Be Still and Know That I am God.

                        In Stillness Listen

                             Turn off the alarm and get up--early,

                                               Turn off the TV,

                                                The VCR,

                                               The Radio,

                                               The Computer

                                                The Telephone, Mobiles

                                                The Oven.

                               Tune out all worldly cares,

                                                Close the door,

                                                Bend your knees,

                                                       Listen      

       “Be still, and know that I am God”.

        He speaks to those who listen….

                        In silence, waiting.

                               Listen

                        For insight

                        Answers.

                        Blessings.

                        Conviction.

                        Encouragement.

                        Love.

    His still, small voice speaks to those who listen.

                        Change happen.

                        Love is renewed.

                   Blessings are bestowed

                        Joy replaces tears.

                    Miracles occur---daily.

                       Lives are touched.

                 The spirit makes us whole.

                Those who bend their knees

                        And in stillness listen

                                Know that

                               HE IS GOD

Culprit or Comfort?

Culprit or Comfort?

When we experience adversity and trials, we may blame ourselves and feel we have done something wrong to deserve punishment. While honest self-examination is healthy, we should not become preoccupied with our faults and failures.

It's even worse if someone else tries to load guilt on us when we are going through a tough time. That was the mistake of Job's friend Eliphaz, a man with a high view of God and a great respect for His moral standards. He correctly observed that when we do what's right we are doing only what God requires. Therefore, we shouldn't expect special praise or reward (Job 22:3). But Eliphaz mistakenly insisted that Job's trouble was the result of his own wickedness (v.5). He was also wrong in promising Job that God would bless him and give him immediate relief if he would repent.

Most of our troubles are the result of living in an imperfect world. God uses these adversities, however, to prepare us to help others. Paul said that God comforted him in his trials so that he could comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

When trouble invades our lives or the lives of others, let's not immediately conclude that the culprit is sin. Instead, let's seek God's comfort so we can comfort others.

Oh, comfort us, Lord, when life's trials assail--How often we stumble, how often we fail;

But You would renew us, and help us to grow That others Your goodness and comfort may know.

God can transform trials into triumphs.

“To Serve’ and ‘to give’ should define your life.

“For Christians, service is not something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came ‘to serve’ and ‘to give’—and those verbs should define your life on earth, too”

Confess

Proverbs 18:21 

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Quotes on Obedience

True spiritual life depends not on probing our feelings and thoughts from dawn to dusk but on “looking off” to the Savior!   Watchman Nee

Follow Him as well for the bitter cup of His passion as for the loaves.   Jeremy Taylor

The history of all the great characters of the Bible is summed up in this one sentence: They acquainted themselves with God, and acquiesced His will in all things.   Richard Cecil

We do not understand and then obey: that is instruction. We obey by faith, and then we understand: that is illumination.   Warren Wiersbe

Believing for more

Believing for more

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Genesis 11:31

Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.

Having a positive vision

Matthew 6:22-23

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Genesis 15:5

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Develop a better picture

Mark 8:18

Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?

1 John 5:14-15 

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

15  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Thoughts on This Verse....

Confidence before God. That's sort of an oxymoron if you meditate upon it. Yet through the presence of Jesus at the Father's right hand and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, we can have confidence and come boldly before the Creator of the universe and know that he not only hears us, but also cares for us. Wow, what an audience! Oh, and one final thing, he also ACTS on what we ask.

Your

Your 

Your reasonable service

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Your Salvation

Ephesians 1:13

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Your election of God

1 Thessalonians 1:4

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

Your faults

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1 Peter 2:20

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

Your work

Revelation 2:23

I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

Chorus - Salvation

Except a man be born again, except a man be born again,

Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom,

Take kingdom of God, he cannot see the kingdom.

Christian Love

It constrains us

2 Corinthians 5:14

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

It is the binding force of Christian fellowship

Philippians 2:2

Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Colossians 2:2

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

It is the fulfilling of the law

Romans 13:10

Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

It is bond of perfectness

Colossians 3:14

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

It is the fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

It is the demonstration of our discipleship

John 13:34-35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

It is greater than all things

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Jesus is the only way

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Matthew 11:27

“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Isaiah 35:8

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.

9 No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there,

Revelation 22:17

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Revelation 22:1

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Revelation 20:15

If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 1:5

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

2 John 1:9

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

1 John 1:1-2

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

Blessings of Doing the Will of God

To abide forever

1 John 2:17

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

The new birth

1 John 2:29

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

Righteousness like Christ

1 John 3:7

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Confirmation that one’s deeds are of God

John 3:21

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Answers to prayer

John 9:31

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.

Chorus - Bible

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;

Wonderful things in the Bible I see,

This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Daily Thoughts

. God’s love does not keep us from trials but sees us through them.

. We need to know God’s truth to expose Satan’s lies.

. Live so that others know whom you belong to.

. Our secret sins are open scandal to God.

Facts about Neighbors

Lying to forbidden

Leviticus 6:2-9

2 “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him,

3 or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do—

4 when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found,

5 or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering.

6 And as a penalty he must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, his guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value.

7 In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty.”

Leviticus 19:11

“‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie. “‘Do not deceive one another.

Defraud not and Do not rob

Leviticus 19:13

“‘Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.

Judge righteously

Leviticus 19:15

“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

Tale bearing to, forbidden

Leviticus 19:16

“‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD.

Friendship

John 15:13  

Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.

Proverbs 18:24  

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 17:17  

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10  

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

1 John 4:7  

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Proverbs 27:6  

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Proverbs 27:9  

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

Proverbs 27:17  

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 28:7  

He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

Maids in the Bible

Maids who played important parts in the lives of Bible Characters

Hagar

Genesis 16:-1-8  

1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar;

2 so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.

4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

6 “Your servant is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.

8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I'm running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

Zilpah

Genesis 29:24

And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

Genesis 30:9-12  

9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

10 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she named him Gad.

12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.

Overcoming

John 17:1 

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

Thoughts on This Verse....

John 17 is one of the most moving chapters in all the Bible. Jesus knows he is going to die. He knows he is spending his last few hours before his death with disciples who do not understand what he is about to do and why he is about to do it. Jesus has two key goals in mind as he prepares himself, and his disciples, for their life ahead without him. He wants them to be one so they can remain strong and influence the world for God. He wants what he does to bring glory to the Father. While he faces humiliation and abandonment, his desire is to bless others. We are going to face hardship. What will be our goal!? Hmm, no wonder we are reminded to fix our eyes on Jesus and follow his example.

Evangelism:

"Revival, as contrasted with a Holy Ghost atmosphere is a clean-cut breakthrough of the Spirit, a sweep of Holy Ghost power, bending the hearts of hardened sinners as the wheat before the wind, breaking up the fountains of the great deep, sweeping the whole range of the emotions, as the master hand moves across the harp strings, from the tears and cries of the penitent to the holy laughter and triumphant joy of the cleansed. They are fools who belittle such holy experiences and warn against ‘excessive emotionalism.’ Such do not even understand the make-up of ‘Man soul,’ still less the ways of the Eternal Lover with His beloved." – Norman Grubb

Overcoming

We can overcome the world, the flesh and the devil by using the weapons of the Kingdom of God. The Lord has given us authority and power through the Holy Spirit to defeat every enemy and become more than conquerors.

1 John 2:14

I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Isaiah 59:9

So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.