Joyful, Prayerful, Thankful - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; 
    pray continually; 
        give thanks in all circumstances, 
             for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
 

Worthy Of The Calling - Ephesians 4:1-2

Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Be completely humble and gentle; 
    be patient, bearing with one another in love.
 

In A Manner Worthy - Philippians 1:27

Whatever happens, 
    conduct yourselves in a manner worthy
           of the gospel of Christ. 
 

Fix Your Eyes On Jesus

Let us run with perseverance

    the race marked out for us.

Let us Fix Our Eyes On Jesus,

    the author and perfecter of our faith. 

                                                 – Hebrews 12:2

 

Fix Your Thoughts On Jesus,

    the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 

                                                  – Hebrews 3:1

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,

    Set Your Hearts On Things Above,

        where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set Your Minds On Things Above,

    Not On Earthly Things.

For you died, and your life is now hidden 

    with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is your life, appears,

    then you also will appear with Him in glory. 

                                                   – Colossians 3:1-4

Therefore, we do not lose heart.

Thought outwardly we are wasting away,

    yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles

    are achieving for us an eternal glory

        that far outweighs them all.

So we Fix Our Eyes not on what is seen,

    but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary,

    but what is unseen is eternal.

                                     – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Then Peter got down out of the boat,

    walked on the  water and came toward Jesus.

But When He Saw The Wind, He Was Afraid

    and, beginning to sink, cried out, 

        "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand 

        and caught him.

"You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?"

                                           – Matthew 14:29-31

 Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

    look full in His wonderful face,

and the things of earth will grow strangely dim

    in the light of His glory and grace.

Satan wants us to Doubt the Word of God.

He wants to Distract us from spiritual things.

He wants to Disable us in the Lord's service.

He wants to Destroy us physically.

His primary strategy:  Deception.

The only way to avoid these tactics is

to keep our eyes on Jesus and not on the problem.

                                               – Dr. Charles Stanley

Many believers gaze at their problems and

        glance at the Lord.

We need to gaze at the Lord and 

       glance at our problems. 

                                               - quoted by Joni Earekson Tada

When we are blind-sided:

* Focus on the cause of the anxiety

    (becomes a magnet)

            or

* Focus on God

    (when you take your focus off God,

        you will be thrown off balance) 

                                               – Dr. Charles Stanley

How shall we fix our eyes on things unseen?

There is no other answer but faith,

faith in the character of God Himself.

That and no other is the anchor for our souls. 

                                                  – Elisabeth Elliot 
 

Yet I Will Rejoice - Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord, 
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.  

Give Thanks - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

J.O.Y.

 Jesus
   Others
      Yourself
 

Your Word Is A Lamp To My Feet

Your Word is a lamp to my feet

     and a light for my path.

                                                   – Psalm 119:105

He who carries a lantern on a dark road at night

     sees only one step ahead.  

When he takes that step, the lamp moves forward 

     and another step is made plain.  

He finally reaches his destination in safety

     without once walking in darkness.   

All the way is lighted, but only a 

    single step at a time.  

This is the method of God's guidance.  

As the child of God refuses to worry 

        about tomorrow

     and trusts Him for today, 

he finds by the light of God's word

     the grace and guidance for every situation 

        in life.  

It isn't necessary to see beyond 

     what the Lord reveals.
Following His leading, there's always enough light

     for each step of the way.

                                                                          – Daily Bread
 

Prayer vs. Prayerlessness

Prayer
    is a sign of our dependence on God.
Prayerlessness
    is a sign of our independence from God.