If My People Will Pray

 

 

 

The religion of the founding fathers is notoriously difficult to pin down, but their written records offer many insights. For example, when the Continental Congress met for the first time, in September 1774, John Adams described in a letter to his wife a remarkably familiar religious atmosphere:

“When the Congress met, Mr. Cushing made a motion that it should be opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay of New York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina because we were so divided in religious sentiments—some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists—that we could not join in the same act of worship.

“Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said that he was no bigot and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue who was at the same time a friend to his country. He was a stranger in Philadelphia but had heard that Dr. Duche deserved that character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duche, an Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers to Congress tomorrow morning. The motion was seconded and passed in the affirmative. … “

In this case, unlike many others in history, conflict apparently ended with the selection of a spiritual spokesman. Adams continues:

“Accordingly next morning he appeared with his clerk and his pontificals [vestments], and read the Psalter for the seventh day of September, which was the 85th Psalm. You must remember this was the next morning after we had heard the rumor of the horrible cannonade of Boston. I never saw greater effect produced upon an audience. It seemed as if Heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on that morning. After this, Mr. Duche, unexpectedly to everybody, struck out into extemporaneous prayer, which filled the bosom of every man present:

“‘Be Thou present, O God of Wisdom, and direct the counsel of this honorable assembly. Enable them to settle all things on the best and surest foundations, that the scene of blood may be speedily closed, that order, harmony, and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish among the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and the vigor of them in this world, and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, thy Son and our Savior, Amen.’

“Washington was kneeling there, and Henry, Randolph, Rutledge, Lee, and Jay, and by their side there stood, bowed in reverence, the Puritan patriots of New England, who at that moment had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble households. … They prayed fervently for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston [whose port had been closed and in which British troops were being quartered].

“And who can realize the emotions with which they turned imploringly to Heaven for divine interposition. It was enough to melt a heart of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave, pacifist Quakers of Philadelphia.”

If My People Will Pray

ChristianHistory.net­­­

 

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How Fickle

“And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in every thing He might be preeminent. ~ Col. 1:18

Father, do I live in the deeply rooted knowledge that You control everything? In this verse are a few of Your true characteristics, the very fibers of Your being: You are the beginning, the conqueror of death, You exist in everything, and nothing is outside of You. I place my hope and trust in all manner of fickle things such as medicine, science, money, and myself.

Lord, there is nothing on this earth that protects me but You. If You reign over all things and have set a course for my life, then You are my sole protector and protector of my soul. Lord, help me turn to You with the “little” things: What present should I give a friend or loved on? Should I volunteer for that event? Is it right to stay late and get ahead of my work? All these decisions I take into my own hands because they seem so insignificant, yet You purchased my life with Yours; therefore, nothing is insignificant to You.

Father, reveal to me the fickle things that I place trust in and help me turn to You with my “little” prayers and questions. When storms arise, the little moments and short trials secure my trust in You. Thank You that You are steadfast. Thank You that You are not fickle and You cannot deny Your holiness and justice, or compassion. Amen.  ~Prayers for an Anxious Heart

Missionary Biographies

J. Hudson Taylor: God’s Mighty Man of Prayer

by Eugene Myers Harrison

In the year 1854 a sailing vessel was becalmed in the vicinity of New Guinea. Seeing the distressed look on the captain’s face as he peered intently into the sea, a young Englishman inquired as to the cause of his anxiety. This was the reply: “A four-knot current is carrying us swiftly toward some sunken reefs over there. Our fate seems to be sealed.” On the shores of the island, cannibals were rushing about and lighting fires in great glee. Presently the captain spoke again: “We have done everything that can be done.” “No,” responded the young man, “there is one thing we haven’t done. Four of us on board are Christians. Let each of us retire to his cabin and in agreed prayer ask the Lord to give us a breeze immediately.” This was agreed upon and done. After a few minutes of earnest intercession, the young man came up on deck confident that the petition had been granted. Finding the first officer, a godless man, in charge, he requested him to let down the corners of the mainsail. “What would be the good of that?” he asked. The young man told him that he and three others had been asking God to send a wind, that it was coming immediately and that there was not a minute to lose, since they were so near the reefs. With a look of contempt, the officer replied with an oath: “Nonsense! You can’t pray up a wind.” Noticing a few moments later that the topmost sail was beginning to tremble, he said: “That is only a cat’s-paw — a mere puff of wind.” “Never mind what you think,” cried the young man. “Let down the mainsail quickly.”

This he was not slow to do. Hearing the heavy tread of the men on deck, the captain came up from his cabin and saw that the breeze had indeed come. In a few minutes they were sailing away from the dangerous reefs, much to the disappointment of the native cannibals on the beach.

Writing of this and similar experiences, the young man said: “Thus God encouraged me, ere landing on China’s shores, to bring every variety of need to Him in prayer, and to expect that He would honor the name of the Lord Jesus and give the help which each emergency required.”

So we have been introduced to a remarkable man, J. Hudson Taylor, and to the text, John 14:13, which was woven into the fabric of his life and into the texture of his stupendous achievements: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

http://www.wholesomewords.org/

Pray For Your Enemies

 

“Pray for those who torment you and persecute you…”  Matt. 5:44

Jim looked forward to Saturday evenings at his Bible study group. It was prayer night. He loved praying for so many friends and loved ones; his and those of his fellow Christians. But this night would be a milestone for Jim—a point of no return. It would be a reshaping of his prayer life.

Phil was leading the group this night and he asked everyone to make a list during the coming week. The list was to be of those people considered their enemies. Included should be politicians, rude clerks, greedy corporations, worldly church leaders and so on. To kick start the project they would begin with prayers for “enemies” now.

Jim almost bolted and ran. He had been deceived and stolen from by a best friend. His now ex-friend had taken his business, good credit and left him with a pile of debt. In addition to the business debt, Jim was forced to hire an attorney which cost him thousands of dollars and did little to help. Later he discovered the attorney was noted as one of the least competent in town.

As Phil asked everyone to pray, Jim began with a simmering anger, clenching his fists, silently asking God why He allowed all of those terrible things to happen to him. And now, when he thought it was all behind him, how could God ask him to pray for those who used and maligned him? His heart was breaking and his blood pressure was rising. Tears began to flow.

“I know that some of you will ask why we’re praying for our enemies,” Phil said. “Why not just try and forget them and hopefully never talk to them again. After all, we are admonished by Jesus to love as proof of our Christianity. You may even feel that as long as you don’t still nurture the hate and anger toward them, you’ve done well. As always, let’s see what the Bible says about this issue.”

Matthew 5:43-44  ~You have been taught to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I tell you this: love your enemies. Pray for those who torment you and persecute you—

Acts 7:59-60  ~As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Romans 12:15  ~Base your happiness on your hope in Christ. When trials come endure them patiently, steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer.¹³ Give freely to fellow-Christians in want, never grudging a meal or a bed to those who need them.¹⁴ And as for those who try to make your life a misery, bless them. Don’t curse, bless.¹⁵ Share the happiness of those who are happy, the sorrow of those who are sad.

Romans 12:20-21  ~If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.*

1 Cor. 4:11-13  ~Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.¹² We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.¹³ We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.

1 Cor. 13:4-8  ~Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.⁸ Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

1 Peter 2:20-21 ,23 ~Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.²¹ For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. ²³ He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 

By now, cleansing tears were flowing throughout the room. Calling out to God in prayer opened their hearts for change, for a touch of the Master’s hand, for purification and redemption. And what of us, do we harbor ill feelings, grudges, anger toward someone who has actually wronged us? Someone who took advantage of us? Someone who has not paid the price, as far as we know? And that is the point;  as Stephen asked God to forgive those who killed him, we must allow God to help us forgive those who have wronged us. We must pray for them.   

*Proverbs 25:21-22

Begin Again

 

In weakness we can find strength, God’s perfect strength. But in our strength, our pride, when fully developed, we can find desolation and pain. Such was the case in my life many years ago in a place far away.

I was a faithful Christian, involved in church leadership, teaching Bible classes, volunteering at the children’s private Christian school. I was the epitome of walking after the Lord…on the outside.

Inside I had allowed doubt and lust to establish a foothold in my heart and mind. Subtly I allowed stray looks, personal remarks and thoughts to slide in and build comfortable seating arrangements in my inner man, in my heart.

As my flesh grew stronger, my Spirit weakened. And then one day, the dike broke, the floodwaters gushed forth, overwhelming the land of my mind. I acted on my desires rather than asking God to provide a way of escape as we are told to do in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

The pounding force of the pent up desires carved a new path for me, no longer walking on the narrow and straight way, I found friends and satisfaction on the wider way; the one that leads to perdition. Step by step, I walked away from His voice, His pleading, His warnings.

One night, after dropping off my date at the door of a restaurant, I found a parking place nearby. Just as I set the brake, I heard an audible voice say, “Don’t do it!” I was shocked and stunned. I looked to my right, expecting to see the Lord. Nothing. Again the voice said, clearly, “Don’t do it!”

Now if my life had been a movie, I would have broken down, called out to God for forgiveness and run back to Him. It was not and I did not. My pride was running the show. I was not ready to repent!

I walked further away from my Savior (who never gave up on me), burrowing deeper into the abyss of broken promises and fractured ideals. Peace? What peace, I am too busy feeding my flesh, looking for that all-elusive satisfaction.

Within a few months, my newly erected wide-path world collapsed, taking me down with it. There I was, standing in the middle of the road, shaking my head, wondering what happened.

This time He didn’t need to speak audibly. Apparently I had not buried the Holy Spirit’s guidance completely because I “knew” that He was calling me back. “You’ve gone far enough,” he let me know. “My grace is sufficient to restore you. Repent and walk away from this sin.” This time I did break down and pour out my soul, asking for forgiveness, knowing He would grant my request…already had.

That was many years ago. Since then, God has healed my heart, given me a new life, a wonderful wife and new Bible classes to teach. My flesh remains alert, ready to strengthen my pride but this time I refuse to relent, I will continue to call upon the Lord to deliver me and forgive me each time I am tempted and drawn away.

And He always does…with a smile and a reminder that His blood shed on the cross gave me absolute forgiveness and a new life.

George Muller Devotionals

 

George Müller cared for 10,000 orphaned children in Bristol during the 19th Century. He never made appeals for money, trusting implicitly in God, he received £1,500,000 in answer to prayer. At present day prices, this would be well over £86,000,000.

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Day 1

Triumphant Faith

“Don’t be afraid, just believe.” Mark 5:36

As long as we are able to trust in God, holding fast in our heart that He is able and willing to help those who rest on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and in all matters that are for His glory and their good, the heart remains calm and peaceful. It is only when we practically let go of faith in His power or His love that we lose our peace and become troubled. Remember that it is the very time for faith to work when sight ceases. The greater the difficulties, the easier for faith. As long as there remains certain natural prospects for help, faith does not rise up as easily as when all natural prospects fail.

All children of God, whatever their position in the world or in the church, should put their trust in God for everything connected with their body, their soul, their business, their family, their church position, their service for God, etc. And it is impossible to do so without enjoying the blessedness that results from it. First comes the peace of God that keeps the heart and mind like a garrison, and second comes a true liberty with regard to circumstances, times, places, and people.

Faith is above circumstances. No war, no fire, no water, no business panic, no loss of friends, no death can touch it. It goes on its own steady course. It triumphs over all difficulties. It works most easily in the great difficulties. Those who really confide in God, because they know the power of His arm and the love of His heart as demonstrated in the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, are helped, whatever their trials and difficulties might be.

Compiled and edited by Lance Wubbels. http://www.ywampublishing.com

Psalm 103:6-22

^{PSALM 103:6-22
6-18} God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

^19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
he rules over us all. He’s the King!
So bless God, you angels,
ready and able to fly at his bidding,
quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God! (The Message)

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Are You Thankful?

 

Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Rick was an average guy who represented millions of men his age, weight, height and measure of baldness (he preferred thinning hair). Rick had been a Christian for twelve years or so (twenty if you counted his first conversion in grade school) but Christ was barely evident in his busy, materialistic life.

            Safely chugging along in a well-paying job, Rick and his family had most of the materialistic tokens of success which seemed to bend their focus away from Christ, toward things. It was a subtle move, item by item, pleasure by pleasure until Christ became just one more “thing” they did together…most of the time.

            Until one day, as they sat around the dinner table on a Sunday afternoon at the beach in the rented vacation house, their conversation turned to satisfaction, or the lack of same in their lives. In the midst of their annual vacation, the family noticed something wrong with Rick the Dad and Husband. While in the midst of deciding whether to go deep sea diving or para-sailing, Rick seemed to snap!

            “Is this it? Is this what our life has become?” he said soberly. “Is our life just one pleasure after another? How much money will make us happy? I earn nearly $100,000 a year now and we spend almost every dollar on our desires. We own four cars, a utility truck, take two expensive vacations each year, own another beach house down south, dress better than many of our friends, have the latest cell phones and other electronic devices and the whitest teeth in our neighborhood.”

            “Dad, what’s wrong with that?” his daughter asked. “Isn’t that just normal life? Most of our friends do the same. Even the pastor does all those things and his family seems happy.”

            “How often do we pray? How often do we volunteer at the foodbank or take a missions trip?” he asked them. “Don’t look stunned, I already know the answers. Not nearly enough. We let our abundant salary take care of those pesky obligations for us. I just write a check to sooth my sense of duty to the church…to The Lord. Which reminds me, how often do we all pray together anymore, or read our Bibles together? That’s ok, you don’t have to answer because I know the answer is not very often unless we are in some sort of desperate situation then we toss out a few “Oh Lord please help me!”

            They spent several hours crying and praying that afternoon and, afterwards, decided to pay a visit to the local foodbank where they agreed to volunteer each day during their vacation. It was the beginning of change for their family, inviting Jesus back into their daily lives as they learned to do without some material items and place greater emphasis on spreading the Gospel.

            1 Thess. 5:14-24  We urge you, our friends, to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but at all times make it your aim to do good to one another and to all people.

Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.

Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; do not despise inspired messages. Put all things to the test: keep what is good and avoid every kind of evil.

May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because he is faithful.

            Col. 2:6-7  And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

            Eph. 5:18-21  Don’t get drunk on wine, which produces depravity. Instead, be filled with the Spirit in the following ways: speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts; always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and submit to each other out of respect for Christ.

            2 Cor. 9:10-12  He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.

The Power of Our Minds

“What he thinks is what he really is.”  Prov. 23:7

 

            “What’s on your mind?” Stan asked his good friend Evan. “You seem preoccupied.”

            “Funny you should ask,” Evan replied, stirring his coffee. “Lots of things are spinning around in my mind and some of them I am not happy with.”

            “Can you share?”

            Evan looked at his friend and decided to be honest…fully honest. “I think of how much better my life would be if I had not been passed over for promotion. And that leads me to think of how I’d like to tell my boss just what I think about that. Sometimes I actually imagine grabbing him by the shirt and yelling in his face. Stupid huh?”

            “No. Not stupid. Honest. Have you ever told anyone your true feelings about this before?” asked Stan.

            “Actually I haven’t and it feels good to get it out there. Now that I hear myself saying it, I realize how wrong it is and the word forgive pops into my mind. I’ve spent a lot of wasted time being secretly angry and bitter over what I thought I should get instead of taking my feelings to the Lord and giving Him the burden.”

            “Praise God, Evan. But don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. I spent several years being angry with Pastor Tim because I didn’t get selected to be an Elder. Since he and I don’t always see eye to eye, I knew he was behind it. And then one day over coffee, Tim told me he voted for me in every case but it seemed as though God was preventing my name from being selected. That shocked me and took me to my knees, asking God to forgive me. The power of the mind is staggering, Evan. And the power of forgiveness is even more powerful.”

            What do you “think”? Are you building a secret thought life that gives you the pleasure and gratitude you “think” you deserve? Are you secretly angry or disappointed but unwilling to share that with a friend? Satan is the father of lies and is willing and able to help you along that road. He did remind a hungry Jesus that He could turn stones into bread!

            John 5:39-40  “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! ⁴⁰ Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.”

            Philippians 2:5  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. . .who gave up all He had and took the nature of a servant.

            Matthew 22:37  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

            Rom. 12:2-3  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.³ Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

            1 Cor. 8:2-3  Those who think they know something really don’t know as they ought to know.³ But the person who loves God is known by him.

            1 Cor. 3:18-20  You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world’s standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise.¹⁹ For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God’s sight. As the scripture says, God traps the wise in their cleverness (Job 5:13);²⁰ and another scripture says, The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless (Ps. 94:11).

            Eph. 3:13-21  So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.¹⁴ When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, ¹⁵ the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

            The power of thought to bring wealth has been the subject of many best-selling books; Because there is truth in it. A kernel of truth that says you will walk in whatever you think. Therefore, we must “Fix our thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise,” according to Philippians 4:8

Investing In Eternity

Only what we have invested in the eternity of souls will last forever. Author unknown

 

            Investing money to make a profit has always been risky business simply because no mere mortal can predict the future. Within the last few years, risky investments via home mortgage loans have brought wholesale greed, personal loss and financial devastation around the world. More than one country has declared bankruptcy and others are on the brink. Our great country, although not admitted to by our leadership, is in the most precarious financial position of its rather short life (short in comparison to many across the ocean who’ve been around for thousands of years).

            Bernie Madoff, a child of Abraham, now rots away in prison, after stealing billions of dollars from all manner of people, including elderly Jewish friends and wealthy famous people. Bernie’s focus was obviously on himself and this world. Not only has Bernie’s family been shamed by his actions, one of his sons hanged himself in his New York apartment, while his young son slept in the next room.

            If we are willing to admit it, the world as we know it is in the throes of a great financial calamity. Unless we are living like the proverbial Ostrich who hides his head in the sand, we can see changes for the worse covering our globe like a plague. And many of us are wringing our hands, biting our lips and scheduling appointments with our pastors wondering what will happen to us? The answer is in the Word of God. The world is heading to an end. A fiery climax that will melt with a fervent heat. Where is our focus?

• 2 Peter 3:10-12  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  ¹¹Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,  ¹²Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? KJV
• Revelation 6:14  The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
• Revelation 20:11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
• Revelation 21:1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
• Matthew 24:35  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. 
• 1 Corinthians 7:32 For this world in its current form is passing away.     

            As Christians we must look each other in the eye and declare, “Snap out of it. We are children of the most high God and we have an eternal destiny with Him—a sin-free world filled with joy and love. It is a world in which bad or worrisome thoughts will never occur. A magnificent world awaits us because of our faith in Jesus Christ. So we must shift our focus on living for Christ while we remain here on earth.”

           

• Romans 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
• Galatians 6:14  But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters, instead, is a new creation.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:10  And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
• Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
• Hebrews 10:35  So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.
• 1 John 2:15-17  Don’t love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. ¹⁶ Everything that is in the world—the craving for whatever the body feels, the craving for whatever the eyes see and the arrogant pride in one’s possessions—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world and its cravings are passing away, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.

 

            God created us. He saved our souls and He has prepared a fool-proof plan for our escape from the sins of the world. Instead of the advice: Take two pills and get lots of rest, He has said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7