a spiritual renewal

"Throw off your evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewel of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness--righteous, holy, and true."{Ephesians 4:22-24}

lose it now

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" {Matthew 16:25}

truth through actions

"Preach the Gospel always--if necessary use words."

spring's loveliness

"The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent or the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness."

the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing

"Just as spring's role is different from that of fall, so each of the seasons of our lives has a different emphasis, focus, and beauty... We cannot skip ahead to experience the richness of another life season more than a farmer can rush the spring."

humility

"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all."

in His service

"Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give--my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength, days, nights, youth, age--and spend them in Thy service, O God, my Redeemer."

sacrifice now

"There will be a time when all present, temporal things will be passed away. There will be beautiful voices and instruments giving direct praise to God. There will be builders, gardeners, priests, rulers, and teachers. All work will be done for the glory of God, selflessly and tirelessly. Every work is done in service to the LORD, finally perfectly manifesting His characteristics.

At the beginning of this eternal age, a judgment will take place. The just will be united with their Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bride will be those who steadily prepared themselves during their days on earth. God will not want an unprepared people to serve Him eternally.

The Bride will be a diverse people but all of the same mind, picked as a peculiar people from beginning to end. They were set apart from the rest of the world during their lifetime, being sojourners and pilgrims. God does not want ordinary people who live for themselves. He wants servants. Servants who are prepared by sacrificing their own lives in service to Him.

God is looking for those who earnestly seek Him and want to please Him above all else. Any less will not be acceptable as the Bride. Someday there will be nothing else to do but to worship and serve Him. If people are not content serving Him now, they surely will not be content serving Him forevermore."

never worry

"Never worry. Think in a straight line--from problem to solution. Or if there is no solution, to acceptance. Wisdom knows there is a reason, and accepts, and adjusts, and is thankful, whether God gives or takes away."

just enough evil

"The Deity allows His people to come in contact with enough evil to test their allegiance to Him. He has promised that we shall not be tempted more than we shall be able to resist, for if we look to Him, He will direct us in a way to escape."

correction

"What you dislike in another take care to correct in yourself."

to be humble

"Humility is looked at as weakness. But here's the secret: In order to be humble, you have to be strong."

olympics?

"What the evil, fleshly world worships and calls 'manly' is simply glorified ugliness: war, sport, competition, rivalry, victory over others, possessions, power, prestige, and lust--all the activities and pleasures of the undisciplined animal."

the peace of God

"Peace is not rolling hills
a fast-paced stream
a sunset
a beautiful picture
a fresh-baked pie
an orchastra concert
No, those are not peace
Peace is obedience and trust in God
It can dwell in a prison
a torture chamber
a sickbed
a stressful workday
a whole life, every moment."

nurture godliness

"There are 'things' we can--and must--do to nurture the basics of godliness. But godly character is not expressed by good doing. It is to be Christlike. Doing the right thing is never enough. No, we must have God's image stamped upon our minds. Our hearts must belong to Him. Our desires must be His desires. And our every deed must be marked by His presence."

escape the cycle of defeat

"The key to escaping the cycle of defeat is to embrace God's standard for holiness, His source of power to change, and His motive for fighting sin."

conditions

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commands with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." {Proverbs 2:1-5}

Conditions: open ears, mind, and heart. Must cry out for it, search for it, work for it, labor for it.

infatuation

"Anytime we allow someone to displace God as the focus of our affection it is called infatuation. We become idolaters, bowing to someone other than God, hoping that this person will meet our needs and bring us fulfillment. God must be the object of our longing."

trouble is appointed

"Trouble is robbed of its power to destroy if we recognize that it is inevitable--that it is appointed--and further that it has a purpose to serve."

in God's hands

"Many things I have tried to grasp, and have lost. That which I have placed in God's hands I still have."

brightly burning

"The more we understand of what we profess to believe, the stronger our faith therein; and nearer we approach its development, the more necessary it is that a lively interest be kindled in us, that our lamps be well-trimmed, and our lamps be found brightly burning."

---

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle."

usefully busy

"Keep your mind on God, and keep busy at something useful and profitable to others. You will then always be happy and at peace. You'll have no time for fancied offences or self-pity, or criticism of others, or catering to your own lusts and desires. Wasted time or self-indulgent time is unfaithful stewardship and self-destruction. God has set up this way, and it is wisdom, and we are very foolish if we think we can outwit Him, and find happiness and satisfaction any other way."

not indifferent

"Our Father is not indifferent as to how His children conduct themselves. If we 'sport' with the world let us be careful we are not deceived by the reasonings of the flesh. Let us not calculate to get the fullest permissible limit of self-indulgence out of the 'world' and still be 'safe for the Kingdom.' Let us rather avoid everything we cannot imagine Christ sharing and approving."

manifest

"When people look at me do they see something pure, holy, and different? Do they see something about me that marks me belonging to the Lord?"

"To manifest: to show forth, make known, display, declare!"