We, However, Have The Mind Of Christ. (I Corinthians 3) GNT

1   As a matter of fact, my friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith.

2   I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it,

3   because you still live as the people of this world live. When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards?

4   When one of you says, I follow Paul, and another, I follow Apollos—aren't you acting like worldly people?

5   After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God's servants, by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do:

6   I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow.

7  The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow.

8  There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done.

9   For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field.   You are also God's building.

10  Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build.

11  For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.

12  Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw.

13  And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality.

14  If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward.

15  But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire. 

16  Surely you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you!

17  God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple. 

18  You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world's standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise.

19  For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God's sight. As the scripture says, God traps the wise in their cleverness;

20  and another scripture says, The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.

21  No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do. Actually everything belongs to you:

22  Paul, Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future—all these are yours,

23  and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God

God's Wisdom (ICorinthians 2:6-16) GNT

6    Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature.  But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world---powers that are losing their power.
7    The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from mankind, but which he had already chosen for our glory even before the world was made.
8    None of the rulers of this world knew this wisdom.  If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9    However, as the scripture says, "What no one ever saw or heard, what no one ever thought could happen, is the very thing God prepared for those who love him."
10   But it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit.  The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes.
11   It is only a person's own spirit within him that knows all about him; in the same way, only God's Spirit knows all about God.
12   We have not received this world's spirit; instead, we have received the Spirit sent by God, so that we may know all that God has given us.
13   So then, we do not speak in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual truths to those who have the Spirit.
14   Whoever does not have the Spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God's Spirit.  Such a person really does not understand them; they are nonsense to him, because their value can be judged only on a spiritual basis.
15   Whoever has the Spirit, however, is able to judge the value of everything, but no one is able to judge him.
16   As the scripture says, "Who knows the mind of the Lord?  Who is able to give him advice?"  We, however, have the mind Christ.

Christ the Power and the Wisdom of God (ICorinthians 1:18-31) GNT

18   For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power.
19   The scripture says, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the scholars.
20   So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world's wisdom is foolishness!
21   For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called foolish message we preach, God decided to save those who believe.
22   Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom.
23   As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles;
24   but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25   For what seems to be God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
26   Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing.
27   God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful.
28   He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important.
29   This means that no one can boast in God's presence.
30   But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free.
31   So then, as the scripture says, Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.

Warning To Be Watchful (Romans 16:17-20) GNT

17  I urge you, my brothers: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people's faith and go against the teaching which you have received.  Keep away from them!

18  For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites.  By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people.

19  Everyone has heard of your loyalty to the gospel, and for this reason I am happy about you.  I want you to be wise about what is good,  but innocent in what is evil..

20  And God, our source of peace, will soon crush satan under your feet.  The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Please Others, Not Yourselves (Romans 15:1-6) GNT

1  We who are strong in the faith ought to help the weak to carry their burdens.  We should not please ourselves.

2   Instead, we should all please our brothers for their own good, in order to build them up in the faith.

3   For Christ did not please himself.  Instead, as the scripture says, "The insults which are hurled at you have fallen on me."

4   Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement which the Scriptures give us.

5  And may God, the source of patience and encouragement enable you to have the same point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus,

6  so that all of you together may praise with one voice the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do Not Make Your Brother Fall (Roman 14:13-23) GNT

13   So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin.
14   My union with the Lord Jesus makes me certain that no food is of itself ritually unclean; but if you believe that some food is unclean, then it becomes unclean for you.
15   If you hurt others because of something you eat, then you are no longer acting from love. Do not let the food that you eat ruin the person for whom Christ died!
16   Do not let what you regard as good get a bad name.
17   For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives.
18   And when you serve Christ in this way, you please God and are approved by others.
19   So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another.
20   Do not, because of food, destroy what God has done. All foods may be eaten, but it is wrong to eat anything that will cause someone else to fall into sin.
21  The right thing to do is to keep from eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that will make other believers fall.
22   Keep what you believe about this matter, then, between yourself and God. Happy are those who do not feel guilty when they do something they judge is right!
23   But if they have doubts about what they eat, God condemns them when they eat it, because their action is not based on faith. And anything that is not based on faith is sin.

Do Not Judge Your Brother (Roman 14:1-12) NLT

1    Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.

2    For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 

3    Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 

4    Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

5   In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 

6    Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.

7    For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.

8    If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9    Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

10   So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

11   For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”
12   Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

Duties Toward One Another (Romans 13:8-14 (GNT)

8   Be under obligation to no one---the only obligation you have is to love one another.  Whoever does this has obeyed the Law.
9    The commandments, "Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not desire what belongs to someone else"--all these, and any others besides, are summed up in the one command, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
10   If you love someone, you will never do him wrong; to love, then, is to obey the whole Law.
11   You must do this, because you know that the time has come for you to wake up from your sleep.  For the moment when we will be saved is closer now than it was when we first believed.
12   The night is nearly over, day is almost here.  Let us top doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for fighting in the light.
13    Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day---no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy.
14    But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop paying attention to your sinful nature and satisfying its desires.

Christian Conduct (Titus 3:1-11) GNT

1    Remind your people to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey them, and to be ready to do good in every way.
2    Tell them not to speak evil of anyone, but to be peaceful and friendly, and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone.
3     For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong.  We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds.  We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them.
4     But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed,
5     he saved us.  It was not because any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.
6     God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7     so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.
8     This is a true saying.  I want to give special emphasis to these matters, so that those who believe in God may be concerned with giving their time to doing good deeds, which are good and useful for everyone.
9     But avoid stupid arguments, long lists of ancestors, quarrels, and fights about the law.  They are useless and worthless.
10   Give at least two warnings to the person who causes divisions, and then have nothing more to do with him.
11   You know that such a person is corrupt, and his sins prove that he is wrong.

The Tongue (Proverbs & James) NIV

The tongue is a very powerful instrument.  It can either call down blessings from heaven or bring curses (failure) into your life.  If there are areas in your life that need changing, your tongue is the best tool to use to bring about that transformation.   Here are some verses from the Bible which reference the tongue.

Proverbs 10:19  When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 15:4  The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 17:20 A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

Proverbs 17:28  Even a fool is thought wise if he keep silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 21:23  He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

Proverbs 25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Proverbs 26:28  A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruins.

James 3:5  Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

James 3:6   The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person,  sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James 3:8   but no man can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

James 3:9   With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.

What Should Be Taught (Titus 2:1-15)GNT

1    But you must teach what agrees with sound doctrine.
2    Instruct the older men to be sober, sensible, and self-controlled; to be sound in their faith, love, and endurance.
3    In the same way instruct the older women to behave as women should who live a holy life.  They must not be slanders or slaves to wine.  They must teach what is good,
4    in order to train the younger women to love their husbands and children,
5    to be self-controlled and pure, and to be good housewives who submit themselves to their husbands, so that no one will speak evil of the message that comes from God.
6    In the same way urge the young men to be self-controlled.
7    In all things you yourself must be an example of good behavior.  Be sincere and serious in your teaching,
8    Use sound words that cannot be criticized, so that your enemies may be put to shame by not having anything bad to say about us.
9    Slaves are to submit themselves to their masters and please them in all things.  They must not talk back to them
10  or steal from them.  Instead, they must show that they are always good and faithful, so as to bring credit to the teaching about God our Savior in all they do.
11  For God has revealed his grace for the salvation of all mankind.
12  That grace instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world,
13  as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear.
14  He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.
15  Teach these things and use your full authority as you encourage and rebuke your hearers.  Let none of them look down on you.

A Prayer Of Thanks For Victory (Psalms 118) GNT

1    Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2     Let all Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
3     Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
4     Let all who fear the LORD repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
5     In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free.
6     The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
7     Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8     It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people.
9     It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
10  Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all with the authority of the LORD.
11  Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all with the authority of the LORD.
12  They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a crackling fire. But I destroyed them all with the authority of the LORD.
13  My enemies did their best to kill me, but the LORD rescued me.
14  The LORD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.
15  Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!
16  The strong right arm of the LORD is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!
17  I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the LORD has done.
18  The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not let me die.
19  Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the LORD.
20  These gates lead to the presence of the LORD, and the godly enter there.
21  I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!
22  The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
23  This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.
24  This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25   Please, LORD, please save us. Please, LORD, please give us success.
26   Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27   The LORD is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
28   You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you!
29   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 

In Praise Of The Lord (Psalms 117) GNT

1  Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise Him, all people!
2  His love for us is strong, and his faithfulness is eternal.

Praise the Lord!

Someone Saved From Death Praises God (Psalms 116) GNT

1     I love the Lord, because he hears me;  he listens to my prayers.
2     He listens to me every time I call to him.
3     The danger of death was all around me; the horrors of the grave closed in on me; I was filled with fear and anxiety.
4     Then I called to the Lord, I beg you, Lord, save me!
5     The Lord is merciful and good; our God is compassionate.
6     The Lord protects the helpless; when I was in danger, he saved me.
7     Be confident, my heart, because the Lord has been good to me.
8     The Lord saved me from death; he stopped my tears and kept me from defeat.
9     And so I walk in the presence of the Lord in the world of the living.
10   I kept on believing, even when I said, I am completely crushed,

11   even when I was afraid and said, No one can be trusted.
12   What can I offer the Lord for all his goodness to me?
13   I will bring a wine offering to the Lord, to thank him for saving me.
14   In the assembly of all his people I will give him what I have promised.
15   How painful it is to the Lord when one of his people dies!
16    I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did. You have saved me from death.
17   I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and offer my prayer to you.
18-19  In the assembly of all your people, in the sanctuary of your Temple in Jerusalem,
      I will give you what I have promised.

   Praise the Lord!

DAILY PRAYER

(To be Prayed Out Loud)

Heavenly Father, I come to You now in the Name of my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.  Holy Spirit, I pray that You will quicken me to hear my Heavenly Father’s Voice and lead me in prayer. Holy Spirit, I ask you to reveal to me any un-confessed sins I have in my heart at any time. Heavenly Father, I bow and worship before You. I come to You with praise and with thanksgiving. I come to You in humility, in fear, and in trembling and seeking truth. I come to You in gratitude, in love, and through the precious Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Amen.  

God Our Protector (Psalms 91) GNT

1   Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty,
2    can say to him, "You are my defender and protector.  You are my God;  in you I trust."
3    He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases.
4    He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you.
5    You need not fear any dangers at night or sudden attacks during the day
6    or the plagues that strike in the dark or the evils that kill in daylight.
7    A thousand may fall dead beside you, ten thousand all around you, but you will not be harmed.
8    You will look and see how the wicked are punished.
9    You have made the Lord your defender, the Most High your protector,
10   and so no disaster will strike you, no violence will come near your home.
11   God will put his angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go.
12   They will hold you up with their hands to keep you from hurting your feet on the stones,
13   You will trample down lions and snakes, fierce lions and poisonous snakes.
14   God says, "I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord.
15   When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them.  I will rescue them and honor them.
16   I will reward them with long life; I will save them."

The Revelation to John (Revelation 1:4-8) GNT

4  From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace be yours from God, who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits in front of his throne,
5  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born Son, who was raised from death and who is also the ruler of the kings of the world.
He loved us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins
6  and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father.  To Jesus Christ be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
7  Look, he is coming on the clouds! Everyone will see him, including those who pierced him.  All peoples on earth will mourn over him.  So shall it be!
8  "I am the first and the last."  says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.

Keep Yourself in God's Love (Jude 20-23) NIV

20  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
21  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life..
22  Be merciful to those who doubt;
23  snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Receiving God's Grace (Jude 24-25) NIV

24  To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy---
25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!   Amen,

Wisdom Is Calling (Proverbs 8:1-14) GNT

1    Listen!  Wisdom is calling out.  Reason is making herself heard.
2    On the hilltops near the road and at the crossroads she stands.
3     At the entrance to the city, besides the gates, she calls;
4     "I appeal to you, mankind; I call to everyone on earth.
5     Are you immature? Learn to be mature.  Are you foolish?  Learn to have sense.
6     Listen to my excellent words; all I tell you is right.
7     What I say is the truth; lies are hateful to me.
8     Everything I say is true; nothing is false or misleading.
9     To the man with insight, it is all clear; to the well-informed, it is all plain.
10   Choose my instruction instead of silver; choose knowledge rather than the fine gold.
11   "I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels; nothing you want can compare with me.
12   I am Wisdom, and I have insight; I have knowledge and sound judgement.
13   To honor the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and false words.
14    I make plans and carry them out.  I have understanding, and I am strong.

Jesus The Real Vine (John 15:1-17)GNT

1   "I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener.

2   He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does not bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit.

3   You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you.

4   Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you.  A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do only if it remains in the vine.  In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5   "I am the vine, and you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.

6   Whoever does not remain in me is thrown out like a branch and dries up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.

7   If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it.

8   My Father's glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples.

9   I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love.

10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

12  My commandment is this; love one another, just as I love you.

13  The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them.

14  And you are my friends if you do what I command you.

15   I do not call you servants any longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing.  Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

16  You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures.  And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name.

17  This, then, is what I command you:  love one another.*****

*****Jesus words are in red

Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7-11) GNT

7   "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8   For everyone who ask will receive and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to him who knocks.
9   Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread?  
10  Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish?
11  As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children.  How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!*****

***** The words spoken by Jesus appear in red

The Wisdom From Above (James 3:13-18) GNT

13  Is there anyone among you who is wise and understanding?  He is to prove it by his good life, by his good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.
14  But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom.
15  Such wisdom does not come down from heaven, it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.
16  Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.
17  But the wisdom from above is pure first of all, it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.
18  And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.

The Rewards of Wisdom (Proverbs 2:2-15 & James 1:5) GNT

Proverbs 2:1-15
2    Listen to what is wise and try to understand it.
3   Yes, beg for knowledge, plead for insight.
4    Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure,
5    If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God.
6    It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding.
7    He provides help and protection for righteous, honest men.
8    He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him.
9    If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair.  You will know what you should do.
10  You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure.
11  Your insight and understanding will protect you
12   and prevent you from doing the wrong thing.  They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say----
13   men who have abandoned a righteous life to live in the darkness of sin,
14   men who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil,
15   unreliable men who cannot be trusted.

James 1:5
5    But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who will give it to him; because God gives generously and graciously to all.

David's Prayer (1Chronicles 17:16-27)GNT

16  Then King David went into the Tent of the Lord's presence, sat down, and prayed.

        "I am not worthy of what you have already done for me, Lord God, nor is my family.

17  Yet now you are doing even more; you have made promises about my descendants in the years to come, and you, Lord, God, are already treating me like a great man.          

18  What more can I say to you! You know me well, and yet you honor me, your servant.

19   It was your will and purpose to do this for me and to show me my future greatness.

20   Lord, there is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God.

21  There is no other nation on earth like Israel, whom you rescued from slavery to make them your own people.  The great and wonderful things you did for them spread your fame throughout the world.  You rescued your people from Egypt and drove out other nations as your people advanced.

22   You have made Israel your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

23   "And now, Lord God, fulfill for all time the promise you made about me and my descendants, and do what you said you would.

24  Your fame will be great, and people will forever say, "The Lord Almighty is God over Israel.' And you will preserve my dynasty for all time.

25  I have the courage to pray this prayer to you, my God, because you have revealed all this to me, your servant, and have told me that you will make my descendants kings.

26   You, Lord, are God, and you have made this wonderful promise to me.

27   I ask you to bless my descendants so that they will continue to enjoy your favor. You, Lord, have blessed them, and your blessing will rest on them forever."

The Word Of God Is Living (Hebrews 4:12-16) NIV

12  For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
13  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
15   For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--- yet was without sin.
16  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God's Judgement (Romans 2:1-11) GNT

1    Do you, my friends, pass judgement on others?  You have no excuse at all, whoever you are.  For when you judge others and then do the same things which they do, you condemn yourself.
2     We know that God is right when He judges the people who do such things as these.
3      But you, my friend, do those very things for which  you pass judgment on others!  Do you think you will escape God's judgment?
4    Or perhaps you despise His great kindness, tolerance, and patience.  Surely you know that God is kind, because He is trying to lead you to repent.
5     But you have a hard and stubborn heart, and so you are making your own punishment even greater on the Day when God's anger and righteous judgments will be revealed.
6     For God will reward every person according to what he has done.
7     Some people keep on doing good, and seek glory, honor and immortal life; to them God will give eternal life.
8      Other people are selfish and reject what is right, in order to follow what is wrong; on them God will pour out His anger and fury.
9      There will be suffering and pain for all those who do what is evil, for the Jews first and also for the Gentiles.
10     But God will give glory, honor and peace to all who do what is good, to the Jews first and also to the Gentiles.
11     For God judges everyone by the same standard.

Sovereign Lord, I Put My Hope In You (Psalms 71:1-16 ) GNT

1    Lord, I have come to you for protection; never let me be defeated!

2    Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me.  Listen to me and save me!

3    Be my secure shelter and a strong fortress to protect me; you are my refuge and defense.

4    My God, rescue me from the wicked men, from the power of cruel and evil men.

5    Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you; I have trusted in you since I was young.

6     I have relied on you all my life; you have protected me since the day I was born.  I will always praise you.

7     My life has been an example to many, because you have been my strong defender.

8     All day long I praise you and proclaim your glory.

9     Do not reject me now that I am old; do not abandon me now that I am feeble.

10   My enemies want to kill me; they talk and plot against me.

11   They say, "God has abandoned him; let's go after him and catch him; there is no one to rescue him."

12    Don't stay so far away , O God; my God, hurry to my aid!

13    May those who attack me be defeated and destroyed.  May those who try to hurt me be shamed and disgraced.

14     I will always put my hope in you; I will praise you more and more.

15     I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand.

16     I will praise your power, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone.

Psalms 21 Prayer

O’Lord, I shall joy in Your strength, and in Your salvation how greatly shall He rejoice!  You have given Him His heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of His lips. For You anticipate Him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of pure gold on His head.  He asked life of You, and You gave it to Him, even length of days forever and ever.  His glory is great in Your salvation: honour and majesty have You laid upon Him.  For You have made Him most blessed for ever: You have made Him exceeding glad with Your countenance.  He trusts in You LORD, and through the mercy of the most High, He shall not be moved.  Your hand shall find out all Your enemies: Your right hand shall find out those that hate You.  You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.  Their fruit You shall destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.  For they intended evil against You: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform. Therefore You shall make them turn their back, when You shall make ready Your arrows upon Your strings against the face of them.  Be exalted, LORD, in Your own strength: so we will sing and praise Your power, Amen

How We Are Put Right With God (Romans 3:21-30)GNT

21       But now God's way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it.

22       God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all:

23       everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.

24       But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.

25-26  God offered him, so that by his blood he should become the means by which people's sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous. In the past he was patient and overlooked people's sins; but in the present time he deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus.

27        What, then, can we boast about? Nothing! And what is the reason for this? Is it that we obey the Law? No, but that we believe.
28         For we conclude that a person is put right with God only through faith, and not by doing what the Law commands.
29        Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? Of course he is.
30        God is one, and he will put the Jews right with himself on the basis of their faith, and will put the Gentiles right through their faith.³¹ Does this mean that by this faith we do away with the Law? No, not at all; instead, we uphold the Law.

Children Of God (1John3:1-10) GNT

1  See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God's children—and so, in fact, we are. This is why the world does not know us: it has not known God.

2  My dear friends, we are now God's children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is.

3  Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.

4  Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God's law, because sin is a breaking of the law.

5   You know that Christ appeared in order to take away sins,  and that there is no sin in him.

6   So everyone who lives in union with Christ does not continue to sin; but whoever continues to sin has never seen him or known him.

7  Let no one deceive you, my children! Whoever does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.

8  Whoever continues to sin belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for this very reason, to destroy what the Devil had done.

9  Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin.

10 Here is the clear difference between God's children and the Devil's children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God's children.

Happiness (Psalms 1) NLT

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1  Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.

2  But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.

3  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.  Their leaves never wither,     and they prosper in all they do.

4  But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5  They will be condemned at the time of judgment.  Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6  For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Ephesians 3:16-21 (Prayer for you and Family/friend)

(add family member(s) or friend(s) name(s) in the blank spaces)

Heavenly Father, I pray according to Ephesians 3:16-21, I ask You to grant each of us, myself, _____, and _____ according to the riches of Christ Jesus’ glory, I ask You to strengthen our inner man with might through Christ Jesus, that through faith, Christ may dwell in our hearts; that we are rooted and grounded in love, and we may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height of Christ’ love – to know the love of Christ; that we may be filled with all the fullness of You, Heavenly Father. I thank You that Christ Jesus is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen! 

How To Be Wise (Proverbs 9:10-18) GNT

10   To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord.  If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.
11  Wisdom will add years to your life.
12   You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.
13   Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman.
14   She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town
15   and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business.
16   "Come in, ignorant people!"  To the foolish man she says,
17   "Stolen water is sweeter.  Stolen bread taste better."
18   Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.

2012 Relay For Life of St Francis County AR Contact Us | Relay For Life

Donate to my team, "Walking for Life"
Goal  $1,000

Raised  $20 Ms. Mary Hambrick

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If you are unable to donate online, please print a donation form to mail in your donation.

Victory In Jesus

Heavenly Father, I thank you that I have received from Jesus Christ the victory over all diseases, afflictions, infirmities, hindrances, persecutions, torments and lies that the enemy is trying to send my way now or in the future.  I claim victory and deliverance from all demonic spirits, curses, hexes, vexes, enchantments, witchcraft prayers, psychic prayers, or spells.  I thank you that Jesus Christ is victorious through the power of His might against all the wiles of the devil; against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:10-12) I claim my victory in faith through my salvation and His shed Blood of all these things now. I declare according to Job 22:27-28 that I am victorious through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, in His Holy Name I pray.  Amen

My God I Trust You (Psalms 31 Prayer)

O' God, I come to You in both humble faith and in prayer; I come, and I lay before Your feet, my every burden and care. Hear me gracious God, my cry to You. Hear me, as I pray. Save me, and strengthen me. I know you are abiding in me each day. You O' God, are my Rock. You are my shelter and my mighty fortress; my comfort in times of sorrow; my peace in times of pain and distress. O' my God, I trust in You! On Your divine promises, I shall stand firmly; I belong to You. I know I am safe and secure in the palm of Your mighty hand. Be my protection from the assaults and attacks from the enemy and from sin; And when my spirit grows weary, let Your Word and Spirit, revive me again. O' my God, I trust in You! I call daily upon Your blessed Holy Name; Let not my faith and trust in You be put to shame. Praise the Lord! I will trust in You to keep me strong; Guide me, O' Lord, and keep me from all sin and wrong thinking. O' my God, I trust in You to keep me and hold me in Your loving arms. You, Lord Jesus, look upon our souls, when we are in trouble. You search our souls, O’Lord to see if we are truly humbled by our sin and made better by our affliction. I trust You, Lord Jesus, to bring us through every danger and deliverance until we are delivered from death, our last enemy. In Jesus Name I pray. In God Be the Glory. Amen.

Humbling Myself Before The Lord (Prayer)

I give my heart to You Lord

Please teach me to be humble.

I give my feet to You Lord

Please help me not to stumble.

My eyes belong to you Lord

To see Your Holy way

Help me to look straight ahead

And seek You every day.

With my ears let me hear Lord

Every time You call.

I give myself to You Lord

I will obey Your Law.

I give my hands to You Lord

I lift them up in praise

I will worship You Lord

All my blessed days.

My mouth I give to You Lord

I shout with victory

I belong to You Lord

Now I am living free.

Amen

Obedience To Your Word (Psalms 119:9-16) NIV

9     How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to your Word.
10   I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
11   I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
12   Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.
13   With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
14    I rejoice in following your statues as one rejoices in great riches.
15    I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
16    I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your Word. 

God's Divine Power Has Given Us Everything (2Peter 1:3-8) GNT

3   God's divine power has given us everything we need to live a truly religious life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share in his own^[a] glory and goodness.
4    In this way he has given us the very great and precious gifts he promised, so that by means of these gifts you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and may come to share the divine nature.
5    For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge;
6    to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness;
7    to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love.
8    These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God's Grace Has Blessed Us

John 1:16          Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another.

 John 1:17         God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Acts 15:11          No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.

Acts 20:24          But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.

Romans 3:24      But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.

Romans 5:20      Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing; but where sin increased, God's grace increased much more.

Romans 5:21       So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God's grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:14       Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace.

Romans 6:15       What, then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law but under God's grace? By no means! (Slaves of Righteousness )

Romans 11:5       It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has chosen because of his grace.

Romans 11:6        His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace

Romans 12:6        So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have;

God's Judgement and Grace Psalms (52:1-9) GNT

1   Why do you boast, great one, of your evil? God's faithfulness is eternal.
2   You make plans to ruin others; your tongue is like a sharp razor.  You are always inventing lies.
3   You love evil more than good and falsehood more than truth.
4   You love to hurt people with your words, you liar!
5   So God will ruin you forever; he will take hold of you and snatch you from your home; he will remove you from the world of the living.
6   Righteous people will see this and be afraid; then they will laugh at you and say,
7   Look, here is someone who did not depend on God for safety, but trusted instead in great wealth and looked for security in being wicked.
8    But I am like an olive tree growing in the house of God; I trust in his constant love forever and ever.
9    I will always thank you, God, for what you have done; in the presence of your people I will proclaim that you are good.

I Am In Christ (A Confession of Who You Are in Christ)

I am: God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed

          of the Word of God.  1 Peter 1:23.  

I am: Forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood. 

          Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:14, Colossians 1:14,

          1 John 1:9. 

I am: A new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

I am: The temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19. 

I am: Delivered from the power of darkness and

          translated in God’s kingdom. Colossians 1:13. 

I am: Redeemed from the curse of the law of sin and death.

          1 Peter 1:18-19, Galatians 3:13. 

I am: Blessed. Deuteronomy 28:2-12, Galatians 3:9. 

I am: A Saint. Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Philippians 1:1. 

I am: The head and not the tail, above and not beneath.

          Deuteronomy 28:13. 

I am: Holy and without blame before Him in love.

          1 Peter 1:16, Ephesians 1:4 

I am: The Elect of God. Colossians 3:12, Romans 8:33. 

I am: Established to the end. Romans 1:11.                    

I am: Made near to My Heavenly Father by the Blood of

          Christ.  Ephesians 2:13. 

I am: Set free. John 8:31-33. 

I am: Strong in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10. 

I am: Dead to sin. Romans 6:1, 11 and 1 Peter 2:24. 

I am: More than a conqueror. Romans 8:37. 

I am: Joint heir with Christ. Romans 8:13. 

I am: Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13. 

I am: In Christ by His doing. 1 Corinthians 1:30. 

I am: Accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6. 

I am: Complete in Him. Colossians 2:10. 

I am: Crucified with Christ. Galatians 2:20. 

I am: Alive with Christ. Galatians 2:20. 

I am: Free from condemnation. John 5:24. 

I am: Reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:18

I am: Qualified to share in His inheritance. Colossians 1:12.

I am: Firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and

          overflowing with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:7. 

I am: Born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

          1 John 5:18. 

I am: His faithful follower. Revelation 17:14, Ephesians 5:1. 

I am: A fellow citizen with the saints of the household of God.

          Ephesians 2:19. 

I am: Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

          Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.

          Ephesians 2:20. 

I am: Overtaken with blessings. Deuteronomy 28:2

          and Ephesians 1:3. 

I am: His disciple because I have love for others.

          John 13:34-35. 

I am: The light of the world. Matthew 5:14

I am: The salt of the earth. Matthew 5:13. 

I am: The righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21,

          1 Peter 2:24 

I am: A partaker of His Divine Nature. 2 Peter 1:4.

I am: Called of God. 2 Timothy 1:9. 

I am: An ambassador for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20 

I am: God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for

          good works. Ephesians 2:10. 

I am: The apple of my Father’s eye. Deuteronomy 32:10.          

I am: Healed by the stripes of Jesus. 1 Peter 2:25, Isaiah 53:6

I am: Being changed into His image. 2 Corinthians 3:18,  

          Philippians 1:6 

I am: A child of God. John 1:12, Romans 8:16. 

I am: Christ’s friend. John 15:15. 

I am: Chosen and appointed by God to bear His fruit. John 15:16. 

I am: Enslaved to God. Romans 6:22. 

I am: A son/daughter of God. Romans 8:14-15, Galatians 3:26 

          and 4:6. 

I am: A temple of God, His Spirit dwells in me.

          1 Corinthians  3:16, 6:19

I am: Joined to the Lord and I am one with him.

          1 Corinthians 6:17

I am: A member of Christ’s Body. 1 Corinthians 12:27, 

          Ephesians 5:30. 

I am: Reconciled to God and I am a minister of

          reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

I am: One in Christ. Galatians 3:26, 28. 

I am: An heir of God since I am a son/daughter of God.

          Galatians 4:6-7. 

I am: Righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:24. 

I am: A citizen of Heaven and seated in Heaven right now.

          Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:6. 

I am: An expression of the Life of Christ because He is my

          life. Colossians 3:4. 

I am: Chosen and dearly loved by Christ. Ephesians 1:4,

         1 Peter 2:9. 

I am: A son/daughter of light and not of darkness.

          1 Thessalonians 5:5. 

I am: A Holy brother/sister, partaker of a Heavenly Calling. 

          Hebrews 3:1

I am: One of God’s living stones and I am being brought up as

           a spiritual house.  1 Peter 2:5

I am: A Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a

          people for God’s own possession to proclaim the

          excellence of Him.  1 Peter 2:9-10. 

I am: The enemy of the Devil. 1 Peter 5:8. 

I am: Now a child of God, I will resemble Christ when He

          returns. 1 John 3:1-2. 

I am: Not the great I AM but by the grace of God I am what I

          am. 1 Corinthians 15:10. 

I am: Justified, completely forgiven and made righteous.  

          Romans 5:1. 

I am: Dead with Christ and dead to the power of sin’s rule over

          my life. Romans 6:1-6. 

I am: Dead, I no longer live for myself but for God.

          2 Corinthians 5:14-15 

I am: Bought with a price, I am not my own, I belong

          to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

I am: Established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ.

          2 Corinthians 1:21 

I am: Given the Holy Spirit as a pledge, a guarantee

          of my inheritance. Ephesians 1:13-14. 

I am: Crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who

          live, but Christ. Galatians 2:20. 

I am: Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.

          Ephesians 1:4. 

I am: Predestined (determined by God) to be a son/daughter.

          Ephesians 1:5. 

I am: Sanctified and I am one with the Sanctifier, Christ.

          He is not ashamed to call me brother/sister.

          Hebrews 2:11.