1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Psalm 24:1-6(KJV)
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100(KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
We cannot give what we do not have. We cannot be epistles of Christ read by all unless the Word of God is written in our hearts and Christ is followed consistently. It is by the constant focus on our testimony of Jesus, and the faithful execution of our present duties in life, that God fits us for more. We may have only been chosen to wait tables. Still, the strength of our testimony will equal the measure of our free time we devote to God. God must do all is only one end of a profound truth. The other end is that we must ask, seek, and knock consistently while God does what only God can. Not a little found this morning only to be lost and forgotten by evening. This wearisome to the soul. Let the default setting of the heart, head, and hands be dedicated to the testimony of truth and there is no limit to the heights to which God can exalt us in Christ Jesus. (Acts 3:2-8; Jeremiah 45:5; Acts 6:1-10; 2 Corinthians 3:1-6; Revelation 12:7-12, 19:5-10; 2 Timothy 2:20-21; Psalm 27:8; Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 18:1-8; 1 Peter 4:3-5; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 1 Peter 5:6-11)
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Psalm 51:10-15 (KJV)
1 The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. 14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee. 18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. 23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. Psalm 50:1,14-23(KJV)
1 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. 4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. 6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. 8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. Psalm 25:1-9(KJV)
24 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 27 God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. 28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 118:25-29(KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
Look at what steals your peace and joy. It will always be fear, uncertainty, and doubt triggered by thoughts that come without effort. Thoughts that cause fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) are fiery darts from the wicked one. There is no need to read the mind. Humans can read body language, dogs can sense a person’s emotional state, and the wicked one can shoot just the right thought to set the whole imagination on fire with FUD if you let him. The good fight is the art of counter-punching with faith, assurance, and boldness (FAB). This goes without saying that one has to be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit to experience the manifestation of the promises in Christ Jesus. Thus prepared we are to question the origin of every fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Don’t be so quick to accept the thoughts that cause these feelings as your own. If you can be deceived to believe these thoughts come from you, you will not resist them. The gospel of peace makes us ready to stand with all the Armor of God to defend. Never allow anything to make you afraid. Act boldly on the Word of God and assurance will strengthen faith. (1 John 4:2-4; Romans 13:11-14; 1 Timothy 6:12; Ephesians 6:10-20; Jude 1:17; John 10:10; James 4:7; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; 1 John 4:7-21; Proverbs 28:1; Nehemiah 8:10; Philippians 4:6-9; 1 Peter 5:7-10; Ephesians 6:23-24)
4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. 9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. 10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 112:4-10(KJV)
2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. 6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. 7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. Psalm 111:2-9(KJV)
11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: 12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: 13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: 14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. 15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:11-15(KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
Happy is the one who finds the right thing, then sticks and stays with that. Stick and stay is not a message you will often hear today. Mostly we hear try this new thing and all problems will sweetly melt like lemon drops on the top of the tongue. So we run and try this new thing. After which, when its hope is gone, we’re off to find the next new thing. Trying everything and failing over and over again leads to much discouragement. Beware of the scrolling hand and movie watching eye for you leave the gate wide open. What has been seen can’t be unseen. It is better to keep evil things without then it is have to fight them once they have been let within. To be about the Father’s business, that is the secret that causes one thousand and one useless options to melt away. (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 7:15-18; Luke 2:40-52; Matthew 24:3-27; Luke 17:20-21; Ephesians 4:24-27; Proverbs 4:23, 25:28; 2 Chronicles 16:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Timothy 6:13-21)
17 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:7-14(KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
We become fit the moment we make a clean break with the unhealthy habits that cause weakness. This is true on both physical and spiritual planes. This is also the only way to the Olympic Games for each athlete. When the difference between a gold medal and nothing at all are the tiniest of margins, everything that hinders must go. Life is far more important than any game, but the rules for winning are the same. As you sow, so shall you reap, and eliminate all that hinders. Life in our time can easily be defined as the age of too much wrong and too little right. Too much eating, too much drinking, too much TV, too much social media, and too much of many other things that only distract and hinder. And to make matters worse, there is also too little exercise, too little Bible reading, too little prayer, and too little believing that only give place to all those other things that distract and hinder. Everywhere we look in this world we find only too much and too little. In contrast, everywhere we look in the Holy Bible we find it only gives light to a single way. If we live in the world, we become more worldly. If we live in the Bible, we become more like Jesus. The better way is thus made clear and simple. (Ezekiel 37:1-10; 1 Corinthians 9:7-10; Galatians 6:7-9; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:1-7; Genesis 4:7; 1 Corinthians 9:23-27, 2:16; Luke 9:23; Matthew 6:22-23; Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Matthew 7:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Ephesians 3:14-21)
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