What a faithful God has me...

I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.

A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.

Deuteronomy 32:3,4 NIV

_______________

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:8,9 NIV

_______________

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 NIV

_______________

In thy steadfast love spare my life,
that I may keep the testimonies of thy mouth.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is
firmly fixed in the heavens.

Thy faithfulness endures to all generations;
thou hast established the earth, and it stands fast.

Psalm 119:88-90 RSV

_______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

God Our Father - Faithful, Merciful and True

For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Deuteronomy 4:31 NIV

_______________

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Numbers 23:19 KJV

_______________

It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 NASB

_______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

Wait on the Lord

The LORD is my light and my salvation; 

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path,
because of mine enemies.

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies:
for false witnesses are risen up against me,
and such as breathe out cruelty.

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see
the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 27:1, 11-14 KJV 

Counting the cost

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:11,12 KJV

______________

"Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations."

Isaiah 51:7,8 NIV

______________

Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light.
And your judgment as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:5-7 NASB

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

LIFTER OF MY HEAD

But thou, O Lord,

art a shield for me;

my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalm 3:3 kjv

FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, when your shoulders are drooping, and your heart is heavy, look to Me. Life is filled with ordinary days, but I can make them extraordinary if you let Me. I care about your concerns. I will not only lift your eyes toward heaven, so you can get a glimpse of My glory, but I will also lift the burdens of your heart. Trust Me.

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
Morning by morning, Lord, You lift me high above the cares of my world, far beyond the enemies of fear, depression, rejection, and discouragement. With pride and satisfaction, I can see on a clear day forever—a sneak preview of my permanent heavenly place with You. Thank You, Lord, for visions of hope.

SIMPLE TRUTH

Looking up always gives us a fresh perspective.

For more from Rebecca, please visit www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com

10 Ways to Tell You're Slipping

It's surprising how God's people awaken one day and suddenly realize they have fallen away from the closeness they used to enjoy with the Lord. The signs have been there all along, but they were not paying attention.

Here are some tests I have discovered for spotting signs of slippage in my own walk with the Lord, evidence that I'm losing the intimacy with Him that always meant so much in my personal life.

10. You know you're slipping when the big thing you look forward to on a Sunday is a football game.

9. You know you're slipping when reading the Bible no longer excites you, angers you, or challenges you.

8. You know you're slipping when you finally get up off the couch and get involved in some ministry the Lord has been laying on your heart and the first thing you do is start criticizing all the other couch potatoes who are only doing the same thing you have been doing all this time.

7. You know you're slipping when, after slacking off in your tithing over the past year, instead of feeling guilty, you find yourself criticizing the regular tithers for their self-righteous and legalistic attitudes.

6. You know you're slipping when you can read the Ten Commandments and give yourself a passing grade on all of them.

5. You know you're slipping when you can go a whole day without praying and it not bother you one bit.

4. You know you're slipping when you can have a dirty thought and justify it as "what normal humans do."

3. You know you're slipping when you feel a nudging from the Holy Spirit to speak to that person or give to this one or make a phone call to another and you squelch it.

2. You know you're slipping when you decide to reward yourself for doing well by skipping your Bible reading and prayer for that day.

1. You know you're really, really slipping when the problem of slipping doesn't cause you great concern.

(Feel free to take a moment to respond below and share ways you've noticed when you are slipping from your faithfulness).

Dr. Joe McKeever is a Preacher, Cartoonist, and the Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. Visit him at joemckeever.com/mt. Used with permission.

Freedom from sin... walking in the light

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:7-9 NIV

______________

(Speaking to the woman caught in the act of adultery)

And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

John 8:11,12 NASB

______________

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.

Ephesians 5:8,9 KJV

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

Redemption in Him: Christ Has Set Us Free!

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5,6 NIV

______________

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Galatians 1:3-5 KJV

______________

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 2:24,25 NASB

______________

How's the memorization project coming? "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

Be an overcomer! Memorize Romans 6.

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

No longer slaves to sin.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 6:6,7 NIV

______________

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1 John 2:1-3 KJV

______________

This is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.''

Acts 10:42,43 NASB

______________

In Christ, we are more than conquerors... Try memorizing Romans 6 - the whole chapter and ask the Lord to help you overcome sin on a daily basis!

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

He gives us a new heart!

For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Ezekiel 36:24-27 KJV

______________

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:17,18 NIV

______________

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 6:12-14 NASB

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

The Bread of Life KJV

"I Am The Bread of Life"

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:35-40 KJV

If God is for us, who shall stand against us?

Whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:33 NIV

______________

They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid.

I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore.

Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 34:28-30 NASB

______________

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear:
though war should rise against me,
in this will I be confident.

Psalm 27:1-3 KJV

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

If you love Me... you'll obey Me

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful
to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you,
as he swore to your forefathers.

He will love you and bless you and
increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your
land - your grain, new wine and oil--the calves of your herds and the lambs of
your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.


Deuteronomy 7:12-13 NIV

______________

If I then, the
Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's
feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.


Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor
is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things,
you are blessed if you do them.

John 13:14-17 NASB


______________

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


Matthew 7:19-21 KJV

______________

A good man obtaineth
favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not
be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.


Proverbs 12:2,3 KJV

______________

Do not worry then,
saying, "What will we eat?' or "What will we drink?' or "What will we wear for
clothing?'

"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom
and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not
worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:31-34 NASB

______________


Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only
begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that
saves is faith in Him.

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Seek ye first the Kingdom and His righteousness

Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the
LORD.
Whoever of you loves life and
desires to see many good days,

keep your tongue from evil and your
lips from speaking lies.


Psalm 34:10-13 NIV

______________

A good man obtaineth
favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not
be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.


Proverbs 12:2,3 KJV

______________

Do not worry then,
saying, "What will we eat?' or "What will we drink?' or "What will we wear for
clothing?'

"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom
and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not
worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:31-34 NASB

______________


Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only
begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that
saves is faith in Him.

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Begin the Year With Courage

Author: Mary Wilder
Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 1
Chronicles 28:20 Romans
7:6

Begin the Year With
Courage

Be strong and of good courage ... fear not, nor be dismayed; for the Lord
God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake
thee.
1 CHRONICLES 28:20

That we should serve in newness of spirit.
ROMANS 7:6

HELP us, O Lord! behold we enter
Upon another year today;
In Thee our
hopes and thoughts now centre,
Renew our courage for the way;
New life,
new strength, new happiness,
We ask of Thee; oh, hear, and bless !

JOHANN RIST

THE year begins; and all its pages are as blank as the silent years of the
life of Jesus Christ. Let us begin it with high resolution; then let us take all
its limitations, all its hindrances, its disappointments, its narrow and
common-place conditions, and meet them as the Master did in Nazareth, with
patience, with obedience, putting ourselves in cheerful subjection, serving our
apprenticeship. Who knows what opportunity may come to us this year? Let us live
in a great spirit, then we shall be ready for a great occasion.

GEORGE HODGES

Walk cheerfully and freely in God's service.

ST. TERESA

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He came to serve; let us walk as He walked.

He asked them, "What were you arguing about on the
road?"

But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who
was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone
wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."


Mark 9:33-35 NIV

______________

Do you see a man wise in
his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs
26:12 NASB

______________

And whoever wants to be first must be
your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:27,28 NIV


______________

Thanks be unto God for his wonderful gift:


Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our
faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

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Led by the Spirit

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it
is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according
to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the
misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of
God are sons of God.

Romans 8:12-14 NIV

__________________


But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue
thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And
whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that
asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.


Matthew 5:39-42 KJV

__________________

And He said to
them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or
brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will
not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal
life."

Luke 18:29,30 NASB

__________________

So put to
death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with
sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good
things of this life, for that is idolatry. God's terrible anger will come upon
those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of
this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior,
slander, and dirty language.

Colossians 3:5-8 NLT


__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith;
the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

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Zechariah's Song

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath
visited and redeemed his people,

And hath raised up an horn of salvation
for us in the house of his servant David;

As he spake by the mouth of
his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

That we should
be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

To
perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;


The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

That he would
grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might
serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him, all
the days of our life.

Luke 1:68-75 KJV

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For Unto Us A Child Is Born

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

Jesus is the
Prince of Peace, bringing peace between
A Holy, Righteous God and sinners
like you and me.

Prophecy:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us
a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Fulfillment:

"And, having made peace through the blood of his
cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they
be things in earth, or things in heaven."

Colossians 1:20

~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world."

John 16:33

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


And, He is the wonderful counselor in Isaiah 9 as well


Fulfillment:

"And when he was come into his own country, he
taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said,
Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?"

Matthew 13:54


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"But he passing through the midst of them went his
way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the
sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with
power."

Luke 4:30-32

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"That their hearts
might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full
assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of
the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge."

Colossians 2:2-3

__________________

Thanks
be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of
God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in
Him.

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Messiah would suffer at the hands of sinners

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth

-------------

Messiah would suffer at the hands of sinners to redeem them.

Prophecy:

"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."

Isaiah 50:6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fulfillment:

"Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands"

Matthew 26:67

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him."

Mark 15:19,20

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He would be rejected and despised by His own people.

Prophecy:

"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."

Psalm 118:22

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fulfillment:

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."

Matthew 21:42-43

_____________

We need a Savior because we are sinners,
and the wages of sin is death...

Thanks be unto God for his wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.