BE HAPPY AND BE SINCERE WITH GOD
Romans 12:9–14 says, Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Be happy in your hope. Thanking God for what He has done is good. He has lifted you up. Psalm 40:1–3 says, I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Be thankful before God, never you put the timetable of some-one else before God to measure what God has done or what is doing about you. See Psalm 37:7–11 and verses 16–17, it says, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
God will be good to you, if you can be patient. Psalm 27:14 says, wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
King David said, «I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope» (Psalm 130:5)
Be thankful, do not compare your life to others. God’s love for you is real. He made up His mind about you before you ever sinned. Psalm 139:1–4 says, O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. See also Isaiah 57: 18, it says, I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him.
Rejoice in who you are:- one preacher wrote « Look for those who enhance you, those who fertilise your mind, when you are with these people, you will see your best qualities through their eyes and you’ll grow from the wisdom that falls from their lip"
Accept fear as the price of growth-- 6 Matthew 14:26–29 says, when the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. It’s a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. Lord, if it’s you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. Come, He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Focus on the saviour not on the problem or pains. See John 16:33, Jesus says, I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Through faith in Christ, we approach God with freedom and confidence and pray. Prayer anticipates success, it accompanies success, and it crowns success. This is because prayer is a supreme form of dependence on God. In prayer the heart intentionally turns toward God. In prayer the mind sends specific thoughts and words into the Holy of Holies in heaven. Hebrews 10:19–22, Paul says, therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most High Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way open for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Read also verses 24 and 25 of the same chapter, it says, and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Do you trust that God responds positively to your prayers? By faith, do you know His hand is working in all your circumstances?
Then your heart keeps overflowing with thankfulness in all circumstances. Read 1st Thessalonians 5:17–18. Paul says, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
What if you suffer, or people treat you badly for your faith or your good? Let the Spirit fill you with joy. “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything!” Ephesians 5: 20 says, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. See also Colossians 3:17, it says, and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
As your living Father, God already wants to hear every thought, whether positive or negative, whether thankful or worried, whether big or small. See Philippians 4: 6, Paul says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Read also 1st Peter 5: 7, it says, cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Jesus is the “One Mediator between God and Men” See 1st Timothy 2:5, it says, For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Both perfectly righteous and perfectly sympathetic with our needs. He speaks most effectively on our behalf, for “He purifies us from all sin” using His own blood! See 1st John 1: 7, it says, but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. Read also Hebrews 4:15–16, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Romans 12:9–14 says, Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Be happy in your hope. Thanking God for what He has done is good. He has lifted you up. Psalm 40:1–3 says, I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Be thankful before God, never you put the timetable of some-one else before God to measure what God has done or what is doing about you. See Psalm 37:7–11 and verses 16–17, it says, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
God will be good to you, if you can be patient. Psalm 27:14 says, wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
King David said, «I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope» (Psalm 130:5)
Be thankful, do not compare your life to others. God’s love for you is real. He made up His mind about you before you ever sinned. Psalm 139:1–4 says, O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. See also Isaiah 57: 18, it says, I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him.
Rejoice in who you are:- one preacher wrote « Look for those who enhance you, those who fertilise your mind, when you are with these people, you will see your best qualities through their eyes and you’ll grow from the wisdom that falls from their lip"
Accept fear as the price of growth-- 6 Matthew 14:26–29 says, when the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. It’s a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. Lord, if it’s you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. Come, He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Focus on the saviour not on the problem or pains. See John 16:33, Jesus says, I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Through faith in Christ, we approach God with freedom and confidence and pray. Prayer anticipates success, it accompanies success, and it crowns success. This is because prayer is a supreme form of dependence on God. In prayer the heart intentionally turns toward God. In prayer the mind sends specific thoughts and words into the Holy of Holies in heaven. Hebrews 10:19–22, Paul says, therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most High Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way open for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Read also verses 24 and 25 of the same chapter, it says, and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Do you trust that God responds positively to your prayers? By faith, do you know His hand is working in all your circumstances?
Then your heart keeps overflowing with thankfulness in all circumstances. Read 1st Thessalonians 5:17–18. Paul says, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
What if you suffer, or people treat you badly for your faith or your good? Let the Spirit fill you with joy. “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything!” Ephesians 5: 20 says, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. See also Colossians 3:17, it says, and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
As your living Father, God already wants to hear every thought, whether positive or negative, whether thankful or worried, whether big or small. See Philippians 4: 6, Paul says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Read also 1st Peter 5: 7, it says, cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Jesus is the “One Mediator between God and Men” See 1st Timothy 2:5, it says, For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Both perfectly righteous and perfectly sympathetic with our needs. He speaks most effectively on our behalf, for “He purifies us from all sin” using His own blood! See 1st John 1: 7, it says, but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. Read also Hebrews 4:15–16, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.