THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I

1. Hear my cry, O Lord (1-5).David was a king. He was a leader of men and a powerful warrior. But he knew that there was a Rock that was higher than he. He called on God for help. He asked to be led to the "rock that is higher than I." Truly great men are humble men who call out to God in prayer. David committed his life to God. He was powerful and wealthy, but he valued most the "heritage of those who feared the Lord." God establishes the king who fears God and makes vows before him.

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2. Protected by God's love and faithfulness (6-8).God promised to enthrone King David forever. He would fulfill this promise in Jesus, the descendant of David who would reign forever (Lk 1:32,33). Because Jesus our King is enthroned forever, we must praise God and fulfill our vows to him every day.Prayer: Lord, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. I am weak, but you are strong. Help me to fulfill my vows to you today.

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Source : www.ubf.org

Jesus can save anybody

Many people are under the wrong impression that Christians are people who have grown up in church and "Leave it to Beaver" homes. That is a lie from Satan. Before we became Christians we were educated fools, whoremongers, high school drop-outs, drug dealers, crack heads, theives, liars, atheists, PhDs, blasphemers, lovers of our own selves, adulterers, drunkards, cussers and anything else that is evil. Peter lays it out in I Peter 4:3-4:

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For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when WE walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries...

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I get my fair share of e-mail and it never ceases to amuse me when folks basically accuse me of being self-righteous. I quickly tell them that I know what I am without Jesus Christ--a rotten, stinkin' sinner dead in trespasses and sins. I broke practically every commandment. That begs the question: What has changed me and why don't I live like Satan's world anymore? BECAUSE NOW I KNOW JESUS. I'm here to tell you that God is in the clean-up business. He says in Isaiah 1:18:
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

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How does He clean you up? With blood. The blood of Jesus that was shed on Calvary's cross almost 2,000 years ago for your sins.

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"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

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If you are:
sick of living for nothing but yourself,
sick of the folly of chasing education,
sick of feeling empty; and,
sick of trying to depend on yourself,

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then what you need to do is REPENT of your sins. Tell Jesus that you realize that you are a sinner and you're sick of living without Him. Tell Jesus that you want Him to be your Lord/Master and your Saviour from sin. Tell Jesus that you believe that He died on the cross for your sins and that He rose from the dead on the third day. Ask Him to save your soul from hell and give you that peace that surpasses all understanding. If you do this in faith, you will become a child of God. Christ Jesus will take you and love you up and transform you into an entirely new person if you let Him. The Bible says "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, ALL things are become new." I am a living testimony to this fact--and I know lots of other people just like me. Jesus is still savin' today in 1998! His blood will never lose its power.

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Jesus cleaned me up and He is the sole reason that this page exists. Without Him, I'd still be DEAD in trespasses and sins. But, glory to God, I'm ALIVE in Jesus Christ. I still sin, but NO WHERE NEAR WHAT I USED TO. I try to avoid sin but when I do sin, I ask for forgiveness in accordance with I John 1:9. God told Christians in His word, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." We are to take His commandment seriously and live the way Christ would.

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If you will bow your knee to Jesus, your life will never be the same. When I look at the things of this old wicked world, they turn me off completely. I mean, it is so gross like the vomit and mire mentioned in the Bible. Is my flesh sometimes tempted? Yes, but never to the extent that I want to live like I did without Jesus Christ in my life. No way! Jesus Christ IS my life. Me and Him got a relationship going on. I'm not unique, you can have the same awesome relationship--if you want it.

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If you are not saved, your life is meaningless and you have the wrath of God abiding on you, to boot. This is all so needless. Repent of your sins and believe the gospel: Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day--THIS IS THE GOSPEL. Please do not die without Jesus.

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Source : www.jesus-is-lord.com

End of times - How can I be ready?

As a Christian, I do not have to fear the end of times. God has told me no one can snatch me from His hand (John 10:28) and He has given me knowledge and instruction in His Word so that I can be prepared and ready for the end of times. I know that the outcome is already decided. Our Lord and Messiah will win the battle and slay the enemy with the Word of God (Revelation 19:15).

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Not knowing the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32) of the end of times, I must be about my Father's business every day. Readiness comes from my spending more time with God, studying His Word, talking and listening to Him in prayer, following His instruction to "act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8), prepare by following His commandments (Nehemiah 1:5, John 14:23-24, 15:10) to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37) and to "…Go and make disciples of all nations…" (Matthew 28:19-20) so that others may be brought into the kingdom of God before the end of times are upon us and it is too late.

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I am to prepare to spend eternity with God, ready to worship Jesus, the coming King, in Spirit and in truth, by worshiping Him now.

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Source : www.allaboutpopularissues.org

Power of Prayer

Power Of Prayer - How powerful is it?

The power of prayer should not be underestimated. James 5:16-18 declares, "…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

" God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers. Jesus taught, "…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." The Bible urges us, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).

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Power Of Prayer - How do I tap into it?

The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully! We cannot access powerful prayer by using "magic formulas." Our prayers being answered is not based on the eloquence of our prayers. We don't have to use certain words or phrases to get God to answer our prayers. In fact, Jesus rebukes those who pray using repetitions, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:7-8). Prayer is communicating with God. All you have to do is ask God for His help. Psalm 107:28-30 reminds us, "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven." There is power in prayer!

Power Of Prayer - For what kind of things should I pray?

God's help through the power of prayer is available for all kinds of requests and issues. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If you need an example of a prayer, read Matthew 6:9-13. These verses are known as the Lord's prayer. The Lord's prayer is not a prayer we are supposed to memorize and simply recite to God. It is only an example of how to pray and the things that should go into a prayer - worship, trust in God, requests, confession, protection, etc. Pray for these kinds of things, but speak to God using your own words.

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The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome enemies (Psalm 6:9-10), conquered death (2 Kings 4:3-36), brought healing (James 5:14-15), and defeated demons (Mark 9:29). God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5). The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe! Daniel 4:35 proclaims, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

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Source : www.allaboutprayer.org

GOD'S SIGNET RING

Haggai 2:10-23
Key Verse: 2:23
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1. The way of holiness and blessing (10-19).

According to the law, a person was defiled when he touched something unclean. But a person is not made holy by simply touching something holy. Only God can provide the way for a man to be made clean, spotless and undefiled. It is through repentance and forgiveness by faith. God's blessing would return to the remnant of Israel once they rebuilt the temple. It would be their humble obedience in repentance for their nation's historical sin. The temple sacrifices pointed to Jesus, who was sacrificed once for all sins. When we come to Jesus with repentance and faith, he cleanses us by his blood and makes us holy. Jesus is the way of holiness and blessing.

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2. The Lord's Signet Ring (20-23).

A signet ring symbolizes a king's legal authority. God made Zerubbabel, a direct descendant of David, to be his like signet ring. He would lead God's people in repentance and spiritual renewal. God fulfilled his world salvation promise through Zerubbabel's descendant, Jesus.Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus who has all authority in heaven and on earth. I come to him for forgiveness and blessing.

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Source : www.ubf.org

Jingle Bells ( lyrics)

Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go, laughing all the way.
Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright, was seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank, misfortune seemed his lot;
He got into a drifted bank and we got upsot.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago, the story I must tell I went out on the snow, and on my back I fell; A gent was riding by, in a one-horse open sleigh He laughed as there I sprawling lie but quickly drove away.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white, go it while you're young Take the girls tonight, and sing this sleighing song; Just get a bob-tailed bay, two-forty as his speed Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack you'll take the lead.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Salt and Light

"Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." Matthew 9:50

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Some of the characteristics of salt are:

1) It Enhances flavor, adds richness to a otherwise bland food.

2) Preserves. Ever since the time of the Egyptians salt has been used in the mummification process to better preserve the body for the supposed afterlife.

3) Restores balance.

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When a person is injured, we pump saline (which is a salt water solution) into them in order to restore balance to their system. The body needs sodium and potassium in order to survive. The nervous system conducts electricity by pumping slat in and potassium out of the cells of your body. Salt is an essential nutrient for the survival of the body.

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We, as Christians ARE the body, therefore we need salt in order to survive. We are to be the lifeblood of the church. We can only conduct electricity by getting up and actively pursuing people and sharing our faith, the faith of our forefathers; the faith of the leadership of our country today.

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As Christians, we are called on the be salt and light to the world. We are called to enhance and enrich the lives of others by bringing the love of Christ into an otherwise bland and drab existence. We are called on to preserve the way of Christ; not only to preserve it, but to live it. If we are not living it, we are casting our salt under the feet of others to be trodden and destroyed. We are called to restore balance to a dying world. We each are not able to find peace and balance by our own accord. The only way we can find peace is to call on the name Jesus, Lord and Savior, price of peace, Emanuel, almighty counselor. It is when we realize our depravity and the need to have salt to enhance our lives, that we can truly taste and partake in the Salt of the world.

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My question is this, are you the salt shaker who sits on the table, happy and content to have the salt sitting there, bound up inside, or are you the person who picks up the salt shaker and shakes the salt into the world?

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Source : http://dailywisdom.gospelcom.net

Taking it with you

There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him.

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An angel hears his plea and appears to him. "Sorry, but you can't take your wealth with you." The man implores the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules.

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The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him. The angel reappears and informs the man that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.

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Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven to greet St. Peter. St. Peter seeing the suitcase says, "Hold on, you can't bring that in here!"

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But, the man explains to St. Peter that he has permission and asks him to verify his story with the Lord. Sure enough, St. Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its contents before letting it through."

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St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, "You brought pavement?!!!"

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Source : www.christian-jokes.org