The old things have passed away!

Precious Christian:

"Never be a prisoner of your past.

It was just a lesson, not a life choice."

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

"For the love of Christ controls us, 
having concluded this, that one died for all, 
therefore all died; and He died for all, 
so that they who live might no longer 
live for themselves, but for Him who died 
and rose again on their behalf.

Therefore from now on we recognize 
no one according to the flesh; 
even though we have known Christ 
according to the flesh, yet now 
we know Him in this way no longer.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, 
he is a new creature; 
the old things passed away; 
behold, new things have come.

Now all these things are from God, 
who reconciled us to Himself through Christ 
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, 
that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, 
not counting their trespasses against them, 
and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, 
as though God were making an appeal through us; 
we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, 
so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

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Living your life for the LORD

Be faithful first and service comes out of it.

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Come, All Ye Pining, Hungry Poor!

Lord, we adore thy boundless grace,

The heights and depths unknown,

Of pardon, life, and joy, and peace,

In thy beloved Son.

Come, all ye pining, hungry poor,

The Saviour’s bounty taste;

Behold a never-failing store

For every willing guest.

O wondrous gifts of love divine,

Dear Source of every good;

Jesus, in thee what glories shine!

How rich thy flowing blood!

Come, all ye pining, hungry poor,

The Saviour’s bounty taste;

Behold a never-failing store

For every willing guest.

Here shall your numerous wants receive

A free, a full supply;

He has unmeasured bliss to give,

And joys that never die.

Come, all ye pining, hungry poor,

The Saviour’s bounty taste;

Behold a never-failing store

For every willing guest.

-A. Steele

The beauty of God's creation in unlikely places

"Observe how the lilies of the field grow"
Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:22-32

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain;
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again;
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me in His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With pow'r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside;
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly;
Whose ev'ry promise is enough
For ev'ry step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To him who reigns above,
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,
Whose ev'ry thought is love.
For ev'ry day I have on earth
Is given by the King;
So I will give my life, my all,
To love and follow him.

-K and K Getty
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Autumn has turned crisp in the midwest

2 Timothy 4:1-5
"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, 
who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing 
and His kingdom: 

preach the word; 
be ready in season and out of season; 
reprove, 
rebuke, 
exhort, 
with great patience and instruction.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; 
but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for
themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will 
turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

But you, 
be sober in all things, 
endure hardship, 
do the work of 
an evangelist, 
fulfill your ministry."
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My safety: the LORD God Almighty

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Psalm 119:114-117

"You are my hiding place and my shield;

I wait for Your word.

Depart from me, evildoers,

That I may observe the commandments of my God.

Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live;

And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.

Uphold me that I may be safe,

That I may have regard for Your statutes 

continually."

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The Quality of Our Own Lives As Tribute

What better way to honor those who fought to keep us free:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

"Finally then, brethren, 
we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, 
that as you received from us instruction 
as to how you ought to walk and please God 
(just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

For you know what commandments we gave you 
by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; 
that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
that each of you know how to possess his own vessel 
in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, 
like the Gentiles who do not know God;
and that no man transgress and defraud his brother 
in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, 
just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, 
but in sanctification.

So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man 
but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.


Now as to the love of the brethren, 
you have no need for anyone to write to you, 
for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren 
who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, 
to excel still more, and to make it your ambition 
to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business 
and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need."