THE OLD NATURE IS STRONG

There are some who ask God for His saving grace to cleanse them
from their hopeless and sinful lives. Of those, there are some who
fail to give over all their lives to be cleansed. As a result, their human
nature draws them to return to the same sinful life and depravity they
lived before. With God, there is no "halfway saved." It is all or nothing.
If you allow God to have all of you, your nature will become like His.
If you don't give God your all, your human nature will take you back to
where you started.

Read 2 Peter 2:22

"Of them the proverbs are true: 'A dog returns to its vomit,' and 'A
sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.'" (NIV)

"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog
is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire." (KJV)

LOVE GROWING COLD

The evil and deception that is present in these last days will have
a profound effect on lukewarm and weak Christians. They will fear
dying and will be deceived by false teachers. They will compromise
their love for God and let it fade. Those who stand strong and remain
faithful to the very end are safe and have no reason to worry or fear
God's judgement.

Read Matthew 24:12,13

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow
cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (NIV)

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (KJV)

NOTHING WE DID

We know that God loved His created human beings and made us all
in His image. He said it was good. When humans disobeyed and fell
from His grace, He still loved all mankind and made a way to restore
them to Himself. The way back to Him cannot happen by anything we
do or don't do. The way back to Him is only through His grace and mercy
that moved Him to send His only Son, who saves us and fills us with His
Holy Spirit.

Read Titus 3:4,5

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved
us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the
Holy Spirit." (NIV)

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (KJV)

GOD DOES NOT TEMPT US

It seems we have this natural inclination to make excuses for our wrong
doings. We may even go so far as to blame God for not intervening or for
allowing us to get into the situation. The truth is, we sin because we get
subtly enticed and deceived; then we convince ourselves it's all right to
do it. To keep this from happening, the Word tells us to forsake even the
very appearance of evil and hold on to whatever is holy.

Read James 1:13,14

"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." (NIV)

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." (KJV)

JOY IN SUFFERING

How can we be joyful when we are going through trials and suffering? The answer is: We know that the trials and suffering will purify our faith just as gold is purified by great heat. Our Lord will honor and reward those who remain faithful through trials and suffering and welcome them with open arms. Knowing this gives us the deep joy of the Lord that this world cannot touch.

Read 1 Peter 1:6,7

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (NIV)

"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (KJV)

THE BATTLE IS GOD'S

As humans, we seem to fret and worry about how we are going to accomplish something, work out a situation, or get through a problem. As Christians, we don't have to worry and fret at all, only trust the Lord to take care of things. He takes on our struggles as His own and in return, only asks us to trust Him.

Read 2 Chronicles 20:17

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." (NIV)

"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you." (KJV)

KNOW IN WHOM YOU BELIEVE

The Lord told us that if we are Christians, there will be suffering because of our faith. There is no shame in this suffering, only joy in suffering for Him. The suffering is temporary. We trust that the Lord will keep us in His hands until that day when we are with Him in eternity.

Read 2 Itmothy 1:12

"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (NIV)

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (KJV)

THE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES

We have a tendency to judge ourselves through our own eyes and in
comparing ourselves to others. This works for us because we don't
seem like such "bad" people. God sees us through His eyes, in total
truth and reality. Quite a different view. If He dealt out to us what we
deserve, we would be condemned and hopeless. However, He made a
way for us to be forgiven, through Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty
for us. When we grasp this wonderful news, we can never stop honoring
and thanking God for His grace and mercy.

Read Psalm 130:3,4

"If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with
you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared."(NIV)

"If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But
there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." (KJV)

MY BODY IS HIS

Are you a Christian? If so, you no longer own your own body.
It belongs to the Lord, who purchased it with His own blood,
death, and resurrection. His Holy Spirit lives in your body.
Honor Him with your body in all you say and do. If you don't,
you will crowd out the Holy Spirit with your disobedience
and self gratification. Then you will own your own body
again.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:19,20

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not
your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with
your body." (NIV)

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's." (KJV)

REFLECTIONS

Water is like a mirror. When you lean over water and look into it, you
see the exact image of your own face. The heart of man is also like a
mirror. When we look into the heart of others, we see in them both the
good and bad reflections of ourselves.

Read Proverbs 27:19

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." (NIV)

"As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." (KJV)

FREEDOM

Before we accepted the free gift of Christ's salvation, we were slaves,
captives to our own sinful nature. His sacrifice on the cross gave us
total freedom to not sin and to turn our backs on our old sinful nature.
Warning! It is so easy to slip back into the old ways. Then we are again
slaves and captives to sin.

Read Galatians 5:1

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yolk of slavery." (NIV)

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us
free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (KJV)

BEAUTIFUL

From our human viewpoint, we see things from a very limited
understanding. Those things we see as harsh and devastating
are a part of God's great plan that reveals the beauty of His love.
When things seem very very bad, remember, God will reveal
something beautiful from it in time.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:11

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set
eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God
has done from beginning to end." (NIV)

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set
the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that
God maketh from the beginning to the end." (KJV)

EQUAL GRACE FOR EQUAL MANKIND

The same saving grace that comes from faith in the shed blood of Jesus
Christ is the same for every person who believes. We were all sinners in
need of God's grace to rescue us. The rescue for us is free. It cost God
a very great price, His only Son. What great love He has for us!

Read Romans 3:22-24

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (NIV)

"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (KJV)

GOD IS IN THE WATER AND FIRE

The Word tells us over and over that God will never leave us nor forsake
us. When we go through overwhelming waves (water) of suffering and tragic circumstances (fire) that make us want to give up, God is with us and will go through it all with us. Be comforted by that no matter where you are or what you are experiencing.

Read Isaiah 43:2

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you pass through the fire, you will not be burned; the Flames will not set you ablaze." (NIV)

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through
the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (KJV)

STRONG HEARTS

The children of Israel, who had the promise of a new land, complained
and disobeyed until God took the promised land from them, and when
the last of them had died, their descendants were allowed to enter it.
We, as children of God, are warned to keep our faith strong so that we
can enter God's promised blessings of eternal life right now. We can keep our faith and belief in God by encouraging and being encouraged by our fellow Christians.

Read Hebrews 3:12,13

"See to it brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart
that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily,
as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by
sin's deceitfulness. (NIV)

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (KJV)

SPIRITUAL WORKOUT

To be concerned about one's physical health is beneficial for living here in this life. To be concerned about one's spiritual life is beneficial for this life and crucial for eternal life. Take care of your body, God's temple, but make your spiritual life with God your priority.

Read 1 Itmothy 4:8

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (NIV)

"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (KJV)

WHO UNDERSTANDS?

Those who truly seek God, spend time with God, and learn from
God will understand the goodness and the severity of God. His ways
will be understood by them. Those who have this understanding will
be known by God. Everything about God is true and without error. The
true believers will walk in God's truth and experience peace and
assurance. Those who don't know the Lord will find themselves
stumbling with confusion and uncertainty.

Read Hosea 14:9

"Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He
will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous
walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (NIV)

"Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent,
and he shall know them? For the ways of the LORD are right,
and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall
therein." (KJV)

PRETENDERS

The Lord is well acquainted with our hearts. He notices when any one goes through the motions, gathers with believers, and speaks holy prayers, but there is an absence of worship from the heart and true righteous hunger for the things of God. Some people fail to even realize they are engaging in false worship. The great deception lies in the belief that tradition and church rules equal true worship and relationship with the Lord. Other people have just become lazy and complacent, letting their spirit grow cold.

Read Isaiah 29:13

"The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'" (NIV)

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." (KJV)

TAKING A WALK

To "walk with" someone is so much more than an occasional stroll.
It is to spend time with, be attached to, and take on the ways of those
we "walk with." The Word tells us that we become like those with whom
we walk. As Christians, we are around people of all kinds, but we are
careful and alert about who we "walk with."

Read Proverbs 13:20

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools
suffers harm." (NIV)

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools
shall be destroyed." (KJV)

ONE CHURCH

There is only one Church. This Church is the body of Christ. The body
of Christ is not a particular denomination or group with unique beliefs
that cause them to think their group is the only one. Christ's body, the
Church, is made alive by His Holy Spirit. The one and only Holy Spirit
leads those who believe and trust in Christ into truth and instills the
hope of eternal life with Him.

Read Ephesians 4:4

"There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope
when you were called." (NIV)

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of
your calling." (KJV)

GOD TELLS HIS SECRETS

The ways of God have always been clouded with mystery. Many have
tried to unlock the secrets of the Almighty through research, study,
and spiritual techniques. The Word plainly tells us that God reveals
secrets of His plan and mysteries of His ways to those who reverence
and worship Him from a pure heart.

Read Psalm 25:14

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known
to them." (NIV)

"The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them
his covenant." (KJV)

CONFIDENT & SECURE

The Lord God has told us He would never leave nor forsake us. Our faith
in His words gives us full confidence in His being all powerful. No matter what people do to us, no matter what the plans and behaviors of others do to us, God's strength is far more powerful. Though it seems the Lord does not see or care, trust him! He is working and He will take care of you. The strength of men is limited and they cannot overpower our God.


Read Hebrews 13:6

"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?'" (NIV)

"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me." (KJV)

WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION

As Christians, we all have the same Lord and the same Spirit dwelling in us. However, we all have different temptations, difficulties, and situations with which to contend in this life. It is up to each one of us to work out what God has put in us and apply it to our own unique situations. We all have the same tools but a different set of circumstances in our lives and our walk with the Lord.

We have to work it out, carefully following Him.

Read Philippians 2:12

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my
presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (NIV)

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (KJV)

CREATED EQUAL

Once we realize that we are on an equal footing with all others
in God's eyes, it is a wonderful thing to serve one another in love
and humility. God will richly bless those of us who do.

Read John 13:17

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do
them." (NIV)

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (KJV)

RULES FOR JUDGING

What measuring stick do we use to make a judgment about others? If
we are honest with ourselves we would have to say we judge others by
those very same things that lie within each and every one of our hearts.
We are just as capable of the same things we judge in others. So be careful when you judge others. God is searching the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. He will use the same measuring stick to judge us that we use to judge others.

Read Matthew 7:1,2

Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be
measured to you." (NIV)

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured
to you again." (KJV)

PRAYER SETS US FREE

Is there someone in your life that has wronged you, hurt you, betrayed
you, caused you grief? Human nature causes us to be resentful and angry toward those people. The truth is, if we are merciful to those who have wronged us and we pray for them, the Lord will show us mercy and release us from the chains of resentment and anger. His Word says He will show us mercy in the same way we have shown mercy to others.

Read Job 7:38

"After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before." (NIV)

"And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." (KJV)

WATER FOUNTAIN

The living water Jesus gives to us is His Holy Spirit, the promise of eternal life. When Christ's Holy Spirit is living in our hearts, this living water will flow out of us as walk, speak, work, and live. It cannot be contained. If it is there, it will flow out and others will notice it. Is that what people notice when they are around you?

Read John 7:38

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (NIV)

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (KJV)

INTENTIONS ARE WORTHLESS

We all have good and noble intentions. The problem is that intentions
are seldom accompanied by constant awareness, prayer, and action.
Intentions have no power. Our power to overcome and accomplish is
through prayer and being on guard against the enemy. We need
commitment rather than intentions to allow the Lord to give our
spirit the power to overcome our weaknesses.

Read Matthew 26:41

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit
is willing, but the body is weak." (NIV)

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak." (KJV)

WASHING FEET

When Jesus took of His cloak, got down on the floor, and washed
the feet of His disciples, He was setting an example for us. He was
not teaching us how to wash feet, but how to treat one another in
love and humility, no matter what position we hold in this life. No
one is high and mighty, except the Lord God Himself. We are all one
in Him, equal ground and we are to serve one another.

Read John 13:14

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
should wash one another's feet." (NIV)

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought
to wash one another's feet." (KJV)

ANGER CONTROL

A person given to anger means he is controlled by anger. Out of his
mouth flows all the bitterness and resentment that fills him inside. He
has no control. The wise person also experiences anger, but by God's
grace, has self control to deal with the anger in a Godly way.

Read Proverbs 29:11

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under
control." (NIV)

"A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards." (KJV)

HIS LIGHT AND TRUTH

As Christians, our prayer is that the Lord will light the path of truth
so that we can follow it, no matter how difficult so that we can be
with Him. This path is rough, narrow, and lonely. But those who
follow it will never be disappointed.

Read Psalm 43:3

"Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them
bring me to your holy mountain to the place where you dwell." (NIV)

"O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring
me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles." (KJV)