THE TESTIMONY OF GENEROSITY Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”  Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and…

BEWARE OF THOSE ADDING OR TAKING AWAY FROM GOD’S WORD! Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. —Proverbs 30:5-6 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you. —Deuteronomy 4:2 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. —Revelation…

BAD LEADERSHIP CAUSES GROANING AMONG THE POPULACE When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. —Proverbs 29:2 If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked. —Proverbs 29:12  When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall. —Proverbs 29:16 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked. —Proverbs 29:27             When those who are ruling love the Lord and truly seek to do His will, then the people will rejoice.  But “when wicked people rule, the people groan.”  This is a good…

LYING, HATEFUL DECEIVERS ARE UNDER GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY— TAKE HEART! Take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. —Proverbs 25:5 Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips. —Proverbs 25:19 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it…

NEW AND PERFECT BODIES! For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. —II Corinthians 5:1-4             We are now clothed in this temporary tent, this body of decay.  One day, unless…

BEWARE OF ISOLATORS Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.  A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. —Proverbs 18:1-2             See a person who has all the answers and does not listen to anyone else?  See a business like this or a government official or a local church or a denomination?  This principle of isolation can be applied to many situations.  Let’s take a look.             Those who isolate themselves— Seek their own desire Break out against (quarrels, rebels, rages against) sound judgment Takes no please in understanding Take pleasure in only expressing his opinion Beware of…

DON’T LOSE FOCUS!  For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. —Psalm 25:11  Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.  —Psalm 25:16-17  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. —Acts 20:24             I am so glad that our Lord does not need me to accomplish what He desires.  He is God and He does not “need”…

MAY DAVID’S DESIRES BE OUR DESIRES Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. —Psalm 19:12-14             We surely can be blinded to errors in our lives.  But our heart’s desire, as was David’s, is to be declared “innocent from hidden faults.”  Surely this is also our heart’s desire as followers of Jesus.  We confess and ask forgiveness for the…

OUR BODIES SHALL BE LIKE JESUS As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. —Psalms 17:15 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. —I John 3:2             The question comes up from time to time— What will our bodies be like in heaven?  People also ask— Will we know each other in heaven?  The answers to both of these questions are given above.  First, after death…

 THE FOOL! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. —Psalm 14:1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On-whMoulOM For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. —Romans 1:21-23                     Since we are made for relationship with God through His Son Jesus, those who do not want anything to do with…