💥 Scriptures:

 

Proverbs 21:15  It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

 

 ***

Psalm 20:7  Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember The name of The Lord our God. (The Word)

 

***

Matthew 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

***

 

Romans 8:24-25  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

*** 

 

Philippians 2:14-15  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

 

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 

 

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💥 Romans 15 (Reading through the BIble)

 

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

² Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

³ For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on ME.

⁴ For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

⁵ Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

⁶ That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

⁸ Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

⁹ And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to Thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto  Thy name.

¹⁰ And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people.

¹¹ And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud Him, all ye people.

¹² And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and He that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles trust.

¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

¹⁴ And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

¹⁶ That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

¹⁷ I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, ¹⁹ Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

²⁰ Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

²¹ But as it is written, To whom HE was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

²² For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

²³ But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; ²⁴ Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

²⁵ But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

²⁶ For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

²⁷ It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

²⁸ When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

²⁹ And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

³⁰ Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

³¹ That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

³² That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

³³ Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

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💥 Podcast: God changes us dramatically from that person we once were

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on May 10, 2021) 

 

As we live on this earth, God often uses events of this life to make significant changes in us.

On television, they were showing a very "great" house which belonged to a famous person.  As I looked at that house on TV, I found I was so glad that I didn't have that house.  How different I am now!  What happened?  

God changed my heart!  

And I realized that God used an interesting event to change me.

In February, 2019, I moved from Texas to Colorado. I put my house in Texas on the real estate market.  It did not sell, though I often asked God to bring a buyer to that house. 

For 1 1/2 years it remained on the market.

When it did sell, I was so grateful to God that it was "finally" over, for it burdened me when I thought of it before it sold!  Now I was free!

Ever since that time, I have had no desire to have the responsibility again of dealing with property.

I suspect the delay in the sale of the house was used by God for my benefit to show me how wonderful it is to be free from physical property!

God arranged for me to live in the home of one of our church group.  She is truly born again and has the Spirit of God and follows God.  This has been better for me than any previous time of my 83 years of this life!

Sometimes when we have gone through a trial, we can look back and see how it helped us to have that trial.

Romans 8:28   And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose.

*****

The first big change comes when we are born again by God, by HIS Holy Spirit who now lives in us.

First, we were born of our parents, of the flesh, by the will of humans.

We walked in the flesh, doing the things of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21   Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 ***

When we are born again by God by HIS Spirit, we then are changed by God, and the Spirit of God lives in us, and we walk in the Spirit of God, doing as the Spirit shows us to do on this earth.

Galatians 5:22-26   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

The flesh tries to rise up in us to get us to do the will of our flesh.

But now the Holy Spirit of God lives in us and the Spirit rises up to show us the will of God and we keep our flesh crucified by choosing to go in the way of the Spirit, causing our own flesh to "suffer" because it no longer gets to run wild in us doing it's own will as it once did.

If we follow the Spirit, doing as the Spirit instructs, it is life.  To follow our flesh is death to us.

Romans 8

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending HIS own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

(Our flesh brings thoughts and ideas trying to lead us to go in the ways of the flesh.  But the Spirit brings opposite ideas showing us another way to go, which is the way of God.)

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of HIM that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by HIS Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

(The flesh tries to lead us, but the Spirit brings to our minds another way to do and we choose the way shown us by the Spirit, for that way is the way of God.)

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Proverbs 21:14  A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

 

 ***

 

Psalm 31:24  Be of good courage, and HE shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in The Lord.

 

***

 

Psalm 5:12  For THOU, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt THOU compass him as with a shield.

 

***

 

Psalm 55:22  Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and HE shall sustain thee: HE shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

 

*** 

  

Proverbs 19:23  The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

 

***

 

Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus says ... Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of MINE, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of MINE, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 

 

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💥 Romans 14 (Reading through the Bible)

 

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

² For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

³ Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

⁴ Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

⁵ One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

⁶ He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

⁷ For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

⁸ For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

⁹ For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.

***

¹⁰ But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

¹¹ For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

¹² So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

¹³ Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

¹⁴ I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

¹⁵ But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

¹⁶ Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸ For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

¹⁹ Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

²⁰ For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

²¹ It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

²² Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

²³ And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

 

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💥 Helped by God

 

Cathy Varner, member of the body of Christ

 

This is a seemingly small thing and I didn’t even pray about it, but God helped me on Monday of this week.

I took my sister’s dog, Taz, to a park while she was at work. When they first got him he was very bad at coming when he was called. He’d run off and it was difficult to catch him. But he has improved and lately when Joe (Cathy's husband) and I take him to a park, we let him run loose and he’s been doing very well with staying around.

I wanted to bring treats with me but had forgotten. I usually have a little ziplock bag of meat scraps for my dog, and especially wanted this to help entice Taz to come. But I figured I’d have to do without and hope he’d come when called. 

 

When I got to the park and looked in the very back, hoping I’d left some dry dog food there, I didn’t see any at first. But after looking all around I finally saw one of those little ziploc baggies with meat scraps. I couldn’t believe it.  I don’t remember ever putting it there. 

 

It relieved me and was such a blessing to be able to reward Taz when he came. And he did come running back to me every time he ran off a bit into the woods and I called him.

 

 

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💥 Mini Podcast: HE (God) restoreth my soul (Psa. 23:3)

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on May 25, 2021)

 

Through the years since I have been born again, God has "restored my soul" many times as I have been troubled.

He sent HIS Word and healed me and delivered me!  Instantly!

Example:

I was 83-years-old when this happened.  

All of a sudden thoughts began to bombard my mind.  "What if this happens?  What if that happens."

I cried out to God, "Help me!"

Instantly I heard this from the Holy Spirit:  "God will supply all your needs."

"That's right."  I exclaimed!

The Holy Spirit reminds us of all that Jesus has said.  

The Holy Spirit is "The Comforter."

John 14:26  Jesus said:  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Matthew 11:28-30  Jesus says:  Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.

Another example of God restoring my soul:  (Birthday card / recorded on this Podcast)

 

 

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Proverbs 21:13  Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

 ***

 

Proverbs 19:21  There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of The Lord, that shall stand.

 

***

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

 

***

 

Psalm 70:4  Let all those that seek THEE rejoice and be glad in THEE: and let such as love THY salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

*** 

 

Ecclesiastes 10:12  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

 

*** 

 

Proverbs 11:24-25  There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

 

 

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💥 Romans 13 (Reading through the Bible)

 

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

² Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

⁴ For he is the minister of God to thee for good.

But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

⁵ Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

⁶ For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

⁷ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

***

⁸ Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

⁹ For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

¹⁰ Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (The Word), and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

 

 

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💥 Unexpected help (and fun!) worked out by God

 

Pam Padgett, member of the body of Christ

 

Thursday morning of last week I was in my back yard and the next-door neighbor's 11-year old son, Josiah, was outside as well. He came to the fence to talk and told me he was on spring break. He asked what I planned to do that day and I told him I would probably rake leaves in the afternoon. He immediately said "I'll help you!" and asked what time to come.

Josiah has come to my mind several times since, tragically, his dad moved from their home last October to be with another woman. When Josiah has come to mind, I've prayed, asking God to help him in whatever he needs. After seeing Josiah that morning, I asked God to please give me wisdom in what to say and do when Josiah came to rake leaves that afternoon.

Josiah came right at 2 o'clock and in less than an hour, we had 6 large bags of leaves. I wasn't led to say anything that seemed important; we mostly just bagged leaves. Before he left he thanked me for letting him come over. I told him I planned to work again the following afternoon and he was welcome to come help if he wanted to do so. He said he'd do that.

Friday afternoon Josiah came and brought his friend to help as well. The 2 boys worked very well together. I simply told them what to do, and they would do it.

At one point the boys found an old table turned upside-down in some leaves. They asked if they could sand and paint it, which was fine with me. I hadn't planned on this and had only black and cranberry colored exterior paint. They painted the table top cranberry with a raspberry-shaped figure, smiling and waving on it. The table legs were painted black ... with cranberry-colored polka dots!

It was such a delight for me to get to watch the boys work together, and they got far more done than I could have gotten done on my own. Incredibly, they wanted to come back and work more the next day.

That evening I was thinking about all of this, thanking God and laughing at little things that had happened along the way.

 
Then the Holy Spirit reminded me of my prayer regarding Josiah. I felt I was being shown that "this", the time working at my house, is what Josiah needed on those afternoons.

And I was reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9, in which God says ...

8 For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.

I had no idea that just coming to help me with yard work was what Josiah needed at that exact point in time, but it makes me happy to think of how God worked all this out. 

 

And God worked it out not only for Josiah, but for me as well.  I still smile when I think about how much fun it was to watch the boys work. And it's nice to see the yard cleaned up. But I especially enjoy the table with polka-dot legs!

 

 

*** 

 

Comments by Beth Martin:  

 

I am reminded of :

 

Ephesians 3:20-21

20 Now unto HIM that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

 
21 Unto HIM be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

 

 

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💥 Mini Podcast: Why do people divorce?

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on May 20, 2021) 

Jesus gives one reason people divorce.  Their heart becomes hardened toward their mate.

Mark 10

2 And the Pharisees came to HIM (to Jesus), and asked HIM, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting HIM.

3 And HE answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?

4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. (also please see 1 Corinthians 6:15-19)

9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

10 And in the house HIS disciples asked HIM again of the same matter.

11 And HE saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

God hates divorce.

Malachi 2:16   For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that HE hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Please listen to the following Podcast for extensive information and all New Testament scriptures on subject of divorce and remarriage.

"Divorce/remarriage:  What the Bible says.  (click here)

*****

At the time of sexual intercourse, the two become one flesh.  Even if you have sex with a prostitute you become one flesh, says the Bible.

I Corinthians 6

15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith HE, shall be one flesh.

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

***

The only scriptural reason for a man to divorce his wife:  

Matthew 5:32  Jesus says:  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

* If the divorced woman, who has been a faithful wife, remarries, she commits adultery.

* Her husband who divorced a faithful wife is the cause of her adultery.

* The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

***

I Corinthians 7:10-11  (A commandment of the Lord for the New Testament church)

And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

***

I Corinthians 7:39   The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

***

Romans 7:2-3   For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

 

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💥 Scriptures:

Proverbs 21:21  He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

 

 ***

 

Romans 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

 

***

Mathew 11:28-30  Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 

29 Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 

30 For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.

 

***

 

Psalm 16:11 THOU wilt shew me the path of life: in THY presence is fulness of joy; at THY right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

 

*** 

 

Proverbs 8:10-11  God says:   Receive MY instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

 

  

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💥 Romans 12 (Reading through the Bible)

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

(Renew your mind to Bible.)


***

³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

⁴ For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: ⁵ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, 
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering (serving):
or he that teacheth, on teaching;
⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation:
he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;
he that ruleth, with diligence;
he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

⁹ Let love be without dissimulation.

(real, without pretense)


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Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

¹⁰ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

¹¹ Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

¹² Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

¹³ Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

¹⁵ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

¹⁶ Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

¹⁷ Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

¹⁸ If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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¹⁹ Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

²⁰ Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

²¹ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

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💥 Podcast: Hereby we do know that we know God, if we keep HIS commandments (1 Jn. 2:3)

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on May 9, 2021)

As we read the New Testament Bible, we see the Word of God which shows us how we, who belong to God, are to live on this present earth.

I John 3:24   And he that keepeth HIS commandments dwelleth in HIM, and HE in him. And hereby we know that HE abideth in us, by the Spirit which HE hath given us.

When we belong to God, HE gives us HIS Holy Spirit to live in us and to teach us and to guide us.

We follow the Spirit of God, walking in HIM as we do HIS instructions.

We no longer follow the will of our own flesh as we once did.  Now we follow that which the Spirit of God shows us, walking in the Word of God and walking in the will of God.

We keep our flesh crucified with Christ, the Word, as we do the Word, refusing to obey that which our flesh desires.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Now we are born again by God by HIS Spirit and HIS Spirit lives in us.

1 Corinthians 3:16   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is not that we go to church.  Now we are the church, for God is in us by HIS Spirit and we now follow HIM.

Therefore Jesus says to us:

John 10:27-30   MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of MY hand. MY Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand. I and MY Father are one.

After we are born again by God and have HIS Spirit, we want to read the Bible.  We want to hear things of God.  We are new creations, created by God by HIS Spirit who speaks God's word to us.

I Corinthians 6:9-11  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We no longer live the way we once lived.  We no longer desire to do and to say those things we once did and said.  We are now new creatures, created by God by HIS Spirit Who now lives in us.

Now we serve God instead of serving ourselves as we once did.

We abide in God's Word and we walk in HIS Word, obeying HIM.

God changed us.  It is not that we changed ourselves.  God changed us!  Now we are born again by God by HIS Spirit.

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After we are born again and have God's Spirit living in us, we do the works of the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

(For the Spirit fulfills the law, for the Spirit does not hate as does the flesh.)

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft (superstitions), hatred, variance (arguing: to vary against), emulations (trying to outdo others), wrath (desiring vengeance against others), strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Instead of beating people as we once did, now, because of the Spirit that is in us, we want to help other people.  The Holy Spirit would never seek adultery or fornication for that would hurt other people.  Now because of the Spirit that is in us, we walk in love toward others.  

 

It is not that we try to love.  We love them because of that Spirit Who loves and lives in us.  Now love and all the fruits of the Spirit are inside of us because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us.  

 

It is not that we try to do the works of the Spirit.  We do godliness because that Spirit in us is godly.  And we walk in that Holy Spirit as we follow that which HE shows us to do.

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Proverbs 21:5  The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

 

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Psalm 73:26  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

 

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John 14:1-3  Jesus says:  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in ME. (the Word)

 

2 In MY Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto MYSELF; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

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Jeremiah 17:7-8  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

 

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

 

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Psalm 138:8  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: THY mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of THINE own hands.

 

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