Power

When evening came, they brought to Him many who were under the power of demons, and He drove out the spirits with a word and restored to health all who were sick.

Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you.

AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity.

When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

"Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he'll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God's chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.

Matthew 8:16 Matthew 9:29 Matthew 10:1 Matthew 9:8 Acts 1:8 Matthew 24:30

The Holy Spirit in you is the power source waiting to be released in powerful proclamation.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Compassion

Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair.

But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him

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.

And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the Israelites, and that He had looked [in compassion] upon their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Psalm 79:8 Psalm 86:15 Psalm 103:13 Exodus 33:19 Exodus 4:31 Mark 6:34

Compassion never goes out of fashion.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Wonder

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?

Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

"I'll make up for the years of the locust, the great locust devastation— Locusts savage, locusts deadly, fierce locusts, locusts of doom, That great locust invasion I sent your way. You'll eat your fill of good food. You'll be full of praises to your God, The God who has set you back on your heels in wonder. Never again will my people be despised. You'll know without question that I'm in the thick of life with Israel, That I'm your God, yes, your God, the one and only real God.

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.

My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises.

Blessed God, Israel's God, the one and only wonder-working God! Blessed always his blazing glory! All earth brims with his glory. Yes and Yes and Yes.

Psalm 8:3 Isaiah 29:14 Joel 2:25 Psalm 31:19 Psalm 57:7 Psalm 72:18

Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days--You would not believe if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Little

Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life].

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.

For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.

Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, "There's a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that's a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this."

1 John 5:21 1 John 4:4 1 Timothy 4:8 John 12:35 John 6:8

Little is much when placed in the Master’s hands.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God.

Assignment

On ASSIGNMENT…

In fewer than 60 minutes Jeanette and I will be our team of 14 on nine day mission to El Salvador. We will be working with the Shalom orphanage and out reach Oasis ministry. As we follow the footsteps of Christ we anticipate the manifestation of His grace.

Keep us in your prayers. You may follow our journey on our blog site:

www.nlcelsalvadormission09.blogspot.com

In His love,

Glenn and Jeanette

Join

The creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for

I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways, Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission

Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

So reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus did it; now you do it… Then I'll join outsiders in a hymn-sing … People of all nations, celebrate God! All colors and races, give hearty praise! And Isaiah's word: There's the root of our ancestor Jesse, breaking through the earth and growing tree tall, Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope! Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!

Romans 8:21 Mark 8:34 John 17:13 Acts 8:29 Romans 15:7

There is no insignificant task in the church.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Better

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.

You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble."

[ A Future in God ] So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."

Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours.

Matthew 5:20 2 Peter 2:21 James 4:4 1 Peter 1:13 Hebrews 11:39

The holiness of God convicts the sinner and comforts the believer.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Pure

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.

Love mixed with faith be yours from God the Father and from the Master, Jesus Christ. Pure grace and nothing but grace be with all who love our Master, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:8 2 Corinthians 11:3 Romans 12:3 1 Corinthians 1:30 2 Corinthians 8:1 Ephesians 6:23

Be a grace-giver, not a foult-finder.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Supply

"Don't be naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don't be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they've done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don't worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.

Now the day began to decline, and the Twelve came and said to Him, Dismiss the crowds and send them away, so that they may go to the neighboring hamlets and villages and the surrounding country and find lodging and get a supply of provisions, for we are here in an uninhabited (barren, solitary) place

I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs

But to have equality, your surplus over necessity at the present time going to meet their want and to equalize the difference created by it, so that [at some other time] their surplus in turn may be given to supply your want(lack). Thus there may be equality.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

And my God will liberally supply ( fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 10:17 Luke 9:12 Luke 11:8 2 Corinthians 8:14 2 Corinthians 9:10 Philippians 4:19

The richest people on earth are those who invest their lives in heaven.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Try

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand.

“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.

For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

Were you Jewish at the time God called you? Don't try to remove the evidence. Were you non-Jewish at the time of your call? Don't become a Jew. Being Jewish isn't the point. The really important thing is obeying God's call, following his commands.

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Mark 7:14 Luke 13:24 Romans 4:15 1 Corinthians 7:18 Romans 14:19 1 Corinthians 14:12

Christians worth their salt make others thirsty for the water of life.

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Riches

For all the riches which God has taken from our father are ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.

If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Jesus said to them again, Children, how hard it is for those who trust (place their confidence, their sense of safety) in riches to enter the kingdom of God.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.

To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor; Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth; the kingdom all yours! You've raised yourself high over all. Riches and glory come from you, you're ruler over all; You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand to build up and strengthen all. And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you, praising your splendid Name.

Genesis 31:16 Psalm 62:10 Psalm 49:20 Mark 10:24 Proverbs 8:18 1 Chronicles 29:10

To be spiritually fruitful, plant God’s word in your heart.

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Settled

Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

He climbed a mountain and invited those he wanted with him. They climbed together. He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word and give them authority to banish demons.

For I tell you that this Scripture must yet be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted and classed among the wicked (the outlaws, the criminals); for what is written about Me has its fulfillment [has reached its end and is finally settled].

Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

Psalm 119:89 Mark 3:13 Luke 22:37 2 Corinthians 5:16

We are not to conform our live to our culture, but our culture to His word.

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Counting

I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him.I have put my hope in his word.

Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?

Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation

But me, I'm not giving up. I'm sticking around to see what God will do. I'm waiting for God to make things right. I'm counting on God.

Psalm 130:5 Isaiah 36:5 Habakkuk 3:17 2 Corinthians 5:19 Micah 7:7

Better than counting your years is making all your years count.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Restore

Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity (idols and idolatry); and restore me to vigorous life and health in Your ways

Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.

Salt is good (beneficial), but if salt has lost its saltiness, how will you restore [the saltiness to] it? Have salt within yourselves, and be at peace and live in harmony with one another.

And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you

He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets

Psalm 80:3 Psalm 119:37 Psalm 126:4 Mark 9:50 Romans 8:11 Acts 3:21

God will guide you through the rapids of change.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Together

"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures— either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.

But Jesus insisted. "Do it. God's work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism." So John did it.

But seek ( aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ( His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

"Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."

For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me.

Matthew 5:17 Matthew 3:15 Matthew 6:33 Matthew 18:18 Matthew 25:35

Living together for Christ brings true freedom.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God

Handiwork

Fox Run - Colorado Springs

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It is a prime example of God’s handiwork.

I will teach you regarding the hand and handiwork of God;

THE HEAVENS declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork.

"Do you have any idea how powerful God is? Have you ever heard of a teacher like him? Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do, or correct him, saying, 'You did that all wrong!'? Remember, then, to praise his workmanship, which is so often celebrated in song. Everybody sees it; nobody is too far away to see it

You would call and I would answer, and you would yearn for me, your handiwork.

For we are God's handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Job 40:19 Job 27:11 Psalm 19:1 Job 36:22 Job 14:15 Ephesians 2:10

Nothing is more awesome than to know God.

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Ordinary

Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, More joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.

By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. … what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best

I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple —in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it …God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Psalm 4:6 Hebrews 11:23 2 Corinthians 4:7 1 Corinthians 7:29 Romans 12:1

Those who lay up treasures in heaven are the richest people on earth.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God.

Arise! (NT)

Gripping her [firmly] by the hand, He said to her, Talitha cumi--which translated is, Little girl, I say to you, arise [ from the sleep of death]!

Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise and walk?

And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!"

But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, " Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up

And He said to them, Why are you disturbed and troubled, and why do such doubts and questionings arise in your hearts?

For this reason it says," Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

Mark 5:41 Luke 5:23 Luke 7:14 Acts 9:40 Luke 24:38 Ephesians 5:14

Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:7-9 (NLT)

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Arise!

Granada, Spain

"Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act."

I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work

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For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise fro the Jews (people of God) from elsewhere, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?

The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build.

"Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you."

But unto you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves [released] from the stall and leap for joy.

Ezra 10:4 Nehemiah 2:18 Esther 4:14 Nehemiah 2:20 Jonah 3:2 Malachi 4:2

Christians who bury their gifts make a grave mistake.

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Pass

(God) made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His loving-kindness is everlasting.

Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish

I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be [firmly] established as the highest of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it.

For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.

Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.

Psalm 136:14 Isaiah 46:10 Isaiah 29:14 Isaiah 2:2 John 3:17 1 Corinthians 10:23

Following Jesus is always right – but not always easy.

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Test

Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?

Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.

"But he knows where I am and what I've done. He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I'll pass the test with honors. I've followed him closely, my feet in his footprints, not once swerving from his way. I've obeyed every word he's spoken, and not just obeyed his advice—I've treasured it.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of "remembrance" you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.

Job 12:11 Psalm 26:2 Job 23:10 Romans 12:2 1 Corinthians 10:13 1 Corinthians 11:27

If we have God’s Word in our mind, He can put the right words in our mouth.

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Witnesses

But you also will testify and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me

On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them

"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble

Jesus replied, "You're right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I've come from and where I go next. You don't know where I'm from or where I'm headed. You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don't make judgments like that. But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn't make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father. That fulfills the conditions set down in God's Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses. And that is what you have: You have my word and you have the word of the Father who sent me."

Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail."

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

John 15:27 Matthew 10:18 Matthew 5:11 John 8:14 Acts 5:29 Acts 1:8

Jesus doesn’t need lawyers, He needs witnesses.

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Value

A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars

When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

You're blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom, when you make friends with Madame Insight. She's worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary. Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her. With one hand she gives long life, with the other she confers recognition. Her manner is beautiful, her life wonderfully complete. She's the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her. Hold her tight—and be blessed!

So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].

I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,

Acts 19:19 Matthew 13:46 Proverbs 3:13 Philippians 1:10 Philippians 3:8

To show that you value eternity, make good use of your time.

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Health

The good people taste your goodness, The whole people taste your health, The true people taste your truth, The bad ones can't figure you out.

Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health

It is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.

Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us.

Psalm 18:25 Proverbs 4:20 Ecclesiastes 5:19 Proverbs 3:5 Colossians 2:18

If you fill your heart with God’s Word, He’ll bring spiritual health to your soul.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God.

Lift Up

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul

Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul

You are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests

Psalm 25:1 Psalm 86:4 Psalm 143:8 Psalm 3:3 1 Timothy 2:8 Psalm 20:5

Only Jesus can transform the hearts of mankind.

LIFEgroups – together experiencing God