Who Are Subject To Eternal Death? (NLT)

The Devil and His Angels                                2 Peter 2:4 and Revelation 20:10
2 Peter 2:4   God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell, where they are kept chained in darkness, waiting for the Day of Judgment.
Revelation 20:10   Then the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 The Antichrist                                                  2 Thessalonians 2:8 and Revelation 19:20
 2 Thessalonians 2:8  Then the Wicked One will be revealed, but when the Lord Jesus comes, he will kill him with the breath from his mouth and destroy him with his dazzling presence.
Revelation 19:20  The beast was taken prisoner, together with the false prophet who had performed miracles in his presence. (It was by those miracles that he had deceived those who had the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped the image of the beast.) The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Those Who Worship the Beast                         Revelation 14:9-11
Revelation 14:9-11
9    A third angel followed the first two, saying in a loud voice, “Those who worship the beast and its image and receive the mark on their forehead or on their hand 
10  will themselves drink God's wine, the wine of his fury, which he has poured at full strength into the cup of his anger! All who do this will be tormented in fire and sulfur before the holy angels and the Lamb. 
11  The smoke of the fire that torments them goes up forever and ever. There is no relief day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, for anyone who has the mark of its name.”

Those Who Choose the Broad Road                 Matthew 7:13
Matthew 7:13  “Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it.

Those Who Live a Wicked Life                          Romans 1:28-31
Romans 1:28-31
28  Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do. 
29  They are filled with all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and vice; they are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, and malice. They gossip 
30  and speak evil of one another; they are hateful to God, insolent, proud, and boastful; they think of more ways to do evil; they disobey their parents; 
31  they have no conscience; they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or pity for others. 

Those Who Do Not Love the Needy                  Matthew 25:41-46
Matthew 25:41-46
41  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! 
42  I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a drink; 
43  I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.’ 
44  Then they will answer him, ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help you?’ 
45  The King will reply, ‘I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.’ 
46  These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life.”

Those Who Do Not Believe in Jesus                   John 3:36
John 3:36  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God's punishment.

False Teachers in the Church                              2 Peter 2:1-17
2 Peter 2:1-17

1    False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in destructive, untrue doctrines, and will deny the Master who redeemed them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction. 

2    Even so, many will follow their immoral ways; and because of what they do, others will speak evil of the Way of truth. 

3    In their greed these false teachers will make a profit out of telling you made-up stories. For a long time now their Judge has been ready, and their Destroyer has been wide awake!

4    God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell, where they are kept chained in darkness, waiting for the Day of Judgment. 

5    God did not spare the ancient world, but brought the flood on the world of godless people; the only ones he saved were Noah, who preached righteousness, and seven other people. 

6    God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them with fire, and made them an example of what will happen to the godless. 

7    He rescued Lot, a good man, who was distressed by the immoral conduct of lawless people. 

8    That good man lived among them, and day after day he suffered agony as he saw and heard their evil actions. 

9    And so the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and how to keep the wicked under punishment for the Day of Judgment, 

10  especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise God's authority.

These false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them. 
11  Even the angels, who are so much stronger and mightier than these false teachers, do not accuse them with insults in the presence of the Lord. 
12  But these people act by instinct, like wild animals born to be captured and killed; they attack with insults anything they do not understand. They will be destroyed like wild animals, 
13  and they will be paid with suffering for the suffering they have caused. Pleasure for them is to do anything in broad daylight that will satisfy their bodily appetites; they are a shame and a disgrace as they join you in your meals, all the while enjoying their deceitful ways! 
14  They want to look for nothing but the chance to commit adultery; their appetite for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse! 
15  They have left the straight path and have lost their way; they have followed the path taken by Balaam son of Beor, who loved the money he would get for doing wrong 
16  and was rebuked for his sin. His donkey spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's insane action.
17  These people are like dried-up springs, like clouds blown along by a storm; God has reserved a place for them in the deepest darkness.


Godless, Greedy People in the Church                 Jude 4:8-13
Jude 4, 8-13
4    For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received.
8    In the same way also, these people have visions which make them sin against their own bodies; they despise God's authority and insult the glorious beings above. 
9    Not even the chief angel Michael did this. In his quarrel with the Devil, when they argued about who would have the body of Moses, Michael did not dare condemn the Devil with insulting words, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 
10  But these people attack with insults anything they do not understand; and those things that they know by instinct, like wild animals, are the very things that destroy them. 
11  How terrible for them! They have followed the way that Cain took. For the sake of money they have given themselves over to the error that Balaam committed. They have rebelled as Korah rebelled, and like him they are destroyed. 
12  With their shameless carousing they are like dirty spots in your fellowship meals. They take care only of themselves. They are like clouds carried along by the wind, but bringing no rain. They are like trees that bear no fruit, even in autumn, trees that have been pulled up by the roots and are completely dead. 
13  They are like wild waves of the sea, with their shameful deeds showing up like foam. They are like wandering stars, for whom God has reserved a place forever in the deepest darkness.

Who Will Escape Eternal Death? (GNT)

Those Who Believe In Jesus                                             John 3:16, 18, 36; John 11:25-26
16  For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 
18  Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son.
36  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God's punishment.
 John 11:25-26 
25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; 
26  and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Those Who Are Raised With Christ                                  Romans 6:5-11
Romans 6:5-11
5    For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 
6    And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 
7    For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 
8    Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 
9    For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 
10  And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 
11  In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.

Those Who Keep The Word Of God                                John 8:51
51  I am telling you the truth: whoever obeys my teaching will never die.”

Those Who Choose The Narrow Road                              Matthew 7:14
14  But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.

Those Who Are Kind To The Needy                                 Matthew 25:34-40
Matthew 25:34-40
34  Then the King will say to the people on his right, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world. 
35  I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, 
36  naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.’ 
37  The righteous will then answer him, ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 
38  When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? 
39  When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ 
40  The King will reply, ‘I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!’

Those Who Do Not Worship The Beast                             Revelation 20:4-6
Revelation 20:4-6
4    Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given the power to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been executed because they had proclaimed the truth that Jesus revealed and the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image, nor had they received the mark of the beast on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and ruled as kings with Christ for a thousand years. 
5    (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over.) This is the first raising of the dead. 
6    Happy and greatly blessed are those who are included in this first raising of the dead. The second death has no power over them; they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they will rule with him for a thousand years.

The Defeat of Satan (Revelation 20:7-10) GNT

7    After the thousand years are over, Satan will be set loose from his prison, 

8    and he will go out to deceive the nations scattered over the whole world, that is, Gog and Magog. Satan will bring them all together for battle, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. 

9    They spread out over the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people and the city that he loves. But fire came down from heaven and destroyed them.

10  Then the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

A Prayer For Schools And Their Employees

Heavenly Father, I ask You to forgive any person who may has any malice against the schools, for all of their sins, iniquities, trespasses, transgressions, sins of commission, sins of omission and any unknown sins according to Psalms 19:12.

According to Your Word in Matthew 16:19, I have been given the Keys to Your Kingdom of Heaven and whatever I bind and loose on earth shall be bound and loosed in heaven. So I ask You to loose Your angels in great abundance into the schools' presence, the presence of their classrooms, into their offices, their halls, and their restrooms. 

Now I bind, in the Name of Jesus Christ, all of satan’s evil wicked demons, lying and tormenting spirits and strongmen along with all their works, roots, fruits, tentacles and links; along with all evil principalities, powers, and rulers of wickedness in high places and command them not to manifest and transfer into the schools. I bind and command them not to manifest themselves or transfer themselves onto anybody’s presence any of the students, relatives of students and employees or the employees.

Heavenly Father, it is written in Psalms 91 and Matthew 6 in Your Word that You are our deliverer and I  ask that You give each person in each school and every organ, every gland, every cell in their body - total deliverance, total freedom, total liberty and total salvation from all evil, foul, wicked, demon, lying, perverse, unclean, foul, demonic spirits, strongmen, and their messengers, and from all sicknesses, diseases, infirmities, afflictions, infections, viruses, inflammations, disorders of any kind in every cell in their body, in every gland in their body, in every organ in their body; rooms, halls, restrooms,  and wherever they are at this time. I thank You for giving this deliverance, freedom, liberty and salvation from all these things in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ according to John 16:23. May these deliverances be used to glorify You, Heavenly Father.

I apply the Blood of Jesus over, under, and around every student, teacher, school employee and anyone else that comes into their presence, the airways that surround them, their rooms, halls, restrooms, and  every place that these students, teachers and employees come in contact with today and everyday. I ask You to render powerless and harmless and nullify, destroy, and cancel the power of any evil spirit, demonic spirit, demonic strongman, messenger of satan that tries to come into their  presence or anyone that is around the students, teachers and employees in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, I ask You to fill any person who has any plans of  malice toward any school with Your precious Holy Spirit. I ask You to fill them with all of Your fruits of Your Holy Spirit including Your love, Your joy, Your peace, Your gentleness, Your goodness, Your meekness, Your faithfulness and Your self-control.

Heavenly Father, in Christ Jesus Holy Name; I ask You to fill the students, teachers and employees with Your Holy Ghost anointing and power, cover them with Your presence, Your anointing and Your power in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Loose extra angels around schools and leave them there as long as anyone is at the schools to guard and protect them. In Jesus Name I pray. To God be the Glory. Amen!

Thank You For Your Promise

Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus, my Lord, my Savior. I come to You with a heart of thanksgiving. I thank you for all the good things in my life, for You are the Creator of all things good. Father, I thank You for Your Presence. For in Your Presence is the fullness of my joy and in Your Presence I am complete and whole. In Your Presence I have purpose. Because of Your Presence, I am glad to be here. Father, I thank You for Your plan, that I might have a full life and enjoy it and have it in abundance to overflowing. Father, I thank You for Your provision, that all my needs are met according to Your riches in glory and that I may prosper in all areas of my life as my soul prospers. Father, I thank You for Your protection, that Your perfect love casteth out all fear and that no weapon formed against me shall prosper. Father, I thank You for Your peace. The peace that passes all understanding. The peace that keeps me calm and secure through adversity. The peace that leads me through all the storms that come into my life. Father, thank You for my life and Your Presence in it. In Jesus Name. Amen.  

Repentance For A Wrong Attitude

Lord Jesus Christ I ask You to forgive me for the sin of grumbling and complaining, for not walking in faith, and living to the destiny that I have.  Lord Jesus Christ my whining attitude is a thing of the past, I am going to rejoice in the Lord, I am going to accept the mind of Christ, I am going to talk about good things, glorious things, God’s things, I am going to live with joy unspeakable and full of glory and it is going to begin today, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Who Are Spiritually Dead? (NLT)

Everyone Who Does Not Have Christ                  Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13 and I John 5:12
Ephesians 2:1  Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
5  that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
Colossians 2:13  You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
I John 5:12  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

Those Seeking Personal Pleasure                          Ephesians 4:17-19 and I Timothy 5:6
Ephesians 4:17-19
17  With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
18  Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
19  They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
I Timothy 5:6  But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.

Those Not Serving God By Good Works             Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 9:14 and Revelation 3:1-2
Hebrews 6:1  So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.
Hebrews 9:14  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Revelation 3:1-2
1   “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:  “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 
2   Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.

What Are The Basic Elements Of Faith (NLT)

Trust In God And Commitment To Christ   
Genesis 15:6; Proverbs 3:5; Romans 3:22 & Hebrews 11:1
Genesis 15:6     And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
Proverbs 3:5     Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Romans 3:22     We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Hebrews 11:1    Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Truths Of The Faith Are Important                    I Timothy 3:9 and I Timothy 4:1
(True Knowledge of God and Christ)
I Timothy 3:9  They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.
I Timothy 4:1  Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.

They Must Be Based On God's Word               2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

They Are Worth Fighting For                             Jude 3         
Jude 1:3  Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.  

Who Are Blessed By The Lord? (NLT)

Those Who Avoid Sin                                                           Psalms 1:1
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.

Those Who Take Refuge In The Lord                                 Psalms 2:12
Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant.  But what joy for all who take refuge in him! 

Those Whose Sins Are Forgiven                                          Psalms 32:1
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!

Those Who Trust In The Lord                                              Psalms 40:4
Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.

Those Who Show Concern For The Weak                           Psalms 41:1
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!  The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.

Those Chosen By The Lord                                                  Psalms 65:4
What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts.  What festivities await us
inside your holy Temple.

Those Who Dwell In God's House                                       Psalms 84:4
What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises.  Interlude

Those Disciplined By The Lord                                            Psalms 94:12
Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.

Those Who Fear The Lord                                                    Psalms 112:1
Praise the Lord!  How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.

Those Who Walk According To God's Law                         Psalms 119:1-2
1   Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.  
2   Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.

Those Who Find Wisdom In The Lord                                 Proverbs 3:13
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.

Those Who Wait For The Lord                                            Isaiah 30:18
So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion.  For the Lord is a faithful God.  Blessed are those who wait for his help.

Those Who Follow The Way Of Jesus                                Matthew 5:3-12 & Luke 6:20-22
Matthew 5:3-12
3    “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4    God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5    God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
6    God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
7    God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8    God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
9    God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
10  God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Luke 6:20-22
20  Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.
21  God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.  God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. 

Those Who Confess Jesus As God's Son                           Matthew 16:16-17
16  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

Those Who Hear And Obey God's Word                           Luke 11:28
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Those Who Persevere In Their Faith                                 James 1:12
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Those Who Die In The Lord                                               Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”

Those Invited To Christ's Marriage Feast                        Revelation 19:9
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”

Results Of Being God's Children (NLT)

We Receive The Rights Of Inheritance                         Romans 8:17 and Galatians 4:7
Romans 8:17   And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Galatians 4:7   Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

We Must Walk In Light                  John 12:35-36; Ephesians 5:8-10 and I Thessalonians 5:4-5
John 12:35-36
35  Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.
36  Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”
After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.
Ephesians 5:8-10
8    For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
9    For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10  Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
I Thessalonians 5:4-5
4    But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
5    For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

We Must Live As Obedient Children                                   I Peter 1:14--16

I Peter 1:14--16

14  So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 

15  But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

16  For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

We Must Live In Peace                                                    Matthew 5:9 and Ephesians 2:17-19

Matthew 5:9  God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 

Ephesians 2:17-19

17  He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 

18  Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

19  So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

We Must Live In Love                                    Matthew 5:44-45 and Luke 6:35
Matthew 5:44-45
44  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 
45  In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
Luke 6:35  “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

We Must Separate Ourselves From Evil               2 Corinthians 6:12-18 and Philippians 2:15
2 Corinthians 6:12-18
12  There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us.
13  I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!
14  Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
15  What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
16  And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:  “I will live in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.
17  Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.  Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
18  And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Philippians 2:15  so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

We Are Subject To God's Discipline                                    Hebrews 12:5-11
Hebrews 12:5-11

5    And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.

6    For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

7    As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 

8    If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 

9    Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

10   For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 

11   No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

We Can Expect Suffering                                                      Romans 8:18-22
 Romans 8:18-22
18   Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
19   For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
20   Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,
21   the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
22   For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Christians Are God's Adopted Children (NLT)

We Become Children by God's Grace                           Ephesians 1:5-6
5   God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
6   So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

We Become Children Through Faith in Christ                 John 1:12-13 & Galatians 3:26
John 1:12-13
12  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
13  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
Galatians 3:26   For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

We Can Call God Father                                        Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15 & Galatians 4:6-7
Matthew 6:9   Pray like this:  Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 
Romans 8:15   So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.^] Now we call him, “Abba, Father."
Galatians 4:6-7
6    And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
7    Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

We Become Siblings of Christ                                        Mark 3:34-35 & Hebrews 2:11-12
Mark 3:34-35
34  Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.
35  Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Hebrews 2:11-12
11   So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
12   For he said to God, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.  I will praise you among your assembled people.”

We Are United As One Body In Christ                           Ephesians 2:11-13, 19 & Ephesians 3:6
Ephesians 2:11-13, 19
11  Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
12  In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
13  But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
19  So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
Ephesians 3:6   And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.

Our Adoption Is Completed Only At The Resurrection      Romans 8:19, 23 & I John 3:2
Romans 8:19, 23
19   For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
23  And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
I John 3:2  Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 

The Law and God's Promise (Galatians 3:23-25) NLT

23  Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

24  Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 

25  And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.