[Gill White]

Proverbs 3: The Rewards of Wisdom 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. 13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. 14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. 20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. 21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. 23 Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. 32 For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. 33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. 35 The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor

James 3:13
Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living
the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom.

[Gill White]

The Suffering Servant Isaiah 53:1-12 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors. God's Promise concerning His Servant Isaiah 42:1-13 ''Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. "He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. "He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law." Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, "I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. "Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you." Sing to the LORD a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it. You islands, and those who dwell on them. Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices, The settlements where Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud, Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains. Let them give glory to the LORD And declare His praise in the coastlands. The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies. Peter's Second Sermon Acts 3:13-26 "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. "But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. "Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you. 'And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' "And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. "It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' "For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."

1 John 4:14
We have seen and testify to the fact that the Father sent his
Son as the Savior of the world.

[Gill White]

Go, Stand and Speak Based on a Cortright Teaching Acts 5:20 "Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life." We have a commission from GOD to speak His Word to the people of this world. GOD's words are words of life. GOD did not give us this commission because of our great knowledge or because of our great skill in speaking. He gave it to us because we listened to the end that we received eternal life. If all you know of GOD's Word is that Jesus Christ is Lord and that GOD raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9) then you know enough to speak words of life - eternal life - to the people. Throughout GOD's Word are examples of men of GOD called and commissioned by GOD to speak His word. Although they did not have the greatness of the new birth to share as we do, they had the two things necessary to carry out the commission: They were willing to go; and They had words from GOD to share. Exodus 4:10-12 Then Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." Moses had the two requirements necessary to carry out GOD's commission to speak. He was meek (Numbers 12:3 says - very meek above all that were upon the face of the earth): he was willing to listen and willing to go! And secondly, GOD had promised to give him all the words he needed to speak. GOD spent some time (if you read the context of Exodus 4) convincing Moses that he could do the job. And in the end GOD never did get him to see that he could speak well enough to deliver the message. GOD ended up letting Moses tell the words to Aaron and let Aaron speak to the people. But from GOD's point of view the fact that Moses was slow of speech and not eloquent had nothing to do with his ability to go and speak God's Word. Moses had all he needed. A willing heart and the words to speak. Jeremiah 1:4-9 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Then said I: " Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the LORD said to me: " Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: " Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. Just as with Moses, Jeremiah did not feel adequate to speak for GOD. But GOD knew from before he was born that here was a man WILLING to go and that once he did go he would speak GOD's Word no matter what pressure was put on him to stop. That kind of willingness and meekness to GOD is the primary ingredient. When you are willing to go, stand, and speak for GOD, He will give you an abundance of His Word. Jeremiah's heart was so focused on GOD and His word that when the pressure was on him to quit speaking he just could not help but speak. Jeremiah 20:7-9 O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me. For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, "Violence and plunder!" Because the word of the LORD was made to me a reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. When Jeremiah spoke GOD's Word the people laughed and mocked him daily. So he said, "I'm not speaking GOD's Word anymore!" But the Word of GOD burned within his heart. It was like a fire inside. He tried to not speak but he just could not stand keeping it inside. He had to let it out. He just had to speak GOD's Word. That kind of love for GOD and His word; that kind of willingness to go forth is what made Jeremiah the great prophet he was. GOD will show you great things out of His Word and work very intimately with you as you go forth speaking His Word. Ezekiel 3:1-4 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll [scroll - the Word], and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll [the Word]. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll [the Word] that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. Ezekiel was told to eat, go, and speak! The Word of GOD is sweet as honey. Eat it up. Fill your heart and mind with that wonderful food of the Word. And then go speak it to others. GOD wants you to fill-up on His word. And He wants you to go and speak it to others. The more you speak, the more you let it out, the more He will fill you with a greater knowledge and understanding. Giving equals receiving. As you go and speak what you know (and you don't have to know a lot) GOD will give you more. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. GOD reconciled us to himself. Reconciliation is to bring back that which had been separated. He gave us the word of reconciliation. He gave us Romans 10:9-10 - that which must be shared if others are to be brought back to GOD, saved, and given eternal life. And He have us the ministry of reconciliation. When Jesus Christ was on earth it was his job to bring men and women back to GOD. Now it is our job. We must speak forth the word that will reconcile men and women. We are ambassadors for Christ. We pray, ask, speak! in the place of Christ (in Christ's stead) "be ye reconciled to GOD." That is our ministry. That is the Word we speak. We ask others to be reconciled to GOD as we have been reconciled to GOD. We tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ and that GOD raised him from the dead. We speak to them the words of life! Exodus 14:10-15 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. When caught between the Egyptians and the Red Sea the children of Israel wanted to go back to bondage in Egypt. Moses told them to stand still and see GOD work. But GOD said: Go forward! We can go back to our old way of life, stand still and watch, or go forward with the word of GOD. I know of many whom calls themselves Christians (Christ followers) but no difference can be seen between them and the neighbour who is an unbeliever. They are standing still and watch, instead of doing what our Lord Jesus commanded us to do: Then he (Jesus) told them: “Go and preach (speak) the good news to everyone in the world.” (Mark 16:15) You do not need to know a lot of the Word. You do not have to be an eloquent speaker. All you have to do is be willing to go forward. Just go, stand, and speak to the people the ‘WORDS OF LIFE’! GOD WILL BE WITH YOU.

[Gill White]

Go, Stand and Speak

• You do not need to know a lot of the Word.
• You do not have to be an eloquent speaker.
• All you have to do is be willing to go forward.
• Just go, stand, and speak to the people the ‘WORDS OF LIFE’!

Acts 2:22-40 GW
"Men of Israel, listen to what I say: Jesus from Nazareth was a man whom God brought to your attention. You know that through this man God worked miracles, did amazing things, and gave signs. By using men who don't acknowledge Moses' Teachings, you crucified Jesus, who was given over to death by a plan that God had determined in advance. But God raised him from death to life and destroyed the pains of death, because death had no power to hold him. This is what David meant when he said about Jesus: 'I always see the Lord in front of me. I cannot be moved because he is by my side. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. My body also rests securely because you do not abandon my soul to the grave or allow your holy one to decay. You make the path of life known to me. In your presence there is complete joy.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that our ancestor David died and was buried and that his tomb is here to this day. David was a prophet and knew that God had promised with an oath that he would place one of David's descendants on his throne. David knew that the Messiah would come back to life, and he spoke about that before it ever happened. He said that the Messiah wouldn't be left in the grave and that his body wouldn't decay. "God brought this man Jesus back to life. We are all witnesses to that. God used his power to give Jesus the highest position. Jesus has also received and has poured out the Holy Spirit as the Father had promised, and this is what you're seeing and hearing. David didn't go up to heaven, but he said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Take my highest position of power until I put your enemies under your control."' "All the people of Israel should know beyond a doubt that God made Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. This promise belongs to you and to your children and to everyone who is far away. It belongs to everyone who worships the Lord our God." Peter said much more to warn them. He urged, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

Acts 4:10 GW
(10) You and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands in your presence with a healthy body because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You crucified Jesus Christ, but God has brought him back to life.


Acts 10:38-44 GW
You know that God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went everywhere and did good things, such as healing everyone who was under the devil's power. Jesus did these things because God was with him. We can testify to everything Jesus did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. People hung him on a cross and killed him, but God brought him back to life on the third day. God didn't show him to all the people. He showed Jesus to witnesses, apostles he had already chosen. We apostles are those men who ate and drank with Jesus after he came back to life. He ordered us to warn the people, 'God has appointed Jesus to judge the living and the dead.' In addition, all the prophets testify that people who believe in the one named Jesus receive forgiveness for their sins through him." While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came to everyone who heard his message.


Acts 17:24-32 GW
The God who made the universe and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in shrines made by humans, and he isn't served by humans as if he needed anything. He gives everyone life, breath, and everything they have. From one man he has made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth. He has given them the seasons of the year and the boundaries within which to live. He has done this so that they would look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. In fact, he is never far from any one of us. Certainly, we live, move, and exist because of him. As some of your poets have said, 'We are God's children.' So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like an image made from gold, silver, or stone, an image that is the product of human imagination and skill. "God overlooked the times when people didn't know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act. He has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice, and he will use a man he has appointed to do this. God has given proof to everyone that he will do this by bringing that man back to life." When the people of the court heard that a person had come back to life, some began joking about it, while others said, "We'll hear you talk about this some other time."

Acts 3:13-15 GW
The God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed Jesus over to Pilate. You rejected him in Pilate's presence, even though Pilate had decided to let him go free. You rejected the man who was holy and innocent. You asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the source of life. But God brought him back to life, and we are witnesses to that.



"God overlooked the times when people didn't know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act. He has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice, and he will use a man he has appointed to do this. God has given proof to everyone that he will do this by bringing that man back to life."

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[Gill White]

The Renewed Mind Chuck LaMattina A number of years ago a college scholarship foundation coined the phrase, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” I think that everyone would agree with that statement. The reason why it is terrible is because what we think and believe in our minds determines who we are and how we behave. Even though everyone agrees that a mind is a terrible thing to waste not everyone agrees what that wasted mind looks like or how to achieve a fruitful mind. From a secular perspective a fruitful, productive mind embraces the intellectual side of life; acquiring the knowledge of science, art, philosophy, business and so on. But as Christians it is important that we develop not only a sound mind intellectually, but also spiritually and biblically. The great commandment states, Matthew 22:37 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. God desires for us to love Him and glorify Him and enjoy Him with all of our being. And this includes our minds and the depth of our minds, which we call the heart. Proverbs 27:19 says, As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man. In other words, out of the treasure of your heart you reveal to the world the real you in all that you do. So, who are you? As a Christian Christ is to be seen in you in all that you do and say. But that is not always the way it is. All of our lives the world around us has filled our minds with thoughts and ideas, opinions, convictions, beliefs, fears and values in order to get us to think a certain way in order to behave a certain way. Therefore in so many ways the quality of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts. Proverbs 4:23 has a warning about this and declares, Proverbs 4:23 Keep [guard] your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. The entrance to the inner chamber of your heart is the doorway of your mind. Therefore we guard our hearts by guarding what goes into our minds. Many people follow a disciplined program to eat right and exercise to take care of their bodies. And this is good and wise. But Scripture says, 1 Timothy 4:7b, 8 exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. In the same way that you would put forth disciplined, rigorous effort to exercise your body, put forth disciplined, rigorous effort to exercise or train your mind and heart in godliness. Physical exercise will profit you, but your body will eventually wear out. But training your mind and heart to think and behave in a godly manner will bless your life now and it will reward you in the life and age to come. The quality of your character, the quality of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts. This truth is revealed in Romans 8. Romans 8:5,6 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The Word of God reveals to us that there are two ways of thinking and two outcomes: death or life and peace. The person whose mind is solely focused on the things of the flesh or the things of this world is spiritually dead. They are dead to the life of God and dead to the love of God. A life like this may be good in a number of ways, but it is robbed of true peace, joy, love and hope. It is full of worldly wisdom which so often changes with the winds of popular opinion. It is a life ruled by fear, selfishness, pride, anger, hurt and ever changing emotions. And ultimately its end is everlasting death. But the believer whose mind is focused on the spiritual, on biblical realities, this person is spiritually alive, blessed and at peace with God. And if you are at peace with God you can experience true peace in the world. To be spiritually minded is to be filled with God’s wisdom and guidance. It is to be filled with love, hope and courage no matter the circumstances of life. When you are biblically minded, when your mind is renewed to the Word of God, then your responses to life will be full of godly wisdom. The word of God tells us that there are two basic ways to think and live: the way of the world or the way of God’s Word. We can either be shaped by the thoughts and ideals and values of a sinful world or by the powerful, life giving truths of Scripture. The first two verses of Romans 12 present the fact that we are either being shaped by the world or transformed by the Word of God. Romans 12:1,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. These verses on the renewed mind, our being transformed by the renewing of our mind begins, “I beseech you” or I humbly beg you “by the mercies of God” present your bodies to God as a living sacrifice. In other words, because God has been merciful to you and saved you from your sins, and filled you with His Spirit and given you the hope of everlasting life, decide to live for God with all that you are. Don’t allow the world to shape how you think. Don’t buy into its ideals and values so that you fear what it fears and love what it loves and serves what it serves. But be transformed by the renewing of your mind according to the truths of Scripture so you can experience the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The Christian life after being saved by faith in Christ is a process of renewing every area of thinking, feeling and behaving. It is a renewal of every attitude so that our actions are godly. Our world outside of Christ has certain ways of thinking and behaving that may seem right, but they are really harmful. The wisdom of Proverbs declares, Proverbs 14:12, 13 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief. Appearances are often deceitful. A way of thinking and living which today seems to be leading to success and happiness may tomorrow result in sorrow, pain and loss. But a life lived in obedience to God’s Word is blessed even in difficult times. The psalmist sang, Psalm 119:89-93 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life. God’s Word is settled in heaven. It will never change. And it is always spiritually relevant. It will give us wisdom and strength and hope on times of affliction. And it leads to life, a blessed life now and a glorious life in the age to come. Psalm 119:105,111,112 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 111 Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. 112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end. What will be the light of your life? Will it be the wisdom of the world of the wisdom of God? What will your heritage be, the counsel of men or the counsel of God? How will we live? Will it be according to the ever changing values of this world? Or will we incline our hearts to learn God’s Word and obey it forever? A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Don’t allow the world to drag you down. Stop the world from pushing you around. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And don’t back down

Php 4:8-9 GW
Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever
is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable,
fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. Practice what you've
learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me
do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.

[Gill White]

Nutrition & Healing A basic guideline for healthy eating By Matthew Johnson Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an intestinal disorder. Doctors are uncertain of the causes, and even less certain of a cure. Through the years I have suffered through both the mental and physical agony of numerous relapses, but I have also felt the healing hand of God upon my life as He has worked to cure me of this debilitating disease. My first experience with healing came during college at a weekend retreat where I was ministered to. I left feeling certain God had forever healed me. A year later, much to my dismay, the symptoms began reemerging, and within a short time I had relapsed. I was shaken because I couldn’t understand how, if God healed me, I could “lose” that healing. However, over time I began recovering and soon felt better again, and so my thoughts were less focused on my disease. Eventually, I was prayed over a second time concerning my disease, and this time I was certain that I had been healed. Yet, six months later, I experienced another relapse, although not as serious as the first one. It was during this time that I began to realize a very important aspect of the healing process—my role! I began looking at my diet and the food I was putting into my body, and I saw that in many ways I was hindering the healing hand of God, and perhaps even working against it at times. I began to view my healing as a process, not an event. I had wanted a healing that would be miraculous and involve nothing on my part other than faith, but I have come to realize that in my case, the Lord is working to bring about my healing as I work to nurture my body in a way that is nutritionally sound. Today, medical tests still show signs of the disease, and yet I know that the Lord is at work to keep any symptoms of my disease from resurfacing. It is my daily walk with Jesus Christ that provides me with the faith necessary to believe that he is working in my body to maintain my physical health. I firmly believe that God has brought about a tremendous amount of healing in my life, but it has not been without responsibility on my part. I believe the Lord called me to educate myself about nutrition as a vital part of my recovery and maintenance process. My heart in writing this article is to share with you the freedom I have found in my spiritual life through taking care of my physical life. Because I cannot address the nutritional needs of everyone, this article is not intended to tell you what to eat, but it is intended to be a general guideline for your life. I am not going to propose some radical change to what you are currently doing, but I do hope that this article will lead you to begin making small incremental changes over time. The Bible addresses food many times, ranging from which foods to eat to the preparation/sanitation of food. This is a topic I cannot address fully in this article, but needless to say, God has a lot to say about food, and we would do well to listen to His advice. What I wish to focus on, albeit briefly, is the rich history of man’s God-prescribed diet that we find in the Bible and how it pertains to our lives today. We first see that God gives mankind “…every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it…” (Gen. 1:29b). In essence, man was created to be a vegetarian. Shortly after the Flood, God added to our diet, “Everything that lives and moves…” (Gen. 9:3a). However, He then clarified for Moses and Aaron that there are clean animals and unclean animals (Lev. 11). And of course we see a great account in Acts when the Lord revealed to Peter a vision proclaiming that God has now made all creatures “clean.” Our bodies, although no longer perfect, were certainly designed to stand the test of time, and even in today’s fallen world they can withstand a lot of abuse. I believe that the more balanced our approach to our diet is, the more benefit we will see in our physical and spiritual lives. Relatively speaking, life is short, so we should attempt to live in such a way that will maximize the quality of our lives, for as the Bible says: “Precious [costly or weighty] in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Ps. 116:15). If we die before the Lord comes, our work here on earth is done, so all Christians who embrace this Hope should do as much as we can now for as long as we can. With that in mind, let us take a look at how diet can work to maximize the fruitfulness of our days here on earth. All food can essentially be broken down into three categories: carbohydrates, lipids (fats), and proteins. Each of these categories serves critical functions necessary to maintain our physical health. The proper balance of these groups is achieved by measuring the amount of calories you consume, as well as understanding your body’s metabolism. The same amount of food will have drastically different results in two people, based upon their metabolisms. Monitoring your body’s response to the amount of food you eat is a good guideline for staying within your ideal weight. Caloric needs also change from person to person (based upon multiple factors) but generally range anywhere from 1600 (inactive female) to 2800 (active male) per day. Those calories should be consumed as follows: Carbohydrates (45-65% - no more then 10% of these should come from simple carbohydrates) Lipids (10-35%) Protein (up to 35%) The vast majority of people who follow these guidelines will receive significant health benefits. As I said before, my goal is to help you assess where you are in your dietary intake and help you to make small, incremental changes in your diet to increase your health. That being said, let us consider a brief summary of each category and its importance in our nutritional health. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates act as a fuel source for different cells, especially those in the brain, nervous system, and red blood cells. Your muscles also depend upon carbohydrates when you are highly active. Carbohydrates are broken down into two categories: simple carbohydrates (sugars) and complex carbohydrates (starches and fibers). Simple carbohydrates are usually found in foods high in fat or low in dietary value (sodas, candies, chocolate, etc). Excess sugar is often converted to fat (which is added to the fat we just consumed through the “junk” food), leading to an excessive amount of fat that the body cannot use and therefore must store it—not a good thing for most of us. Complex carbohydrates are found primarily in grains, fruits, and vegetables. All of these foods provide positive health benefits when eaten. Grains should be eaten in moderation, while fruits and vegetables (for many of us) need to be consumed as much as possible. [1] Eating these foods gives you enough of the simple sugars you need to maintain your body’s energy needs without over-consuming fatty foods. As a society, we consume more simple carbohydrates then we do complex ones. It has been estimated that each American now consumes up to 120 pounds of refined sugar every year. [2] Many experts believe that this excess consumption of sugary foods is causing our record high rates of obesity and diabetes. [3] Lipids (Fats) Without a doubt, one of the most hotly debated topics in regard to nutrition is our fat intake. Many of us hear the word “fat” and cringe because it is associated with high blood pressure, heart attacks, and so on. Yet, without a proper intake of fat we would very quickly cease to exist. Fat exists in three natural forms: saturated, polyunsaturated, and mono-unsaturated fats, and one unnatural form called trans-fat. Your body needs more polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats, which come from fish, oils (i.e. olive oil and peanut oil), nuts, etc. than it does saturated fats (meats, snack foods, fast food, etc.). There are numerous reasons for this, but the main one to be concerned with is cholesterol. The body uses the fat you take in to produce cholesterol, in addition to cholesterol it naturally produces. The intake of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats encourages the liver to remove LDL (“bad” cholesterol) from the bloodstream, and therefore prevents it from being used by scavenger cells to produce plaque. On the other hand, saturated fat reduces the liver’s ability to remove LDL and thus can lead to increased plaque in your arteries. For most people, when saturated fats are consumed in moderation, this is not a concern. The last type of fat is a manmade fat called “trans-fat.” These fats are unusable by your body and therefore lead only to increased body fat, as well as an increase in LDL cholesterol. These fats should be avoided for those reasons alone, but research continues to show that they may cause other serious health-related problems as well. They can be easily identified on a label as “partially hydrogenated oil.” Also, don’t be fooled by packages that claim to be free of trans-fats. These products often contain just less than ½ a gram per serving, but under current regulations are allowed to claim zero grams when in fact you could be getting much more then that. Protein Proteins are a vital part of our overall health. They form major portions of our lean muscle tissue, which accounts for about 17% of our total body weight. Proteins also aid in blood clotting, fluid balance, hormone and enzyme production, visual processes, transportation of many substances through the bloodstream, and cell repair. However, many people consume far too much protein because the amount actually required by your body is very small (2-4 tablespoons of oils per day with two servings of fish or meat per week). Eating large amounts of protein is generally not harmful for most people. In order to produce proteins, your body needs amino acids. There are approximately 20 amino acids, 11 of which your body naturally produces. The rest must come from your diet. They form different combinations to produce the different proteins you need. Protein-containing foods are broken down into two categories: low-quality proteins (those lacking in one or more of the nine essential amino acids), and high-quality proteins (those containing all nine essential amino acids). Generally, animal sources are considered high-quality protein, and plant sources are considered low-quality protein (with the exception of soybeans). However, this does not mean that you have to solely rely on animal sources, because you can combine plant sources together in order to obtain all nine essential amino acids. However, because animal tissue much more closely resembles our own, we are able to assimilate it much more efficiently. Your body must contain all nine essential amino acids in order to synthesize them and create proteins. If you are lacking in even one, your body is unable to create the necessary proteins you need to complete the many processes I discussed above. If you currently eat animal sources, there is little reason to worry, but if you eat only plant sources it is a good idea to make sure you are eating a wide variety to ensure that you consume all nine essential amino acids. Conclusion Above all, I have learned to take a very balanced approach to nutrition. It is very easy to become obsessed about eating “perfectly,” but the Word of God tells us that our attitude toward life can be just as beneficial as the dietary actions we take. Now, even science is beginning to catch up with what God already knew when He created us. Proverbs 17:22a A cheerful heart is good medicine... For years I lived under a lot of self-induced stress as I wrongly internalized many of my life events (including my illness) and consequently caused myself many unnecessary problems. The stress I created not only aggravated the symptoms of the Crohn’s disease, but also caused a lot of mental stress and physical fatigue. It was only when I gave my problems to God that I began to see His plan for my healing process. Your plan may look very different from mine, but I believe the main key is giving yourself up to God and letting Jesus be the one who shares in your burden. Give him your stress and your worries, and then begin to live your physical life in such a way that it will truly facilitate healing in your body. Picture yourself as working side-by-side with Jesus and always asking him what you can do to help bring about healing in your life. Our bodies are incredibly complex, and they are designed to be flexible and adaptive. I believe that we must be disciplined to eat as well as we can, but I also believe that we must give ourselves grace when we do not. Creating stress in our lives will only compound any health issues we already have. Instead, let us focus on the grace we have through Christ’s sacrifice and rejoice with him in his victory so that through our joy we may find healing medicine for our body, soul, and spirit.

[Gill White]

Casting All Your Care M. Cortright 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. God cares for us even down to the smallest detail of our lives. There is nothing too small or insignificant to warrant God's attention. We need to place EVERY thought, worry or concern in God's hands and know that He will supply our needs. The English word "care" appears twice in this verse in the King James version but it is translated from two very different Greek words. I want to look at each of these words to get the full meaning of this verse. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care [merimna] upon him; for he careth for you. The first word "care" is the Greek word "merimna." Merimna is a thought, worry, or anxious worldly care that distracts the mind. It comes from a root word meaning a division, part, or share. It is some thought that has caused the mind to become divided and focused on an anxious, worldly thought or care. This word is first used in the New Testament in Matthew 13:22 Matthew 13:22 He that received seed among thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care [merimna] of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. Mark 4:19 And the cares [merimna] of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Luke 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares [merimna] and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. In these verses the cares of this world include the deceitfulness of riches, pleasures of this life, and lusts of other things. These thoughts and anxious worldly cares choke the word of God out of a person's life. We are not to be distracted by these things. We cast all of our thoughts about worldly things upon God and let HIM take care of them. The verb form of the noun "merimna" is the Greek word "merimnao." Merimnao is action. "It is to be anxious about." Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought [merimnao] for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought [merimnao] can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought [merimnao] for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought [merimnao] , saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought [merimnao] for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought [merimnao] for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. God feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the field. God knows that we have need of food, shelter, and clothing. Rather than being worried and anxious about these things we need to seek God knowing that HE will supply all of the worldly things we need. We must learn to cast all of our worldly cares on HIM. Philippians 4:6 Be careful [merimnao] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. This is the way that we, as believers are to handle these needs. We do not get anxious or hold worrisome thoughts about our needs. We pray and let God know our requests with thanksgiving. God's Word promises that He will supply all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth [melo] for you. The second word "careth" is the Greek word "melo." Melo means to be of value, interest, or concern. God has a great deal of interest and concern for our individual needs. God places great value on us. God cares for us. Matthew 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest [melo] thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. These men, sent from the Pharisees, said that they knew that Jesus Christ did not have an interest or concern in the social position of men. It was not an honest statement. Rather, it was a statement meant to trap Jesus Christ in a legal question. In this verse the Greek word "melo" is used to mean value, interest, or concern as it relates to the "person of men." Mark 4:37-40 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he [jesus] was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest [melo] thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? The disciples were full of anxiety and fear because of the storm. Jesus Christ trusted in God's care and was asleep. The disciples woke him and asked him if he did not care that they were going to die. Aren't you interested in the fact that we are going to drown? Don't our lives have any value to you? Don't you care? Jesus simply got up and rebuked the storm and there was a great calm. The sea went from high rolling waves splashing into the boat to still water. Then Jesus asked them "How is it that ye have no faith?" Why don't you have confidence in God's care? When we look at the world we will have thoughts of worry, anxiety, and fear. When we cast all our anxiety and cares to God we can be assured that God will take care of the situation because He has a great interest and concern for meeting our needs. Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care [melo] that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful [merimnao] and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. The anxiety and troubles we magnify in our minds can choke out the word of God. We need to continuously feed our thinking with the positives of the Word of God and know that God will take care of the things we need. Martha asked Jesus why he did not seem to be interested in Mary's neglect of the service of their guests. Jesus responded that he noticed that Martha was very anxious and troubled about things and that the one thing that was needed was God's Word. Mary had chosen the Word of God. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. We are not to be distracted by the anxieties and cares of this world. God knows that we have needs like food, shelter, and clothing. We are not to let thoughts about these needs, the deceitfulness of riches, pleasures of this life, and lusts of other things dominate our thinking. Rather, we are to cast ALL of our cares upon God. God is vitally concerned for our welfare. God wants to supply our needs. God cares for us. Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Php 4:6-7 GW
Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God
know what you need in prayers and requests while giving
thanks. Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we
can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through
Christ Jesus.

[Gill White]

Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God Psalms 119:1-8 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways. You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments. I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly! --- beth --- 1 John 2:3-4 We are sure that we know Christ if we obey his commandments. The person who says, "I know him," but doesn't obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn't in that person. 1 John 3:22 And receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. 1 John 3:24 Those who obey Christ's commandments live in God, and God lives in them. We know that he lives in us because he has given us the Spirit. 1 John 5:2 We know that we love God's children when we love God by obeying his commandments. 1 John 5:3 To love God means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn't difficult

Rev 22:14 KJV
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city.

[Gill White]

Romans Chapter 1 Romans 1:1-7 NKJV Greeting Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:8-15 NKJV Desire to Visit Rome First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established --- that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. Romans 1:16-17 NKJV The Just Live by Faith For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:18-32 NKJV God's Wrath on Unrighteousness For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man --- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

[Gill White]

PRAYER Based: Cortright & Viv White 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Never stop praying. Prayer is such an important part of a believer's life and a subject that the Word of GOD covers in great detail. The following is meant as an outline for study and practice. It is important that you take the information that follows and work through it on your own with a good concordance if you really want to understand the richness of GOD's Word on the subject of prayer. 1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge you to offer to GOD petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions (giving) of thanks for all people; These four (petitions, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks) are each important aspects of prayer that need to be understood and practiced in a believer's prayer life. Prayer: The Greek word for prayer is the word proseuche. Proseuche means to pour out the soul. Prayer is a pouring out of your soul to GOD. All of the other aspects of prayer are a part of this one. Whether you are making intercession, making a request or petition (supplication), giving thanks for GOD's blessings upon your life, praising GOD, or just telling GOD about something, you are pouring out your soul to GOD. 1 Corinthians 14:15a What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also;. . For believers after the day of Pentecost there are two ways to pray: with the spirit and with the understanding. To pray with the spirit is to speak in tongues. To pray with the understanding is to pour out your soul to GOD. Both are important aspects of a believer's prayer life. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught his disciples about prayer: Matthew 6:5-6 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the congregations and on the corners of the streets, to be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.” “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Most of the time when you pour out your soul to GOD it is a very private and personal thing - just you and GOD. If you are praying to show others how religious you are - you have your reward. When Jesus said “go into your room, and having shut the door, pray..” it is not meant exactly so, but as a ‘figure of speech’, meaning find a ‘quite place’ to pray – the Lord Jesus gives us an example: Mark 14:35 Jesus went on a little farther away from them, fell to the ground, and prayed. He asked that, if possible, he would not have this time of suffering. Mark 14:39-41 Again Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. Then he went back to the followers and again found them sleeping. They could not stay awake. They did not know what they should say to him. After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his followers. Mark 1:35 The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. Mark 6:46 After saying goodbye to them, he went up a mountain to pray. Luke 5:16 But he (Jesus) would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer. Jesus Christ made it a habit to get up early, get away to a solitary place and pour out his soul to GOD. We too should find a time when we can get alone with GOD each day and pray. Praying together with other believers is also very important. Matthew 18:19 To say it another way, if two of you on earth agree on anything you pray for, my Father in heaven will do what you ask. Matthew 18:20 Yes, if two or three people are together believing in me, I am there with them." When you pour out your soul to GOD you are not reciting a rote prayer or rosary. Your prayer then becomes a vain repetition that means nothing. It is interesting that in this context Jesus Christ gave them an example of a simple prayer request to GOD that has become a rote prayer used by most of the Christian churches today. He was telling them not to make vain repetitious prayers and we have taken his simple example and turned it into a vain repetitious prayer. Just keep it simple. You don't have to repeat some rote prayer to be heard by GOD. Matthew 6:7-9a "And when you pray, don't be like the people who don't know God. They say the same things again and again. They think that if they say it enough, their god will hear them. Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So this is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven………” Luke 18:1 Then Jesus taught the followers that they should always pray and never lose hope. It is important that we continue in prayer and not quit when our answer does not come immediately. This is not to say use vain repetitions. Just don't give up. If you know that what you are asking will glorify GOD - keep asking until you get your answer. George Mueller was a man of GOD who lived his life relying upon prayer. Following are some of his words: I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. The great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of GOD is, they do not continue in prayer; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for GOD's glory, they should pray until they get it. -George Mueller- Petition: (supplication, request) The Greek word for petition/supplication is the word deesis. Deesis is a petition or a request. Sometimes when you pour out your soul to GOD you will be making a request of GOD. It is important to note (especially for those with backgrounds in the Word similar to mine), and I will mention it again later, that when you make a request of GOD you do not cloak it in thanksgiving. At times we get into habits and patterns of speaking that become rote or routine and sometimes lack thought. I would not approach you with a need or a request and thank you for giving it to me before you had agreed to give. I would not come to you and say: "Thanks for giving me fifty Rand." Yet some of us do that to GOD. We cannot and should not try by our prayers to direct GOD. We by our prayers talk with Him. We let Him know our needs. We ask for help. I would approach you with my need more like: "Friend, I have a need. I need fifty Rand for such and such. Do you think you could help me with my need?" If you agreed and then gave me fifty Rand I would then be thankful and tell you so. To approach GOD, thanking Him for giving you something that He has not given you yet, is presumptuous and lacks humility. There is an important place for thanksgiving in all of our prayers, but this is not the place. Thanksgiving is for that which GOD has already done for you, not for what He may do as a result of your prayer. Sometimes our prayers are requests. Zacharias requested a son and became the father of John the Baptist. Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, "Zechariah, don't be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by GOD. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a baby boy, and you will name him John. Paul's request to GOD for Israel - that they might be saved. Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer [deesis] to GOD for Israel is, that they might be saved. We thank GOD for the things He has graciously given us, we pour out our soul to Him and let our requests be made known. Philippians 4:6 Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer [proseuche] and supplication [deesis] with thanksgiving [eucharistia] let your requests be made known unto God. Intercession: The Greek word for intercession is enteuxis. Enteuxis means an exchange of information as an interview. Sometimes when we pour out our soul to GOD we exchange information with GOD. It is NOT a one way conversation. Intercession also involves making a request on the behalf of another. When we make intercession to GOD we exchange information which may include a request on the behalf of another. Once again, this is not the place for thanksgiving. When I tell you about a situation and ask for your help I do not start out by thanking you. If you agree to help and supply support then I thank you. Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us, weak as we are. For we do not know how we ought to pray; the Spirit himself pleads with GOD for us in groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:27 And GOD, who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is; because the Spirit pleads with GOD on behalf of his people and in accordance with his will. Intercession is a vital part of our prayer life. We ask in the behalf of others. Intercession also is characterized by a dialog between the believer praying and GOD. It is a two way conversation. Jesus Christ sits today at the right hand of GOD and makes intercession for us. He is the mediator between GOD and man. Intercession involves making request on the behalf of others as well as a dialog between two - in this case Jesus Christ and GOD. Romans 8:34 Who, then, will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with him for us! Thanksgiving: The Greek word for giving of thanks is eucharistia. Eucharistia means to have gratitude to GOD for His grace toward you. Sometimes when we pour out our soul to GOD we thank Him for that which He has already done for us or given to us. The Word of GOD indicates that all prayer should include thanksgiving. This does not mean that we thank GOD for doing something for us that He has not yet done. The Word of GOD is filled with blessings which GOD has already bestowed upon believers. We need to be thankful for that which GOD has already given us and done for us. And when our prayer requests are answered we should thank Him. We thank GOD for the abundance of grace that He supplies as we believe His Word. 2 Corinthians 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of GOD. Colossians 4:2 Never stop praying. Be ready for anything by praying and being thankful. Thanksgiving is an important part of our all of our prayers. Another important aspect of prayer is that we pray to GOD in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 Always give thanks to GOD the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praying by speaking in tongues is "giving of thanks well." You can also thank GOD in your prayers with the understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:16 You might be praising God with your spirit. But someone there without understanding cannot say "Amen" to your prayer of thanks, because they don't know what you are saying. 1 Corinthians 14:17 You may be thanking God in a good way, but others are not helped. Pray without ceasing - continue in prayer until you get your answer from GOD. Pray in Tongues . Pray with your understanding - pour out your soul to GOD. Pray to your Father in secret - solitary prayer to GOD should be a daily habit. (read again what George Mueller said) Pray with other believers. Don't use vain repetitions or rote prayers. Pour out your soul to GOD. Make your requests known to GOD. - Pray with petition (supplication). Prayer is a dialog between you and GOD - not a one way conversation. Pray for the needs of others - Pray with intercession. Pray to GOD in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ . Praise GOD and thank him for all we have been given - Pray with thanksgiving.

[Gill White]

Update to all readers:

I have requested this thread title to be changed from ''Be Like God''

To: ''The Way of Life'' That God Approves

2Pe 2:21 GW
(21) It would have been better for them never to have known the way of life that God approves of than to know it and turn their backs on the holy life God told them to live.

[Gill White]

False Prophets Among God's People. 2Pe 2:1-22 ERV (1) In the past there were false prophets among God's people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong--ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. (2) Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. (3) These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them. (4) When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them. (5) And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right. (6) God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. (7) But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. (8) This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard. (9) So you see that the Lord God knows how to save those who are devoted to him. He will save them when troubles come. And the Lord will hold evil people to punish them on the day of judgment. (10) That punishment is for those who are always doing the evil that their sinful selves want to do. It is for those who hate the Lord's authority. These false teachers do whatever they want, and they are so proud of themselves. They are not afraid even to say bad things against the glorious ones. (11) The angels are much stronger and more powerful than these beings. But even the angels don't accuse them and say bad things about them to the Lord. (12) But these false teachers speak evil against what they don't understand. They are like animals that do things without really thinking--like wild animals that are born to be caught and killed. And, like wild animals, they will be destroyed. (13) They have made many people suffer. So they themselves will suffer. That is their pay for what they have done. They think it is fun to do evil where everyone can see them. They enjoy the evil things that please them. So they are like dirty spots and stains among you--they bring shame to you in the meals you eat together. (14) Every time they look at a woman, they want her. They are always sinning this way. And they lead weaker people into the trap of sin. They have taught themselves well to be greedy. They are under a curse. (15) These false teachers left the right way and went the wrong way. They followed the same way that the prophet Balaam went. He was the son of Beor, who loved being paid for doing wrong. (16) But a donkey told him that he was doing wrong. A donkey cannot talk, of course, but that donkey spoke with a man's voice and stopped the prophet from acting so crazy. (17) These false teachers are like springs that have no water. They are like clouds that are blown by a storm. A place in the deepest darkness has been kept for them. (18) They boast with words that mean nothing. They lead people into the trap of sin. They find people who have just escaped from a wrong way of life and lead them back into sin. They do this by using the evil things people want to do in their human weakness. (19) These false teachers promise those people freedom, but they themselves are not free. They are slaves to a mind that has been ruined by sin. Yes, people are slaves to anything that controls them. (20) People can be made free from the evil in the world. They can be made free by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they go back into those evil things and are controlled by them, then it is worse for them than it was before. (21) Yes, it would be better for them to have never known the right way. That would be better than to know the right way and then to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them. (22) What they did is like these true sayings: "A dog vomits and goes back to what it threw up." And, "After a pig is washed, it goes back and rolls in the mud again."

[Gurucam]

Originally Posted by Gill White

Here is wonderful prayer, that we should pray for each other:

Eph 3:14-19
This is the reason I kneel in the presence of the Father, from whom all the family in heaven and on earth receives its name. I'm asking God to give you a gift from the wealth of his glory. I pray that he would give you inner strength and power through his Spirit. Then Christ will live in you through faith. I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation. This way, with all of God's people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is. You will know Christ's love, which goes far beyond any knowledge. I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God.

God bless

What about this pray: Father who is in heaven, you are everything. Give me heaven, all the time, wherever I am, for ever and ever. The following may be added: Make everything (without exception) that I lovingly desire in my heart, possible and materialized on earth in perfect harmony.

I know that He can grant these things easily and effortlessly.

Why pray only for one's daily bread, until His kingdom comes?

His Kingdom is already among authentic Christians (however they are not even recognized to be Christians by traditional Christians).

[Gill White]

Ephesians 4:17-24 - The New Man 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:25-32 - Do Not Grieve the Spirit 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

[Gill White]

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God Psa 90:1-17 ERV (1) The prayer of Moses, the man of God. My Lord, you have been our home forever and ever. (2) You were God before the mountains were born, before the earth and the world were made. You have always been and will always be God! (3) You bring people into this world, and you change them into dust again. (4) To you, a thousand years is like yesterday, like a few hours in the night. (5) Our life is like a dream that ends when morning comes. We are like grass (6) that grows and looks so fresh in the morning, but in the evening it is dry and dying. (7) Your anger could destroy us. Your anger frightens us! (8) You know about all our sins. You see every one of our secret sins. (9) Your anger can end our life. Our lives fade away like a whisper. (10) We live about 70 years or, if we are strong, 80 years. But most of them are filled with hard work and pain. Then, suddenly, the years are gone, and we fly away. (11) No one really knows the full power of your anger, but our fear and respect for you is as great as your anger. (12) Teach us how short our lives are so that we can become wise. (13) LORD, come back to us. Be kind to your servants. (14) Fill us with your love every morning. Let us be happy and enjoy our lives. (15) For years you have made life hard for us and have given us many troubles. Now make us happy for just as long. (16) Let your servants see the wonderful things you can do for them. And let their children see your glory. (17) Lord, our God, be kind to us. Make everything we do successful. Yes, make it all successful.