DEVOTED—WHOLEHEARTEDLY

• What are some things that people are devoted to?

• What gets in the way of devotion to God?

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”

1 Chronicles 28:9

Devotion is the word we use to describe participating in a short Bible study and discussion, like the one we’re having now. But the word devotion also refers to the attitude that drives us to seek God.

To be devoted means to be dedicated. And in this verse, David is telling his son Solomon to wholeheartedly dedicate himself to God. King David knew that people can’t halfheartedly serve God.

When we do serve God with wholehearted devotion, God will reward us. When we make him the focus of our lives, he will bless us. That’s his promise. The more devoted we become, the more he blesses us.

To devote our life to God means that we live completely for him. It means that we live our life to please and honor him. We seek him, worship him and love him—with our whole heart. 

PRAYER

Dear God, you are the only one who deserves our wholehearted devotion. Help us clear the obstacles in our lives that keep us from being wholeheartedly devoted to you. Amen.

YOUR MISSION: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

• Why is it hard to pray for your enemy?

• What prayer could you pray for your enemy?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Matthew 5:43 - 44

It is easy to love and pray for our friends and our family members. We want things to go well for them. We care about them and enjoy asking God to help them and give them what they need to be healthy and happy.

But it is much harder to pray for our enemies. When it comes to people we do not particularly like, or those who have hurt us in some way, we often secretly don’t want things to work out for them.

Jesus knows that it isn’t natural for us to feel affection for our enemies. That is why he is careful to make sure we understand what he expects of us. As Christians, we are supposed to love our enemies and pray for them. But the good news is that he doesn’t expect us to do this on our own. He intends to help us. We just have to ask him. 

PRAYER

Dear God, please help us to love our enemies. Please remind us to pray for them. Amen.

Speak and think in the spirit,

Ephesians 4:29-32

[29] Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

[30] And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

[31] Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

[32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Filthy words proceed from corruption in the speaker, and they corrupt the minds and manners of those who hear them:

Christians should beware of all such discourse.

It is the duty of Christians to seek, by the blessing of God, to bring persons to think seriously, and to encourage and warn believers by their conversation.

Be ye kind one to another. This sets forth the principle of love in the heart, and the outward expression of it, in a humble, courteous behaviour.

Mark how God's forgiveness causes us to forgive.

God forgives us, though we had no cause to sin against him.

We must forgive, as he has forgiven us.

All lying, and corrupt communications, that stir up evil desires and lusts, grieve the Spirit of God.

Corrupt passions of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil-speaking, and malice, grieve the Holy Spirit.

Provoke not the holy, blessed Spirit of God to withdraw his presence and his gracious influences.

The body will be redeemed from the power of the grave at the resurrection day.

Wherever that blessed Spirit dwells as a Sanctifier, he is the earnest of all the joys and glories of that redemption day; and we should be undone, should God take away his Holy Spirit from us

the free gift nothing but the blood of Jesus

Romans 6:16-23

[16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

[17] But God be that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

[18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
thanked,

[19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

[20] For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

[21] What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

[22] But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

[23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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

All people have a master and pattern themselves after him.

Without Jesus, we would have no choice;

we would be enslaved to sin, and the results would be guilt, suffering, and separation from God.

Thanks to Jesus, however, we can now choose God as our Master.

Following him, we can enjoy new life and learn how to work for him. Are you still serving your first master, sin?

Or have you chosen God?

To “wholeheartedly obey” means to give yourself fully to God, to love him “with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind”

And yet so often our efforts to know and obey God’s commands can best be described as

“halfhearted.”

How do you rate your heart’s obedience?

God wants to give you the power to obey him with all your heart.

The “teaching” they were to obey refers to the Good News that Jesus died for their sins and was raised to give them new life.

It is impossible to be neutral.

Every person has a master

Either God or Sin.

A Christian is not someone who cannot sin but someone who is no longer a slave to sin.

He or she belongs to God.

You are free to choose between two masters, but you are not free to adjust the consequences of your choice.

Each of the two masters pays with his own kind of currency.

The currency of sin is eternal death.

That is all you can expect or hope for in life without God.

Christ’s currency is eternal life

A new life with God that begins on earth and continues forever with God.

What choice have you made?

Eternal life is a gift from God.

If it is a gift, then it is not something that we earn, nor something that must be paid back.

Consider the foolishness of someone who receives a gift given out of love and then offers to pay for it.

A gift cannot be purchased by the recipient.

A more appropriate response to a loved one who offers a gift is graceful acceptance with gratitude.

Conclusion

Our salvation is a gift of God, not something of our own doing

He saved us because of his mercy, not because of any good things that we have done

How much more we should accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given to us.

If the fruit is unto holiness, if there is an active principle of true and growing grace,

The end will be everlasting life;

a very happy end!

Though the way is up-hill, though it is narrow, thorny, and beset,

yet everlasting life at the end of it is sure.

The gift of God is eternal life.

And this gift is through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Christ purchased it, prepared it, prepares us for it, preserves us to it;

he is the All in all in our salvation.

 

IS GOD YOUR HUB?

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord.

Psalm 96:11-13

There’s this idea floating around that God, church, and other spiritual matters are spokes in the wheel of a person’s busy life. People say things like, “Oh, yeah, I go to church” in the same way they’d say, “Oh, yeah, I go to that gym” or “Oh, yeah, I’m on that committee.”

But the Bible makes it quite clear that God’s desire — and the best way to live life — is not to have God as one spoke on the wheel of your life, but to have him as the hub. Sometimes people compartmentalize their spiritual life, like one of those TV dinners. Your job is in one aluminum compartment, your family in another, and your spiritual life — God — in another.

But life works best when you bring God into every area of your life. He can bring change, health, and growth to every aspect of your life — from your job, to your social life, to all your relationships.

In the passage above, the psalmist charges everything to praise God. The earth. The sea. The land. The stars. Trees. Forests. Fields. Everything. All of God’s creation — including us — has reason to be joyful because of how good God is.

Take a moment to consider the whole of your life. Does it all belong to God? And more importantly, does it all reflect praise to God? Chances are, you’re going to say no. That’s OK. Today you can invite God in. Tell him about an area you’re having problems with or are worried about. Watch what a difference it makes when God is your hub and not just a spoke on your wheel. ♦

PRAYER

As I consider my life, Lord, I note that you are …

Your New Life With Each Other

Colossians 3:12-17


12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
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The Bible says there are three reasons you have to let go of your past and the people who’ve hurt you, and the reasons have nothing to do with whether that person deserves it or not.
You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because God has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:13 says,

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you

Colossians 3:12-17

Your New Life With Each Other
If you want to be a forgiving person, you need to first accept the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ.

The Bible said that God came to Earth in human form in Jesus in order to forgive everything that’s ever been done wrong.

He paid for it so we don’t have to. That’s Good News.
You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because resentment controls you.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:9,
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Don’t become angry quickly, because anger is foolish.
Resentment makes you miserable, and it keeps you stuck in the past.
And when you’re stuck in the past, you are controlled by the past.
Every time you resent something, it controls you.

We hang onto stuff that hurt us 5, 10, or even 20 years ago
Things in our past that we allow to hurt us to this day.
That’s stupid.

Don’t let it happen. We keep running those old tapes.
Your past is past. You’ve got to let it go.
You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because you’re going to need more forgiveness in the future.

Colossians 3:12-17 (KJV)

Your New Life With Each Other

Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15,
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Forgiveness is a two way street. You cannot receive what you are unwilling to give. Someone once told John Wesley, “I could never forgive that person!” Wesley replied, “Then I hope you never sin.”
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2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (KJV)
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
“God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them.
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Colossians 3:12-17 (KJV)
Your New Life With Each Other
Nearly 60 years ago, five American missionaries headed to the rainforest of the eastern Amazon in Ecuador to make a second visit to the Huaorani tribe, which anthropologists said was the most vicious, violent society on the face of the earth. They had a culture of killing, and studies showed 60 percent of the tribe died by homicide.
As soon as the missionaries got out of the plane, they were speared to death by members of the tribe. The brutal murders made news around the world and the cover of Life magazine, Time, and Newsweek. Many newspapers reported the deaths of these men, who included Nate Saint and Jim Elliot.
A couple years later, Elisabeth and Valerie Elliot, wife and daughter of Jim, and Rachel Saint, sister of Nate, moved into the Huaorani village to show love and forgiveness and minister to the people who had killed their family. Eventually, Mincaye, the leader of the tribe, and the five men who participated in the missionary murders all became Christians.
The kind of forgiveness that Elisabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint modeled doesn’t make sense until you have been forgiven by God. Once you’ve experienced it, how do you forgive? You do the four things that these women did: Relinquish your right to get even.
Romans 12:19 says, dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Colossians 3:12-17 (KJV)
Your New Life With Each Other
Leave it up to God. He’ll take care of it, and he’ll do a much better job than you ever could.
Respond to evil with good.
How can you tell when you’ve completely forgiven someone?
You can actually pray for God to bless the person who hurt you.
The Bible says, “
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Ask God to bless the people who ask for bad things to happen to you. Pray for the people who are mean to you.
Repeat these steps as long as necessary.
Peter asked Jesus in Matthew 18:21-22,
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Sometimes forgiveness has to be continual. Rescue others with the Good News of God’s forgiveness.
Colossians 3:12-17 (KJV)
Your New Life With Each Other
Conclusion:
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20,
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
“God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world.
And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace.
We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message.
We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God.”
Alter Call

The Cure for the world

 Leviticus 17:11

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

I was talking to a pastor friend of mine about all the chaos currently going on in the world

 I asked what he thought and he said we have a problem and it comes down to saved and unsaved

Jesus loves the little children all the children of the world Black and yellow, red and white

They're all precious in His sight Jesus loves the little children of the world

As Christians we have the cure for the world

The timeless words of the song

Nothing But the Blood was written by Robert Lowry in 1876. More than 140 years later, Christians still sing the hymn with conviction, resounding the eternal truth that it is nothing but the blood of Jesus

Jesus gave His blood, His life, a ransom for many. He poured out His soul unto death.

For IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKETH AN ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL."

(Hebrews 9:22)  ”And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission”

The blood of Jesus is salvation, healing, and eternal life. No matter what you struggle with in this life, no matter what your hurts, habits and hang-ups are, there is absolutely nothing that the blood of Christ cannot defeat.

Isaiah 53:12

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The blood of Jesus, to the Christian, these words are some of the most beautiful ever spoken.

It was His blood, not as it was in His veins, but as it was poured out, that affected the reconciliation.

God is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

   This hymn  points us to life  

(1) What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

And he washed us from our sins in His own blood: This is what happened when Jesus loved us at the cross.

He washed us - cleansed us from the deep stain of sin, so that we really are clean before Him. This is worth praising Jesus about.

If we understand our own deep sinfulness, this seems almost too good to be true.

We can stand clean before God, clean from the deepest of stains.

No wonder the same Apostle John also wrote, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

In His own blood: If there were any other way to wash us from our sins, God would have done it that other way.

To wash us in His own blood meant the ultimate sacrifice of God was his Son.

God wouldn't do it this way unless it was the only way.

(2) What can make me whole again?

1 John 1:7

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”

Oh! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know,

1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

He must be our source and our hearts desire

I was guilty, I had been weighed on the Scales of life, my short comings & character Defects have held me back  

But when Jesus came in where there was no hope, now there was light

Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

My cries had woken the master, he heard my voice and when you cry out to him he hears yours also

For my cleansing this I see   for my pardon this my plea—Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Hebrews 13:20

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

The God of peace will give you every good thing you need so that you can do what he wants.

God is the one who raised from death our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of his sheep.

He raised him because Jesus sacrificed his blood to begin a relationship of true love for us all, a love that never ends.

Because of Jesus, the priest will do this to make you pure and wash away your sins.

Then you will be clean to the Lord.

He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin.

He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven

Romans 5:1-9

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Nothing can for sin atone,

Naught of good that I have done,             nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Naught of works, ’tis all of grace

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Who could make me free from the burden of sin?

Who could make me free from your passion and pride?

Who could make me much whiter than snow?

There's power in the blood,

Conclusion:

How sweet the sound when we rejoice

To every broken heart and every wounded soul

New life begins on the streets of gold

There is no mistaking the fact it is nothing but the blood of Jesus

And it for this reason I sing

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

You Are Never Alone

Deuteronomy 31:8

 And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Hurts,Habits and Hang ups  are major problems facing people today. The three often go together because many Christians and unbelievers grieve over being broken that we are alone and no one will understand 

 In my ministry, an increasing number of people request prayer for their broken spirit .

God's Word tells us plainly that we are not alone. He wants to deliver, comfort and heal us. But when you encounter pstrugels in your life, you can lose sight of this simple truth.

Satan wants you to believe you are alone ( he comes to steal,kill and destroy). He wants you to believe that no one understands how you feel, but his claims are false. In addition to God being with you, many believers understand what you are experiencing .

You are not alone now nor will you ever be, no matter what confronts you.

You may not understand much when you are hurting and the pain of  is ripping through your soul, but know and hold on to this one truth: God loves you, and He has a future for you. Hope in Him and trust Him to turn your mourning into joy (see Isaiah 61:1-3).

Prayer : God, I can't always see through my Hurts,Habits and Hang-up`s, but I know that You never leave me. Help me to remember that You are near, and guide me to other believers who I can join with to fight off the enemy's attacks.

God Can Deliver

1 Samuel 17:37

David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

God Can Deliver

In times of crises, it's easy to feel like God can't deliver. To bolster your faith, consider the biblical accounts of when God delivered His children from their afflictions.

In 1 Samuel 17:37, David knew he could defeat Goliath because God had already saved him from a lion and a bear.

In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused the king's edict to bow to his idol, and continued to worship God. As a result, they were thrown into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than normal. But God delivered them so completely from this ordeal that they didn't even smell like smoke! He even showed up with them in the fire!

Daniel is another example of God's willingness and ability to deliver. Thrown into the lion's den for praying to God, Daniel knew such deliverance that he came away from the ordeal unscathed while his enemies were completely vanquished (see Daniel 6).

Do you notice a trend here? God can deliver His children out of any circumstance. Know today that His power to deliver is bigger than your problem.

Prayer : God, time and time again, You have delivered Your children from trouble, and I know You won't fail now. You are more than able to deal with my situation, so I trust in You.

Nothing ButThe Blood

Leviticus 17:11 (KJV)

11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

For just a few moments I would like to cover the timeless words of the song nothing but the Blood

Written by Robert Lowry in 1876. More than 140 years later, Christians still sing the hymn with conviction, resounding the eternal truth that we are told about in

(Hebrews 9:22)  ”And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission”

The blood of Jesus is salvation, healing, and eternal life. No matter what you struggle with in this life there is no Hurt, Habit or Hang-up  that the blood of Christ cannot defeat

 (Isaiah 53:5)    ” But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”

The blood of Jesus to the Christian these words are some of the most beautiful ever spoken or penned.

To others, the idea that all mankind needs a Savior is foolish thought.

  

 (1 Corinthians 1:18) “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”

   4 Points to live by

(1) What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

(2) What can make me whole again?

1 John 1:7

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”

Oh! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;

(3) No other fount I know,

1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

He must be our source and our hearts desire

I was guilty, I have been weighed on the scales and found Guilty.

But when Jesus came in where there was no hope now there was light

Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

My cries had woken the master he heard my voice and when you cry out to him he hears yours also

(4)  For my cleansing this I see   for my pardon this my plea—Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Hebrews 13:20 (KJV)

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

 The God of peace will give you every good thing you need so that you can do what he wants.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God is the one who raised from death our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of his sheep.

He raised him because Jesus sacrificed his blood to begin a relationship of true love for all and that never ends

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nothing can for sin atone,

Naught of good that I have done,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Naught of works, ’tis all of grace

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Conclusion:

The trumpets played nothing but the blood of Jesus and the angels sang every sweet refrain of Amazing Grace

Every single voice makes a joyful noise

How sweet the sound when the saints rejoice

To every broken heart and every wounded soul

New life begins on streets of gold

There is no mistaking the fact it is nothing but the blood of Jesus

Glory! Glory! This I sing

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

All my praise for this I bring

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

The way you think. By James MacDonald

If you really want to see improvements in any and every area of your life, it is crucial that you learn to change the way you think!

Proverbs 23:7 says: As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

That’s why this is such a foundational message for the body of Christ—who we are is determined by how we think. 

And friend, this change in our minds doesn’t come by trying harder. It’s not about yelling louder or being filled with condemnation. It’s all about getting the right mindset—a Godly mindset— in order to produce a long-lasting transformation. 

Maybe you’re reading this and you can relate. 

Maybe you’ve tried everything you can to improve that situation, fix that problem, live up to that promise, or accomplish that dream . . . but you feel like you’ve fallen short. 

If so, I want you to hear this very clearly . . . 
 

It’s not too late to change your mind!
It’s not too late to experience victory!
It’s not too late to live with joy!
It’s not too late to see real, tangible change!

All of us have areas of our life that we’d like to change. Maybe it’s your marriage, your business, or your relationship with God. But if we all want to change, why is it so hard? You see, it’s not about yelling louder, trying harder, or being filled with condemnation. It’s all about getting the right mindset, a Godly mindset. And when that happens, long-lasting transformation follows!

 

Friend, change is not dependent on trying harder. Real change comes when you choose to embrace a Godly mindset because the way you think affects everything. I want to invite you to request the resources below so that you may experience the victory of lasting change in your life beginning today.

—James MacDonald

GET THINK DIFFERENTLY

• Think Differently 128 page study guide from Pastor James with powerful teaching and instruction throughout

All About Demeanor

Genesis 25:21-22(KJV)

 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

Everybody is conceived with a demeanor, however it doesn't generally appear as significantly as twins warring in the womb. Possibly it's putting the blades point-up versus point-down in the dishwasher. Then again energizing through being separated from everyone else instead of being in a major gathering. Despite how it shows, your demeanor is something God gives you. It's your regular mental viewpoint; your dominating inclination or inclining; you're winning perspective. 

God plans it for good, but since of our corruption, our manner gets twisted. At the point when this happens, what were impartial propensities can prompt fortifications. 

Notice the word battled in Genesis 25. The Hebrew word implies pulverizing or abusing. This suggests the kids were warring inside Rebekah which, obviously, is not run of the mill child development. This is what I need you to get from this: Disposition influences each relationship and each choice. It's the channel introduced on your reasoning through which you handle reality. It's the reason four individuals on a road corner can all watch the same mischance and have diverse sentiments about it. 

At the point when Rebekah brought forth her twins, "The principal turned out red, all his body like a bristly shroud, so they called his name Esau. Subsequently his sibling turned out with his hand holding Esau's heel" (Genesis 25:25–26). 

Why was he holding his sibling's heel? Since he needed to be conceived first. The name Jacob implies heel catcher or heel grabber. It's the way to go of needing to discover a way, regardless of the fact that it includes misdirection. Jacob can likewise mean to advance beyond the other. 

Do you perceive how their demeanors were at that point in that spot? God's Word is not saying, "Gracious! How fascinating! How irregular! He was clutching his heel. Isn't that interesting?" No. That is not what the Bible is stating by any means. It's uncovering that what they will get to be is available in the womb and in their conveyance. Later we see the young men's miens wind up impacting the way that Esau sold his bequest to his sibling for a dish of stew. 

On the off chance that you need to think distinctively and break out of fortresses that torment you, you need to inspect your own air. Do you see that you were conceived with a state of mind that you have fought your entire life? It's anything but difficult to slip into musings such as, This isn't a way; this is the way. This isn't a decent way; this is the right way. 

How you prepare what happens in your home, kids, marriage, funds, work, church—everything experiences the channel in your psyche. That is the place the fortifications, contentions, and elevated suppositions start to take up habitation. 

Auras are God-given, however Satan dependably tries to bend what God means for good. So pause for a minute and let this truth settle in your heart: You can't change your aura. Nor does God need you to change it. You are consummately suited for what God needs you to do. Rather, get to be mindful of fortresses that have created out of your attitude, and make it your every day objective to take your musings hostage to the compliance of Christ. That is the way to finding and obliterating the fortresses of attitude.

Dwelling in the place of death.

Mark 5:1-20 (KJV)

1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit

3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him.

Many hold the virtue of Christ in admiration, and yet they will not lose even the least thing they have in order to redeem it.

Literally, "in an unclean spirit"; now they are said to be in the spirit because the spirit holds them tightly locked up, and as it were bound.

The helplessness of men to stop the sway of sin. Stop and consider the efforts that are daily being put forth to save the lost of this world.

Think not that the world does not try to save the world. Of course it does. Every hospital, every rescue home, every temperance society, every reform movement, every court house, and every jail is an effort to save men from their ills, and from the ravages of their sins.

The Gadarenes had bound the demoniac time and again; however, the man, in his seemingly superhuman lunacy, had broken every chain. Poor fellow, what were ropes and chains to him?

 Just so many good, but useless and easily broken strands. No man could bind the man of Gadara, and no man can bind the sinner.

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Dwelling in the place of death.

The Gadarene in the mountains and tombs suggests to us that the men of sin are shorn of comfort and peace.

The place of tombs, the graveyards, is no place for the living to dwell.

They speak only of sin and its wages, death.

They may be beautiful without with fern and flower, but within they are filled with dead men's bones.

Yet this world is itself only a great graveyard.

Men are walking constantly in the shadows of foreboding death.

Everything around us says, "It is appointed unto men once to die."

We dare not sit in judgment against the people of Gadara, for the children of this age are as corrupt as they.

The ungodly hug to their hearts the things which make for their undoing.

Men do not want to retain God in their knowledge, because men are filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, maliciousness. They are even haters of God.

Once again we need but to look around us to see the very same thing being done in our generation.

Multitudes of people will not accept Christ to rule over them.

Plainly stated men and women in sin, want to be left alone.

They will welcome no hand that seeks to rescue them.

The masses are saying, "I know not the Lord, neither will I let my sins go."

 Yet the man who wants to be set free comes to a point that Jesus is the only answer and they know him

The request of the man of Gadara.

He prayed the Lord that he might be with Him. This was a perfectly natural and honorable request.

Where is he who, being saved from so great a death, by so great a Saviour, does not want to be with Him!

The Lord's command. The man wanted to go with Christ.

Christ suffered him not, but said, "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee."

Perhaps we, too, can hear a similar word. 

Here it is:

 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel."

Every creature must hear.

We must go and tell. We must go to the end of the earth, until earth's last man has heard the Blessed assurance.