What Will You Do?

Everything is going his way he's feeling good sitting at the top,
Money is flowing he's living life like it ain't never gonna stop.
That's his style fast money and even faster cars,
Never worrying about tomorrow he's looking up trying to reach the stars.
But before he knew it that's when disaster struck,
That was the moment he ran outta luck.
He never looked at the BIBLE he didn't care at all about what the preacher had to tell,
Always mocking and laughing when he heard about hell.
This story is fiction, yet it is true
In the light of eternity what will you do?

=== Written by: Carl Hatter ===

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Life With God

 TEXT: John 6:41-59

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. (John 6:56)

Those marvelous words represent what was apparently a very offensive statement to these Jews. It sounds that way even to us if we take his words literally. Talk about eating human flesh and drinking human blood turns many people off. Evidently those listening to Jesus felt that way. You can hear the cynicism in their voices: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat? What does he think we are—cannibals?" This was most offensive to Jews because they had been taught all through the centuries that God did not want flesh in which there remained any blood. The word "kosher" means to cleanse; and it particularly refers to the preparation of meat. The Jews cannot eat any meat that has not had all the blood drained from it.

But in these words our Lord reveals the absolute necessity for receiving his life: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." That is unequivocal, isn't it? There is no doubting what he has to say. This is absolutely essential to real life. If you do not have this, you are on a temporary slide into ultimate corruption and total death. The most you can do is merely preserve your life for awhile, and hold death at arm's length. But death is inevitable unless you know the One who gives life. Then Jesus shows how that life is real: "For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." It is the real kind of life that God intends for us.

This sharing of life with Jesus will, later on in this gospel, become the theme for the Upper Room Discourse. I do not think you can find any theme more exalted, more remarkable, more mysterious than this—the sharing of life between Jesus and us: "You in me, and I in you," (John 14:20). Those are very simple words, but to understand what they mean is to grasp the very center of truth itself. "You in me, and I in you"—this reflects our universal hunger for intimacy.

The most intimate physical act is sex, which is a way of sharing life together. Sex has been accurately described as "the urge to merge." That is what happens physically, but it also happens psychologically. Friendship is a form of sexuality, or intimacy. When you are with a friend, what do you do? You tell your friend what you have been doing, and ask what he or she has been doing; you share your secrets. That is the urge to merge at the psychological level.

When we think about the greatness, the glory, and the wonder of God, what do we want? True worship is the desire to merge with God, for him to possess us and us to possess him. That is what Jesus says happens when we eat and drink his life. When we come and believe in him, and keep coming and keep believing in him, we grow into an intimate relationship with God.

Jesus has modeled this for us: "As the living Father sent me, and I live by means of the Father [this was the secret of his life], so he who eats me will live by means of me." That is a wonderful description of the Christian life. Jesus lived by means of the Father, and we are to live by means of him in everything we do.

May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you.

*Copyright Ray Stedman Ministries / www.raystedman.org.*

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Christ's Supreme Love And Timely Warning

TEXT: Matthew 7:15

“Beware of false prophets.” Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the good Shepherd and His warning is to make His sheep to be watchful. He does not want to lose any of His own to “ravening wolves.” “Beware” – be watchful, be on your guard, take warning. In sounding this alarm and giving this warning, Christ was motivated by perfect love on the basis of His perfect knowledge. There would be no warning if there were no danger. Knowing the presence of false prophets even at His own time and foreseeing the rise of teachers of damnable error in our time, He gave this warning over and over.

The Apostles have also given us the same warning. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders. Behold, I have told you before. After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Therefore watch. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways. Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness” (Matthew 7:15; 16:6; 24:11,24,25;  Acts 20:29-31; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Philippians 3:2; 2 Peter 2:1,2; 3:17).

“Beware of false prophets.” If it was a necessary warning at the time of Christ and the Apostles, it is a much-needed warning today. Satan, the world and the flesh are not the only dangers in the way of the believer; there is another great danger: false prophets – wolves in sheep’s clothing. Beware, watch and be on your guard.

1.      CHRIST’S WARNING CONCERNING FALSE PROPHETS

Matthew 7:15; 16:6-12; 24:4,5,11-13,24,25; Jeremiah 14:14; 23:21-32; Deuteronomy 13:1-11; 2 Corinthians 11:2-4,11-13; Galatians 1:6-10; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1; Jude 4,12-19; Revelation 22:16-19.

Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the great King and true Prophet, the faithful Teacher Who came from God, had just described the narrow way of life and righteousness that leads to heaven and the broad way of sin and self that leads to perdition. Then, He immediately gave the warning and sounded the alarm: “Beware of false prophets.” The chief aim of false prophets is to deceive us and point us to the wrong way, thereby leading us astray. They call good evil and paint evil as good. They encourage people to walk in the broad way that leads to hell and discourage them from walking in the narrow way that leads to heaven. The warning was necessary for sinners who were already accustomed to the broad way, sinners who were thoughtless about spiritual matters, sinners who took religious deceivers as their final authority, sinners who entrusted the eternal destiny of their souls into the hands of ignorant leaders in religion. This warning is needed by awakened sinners on the verge of decision, sinners who are concerned about their spiritual welfare, who are asking what to do in order to have eternal life. Which way should they turn –  to the right or to the left; to the narrow way or to the broad way? Which people should they identify with –  the multitude on the broad way or the few on the narrow way? The warning must be taken to heart by new converts who have just repented and believed in Christ, by believers who are suffering persecution, by Christians who are under pressure to reconsider their commitment to Christ, by disciples who are feeling the weight of the cross they bear, by preachers of the gospel who are not popular with the world and whose lone voice is almost being drowned by multitudes of world-acclaimed preachers. “Beware of false prophets.” For the sake of souls, take heed.

2.      CRAFTY WOLVES CLOTHED AS FAITHFUL PROPHETS

Matthew 7:15; Ezekiel 22:25-27; Acts 20:28-31;1 Kings 13:11-24; 2 Chronicles 18:4-11,28-34; Isaiah 9:13-16; 44:20; Jeremiah 28:10-15;2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; 2 Timothy 2:17,18; Revelation 2:14-16; 20:10-15.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Appearance can be very deceptive. Gifts without grace, charisma without character, love without light, tenderness without truth, hospitality without holiness, worship without the Word, eloquence without enlightenment, fellowship without food for the soul, faith without faithfulness, prosperity without purity, success without salvation, revelation without righteousness, can be very deceptive in religion. Beware of ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing, destructive adversaries clothed with dazzling affection, dangerous friends (foes) clothed as delightful friends, poisonous serpents clothed as peaceful saints, cruel tormentors clothed as compassionate teachers, wicked murderers clothed as winsome messengers, determined destroyers clothed as devoted defenders. Beware, wolves are still wolves inwardly, whatever be the outward pretense or polish. Even when they pretend and pose as shepherds, they are looking for sheep to devour, not to defend, protect or feed. Jesus said, beware.

3.                CONCEALED WICKEDNESS OF FALSE PROPHETS

Matthew 7:15; 23:13-15; Luke 11:44; Job 20:12-14; Psalm 10:8-10; Jeremiah 23:11-14; Acts 8:9-11,18-23; 13:6-12; 2 Peter 2:17-20; Revelation 2:20-26; Proverbs 19:27; Romans 16:17,18.

False prophets come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Be wise and be watchful. Look beyond their outward appearance, deep beneath the outward, pleasing personality. Watch and listen to the witness of the Holy Spirit, examine the fruit of their lives and evaluate the fruit of their labour. Beware, lest you throw your soul into the claws and jaws of a ravening wolf because of an untested assumption that you are entrusting your soul to a good and faithful shepherd. Deception, eternally dangerous deception is the trade of Satan and his servants and false prophets –  at their best, really, at their worst. False prophets so conceal and hide their wickedness and cleverly proclaim error as truth that even elites and educated people in different areas of life and discipline are easily deceived. Scientists and philosophers, the mighty and the wealthy, the intelligent and the wise, the educated and the civilized, the religious and the zealot, the secular mind and even the spiritual man have been deceived by false prophets in the past, in all generations and in this generation. If we are to escape the false prophets’ deception and the damnation it brings, we must diligently watch. We must be constantly guided by the Holy Spirit and the Scripture. Beware, watch, take heed.

May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you.

 ==Culled from DCLM Bible Study Outline ==

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He's All You Need

When you're alone, your heart is torn, He is all you need.
When you're confused, your soul is bruised, He is all you need.
He's the rock of your soul, He's the anchor that holds
Through your desperate time.
When your way is unsure His love will endure, a peace you will find
Through all your years, the joy, the tears, He is all you need

When you give in to that familiar sin, He is all you need
Guilt as you're paralyzed, it slowly it eats you alive,
He is all you need
He'll be faithful to you though your heart is untrue
And your love's grown cold
His forgiveness is real, it'll comfort and heal your sin-weary soul
Well, God loves you so, He'll never let you go
He is all you need.

He'll be faithful to you though your heart is untrue
And your love's grown cold
His forgiveness is real, to comfort and heal your sin-weary soul
Through all your years, the joy, the tears, He is all you need.

=== Song Lyrics by: Steve Camp ===

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Break The Worry Habit: Live One Day At A Time

Text: Matthew 6:34

Now we come to the final conclusion and cure for worry and anxiety. “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.” One songwriter captured the words of our Lord in the following words of his song:

            I’m only human, I’m just a man.

            Lord, help me believe in what I could be

            And all that I am,

            Just show me the stairway

            That I have to climb.

            Lord, for my sake

            Teach me to take one day at a time.

                        One day at a time, Lord Jesus,

                        That’s all I’m asking from you.

                        Just give me the strength

                        To do everyday what  I have to do.

                        Yesterday is gone, Lord Jesus;

                        And tomorrow may never be mine.

                        Lord, help me today, show me the way,

                        One day at a time.

The great secret of living a happy, healthy, holy and fruitful life is living without worry about the past and without anxiety concerning the future. The true child of God settles the past with God. He has confessed the sins of the past and he has been forgiven. Now he shuts out the past and counts everything belonging to the past dead, buried, never to rise again. Locking the past behind an iron door, he throws the key of remembrance away! The future is yet unborn, so he leaves that with God until it comes. Leaving the past and future with God, he summons all grace received, strength and courage to face the challenges of each day.

1.    LEAVE TOMORROW WITH GOD AND HIS GOOD FORESIGHT

Text: Matthew 6:34; Psalm 127:1,2; James 4:13-15;Exodus 16:16-21; Acts 12:5-11; 16:25-35;  Jeremiah 10:23; 29:11-13; Isaiah 55:9-11; Lamentations 3:22-26; Deuteronomy 33:25; Joshua 3:5.

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow.” It is an unnecessary distraction to worry or be anxious about tomorrow. There are men who waste their last hours on earth fretting over a morrow they never see! If we are preserved till the morrow, will it not bring with it tomorrow’s God? What good can your worry do? It does not empty tomorrow of its problems and trials, but it empties today of its strength and comfort.

Worrying about tomorrow does not enable you to escape future trouble; it only weakens you and makes you unfit to cope with those challenges when tomorrow eventually comes. Worrying about tomorrow often leads to hurtful imagination which produces wrong thinking and self-induced negative prophecies and tormenting fear. Don’t try to cross the bridge before you get there, but cheerfully carry the cross of today and leave the future to God. He will be there before you get there. When tomorrow dawns and its door swings open, the power and promises of God will be waiting for you to welcome you to a new day. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be ”  (Deuteronomy 33:25).

2.    LABOUR TODAY WITH GOD’S GUIDANCE AND GREAT FAITH

Text: Matthew 6:34; Psalm 118:24; Ecclesiastes 9:10; John 9:4,5; 1 Chronicles 16:37; Ezra 3:4; Psalm 104:23,24; Proverbs 14:23; 2 Thessalonians 3:8-12; 2 Corinthians 6:2.

We have learnt that we are to pray for our daily bread. We can ask for strength to finish today’s duty. Our business is with today; we can have divine supply for today’s consumption. To import the possible burden of tomorrow into the duties of this day will decrease or deplete the strength which is meant for only today’s responsibility. When tomorrow brings its burden, the God of tomorrow will bring with it sufficient grace and strength. Today will require all the vigour we have to deal with its immediate “evils” or problems; there is no need to import cares from the future. To load today with trials that have not really arrived would be to overload it. Anxiety is dangerous, but anxiety about things which have not yet happened is doubly dangerous, an unnecessary venom that poisons and destroys us.

Worry about the future is useless; it achieves nothing. It is a pure waste of energy. Worrying about the future cripples you in the present; it lessens your efficiency with regard to today. The wisest thing is not to spend your energy looking for solution to imaginary problems of the future which may never happen. Everyday has its problems and challenges; everyday has a daily quota of problems. If you want to go through life without being caged under unbearable loads of problems, treat each day as a unit. Do not carry yesterday or tomorrow with you. Live for today in God’s strength and at the end of the day, rest in the Lord.

3.    LET TODAY BE A GATEWAY TO A GLORIOUS FUTURE

Text: Matthew 6:34; Exodus 12:14,22,23,28,37,41 ; Genesis 40:6-14,21 with 41:9-13,37-44; Joshua 3:5; Proverbs 31:17-25; Malachi 3:16-18; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Luke 23:39-43; Daniel 12:3.

Each day comes with problems and promises, obstacles and opportunities, burdens and benefits, disappointments and daily duties, setbacks and steppingstones. Welcome each day as a new gift from God. It comes with lessons to learn and challenges to face in order to strengthen your moral and spiritual muscles. Welcome the day with a cheerful heart, saying, “This is the day !” (Psalm 118:24). Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow only a vision; but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Today is your most precious possession, the only sure  possession. It is unproductive to embitter the present by brooding and worrying over things that happened in the past. Worrying destroys our ability to think positively, and to concentrate on making positive changes. Receive each day as a gift from the Hands of your heavenly Father. Go through each day with the “work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ ”  (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Do something by the grace of God and through the strength supplied by the Holy Spirit each day. Let today and everyday of this year be a gateway to a glorious future.

May the grace and peace of the Lord keep and preserve you in Jesus' name. Amen.

== Culled from DCLM Bible Study Outline ==

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Help Is On The Way

When I saw you, you were staring
I could see the clouds that covered your eyes
And the look of desperation
If somebody loved you, you could change your life
Make day from night
Well, I can't help you, but I can show you
The one who can take your tears away

Help is on the way
Love is coming to you
All you need to say is you need him too
Is on the way
Help is on the way

When there's nothing to keep you going
Every day is a fight and you never win
How the world can work you over
You run for cover, trying to shield your eyes
From the pain and the lies
There's nowhere to hide but in God's love
Oh, don't you hear him calling you?

Help is on the way
Love is coming to you
All you need to say is you need him too
Is on the way
Help is on the way

Oh, it's here to stay

You want to change you life
And make day from night
Only Jesus' love will free your soul
And he's reaching out to you

Help is on the way
Love is coming to you
All you need to say is you need, need him too

Help is on the way
Love is coming to you
All you need to say is you need him too
Is on the way
Help is on the way

It's on the way
Now listen

Help is on the way
Help is on the way

He can take your tears away
Help is on, help is on the way

=== Song Lyrics by Steve Camp ===

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His Love Of Words

He will make a way for me,
But I’ve got to do my part.
I must keep moving forward…
With His promises in my heart.
 
Staying in faith, not worried
About who’s holding me back;
I continue to press ahead
In His supply, without lack.
 
Everything is simple for God
And it’s a fact I’ve accepted;
This kinship persists, seeing…
That we are divinely connected.

Heaven’s Husbandman grafted me
Into the sacred Vine for Himself;
His Love of words flows from me,
Poetry made… for His bookshelf.


Author Notes Inspired by:
Prov 3:6; John 15; Eph 2:10
Learn more about me and my poetry at: http://amzn.to/1ffo9YZ
By Joseph J. Breunig 3rd, © 2014, All rights reserved.

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Praises That Bring Victory

Text: 2 CHRONICLES 20: 1-6, 9, 18-22

As happened to the people of Judah in our text, there are times believers face serious battles in their lives. They experience attacks, oppositions, persecution, threats, denials, oppressions, misrepresentations, etc. They wonder how they will be free, how they will overcome all the difficulties and wars facing them. At other times, they go before the Lord and pray as Jehoshaphat did in 2 Chronicles 20:3, 4. Sometimes, they lift up their eyes to God, quote His promises (2 Chronicles 20:6-13), challenge Him, yet victory seems to be far.

When this appears to be our case, we are to learn from the Psalmist (Psalm 150:1-6) and from Jehoshaphat. King Jehoshaphat sought the face of the Lord when his people were facing opposition from three nations. And God told him what to do. It may sound strange that King Jehoshaphat adopted the method given him for victory. But as believers, since God says our battles are His, we will be victorious only if we heed His advice and instructions.

King Jehoshaphat was advised on what to do (verse 16-22), and he “appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for His mercy endures forever” (verse 21).

The people of Judah won the battle set against them. If we will learn to praise the Lord in all things, we too will overcome in every battle of life. Let's make this year a year of praise to the Lord.

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Good Deeds

Text: Job 31:24-32

Key Verse: “The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller” (Job 31:32)

In all ages, men and women had obtained God’s favour through their good deeds unto others. Abraham and Sarah got the son of promise by entertaining holy angels. Rahab and her household were saved by Israel’s army because she protected the spies sent to Jericho, and many other instances in the Bible.

Job was a righteous man who went through trying times. This was because God allowed Satan to afflict him to try his faith. God’s testimony concerning Job was that “there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8).

In his trials, Job’s commitment was confronted by his wife. His friends, who came to comfort him also passed as miserable counselors. He remained faithful to God and maintained his integrity.

Job remained conscious of the truth that God will judge every sin, and so he was always ready to be examined. In the passage above, Job drew attention to some issues of personal attitude to wealth and his fellow men. He addressed them by five “ifs” as part of the 21 “ifs” in the whole chapter.

Friend, as you look at yourself today and consider your life, how do you stand before these ‘ifs’ of Job? Job spoke of his integrity and righteousness, opened himself to God’s examination and acknowledged that punishment from the Judge awaited him if he had done wrong.

God takes pleasure in righteousness and punishes evil. If we judge ourselves, God will not judge us (1 Corinthians 11:31). How is your relationship with God? What is your attitude to wealth - silver, gold, houses, etc.? What is your attitude to your fellowmen, especially those that have offended you?

Job was adjudged righteous because he loved God, feared Him, walked uprightly and avoided evil. If you will please God, you should follow the steps of Job.

Thought For You: One good turn deserves many others.

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Quiet Spaces

In these quiet spaces,
I become temporarily deaf
to the meaningless noises
that seek to define me.

In these quiet spaces,
my soul is nourished;
surrounded by silence,
my spirit soars upward.

In these quiet spaces,
my focus turns inward,
knowing that His Presence
is co-mingled with mine.

In these quiet spaces,
the renewing of my mind
occurs as my life, is…
humbled before Him.

In these quiet spaces,
His divine, sacred wind
envelops my frail essence
with indescribable peace. 

In these quiet spaces,
consumed by His Presence,
I sense undeniable power
of God’s authentic Love.

Author Notes
Inspired by:
Matt 6:1,6; Rom 12:1-2; Jam 4:8;
Heb 13:15-16; Psa 46:10; Phil 4:7

Learn more about me and my poetry at:
http://amzn.to/1ffo9YZ

By Joseph J. Breunig 3rd, © 2014, All rights reserved

--
Joseph Breunig, Author/poet
Reaching Towards His Unbounded Glory


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