Speaks

Do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: " He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?

For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven.

I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you.

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

James 4:5 Romans 10:10 1 Peter 4:11 Hebrews 12:25 2 Corinthians 13:3 1 Corinthians 14:3

God speaks to those who are willing to listen.

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Store up

Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.

"Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it.

Wise men store up knowledge [in mind and heart]

Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven

Proverbs 30:25 Genesis 41:35 Proverbs 10:14 Matthew 6:19 Luke 12:21 Matthew 6:20

Serving the Lord is an investment with eternal dividends.

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Stop

God took one look and said, "One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they'll come up with next—they'll stop at nothing! Come, we'll go down and garble their speech so they won't understand each other." Then God scattered them from there all over the world.

Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.

The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening: "Stop, Sun, over Gibeon; Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley." And Sun stopped, Moon stood stock still Until he defeated his enemies.

“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed.

Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come on now, let's go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe God will work for us. There's no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when he sets his mind to it."

For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, day and night will never stop.

Genesis 11:6 Deuteronomy 10:16 Joshua 10:12 Exodus 23:12 1 Samuel 14:6 Genesis 8:22

God speaks through His word – take time to listen.

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Contain

Why don't you honor me? Why aren't you in awe before me? Yes, me, who made the shorelines to contain the ocean waters. I drew a line in the sand that cannot be crossed. Waves roll in but cannot get through; breakers crash but that's the end of them. But this people—what a people! Uncontrollable, untameable runaways. It never occurs to them to say, 'How can we honor our God with our lives, The God who gives rain in both spring and autumn and maintains the rhythm of the seasons, Who sets aside time each year for harvest and keeps everything running smoothly for us?' Of course you don't! Your bad behavior blinds you to all this. Your sins keep my blessings at a distance.

No man has power over the wind to contain it ; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!

What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. Your truth never goes out of fashion; it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up. Your Word and truth are dependable as ever… I'm all yours. I look high and low for your words of wisdom. The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me, but I'm only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can't contain your commands!

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.

Jeremiah 5:20 Ecclesiastes 8:8 Matthew 2:9 Psalm 119:89 John 21:25

To hear God’s voice, turn down the world’s volume.

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Glory

I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these (lilies of the field).

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish

When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he has done.

For He Who is almighty has done great things for me--and holy is His name [to be venerated in His purity, majesty and glory]!

Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Matthew 6:29 John 1:14 Matthew 25:31 Matthew 16:27 Luke 1:49 Matthew 6:13

Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God? John 11:40

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Forward

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

“Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind

The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment

For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time.

So the house of Israel shall know, understand, and realize beyond all question that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.

And that's why it has taken me so long to finally get around to coming to you. But now that there is no more pioneering work to be done in these parts, and since I have looked forward to seeing you for many years, I'm planning my visit. I'm headed for Spain, and expect to stop off on the way to enjoy a good visit with you, and eventually have you send me off with God's blessing.

Psalm 143:10 Isaiah 58:8 Proverbs 11:23 Matthew 11:13 Ezekiel 39:22 Romans 15:22

What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” Galatians 3:8

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At Last

Yesterday at 3:30 pm

Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists.

Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.”

And so at last the Tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.

I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel

Genesis 24:22 Genesis 26:22 Exodus 39:32 Nehemiah 4:6 Psalm 40:1 Isaiah 17:7

Until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops. Isaiah 32:15

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Guess

"And now listen to this, family of Jacob, you who are called by the name Israel… For a long time now, I've let you in on the way I work: I told you what I was going to do beforehand, then I did it and it was done, and that's that. I know you're a bunch of hardheads, obstinate and flint-faced, So I got a running start and began telling you what was going on before it even happened. That is why you can't say, 'My god-idol did this.' 'My favorite god-carving commanded this.' You have all this evidence confirmed by your own eyes and ears. Shouldn't you be talking about it? And that was just the beginning. I have a lot more to tell you, things you never knew existed. This isn't a variation on the same old thing. This is new, brand-new, something you'd never guess or dream up. When you hear this you won't be able to say, 'I knew that all along.'

Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this?" Isn't it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn't that all right?

And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into him and went sprawling. Isaiah (again!) gives us the metaphor for pulling this together: Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

Some skeptic is sure to ask, "Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture…. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don't look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.

Isaiah 48:1 Romans 9:20 Ephesians 3:20 1 Corinthians 15:35

"Every promise of God proves true; he protects everyone who runs to him for help. So don't second-guess him…” Proverbs 30:5

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Sure

"Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure.

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, " I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"

Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.

Exodus 34:11 Psalm 19:7 Psalm 111:7 2 Timothy 1:5 Hebrews 13:5 Hebrews 13:18

The Bible – the SURE Word of the Lord.

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Hope(ful)

"But I do freely admit this: In regard to the Way, which they malign as a dead-end street, I serve and worship the very same God served and worshiped by all our ancestors and embrace everything written in all our Scriptures. And I admit to living in hopeful anticipation that God will raise the dead, both the good and the bad. If that's my crime, my accusers are just as guilty as I am.

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.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
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So then, we are always full of good and hopeful and confident courage; we know that while we are at home in the body, we are abroad from the home with the Lord [that is promised us].

May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.

[Yes] we have confident and hopeful courage and are pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.

Acts 24:14 Psalm 25:3 1 Corinthians 13:7 2 Corinthians 5:6 Psalm 25:21 2 Corinthians 5:8

O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; Psalm 25:2

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Except

Temporary office...still waiting!

" Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.

For who is God besides the LORD ? And who is the Rock except our God?

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.

When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

"No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

Isaiah 45:21 Psalm 18:31 Matthew 11:27 Psalm 127:1 Matthew 17:8 John 3:13

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me . John 14:6

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Choose

The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.

God wasn't attracted to you and didn't choose you because you were big and important—the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love, keeping the promise he made to your ancestors. God stepped in and mightily bought you back out of that world of slavery, freed you from the iron grip of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know this: God, your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations.

Moreover, you shall choose able men from all the people--God-fearing men of truth who hate unjust gain--and place them over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, to be their rulers.

Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose.

"Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?

Exodus 33:19 Deuteronomy 7:7 Exodus 18:21 Psalm 25:12 Isaiah 58:6

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. Matthew 7:13

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Ready

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'

Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know."

He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight.

After Jesus returned, he walked along Lake Galilee and then climbed a mountain and took his place, ready to receive visitors. They came, tons of them, bringing along the paraplegic, the blind, the maimed, the mute—all sorts of people in need—and more or less threw them down at Jesus' feet to see what he would do with them. He healed them. When the people saw the mutes speaking, the maimed healthy, the paraplegics walking around, the blind looking around, they were astonished and let everyone know that God was blazingly alive among them

We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.

Matthew 3:3 Matthew 8:20 Matthew 13:11 Matthew 15:29 John 9:31

"So I did it—I sent for you. And you've been good enough to come. And now we're all here in God's presence, ready to listen to whatever the Master put in your heart to tell us. Acts 10:33

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Waiting

I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help. Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, We're watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy. Mercy, God, mercy!

And here I am, your invited guest— it's incredible! I enter your house; here I am, prostrate in your inner sanctum, Waiting for directions to get me safely through enemy lines.

What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, Ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world. You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world.

Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You

We pondered your love-in-action, God, waiting in your temple: Your name, God, evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever It is spoken, near and far; your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.

With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you. When they see me waiting, expecting your Word, those who fear you will take heart and be glad. I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what's true and right. Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight! just the way you promised. Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to.

Psalm 123:1 Psalm 5:7 Psalm 31:19 Psalm 33:22 Psalm 48:9 Psalm 119:73

I pray to God—my life a prayer— and wait for what he'll say and do. My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning. Psalm 130:5

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Bare

Home -still waiting for the moving van!

"When you harvest your land, don't harvest right up to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings from the harvest. Don't strip your vineyard bare or go back and pick up the fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am God, your God.

When you harvest your grain and forget a sheaf back in the field, don't go back and get it; leave it for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow so that God, your God, will bless you in all your work. When you shake the olives off your trees, don't go back over the branches and strip them bare—what's left is for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. And when you cut the grapes in your vineyard, don't take every last grape—leave a few for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.

God keeps track of the decent folk; what they do won't soon be forgotten. In hard times, they'll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.

Saying to those who are bound, Come forth, and to those who are in [spiritual] darkness, Show yourselves [come into the light of the Sun of righteousness]. They shall feed in all the ways [in which they go], and their pastures shall be [not in deserts, but] on all the bare [grass-covered] hills.

The Lord has made bare His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations [revealing Himself as the One by Whose direction the redemption of Israel from captivity is accomplished], and all the ends of the earth shall witness the salvation of our God.

Leviticus 19:9 Deuteronomy 24:19 Psalm 37:18 Isaiah 49:9 Isaiah 52:10

Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. 2 Corinthians 9:12

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Home

Our home - 1075 Prestonwood Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30043

I can't wait to hear what he'll say. God's about to pronounce his people well, The holy people he loves so much, so they'll never again live like fools. See how close his salvation is to those who fear him? Our country is home base for Glory!

God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

-What a beautiful home, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! I've always longed to live in a place like this, Always dreamed of a room in your house, where I could sing for joy to God-alive!

Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest at home in your place! We expect our fill of good things in your house, your heavenly manse. All your salvation wonders are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot— Far and wide they'll come to a stop, they'll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship."

You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful. Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again. But I'm in the very presence of God— oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home. God, I'm telling the world what you do!

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!

Psalm 85:8 Psalm 68:6 Psalm 84:1 Psalm 65:2 Psalm 73:25 Psalm 90:1

Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home. Proverbs 8:34

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