people are "at war with God"
instead of enjoying the blessings of peace with God.

The problem comes from people misunderstanding God, and not
realizing the sin problem has already been dealt with in
Christ.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 NLT
21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering
for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through
Christ.

The logic supporting the plea in verse 20, to be reconciled to
God, is found in verse 21: the sin separating us from God has
been dealt with through Christ. So we no longer need to hide
from God, or fear His judgment. Instead, we can enjoy His gift
of being made right with Him.

A good ambassador for Heaven must know the message of God, and
speak His message -- accurately.

One way of determining the accurate message of Jesus Christ is
found in John 8:31-32. Jesus said His message would make people
free -- not beat them down or put them in bondage.

God has a message that He desires for every person to hear: He
loves them, and will help them, if they will only turn to Him.

We must communicate that message clearly.

This message of God's love for mankind was displayed in and
through a person: Jesus of Nazareth. We learn of Him, and His
message, through a book -- the Holy Bible.

Actually, Jesus Himself was, and is, God's message. We need
only present Jesus to people as He truly was, and is -- and
they will be drawn to Him, because there is no fault in Him.

An ambassador does not speak for himself -- he speaks the
official policy and message of the country he represents.

So we are not here to give our opinion, but to proclaim what
God has said in His written Word, the Bible -- Heaven's
official message.

SAY THIS: I will be a good ambassador of Jesus Christ, to
represent Heaven, and speak His accurate message here on Earth.

You Are A Spirit

JOHN 4:24 NKJ
24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth."

GENESIS 1:26-27 NKJ
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to
Our likeness...."
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them.

Because we are created in the image of God, it follows that,
since He is spirit -- we are also spirit.

To say it clearly, you are a spirit-being, you have a soul
(mind and emotions), and you live in a body.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:23 NKJ
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely;
and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to Scripture, humans have 3 parts: spirit, soul, and
body. (Note that spirit and soul are not the same.)

ROMANS 12:1-2 NKJ
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Note that YOU are to do something with your body. So, your body
is not the real you, but something that you possess. Also, YOU
are to renew your mind (verse 2). You are not told to do
anything about your spirit in this passage because your spirit
is the part that is born again with new life from God when you
receive Jesus.

JOHN 3:6-7 NKJ
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

From this Scripture we see that when you are born again, the
part that is born again is your spirit -- not your mind, and
not your body.

So, the real you is your spirit -- which is born again, right
with God, and filled with His life. You are to control your
body, and to control what is fed into your mind, so that it can
be renewed by the Word of God to know the truth. Then your life
will be changed, and conformed to the will of God.

SAY THIS: According to the Bible, I am a spirit being. I have a
soul, and I live in a body.

Jesus Is Coming Back

ACTS 1:11 NKJ
11 ...This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,
will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

Jesus of Nazareth, born into this earth by the virgin Mary, who
was the pre-existent, eternal, Creator God, and who suffered
and died on a cross as mankind's substitute, is coming back to
earth again.

You probably have questions, such as "When?" and "Why?"

Fortunately, the Bible does give us answers, just not as many
as most of us would like. (This attitude is really a matter of
pride, thinking we know better than God how much information He
should share with us.)

Godly people, throughout history, have not all reached the same
conclusion by studying Scripture, about the specific timing and
events surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ.

What is crystal clear from Scripture is that Jesus Christ will
return to earth in triumph to rule over all. And that all
people should live in a state of readiness for His return.

(Since all the details are not clear, let us not fall into the
trap of fighting over this doctrine. The Bible does not say
that a perfect understanding of this subject is necessary for
you to be saved.)

My personal opinion is that the coming of Jesus Christ is
drawing very near. (Of course, I have been wrong about other
things.) One thing is sure: it will happen some day!

For a believer, the return of Jesus Christ to earth is the most
wonderful thing that could happen. Any fearfulness is a sign
that you do not know the Lord as intimately as you should.

As believers, we should look forward to the triumphant,
physical return to this planet of its rightful owner and ruler:
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Here are a few things Jesus said about His return.

MATTHEW 24:3,4,14,27,36,44 NKJ
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to
Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And
what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the
age?"
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one
deceives you.
14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the
world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will
come.
27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the
west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the
angels of heaven, but My Father only.
44 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour when you do not expect Him.

Jesus will return!

Be ready!

SAY THIS: Come Lord Jesus. Come back and straighten everything
out.

Make Room For Jesus

LUKE 2:7 KJV
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was
no room for them in the inn.

You probably think it was terrible that there was "no room in
the inn" and the baby Jesus had to be born in a stable and lay
in a manger.

If the people then truly understood who Jesus was, no doubt
they would have gladly opened their homes and provided much
better for Him. But do we not often make the same mistake?

The situation for Jesus today must be even more sad. Most of us
still do not make room for Jesus in our lives.

For some the reason is busyness, just being so caught up in
making a living and trying to take care of things that they
feel they just don't have time. (The truth is that with Jesus'
help, life will be better and easier.)

For others, it is fear: fear of what Jesus might think, or say,
or do, if He were invited, or even allowed access, into their
lives. (This fear is baseless because Jesus does not wreck
things but improves them. They need to know Jesus truly loves
them and desires the best for them, which He does.)

For some the reason is just lack of knowledge: they don't know
about Jesus and His love. (For these people, you are the
answer. You can share the wonderful story of God's love for
mankind.)

REVELATION 3:20 LB
20 "Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly
knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I
will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.

Jesus is persistent and still reaches out in love, expecting
that someday people will see Him as He truly is, overcome their
busyness and fear and ignorance, and enthusiastically invite
Him into the center of their lives.

Jesus does not enjoy being ignored, or being put in an inferior
place. Surely Jesus would like for us to accept and appreciate
Him for what He truly is: the Central One, Creator and
Sustainer of all, who knows more and can do more than we can
even imagine.

You may acknowledge Jesus and claim He is your Lord and Savior,
but do you neglect Him, or give Him a central place?

Do you talk to Him about everything? Do you thank Him for
everything good? You should.

Jesus does not want you to feel guilty about neglecting Him. He
loves you and just wants you to return His love. Jesus desires
a central place in your life so He can bless you more.

Don't ignore Jesus.

SAY THIS: I will always make room for Jesus in my life.

God's Word In Your Mouth

EPHESIANS 6:17 NIV
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.

The sword, or weapon, of the spirit is speaking the Word of
God. Left sitting in a book on your shelf, it does you no good.

A weapon must be used against an adversary to be of any
benefit. Our adversary is the devil and a weapon he uses is
doubt. We must speak God's Word to actively resist doubt, so it
won't defeat us.

JAMES 1:22 NIV
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.

We need to personalize the Bible, and act on it. The first, and
main, way to accomplish this is to speak in agreement with what
the Bible says.

For a short basic confession to get you started, look at
http://www.believers.org/helps/basiccon.htm

SAY THIS: I take the sword of the spirit and put it in my mouth
by speaking in agreement with the Word of God.

Light and Easy

MATTHEW 11:30 KJV
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Christians often struggle in their walk with the Lord, but it
should not be so. Have you ever thought, "It's so hard to be a
Christian!"?

I have.

At one time I believed it was so difficult being a Christian
that I had no motivation to tell others about the Lord. Living
for Jesus just seemed too hard for normal people.

How wrong and deceived I was!

Never forget that the message about Jesus Christ is the gospel
-- which means good news!

If you are having a hard struggle, it's not because of what the
Lord is requiring of you. The problem lies with yourself -- in
ignorance, pride, or unbelief, which the Lord will help you
overcome.

Walking with the Lord is meant to be a joy, not a burden. Yes,
there are trials and difficulties. But the Lord always helps us
and delivers us. (Even if it results in martyrdom, we will be
delivered!) Therefore, we can always trust in the Lord and
rejoice in Him. When we do that, every day can be a joyful day.

Living the Christian life is not supposed to be just a matter
of our willpower, but a matter of trust -- faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ. He is the One who carries the load. We are not
qualified and capable of saving ourselves by our own effort.
That's why we need a savior.

Too many people are trying to save themselves, instead of
trusting in Jesus to save them and make them into what He wants
them to be.

PHILIPPIANS 2:13 NKJ
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for
His good pleasure.

We do need to change -- to do better and be better. But our
focus needs to be on Jesus and not on ourselves. We need to ask
Him and expect Him to work in us and change us. The Christian
life is meant to be a constant fellowship with Jesus and
looking to Him in faith. Otherwise, in our own ability, it is
impossible.

Remember, Jesus is not out to condemn us, but to help us. He
loves us, and proved it by dying in our place.

SAY THIS: Living for Jesus is easy because the Lord is my
Helper.

Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge

Hosea 4:6 KJV
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . . .

Are people's lives destroyed because God does not love them? Do
people come to ruin and live in misery because God is callous
and uncaring?

NO!

People are destroyed for lack of knowledge -- even God's
people. What kind of knowledge? Knowledge that is available in
the Bible: how to walk in faith, how to overcome, how to get
prayers answered, how to resist the devil, etc.

God is not to blame for our troubles. God has already made
provision for us. But we must avail ourselves of what God has
provided.

How can we benefit from God's great provision if we don't even
know about it? So, we should seek the knowledge of God on our
own, and receive teaching from others, also.

There is not one among us who does not have much to learn. No
one yet is walking in the absolute fullness of what God has
provided.

This must be one of the saddest verses in the Bible. To think
that God's people are destroyed simply because of a lack of
knowledge. As God's children, they are our brothers and
sisters. It is our relatives being destroyed, and we should do
what we can to stop it.

Let's quit giving place to the devil by our lack of knowledge
of God's Word. And, as we learn from God's Word we should share
our knowledge with others, so they can walk in freedom and
victory, too.

SAY THIS: I will study God's Word so I can know the truth and
not let the devil destroy me for lack of knowledge.

Jesus Is The Only Way

JOHN 14:6 NKJ
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me.

The word translated "way" means road. Jesus is the road to God.

The Bible is clear. Jesus did not lie. There is no salvation or
access into Heaven without receiving Jesus Christ.

ACTS 4:12 NIV
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other
name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

The Bible clearly teaches there is only one name by which
people can be saved. That name is not Buddha, Confucius, or
Mohammed, but the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is no other way to God than through Jesus Christ.

SAY THIS: Jesus is the way for me to God.

God Is Just

PSALM 89:14 NIV
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you.

Every decent human being deeply detests injustice. When we see
it in life, or even in a movie, it agitates us. Nothing makes
our blood boil more than injustice.

We instinctively know injustice is wrong because God put that
within us when He made us in His image. You can be sure that
God's reign will never involve injustice of any kind.

PSALM 11:7 ICB
7 The Lord does what is right, and he loves justice. So honest
people will see his face.

While we may not understand all that God might do in judging
the human race, surely we can be confident with Abraham who
said in Genesis 18:25, "Will not the Judge of all the earth do
right?".

God is fair. God is just. God does what is right. God is
righteous. All these statements are equivalent.

People who would condemn God now are judging Him before the
time -- before all the evidence is in -- before God has
finished His great work with mankind. Then, and then only,
shall we see and understand fully the greatness of the mercy
and the justice of our wonderful God.

ISAIAH 9:7 NIV
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no
end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

SAY THIS: God is fair and just, and He is the ultimate and only
judge that really matters.

God Is Not Poor

PSALM 50:12 NASB
12 "If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is
Mine, and all it contains.

HAGGAI 2:8 NASB
8 `The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' declares the LORD
of hosts.

You probably knew that God is rich. But have you thought about
what that means?

Since God is not poor, surely He would not desire His children
to suffer poverty.

Misunderstanding has developed because most Christians think
Jesus was poor and that His followers should also be poor. Not
necessarily true, but a strong tradition.

Why did God create all the wealth of this world? Surely not for
the devil and his crowd.

God does not withhold good from us but desires blessing for all
His children. If it were otherwise, God would not even be as
good as earthly parents.

Any court would condemn an earthly father, who, although rich,
withheld support from his children. Should we think our Father
God is any less loving and caring and giving than an earthly
father? NO! Jesus taught that our Heavenly Father is much more
gracious and generous than any earthly father.

MATTHEW 7:11 NASB
11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven
give what is good to those who ask Him!

Just because you have not yet received the fullness of God's
blessing does not mean God does not desire that you have it. We
must grow up and quit blaming God. Instead, we should seek Him
for understanding and help so that we may receive all God has
for us.

Yes, God warns against trusting in riches or being deceived by
them. Anything can be dangerous if not used properly. Fire can
maim and kill, yet properly controlled it is a great blessing.
So it is with money.

God is not against His children having wealth. He just does not
want us to trust in it and worship it.

PSALM 35:27 NASB
27 . . ."The LORD be magnified, who delights in the prosperity
of His servant."

Let's line our thinking up with the Bible and quit letting the
devil rob us of the blessings God intends for us.

SAY THIS: God is my wealthy Father Who loves me and delights to
bless me.

God's Word Is Settled

PSALM 119:89 NKJ
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

Heaven is not running around trying to figure out the will of
God. His Word is settled in Heaven.

God surely had enough time before the Bible was written down to
make any changes in His plans. Now that He has given His Word,
He will keep it and see that it comes to pass.

MARK 13:31 NKJ
31 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no
means pass away."

ISAIAH 40:8 NKJ
8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God
stands forever."

1 PETER 1:23 NKJ
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but
incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides
forever,

JOHN 17:17 NKJ
17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

The issue is settled in Heaven. Now you should settle it: God's
Word is true. God said what He meant and meant what He said.

SAY THIS: God tells the truth, so I will not doubt what He has
said.

You Are Not A Failure

EPHESIANS 2:10 NIV
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You may have failed, but you are not a failure.

It is not the essence of what and who you are. Failure is just
something that happened to you.

God created you, and He made you able to do good. Maybe you
have not yet discovered what you were created for, but God has
a plan for you. When you fit into God's plan you will find that
God truly made you "a work of His art."

A donkey could compare itself to a race horse and think it was
a failure. But a donkey was created for other things than
running fast.

Find out what you were created to be and do. Then rejoice as
you do it.

SAY THIS: I am God's unique work of art -- still in progress.

Repentance

ACTS 17:30 NKJ
30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now
commands all men everywhere to repent,

To repent means to change. Repentance is a change of thinking
which results in a change of life.

Repentance involves a change of mind -- waking up to reality,
seeing things as they really are, and recognizing the error of
your ways -- resulting in a change of action.

Repentance includes forsaking old patterns, habits, priorities,
and all things that have controlled you (gods). Repentance
means accepting Jesus as Lord!

To repent is to forsake all other gods -- and embrace Jesus
Christ as your Lord and God.

The word translated "repent" in English New Testaments is the
Greek word metanoeo. It means to change one's mind, or to
convert. Not merely to forsake sin, but to change one's mind
regarding it. Metanoeo means to reform, to have a genuine
change of heart and life from worse to better.

The noun form of the Greek word we translate as "repentance" is
metanoya. It is a change of mind that involves both a turning
from sin and a turning to God.

The parable of the prodigal son is an outstanding illustration
of repentance. (Luke 15:10-21)

2 CORINTHIANS 7:10 NKJ
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be
regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Many mistake sorrow for repentance. As this verse shows, godly
sorrow leads to repentance, but they are not the same thing.

There is another Greek word, metamelomai, which means to have
remorse or regret. It is pain of mind, rather than change of
mind. "You're sorry you got caught".

Metanoya implies that one has later arrived at a different view
of something, metamelomai that one has a different feeling
about it. In remorse (metamelomai) a man sees the bitter end of
sin, in repentance (metanoya) he breaks free from it.

So, repentance has to do mostly with your thinking and
therefore your actions -- not your feelings.

Repentance is associated with renewing the mind (Romans 12:2).
When you know the truth -- truth makes you free as you act on
it (John 8:32).

SAY THIS: Jesus, I call on You to be my Lord. Please help me to
repent in every area of life and walk in agreement with you.

Put God First

MATTHEW 22:37-38 NKJ
37 Jesus said to him, "`You shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
38 "This is the first and great commandment.

The most important command is to love God with all your being.
As with all His commands, God does not give this for His
benefit, but for your benefit. Putting God first will bless
you, improving your life and well-being.

Loving people, while important, is only secondary according to
Jesus. In practice -- because God loves people -- loving Him
will result in you loving people also.

When you get your priority backward -- putting people and their
needs first -- you miss God's plan, and will be relatively
ineffective in helping people -- compared to what you could
have been if you put God first.

MATTHEW 6:33 CEV
33 But more than anything else, put God's work first and do
what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.

Determine to follow Jesus and obey Him. Don't allow anything
other than Jesus Christ to be your highest priority.

SAY THIS: My highest priority is God. I will put God first in
my life.

Delay Is Not Denial

LUKE 18:1 NKJ
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to
pray and not lose heart,

Many people give up too easily in prayer. When they don't see
the answer almost immediately, they quit.

God is not pleased with this approach.

You may say, "God knows my need. Why doesn't He just give it to
me, instead of playing games?"

Whether you agree with God's ways, or not: God is still in
charge and makes the rules -- not you. So, it does you no good
to argue or complain. Better to just line up with God instead
of fighting against His plan. Besides, in reality God's ways
are perfect, it is just that we are often too immature and
ignorant to understand all God is doing.

Scripture has many examples of people pressing in and receiving
answers to prayer. We should never be quitters when it comes to
prayer.

It is God's will to answer your prayers. He is the One who told
you to pray. God actually delights in answering your prayers.

(Never forget that God loves you more than you can imagine. God
loves you more than He loves Himself, and proved it by dying in
your place, so you could go free.)

"Then why are there so many delays?"

There is an enemy, the devil, who hates you and is against you
receiving your answer from God.

Second, some prayers involve other people, and God does not
force people to do His will, but works with them patiently so
they can see and do the right thing willingly. This takes time.

Third, there are things that God is working in you while you
are persevering in prayer. God's plan is for you to grow up
spiritually. God wants to enlarge your faith and encourage you
to develop a closer relationship with Him. If every answer
always came immediately, would you really press in and spend
time drawing closer to God and studying His Word?

Don't despair in prayer. Keep on praying in faith as long as
you are praying according to God's Word. A delay, even a very
long one, does not mean that God is saying no to your request.

SAY THIS: I will persevere in prayer.

If You Don't Know What To Believe

JOHN 17:17 NKJ
17 ". . . Your word is truth.

According to Jesus, the Word of God is truth. Yet many people
proclaim quite different messages -- all using the Bible as
their text. How can you know who to believe?

Jesus also told us that continuing to abide in the Word of God
would produce freedom -- not bondage.

JOHN 8:31-32 NKJ
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you
abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free."

So, look at the fruit produced by the message proclaimed. Is it
freedom? If not, then it must not be the ACCURATE message of
Jesus Christ.

The true message of Jesus Christ will set people free -- not
put them in bondage. It truly is good news, and makes people
happy when they correctly understand it.

JOHN 10:10 NKJ
10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they
may have it more abundantly.

If it produces death, stealing, or destruction, it is not God's
plan for you. Jesus came so you could have life in all the
fullness God intended.

What you need to do now is simple:

1) Stop listening to lies.

Anything that makes you think God does not love you, or that
you are hopeless or helpless -- is a lie. God is not against
you or mad at you. All your troubles have been caused by the
devil, and your ignorance, not by God.

2) Listen to the truth.

God's truth is good news. It will build you up -- and give you
an inheritance. It will give you good things, not take anything
good away from you.

ACTS 20:32 NKJ
32 "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of
His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Primarily, you need to read the New Testament for yourself.
Don't just depend on others to tell you what God said. And
before you read, ask the Lord to teach you and reveal Himself
to you.

Secondarily, listen to teachers and preachers who feed you the
Word of God which builds your faith and makes you love and
appreciate God more. Otherwise, quit listening to them.

Remember, the accurate message of Jesus makes you free. (Not
free to sin without consequences, but free from the bondage and
the effects of sin and its curse.)

SAY THIS: I will stop listening to and believing lies, and I
will listen to and believe the truth. God loves me and will
help me.

Prayer Strengthens You

ISAIAH 40:31 NKJ
31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength...

Too many people think of prayer only as asking God for what
they want. But prayer is much more than that. Prayer is
communication and communion with Almighty God. Somehow, in the
act of prayer we receive a transfusion of God's strength.

LUKE 22:46 NKJ
46 ..."pray, lest you enter into temptation."

Being strong enables you to not enter into temptation. Time
spent in prayer strengthens you spiritually. (Temptation
strikes us all. But we decide whether to yield to the
temptation, or not.)

JUDE 1:20 NKJ
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy
faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

According to Jude, praying builds you up, or edifies you.
Prayer is a spiritual exercise; the more you do it the stronger
you get spiritually.

Some may protest that they don't know how to pray. Just begin
to talk to God. And listen for His response, not through a
voice, but through His Word, or thoughts in line with His Word.
God is not so particular about how His children visit with Him.
Just do it!

SAY THIS: I choose to spend time with God each day in prayer
and receive God's strength and help.

Fight The Good Fight Of Faith

1 TIMOTHY 6:12 NKJ
12 Fight the good fight of faith . . . .

Christians are supposed to fight -- just not with each other.

Our struggle is about our faith. The devil wants our faith in
God to wither and die. God wants our faith to grow stronger.

The battlefield is your mind. The devil tries to keep his
evidence foremost in your thoughts: negative circumstances and
what your senses tell you. God's evidence is contained in His
unchanging Word: the Bible.

We must choose to feed the truths of the Bible into our
thinking to keep our faith strong.

The devil still tells mankind his old lie, "Has God said?"
which we could modernize as, "Did God really mean that?"

Yes, God meant what He said and said what He meant.

"Then why doesn't it seem that way when I look around at my
circumstances?"

Because you are supposed to fight the good fight of faith and
actively receive the promised blessings. God will bring His
Word to pass in your life when you actively believe it. God's
program is set up to reward those who trust Him.

You should resist and even rebuke thoughts of doubt, knowing
they originate with the evil one. You can say, "Doubt, I resist
you. Leave me alone. God is faithful and His Word is true."

You have authority over what you think. The Bible tells you
what to think about in Philippians 4:8. But you must exercise
your authority through words spoken. Otherwise, authority
doesn't benefit you.

HEBREWS 11:1 NKJ
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen.

Faith involves things not seen, or not discerned by
your physical senses. If you can see it or feel it you don't
need to have faith for it. Faith is your evidence until it
manifests to your physical senses.

God does not lie. His written Word is your faith evidence until
the blessing is evident even to your physical senses. Resist
the devil by continuing to believe God's Word.

A good fight is a fight you can win.

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will fight the good fight of faith
and win.

God's Protection

God doesn't want us to live our lives in fear. Over and over
the Bible tells us to fear not.

Yet with all the terrible things happening in the world, how
can we not be afraid? How can we overcome the temptation to
fear?

We must know and remember that God loves us and has a good plan
for us: including a home in Heaven and going to be with Jesus
when we die. So we should not fear death as it is a promotion
and a gain for a Christian believer (Philippians 1:21).

Also, we must know and remember the promises of God given in
the Bible concerning protection from evil, accident, and harm
in this life. For example:

PSALM 91:9-11 NKJ
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the
Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near
your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in
all your ways.

This is not to say that victims of tragic events are sinners,
or are not loved by God. Only that if we walk with God and heed
His direction, God promises to protect us.

LUKE 10:19 NKJ
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall by any means hurt you.

We know many good people have died unexpectedly. Yet the
promises of God stand true and should not be doubted. We don't
know what they knew or what they were believing. But we know
that God is faithful and keeps His promises.

There is a place of protection as you live close to God and
walk in faith. So do not be afraid!

SAY THIS: God gives His angels charge over me, to keep me safe
in all my ways.

Pray For Our Leaders

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2 NASB
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers,
petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may
lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Praying for our leaders is not a useless ritual. God would not
tell us to do something in His Word, unless it would make a
difference.

Sometimes, when bad things happen, people ask why God allowed
them to happen. But we should be asking ourselves why we
allowed them to happen: by not obeying God and praying.

If believers are praying as we ought, we can expect many bad
things and difficult times to be avoided.

Since God told us to pray for our leaders, it is our
responsibility.

Of course, we shouldn't limit ourselves to praying only for our
leaders. We should pray for all people. But we must not forget
to pray for our leaders. And not just when we face difficult
times, either.

SAY THIS: Father, I pray that you would give our leaders
wisdom, understanding, and insight into all the situations that
we face, and the courage to do what is right.

God Is A Good God

Luke 6:35-36 NKJ
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will
be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and
evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is
merciful.

Unfortunately, not many people understand that God is truly
good -- but He is. The world has been deceived into accepting
an image of God that's mean and vindictive, harsh and strict.

But the Bible, especially the fuller revelation given in the
New Testament, paints a different picture of God. He is a
Father -- a good Father.

It would be good news if we had a God who was kind to the
average person. But God doesn't stop there. According to Jesus,
who knows, God is kind to unthankful and evil people, too!

That may not be what you often hear preached, but that's what
Jesus said. The Most High God is kind to evil people.

Jesus also said that not only is God kind to evil people, but
He is merciful. In fact, one passage even says that God
delights in mercy! (Micah 7:18)

Too often people think God is mad at them, so there is little
chance He would help them. The opposite is true. Jesus told us
that God so loved the world . . . .

And He hasn't changed His mind.

SAY THIS: My Father God is a good God. He loves the people of
this world, including me.

Jesus Is A Savior

MATTHEW 1:21 NIV
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the
name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

The name "Jesus" actually means "the Lord saves" or "the Lord
is a Savior."

So, when we say "Jesus" we are actually saying "Savior." The
two words are synonyms.

The angel told Joseph what to name the son born to his wife
Mary -- and the reason for that particular name. Jesus: because
He will save. We could say, "Savior -- because He will save."

Being a savior is integral to Jesus' nature. That's what He is.
Not just something that He does. He IS, by His very nature, a
Savior.

But we are so used to hearing the word "Savior" in relation to
Jesus that it has lost its meaning for us. It no longer affects
our thinking the way it should. So we need to hear another word
-- Deliverer.

The word savior means deliverer. To save something means to
deliver it. To deliver something means to set it free from what
held it down and kept it from being whole.

You don't have to convince Jesus to deliver you -- He IS a
deliverer! That's what He does. It's as natural for Him to set
you free and make you whole as it is for you to breathe.

All you have to do is allow Jesus jurisdiction in your life.
Invite Him in. He will bring deliverance.

Too many people have been deceived into thinking that allowing
Jesus into their life would put them in bondage and hold them
back. No! Jesus brings freedom. He delivers you from bondage.

SAY THIS: Jesus is my Deliverer! He delivers me from everything
that would hold me down and keep me from wholeness.

Have A Happy Life

1 PETER 3:10-11 NLT
10 For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good
days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips
from telling lies.
11 Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in
peace with others.

Why just tolerate life when you can have a happy life?

Obviously, you have some choice in the matter, according to
these verses. So, make the obvious choice, and ask God to help
you.

Notice that the first instructions given in these verses
concern the words you speak.

What you say is enormously important, according to the Bible.
Yet, most believers are unaware of the importance Scripture
places on the words they speak.

Why not ask God right now to help you understand and apply this
instruction, so you can reap the benefits?

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for giving me a happy life and good
days. Thank you for helping me not to speak evil or tell lies.
Thank you for helping me to avoid evil, do good, and live in
peace.

Every Good Gift Is From Above

JAMES 1:13,16,17 WEYMOUTH
13 Let no one say when passing through trial, "My temptation is
from God;" for God is incapable of being tempted to do evil,
and He Himself tempts no one.
16 Do not be deceived, my dearly-loved brethren.
17 Every gift which is good, and every perfect boon, is from
above, and comes down from the Father, who is the source of all
Light. In Him there is no variation nor the slightest
suggestion of change.

God is not doing evil that good may come from it.

"Do not be deceived," the Bible tells us in verse 16 above.
Obviously then, brethren CAN be deceived -- and many ARE.

God is NOT the one behind the bad things happening. Deadly
storms such as tornados and earthquakes are not acts of my God.
Only good comes down from my Father God -- and He does not
change or vary from day to day.

John 10:10 LB
10 The thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My
purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

John 10:10 is the dividing line in the Bible. The purpose of
the devil is made clear: to harm you. The purpose of the Lord
is also clear: life in all its fullness -- life as God intended.

Jesus is for you. The devil is against you. It's as simple as
that.

SAY THIS: The devil is against me, so I am against the devil.
God is for me, so I submit to God.

God Is A Healer

EXODUS 15:26 NRSV
26 ...for I am the LORD who heals you."

When God first revealed Himself to the people of Israel after
their deliverance from Egypt, He called Himself "the Lord Who
Heals."

He didn't just describe Himself as a healer -- He actually gave
Himself that name. One of God's names is "The One Who Heals" or
we could just say "Healer."

Certainly God heals physically. Yet we should not limit our
thinking on this. God heals, or makes whole and sound,
everything that He touches. (So, if we need healing, our plan
should be to get closer to God.)

The idea of making whole and sound is what we should focus on.

God, by His nature, makes things whole. He IS a healer. A
healer of bodies, of minds, of relationships, of nations --
whatever needs making whole and sound.

The important point is to realize that we need not convince God
to heal, because that is His very nature.

No wonder that when Jesus of Nazareth, who was God in the
flesh, came along that:

MATTHEW 4:23 NRSV
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every
disease and every sickness among the people.

SAY THIS: I serve the God who heals. My God is a healer.

The Lord Is Good

PSALM 145:8-9 NKJ
8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger
and great in mercy.
9 The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all
His works.

The greatest deception is making people think God is bad. God
is not guilty -- of anything bad!

The devil wants us to believe God is bad: that He is uncaring,
that He does bad things to us, and that He is holding out on us
-- keeping us from enjoying good. But it isn't true. God loves
you more than you can imagine.

The devil is a liar -- he works by deception. The devil tries
to make us believe God is like him, and he is like God, which
is, of course, not true.

Because of satan's efforts to distort the truth, many people's
idea of God is actually what the devil is like.

PSALM 34:8 NKJ
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man
who trusts in Him!

We must, as Scripture admonishes, taste and see that the Lord
is good. Unless you have a relationship with God, you won't
know how good He is.

1 JOHN 4:8 NKJ
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God is a God of love. He puts the interests of others first. He
is not selfish. He desires the best for everyone.

SAY THIS: God is good to me. Thank You Lord for being good to
me. I refuse to believe the devil's lie that You are bad.

Don't Wait For Tomorrow

PROVERBS 27:1 NIV
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day
may bring forth.

Do what you need to do today.

Don't wait to receive Jesus. Don't put off doing the will of
God. Don't wait to tell someone you love them.

JAMES 4:13-15 NIV
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to
this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and
make money."
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is
your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and
then vanishes.
15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we
will live and do this or that."

You don't know what tomorrow holds -- or even if you will be
here tomorrow.

Keep your focus on God. Trust in Him, and do His will today.

SAY THIS: I will do what God leads me to do today.

God Is Your Father

2 CORINTHIANS 6:18 NKJ
18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and
daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."

I am truly sorry if your earthly father was not a good father.
But there are good fathers -- and certainly God is one.

Have you really thought about what it means to have God as your
Father?

Think of His power, His wisdom, His wealth. Then remember that
God loves you more than anyone else has ever loved you -- even
more than you love yourself.

No earthly father ever loved his children more than God loves
you.

Are you living your life in the light of this knowledge? Or,
are you acting like an orphan and worrying like you have no one
to take care of you?

JOHN 14:18 NIV
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

SAY THIS: God is MY Father. He loves me and takes good care of
me. I am not facing life all alone.

Jesus Will Not Reject You

JOHN 6:37 LB
37 But some will come to me--those the Father has given me--
and I will never, never reject them.

People may reject you. But Jesus won't.

Jesus died for sinners. He loves them and will help them -- if
only they will come to Him.

Jesus didn't come to condemn us, but to help us. Think of the
Bible account of the woman caught in adultery.

JOHN 8:11 NIV
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you,"
Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Religious people will reject you for any number of reasons. The
length of your hair, the food you eat, or the clothes you wear
are only examples of reasons they may reject you.

But Jesus is different. He will accept you just as you are.

Many people think they need to clean up their life and get
their act together before coming to Jesus. But they have it
backwards. They should come to Jesus now, and let Him "clean
them up."

If we could make ourselves perfect -- we wouldn't need a
Savior.

SAY THIS: Jesus is my Savior.