Wise Counsel for Successful Relationships

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

Christian Addition

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

True Worship

“God is not worshiped where He is not treasured and enjoyed. Praise is not an alternative to joy, but the expression of joy. Not to enjoy God is to dishonor Him. To say to Him that something else satisfies you more is the opposite of worship. It is sacrilege.” –John Piper, Desiring God, p. 22

How the Great Physician performs Soul Surgery

 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12

Looking forward to seeing & being a part of this

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever.

They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:8-11

Christian Growth

“The causes of retarded [spiritual] growth are many…One there is, however, which is so universal that it may easily be the main cause: failure to give time to the cultivation of the knowledge of God… Progress in the Christian life is exactly equal to the growing knowledge we gain of the Triune God in personal experience. And personal experience requires a whole life devoted to it and plenty of time spent at the holy task of cultivating God. God can be known satisfactorily only as we devote time to Him.” – “The Root of the Righteous” A.W. Tozer, p. 8-9

The Proper Attitude for Church

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

Job's Approval

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.” Job 1:20

After taking wealth, servants, sons & daughters from Job, Satan was delighted to see Job mourn in the first half of this verse. When Job fell to the ground, Satan must have thought he finally brought down righteous Job…until Job worshiped & blessed the Lord’s name (1:21). Pretty high kudos for Job by God in 2:3.

He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21

The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Job 2:3

Why Christians Live for Christ

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Good News, Bad News

First the bad news, then the good news:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Don’t Be Satisfied with Status Quo (Psalm 139:23-24)

David, after expressing his hatred of evil, will not settle for anything less than a godly life. He therefore beseeches God, who knows him intimately, to show him any wickedness in his life and guide him into greater holiness and greater fellowship with God.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”

Psalm 139:23-24

Hatred of Evil (Psalm 139:21-22)

A commitment to a holy, godly life brings with it an inward abhorrence of all that is evil, of all that is opposed to the glory of God.

“Do I not hate those who hate Thee, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against Thee? I hate them with the utmost hatred; they have become my enemies.”

Psalm 139:21-22

Purpose in the Death of the Wicked (Psalm 139:19-20)

We do not delight in the death of wicked men, but desire that through God’s judgments, God’s righteousness would be exalted so that all people would learn the fear of the Lord. (see Isaiah 26:9; Proverbs 24:17-18)

“O that Thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed, for they speak against Thee wickedly, and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain.”

Psalm 139:19-20

God’s Precepts: Precious & Plenteous (Psalm 139:17-18)

God’s Word provides an unlimited resource for meditation on the precious thoughts of God.

“How precious also are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with Thee.”

Psalm 139:17-18

God Writes About You (Psalm 139:15-16)

Kind of a nifty (and sobering) thought, God writes about you.
"My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." Psalms 139:15-16
(See also Rev. 20:12 & Mal. 3:16)

You: A Special Work (Psalm 139:13-14)

Fearfully & wonderfully formed, knitted, and created by God. You are a special work of God, not a product of random chance. Does your soul know this? Do you praise Him for this?
“For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Psalms 139:13-14

God's Vision in Darkness & Light (Psalm 139:11-12)

Darkness is part of God’s creation. It is His creature, unable to conceal anything from Him. He is not subject to it. He stands apart from it, rules over it.

‘If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me;” even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.’

Psalm 139:11-12

God Is Always With You (Psalm 139:7-10)

Another cool gift from our Father – His never ending presence:

“Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.”

Psalms 139:7-10

Overwhelmed by God (Psalm 139:5-6)

Have you ever been overwhelmed by God’s presence? Sometimes all that is left is to praise and adore Him.

“You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”
Psalms 139:5-6

God Knows You (Psalm 139:1-4)

Frightening. Liberating. Praiseworthy.

“O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my sitting down and mine rising up, Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.”

Psalm 139:1-4

Grace (2 Cor. 8:9)

God’s tool for using poverty to make you rich beyond your wildest imagination:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

2 Corinthians 8:9

Jesus Christ is the Living Word (John 1:1, 14)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

John 1:1, 14