One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)
I Thessalonians 3:12-13. "And may the Lord cause you to increase, even overflow, in love for one another, just as we do also for you, so He may establish your hearts faultless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones."
Psalm 46:1-11... 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields [b] with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Thoughts wander to the game you want to see or meal you want to eat, when suddenly a sound unlike any you've ever heard fills the air.
The sound is high above you.
A trumpet? A choir? A choir of trumpets?
You don't know, but you want to know.
So you pull over, get out of your car, and look up.
As you do, you see you aren't the only curious one. The roadside has become a parking lot.
Car doors are open, and people are staring at the sky. Shoppers are racing out of the grocery store. The Little League baseball game across the street has come to a halt. Players and parents are searching the clouds. And what they see, and what you see, has never before been seen.
As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the atmosphere part. A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows. None. From whence came the light begins to tumble a river of color spiking crystals of every hue ever seen and a million more never seen. Riding on the flow is an endless fleet of angels. They pass through the curtains one myriad at a time, until they occupy every square inch of the sky. North. South. East. West.
Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in unison, and over the sound of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and seraphim chanting, Holy, holy, holy.
The final flank of angels is followed by twenty-four silver- bearded elders and a multitude of souls who join the angels in worship.
Presently the movement stops and the trumpets are silent, leaving only the triumphant triplet: Holy, holy, holy. Between each word is a pause. With each word, a profound reverence. You hear your voice join in the chorus. You don't know why you say the words, but you know you must.
Suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet.
The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns and there He is.
Jesus.
Through waves of light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King.
A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
1 Jn 2:20-21,24a,26-27 (TEB) But you have had the Holy Spirit poured out on you by Christ, and so all of you know the truth. I write you, then, not because you do not know the truth; instead, it is because you do know it, and also know that no lie ever comes from the truth.... Be sure, then, to keep in your hearts the message you heard from the beginning.... I write you this about those who are trying to deceive you. But as for you, Christ has poured his Spirit on you.... For his Spirit teaches you about everything, and what he teaches is true, not false...
This is neat. They ask different questions each time you take a drill. It's addictive... And amazing at the same time. Check out the LINK below to begin.
The Lord bless you and keep you... the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you... the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
Using the analogy of a cell phone to describe the Christian life, how would you evaluate yourself? Which phrase best describes your Christian walk at this time?
1. Not activated
We are not "activated" until the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within us. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He forgives us of our sins and His Spirit comes to live within us.
2. Activated but not charged
Are you running on a low battery? Maybe you are worn out because of stress or pressures. Maybe you are trying to solve your problems yourself rather than depending on God's strength through prayer.
3. Activated but not turned on
Sometimes we don't want to listen and we've turned the ringer off. Other times, we are just too busy to listen.
4. Weak signal
Are you in the place God wants you to be or have you allowed something to interfere with your relationship with Him? He wants to draw you close again.
"If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer." Psalm 66:18-19
5. Not enough information stored in memory
This has nothing to do with getting older. However, a new Christian may not have had the chance to commit much of God's Word to memory. The more of God's Word we memorize, the more we can use it no matter where we are. We can't carry Bibles everywhere.
6. Not applying stored information
No matter how much of God's Word we know, we cannot benefit from it until we apply it. Regardless of whether we are a new Christian or have known the Lord for a long time, we are responsible for the knowledge we have.
7. Charged, turned on and ready for service
"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning..." Luke 12:35
A promise:
"So do not fear,
for I am with you;
do not be dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"
(Isa. 41:10, niv).
And by this we know for sure that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. (4) The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; (5) but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been brought to its goal. (6) The one who says he abides in Him owes it to himself to walk in the same way as He walked. [1 John 2:3-6]
In the shadow of His hand hath He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid me; and said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
ISAIAH 49:2,3
All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.
They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
“Belief is in a sense passive, an agreement or acceptance only; faith is active and positive, embracing such reliance and confidence as will lead to works. Faith in Christ comprises belief in Him, combined with trust in Him. One cannot have faith without belief; yet he may believe and still lack faith. Faith is vivified, vitalized, living belief.”
~James E. Talmage
"Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things."
(Philippians 4:8)
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