The Gift Of Peace Isaiah 9:6-7 Numbers 6:24-26 Psalms 85:8 Luke 2:13-14 Philippians 4:4-7 John 14:27 John 16:33 Ephesians 2:14 Romans 5:13 Isaiah 26:3 Colossians 3:15 11.29.17

THE GIFT OF PEACE

BREAD

⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.   Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)

²⁴ “The LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

⁸ I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints-- but let them not return to folly.   Psalm 85:8 (NIV)

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:13-14 (NIV)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.   John 14:27 (NIV)

³³ “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.”  John 16:33 (NIV)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace.   Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13 (NIV)

³ You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

BUTTER

“To added affliction He addeth His mercy, to multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.”  Annie Johnson Flint

“God, and not the world, can give peace.”  Billy Graham

“And she took a deep breath and she smiled brave because this is how you answer His call.  You don’t get to make up most of your story. You get to make peace with it.  You don’t get to demand your life, like a given. You get to accept your life, like a gift.”   Ann Voskamp

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inward peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.  Commend all to God, and then lie still and be at rest in His bosom.  Whatever happens, abide steadfast in a determination to cling simply to God……Maintain a holy simplicity of mind, and do not smother yourself with a host of cares, wishes, or longings, under any pretext.”     St. Francis de Sales 

“Peace reigns where our Lord reigns.”   Julian of Norwich

“If the basis of peace is God, the secret of peace is trust.”   J. N. Figgis

“Cheered by the presence of God, I will do at each moment, without anxiety, according to the strength which He shall give me, the work that His Providence assigns me.  I will leave the rest without concern; it is not my affair.  I ought to consider the duty to which I am called each day, as the work that God has given me to do, and to apply myself to it in a manner worthy of His glory, that is to say, in exactness and peace.”  Fenelon 

“Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.”  Alexander Maclaren

“His love is unfailing, His Word unchangeable, His power ever the same; therefore the heart that trusts Him is kept in ‘perfect peace’…I know He tries me only to increase my faith, and that it is all in love.  Well, if He is glorified, I am content.”    Hudson Taylor

“Hudson Taylor was an object lesson in quietness.  He drew from the bank of heaven every farthing of his daily income – ‘My peace I give unto you.’  Whatever did not agitate the Saviour or ruffle His spirit, was not to agitate him.  The serenity of the Lord Jesus concerning any matter, and at its most critical moment, was his ideal and practical possession.  He knew nothing of rush or hurry, or quivering nerves or vexation of spirit.  He knew that there is a peace passing all understanding and that he could not do without it…Christ his reason for peace, his power for calm.  Dwelling in Christ, he drew upon His very being and resources, in the midst of and concerning the matters in question.  And this he did by an attitude of faith as simple as it was continuous.”    Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor 

    

“All the commandments of God are commandments of love tending to our real good and great happiness; far from being grievous to those who have faith and love, the practice thereof is life and peace.   The world may think it a grievous burden; but this is a great mistake indeed.  Sin is grievous.  In hatred, envy, anger, revenge, pride, there is nothing but torment and slavery; but in love there is a sweet rest and pleasure.  Thus a sinner always punishes himself, and is robbed of great peace and blessing, by transgressing the commandments of God.”   K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Peace is not found when you get into perfect circumstances. Peace is found because Jesus Christ, the Price of Peace, has gotten into you. Joy is the perfect partner to peace and is found in the same way as peace. Joy is never found in what you have or what you do, but in who you have living in you.”  Roy Lessin

“There is unwavering peace today when an uncertain tomorrow is trusted to an unchanging God.” Ann Voskamp

“The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.”   Thomas Watson

“Live near the cross and your peace shall be continual.”   C. H. Spurgeon

“Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.”   Frances Havergal

“There may be no trumpet sound or loud applause when we make the right decision, just a calm sense of resolution and peace.”  Gloria Gaither

HEART SAVOR

• ·         Know Jesus, know peace.  No Jesus, no peace.
• ·         God’s peace is not as the world gives – it is totally other worldly.
• ·         Anybody can have peace in sunshine but it is the Christian who can maintain peace through the storm.   

 

 

Keep The Ways Of The Lord Psalms 119:1-2 Proverbs 8:32-35 Exodus 33:13-14 Joshua 1:7-9 Psalms 25:8-10 Psalms 18:20-22 Psalms 37:30-34 Proverbs 3:5-8 Romans 12:1-2 Philippians 1:27 John 8:12 11.27.17

KEEP THE WAYS OF THE LORD

BREAD

¹ Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.
² Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.   Psalm 119:1-2 (NIV)

³² “Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. ³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. ³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. ³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.   Proverbs 8:32-35 (NIV)

¹³ “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”  ¹⁴ The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”   Exodus 33:13-14 (NIV)

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:7-9 (NIV)

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.  ⁹ He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. ¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.  Psalm 25:8-10 (NIV)

²⁰ The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. ²¹ For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. ²² All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.  Psalm 18:20-22 (NIV)

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. ³¹ The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. ³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; ³³ but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. ³⁴ Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.   Psalm 37:30-34 (NIV)

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. ⁸ This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.   Proverbs 3:5-8 (NIV)

¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. ² Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. ­­ Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27 (NIV)

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12 (NIV)

BUTTER

“They do not go wrong who go in the company of God.  Like Enoch, walk with God, and you cannot mistake your road.  You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you.  ‘The LORD’ – note the word – ‘The LORD will guide you always.”   Charles H. Spurgeon

“Let us watch jealously over our hearts, and beware of giving way in the beginnings of sin. Happy is he who feareth always, and walks humbly with his God. The strongest Christian is the one who feels his weakness most, and cries most frequently, ‘Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.’” John Ryle

“Be simple; take our Lord’s hand and walk through things.”   Brother Andrew

“Service to God is as uniquely differing among believers as our fingerprints.  God has specifically designed good works for each life that we may walk in them through His power and for His glory and our good.  These works encompass all areas from peeling potatoes to running a country to changing a diaper to caring for the elderly to holding a door – it matters not what the task is but that we are faithful to walk in it.  We cannot do all things for all people.  Jesus Himself did not feed every hungry soul nor heal every hurting one as He walked this dusty earth.  We are all limited by our physical bodies yet through His power we are all equipped to do what we are called to do, and the body of Christ suffers –as well as we ourselves – when we remain unfaithful to the task.  ‘God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply’ (Hudson Taylor) and it equates to the abundant life which Jesus came to give us.  Don’t be misled, service out of love for God is that component which makes for greatness in a life because God’s Word attests to that.”   BHY

“In our walk with God we are told explicitly by Christ Himself that it would be His Spirit who would be sent to guide us and to lead us into all truth (John 16:13).  This same gracious Spirit takes the truth of God, the Word of God, and makes it plain to our hearts and minds and spiritual understanding.  It is He who gently, tenderly, but persistently says to us, ‘This is the way – walk in it.’  And as we comply and cooperate with His gentle promptings a sense of safety, comfort and well-being envelops us.”   Phillip Keller

“When God gives you light, walk in it.”   Anonymous

“Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God.  The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated.  We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to ‘all these words.’  There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded.  This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children.  The Lord’s blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation.  If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed.”   Charles H. Spurgeon 

“Everybody has an altar. And every altar has a throne...At the end of that trail you'll find a throne; and whatever, or whomever, is on that throne is what's of highest value to you. On that throne is what you worship. Not too many of us walk around saying. ‘I worship my stuff. I worship my job. I worship this pleasure. I worship her. I worship my body. I worship me!’  But the trail never lies!  ...Our worship is more about what we do than what we say.”   Louie Giglio

“Let us see that we keep God before our eyes; that we walk in His ways and seek to please and glorify Him in everything, great and small.  Depend upon it, God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.”   Hudson Taylor

“Jesus modeled for us the proper balance. He walked among the worldly without becoming like them. He mingled with sinners but He never sinned. He showed them God’s love and spoke the Truth without compromise. Even when He faced betrayal and torture and an excruciating death, Jesus stood for Truth because He knew the eternal significance of His sacrifices.” 
Michael Youssef

“Some of Jesus’ strongest words were reserved for hypocrites – for people who claimed to believe in God and follow His laws, but in reality lived only for themselves.  He compared them to ‘whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean’ (Matthew 23:27).  None of us is perfect; even the most dedicated Christian falls short.  When we do, we need to confess it and seek God’s help to live more consistently.  But hypocrisy – living a deliberate lie – is another matter.  Be on guard; don’t let hypocrisy take root in your soul.  Instead, make sure of your commitment to Christ, and walk close to Him every day.”   Billy Graham

“Until a man learns how to take a blow and keep on standing he will never produce a steady walk of faith.”   Alan Stewart

“Take courage.  We walk in the wilderness today and in the Promised Land tomorrow.”   D.L. Moody

“On Him then reckon, to Him look, on Him depend:  and be assured that if you walk with Him, look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.  An older brother, who has known the Lord for forty-four years, who writes this, says for your encouragement that He has never failed him.  In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but because I was enabled by His grace to trust in Him, He has always appeared for my help.  I delight in speaking well of His Name.”   George Mueller  

HEART SAVOR

• ·        God has a right way for my life and I am a winner when I walk in it – no matter what the world may say.  His will for my life is always good, perfect and pleasing and one in which I will never have regrets.  ⁴ He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.   Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV)
• ·        God’s way is life in abundance.  Indeed, it is my purpose for even being here.  ¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.   Psalm 84:11 (NIV)  
• ·        I am to follow the Light.  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12 (NIV)

In Control Deuteronomy 32:4 Job 42:1-6 Isaiah 45:5-7 Isaiah 45:21-24 Isaiah 46:8-10 Mark 10:46-52 Romans 11:33-36 11.24.17

IN CONTROL

BREAD

⁴ He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.   Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV)

¹ Then Job replied to the LORD: ² “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. ³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. ⁴ You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’  ⁵ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. ⁶ Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6 (NIV)

⁵ I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, ⁶ so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.  ⁷ I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.   Isaiah 45:5-7 (NIV)

²¹ Declare what is to be, present it-- let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. ²² “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. ²³ By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. ²⁴ They will say of me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’”  All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. Isaiah 45:21-24 (NIV) 

⁸ “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. ⁹ Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. ¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.”   Isaiah 46:8-10 (NIV)

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  ⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  ⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.”  ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.  ⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  ⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10:46-52 (NIV)

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ³⁴ “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”  ³⁵ “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” ³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Fewer doctrines of the Christian faith are more comforting than the sovereignty of God. It humbles you in good seasons, provides hope in hard seasons, and gives joy in all seasons. The doctrine of God's sovereignty is a constant nourishment for the soul. The sovereignty of God is a sweet pillow that you can lay your head on at night. It is a beautiful truth not only that God is in control over all, but is also working everything out- the good and the bad--for your good and for His glory. This sweet doctrine is medicine for the soul that you can take in any season of life.”  David Qaoud 

“Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.  Nothing that comes to me is devoid of divine purpose. In seeking to see the whole with God's eyes, we can find the peace which human events so often destroy. I rest, dear Lord, in the knowledge that You are the Blessed Controller of all things.”  Elisabeth Elliot

“Jesus is the One who shows us the paradoxical route to meaning in a chaotic and hostile world.  It’s the paradox of the gospel: Strength is found in weakness. Control is found in dependency. Power is found in surrender…. God uses the frustrations of this life and the hurt of relationships to compel us to look beyond what we can control to the God who controls all things in order to woo us to himself. As we move from control to surrender, we move from chasing the wind under the sun to embracing God above it.”  Dan Allender
 

“The Spirit’s control will replace sin’s control.  His power is greater than the power of all your sin.”   Erwin Lutzer

“What you think you can’t handle — might actually be God handing you a gift. And I think of everything I have chaffed against and railed about and howled to the heavens and who am I to know what is best or not — but when you bow and surrender to the sovereignty of God then you are in the posture to receive all as a gift.”  Ann Voskamp

“Oh, for a spirit that bows always before the sovereignty of God.”  Charles H. Spurgeon

“The Lord’s presence is infinite, His brightness insupportable, His majesty aweful, His dominion boundless, and His sovereignty incontestable.”   Matthew Henry

“When you give up your illusions of control or helplessness and accept your need for God, all that God has opens to you.”     Marjorie Thompson

“Sure, these crops were planted by the hand of the Farmer but it’s clear every single day we look out at them: they rest in the hand of the Father. It’s only a mirage to think that any of us have control, that we turn the world.”   Ann Voskamp

“Consider for a moment just how much control we have?  Rightly so, we make our plans yet we all must agree that we clearly have no idea what the day will bring forth.  All too often our plans go awry for something as mundane as a cancelation of a flight, a child throwing up or a traffic jam that delays everything.  If we cannot even control twenty-four hours or even twenty-four minutes or even twenty-four seconds (for that matter) what in the world makes us think we can control a lifetime?  The wise look up.  The wise rest in His Authority and receive their marching orders from Him seeking to abide in the center of His good and pleasing and perfect will.  We make plans, but they are not authoritative plans – He often overrides them – yet all for our good and His glory never one surpassing the other.  The important thing to learn is that He has a plan for every life and we want to walk in it.  It may seem very difficult and not of our choosing (and more often than not this is the case) but it is always for our best – always.  And in the end, it brings forth much fruit not to mention perfect peace and contentment.”   BHY

“Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world’s tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, “It is I, be not afraid.” He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, “If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it.” “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer’s heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, “Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children.”   C. H. Spurgeon

“The great maker of the will is alive to carry out His own intentions.”   Charles H. Spurgeon

“Let us never despair while we have Christ as our leader!”   George Whitefield

HEART SAVOR

·         God is in control of all things.  No plan of His can be thwarted.

·         God is good, faithful, upright and just.

·         With Him, there is no need for despair.

Consistent Acts 20:32-35 Romans 12:1-2 Romans 12:11-12 Hebrews 5:13-14 2 Timothy 2:15 Colossians 3:23-25 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Proverbs 6:6-11 Proverbs 23:17-19 11.22.17

CONSISTENT

BREAD

³² “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³ I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. ³⁵ In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:32-35 (NIV)

¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. ² Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.   Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.   Romans 12:11-12 (NIV)

¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.  Hebrews 5:13-14 (NIV)

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.   2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵ Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.  Colossians 3:23-25 (NIV)

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. ²⁷ No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)

⁶ Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! ⁷ It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, ⁸ yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
⁹ How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- ¹¹ and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.   Proverbs 6:6-11 (NIV)

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
¹⁸ There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.   ¹⁹ Listen, my

son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.  Proverbs 23:17-19 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Every miracle always begins with the first ordinary step of faithfulness.”   Ann Voskamp

“Faithfulness rarely feels heroic; it feels much more like showing up and hanging in. It is a matter of going to our cell, whatever form that might take, and letting it teach us what it will. Availing himself (Brother Lawrence) to consistent faithfulness yielded the blessing of both proficiency and presence—the presence of God—right there in midst of the monotony of dirty pots and pans.”   Margaret Guenther

“If we are consistent men and women who take God at His word, who believe that prayer changes things, who will pray without ceasing, who will not lose heart at our praying, who day after day will pray no matter what seems to be happening around us, who keep trusting God, then there will come a time when God will say, ‘I can answer that believer's prayer because that's a person who can handle the answer.’”   David Jeremiah 

“Be occupied with acquainting yourself with My character and My person.  Revel in My fellowship.  Your very association with Me, if sufficiently consistent, will bring about changes in your personality that will surprise you when discovered, just as you have so often experienced the joy of finding a new bloom on a cherished plant.  Turn your face toward Me, and leave to Me the responsibility of probing your soul.  I am the Master Surgeon.  I am skilled in all the cures of the soul as well as those of the body.  Let Me care for your health.  Delight yourself in Me, and I will bring about what you desire to see in your character and personality.  Feed upon My Word.  It is there you will come to a clearer understanding of my Person.  Only as you know Me can you come to be more like Me.  In association with others, people take to themselves a measure of the mannerisms and ideologies of these other persons.  So will it be for those who spend much time in My company.  Silently, and without conscious effort, you will be changed.”   Frances J. Roberts

“He makes it a habit to hope. Even in the middle, even when you have to begin again.  Change your habits and you can change anything into a possibility. The patterns of our lives reveal the form of our souls.  Read more words on papers than on screens.  A pail with a pinhole loses as much as the pail pushed right over.  A whole life can be lost in minutes wasted… in the small moments missed.  Make gratitude your attitude of habit — there’s no other way to make joy your life.   Every little day just has to be just a little bit better: Small things done consistently, consistently make the biggest change.”   Ann Voskamp

“Every time we resist the slightest temptation, we honor God.  Every time we overcome even the smallest problem by trusting and obeying our Lord Jesus, God is glorified in our lives.  Whenever we choose character over convenience, faithfulness over ease, or honesty over deceit, we bring honor to the Lord Himself.”  Robert J. Morgan

“Use your gifts faithfully, and they shall be enlarged.”   Matthew Arnold

“I do not pray for success.  I pray for faithfulness.”    Mother Teresa

“The quality of justice is the consistent, unwavering decision to do what is right.”  Chuck Swindoll

“Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God.  The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated.  We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to ‘all these words.’  There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded.  This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children.  The Lord’s blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation.  If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed.”   Charles H. Spurgeon 

“Habits are to the soul what veins are to the blood. The very course of our life depends on them. Random acts of greatness pale in comparison to habitual acts of faithfulness.”   Ann Voskamp

“The faithful person lives constantly with God.”   Clement of Alexandria

“Our significance isn’t found in fame or fortune, but in knowing that we have been links in God’s chain.  Our faithfulness to Him, even in obscurity, will yield results that can only be calculated in eternity…. Our only duty in life is to be faithful to all the work the Lord assigns.”   Robert J. Morgan

HEART SAVOR

• ·         God calls me to consistently do the next right thing – through His power for His glory.
• ·         God delights in my habitual acts of faithfulness.
• ·         I am to do my best to present myself to God as one approved.  One who does not need to be ashamed and who can correctly handle God’s Word.   

Grace Sufficient Romans 3:21-24 Romans 5:15-17 Ephesians 2:1-10 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 1 Corinthians 15:10 Philippians 4:10-13 2 Thessalonians 3:18 11.20.17

GRACE SUFFICIENT

BREAD

²¹ But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.   Romans 3:21-24 (NIV)

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:15-17 (NIV)

¹ As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

¹ As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. ² For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.  2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NIV)

⁷ To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.  1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV)

¹⁰ I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  2 Thessalonians 3:18 (NIV)

BUTTER

“The mercy of God is that attribute which we, the fallen, sinful race of Adam, stand in greatest need of, and God has been pleased, according to our needs, more gloriously to manifest this attribute than any other. The wonders of divine grace are the greatest of all wonders. The wonders of divine power and wisdom in the making of this great world are marvelous; many wonderful things have happened since the creation of the world, but none like the wonders of grace. ‘Grace, grace!’ is the sound that the gospel rings with, ‘Grace, grace!’ will be that shout which will ring in heaven forever; and perhaps what the angels sung at the birth of Christ, of God's good will towards men, is the highest theme that ever they entered upon.”  Jonathan Edwards

“The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God cannot sustain you!”   Anonymous

“It is well to be poor, when the knowledge of our poverty serves but to unfold to us the exhaustless riches of divine grace. That grace can never suffer any one to go away empty. It can never tell anyone that he is too poor. It can meet the very deepest human need; and not only so, but it is glorified in meeting it. This holds good in every case. It is true of every individual sinner…Grace is the grand and only resource for us all.  It is the basis of our salvation; the basis of a life of practical godliness; and the basis of those imperishable hopes which animate us amid the trials and conflicts of this sin-stricken world. May we cherish a deeper sense of grace, and more ardent desire for glory!”   C H MacIntosh

“Prayer gives us the significance of frontline forces and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory. Thus, prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need.”   John Piper

“Doubt not His grace because of thy tribulation, but believe that He loveth thee as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness.”  Charles Spurgeon

“No sea is deeper than the ocean of His love.  There is no army stronger than His hosts, no force greater than His throne of grace, no enemy who can overcome His direct and indirect work in our lives.”  Robert J. Morgan

“Let me carefully mark the inward workings of thy grace, and the outward tokens of thy providence, so as daily to have a true sense of thy gracious presence in every thing, more or less important; and thereby to be ever strengthened in faith, and kept in a composed state of mind; considering that nothing happens by mere chance, but all is wisely ordered by thy providential care to our good; firmly believing, if anything goes contrary to expectation, that something better will follow in its stead, if we only can be quiet, and wait the time.”  K.H. Von Bogatzky

“There are such difficulties in the way of our salvation as could never be overcome but by that grace of God which is almighty.  ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’ His grace can work on the soul, so as to alter the bent and bias of it, and give it a contrary leaning.”    Matthew Henry

“The true Christian cannot be hid, he cannot escape notice.  A man truly living and functioning as a Christian will stand out.  He will be like salt; he will be like a city set on a hill, a candle set upon a candlestick. But we can also add this further word. The true Christian does not even desire to hide his light.  He sees how ridiculous it is to claim to be a Christian and yet deliberately to try to hide the fact.  A man who truly realizes what it means to be a Christian, who realizes all that the grace of God has meant to him and done for him, and understands that, ultimately, God has done this in order that he may influence others, is a man who cannot conceal it.  Not only that; he does not desire to conceal it, because he argues thus, ‘Ultimately the object and purpose of it all is that I might be functioning in this way’.”  Martin Lloyd-Jones

“Only two things have ever changed the human soul: the fall and grace, the power of Satan and the power of God.  And God is infinitely more powerful.  Nothing is stronger than grace. Satan doesn’t have any. God is defined by it.”  Larry Crabb

“The grace of God is infinite and eternal.  As it had no beginning, so it can have no end.”  A. W. Tozer

“From God, great and small, rich and poor, draw living water from a living spring, and those who serve Him freely and gladly will receive grace answering to grace.”  Thomas a Kempis

“Costly grace is the Gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.  Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.  It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.  It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.  Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son.  ‘Ye were bought at a price,’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.  Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.  Costly grace is the incarnation of God.”   Dietrich Bonhoeffer

HEART SAVOR

• ·         God’s grace is free, but it is not cheap.
• ·         God’s grace is more than sufficient for all things – He’s got me covered!
• ·         God’s grace to me was not without effect.   Grace changes the leanings of the soul.