Monday, October 24, 2016

GOD'S WORD - NOT A BOOK OF SUGGESTIONS

 

The Bible records God's words, everything we need to know to live the Christian life.

2 Peter 1:3 declares,
According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue.


When we have a question about a certain topic or decision in our lives, we should see what the Bible has to say about it. God will never lead us or direct us contrary to what He has taught or promised in His Word (Titus 1:2).

God's Word is our ultimate authority for Christian faith and practice.

Are you Lonely?

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He lays me down in green pastures:
he leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul:
he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for He is with me;
His rod and staff they comfort me.
5 He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies:
He anoints my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Is Hope weak?

Psalm 34:
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he delivers those who are discouraged.

Nervous about your Welfare? $? other day to day issues?

Psalm 37:
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and freely gives; and his seed is blessed.

Matt.6:
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Upset? Depressed?

Psalm 42:
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!...

Do you feel GUILTY?

Proverbs 28:
13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.

James 5:
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Need Forgiveness?

Psalm 51:

A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.[a]
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,[b]
teaching me wisdom even there.
7 Purify me from my sins,[c] and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d] from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.
16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
18 Look with favor on Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

We have a High Priest in Heaven: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior

1 John 1:
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

MORE BIBLE BASED TRUTHS FOR OUR TROUBLES

Has a friend betrayed you? Psalm 55

Are you afraid? Psalm 56:11

Do you need help to stay on the right path? Psalm 119:9-11

Are you setting out from home? Psalm 121

Are you tired? Psalm 127:1-2; Isaiah 40:31

Are you having to wait on God? Psalm 130:5

Does God seem far away? Psalm 139:1-12

Do you doubt your value as a person? Psalm 139:13-18

Are you prideful? Proverbs 11:2

Are you selfish with money? Proverbs 11:25; 2 Cor 9:7

Do you need help to PRAY?

Matt.6:
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Are you burdened?

Matt. 11:28-30

Is your faith weak? Mark 9:14-24

Do you doubt God’s power? Luke 1:37

Have you turned away from God? Luke 15:11-32

Do you doubt God’s love for you? John 3:16

Are you troubled by evil around you? Rom 8:28-30

Does the BIBLE seem dull or boring?

Rom.10:
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Hebrews 4:
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart

Do you want to GET BACK at someone? Rom. 12:19

Are you troubled by your past? 1 Cor. 6:9-11

Are you TEMPTED sexually? 1 Cor 6:18-20

Are you tempted to do wrong? 1 Cor.10:13; James 1:13-15

Are you afraid to DIE?

1 Cor. 15:
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Are you discouraged? 2 Cor. 1:3-7

Are you weak?.2 Cor.12:9

Do you feel like you don’t make a difference? Gal. 6:9

Are you angry? Eph. 4:26-27

Do you need help for your MARRIAGE?

Eph 5:
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body,[a] of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Are you in a spiritual battle? Eph. 6:10-18

Do you care only about yourself? Phil. 2:3-4

Are you worried or ANXIOUS ?

Phil. 4:
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Are you TROUBLED by your THOUGHTS ?

Phil. 4:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Have you lost a loved one?

1 Thess 4:13-18

Do you think you have let God down? 2 Tim. 2:13

Do you doubt the power of faith? Heb. 11

Do you feel all ALONE?

Heb. 13:
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Is your life filled with DIFFICULTIES?

Jas. 1:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Do you need wisdom?
Jas. 1:5

Are you making big plans?
Jas. 4:13-17

Are you SICK?

2 Corinthians 1:
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Hebrews 4:
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

James 5:
15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Chaim, least


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