Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. JUDE 1

To be 'preserved' or 'kept' in Jesus Christ does not mean you are saved and can never lose your Salvation - that your Salvation is safe for as long as you live. It does mean that assuming you have come to Jesus Christ and been born again - He will now try to keep you with/in Him by disciplining and correcting you. You are only preserved in Jesus Christ as long as you are abiding in Him and allowing His correction and tutelage. If you go astray (and so abide in death!) He will try to get you back with/in Him in the land of the Living but it is up to you whether or not you choose that Life.

God can't preserve or keep anyone against their will. If you choose His discipline you are receiving His Salvation. If you reject His discipline you are rejecting His Salvation.

I guess it's all about Love. God's Love to you is His discipline and correction and your Love to Him is your submission and obedience, that is to say your repentance.

Dying to be changed!

There is talk in the New Testament of our physical bodies being changed and transformed into glorious spiritual bodies like Jesus Christ's. I wonder if people confuse the physical for the same as the carnal nature - they aren't one and the same. If you think that people who have been living according to their carnal nature will be changed into a spiritual form like the angels and Jesus Christ you are mistaken because the New Testament clearly teaches that if you live after the flesh (carnal nature) you will DIE. No, flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom of God, only those who have in their physical bodies crucified the flesh and walk in the spirit daily, in-Christ partaking of the Divine nature. Them and them alone will be changed as long as they abide in Him right up until He returns from Heaven. There is no way round this. Theological 'understanding' or the holding and confession of creeds will avail you nada. Only a New Creation and it's nourishment, growth and maturity matters and will inherit Eternal Life.



For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. PHILIPPIANS 3:20,21

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ROMANS 8:13.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. GALATIANS 5:24

While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. HEBREWS 3:15

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: COLOSSIANS 1:14

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: COLOSSIANS 1:30

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 PETER 1:4

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:15

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 JOHN 2:28

Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which is by the sea shore. HEBREWS 11:12 Darby translation.

In this I saw that Abraham's Faith enabled him to do the impossible. He was dead to the natural but alive to the Supernatural by Faith!

What is the worst sin a person can commit? [not that you have any say in the matter anyway]. God can forgive it, if the person who committed it truly repents of it!

God, thankyou for the cleansing Blood of Jesus that washes me whiter than snow. I hope and pray that despite the darkness of the times we live in that souls will still repent for the first time and taste the Graciousness of the Spirit of Jesus. Even so Lord, come quickly!

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" MATTHEW 25:34

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." JOHN 18:37

Psalm 101
A PSALM OF DAVID.
1 I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
Him I will destroy;
The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
Him I will not endure.
6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,
That they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a perfect way,
He shall serve me.
7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

"For with God nothing will be impossible." LUKE 1:37.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" EPHESIANS 3:20

14For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast TO THE END, 15while it is said:
“Today, IF you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” HEBREWS 3:14,15.


Confidence in the Promises of the Gospel as True and in the Power of God to raise the dead and give New-Life to sinners by obeying the Gospel to the end.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; PSALM 46:1,2


5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we may boldly say:
“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” HEBREWS 13:5,6


6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 PETER 5:6,7

2For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 CORINTHIANS 6:2


8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. ROMANS 13:8-14


1Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
2And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
3Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
5And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
24“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
28“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
32“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—36lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I say to ALL: Watch!” MARK Chapter 13


1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies. 21Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.
23Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
25Brethren, pray for us.
26Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 1 THESSALONIANS Chapter 5.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
PSALM 73:25 KJV.

Ever feel like that? I'm sure you do. I do too. I don't understand how people live for this world, for carnal things and carnal relationships. Now that I have been given the Grace and Privilege of getting to know God, things just aren't the same! I feel like Paul when he said he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him! I mean, what IS there in this world for a Pilgrim? For a citizen of Heaven? I guess there is daily manna from Heaven! I don't consider myself an expert seeker and gatherer and eater of daily manna but with God's help I will improve - I just hafta!

God guide me Home. Father teach me Your Ways. Lord sanctify me by Your Truth [Word]. Help me to be stout, focused and faithful. I feel unworthy of your Name yet glad I have it in me! Forgive my iniquities and keep me from them. Make me Yours alone, for Your plan and purposes. God bless those you have put around me and those whom I go around. Have Mercy and pity on those souls that are perishing without you and be kind to them in their lives so that they might be induced to Repentance. Bless all my brothers and sisters that I know and that I don't - confirm us to the end and cause us to keep your commandments. Let us not forget that Christ in us is the ONLY Hope of Glory and help us to consider all things as dung in comparison to sharing our lives with You in Your sufferings.

Lord Jesus Christ, have Mercy on us as sinners and make us Overcomers by the Power of Your Grace! Amen.

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST: Thoughts leading to the inward life - chapter 11 - Of the fewness of the lovers of the cross of Jesus.

Few Love the Cross of Jesus

JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and ot for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!

Do not those who always seek consolation deserve to be called mercenaries? Do not those who always think of their own profit and gain prove that they love themselves rather than Christ? Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature? His value is like that of things brought from the most distant lands.

If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: "When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: 'we are unprofitable servants.'"

Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the prophet may say: "I am alone and poor." No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all.

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night. ('The Law of the Lord is Perfect, converting/restoring the soul' PSALM 19:7)
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper (He himself, [the man that Fears the Lord], shall dwell in prosperity PSALM 25:13).
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

PSALM 1

# # # # # # # # # #

5Thus says the LORD:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
And shall not see when good comes,
But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
10 I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.
11 “As a partridge that broods but does not hatch,
So is he who gets riches, but not by right;
It will leave him in the midst of his days,
And at his end he will be a fool.”
12 A glorious high throne from the beginning
Is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel,
All who forsake You shall be ashamed.
“Those who depart from Me
Shall be written in the earth,
Because they have forsaken the LORD,
The fountain of living waters.”

JEREMIAH 17:5-13

BIBLE texts on the Words, WAY, TRUTH and LIFE.
(see John 14:16)

Here I am posting verses from the Bible that contain either of the english words, WAY, TRUTH or LIFE. (Different versions will be used - the letter and number in the brackets are the Strong's reference for the Hebrew [H] or Greek [G] word behind the english translation).

why saidst thou, She is my sister, so that I took her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way[H1980]. GENESIS 12:19 ASV.

Let there be to me a sufficiency of all the justice and all the truth[G225] which thou hast wrought with thy servant; for with this my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two camps. GENESIS 32:10 Brenton LXX.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life[H2416]; and man became a living soul. GENESIS 2:7 KJV.


BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

1st
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. PSALM 37:3 ESV.

2nd
And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:13 Darby.

3rd
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? JOB 39:11 KJV.

4th
But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus to you shortly, that *I* also may be refreshed, knowing how ye get on. PHILIPPIANS 2:19 Darby.

5th
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; DEUERONOMY 7:9 KJV.

6th
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. MATTHEW 22:37 ESV.


CREATION:

Ask of the former days which were before thee, from the day when God created man upon the earth, and beginning at the one end of heaven to the other end of heaven, if there has happened any thing like to this great event, if such a thing has been heard:
33 if a nation have heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard and hast lived;
34 if God has assayed to go and take to himself a nation out of the midst of another nation with trial, and with signs, and with wonders, and with war, and with a mighty hand, and with a high arm, and with great sights, according to all the things which the Lord our God did in Egypt in thy sight.
35 So that thou shouldest know that the Lord thy God he is God, and there is none beside him.
36 His voice was made audible from heaven to instruct thee, and he shewed thee upon the earth his great fire, and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.
37 Because he loved thy fathers, he also chose you their seed after them, and he brought thee himself with his great strength out of Egypt,
38 to destroy nations great and stronger than thou before thy face, to bring thee in, to give thee their land to inherit, as thou hast it this day.
39 An thou shalt know this day, and shalt consider in thine heart, that the Lord thy God he is God in heaven above, and on the earth beneath, and there is none else but he.
40 And keep ye his commandments, and his ordinances, all that I command you this day; that it may be well with thee, and with thy sons after thee, that ye may be long-lived upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for ever. DEUTERONOMY 4:32-40


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for Your Peace. There are millions, even billions of people who labor and toil in one way or another to 'earn a living' yet when the day is done they still have no peace. Thankyou that I can be at Peace as I share my day with you and still be at Peace when my day is done! I don't like this world, I don't feel I belong here, but your Grace and Peace gives me Strength and Hope to abide with/in you. Make me and all my Brethren, Your Children, 'channels of Your Peace' and cause us to be of service to others in the Power of Your Peace. Amen.

BIBLE texts on the Words, WAY, TRUTH and LIFE.
(see John 14:16)

Here I am posting verses from the Bible that contain either of the english words, WAY, TRUTH or LIFE. (Different versions will be used - the letter and number in the brackets are the Strong's reference for the Hebrew [H] or Greek [G] word behind the english translation).

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way[H1870] upon the earth. GENESIS 6:12 KJV.

And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not forsaken his lovingkindness and his truth[H571] toward my master. As for me, Jehovah hath led me in the way to the house of my master's brethren. GENESIS 24:27 ASV.

And to all the wild beasts of the earth, and to all the flying creatures of heaven, and to every reptile creeping on the earth, which has in itself the breath of life[G2222], even every green plant for food; and it was so. GENESIS 1:30 Brenton LXX.


BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

1st
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness[H530] reacheth unto the clouds. PSALM 36:5 KJV.

2nd
To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever[G571], and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:12 ESV.

3rd
And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope[G1680]; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care. JOB 11:18 Brenton LXX.

4th
But I trust[G1679] that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 2 CORINTHIANS 13:6 KJV.

5th
And thou shalt love[H157] the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. DEUTERONOMY 6:5 KJV.

6th
Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love[G25] your neighbor as yourself. MATTHEW 19:19 ESV.


CREATION:

But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD. NUMBERS 16:20 ESV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, today I would like to thank you for my health. I am in good health and have an 'able body', thankyou that this is the case and help me not to take it for granted. Amen.

BIBLE texts on the Words, WAY, TRUTH and LIFE.
(see John 14:16)

Here I am posting verses from the Bible that contain either of the english words, WAY, TRUTH or LIFE. (Different versions will be used - the letter and number in the brackets are the Strong's reference for that word)

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way[H2015], to keep the way[H1870] of the tree of life. GENESIS 3:24 ASV.

And to Sarrha he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, those shall be to thee for the price of thy countenance, and to all the women with thee, and speak the truth[G226] in all things. GENESIS 20:16 Brenton LXX.

And God said, Let the waters bring forth reptiles having life[G2198], and winged creatures flying above the earth in the firmament of heaven, and it was so. GENESIS 1:20 Brenton LXX.


BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

1st
For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are faithful. PSALM 33:4 Brenton LXX.

2nd
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 1 CORINTHIANS 6:6 KJV.

3rd
They too that trust in cities and riches shall come to shame. JOB 6:20 Brenton LXX.

4th
And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God's will. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:5 Darby.

5th
and doing mercifully to thousands of them that love me, and that keep my commandments. DEUTERONOMY 5:10 Brenton LXX.

6th
No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money. MATTHEW 6:24 ESV.


CREATION:

And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, GENESIS 14:22 ASV.

And he said, "Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. EXODUS 34:10 ESV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, I want to thank you today for the Pilgrim's Path Daily blog - especially the foto totos, they are my favourite! I have to admit that I can often feel like the pooch in the picture (see foto toto for yesterday's date). Help me to be at ease with [how you have created] me and to enjoy the fact that you made me for a purpose! Amen.

I just read the caption beside a photo of a great white shark on the National Geographic website which says, “The ultimate nightmare hidden in the back of the human mind,” says photographer David Doubilet, “is to be eaten alive.”

Jesus doesn't seem to mind...

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; JOHN 6:53

Remember, Jesus is in Heaven now with the same body He had while on earth - He rose from the dead, remember?!

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of music. 2 CHRONICLES 34:12 KJV.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? ACTS 26:8 KJV.

Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: On what do ye rely that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 2 CHRONICLES 32:10 KJV.

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:11 ASV.

And because he loved your fathers and chose their descendants after them, and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power DEUTERONOMY 4:37 RSV.

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? MATTHEW 5:46 RSV.


CREATION:

And God said, I will blot out man whom I have made from the face of the earth, even man with cattle, and reptiles with flying creatures of the sky, for I am grieved that I have made them. GENESIS 6:7 Brenton LXX.

And he blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, who made heaven and earth GENESIS 14:19 Brenton LXX.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou that you care about man. Thankyou that you see and that you care about tiny things in our lives. Please teach me and all your Children to talk to you more about these things and to learn how to cast our cares upon you. Amen.

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

Some, or a lot of the texts I post may not contain any of the words Faith, Hope or Love, this is because I have decided to post verses that contain Hebrew or Greek words that have been translated at least once as Faith, Hope or Love but may not be translated as such every time. Many times they are translated as some other word or words but I post them anyway. So if you wonder why I have posted a text that doesn't have Faith, Hope or Love it is because it contains a Hebrew or Greek word that has been translated as such somewhere else. I have also included words to do with lack of Faith. I Hope that explains things! The highlighted word or words are the ones corresponding to the original Hebrew or Greek. The 1st and 2nd texts are on Faith, the 3rd and 4th on Hope and the 5th and 6th on Love.

1st
and to all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, the whole congregation of those entered in the register; for in their trust they hallowed themselves to be holy. 2 CHRONICLES 31:18 Darby.

2nd
Then he says to Thomas, Bring thy finger here and see my hands; and bring thy hand and put it into my side; and be not unbelieving, but believing. JOHN 20:27 Darby.

3rd
and they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them, because they put their trust in him. 1 CHRONICLES 5:20 Darby.

4th
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end 2 CORINTHIANS 1:13 KJV.

5th
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. LEVITICUS 19:34 KJV.

6th
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; MATTHEW 5:43,44 KJV.


CREATION:

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God. GENESIS 4:1 Brenton LXX.

1 This is the book of Adam's generations. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. GENESIS 5:1,2 Darby.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for Jesus. Without Him I and all my Brethren would be dead, lost and very much in the dark. Thankyou that Christ has given us Light. May we all walk faithfully in the Light and allow ourselves to be corrected if we stray from the Light. Amen.

BIBLE texts on FAITH, HOPE and LOVE
(see 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:13):

by the hand of Odom, and Benjamin, and Jesus, and Semei, and Amarias, and Sechonias, by the hand of the priests faithfully, to give to their brethren according to the courses, as well to great as small; 2 CHRONICLES 31:15 Brenton LXX.

the lord of that bondman shall come in a day when he does not expect it, and in an hour he knows not of, and shall cut him in two and appoint his portion with the unbelievers. LUKE 12:46 Darby.

Let not thy God on whom thou trustest encourage thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of the Assyrians. 2 KINGS 19:10 Brenton LXX.

who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:10 ASV.

Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah. LEVITICUS 19:18 ASV.

For which cause I say to thee, Her many sins are forgiven; for she loved much; but he to whom little is forgiven loves little. LUKE 7:47 Darby.


CREATION:

21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; 22 and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed. GENESIS 2:21-25 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Thankyou Lord for this world. I mean, the Creation - plants, animals, sun, moon stars, people, the land and the sea. I have been watching a program on TV called PLANET EARTH and have been amazed at some of the things I have seen, thanks for that program and for the world it explores!

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next. 2 CHRONICLES 31:12 KJV.

And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. LUKE 9:41 KJV.

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 2 KINGS 18:30 KJV.

For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:7 KJV.

And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free EXODUS 21:5 KJV.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? LUKE 7:42 KJV.


CREATION:

18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." 19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. GENESIS 2:18-20 RSV.

Jesus is Lord and God and Saviour; He is also Brother too!

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, "I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me."

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. 16 For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. HEBREWS 2:10-18 RSV.

Bear in mind that Jesus is your Brother (assuming you have been Born-again) next time you read 1 John 2:9-11.

9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now.
10 He that loves his brother abides in light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 JOHN 2:9-11 Darby.

You may be being kind and hospitable and even gentle but if you are sinning you are sinning against God and against the Lord Jesus Christ who is your Brother. There is never any way of excusing sin (although your flesh will think of many) and there is only one Way of remitting it, that is, by confessing and sinning no more. If you are sinning you are actively hating Jesus Christ and walking in the darkness; could you think you were in the light because of how you relate to or associate with others? It is Written that Love covers a multitude of sins, but that is the Love of God First (you cannot Love anyone without Loving God First for God is Love and if you abide in Him and His Words [commandments] abide in you then and only then you abide in Love. [Where Love is spoken of it is Agape]). If you are not Loving God First then you are sinning no matter what else you are doing. Jesus said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." MARK 12:30 KJV.

7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. GALATIONS 6:7,8 KJV.

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. 2 CHRONICLES 19:9 KJV.

But he answering them says, O unbelieving generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him to me. MARK 9:19 Darby.

How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 2 KINGS 18:24 RSV.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:19 KJV.

and showing lovingkindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. EXODUS 20:6 ASV.

for he loves our nation, and at his own expense he built our synagogue for us. LUKE 7:5 Weymouth.


CREATION:

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die." GENESIS 2:16,17 RSV.

Note: in the original Hebrew words behind the translation of "you shall die" (KJV = "thou shalt surely die") there is a figure of speech called 'polyptoton' (or, many inflections - the repetition of the same part of speech in different inflections). In the book Figures of Speech Used in the Bible by E. W. Bullinger he says that the Hebrew would be literally translated as "dying thou shalt die" and in this case puts strong emphasis on the death.

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans. 1 CHRONICLES 9:31 ASV.

And Jesus answering said, O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me. MATTHEW 17:17 Darby.

But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 2 KINGS 18:22 KJV.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:7 RSV.

And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him. GENESIS 44:20 Brenton LXX.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. LUKE 6:35 RSV.


CREATION:

8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. GENESIS 2:8-15 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for Thomas' words on the second occasion you appeared to your Disciples after Your Resurrection, "My Lord and my God." I'm glad he said that and I'm glad I have the Honour and Privilege of saying it too.

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. 1 CHRONICLES 9:26 ASV.

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. HEBREWS 3:19 KJV.

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. 2 KINGS 18:21 KJV.

I hope, as soon as ever I extend my travels into Spain, to see you on my way and be helped forward by you on my journey, when I have first enjoyed being with you for a time. ROMANS 15:24 Weymouth.

And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, and they hated him, and could not greet him with friendliness. GENESIS 37:4 Darby.

If you love those who love you, what credit is it to you? Why, even bad men love those who love them. LUKE 6:32 Weymouth.


CREATION:

4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up--for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground-- 7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. GENESIS 2:4-7 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, I heard today of the release of a Vietnamese Christian called Pham Ngoc Thach who had been in prison for two years and abused while there. Thankyou that he has been released and is able to return to his family. Please help him to recover physically and to continue in the strength of your Spirit in the Inner Man. Amen.

I have a book called PRAYER - A HOLY OCCUPATION. It is composed of selected writtings by Oswald Chambers on the topic of prayer and is divided into 18 sections, each one being in Chambers' opinion a requirement for prayer, namely: Boldness, Childlikeness, Communion, Concentration, Desire, Discipline, Faith, Honesty, Intimacy, Obedience, Patience, Power, Purpose, Silence, Simplicity, Wonder, Work and lastly Worship.

Quite recently I had to make a moral decision in my place of work that I knew nobody else was going to do - so I prayed about it, hoping that God would acknowledge my moral prayer and deal with the thing so I didn't have to. Of course, it didn't work out like that, I had to deal with it myself. So I did. Quite soon after the event I read in PRAYER - A HOLY OCCUPATION, in the section called Discipline, this: "Prayer is often a temptation to bank on a miracle of God instead of on a moral issue; that is, it is much easier to ask God to do my work than it is to do it myself. Until we are disciplined properly, we will always be inclined to bank on God's miracles and refuse to do the moral thing ourselves. It is our job and it will never be done unless we do it."


FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

All these chosen to be doorkeepers at the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were registered by genealogy according to their villages: David and Samuel the seer had instituted them in their trust. 1 CHRONICLES 9:22 Darby.

see to it, brethren, that there is never in any one of you--as perhaps there may be--a sinful and unbelieving heart, manifesting itself in revolt from the ever-living God. HEBREWS 3:12 KJV.

Thou hast said, (but they are mere words,) I have counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast revolted from me? 2 KINGS 18:20 Brenton LXX.

and further Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope." ROMANS 15:12 RSV.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. GENESIS 37:3 ASV.

But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, LUKE 6:27 ASV.


CREATION:

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation. GENESIS 2:1-3 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for today! It wasn't up to me to still be alive today but I am. Thanks for being with me in this day that You have made, teach me how to share my days with You in all the seasons I go through. Amen.

Faith is not Hope. Faith does not say, I'm hoping what I believe is true - Faith knows that it is true (real) and relates to the Hope correspondingly. My dictionary says for corresponding: having or participating in the same relationship. In terms of Christianity this means having the same access and Relationship with God the Father as Jesus did (Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” -- JOHN 20:17) in the Light (5This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. -- 1 JOHN 1:5-7) and actually participating of the very selfsame nature! (by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. -- 2 PETER 1:4). This is what Faith enables, if you do not enjoy (know and walk/rejoice in) these Gracious Priviledges then your Faith is fake! Faith KNOWS God and LOVES (Obeys) Him!


FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

But no reckoning was made with them of the money that was given into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. 2 KINGS 22:7 Darby.

who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing man : but mercy was shewn me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. 1 TIMOTHY 1:13 Darby.

Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? 2 KINGS 18:19 NKJV.

But if we hope for something which we do not see, then we eagerly and patiently wait for it.

His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. GENESIS 34:3 NKJV.

And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. MARK 12:33 NKJV.


CREATION:

24 And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. GENESIS 1:24-31 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for sleep! After a physically or mentally demanding day there is nothing like a good sleep to get away from it all! Lord, please strengthen and confirm me and my Brethren (Your Children) in the world so we can stand before you and be counted worthy of attaining to the Resurrection from the dead (Luke 20:35) and "be satisfied when I [we] awake in Your likeness" (Psalm 17:15) ROMANS 8:25 Weymouth.

Is a Disciple of Jesus someone who has undergone a religious rite and is actively involved in religious activities, Bible study etc. or is it someone who is bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. JOHN 15:8 KJV.

It's His fruit that gives us away!

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And they did not reckon with the men into whose hand they gave the money to be bestowed on workmen; for they dealt faithfully. 2 KINGS 12:15 Darby translation.

Moreover, if they turn from their unbelief, they too will be grafted in. For God is powerful enough to graft them in again; ROMANS 11:23 Weymouth translation.

He trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among any that were before him. 2 KINGS 18:5 Darby translation.

It is *in hope* that we have been saved. But an object of hope is such no longer when it is present to view; for when a man has a thing before his eyes, how can he be said to hope for it? ROMANS 8:24 Weymouth translation.

And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me. GENESIS 29:32 Darby translation.

"The second is this: 'Thou shalt love thy fellow man as thou lovest thyself.' "Other Commandment greater than these there is none." MARK 12:31 Weymouth translation.


CREATION:

20 And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens." 21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. GENESIS 1:20-23


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, people say you don't get anything for free, but there are websites that provide free software downloads like antivirus software and multimedia software etc. Thanks for these sites and the people who have written the software and shared it for free!

But prove yourselves obedient to the Message, and do not be mere hearers of it, imposing a delusion upon yourselves.
For if any one listens but does not obey, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own face in a mirror.
Although he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and has immediately forgotten the sort of man he is.
But he who looks closely into the perfect Law--the Law of freedom--and continues looking, he, being not a hearer who forgets, but an obedient doer, will as the result of his obedience be blessed. JAMES 1:22-25


FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. 1 SAMUEL 26:23 ASV.

Right: they have been broken out through unbelief, and *thou* standest through faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: ROMANS 11:20 Darby translation.

And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. --And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. JUDGES 20:36 Darby translation.

unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king! ACTS 26:7 ASV.

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. GENESIS 29:30 ASV.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind and thy whole strength. MARK 12:30 Weymouth translation.


CREATION:

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. GENESIS 1:14-19 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for the Bible. There are so many tools to study it which have become available to us through the faithful and diligent work of past Christians - thankyou for the work of these people and for the access we enjoy in this part of the world to their work. Please teach us as Children to study and grow in your Word. Amen.

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE:

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. DEUTERONOMY 32:4 KJV.

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God ROMANS 4:20 RSV.

Hezekiah trusted in the LORD God of Israel; not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. 2 KINGS 18:5 KJV.

At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him. ACTS 24:26 KJV.

Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." GENESIS 29:18 KJV.

And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." MARK 10:21 RSV.


CREATION:

9 And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth." And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. GENESIS 1:9 - 13 RSV.


THANKSGIVING:

Lord, thankyou for music - musical instruments, musicians and singers. I am not a musician but I appreciate the skills musicians have developed in order to play instuments well. Songs can stir and move us in a unique way - thankyou for God honouring music and musicians and singers and that I am able to hear them in the first place!