Bible Verses by Topic

A: Anguish, Answered Prayer, Armor of God
B: Blessings, Body of Christ
C: Challenges, Character, Cheerful, Communication, Credibility
D: Distractions, Doubting Thomas
E: Encouragement, Empowerment, Everlasting Life, Evil (Rebuke), Evolution
F: Fasting, Faith, Faith Healing, Fear, Forgiveness, Fruit of the Spirit
G: Gifts, Giving, God Heals, God's Will, Golden Rule, Greetings, Greatness, Greatest Commandment, Great Commission
H: Health, Heaven, House of Prayer, Humility
I: Integrity
J: Joy, Judging Others
K: Knowledge
L: Leadership, Legalism, Life Purpose, Listen, Lord's Prayer, Love
M: Marriage, Momentum, Mentoring, Money, Music
N:
O: Outreach
P: Parable of the Talents, Peace, Perseverance, Possessions, Praise, Prayer, Pride, Priorities
Q:
R: Reading the Bible, Rebuke Evil, Relationships, Respect, Responsibility, Righteousness, Run with God
S: Sermons, Servant Leadership, Sin, Speech, Spirit, Strength, Sword of the Spirit
T: Teaching, Temptation, Testing the Spirits, Testimonies, Thanksgiving, Tithe, Trust, Trust in God, Truth
U:
V: Victory, Vision
W: Wisdom, Work, Worry
X:
Y:
Z:

More Topics and Bible Verses (2024 Version)

Anguish:

2 Corinthians 2:4: For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

Answered Prayer:

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God."
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
John 16:24 "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."
John 15:7 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you."
James 5:16b "The prayer of a righteous man [or woman] is powerful and effective."
Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart." (NLT)
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Ephesians 6:18-20 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-18
Matthew 6:5-13 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 6:9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
James 5:15-16 "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
1 John 5:14-15 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him."
See also Christian Testimonies, Prayers and Prayer Requests.

Armor of God:

Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for the saints." Ephesians 6:19-20
Philippians 4:8 "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."

Blessings:

Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Matthew 9:28-30 "When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 'Yes, Lord,' they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you'; and their sight was restored."
Mark 9:23 "'If you can?' said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for him who believes.'"
1Corinthians 2:9-10 "However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' - but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit."
Luke 18:28-30 Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Revelation 13:9 "He who has an ear, let him hear."
James 1:16-17 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
Matthew 22:34-40 "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
See also Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Gifts Quiz and Natural Gifts.

Body of Christ:

1 Corinthians 12:27-29 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
See Gifts of the Spirit, Fruit of the Spirit and Love.

Challenges:

James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 5:3-5 "...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Proverbs 3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."
Isaiah 40:27-31 "Why do you say, oh Jacob, and complain, oh Israel, 'my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? 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. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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."
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Psalms 34:18 "The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit." (NLT)
Psalms 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Proverbs 19:2 "Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way.
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Character:

Galatians 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Romans 5:3-5 "...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
John 8:3-11 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought is a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?' they were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bend down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.' Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.' (NIV)
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character."
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Matthew 5:37 "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

Cheerful:

Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Nehemiah 8:10 "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"

Communication:

Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (NIV)

Credibility:

Proverbs 10:21 "The lips of the righteous free many, but fools die for lack of wisdom." (NKJV)
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
1 Samuel 3:19-21 "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord. Then the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord." (NKJV)

Distractions:

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Philippians 4:8 "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."
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Hebrews 12:2 "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."

Doubting Thomas:

John 20:24-29 "Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Matthew 9:28-31 "When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 'Yes, Lord,' they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you'; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, 'See that no one knows about this.' But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
James 1:6 "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
Matthew 13:58 "And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith."
Mathew 16:23 "Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.'"

Encouragement:

Proverbs 25:11 "A word spoken at the right time is like fruit of gold set in silver."
Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Empowerment:

Hebrews 10:24-45 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage on another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (NIV)

Everlasting Life:

John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
John 11:25-26 "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
See also faith, sin and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Evolution:

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Genesis 1
2 Peter 3:8 "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."

Faith:

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
2 Corinthians 5:7 "We live by faith, not by sight."
Romans 1:17 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith."
John 11:40 "Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
Matthew 9:28-31 "When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 'Yes, Lord,' they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you'; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, 'See that no one knows about this.' But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
Luke 5:20 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.'"
Mark 5:34 "He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'"
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Mark 10:27 "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'" (NLT)
Mark 9:23-24 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!""
2 Corinthians 4:18 "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."
Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
1Corinthians 2:9-10 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him", but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.
See Doubting Thomas.

Faith Healing:

Isaiah 53:5 " But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (The Greek word "iaomai" is used 28 times in the Bible, always meaning physical healing.)
Matthew 8:16-17 "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.""
See Faith and Testimonies.

Fasting:

Matthew 6:16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is do in secret, will reward you."

Fear:

2nd Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me."
Romans 8:31 "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Psalm 118:6-7 "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Proverbs 18:14 "A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?"

Forgiveness:

Luke 23:34a "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'"
Matthew 6:14: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Matthew 7:12: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 25:40: "
Matthew 22:34-40: "34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"

a. Deuteronomy 6:5: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

b. Leviticus 19:18: Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Luke 12:48:"...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Matthew 6:9-13:"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
John 8:7-11: “7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Forgiveness: Short message on the Courage to Forgive and the Freedom in Forgiving, by World-Champion Kickboxer and holder of 9 different Black Belts, Benny Urquidez.

Forgiveness: Powerful documentary on parents forgiving their son's killer, and the great things that followed. The parents in the movie are the actual parents, Senseis Lilly (Urquidez) and Blinky Rodriguez.

Forgiveness: Detailed steps and supporting Bible verses on forgiveness. The message starts out kind of slow, then goes into detail on many topics related to forgiveness. Pastor James MacDonald.

Forgiveness: The Healing Power of Forgiveness and the Amish, by Pastor James Faust.

Video documentary of Pastor David Wilkerson's ministry, with Erik Estrada and Pat Boone (watch the intro, then the movie, then the videos shown after the movie): The Cross and the Switchblade.

Forgiveness: Former New York city gang leader Nicky Cruz presenting a powerful message on God's forgiveness. Great book written by the pastor being spoken about in the video, Pastor David Wilkerson: The Cross and the Switchblade.

Forgiveness: Powerful message on forgivness - forgiving the worst things, and the great things that followed forgiveness. Missionaries Darrell and Sherri Beebe.

Forgiveness: Obedience to God's Command to Forgive, by Pastor Robert Morris.

Additional Bible Verses on Forgiveness:

Matthew 18:21-35: “21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

God is bigger than the next challenge (including forgiveness)...

John 8:32: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Accepting Jesus, 10 Commandments, Greatest Commandment, Sermon on the Mount, Forgiveness, Divorce, other Christian messages...

Fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
2nd Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline."

Gifts:

James 1:16, 17 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
Romans 12:5-8: "So in Christ we who are many from one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contribution to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." (NIV)
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
See also Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Gifts Quiz and Natural Gifts.

Giving:

Matthew 6:2-4 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

God Heals:

Exodus 15:26 "...for I am the Lord, who heals you."
Deuteronomy 7:15 "And the Lord will take away from you all sickness..."(AMP)
Psalm 103:2-3 "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases..."
Proverbs 3:7-8 "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."
Isaiah 46:3-4 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
Isaiah 40:27-31 "Why do you say, oh Jacob, and complain, oh Israel, 'my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? 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. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 58:11 "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."
Jeremiah 30:12-14, 17 "This is what the Lord says: "Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing. There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you. All your allies have forgotten you; they care nothing for you...17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord.
Psalm 118:8 "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
Isaiah 55:2 "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

God's Will:

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Isaiah 55:8-11 "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Colossians 3:2 "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship."
Luke 13:18-21 "Then Jesus asked, 'What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.' Again he asked, 'What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.'"
Matthew 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'"
"The world does not rely on God. The world assumes that human goals are the highest good. But God's ways demonstrate the power of God at work in every situation." The Man God Uses, Blackaby.
"If you make decisions in your life based on time, you will make them one way. If you make the same decisions based on eternity, you will come to a different conclusion." The Man God Uses, Blackaby.
"The world seeks to make big impressions with immediate results. But God often works in ways that appear small and insignificant to produce a big impact on the watching world." The Man God Uses, Blackaby.

Golden Rule:

Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Greatness:

Matthew 20:26 "But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others." (CEV)
Matthew 20:25-28 "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life for the ransom for many." (NIV)
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Matthew 12:33 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit."

Greatest Commandment:

Matthew 22:34-40 "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'

Great Commission:

Matthew 28:16-20 16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Acts 1:8 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Greetings:

2 Cor 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Health and Healing:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
Jeremiah 30:17a "But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord,..." (because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.)
1 Timothy 4:8 "For physical training is of some value…" (but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.)
See also: Cheerful, Peace, Fear, Doubt, Challenges, Listen, Perseverance, Leadership, Faith, Faith Healing, Knowledge, Teaching, Truth, Sin, Forgiveness, Run With God, God Heals, Testimonies, Prayer, God's Will, Everlasting Life and Heaven.

Heaven:

Revelation 2:7 "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."
John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven."
Luke 15:7 "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
Matthew 18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
Matthew 6:20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
2 Peter 3:13 "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."
1 Thessalonians 4:17 "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
"God's kingdom is nothing like the kingdom of the world. It functions on different principles with different purposes. It is ruled by love, not power - humility, not ambition." The Man God Uses, Blackaby

House of Prayer:

Matthew 21:12-17 12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'" 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David", they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?'" 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Humility:

1 Corinthians 1: 27-29, 31 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him...Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'"
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."
Proverbs 16:17-18 "The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
Philippians 2:1-11 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Integrity:

Proverbs 10:9 "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out."
Proverbs 11:1 "The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight."

Joy:

Galatians 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Nehemiah 8:10 "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"
John 16:24 "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

Judging Others:

Matthew 7:1-5 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 'Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Knowledge:

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Proverbs 2:6 "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
Proverbs 12:1 "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." (NKJV)

Leadership:

Zechariah 4:6b "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty."
Galatians 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
1 Timothy 3:1-7 "Here is a trustworthy saying: "If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?). He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
1 Timothy 4:12-16 "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. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given to you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone my see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
Hebrews 12:12-14 "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
John 21:15-19 "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.' Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, 'Follow me!'"

Legalism:

"Legalism is a pejorative term referring to an over-emphasis on law or codes of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigor, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God or emphasizing the letter of law over the spirit. Legalism is alleged against any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_righteousness
Martin Luther, considered the founder of Protestantism: "In accordance with his father's wishes, he enrolled in law school, but dropped out almost immediately, believing that law represented uncertainty." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther
"Luther sought assurances about life, and was drawn to theology and philosophy. Philosophy proved to be unsatisfying, offering assurance about the use of reason, but nothing about the importance of loving God. For Luther, reason could be used to question men and institutions, but not God. Human beings could learn about God only through divine revelation, he believed, and Scripture therefore became increasingly important to him." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed a copy of the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg - church doors acting as the bulletin boards of his time - an event now seen as sparking the Protestant Reformation, and celebrated every October 31 as Reformation Day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther#Indulgences.2C_controversy_and_the_start_of_the_Reformation
Justification by Faith: "Luther came to understand justification as entirely the work of God. Against the teaching of his day that the righteous acts of believers are performed in cooperation with God, Luther wrote that Christians receive such righteousness entirely from outside themselves; that righteousness not only comes from Christ but actually is the righteousness of Christ, imputed to Christians (rather than infused into them) through faith. 'That is why faith alone makes someone just and fulfills the law,' he wrote. 'Faith is that which brings the Holy Spirit through the merits of Christ.' Faith, for Luther, was a gift from God. This one and firm rock, which we call the doctrine of justification,' he wrote, 'is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness.'" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther#justification_by_faith
Sermon Message on Legalism, by Pastor John C. Martin, "How to Maintain Your Joy", 8/24/08, Phillipians 3:1-11 http://www.vfassembly.org/pwsite/page.php?linkID=7871:
"I want to challenge you today to resist legalistic attitudes. Resist legalistic attitudes. Legalism, is a killjoy. It destroys the joy in your Christian life. It can ruin family, it can ruin friends, it can ruin churches, it can ruin people. Legalism literally is substituting rules and regulations for your relationship with Jesus Christ. It comes in very subtly as a deceiver, and it gets the focus off of what God has done for you, and instead, it gets the focus on what you have to do for God. And when you flip around the focus like that, you start to lose your joy. All of the law of the profits in the old testament, Jesus said were summed up in two commandments that he gave us in the new testament. And he said to us very simply to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love your neighbor as your self. Literally, the concept of love is the thing that holds both of those commandments together. And Jesus Christ came into this world because he loves you and me. And so, as a result, we need to love God and love one another. Amen? And that love has to do with relationships. It doesn’t have to do with rules, it doesn’t have to do with regulations, it doesn’t have to do with rituals. It absolutely has to do with a relationship. Jesus came into this world because he wants a relationship with you and me, and he wants to restore that relationship, that we can have back to God the father. As he takes away our sin, as we put our hope and our trust in him, our sin is wiped clean, it’s a clean slate for us. Not because we had not sinned, but because Jesus takes that sin away from us and reconciles us back to God the father. There’s no way a sinful person can approach a holy God. Only because of what Christ has done for us are we reconciled back to the father all over again. So legalism is substituting rules and regulations for my relationship with Christ. This has been a problem for thousands of years. In the early church, in the new testament church, we see it written here in this text, that there were legalistic plans for a group of people called Judeaizers. And the judeaizers had a perspective that people needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Taking on the Hebrew custom, in the Jewish rule of the day, and saying that in order for salvation to come into someone’s life, you’ve gotta be circumcised. Philippians 3:2 and 3, makes this statement: It says "Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. See friends, isn’t it wonderful today that you don’t have to do anything to earn your salvation. You just have to open up your heart and life to Jesus Christ, and he’s the one who give you the wonderful, free gift of eternal life through Christ. Isn’t that a wonderful thing today. There’s not a list of 15 things you have to do in order to be saved. You just need to accept the free gift. Accept the gift of God, in Jesus Christ, and what he’d done in dying upon the cross to take away your sin. Accepting that gift is the way we need to live. I, we as a family, have a dog at home. Her name is Hallie Hallie is a golden retriever. She loves people. If you were to come and rob our house, she would lick you to death while you do so. Because she loves people. That is not the image of the dogs that are being exemplified in Philippians 3, where it says, "Watch out for those dogs, those mutilators of the flesh." Dogs back in those days were not a pet, as much as they were a pack, that ran around trying to devour certain things. And we need to be careful to know, that there are concepts, as well as people, who are out there trying to devour a whole bunch of things. And we need to be careful of that. Watch out for those evil men. Watch out for the people who say that you have to do this, this and this, in order to be saved. Don’t walk down that road. Legalism has no place in Christianity. I’ll say it again, because I’d like to get a better amen to that one. Legalism has no place in Christianity. (Amen.) Verse three says, "For we walk by the spirit of God, and are ones that are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us, and we put no confidence in human effort." Friends, we need to not live legalistically, we need to live by grace. We need to live by grace. Paul said it in Ephesians, 2: 8 and 9, did he not? For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And it’s not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast." Right? So you don’t need to work for your salvation. It’s a free, gracious gift that God gives us, and your faith makes the connection point, with the almighty God, through Jesus Christ, as you open up your heart and your life to him. The safeguard is living by grace."
Free From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ: Colossians 2:1-23
"I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. 20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Seven Woes: Matthew 23:1-39
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries [leather boxes worn on the arm and head during certain Jewish services] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’8 "But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 16 "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it. 23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. 29 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! 33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’’"
Rules for Holy Living, Colossians 3:1-17
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Life Purpose:

Colossians 1:16 "For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible...everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him."
1 Peter 4:10 "Each of you has been blessed with one of God's wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well."
Romans 12:2 "Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do." (NLT)
"We say to ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of god that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Address as President of South Africa, 1994.
"It's not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.
Contrary to what many popular books, movies, and seminars tell you, you won't discover your life's meaning by looking within yourself. You've probably tried that already. You didn't create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for! If I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn't know its purpose, and the invention itself wouldn't be able to tell you either. Only the creator or the owner's manual could reveal its purpose."
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That's because we typically begin at the wrong starting point - ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams and my future? But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life's purpose. The Bible says, "It is God who directs the lives of his creatures; everyone's life is in his power." Job 12:10 (NLT). The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren
Ephesians 1:11 "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." The Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language
Jeremiah 17:7 "Blessed are those who trust in the Lord...They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit." (NLT)
Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Listen:

1 Kings 19: 11,13 "...Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"
1 Corinthians 2:10-13 "...but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
Psalms 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God..."
Galatians 5:25 "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."
Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Proverbs 2:6 "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
James 1:19 "My Christian brothers, you know everyone should listen much and speak little. He should be be slow to become angry."
Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed."
Exodus 15:26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you."
"Don't relegate God to the spiritual and people to the practical. The most practical thing in your life is the presence of the living God, speaking to you through the Holy Spirit." The Man God Uses, Blackaby
"Attend with the ear of your heart." - Saint Benedict

Love:

Matthew 22:34-40 "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'
Romans 12:9-21 "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 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. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Marriage:

Genesis 2:18 "The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
Matthew 19:4-6: "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
Proverbs 18:22: "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord."

Mentoring:

Proverbs 4:25 "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you." (NIV)
Esther 4:14 "For I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (NIV)
Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (NIV)
Philippians 4:8 "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."

Momentum:

1 Kings 3:28 "When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice."

Money:

1 Timothy 6:9, 10 "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Proverbs 3:9, 10 "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
Matthew 6:24 "'No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.'"
Malachi 3:8-12 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' 'In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be delightful land,' says the Lord Almighty.'"
1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Assemblies of God Financial Solutions

Music:

Psalm 33:3 "Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise."

See also Christian Testimonies

Outreach:

Luke 14:23 "Then the master said to the servant, 'go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.'"
1 Peter 2:9-10 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. "
Ex 4:11-12 "The Lord said to him, Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.
Romans 15:2 "We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build up his faith."
Luke 5:18 "Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was." (NLT)
Acts 4:13-14, 18-20 "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say...Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. Acts 4:20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.'" (NIV)
Matthew 9:37, 38 "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'"
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
"Wherever God's people are, they bring with them the power of God to change lives and circumstances. All God's people in all places at all times can radically impact their world." The Man God Uses, Blackaby

Parable of the the Talents:

Matthew 25:14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 "The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 "His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 "His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 " ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
See also Spiritual Gifts and Natural Gifts.

Peace:

Matthew 11:28-30 28 “28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Ephesians 4:3 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Proberbs 14:30 "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."
Matthew 6:27 "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
1 Corinthians 15:39 "All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds."

Perseverance:

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Romans 5:3-5 "...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Isaiah 40:27-31 "Why do you say, oh Jacob, and complain, oh Israel, 'my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? 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. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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."
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Luke 5:19 "When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Matthew 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Possessions:

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'"
Philippians 4:8 "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."
1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

Praise:

Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
- Speak words of life. Speak words of love.
Psalm 34:1 "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips."
Proverbs 25:11 "A word spoken at the right time is like fruit of gold set in silver."
Matthew 12:34-36 "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Prayer:

John 16:24 "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."
John 15:7 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you." (NIV)
James 5:16b "The prayer of a righteous man [or woman] is powerful and effective."
Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God."
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NIV)
Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart." (NLT)
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Ephesians 6:18-20 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-18
Matthew 6:5-13 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 6:9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
James 5:15-16 "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
1 John 5:14-15 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him."

Prayers:

Matthew 6:9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Priestly Blessing)
3 John 1:2 "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well."
Ephesians 1:18-19 "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength..."

Pride:

James 4:6-10 "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'...Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
1 Corinthians 1: 27-29, 31 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him...Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'"
Phillipians 2:1-11 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Proverbs 16:17-18 "The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Priorities:

Ephesians 5:15-17 "Act like people with good sense and not like fools. These are evil times, so make every minute count. Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do." (CEV)
1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Reading the Bible:

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. 17 By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing." (NIRV)
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
Psalms 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
See Teaching.

Rebuke Evil:

Mark 9:29: And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Matthew 17:18: And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
Luke 11:14: Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.
Mark 16:16-18: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Matthew 8:16: That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
Matthew 10:1: And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.
Luke 9:38-42: And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
Luke 10:17: The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
Luke 4:41: And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
Mark 3:1: And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”
Mark 5:2-20: And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. ...
Acts 16:16-18: As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
1 Peter 1:8: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Revelation 16:14: For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
Revelation 12: 7-9: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
1 Peter 2:1-15: So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...

Relationships:

Proverbs 11:25 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (NIV)
Matthew 5:27a "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes', and your 'No' be 'No'..." (NIV)
Galatians 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (NIV)
Romans 15:7 "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." (NIV)
Thessalonians 5:13 "Overwhelm them with appreciation and love! Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part." (The Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language)
Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." (NIV)
Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Respect:

1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Responsibility:

Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Righteousness:

James 5:16b "The prayer of a righteous man [or woman] is powerful and effective."
Proverbs 24:16 "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity." (NIV)

Run With God:

Hebrews 12:1 "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."
James 1:16, 17 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
Joshua 24:15 "'And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Acts 10:38 "...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. "
John 14:6 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Judges 2:1 "The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, ... "

Sermons:

Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
Calvary Assembly of God, Online Sermons

Servant Leadership:

James 2:15-17: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Matthew 25:35-40 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
John 21:15-19 "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.' Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, 'Follow me!'"
Nehemiah 8:10 "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"
Joshua 24:15 "'And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Phillipians 2:5-11 " Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
"Jesus knew the price of leadership - he was willing to give Himself." Leighton Ford.

Sin:

"What sin will always do:
- Sin always takes you farther than you wanted to go.
- Sin always keeps you longer than you wanted to stay.
- Sin always costs you more than you were willing to pay." Pastor John C. Martin, CCA Sermon Notes, 4/10/05.
Roman 3:10 "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one...'"
Romans 3:23 "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
1 John 1:8 "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
Matthew 9:9-13 "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
John 8:3-11 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."
Romans 6:23a "For the wages of sin is death..."
Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Philippians 4:8 "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."
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 10:13 "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord..."
John 3:16 "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."
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 1:12 "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:10 "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for the saints."
Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Judges 16:15-21 "15 Then she said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you won't confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven't told me the secret of your great strength." 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. 17 So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, "Come back once more; he has told me everything." So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19 Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. 20 Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison. But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved..."

Speech:

Matthew 12:34-36 "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (NIV)
Matthew 12:34-36 "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (KJV)
Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
- Speak words of life. Speak words of love.
James 1:19 "My Christian brothers, you know everyone should listen much and speak little. He should be be slow to become angry."
Proverbs 25:11 "A word spoken at the right time is like fruit of gold set in silver."
Psalm 34:1 "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips."
"Attend with the ear of your heart." - Saint Benedict

Spirit:

2nd Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline."
Galatians 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Strength:

Isaiah 40:27-31 "Why do you say, oh Jacob, and complain, oh Israel, 'my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? 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. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Psalm 23 "A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Nehemiah 8:10 "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"
See Perseverance.

Teaching:

John 8:31-32 "...Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. 17 By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing." (NIRV)
2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)
Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
John 7:14-18 "14 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, 'How did this man get such learning without having studied?' 16 Jesus answered, 'My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.'"
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
Psalms 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Matthew 26:41 ""Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
See also Challenges and Testing the Spirits

Testimonies:

1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."


Mr. T's Christian Testimony	Steve Harvey Introduces Jesus Christ

1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Revelation 13:9 "He who has an ear, let him hear."
Debating Christianity and Agnosticism, Harry Ironside
The United States of America: America's Christian Heritage
The Bible: Best Selling Book of All-time
Cardboard Testimonies
Becky Breitenstein, Calvary Assembly of God, 5/11/08
Chuck Norris
Sarah Rosser, Seizures Healed
Brittany Backenhaster, Seizures Healed. "Brittany had to wear a helmet to protect her head from injury, while her parents turned to God's word for comfort. 'God gave me my promise, in Psalm 37:4-5. He said, "Delight thyself, also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." God said don't look at what you see, look at what you don't see. Tell me and speak what you want. I put her in the car and I started down the road, and I ended up at a school playground. And I said God, that's what I want. I want my little girl back, normal, like those kids I see that are running and playing...'"
Stephanie Beard, paralysis healed
Pauline Jacobi, 92 year old faces attacker with faith
Ashley Smith: Faith provided safety (2)
Roy Davidson, ulcers healed
Team Hoyt, (2)
Bianca Ryan, America's Got Talent Winner
Bianca Ryan Interview, TBN (2)
Hard life growing up: Family problems, abuse, crime, Gideon's Bible
Sylvester Stallone: Rocky, Rambo (2, 3, 4)
Jenny: Young woman & self image
Tim Tebow, 2007 Heisman Trophy Winner
Nick Vujicic, (2)
Ethan Payne "Angels catched me"
Kirk Martin, Heavy metal rocker sold sole to devil then God stepped in
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns, Dyslexia (2, 3)
Evel Knievel (2)
Scott Rigsby
Tony Melendez
Jessy Dixon, Asthma Healed
David Yonggi Cho, Pastor of the world's largest church with a congregation of 830,000
(sermon: part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Michael Jr. on TBN, Comedian
Sarah Palin, Baptism
Terry Bradshaw, Depression
Lamont Bonmans, Comedian
Andre Crouch, Musician
Victoria Jackson, Comedian
Franklin Graham, Son of Billy Graham
Ginny Geiger, Development Director for A Door of Hope (link to audio file, will take a minute to download), 10/5/08. Ginny shares her testimony and information about her work with A Door of Hope - a pregnancy center which provides pregnancy tests, information on pregnancy/abortion/abortion alternatives, spiritual counseling, and assistance with maternity and baby needs. Ginny can be reached at: 302-998-9000. Additional info: www.adoorofhope.org.
Zion: Being a light in the world
Brea: God provided safety and direction in life
Pastor Mike Macintosh
Pastor Oden Fong
Crown Financial Ministries
Tom: Dealing with anger and evil
John Chapman: Depression, dealing with a handicap
Chris Tomlin, Jesus Messiah
Chris Tomlin, Love
Chris Tomlin, God of the City: Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done
Chris Tomlin, Praise the Father, Praise the Son
Ex-Korn Guitarist Brian Welsch, Drug free
Christian the Lion
Bono
Charles Chapman: 26 Years in prison, wrongly accused
"Billy Graham, The Early Years" movie trailer
Eric Garner, Homosexuality
Choosing Missions Work
Acts 4:1-20 "The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Christian Music

Testing the Spirits:

1 Cornithians 2:6-16 "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 2:9 However, as it is written: ' No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' - but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 2:16 'For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ.
1 John 4:1-6 "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. 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, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the anti-Christ, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 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. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Thanksgiving:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Tithe:

Proverbs 3:9, 10 "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 " Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
Malachi 3:8-12 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' 'In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be delightful land,' says the Lord Almighty.'"

Trust:

"Trust is formed by a leader's character and credibility." John C. Maxwell.
Proverbs 10:17 "He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray." (NKJV)
1 Kings 19:12 "After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." (NIV)
Proverbs 11:13 "A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret." (NIV)

Trust in God:

Proverbs 3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. " (NIV)
Judges 2:1 "The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, ... "
Mark 10:27 "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'" (NLT)
Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (NIV)
Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." (NIV)
1 Samuel 15:22 "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (NIV)
Matthew 14:15-21 "As the evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, 'This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." Jesus replied, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.' We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,' they answered. 'Bring them here to me, 'he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. they all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children." (NIV)
Matthew 13:20-23 "'The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.'"
Acts 16:6-10 "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them."
John 15:1-8 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.'"
Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
"If you want to know God's will for your life, build a relationship with the One who knows. He will uniquely show you what He wants to do through you, and you will know it is God." The Man God Uses, Blackaby

Truth:

John 8:31-32: 31 'To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” '
Matthew 6:31-34: 'So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'

Victory:

"Leaders find a way for the team to win." John C. Maxwell
Three components of victory.
- Unity of vision.
- Diversity of gifts...
Romans 12:5-8: "So in Christ we who are many from one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. I a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contribution to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." (NIV)
- Leadership committed to raising the team's potential.
Mark 10:27 "...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Vision:

"Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course." John Maxwell
A visionary leader sees...
- farther than others see
- more than others see
- before others see
What hinders vision?
- Limited leaders
- Satisfied sitters
- Problem perceivers
- Self-seekers
Proverbs 19:18a: "Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (KJV)
Luke 14:28-39 "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'" (NASB)
Luke 12:48 "...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Wisdom:

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
1 Corinthians 1:18 to 2:5 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power."
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 2:7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"— 2:10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 2:15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ."
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."

Work:

Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." (NIV)
Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed." (NLT)
Proverbs 22:29 "Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men." (NKJV)
Proverbs 27:18 "Workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat its fruit. In the same way, workers who protect their employer's interests will be rewarded." (NLT)
Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."
Proverbs 6:68 "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its way and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." (NIV)

Worry:

Matthew 6:31-34: 'So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'

References:

The Bible, New International Version, (2)
The Message, The Bible In Contemporary Language
The Bible, New Living Translation
The Bible, King James Version
The Bible, New King James Version
The Bible, New American Standard Edition
The Bible, Amplified Version
The Bible, New International Readers Version
Victorville First Assembly of God, Pastors John C. Martin and Josh Gerbracht
Leadership Review, Pastors John C. Martin and Josh Gerbracht
Calvary Assembly of God, Pastor Dominick Piscitelli
St. Mark's Methodist Church, Pastor Fred Melton
Calvary Christian Assembly of God
Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren
The Man God Uses, Henry & Tom Blackaby