Expecting a Call

Lord, I exalt You above all things. May Your kingdom come this day and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Help me to embrace the calling You have for me. Show me what it is You want me to do and the timing of when You want me to do it. I know that You have a purpose for my life.

Enable me to a great ambassador for Your kingdom. May people love You more because of what they see of You in me. Only by the power of Your Spirit can this be accomplished.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us…2 Corinthians 4:7

Lord, I know You have great purpose for me and a plan for my life. Open my ears to hear Your voice leading me into all You have for me. Align my heart with Yours and prepare me to understand where You would have me to go and what You would have me to do. Help me to hear Your call.

If my expectations and plans are out of alignment with Your will for me, I surrender them to You. I let my desires for myself die. I would rather endure the suffering of that than the plan of never realizing what You made me to be.

You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…1 Peter 2:9.

Think it over.

Throw your shoulder back, put a smile on your face, and be looking for opportunities to stretch into the next level.

The key is to get your eyes off your problems and onto your God.

Out of our greatest rejection comes our greatest direction.

     

Teachings of Christ

Devil

Matthew 13:38-39  

38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

Diligence

John 9:4  

As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

Disbelief

John 5:38  

Nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.

Discernment

Matthew 16:2-3  

2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’

3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Discipleship

Luke 14:33  

In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Disputes

Mark 9:33-34  

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”

34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

God’s Verse for God’s people

Comfort and Help

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

1 Thessalonians 5:14

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Questions

Why is important for children to go to Sunday School?

Proverbs 22:6

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

What did Hannah promise God, if He would give her a son?

1 Samuel 1:11

And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

Did she keep that promise?

1 Samuel 1:24

After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

Whom should we love even more than our father or mother?

Matthew 10:37

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

What is promised us if we honor our parents?

Exodus 20:12

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Where is he?

“Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, where is he…John 7:11”

Let us try to answer this question.

Is he at the bottom of your heart?

Is he at the root of your joys?

Is he on the throne of your heart?  

Is he near you by constant converse?

Is his presence manifested in your spirit, your words, and your actions?

Is he before you, the end of your journey, the terminus towards which you are daily hastening?

Our glorious Master is always at home, but does not always hold his receptions in the same chamber. One while he will see us in his closet, and anon in his great hall. Today he meets us in the porch, and tomorrow in the innermost room. In reading the Bible I meet him in his library, in working for him I commune with him in the garden. When full of hope I walk with him on the housetop, at another time I wait for him in the secret places of the stairs. It is well to be in the parlor where he talks in sermons or in his drawing-room where he converses in holy fellowship; but the best room of the house is that wherein he spreads his table, and makes himself to be our bread and wine. In any case, the one desire of our heart is to find him, and live upon him.

I am tempted to do wrong:

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”—1 Corinthians 10:13

Talents:  

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”...James 1:17.

A clean ministry

John 15:3  

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

John 17:16  

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17  

16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

Ephesians 5:1-7  

1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

Hebrews 12:14  

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Righteousness

2 Corinthians 9:9  

As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

2 Corinthians 9:10  

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

2 Corinthians 11:15  

It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Galatians 2:16  

know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 2:17  

“If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!

Galatians 3:6  

Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Galatians 3:8  

The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

Galatians 3:11

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”

Galatians 3:21  

Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

A New Creation

 “If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

At our new birth God remakes our souls and gives us what we need, again. New eyes so we can see by faith. A new mind so we can have the mind of Christ. New strength so we won’t grow tired. A new vision so we won’t lose heart. A new voice for praise and new hands for service. And most of all, a new heart. A heart that has been cleansed by Christ….- Max Lucado

Why must People Be Baptized?

Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved:

Mark 16:16

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

1 Peter 3:21

And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Unto the forgiveness of sins:

Acts 2:38

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Be baptized and wash away your sins:

Acts 22:16

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

In order to walk in a new life:

Romans 6:4

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

To be born anew of water and the Spirit:

John 3:3-5

3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.