The Way Of Abundance Is To Live Given 8.30.19

THE WAY OF ABUNDANCE IS TO LIVE GIVEN

BREAD

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 (NIV)

24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:14-18 (NIV)

38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)

24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness– 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:24-29 (NIV)

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (NIV)

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)

5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. 9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor. 10 The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing. Psalm 112:5-10 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Your work may burn up or cause you to burn out, but the prayers enfolded into the stacks of laundry, the soup stirred, the stairs swept — they will survive fire. The cure to an overwhelmed life begins with a daily overdose of Scripture. Throw more lifelines than stones. Give more grace than advice. Hunger for integrity more than popularity, celebrity, or prosperity, — because your integrity is your only legacy. These three are really all you can control everyday: Your grittiness, your gratefulness, and your givenness. Every day you can choose how much grit you bring to the table. Every day you can choose how much gratefulness you’ll offer up at the table. Every day you can choose how much you’ll live given so more people know they belong at the table.” Ann Voskamp

“No matter what you do, don’t ignore an open door of opportunity. Don’t let procrastination or indifference steal your time. Instead, seek God’s strength as you step forward. When you embrace your God-given opportunities in obedience, you will see God’s glory in your life and in the lives of others.” Michael Youssef

“The marrow of life is not in our possessions or titles or degrees or anything else that will pass away with this age. The marrow is found in the man Christ Jesus and the mission he has given us. All transitory gifts God provides are for us to enjoy and for us to employ in the mission he calls us to (1 Timothy 6:17-19). But if we look to these things for life’s marrow, we will find them hollow bones.” Jon Bloom

“Keep sowing faithfully. God sees. He knows. In Christ, your labor will not be in vain.” David Mathis
“God is the Great Giver and He desires for His people to be great givers as well. In God’s perfect economy, when we walk in faithful obedience to His commands, we will discover that we NEVER out give Him. What meager sacrifice on behalf of His children we perhaps make reaps a sure harvest even though it be extraordinarily hard. We live our lives for an audience of One to please Him not men. Never let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” BHY

“I can hear the cutlery in the kitchen, and he’s putting away clean dishes and I smile in the bedroom and I feel serenaded by the spooning of spoons and love isn’t so much about what you give — but that you live given.” Ann Voskamp

“The action of those whose lives are given to the Spirit has in it something of the leisure of Eternity; and because of this, they achieve far more than those whose lives are enslaved by the rush and hurry, the unceasing tick-tock of the world.” Evelyn Underhill

“Possessing power and luxury only becomes problematic when possessing power and luxury begins to possess us. Success in the world’s eyes—wealth, fame, power, beauty, love and romance, comfort, popularity, health, and so on—can be something to celebrate and enjoy with thanksgiving. But this is true only long as we don’t turn this kind of success into our lifeline, our source for significance, our basis for meaning, our true north. It’s simple math, really. Everything minus Jesus equals nothing. And Jesus plus nothing equals everything. With Jesus, every other person, place, or thing we are given to enjoy is bonus—not something to plug our emotional umbilical cords into, but rather something to offer thanks for to God. As the poor cottage woman in Spurgeon’s The Treasury of David said as she broke a piece of bread and filled a glass with cold water, ‘What, all this, and Jesus Christ, too?’” Scott Sauls

HEART SAVOR

• Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
• No one ever out gives God.
• We are to be conduits of His love and goodness.

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Count Blessings Not Troubles 8.28.19

COUNT BLESSINGS NOT TROUBLES

BREAD

16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16 (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:3-6 (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NIV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)

3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:3-5 (NIV)

11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 (NIV)

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)

18 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 4:18 (NIV)

BUTTER

“To please God . . . to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness . . . to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son — it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” C. S. Lewis

“The Christian is suspended between blessings received and blessings hoped for, so he should always give thanks.” M. R. Vincent

“Just as a Momma rushes to the side of her wailing child, the Lord ever harkens His ear to His lamenting ‘sheep’. He is a ‘with us’ God, staying by our side as we walk through our valleys of Baca (tears) and never leaves us nor forsakes us. He will either change our circumstances or change us in our circumstances – either way the blessings He bestows as we call out to Him are totally other worldly. He is the Ultimate Healer of the broken and contrite heart.” BHY

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” Eric Hoffer

“Never undertake anything for which you wouldn’t have the courage to ask the blessings of heaven.” George C. Lichtenberg

“The height of joy isn’t simply to be blessed — but to become the blessing. The height of joy isn’t to have blessings actualized — but to become the actual blessing. Not to be blessed with stuff — but to become the blessing in service.” Ann Voskamp

“He who takes a review of his blessings, looks upon himself as a person engaged for God… He dedicates Himself to God.” Thomas Watson

“You don’t miss a beat when thankfulness is the beat of your heart.” Ann Voskamp

“God has a multitude of reasons for allowing our troubling situations. Perhaps He is working on some of the people in our lives. Maybe He is working out His timing to reap the maximum harvest when His solution comes in the end. Or He could be proving a point to His enemy about His glory, as He did with Job – and your reaction is the key. Maybe He is even working on us – our character flaws, personality issues, or spiritual growth. Unpruned trees bear less fruit, so He must shape us differently. But we’re surprised – and angry – when His pruning hand is not as gentle as we’d like. The question we need to settle in our hearts is whether we believe God is good. It isn’t hard to hold such a belief when His blessings seem bountiful. But the blessing of hardship? We wonder where His favor has gone. We grow distant, resentful, and bitter over the harshness of His loving hand. Like a child who has just been spanked – or simply told ‘no’ – we pout. God just doesn’t seem fair.” Chris Tiegreen

“God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill He treasures up His bright designs and works His sovereign will. You fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds you so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His work in vain; God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.” William Cowper

“It’s never the wasting of time that hurts so much as the wasting of our intentions.” Ann Voskamp

“If the worst things work for good to a believer, what shall the best things? Nothing hurts the godly…all things…shall co-operate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings.” Puritan Thomas Watson

“All the flowers in God’s garden are double.” John Bunyan

HEART SAVOR
• If we dwell on our blessings it will elevate our thoughts and increase our joy.
• If we focus on our problems it paralyzes us.
• God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift – everything that comes to us is from His loving hand is intended for our ultimate good – whether we perceive this or not. We can trust Him with our lives.

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Be An Overcomer 8.26.19

BE AN OVERCOMER

BREAD

2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:2-5 (NIV)

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 (NIV)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NIV)

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:1-4 (NIV)

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 (NIV)

21 “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:21-22 (NIV)

BUTTER

“God wants us to be victors, not victims;….to overcome, not to be overwhelmed.” William Arthur Word

“No sea is deeper than the ocean of His love. There is no army stronger than His hosts, no force greater than His throne of grace, no enemy who can overcome His direct and indirect work in our lives.” Robert J. Morgan

“There are such difficulties in the way of our salvation as could never be overcome but by that grace of God which is almighty. ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’ His grace can work on the soul, so as to alter the bent and bias of it, and give it a contrary leaning.” Matthew Henry

“We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by ‘looking unto Jesus’. Keep thine eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to Him; when thou liest down at night look to Him. Oh! Let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail thee.” C. H. Spurgeon

“No one overcomes the corruptions of his heart except by the enabling strength of the Spirit of God.” Jerry Bridges

“Are you fighting with the adversary today? Are Satan, the world, and the flesh, all against you? Be not discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on! For God Himself is with you; Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds. Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence? Fight on, ‘looking unto Jesus;’ and though long and stern be the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised reward.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Every time we resist the slightest temptation, we honor God. Every time we overcome even the smallest problem by trusting and obeying our Lord Jesus, God is glorified in our lives. Whenever we choose character over convenience, faithfulness over ease, or honesty over deceit, we bring honor to the Lord Himself.” Robert J. Morgan

“We all know the value of joy. It alone is the proof that what we have really satisfies the heart. Just this makes gladness such a mighty element in the Christian character: there is no proof of the reality of God’s love and the blessing He bestows, which men so soon feel the force of, as when the joy of God overcomes all the trials of life. And for the Christian’s own welfare, joy is no less indispensable: the joy of the Lord is his strength; confidence, and courage, and patience finds their inspiration in joy. With a heart full of joy no work can weary, and no burden can depress; God Himself is strength and song.” Andrew Murray

“God wants us to trust Him daily with our needs. This trust does not make us poor planners or careless with our futures, unprepared to face what may come. Rather, it keeps our relationship with the Lord in its proper perspective as He reminds us daily of our dependence upon Him. God is aware of what tomorrow will bring and how we should prepare for it. He knows the problems we will face, and He has already made provision for us to overcome them. He asks us to trust in Him daily. Our faith in Him today cannot substitute for our trust in Him tomorrow. If we will walk with Him closely today, we will be in the center of His will tomorrow.” Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby

“Praising God lifts us above our trials and reminds us of how He overcomes them….Our praise reminds us of Who God is. As we worship Him, the threats and burdens that weigh us down grow smaller and He grows bigger. The thought of an exalted God Who is entirely on our side is an awesome inspiration….Praise is based on Who He is. And He is Who He is all the time.” Chris Tiegreen

“Faith doesn’t erase insecurity, doubt, suffering or fear, but literally, daily, overcomes them.” Jen Hatmaker

“As God pursues us with His wonderful grace, something magnificent takes place in our lives. Before God’s grace was extended to us, we were dead in our sins and powerless to overcome them. We were in bondage to the enemy, and the future never looked so dim. But then, God entered the scene and demonstrated the power of His grace. After Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the Bible begins to tell the unfolding tale of God’s pursuit of the human heart through the goodness of His grace. And each time God catches us and reveals the power of His grace, our once-dead souls become alive! Instead of being unable to fight sin’s strongholds, God’s grace gives us the power to overcome them through the Holy Spirit.” Michael Youssef

“I don’t know about you, but if I’m picking what is good for my life, then it’s probably going to feel good, look good, taste good, smell good, and be visibly good to anyone who sees it. But the truth is, even some of the things that have looked ‘bad’ from the outside have turned out to be good for me. Because, while the currency of God’s goodness looks different from my own, it is infinitely more valuable. Hard things make us dig deep within ourselves to find strength we didn’t know we had. Loss teaches us to appreciate blessings that surround us. And while I don’t want to minimize the depth of any pain and the years it can take to overcome the brokenness we experience in this life, there is good to be found, even in the hard and even through the bad. As we embrace a curious faith, we exchange the currency of our control for the wealth of God’s possibility.” Logan Wolfram

HEART SAVOR

• It is only through the power of the Spirit that we can be overcomers.
• The One that is in us is greater than the one that is in the world.
• He who overcomes receives the right to eat from the tree of life.

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The God Who Avenges 8.23.19

THE GOD WHO AVENGES

BREAD

46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! 47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, 48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. 49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name. 50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever. Psalm 18:46-50 (NIV)

1 O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth. 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. Psalm 94:1-2 (NIV)

35 “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” Deuteronomy 32:35 (NIV)

43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people. Deuteronomy 32:43 (NIV)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:17-19 (NIV)

30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:30-31 (NIV)

2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. 3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. Nahum 1:2-3 (NIV)

15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 1 Peter 4:15-18 (NIV)

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 2 Peter 3:8-10 (NIV)

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. Revelation 6:9-11 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Whether the offenses against us are titanic or trifling, God’s judgment frees us to exchange bitterness for patience, retribution for mercy. The very word judgment brings to mind our own offenses against God, offenses that cried out for our blood until Jesus shed his own. It reminds us that our offender, if outside of Christ, deserves our pity and, if inside Christ, needs our brotherly love. It removes all self-righteousness from our mouths and replaces it with the Christlike plea of ‘Lord, forgive them.’ It beckons us to release our ‘right’ to get even, and to hand over our cause to him who judges justly.” Scott Hubbard

“Every sermon, every Bible lesson, every word of testimony, and every verse of Scripture is a warning, calling us to repentance and revival. Our God is a consuming fire, and a day of judgment is coming. We must not neglect the warning, and today’s church must not forget that our message includes the ministry of warning.” Robert J. Morgan

“Nothing has contributed more powerfully to wean me from all that held me down to earth than the thought….of death and the last judgment.” Augustine

“When Jesus started to cry out [on the cross], he didn’t say, ‘My friends, my friends’ ‘My head, my head!’ ‘My hands, my hands!’ He said, ‘My God, my God.’ On the cross, Jesus was forsaken by God. He said, ‘My God’. That’s the language of intimacy… Jesus the Maker of the world was being unmade. Why? Jesus was experiencing our judgment day. ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ It wasn’t a rhetorical question. And the answer is: For you, for me, for us. Jesus was forsaken by God the Father so that we would never have to be. The judgment that should have fallen on us fell instead on Jesus.” Dr. Tim Keller

“The thunders of the law and the terrors of judgment are all used to bring us to Christ; but the final victory is effected by loving-kindness. The prodigal set out to his father’s house from a sense of need. However, his father saw him a great way off and ran to meet him, so that the last steps he took towards his father’s house were with the kiss still warm upon his cheek and the welcome still musical in his ears…What Moses with the tablets of stone could never do, Christ does with His pierced hand. Such is the doctrine of effectual calling. Do I understand it experimentally? Can I say, ‘He drew me, and I followed on, glad to confess the voice divine?’ If so, may He continue to draw me, until at last I shall sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“God is relentless in His hatred of evil. We may think He tolerates it awfully well to let the world go on as it has for century upon century. But He hates it. He has demonstrated at every turn His opposition to anything that conflicts with His character and corrupts His work. His judgments are certain. God and evil will not forever co-exist.” Chris Tiegreen

“Just as there are always blessings to obedience, conversely there will always be consequences to sin. Every sin carries with it a death sentence – death to trust, death to relationship, death to freedom, etc. etc. We do not sin merely as unto ourselves either, sin’s tentacles are far reaching and devastating – like a ripple in the water when you cast in a stone. We get to choose to sin or not but God chooses the consequence. Just read about what happened to King David after his encounter with Bathsheba and how it affected the rest of his life. God is severe in His judgments because He knows what sin does to a life and the lives of others. This is not a winking, joking matter with Him. It cost Him the life of His Son. He doesn’t want us to go there (to say the least) – He has far greater, pleasing and perfect plans for us than that. Also, it is all too important to note, that while a believer in Jesus is forgiven for sin that does not mean there will not be consequences. Just saying….” BHY

“The vicissitudes of life are a part of God’s constant care, yet from a human perspective discipline is always ‘hard.’ In 1 Peter 4:15-18, Peter is not teaching that salvation is earned through personal trials or works, but simply that those who are saved are not exempt from temporal disciplinary judgments which are the natural consequences of sin.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary

“The fundamental problem in the evangelical world is not inadequate technique, insufficient organization or antiquated music, and those who want to squander the Church’s resources bandaging these scratches will do nothing to stanch the flow of blood spilling from its true wounds. The fundamental problem in the evangelical world today is that God rests too inconsequentially upon the Church. His truth is too distant, His grace is too ordinary, His judgment is too benign, His Gospel is too easy and His Christ is too common.” David Wells

“He (Paul) must confront men with the truth about God – Creator, Provider, Lord of history, Judge of all – and His command to repent. He must confront them with the truth about man, and his moral bankruptcy in the sight of God. And above all he must confront them with Jesus Christ in His resurrection power, His authority to execute judgment, and His redeeming love by which He delivers men and women from their estrangement and rebellion, and creates them anew in the knowledge of their creator.” F. F. Bruce

“Revenge is the most worthless weapon in the world.” David Augsburger

HEART SAVOR

• It is God’s to avenge, He will repay.
• Revenge is worthless.
• There will come a day when God will right all wrongs.

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It’s A Wonderful Life 8.21.19

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

BREAD

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:1-5 (NIV)

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV)

5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NIV)

6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6 (NIV)

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:11 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV)

10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:10-12 (NIV)

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31 (NIV)

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Do you know who you are? Do you know who you were designed to be? Do you know the Father’s intent for your life? You are meant to hear in your spirit the same thing Jesus heard when he came out of the waters of baptism at the beginning of his ministry: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’….J I Packer puts it simply. ‘What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father’…Our highest privilege and deepest need is to experience the holy God as our loving Father, to approach him without fear and to be assured of his fatherly care and concern.” Greg Ogden

“You know to what extent You have already changed me, You who first healed me of the lust of vindicating myself, so that You might forgive all my remaining iniquities, and heal my diseases, and redeem my life from corruption, and crown me with loving-kindness and tender mercies, and satisfy my desire with good things.” St. Augustine

“Nothing is really lost by a life of sacrifice; everything is lost by failure to obey God’s call.” Henry P. Liddon

“Joy is the realest reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy. Gratitude for the seemingly insignificant- a seed – this plants the giant miracle. The miracle of eucharisto. Do not disdain the small. The whole of the life – even the hard – is made up of the minute parts, and if I miss the infinitesimals, I miss the whole…There is a way to live the big of giving thanks in all things. It is this: to give thanks in this one small thing. The moments will add up.” Ann Voskamp

“All the commandments of God are commandments of love tending to our real good and great happiness; far from being grievous to those who have faith and love, the practice thereof is life and peace. The world may think it a grievous burden; but this is a great mistake indeed. Sin is grievous. In hatred, envy, anger, revenge, pride, there is nothing but torment and slavery; but in love there is a sweet rest and pleasure. Thus a sinner always punishes himself, and is robbed of great peace and blessing, by transgressing the commandments of God.” K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Taste the goodness of God and savor long — not wolfing anything down because life is dessert and worth licking the bowl right clean.” Ann Voskamp

“The good news of the gospel is not that God will provide a way to make life easier. The good news of the gospel, for this life, is that He will make our lives better. We will be empowered to draw close to God and to love others well and to do both for one central purpose, to glorify God, to make Him look good to any who watch us live.” Larry Crabb

“A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.” D.L. Moody

“When God is our strength, it is strength indeed; when our strength is our own, it is only weakness.” St. Augustine

“Strive believer not to seek refuge in anything or anyone besides the Lord our God. All else will surely be found wanting. It is He Who is the Rock that is greater than all. It is He Who is sufficient to meet our every need. It is He Who gives our feet a firm place to stand when the winds of life blow hard. Look to Jesus alone – all else is fleeting. Why go to the paste gem when the diamond is so readily offered?” BHY

“A man’s heart has only enough life in it to pursue one object fully.” Charles Spurgeon

“Our satisfaction and contentment in life does not come from riches but from righteousness.” Robert J. Morgan

“All our life is a celebration for us….God is always everywhere.” Clement of Alexandria

“The serene beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world next to the power of God.” Blaise Pascal

“Live a story that tells of the wanted life, tells of the abundant life.” Ann Voskamp

HEART SAVOR

• Jesus came to give us life to the fullest measure – to take hold of life that is truly life – whatever you do, don’t miss it.
• The thief kills and destroys – Jesus gives life to the full.
• If we cling to our worthless idols we will forfeit the grace that could be ours.

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In The Highlands And The Heartache He Is There 8.19.19

IN THE HIGHLANDS AND THE HEARTACHE HE IS THERE

BREAD

7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)

10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. Psalm 18:32-35 (NIV)

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” Luke 1:46-50 (NIV)

17 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, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments. Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)

18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him–for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (NIV)

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:3-12 (NIV)

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:15-18 (NIV)

BUTTER
“Best of all, God is with us.” John Wesley

“God is the one who does the work of cultivation. He is the Good Sower — not of plants grown in perfect rows or roses that grow in neat flower beds. He is a Sower who flings the seeds of wildflowers into the field, cares for them, and delights in their unpredictable beauty. He is the one who invites us to rest as He does the work and to wait in peaceful expectation for what’s to come. He burns away the old with fire and cultivates the land for the new things He is doing in our lives, allowing light and water to reach down deep, awakening and breaking open the seeds that have laid dormant before to thrive in the soil He has made good. What will come is a mystery, and we gain nothing when we rush into seasons we’re not ready for. So sit with Him, rest with Him, watch Him do His good and holy work while the land still lies fallow.” Grace P. Cho

“The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer, His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable.” John Newton

“In believing prayer, we learn to connect our present troubles to the good and perfect will of God. We refuse to believe that chance rules our lives. We withstand the temptation to imagine that God is capricious or malicious. We know he has a higher purpose and that he is not dealing with us as our sins deserve. As we bring our troubles to Jesus in prayer—asking his will to be done—we approve the will of our Father in heaven. We see our sufferings in the greater reality of his good, acceptable, and perfect will. In prayer we “turn crisis to Christ.” Our heart becomes tuned to his heart and we sing the song of grace.” Ancient Prayer, John F. Smed

“He who stands today representing the interests of His people is very God of very God, to whom every knee shall bow. Happy are we who belong to such a Shepherd, whose humanity communes with us, and whose divinity protects us. Let us worship and bow down before Him as the people of His pasture.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“When Naomi arrived in Bethlehem after her sorrowful sojourn in Moab, she could not see a harvest from her tears. It all looked like a tragedy; like ‘vanity and striving after wind’ (Ecclesiastes 1:14). That’s how it looked. That’s how it felt. But that’s not how it was. In reality, all of the ups and downs in Naomi’s life—the famine, the move to Moab, the deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ruth’s loyalty, Naomi’s return at barley harvest, Boaz, and the kinsman who chose not to redeem Ruth—all of these events played parts in God’s plan to redeem millions and weave a Moabite into the royal, Messianic bloodline. The bigger story of redemption was far bigger than they imagined. Even though they were in the middle of the story, none of them could see it from their vantage point. We must remember this perspective in our times of desolation, grief and loss. How things appear to us, and how they actually are, are rarely the same. Sometimes it looks and feels like the Almighty is dealing “very bitterly” with us, when all the while He is doing us and many others more good than we could have imagined. God’s purposes in the lives of His children are always gracious. Always. If they don’t look like it, don’t trust your perceptions. Trust God’s promises. He is always fulfilling His promises.” Jon Bloom

“My hope rests on the willing, faithful, powerful, and loving presence of God with me. It is the ultimate gift of gifts to everyone who walks the harsh and bumpy road between birth and eternity. Our hope is not found in understanding why God allowed suffering into our lives. Our hope is not found in the belief that somehow we will tough our way through. Our hope is not found in doctors, lawyers, pastors, family, or friends. Our hope is not found in our resilience or ingenuity. Our hope is not found in ideas or things. Though we may look to all those for temporary help, ultimately our hope rests in the faithful and gracious presence of the Lord with us.” Paul David Tripp

“When we are in a dark place we are not to despair rather look for patches of God-light for they are most assuredly there. He is supremely close to His children as they walk through their Valley of Baca’s (tears) taking them from strength to strength. His Presence is continually with us and even more so in our darkest hours. Further, He has purpose in each circumstance He allows in the lives of His heirs of mercy. He can be fully trusted.” BHY

HEART SAVOR

• The Lord is with us in our mountaintops and in our valleys.
• There is always purpose in our pain – in all that He allows. He is within our “shadows”.
• We are to never shun the hard which brings us closer to Him. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11.

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Be A Builder Of Others 8.16.19

BE A BUILDER OF OTHERS

BREAD

1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:1-4 (NIV)

32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:32-35 (NIV)

13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NIV)

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:14-15 (NIV)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32 (NIV)

23 “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NIV)

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Romans 14:19 (NIV)

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,
9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:8-10 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:9-16 (NIV)

20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear–hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1:20-23 (NIV)

BUTTER

“It is much easier and delightful to build rather than to mend people. Do-overs in a life always carry with it such icky consequences that most don’t factor in until it is too late and they are face to face with them. Also, don’t arrogantly think for a minute that you will not ever need a voice of wisdom and reason either. Do your part to help others on their way, to strengthen the saint and to help them to stand. We do this through His power and always for His glory and our good.” BHY

“We live a life – and make a legacy – one day and one choice at a time. May God enable each of us to be the ‘real deal,’ not for our glory but for His. ‘The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1’” Donna Evans

“Truth and love are the characteristics which build up the church, especially in association with each other. Yet this combination is rare in the contemporary church. Some leaders are great champions of the truth and anxious to fight for it, but display little love. Others are great advocates of love, but have no equal commitment to truth…Truth is hard if it is not softened by love and love is soft if it is not strengthened by the truth.” John Stott

“Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value. Doctrines held as a matter of creed are like bread in the hand, which ministers no nourishment to the frame, but doctrine accepted by the heart, is as food digested, which, by assimilation, sustains and builds up the body.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“–Blazingly, Jesus illustrated this with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). No self-respecting Jew of that time would speak to a Samaritan. But Jesus, caring more for the person than the tradition, knew she had an unquenched thirst. He sought her out, found common ground — and the rest is history. It’s a model I’m seeing lived out all around me – people finding common ground, taking risks, running toward instead of away from threat. Being brave to love and heal and bless — no matter the cost to self. Daring to hold back, or to step in to forge a way for peace, stem a destructive tide, or build a river in a desert. I’m seeing that being salt and light means engaging our world precisely where we are placed. Wherever we find ourselves, there, living simply, profoundly, giving our best at all times for Jesus’ sake. Upfront or behind the scenes, whether like me you are a helper, or whether you are a leader; a doctor, an executive, a parent, a principal, a granny or a golfer, it matters not — only that we are givers and love at all times.” Paula Kirby

“Last night I was so tired that I could hardly move, but as I reflected on the day’s events, several observations came to my mind and heart. Building requires commitment and must be a priority. It doesn’t just happen. Building always costs- usually time, talent, and treasure. In order to build effectively, people must be encouraged and equipped. Each day offers us an opportunity to build or to tear down. We do both with our actions, attitudes, and most of all, with our words. Wherever you are today, the critical question to ask yourself is, ‘Am I building or am I tearing down?’ We build our legacy one choice and one day at a time. Hudson Taylor once wrote that there are three phases to any impossible project, ‘Impossible…difficult…done!’” Donna Evans

“If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back – ‘Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track; And if, perchance, Faith’s light is dim, because the oil is low, Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go. Call back, and tell me that he went with you into the storm; Call back, and say He kept you when the forest’s roots were torn; That, when the heavens thunder and the earthquake shook the hill, He bore you up and held you where the very air was still. Oh, friend, call back, and tell me for I cannot see your face, They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race; But there are mists between us and my spirit eyes are dim, And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him. But if you’ll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry, And if you’ll say He saw you through the night’s sin-darkened sky If you have gone a little way ahead, of friend, call back – ‘Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track.” Mrs. Charles Cowman

“Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, Lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save. Though they are slighting Him, Still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently; He will forgive if they only believe. Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, Wakened by kindness, Chords that are broken will vibrate once more. Rescue the perishing, Duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way, Patiently win them; Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died. Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.” Fanny Crosby

“Her example was the antithesis of complaining, that ‘woe is me’ tendency to grouse, grouch, and grumble. Complainers are usually contentious instead of content, tear down instead of building, and wear others out emotionally. A complainer’s lack of contentment is often caused by a tendency to compare themselves to others. Complainers are often people who relive ugly situations and perceived injustices over and over in their minds. They are unwilling or unable to let past events or hurts go. Complainers keep reloading their minds with negative thoughts and often live in depression, despair, or darkness. Pastor Harry Reeder puts it like this, ‘Selfish, self-absorbed, self-centered people are despairing, despondent, and depressed.’” Donna Evans

HEART SAVOR

• To those who have been given much, much is expected.
• Do your best to leave each circumstance you are in with the aroma of Christ.
• It matters greatly how you live your life.

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Patient Endurance 8.14.19

PATIENT ENDURANCE

BREAD

5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:5-7 (NIV)

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:1-2 (NIV)

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. James 5:7-11 (NIV)

29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly. Proverbs 14:29 (NIV)

32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32 (NIV)

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NIV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:1-11 (NIV)

1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 2 Timothy 2:1-7 (NIV)

BUTTER

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.” John Newton

“The pictures of growth that God gives us in his word bid us to take the long view of sanctification. They shift our expectations from the fast to the slow, from the immediate to the gradual. We are farmers planting crops (Galatians 6:7). Grace grows in our souls much like God’s kingdom grows in the world: the seed slowly sprouts to the sky, the crops slowly fill the field (Mark 4:28). We plow and sow, water and watch, and bear fruit only ‘with patience’ (Luke 8:15). We are children growing up (Ephesians 4:14-15). Like all children, our bones grow slowly. We move from milk to solid food on our way to looking like our elder brother (1 Peter 2:2; Romans 8:29). One day we will be like him, but only ‘when he appears . . . because we shall see him as he is’ (1 John 3:2). We are runners in a race (1 Corinthians 9:24). The race is not a sprint, nor even a marathon, but a lifelong jog. Only when we reach the end of our lives can we say, ‘I have finished the race’ (2 Timothy 4:7). Until then, we ‘run with endurance’ (Hebrews 12:1), not wasting our legs in the first one hundred meters, but pacing ourselves to the end. We are travelers beneath the rising sun (2 Peter 1:19). Light is scattering our darkness, but only a shade at a time; our path is ‘like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day’ (Proverbs 4:18). Christ’s glory rises over us ‘from one degree of glory to another’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are farmers, children, runners, travelers. Each of these images reminds us that deep, pervasive holiness happens over a lifetime: God’s word slowly reframes our perspective on ourselves and the world. Jesus gradually extends his lordship over even the most ordinary of tasks. The Spirit steadily makes obedience in certain areas habitual. God renews us not at once, but ‘day by day’ (2 Corinthians 4:16).” Scott Hubbard

“We sometimes seem to forget that what God takes He takes in fire; and that the only way to the resurrection life and the ascension mount is the way of the garden, the cross, and the grave. Think not, O soul of man, that Abraham’s was a unique and solitary experience. It is simply a specimen and pattern of God’s dealings with all souls who are prepared to obey Him at whatever cost. After thou hast patiently endured, thou shalt receive the promise. The moment of supreme sacrifice shall be the moment of supreme and rapturous blessing. God’s river, which is full of water, shall burst its banks, and pour upon thee a tide of wealth and grace. There is nothing, indeed, which God will not do for a man who dares to step out upon what seems to be the mist; though as he puts down his foot he finds a rock beneath him.” F. B. Meyer

“See God in everything, and God will calm and color all that thou dost see! It may be that the circumstances of our sorrows will not be removed, their condition will remain unchanged; but if Christ, as Lord and Master of our life, is brought into our grief and gloom, ‘He will compass us about with songs of deliverance’. To see Him, and to be sure that His wisdom cannot err, His power cannot fail, His love can never change; to know that even His direst dealings with us are for our deepest spiritual gain, is to be able to say, in the midst of bereavement, sorrow, pain, and loss, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord’. Nothing else but seeing God in everything will make us loving and patient with those who annoy and trouble us. They will be to us then only instruments for accomplishing His tender and wise purposes toward us, and we shall even find ourselves at last inwardly thanking them for the b they bring us. Nothing else will completely put an end to all murmuring or rebelling thoughts.” Hannah W. Smith

“How do we wait for God? We wait with patience. But patience does not mean passivity. Waiting patiently is not like waiting for the bus to come, the rain to stop, or the sun to rise. It is an active waiting in which we live the present moment to the full in order to find there the signs of the One we are waiting for. The word patience comes from the Latin verb ‘patior’ which means ‘to suffer.’ Waiting patiently is suffering through the present moment, tasting it to the full, and letting the seeds that are sown in the ground on which we stand grow into strong plants. Waiting patiently always means paying attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the first rays of God’s glorious coming.” Henri Nouwen

“Patient endurance kills the despair that kills the soul; it teaches the soul to take comfort and not to grow listless in the face of its many battles and afflictions.” Saint Peter of Damaskos

“The wheels of God’s justice may grind slowly, but they grind surely.” Greg Laurie

“We need to give ourselves to what Horatius Bonar calls ‘daily littles.’ He writes, ‘The Christian life is a great thing, one of the greatest things on earth. Made up of daily littles, it is yet in itself not a little thing, but in so far as it is truly lived . . . is noble throughout’ (God’s Way of Holiness, 127). If we want to persevere to the end, we need to maintain this dual perspective: (1) the Christian life is ‘a great thing,’ and (2) the Christian life is made up of ‘daily littles.’ Holiness happens one step at a time.” Scott Hubbard

HEART SAVOR

• God calls His children to patiently wait as He works in and through us to conform us to the image of His Beloved Son. We don’t become like Billy Graham overnight to be sure! This calls for endurance in all the daily “littles” of our lives. The process of sanctification is to continue doing the next right thing in His power for His glory for our good. And, btw, it is always for our good whether we are discerners of that or not.
• Growth in holiness is slow.
• Patient endurance slays despair.

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Saved By Grace 8.12.19

SAVED BY GRACE

BREAD

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men–the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NIV)

27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. Acts 16:27-32 (NIV)

21 “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21 (NIV)

11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:11-13 (NIV)

8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 2 Timothy 1:8-12 (NIV)

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Our nature struggles fiercely against being saved without our works and tries to deceive us with a grand illusion of our own righteousness. So we may find ourselves attracted to a life that merely appears to be righteous. Or because we know we aren’t righteous, we may be frightened by death or sin. Therefore, we must learn that we should have nothing to do with any other way of becoming righteous, except through Christ alone.” Martin Luther

“I was the enemy of God. I was stamping through God’s universe, shaking my fist in His face. And in the very moment when I was shaking my fist in God’s face and tramping through the Creator’s universe, muddying all His streams, that’s when Jesus died for me. And if this is when Jesus died for me, what hope it gives me now! Now, even when I fall, the blood of Jesus is enough. He didn’t save me because I was strong; He saved me when I was weak. He didn’t save me when I was a pretty thing; He saved me when I was a mess. On the basis of this reality, I can have comfort.” Francis Schaeffer

“Religion is, ‘I obey, therefore I’m accepted’. The Gospel is, ‘I’m accepted through what Jesus Christ has done for me, therefore I obey’. Religion gives you control, that’s why its so popular…If I am saved by what I can do, then there’s a limit to what God can ask of me. I still have some control. But if I am saved by sheer grace, then there’s nothing He cannot ask of me”. Tim Keller

“We are saved to worship God. All that Christ has done for us in the past and all that He is doing now leads to this one end.” A.W. Tozer

“The real difference between the Buddhist and the Christian cannot be seen in their behavior, but in their heart and motives. One works to be saved, the other works because he is already saved. One can never rest from his work of making merit, the other rests in the work of Christ. One has no idea where he will go when he dies; the other has the full assurance of an eternity with God. The good news has never seemed more good.” Suzy Triplett

“Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the Prodigal Son who had fallen most low could still be saved.” Seren Kierkegaard

“What if believing meant there’s no way you could stop telling the Good News because it’s more sensational than gossip that parades as news? What if shying away from the word sin so as not to offend, offends a Holy God — and what if being culturally correct leads a whole generation a wrong shy of heaven? What if breaking this addiction of talking about problems could break new ground of talking about our Provider? That we couldn’t stop sharing about how we’ve been saved, rescued, redeemed, revived?” Ann Voskamp

“The gospel…should be seen as not only a message of good news for lost people to be saved from sin’s penalty, but also a message of good news for Christian people to be saved from sin’s domineering power. The goal of the gospel is not merely to forgive us, but to change us into true worshippers of God and authentic lovers of people.” Dr. Steve Childers

“Oh! that I had a trumpet voice to warn you. Oh! while you are dying, while you are sinking into perdition, may I not cry to you; may not these eyes weep for you! Take to heart, I beseech you, the realities of eternity. Oh, turn, turn! Why will you die? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and ye shall be saved.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“It is by grace that we are saved. It is by this same grace that we are sanctified. It is all Jesus. It is always all Jesus. Nothing to the cross I bring only to the cross I cling.” BHY

“Dear friends, we are naturally so entirely ruined, that if saved the whole work must be of God, and the whole glory must crown the head of the Triune Jehovah.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.” J. C. Ryle

HEART SAVOR

• Jesus saves. He took upon Him our sin so that we may be clothed in His righteousness.
• I cannot save myself nor can any human – beware, the heart is deceitful and deluding beyond measure – we are all in need of a Savior and praise God we have One.
• Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

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He Is In Control 8.9.19

HE IS IN CONTROL

BREAD

1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6 (NIV)

14 “Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.” Genesis 18:14 (NIV)

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said: “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.” 2 Chronicles 20:5-6 (NIV)

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)

33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. Proverbs 16:33 (NIV)

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 (NIV)

8 “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” Isaiah 46:8-11 (NIV)

4 “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD–with the first of them and with the last–I am he.” Isaiah 41:4 (NIV)

5 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God’? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:25-31 (NIV)

9 Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. Hosea 14:9 (NIV)

BUTTER

“His law he enforces; the stars in their courses and sun in its orbit obediently shine; the hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains, the deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.” Katherine Davis

“Fewer doctrines of the Christian faith are more comforting than the sovereignty of God. It humbles you in good seasons, provides hope in hard seasons, and gives joy in all seasons. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is a constant nourishment for the soul. The sovereignty of God is a sweet pillow that you can lay your head on at night. It is a beautiful truth not only that God is in control over all, but is also working everything out- the good and the bad–for your good and for His glory. This sweet doctrine is medicine for the soul that you can take in any season of life.” David Qaoud

“Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. Nothing that comes to me is devoid of divine purpose. In seeking to see the whole with God’s eyes, we can find the peace which human events so often destroy. I rest, dear Lord, in the knowledge that You are the Blessed Controller of all things.” Elisabeth Elliot

“Jesus is the One who shows us the paradoxical route to meaning in a chaotic and hostile world. It’s the paradox of the gospel: Strength is found in weakness. Control is found in dependency. Power is found in surrender….God uses the frustrations of this life and the hurt of relationships to compel us to look beyond what we can control to the God who controls all things in order to woo us to himself. As we move from control to surrender, we move from chasing the wind under the sun to embracing God above it.” Dan Allender

“Praise elevates our eyes off our circumstances and places them on to Him Who is able to keep us from falling. Praise often precedes the movement of God’s hand for His children because it demonstrates our love and dependence upon Him having full knowledge it is He Who is actually in control of all things – not us.” BHY

“Sure, these crops were planted by the hand of the Farmer but it’s clear every single day we look out at them: they rest in the hand of the Father. It’s only a mirage to think that any of us have control, that we turn the world.” Ann Voskamp

“Consider for a moment just how much control we have? Rightly so, we make our plans yet we all must agree that we clearly have no idea what the day will bring forth. All too often our plans go awry for something as mundane as a cancelation of a flight, a child throwing up or a traffic jam that delays everything. If we cannot even control twenty-four hours or even twenty-four minutes or even twenty-four seconds (for that matter) what in the world makes us think we can control a lifetime? The wise look up. The wise rest in His Authority and receive their marching orders from Him seeking to abide in the center of His good and pleasing and perfect will. We make plans, but they are not authoritative plans – He often overrides them – yet all for our good and His glory never one surpassing the other. The important thing to learn is that He has a plan for every life and we want to walk in it. It may seem very difficult and not of our choosing (and more often than not this is the case) but it is always for our best – always. And in the end, it brings forth much fruit not to mention perfect peace and contentment.” BHY

“It can be hard to be diligent in the difficult, faithful while unseen, and brave in the unknown. Peace happens once we accept God’s sovereignty in light of our inability to control the outcome. When hard things strike, although our natural response is to fix it or flee, God gives us the choice to trust Him with the outcome.” Kia Stephens

“We as Christians know that faith is taking God at His Word. And we realize that faith does not get us around our problems, but it gets us through them. Such a promise is found in Psalm 48:14, ‘For this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.’ His promise then is no matter how difficult we may find life to be, He will guide us all the way home. Isaiah 42:16 ‘And I will bring the blind by a way they know not. I will lead them in paths that they have not known.’ This is the way God leads His own. You and I are blind to the future, but He is not, and He has promised to lead all who will put their trust in Him. Sometimes, because our circumstances are totally out of our control, we not only have to believe these promises, but we must put them to the test.” Wales Goebel

“It felt like I went into a terrifying freefall when I let go of all my illusions of control and self-importance — and what I found is that I landed in a soft net of love.” Jennifer Fulwiler

HEART SAVOR

• God is always on His throne and ever in control – no plan of His can be thwarted.
• God loves us and always has our best interest at heart – even though life can be ever so hard.
• God wants His children to rest in His Sovereignty – He has a plan and it is good and pleasing and perfect for every heir of mercy.

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