Heb 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword; it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

I Kings 8:56 Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.

I Thes 5:23-24 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful…he will do it.

Isa 46:11b What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

I Sam 15:31 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.

II Sam 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

(I Jn 4:18 Perfect love casts our fear. …God’s love is perfect! Faith has no room for fear or fretting. Ps 37.

[My mission is to know God intimately, love Him passionately, trust Him implicitly, enjoy Him thoroughly, obey Him completely, and serve Him radically, joyfully, restfully, happily and peacefully, as a redemptive agent in this broken world, as a prophet to the nations and my city, speaking with His words in my mouth and balancing ministry, home life and recreation.]

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I AM LAVISHLY LOVED, RADICALLY REDEEMED, GRACIOUSLY FORGIVEN, IMPERIALLY EMPOWERED, GENEROUSLY GIFTED, FREED FROM MY PAST TO FOLLOW JESUS, AND ABUNDANTLY BLESSED.

Work out of waiting; Serve out of solitude; Lead out of listening.

Bob, my son, enjoy this life to which I have called you. My way is not hurry. My way is not worry. My way is not busy, but peace and joy in my Spirit. ‘The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.’ Rom 8:6

FIGHT THE BATTLE WITH THE WORD (Your Rhema—alive and powerful and sharper than a two edged sword, penetrating…)—AS JESUS DID IN THE WILDERNESS, AND IN PRAYER, WHERE JESUS DID AS HE SWEAT BLOOD IN THE GARDEN, NOT WITH YOUR OWN RESOURCES IN THE SITUATION LIKE PILOT’S HALL OR IN HIS TRIAL. (PRAYER IS YOUR WORK; MINISTRY IS YOUR REWARD.) THE WORD OF GOD IS YOUR PRIMARY OFFENSIVE WEAPON FOR CLOSE-IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE, THE MANAGEMENT OF YOUR MIND AND EMOTIONS WITH TRUTH THAT SETS YOU FREE…TAKING CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT.

(I Jn 4:18 “Perfect love casts out fear.” God’s love is perfect! FAITH has no room for fear or fretting. Ps 37

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GOD’S POWER AND ABILITY

Eph 1:16-23 [I pray that] the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better…that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened [opened] in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…[the hope of your calling], the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [I am His special inheritance] and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Eph 3:16-21 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith [practice His presence]. And I pray that you, being rooted [here, in His love; in Jer 17…in the Lord; and Ps 1…in His Word] and established in love [I Jn 4:18…perfect love], may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God [Gal 5:22-23…the fruit of the Holy Spirit]. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Psa 1 …his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psa 37:25 I was young…now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

I Cor 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (Phil. 4) I can do all things through Christ—His power that strengthens me.

Jer 32:17 Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. NOTHING!

Isa 50:9-10 It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Isa 54:16-17 See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.

Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Creation, Lazarus, Red Sea, etc.

Mark 14:35-36 …he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Psa 38:15; 39:6-7; 40:1-4 I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

I Cor 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Jn 15:5, 7, 10-11 I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

II Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God…not from us.

Hosea 14:8b-9a…your fruitfulness comes from me." Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Pro 21:30-31 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.

Isa 26:12 LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Jn 5:17,19 "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working…. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

Isa 6:1-9 I saw the Lord…woe is me; I am ruined, a man of unclean lips and an unclean people…then a coal from off the altar cauterized my lips…who will go…hear am I, send me. (THIS IS WHO GOD USES.)

Ezekiel 1:28 …so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell face down…. 3:23 And the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell face down. Rev 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead…. Acts 9:4 …suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

Lev 9:22 Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell face down.

II Sam 22:31-35 "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle….

Jer 20:11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior….

Jer 1:5-10a "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you….

Ezra 7:6,9,28; 8:18,2,31 …the gracious hand of God was on us…on everyone who looks to Him

II Cor 1:26-2:5 …think of what you were when you were called…not wise…not influential…not of noble birth…. God chose the foolish…to shame the wise…the weak…to shame the strong…the lowly…and despised…so that not one may boast before Him. I came in weakness and fear (Paul) with much trembling…a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power; It is because of Him that you are IN CHRIST. (the foolish W.I.L.D.—empowered by the Holy Spirit. I qualify!) Vs. 25 ...for the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Zech 4:6,7,10a This is the word of the Lord…Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty. What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of `God bless it! God bless it! 10a Who despises the day of small things?

Isa 2:22 Stop trusting in man…. Of what account is he?

Heb 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Vs. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

II Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

II Chron 15:6-7 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." (tenacity!)

Heb 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Psa 147:5,6, 10-11 (Counseling) Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. …the LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. Vs. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

II Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

II Cor 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (Against all odds.)

Jn 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Hosea 10:13 …you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception…because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors….

II Chon. 20 Jehoshaphat…Godly king… “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."…called for a fast (prayer meeting); God sent a Prophet to give them direction, then the choir (praise) –the harp and bowl from Rev 2 and 3—went in ahead of the army and there was great victory.

Psa 124: 2-3,7-8 …if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psa 121 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 2. My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; 4. indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5. The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6. the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; 8. the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psa 46:1-7, 10-11 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Isa 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD. (The Lord has good plans…, Jer 29:11, Pro 3:5-6)

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GOD’S PERSPECTIVE; HIS LOVE, CHARACTER AND CARE; HIS PROMISES OF PROVISION…THROUGH PRAYER…MY OBJECT OF TRUST

Psa 102:17 [The Lord] will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.

Jer 17:5-10 This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.

Psa 145:17-20 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Heb 6:16-19a Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

Psalms 147:1-6 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Deu 33:12 Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders. 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath (me) are the everlasting arms.

Isa 49:4,15-16 …I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God. Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands….

Lam 3:22-26 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Peace be still. Rest and trust.)

Isa 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart (Snuggle down!); he gently leads those that have young. Yet notice…40:10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. And 12… Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

Job 42: 2 I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.

Isa 42:3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

Zeph 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Isa 37:21 When Hezekiah was attacked and belittled by king Senacherib, “Because you have prayed to me, …He will be defeated…. The zeal of the LORD will accomplish this.”

Rom 8:34-39 Who is he that condemns? [It is] Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psa 50:15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

II Cor 1:8b-9 We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Rom 8:26-28 …the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Psa 118:6-9, 28-29 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; He is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. You are my God, and I will give you thanks; You are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever.

Psa 39:7 But now, LORD, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

Hosea 11:4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.

Jer 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again.

Heb 12:5-7 My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

James 1:2-6 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Jer 6:16 This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psa 32:6-11 Let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Phil 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. TRY NEVER TO HURRY. Luke 10:42 Martha, Martha, Mary has chosen what is better.

Jer 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Heb 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Eph 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Matt 21:21-22 I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Matt 7:7-11 Ask (and keep on asking…) and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Psa 116:5-7 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. [So] Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

Matt 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Psa 131:1-3 My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, [O Bob] put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.

Isa 30:15, 18 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Ps 27:5, 14 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psa 28:7-8 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

Isa 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.

I Pet 5:6-9 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

II Chr 15:7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

I Cor 8:1 Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God. (The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. It is not what you know, but Who you know.)

Deu 31:6, 8 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Isa 46: 9-11 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, [He knows the end before the beginning] from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

Hab 3:17-18 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength…

Neh 8:10 The joy of the LORD is your strength. Ps 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (to wait)

Pro 3:5-7a Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD….

Psa 146:3,6,5-10 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. :1The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Psa 37:1f Do not fret because of evil men… Trust in the LORD and do good…. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; Trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun…. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him…. Refrain from anger…. If the LORD delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

Isa 49:15-16 Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; …23 those who hope in me will not be disappointed.

Pro 15:8, 29 The prayer of the upright pleases him. …He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Jn 16:23-24 I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Jn 15:7-8 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

I Jn 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

Jn 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Isa 43:2-3a When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

Psa 62:1-2 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 5-8 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. 11b-12 One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving….

Psa 63:1-4,7-8 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Heb 12:14-15 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Psa 91:1-4 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” 15-16 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.

Eph 4:13 …live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing [make allowances for] with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Rom 13:14 …clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Psa 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

Psa 127:1-2 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Psa 128:1-4 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

Psa 84:10-12 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Psa 60:11-12 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

Psa 61:2-3 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

Psa 55:16-18 I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. 22-23 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. But you, O God, will bring down the wicked….

Psa 56:2-4 My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

Psa 34:5-10 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 19,21-22 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

Psa 30:4-5 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 11-12 11. You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Ex 33:12-14 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, `Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, `I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 17-18 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

Ex 34:5-8 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshipped.

Deu 10:12-13 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Deu 11:1Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 13-22 So, if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today--to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul--then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow--to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him--…. 25-28 No man will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go. See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse--the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.

Deu 12:18c …you are to rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to.

2 Chon 20:15,17-22 17. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'" Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: `Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.

2 Chron 31:21 In everything that he (Hezekiah) undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

2 Chron 32:7-8 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

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GOD’S PRINCIPLES FOR LIFE, MINISTRY AND GROWTH

Isa 30:15-21 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, `No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said, `We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill." Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Isa 50:7-10 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

2 Chron 7:7-8 7. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Jer 29:7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

Jer 23:28-29 “…let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

Isa 58:9-11 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Pro 29:25 The fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Heb 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Matt 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Phil 3 All is refuse/garbage/dung… compared to knowing God (intimately); apprehending His purpose; MATURITY= laying the past aside and pressing on to 1) know God and 2) to capture His plan for us. [Not arriving or some kind of perfection, but being on the way.]

Ps 16:6-11 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life (It is not about arriving, but being on the way!); you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Where joy comes from

Ps 84:5-7 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage (not on arriving). As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Ps 1; Jer 17; Eph 3 Rooted and grounded in God – here, His love, but also His Truth/Word…as a tree near a stream…flourishing even in a desert…its leaves do not wither…will bear fruit in season.

Isa 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psa 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Jn 20 The disciples were locked in an upper room for fear after the resurrection. Jesus enters…doesn’t scold them, but says, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side (scars—wounded healer). The disciples were overjoyed. Then He sent these fearful ones out to serve Him and to change the world. …as the Father has sent me so I am sending you…receive the Holy Spirit….

Psa 42:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Jn 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.

James 1 (Phillips) When (not if) all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends. Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence. [from circumstances]

2 Cor 1:8-9 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

I Cor 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Chr 15:2-7 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Isa 48:17 This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

Psa 106:15 So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them. (Be sure to ask as Jesus did, “Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done, Father.’)

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Josh 1:5-9 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Rom 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.

Isa 41:9b-10 You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed (anxiously look about you), for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psa 84:5-7 5. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage (not on arriving). As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Jer 29:11 I know the plans I have for you, …to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future.

Psa 108:3-5 I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.

Psa 121 I lift up my eyes to the hills…where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip…. He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you; the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm; He will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psa 4:7-8 You have filled my heart with greater joy…. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Isa 48:15,17-18,22 I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission. This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked."

Psa 100 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psa 99:1-3,6-9 The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name-- he is holy. Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them. O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

Psa 51:16-17 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psa 38:13-15 I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth; I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.

Psa 39:7 But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

Psa 40:1-5 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

Psa 33:4-5,8-12,18-22 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Psa 15 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

I Sam 15:22-24 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. 29. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."

I Sam 16:7 7. But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

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SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

I Chr 28:20 Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work [to which I called you is completed].

Col 3 …set your heart things above …set your mind…put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature; …rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, …whatever you do, work at it with all your heart. 4:2 Devote yourself to prayer….

2 Pet 1:5 Try your hardest (NEB); Make every effort; (NIV); …to add to your faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love…

Rom 8:12-13 …if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…. (GRACE IS NOT OPPOSED TO EFFORT, BUT TO EARNING. The air is free, but you have to breathe.)

I Cor 9:24-27 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

I Thes 1:3 …work produced by faith…labor prompted by love…endurance inspired by hope….

Phil 2:12 …work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…. 3:13-14 …strain toward what is ahead… press on toward the goal….

I Tim 4:7-8 …train yourself to be Godly. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely…pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things.

2 Tim 2:15 …a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Pro 4:23 Above all else, …guard your heart…watch over your heart with all diligence for the sources of our life lie in it…it is the well spring of life.

I Cor 15:10 I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 57-58 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.

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MANAGING THE MIND

KJ …as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

2 Cor 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Jn 8:32 …you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

I Cor 14:20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

2 Pet 3:1 I write to stimulate you to wholesome thinking….

Phil 4 Whatsoever things are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable…. Think on these things. (Let your mind dwell on these things. …what you have learned from me, put into practice …and the God of peace will be with you.

Phil 2 Have this mind which was in Christ Jesus….

Isa 26:3-4 3. You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, (focused/stayed on you) because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

Matt 14:28-33 Peter walking on the water…when his eyes were on Jesus…his gaze, he did well. When he looked at the waves, he sank.

Heb 3:1 Fix your thoughts on Jesus…. (Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.)

I Pet. 1:13 Prepare your minds for action…be self-controlled…set your hope…don’t conform…be holy….

Rom 12:2 …be transformed by the renewing of you mind.

Col 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on things of earth.

Heb 4 (old self, deceitful desires) Put off your old self…. Be made new in the attitude of your minds. Put on the new self.

James 1:2-8 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (No heat, no refining; no irritation, no pearl; no pain, no gain.

Gal 5:22-23 The fruit of the Spirit is…self-control….

Lam 3:19-26 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast (depressed) within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Psa 73 …my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning…. When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me, until I entered the sanctuary of God. Then I understood their final destiny. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psa 77 …I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the LORD; …I mused, and my spirit grew faint… I was too troubled to speak…. Will the LORD reject forever? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion? Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: …I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds….”

Psa 116:3-7 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!" The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

Psa 55:1-18 Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest—I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm." Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets. If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God. Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them. But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.

Rom 8:5-6 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

Isa 46:8-11 Remember this, fix it in your mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.”

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WITH WHAT SHALL I MANAGE MY MIND AND EMOTIONS? …THE TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD, THE MANUAL ON DOING LIFE!

2 Tim 4:5 But you, keep your head in all situations; endure hardship; do the work of an evangelist; discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Acts 20: 30-32 …from your own number men will arise and distort the truth…. I commit you to God and the word of his grace which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Josh 1:5-8 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Jn 8:31-32 If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

2 Tim 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Jer 15:16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.

Titus 1:1 …the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness….

Psa 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. 24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. 50 My comfort in my suffering is this: your promise preserves my life. 71 It was good to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. (KJ 89 Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven). 92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 113 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 144 …your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live. 165 Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

Psa 1 Blessed…is the one whose delight is the law of the LORD…. In His law he meditates day and night…. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water…[that] yields its fruit in season. Its leaf does not wither…. Whatever he does prospers.

2 Thes 2:13 …God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

2 Pet 1:3-11 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I Pet 1:23-25 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.

2 Pet 3:1-2 I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Psa 37:31 The law of the LORD is in his heart, his feet do not slip.

Psa 40:11 …may your love and your truth always protect me…for troubles without number surround me…..

Isa 66:2 This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

2 Sam 22:31 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.

Eph 6 …the sword of the Spirit is the word of God.

Jer 23:28-29 Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. “For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

2 Tim 3:15-16 You have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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GOD’S FINANCIAL PROVISION AND PROMISES

Psa 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.

Psa 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.

Luke 16:11-13So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

Heb 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Phil 4:14-19 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And (because you have been very generous) my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Psa 25:2-3,12-15 …in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Josh 1:7-8 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Jer 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Deu 28:1ff If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: blessed in the city and blessed in the country… The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks…Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you…. The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you…. The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom…. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them…. However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you….

Mal 3:8ff "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, `How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me (try me) in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

2 Cor 9:6-9, 11-15 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 11-15 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Mark 4:24 (Jesus) With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more. 26-29 This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

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HEALING SCRIPTURES AND PERSPECTIVE

Exodus 15:26 There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. 26. He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."

Exodus 23:25-26 Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26. and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.

Deu. 7:15 The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.

Deu. 28:1-14, 61 (1-13 list all the blessings of God which imply health, especially given the curses which include disease, etc.) 14. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. 15. However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…. (what follows is a long list) 59. …the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. 61. The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed.

Deu. 30:19-20 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Same promise-11:8-9, 21

For those who have regard for the weak—Psalm 41:1-3 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2. The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.

Psalm 30: 1. I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3. O LORD, you brought me up from the grave ; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4. Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 91: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3. Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6. nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9. If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge--10. …then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12. they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 103 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- 3. who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4. who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5. who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 107 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 20. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. 21. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.

Psalm 118:16-18 The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" 17. I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. 18. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22. for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

(For those with a contrite and humble spirit) Isaiah 57:14-19) And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people." 15. For this is what the high and lofty One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. 16. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me-- the breath of man that I have created. 17. I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways.18. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, 19. creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them."

(The promise for restoration of Israel) Jeremiah 30:17; 33:6) But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD, `because you are called an outcast, Zion r whom no one cares.' 33:6. "`Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. 7. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.

Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

(The above text is not just redemption as confirmed in Matthew 8:16-17 below…. and I Peter 2:24 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with word and healed all the sick. 17. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."

I Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Matthew 8:2-3; (with a centurion—vs. 7-8) 2. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 3. Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. 7. Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." 8. The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Matthew 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

Ezekiel 34:4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

Matthew 10:1, 7-8 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 7. As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Matthew 14:34-36 34. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36. and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Matthew 21:21 (the power of faith and the promise of God) Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Romans 4:17-22 As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. 18. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19. Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21. being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." Hebrews 11:1 1. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Matthew 18:18-19 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Mark 16:17-18 (not in some of the best manuscripts) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18. they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2. and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke10:9 (Sending out the 72) Heal the sick who are there and tell them, `The kingdom of God is near you.'

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

I Corinthians 12:8-9 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9. to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit…

James 5:14-15 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

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GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Jeremiah 1:12 The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled."

I Kings 8:56 Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.

Psalm 145:13b Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.

Number 23:19-20 19. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? 20. I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

Hebrews 4:17 …by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

I Samuel 15:29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.

WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE; NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR HIM

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Jeremiah 32:17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you

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SOURCES OF ILLNESS

1. The Fall of mankind into sin/general sin; we live in a fallen suffering world. Romans 8:18-22 affirms that our broken world is in bondage to decay waiting to be liberated -genetic defects, deterioration of the gene pool, etc. -environment…pollution…Black lung of a miner, or results of lead poisoning, asbestos, etc.

2. Personal sin and disobedience -like those in 2 Corinthians who had sinned at the communion service -the curses that come with disobedience as in Deu. 28 and when we do not obey in tithing, Mal. 3:7b-10

3. Human choices… -some dangerous activities without protection…athletics -poor eating habits and lack of exercise and good health habits, smoking, and abuse of alcohol and drugs

4. Satanic attack and/or curses

5. Generational curses and sins passed on through generations Ex. 34:6-7

6. God is allowing suffering to make us holy and/or to refine us. I Peter 1:6-9; Job 23:10; 43:5-6; Isa. 48:10

7. It is a mystery sometimes. Paul left Trophimus sick in Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20) and Paul told Timothy to take some wine for his stomach problems and frequent illnesses (I Tim. 5:23). Paul preached the Gospel to the Galatians and was concerned that his illness would be a concern to them (Gal. 4:13-14, 6:11 eyes?).

8. The natural aging process…described by Paul as a tent in which we live and so we long to be clothed with immortality (2 Cor. 5:1-10)

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HEALING MYTHS

1. If only you have enough faith you will be healed. Of course, faith is central to healing (Matt. 9:22;Heb. 11:6), but Jesus healed some where there was no evidence of faith—John 9:1-5. Healing ministry becomes hurtful when people feel they are responsible for not having enough faith. After all, faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain (Matt. 17:20).

2. If you really trust God to heal you, you will stop taking your medication. This would assume that medical healing is not healing. Physicians are allies in healing.

3. Healing must be instantaneous and dramatic or it isn’t real. Evidence for many is that they are healed over a period of time. The instantaneous healings by Paul and Jesus are sometimes repeated in our times, but there was also something foundational about their work (Eph. 2:20).

4. The Bible does not describe healing ministry as vested in an individual traveling from place to place using their gift. James calls the elders of the Church to pray for the sick. Congregations are told to pray for each another. It is wonderful when someone has this gift, but there is no biblical illustration of the gift being used on its own apart from other ministry.

5. Only “yes” answers come from God. (2 Cor. 12:8-9). Psalm 115:3 puts the responsibility on the sovereignty of God. In His wisdom and sovereign plan, He may say “no” or “wait.”

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THEREFORE…

It is clear from Scripture that God desires to bless us with health and healing. We must remember that although His love for us is completely unconditional and incomprehensible in its greatness, His blessing is not. God’s blessing is conditioned on obedience as in the Covenant Blessings of Deu. 26-28. So, listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit as you seek God for healing, pray and obey as He directs (John 5:19). God knows us and works with us individually and personally. His healing plan will be tailored to our uniqueness. No two situations or people are identical.

Confession of sin is central to healing in James 5:14-18. The exception may be when God chooses to heal a non-believer or a believer as a means of drawing people to himself for salvation. This kind of healing demonstrates the significance of signs and wonders. Experience proves that sin, hate and/or bitterness or too much stress are significant sources of illness. Generational sins or curses (Exodus 34:6-14) may be the source of illness and need to be identified and renounced, their powers broken.

In obedience to James 5:14-16, call for the Elders of the Church to anoint you and pray for your healing, or ask those with the gift of healing to pray for you. Then, daily, speak the Word of God out loud, by faith, “By His stripes [I am] healed,” or, “He heals all [my] diseases.” Other Scriptures, as listed above, may be God’s specific words to you. Speak them out. Remember, sometimes healing is instantaneous and sometimes it will take place over time. Remember that God uses the medical profession as well.

God may not heal you in areas of illness or physical weakness for which you are responsible as a steward. Yet, in His mercy and grace, He may. These areas include exercise, weight management, a healthy diet and emotional health (John 8:32; 2 Corinthians 10:4). In areas of emotional need that are involved in illness, you may need to get special counseling help.

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