More that I need to work on:

Every Careless Word

[36] And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.  ( Matthew 12:36 (NLTse))

…Idle words are things we say carelessly, without concern for their impact on others…

[18] But the words you speak come from the heart–that’s what defiles you. ( Matthew 15:18 (NLTse))

…We are in much less danger of saying something offensive when we are listening than when we are speaking! …

[29b] … Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. ( Ephesians 4:29 (NLTse))

Shared from PocketBible for Windows Store (http://www.laridian.com)

The Agony of Prayer – from Experiencing God

(Editor’s Note:  I post this as a reminder to me, not to preach to others.)

The Agony of Prayer

And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Lk 22:44

Prayer is not difficult to understand. It is difficult to do…

…Most Christians operate on the shallowest levels of prayer, but God wants to take us into the deep levels of intercessory prayer that only a few ever experience…

… How do we become mature in our prayer life? By praying. When we do not feel like praying is precisely the time we ought to pray. There are no shortcuts to prayer. There are no books to read, seminars to attend, or inspirational mottoes to memorize that will transform us into intercessors. This comes only by committing ourselves to pray and then doing so…

A Noticeable Difference (Exp God)

…As you walk with Jesus daily, let the witness of the changes taking place in you come from others and not from you.  If you have to prove to someone that God has really changed you, He has not…

Acts 4:13 (NLTse)  13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.   They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

Your are the Light…(Exp God)

…If, however, you notice the world around you becoming darker and darker, don’t blame the darkness! It is simply doing what darkness does. The only remedy for darkness is light. If the world is becoming darker, the problem is not with the darkness. The problem is with the light. Jesus said His disciples should be the “light of the world”…

(Mt 5:14 NLTse) [14] “You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

Be Reconciled! (From Exp God)

[24] leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.   (Mt 5:24 NLTse)

… The world seeks reconciliation on limited terms. Christians are to be reconciled, whatever it takes.  …

… Jesus did not include an exception clause for our reconciliation. If the person is an enemy, Jesus said to love him (Mt 5:44). If he persecutes you, you are to pray for him (v. 44). If she publicly humiliates you, you are not to retaliate (v. 39). If someone takes advantage of you, you are to give even more than he asks (v. 41). …

… Men spat upon Jesus and nailed Him to a cross. His response was our model: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34).  …

… God’s Word does not say “Try to be reconciled,” but “Be reconciled.” …

[39] But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  [40] If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.  [41] If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. [42] Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.  Teaching about Love for Enemies  [43] “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.  [44] But I say, love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you!  (Mt 5:39-44 NLTse)

[34] Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.  (Lk 23:34 NLTse)

God’s Eternal Perspective (From Exp God)

[2] I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 
(Ge 12:2 NLTse)

Big assignments require big characters. God will give you a responsibility in proportion to the size of your character…

…God sees your life from His eternal perspective…

…A small character will fail in a large responsibility every time…

…Character-building can be long and painful. It took twenty-five years before God entrusted Abraham with his first son…

…and thousands of years later people continue to be blessed by the account of Abraham’s life and by his descendant, Jesus…

Spiritual Warfare … or Discipline? (from Exp God)

[6] For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”  (Heb 12:6 NLTse)

[11] My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.  [12] For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.  ( Pr 3:11-12 NLTse)

There is a tendency among Christians to view anything unpleasant that happens to them as the result of “spiritual warfare.” …

…rather than admitting that we are merely reaping what we have sown and are being disciplined by our heavenly Father (Ga 6:7). What is often mistaken as Satan’s attack may actually be chastisement from our loving Father. …

… God’s discipline will not help you if you dismiss it as Satan’s doing or spiritual warfare. Not every hardship you face is the chastisement of God, but Scripture indicates that God will discipline you.  …

…warning you of the danger you face because of your sin. …

***

[7] Don’t be misled–you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.  (Ga 6:7 NLTse)

Ritual or Relationship? (from Exp God)

[6] They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us safely out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness–a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and death, where no one lives or even travels?’  [Je 2:6 NLTse]

Christianity … is not a set of doctrines to believe, habits to practice, or sins to avoid …

… God designed worship for us to see Him in His glory and to respond appropriately; for many it has degenerated into “religion,” one more meeting to attend out of habit …

… God gave us prayer so we could have conversation with Him, but we often distort this by “saying prayers” and hurrying off without ever listening to what is on our Father’s heart. God instituted His commandments as a protection for those He loves, but the commandments can become a pathway to legalism rather than an avenue for a relationship with our Father in which He protects us from harm.  Religious activity apart from fellowship with God is empty ritual … Don’t settle for a religious life that lacks a vital relationship to Jesus Christ. When God is present, the difference will be obvious.

It’s Not Difficult! (Exp God – Oct 1)

[11] This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach.   (Dt 30:11 NLTse)

…Moses gathered the Israelites … God gave detailed instructions so there was no mistaking what was expected of them…

…God’s Word comes to you in the same way. It is not too complex to understand. You don’t have to struggle to discern God’s will about adultery or forgiveness or honesty. God’s Word is perfectly clear…

..God, through His Holy Spirit, will always give you sufficient revelation and strength to take the next step with Him…

[20] My old self has been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.    (Ga 2:20 NLTse)

[13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.  (Jn 16:13 NLTse)