God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us.

God will give us what we need for our journey. God comforts. God provides. All we have to do is follow.

When we walk in the light of Christ, we grow into who God wants us to be.

I delight in God, and God delights in me.

When we commit our way to God, we can rest assured that God is trustworthy and will act to our benefit. Even if the response is different than we expect, we can trust God and the outcome.

God can help us to forgive even if reconciliation is not possible.

Living the new life God offers starts now. It is not only about Christ preparing us for heaven; it is also about Christ giving us new life so we can work to make this world more like God wants it to be, to show a little of God's eternal kingdom to the people around us. We are ambassadors for Christ, showing the world that Christ is relevant for our life both here and hereafter!

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We want God to change our circumstances, but God wants to use our circumstances to change us.
It can be easy to think that God is obligated to make life easy for us and to remove all of our difficult circumstances. But, the truth is that during hard times God is preparing us for greater things. If He removed the difficult circumstances in our lives, we would probably never mature.
James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." In other words, rejoice in "trials of many kinds", because they test your faith, which causes you to grow closer to God. Indeed, God assures us that something beneficial can come from the hard times in life.
If you are going through trials now, take hope in the fact that almost everyone in the Bible who did great things for God also had to endure great hardships. For example, in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, Paul recounts many of the difficult circumstances that he had gone through: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked."
Clearly, Paul had suffered greatly for the Gospel. However, God used those circumstances to make Paul more mature and to give him a great love for God and for spreading God's Word. Now, Paul is widely considered the second most important person in the New Testament—behind Jesus, of course. However, we must remember that Paul had to go through many difficult trials. It was those times of testing that caused Paul to grow closer to God, qualifying him to be a great witness for Christ.
This same principle can be seen in almost every other person in the Bible who did great things for God. It was during times of testing that such people developed the strength and character for which we respect them.
Therefore, don't always beg God to change your circumstances. Instead, view each as an opportunity for God to change you, making you "mature and complete, not lacking anything." Weekly Wisdom

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Christians are supposed to be the light of the world, but you can't be a light if you're not plugged in.
Jesus calls us, his disciples, the light of the world: You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).
If you want others to see Christ in you, then you must put on love (Colossians 3:12-14) and display the Fruit of the Spirit (Matthew 7:16-20; Galatians 5:22-23).
However, that requires spending time in God's presence. Psalm 91:1-2 says, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." The rest of Psalm 91 goes on to list amazing promises that will come true in your life if you fulfill the first two verses; that is, if you dwell in God's presence and confidently trust in Him.
In order to be a light to the world, we must stay plugged in to God by dwelling in His presence. Author Unknown

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You Are God's Conduit
It is God who works in you... Philippians 2:13 NKJV
A conduit is a channel through which things like water and electricity move from one point to another, and you are God's conduit! You are designed to be a free-flowing channel for Jesus Christ Himself. God has chosen you to be His 'change-agent' in the earth. In the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:10) the original Greek says, 'Come thy kingdom. Be done thy will' Jesus no longer walks among us physically, but He has given us His mandate and all the power we need to carry it out. In other words, it's going to happen through you. God promised 'Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours… ' (Deuteronomy 11:24 NKJV). We bring the influence and benefits of God's kingdom wherever we go. The problem is, our 'receivers' don't always work. It takes faith to believe we actually hear God's instructions, just as it takes faith to believe an unseen radio wave is passing through our living rooms. Because we're confident of that reality, we tune in, receive and transmit.
Scientists tell us that the greatest metal conduit is pure gold. According to the Bible, 'the genuineness of your faith… much more precious than gold… ' (1 Peter 1:7NKJV). Certain obstacles can block our ability to receive and be conduits for God. If our hearts are hard, our wires are down, or if we're unaware of our identity as conduits, we go through life without tapping into the power God's given us. We must be full of the Word of God, and most importantly, spend time in intimacy with the Lord in order to be God's conduit. The Vine

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Joseph’s life was anything but peaceful. It was complicated by youthful folly, broken dreams, and the mean-spirited actions of others. He was sold into slavery by jealous brothers. He was thrown into prison on false charges. Yet he remained a man remarkable for his lack of bitterness or regret, always seeing God as the “Great Engineer” behind even the worst of circumstances.
In a final confrontation with his brothers, he graciously noted, “You meant it for bad; God meant it for good.” The theology packed in that statement is astounding! “God meant it for good” means...
You can accept the past! No sin, no action, no choice on your part is too big for God to handle, or too big to be worked for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) Ask his fearful and famished brothers, who were forced to rely on him for survival.
You can embrace the present! There’s no need to play the “what if” game. The past is gone, and no energy you expend will ever change it. The future is in God’s omnipotent hands, so you’re free to focus on the present. Your job is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, trusting him to forgive the past and transform the future. Jim Eliot once wrote, “Wherever you are, be all there!” – not living in the past and not fantasizing about the future. God wants you in the present because that’s where his grace will flow.
You can look expectantly toward the future! Even if you make mistakes today, God still controls your future. Walking in the Spirit, you can live life to the fullest, unafraid of making mistakes and unconcerned that you may stumble into some terrible circumstance that takes you out of God’s control. Even when things appear to be terrible, you can trust that God is working out some divine plan through you.
So what? No matter how bad things get, God is still able to bring good out of it. Today, thank God that nothing – no disaster, no delay – is bigger that his ability to turn it into something good and godly. Thank God and let go! Thank God that He is sovereign over your past, your present, and your future. Give God the circumstances, disasters, hindrances, hurts, and sins from your past. Give God your current situation, your disasters, hindrances, hurts, and sins of today.
Praise God that he can work anything in your future for godly good, that you can walk in confidence that there is nothing anyone can do to you, or anything you can do that will be beyond the reach of God’s grace and redemption. Look for God’s hand. Walking by faith means you see God’s hand even in the most difficult of circumstances. You trust His ability and his willingness to transform the bad into godly good.
God is not limited by people’s motives. In other words, it doesn’t matter why someone hurt you, God still can transform a deliberate, mean-spirited situation into something for His good. First Impressions

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Making the Most of Your Time
“‘...teach us to number our days...’“ Psalm 90:12 NKJV
Our days are like identical suitcases, but some people pack more into them than others. That’s because they know what to pack. Everybody gets twenty-four hours, but not everybody gets the same return on them.
The truth is, you don’t manage your time, you manage your life. Time cannot be controlled; it marches on no matter what you do. Nobody – no matter how shrewd – can save minutes from one day to spend in another. No scientist is capable of creating new minutes. With all his wealth, Warren Buffett can’t buy additional hours for his day.
People talk about trying to ‘find time’, but they need to quit looking; there isn’t any extra lying around. Twenty-four hours is the best any of us is going to get.
Wise people understand that time is their most precious commodity. As a result, they know where their time goes. They continually analyze how they are using their time and ask themselves, “Am I getting the best use out of my time?”
In his book, “What To Do Between Birth and Death: The Art of Growing Up,” Charles Spezzano writes: “You don’t really pay for things with money, you pay for them with time. We say, ‘In five years, I’ll have enough money put away for that vacation house we want. Then I’ll slow down.‘ That means the house will cost you five years – one-twelfth of your adult life. Translate the dollar value of the house, car, or anything else into time, and then see if it’s still worth it.” Author Unknown

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On Bended Knee
Have you ever watched a bird sleeping on its perch and never falling off? How does it manage to do this?
The secret is the tendons of the bird’s legs. They are so constructed that when the leg is bent at the knee, the claws contract and grip like a steel trap. The claws refuse to let go until the knees are unbent again. The bended knee gives the bird the ability to hold on to his perch so tightly.
From sleeping birds we can learn the secret of holding things which are most precious to us – honesty, purity, thoughtfulness, honor, character. That secret is the knee bent in prayer, seeking to get a firmer grip on those values which make life worth living. In Ephesians 3:14 we read, “For this reason, I kneel before the Father.” When we hold firmly to God in prayer, we can rest assured he will hold tightly to us. Author Unknown

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Your Hand in Prayer
1. Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to ones to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C.S. Lewis once said, a “sweet duty.”
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom for pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God’s guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger, the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
When you find it hard to get to sleep tonight, just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.
When you find yourself stuck in traffic, don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
When you have a bad day at work, think of the man who has been out of work for the last three months.
When you despair over a relationship gone bad, think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.
When you grieve the passing of another weekend, think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for $15 to feed her family.
When your car breaks down, leaving you miles away from assistance, think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
When you notice a new gray hair in the mirror, think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
When you find yourself at a loss, and pondering what is life all about, what is my purpose, be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.
When you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember, things could be worse. You could be them. Author Unknown

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Judging a Book
An interesting number of antique leather-bound books are being purchased for their covers and not their content.
Interior designers buy them by the linear yard and use them to create a warm, old-world atmosphere in the homes of affluent clients. Of prime importance is whether they match a room’s decor. One wealthy businessman purchased 13,000 antique books he will never read just to create a library look in his renovated home. Those books are just for show.
Focusing on outward appearances can be a pleasing way to decorate a house, but it’s a dangerous way to live. Jesus reprimanded many religious leaders of His day because they did not practice what they preached. “But all their works they do to be seen by men...” (Matthew 23:5a) They were addicted to receiving praise and feeling self-important.
We are to be people of inner substance, not just outward appearance. Our content is far more important than our cover. We are here for more than show. Author Unknown

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Can and Will
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8
Everybody has been corrected on the difference between "can I?" and "may I?" when asking a question--as in, "Teacher, can I get a drink a water?" "It's ‘May I,' Johnny--and yes you may." "Can" refers to ability while "may" refers to permission or volition. Strangely, Christians get confused between ability and volition when it comes to trusting God.
We know that God "can" do anything. But we lose faith when it comes to God's willingness. We have no problem trusting Him for both His ability and His willingness to save us from the penalty of our sins. Somehow, we believe God can and will make our salvation a reality. But when it comes to trusting God for, say, our financial needs, we falter. We know God "can" meet our needs but we're not sure He will--in spite of what Jesus' said: ". . . it will be given . . . you will find . . . it will be opened . . ." (Luke 11:9; italics added).
When you see "will" in Scripture associated with God's actions, take it as a promise from Him: He "can" and He "will" meet your need.
Whatever God did and was able to do and willing to do at any time, God is able and willing to do again, within the framework of His will. A. W. Tozer

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Taking Root: Pull Weeds
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7
About a hundred years ago, the British writer, James Allen, wrote a little book entitled As a Man Thinketh. He said the thoughts we cultivate in our minds will grow up and will show up in our attitudes, actions, and words. "A (person's) mind may be likened to a garden," he wrote, "which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind."
In other words, every garden becomes a hopeless thicket of vines, grass, scrubs, briers, and nettles unless a dedicated gardener seeds, feeds, and weeds it. Our minds and our lives are the same. We've got to weed the bad thoughts out of our minds and the bad habits out of our conduct.
With God's help, we can cultivate our thoughts, pulling up weeds and planting the fertile seed of His Word. With Christ's help, we can rid our lives of bad habits, one by one.
Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds; Fill it up with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
The enemy has released an attack against you to press you into service in ways that I have not called you, says the Lord. And, if you refuse, he will heap up condemnation against you to try to force you to be misled and distracted. Recognize this onslaught for what it is and stand firm without remorse or regret. This will be a strong and important test of your discernment. Quiet your thoughts and emotions so that you can know in every situation whether or not you have the witness of the Spirit with your spirit as to what you must do. Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit...

The last round of attacks from the devil have left many of you fractured and disoriented. But you, My people, must begin to look up again. Put your hope and faith in Me, says the Lord. When you begin to seek My face in earnest, I will release a powerful move of My Spirit to bring healing and restoration to you both individually and corporately. Put your trust in Me. Jeremiah 39:18 "For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.

You are on the threshold of spiritual breakthrough, and the enemy is frantically doing all he can to keep this from happening. You are a threat to his invasion. Watch closely for his intrusion into your life through circumstances, interaction with others, and even your own thoughts and emotions. Give him no ground whatsoever. Resist him at every turn, and he will flee, says the Lord. That is a promise! James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Come into My presence and be still. Release every burden and every disturbing thought and emotion, and just rest. For, certainly as you are quiet before Me, I will comfort you, fill you to overflowing with My Spirit, and release healing and restoration into your entire being. No more worry or striving or clamoring. Just rest. I am the God who heals you and delivers you from calamity and destruction, says the Lord. Psalm 91:1-11 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
My desire is to make you a well watered garden; a habitation of My presence; a place of fruitfulness; a place where the waters freely flow and the trees of life drink from those streams. May it be that new wells of living water spring up in your life and bring forth the presence of My authority in these days. May those waters bring you in to a place of blessing, a place where you can come and abide with Me; a place of refreshing and a place of renewal. For indeed these are My works in these days to restore you and to bring you forth in victory over all the power of the enemy, says the Lord.

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Fill Me Lord
Lord as I kneel here before you
in love and gratitude;
There's an empty feeling within my heart,
which is longing to be renewed.
There are times when I feel your anointing oil
flowing all through me
But then there are times when I feel so drained,
and I need to be replenished entirely!
I need your wisdom and guidance
for I've come to a standstill it seems;
Let the light from your lighthouse shine through the darkness
and light my way with it's beams!
Lord fill this empty vessel,
Till it's overflowing and pouring out from me,
To those who are lost and need shown the way......
That I'll be there to lead them to thee!
In your word you promised to answer me
and show me great and mighty things;
I may not have all of the answers now,
But in this barren wasteland I shall find living streams!
For you Lord, I know, are faithful
and my prayers I know you will heed;
When I've taken the plunge into your living waters,
I shall be filled with your wisdom indeed!
Helen Johnson

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Lord of Lords
Be quiet, be still, and let me hear
The whisperings of my mind
The Lord is trying to tell me things
I need to make some time.
Such wondrous things I am hearing
Of peacefulness, bliss, and love
All of this is waiting for us
In His Kingdom up above.
Eternal happiness and joy
Such love we've never known
No sadness, tears, or grief
We've learned our lessons, our souls have grown.
Loved ones and relatives waiting for us
They will greet us at the gate
Forever and an eternity
We'll be with them and our mate.
Jesus will take us by the hand
Down the garden path we'll stroll
So many beautiful things to behold
So many beautiful souls.
We'll meet our Heavenly Father
We'll be told everything there is to know
No more questions, only answers
He tells me this will be so.
2006 Chee Chee Martin

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“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:9-10

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load. Galatians 6:1-5

18 “ Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. 26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. 28 In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death. Proverbs 12:25-26; 28

Honor Masters
1 Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. 2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
Error and Greed
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The Good Confession
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
Instructions to the Rich
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Guard the Faith
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.
Grace be with you. Amen. 1 Timothy 6

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Take Courage! Your Sins are Forgiven!
Perspective. How you see or perceive things in relationship to other things. Perspective is the ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance. Perspective is the technique artists rely upon to represent three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional surface. Perspective is someone’s ability to properly understand their current circumstances in light of past events and potential future situations.
Facing financial difficulties? Relationship problems? Trouble on the job? Having some health issues? Most everyone would say that at least one of those things fits their current situation. And, most certainly, Christians are not immune to the problems and issues of this life. But, how does the believer see their situation? Proper perspective is necessary!
In Matthew 8, as well as in Mark 2, we read about a man who was paralyzed. He was unable to move anywhere on his own. A difficult problem, for sure. The man had friends who were so concerned about him and his paralysis, that they were willing to put him on a mat, carry him to the roof, cut a hole in the roof, and lower him through the hole, in order for him to meet Jesus.
You would think that this man’s most pressing problem, and his greatest need, was the paralysis that plagued his body. That certainly is what his friends believed. And, hearing that Jesus healed people, they did all they could do to bring their friend to Jesus.
What were Jesus‘ first words to this man? “Take courage! Yours sins are forgiven!” You see, Jesus put things in the proper perspective. The man’s greatest need was not physical – it was spiritual. The physical paralysis meant little in comparison to the spiritual freedom that he was to have in Christ!
Yes, we will all face problems. We all have many concerns. But, we all need to have proper perspective. All of our seemingly large “problems” have “come to pass.” We need to take courage! Our sins have been forgiven through Christ! Author Unknown

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Not "If," but "Where"
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27
One of the most important things to remember about life as we know it is this: We are not living the life God created us to live. After Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden due to their sin (Genesis 3), everything changed. And no change is bigger than death. Mankind was created to live eternally; but that eternal life is to be interrupted by death (the ultimate result of sin), followed by resurrection to eternal life. The question is, "Where will one's eternal life be spent?"
Again, the Garden of Eden is the model. God created mankind to fellowship with Him for eternity. Therefore, the Bible speaks of only two options for eternal life: with God (heaven) or not with God (hell). Jesus said in John 3:18 that failure to believe in God's plan for saving mankind from sin results in condemnation--spending eternity apart from God. But believing in God's plan results in being saved from condemnation and experiencing "everlasting life" (John 3:16). The question is not "if" we live eternally, but "where."
Make sure you have answered the question of "where" you will spend eternity by believing in Jesus Christ.
The beginning of the way to heaven is to feel that we are on the way to hell. J. C. Ryle

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Lord, Thank you for the new life that we have in you. May our lives reflect your beauty so that people will be drawn to you. Teach us to trust you in every circumstance. Even in the midst of doubt, help us to place ourselves in your care and under your watchful eye. Help us to worship you in every moment of every day. Help us to be more attentive and to give people what they really need. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
Deuteronomy 17
1 “You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God. 2 “If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing His covenant, 3 who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, 4 and it is told you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination has been committed in Israel, 5 then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone to death that man or woman with stones. 6 Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among you. 8 “If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses. 9 And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment. 10 You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the LORD chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. 11 According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you. 12 Now the man who acts presumptuously and will not heed the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13 And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously.
Principles Governing Kings
14 “When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. 18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

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O Lord, Thank you for being with us on any road we must travel. When we come to a wilderness, guide us. We trust you to keep us strong until the journey is through. Thank you for Christ, the Light, who came to make clear the way to a truly fulfilled life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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