Romans 8:15-16 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/31/2020)

“Beauty is vain, but being God’s child is not. Beauty fades, but being God’s child is forever if our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Your adoption into God’s family is much more important than what you look like, the amount of money you make, or the family into which you were born. It’s both an honor and a privilege to be one of God’s precious children. Daily remind yourself of your relationship with the Creator of the universe.”

Aretha Grant

Proverbs‬ ‭31:30‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

Romans‬ ‭8:15-16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

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John 14:27 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/27/2020)...

“Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.” 

Wanda E. Brunstetter

John‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

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Romans‬ ‭12:12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

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Romans‬ ‭8:5-14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

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John 8:42-47 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/26/2020)...

“God has given us commandments and principles that are for our good; God never gives us a commandment because He is [impulsive] or because He doesn't want us to have fun. God says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me," not because He is jealous of His own position and prerogatives, but because He knows that if we put anything, anything before Him, it will hurt us. If we understand the principle behind this fact, we can also understand why God chastens us. "Whom the Lord loves, He chastens" ( Heb. 12:6 ). He doesn't want us to back into a lion, for there is a lion, the devil, seeking whom he may devour.”

Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse

John‬ ‭8:42-47‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

Hebrews‬ ‭12:5-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” 

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 

For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

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Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/25/2020)...

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn't come naturally. It's a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.”

Chuck Swindoll

Psalms‬ ‭27:14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

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Lamentations‬ ‭3:25-26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.

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Isaiah‬ ‭30:18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.

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Romans 12:12 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/24/2020)...

“The best training is to learn to accept everything as it comes, as from Him whom our soul loves. The tests are always unexpected things, not great things that can be written up, but the common little rubs of life, silly little nothings, things you are ashamed of minding one scrap.”

Amy Carmichael

Romans‬ ‭12:12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

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2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

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Hebrews 11:24-27 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/21/2020)...

“No matter how good things get in this world, it’s all Egypt! There will never be enough gold chains, fine linen, praise, adoration, or anything else to satisfy the yearning that God has placed in us. Only his presence in the Land of Promise will satisfy his people.”

Voddie Baucham Jr.

Hebrews‬ ‭11:24-27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

Numbers‬ ‭14:1-4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”

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Psalm 139:3-12 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (8/20/2020)...

“Our pathways often twist through stormy landscapes; but when we look back, we’ll see a thousand miles of miracles and answered prayers.”

David Jeremiah

Isaiah‬ ‭43:2-3‬a (NLT‬‬) When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...

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Psalms‬ ‭139:3-12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

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