Psalm 35:5-10

5 Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD.

7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God!

All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,

letting them drink from your rivers of delight.

9 For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.

10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;

 give justice to those with honest hearts. (NLT)

It is God who supplies everything. It is He who feeds you, it is He who provides for you, it is He who loves you and pours love into you and you have what you have from His abundance. God is your fountain of life and it is from Him that you have life. It is God who provided a way for you to come back to Him through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. You where wonderfully created by God for God and you are His Master Piece. Read these verses again and again, God loves you.

God’s unfailing love for you is as vast as the heavens (which is unending).

Words of Encouragement will be taking the Summer off, see you in September. Have a wonderful Summer. Pray and Praise the Lord every day. God Bless.

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Psalms 33:18-22

18 But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.

19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

20 We depend on the LORD alone to save us. Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in his holy name.

22 Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.  (NLT)

Our hope is to be in the LORD and the LORD alone. It is He who sustains us, protects us, helps us and saves us. Place your heart into His loving hands and let Him have His way for in so doing our hearts will rejoice.

The Love of the Lord is Everlasting.

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Psalm 33:13-15

13 The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.

14 From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.

15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. (NLT)

There is nothing that the Lord does not know, He knows everything and He knows the condition of the entire human race. He looks down from His throne not with disgust, but with love. He loves His creation because He is love. He made your heart and your heart was made to love as He loves. He understands everything about you, why you do what you do and He loves everything about you. He sent Jesus to demonstrate that love to everyone. Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to show the world how much the Father loves His creation. Jesus died for this world so that those who would believe would know the love of the Father. Love was meant to be given away and as you give it away God pours more into your life to overflowing.

Share the Love of the Father with others.

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Psalm 32:6-11

6 Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

7 For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.

8 The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control."

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD.

11 So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! (NLT)

In obedience there is peace and joy. When we obey the Lord and give Him control of our lives He gives us so much more. Sin brings enslavement and bondage, but obedience to God brings freedom. When we obey God even the most difficult things brings joy and gladness. When we sin God does not leave us, but lets us do things our way so that we can learn to trust Him and not ourselves. God’s way is always better than our way. Our way brings pain, sorrow and trouble but God’s way brings victory over sin and death. This victory gives us hope and that hope is in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey Him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

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Psalm 32:1-5

1 Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!

2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

3 When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long.

4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (NLT)

You cannot hide your sin from the Lord, He sees everything you do and He knows your motives behind every decision you make. The Lord cannot be fooled for He created you and knows everything about you. To hide your sin only brings misery to you and to those around you. God disciplines you because He loves you and knows what is best for you. For we have all sinned and fallen short but God has made a way to Him through Jesus Christ, He has placed the Holy Spirit within us to convict us of our sins and to draw us back to Christ. Therefore confess your sins to Him, not a blanked confession but confess each sin specifically. Then turn from your sin and turn to following Christ.

When God forgives all your guilt is gone.

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Psalms 31:23-24

23 Love the LORD, all you faithful ones! For the LORD protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes all who are arrogant.

24 So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the LORD! (NLT)

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves tough questions. Are you loyal to the Lord Jesus Christ? Life can be very busy and Satan wants nothing more than to see you being too busy to serve the Lord. The Apostle Paul tells you to examine yourselves and it is important to do just that. Are you doing things in your own strength or are you relying on the Lord? Do not be arrogant but humble yourself before the Lord and be loyal to Him and Him alone. Place your hope in the Lord for it is the only true place of hope.

Be Strong and take Courage.

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Psalm 27:13 - 14

13 Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. (NLT)

Yes we will see the Lord’s goodness in our life here in the land of the living. We will have ups and downs in life, but the Lord’s goodness is upon us because He lives within us. Therefore you can be very confident in the Lord for the work He is doing in you and through you.

Be patient and not in a hurry for the scripture says that good things come to those who wait upon the Lord. All things will be done in God’s time not ours, so patiently wait on Him. When we do things in our own strength, in our own time and our own way we can really mess things up. Then we have to turn to the Lord, say we messed up, then the Lord has to clean up our mess and it just takes longer. Wait on the Lord.

Be Brave and Courageous.

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Philippians 2:8-9

8 And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.
9 Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name (NLT)

We are to be like Jesus, so we as Christ followers need to humble ourselves and be obedient to our Savior. Jesus not only died a horrible death for us in our place but He died a criminal’s death. He was not a criminal nor did He commit any crimes. We were the criminals, we were the ones who had committed acts of sin against our creator and it was because of this that He had to die on the cross a criminal’s death. For us.
Because Jesus was obedient unto death God raised Him up and seated Him in the heights of heaven and gave Him the name that is above every other name. We serve a risen and living Savior that knows our pain and who is worth of our obedience. Take the time right now and thank Him for everything He has done and is doing in your life.

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Our Mission is to Lead Men into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

Philippians 4:2-3

2 And now I want to plead with those two women, Euodia and Syntyche.
Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.
3 And I ask you, my true teammate, to help these women,
for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News.
And they worked with Clement and the rest of my co-workers,
whose names are written in the Book of Life.
(NLT)

Because we belong to the Lord and that God tells us to forgive each other because He forgave us, therefore we are to settle our disagreements with each other. We are not to hold grudges but to humble ourselves before God and to work things out. Disagreements will arise from time to time but God instructs us to work through the issues and come to a conclusion or agreement. And while we are working through the issues we need to also be praying and seeking God on the matters at hand. Do not make the mistake of leaving God out of the picture.

We are teammates with one another and we are to help those in disagreements work together with the Lord to work through the issues. A family works things out. We are all to be working together in sharing the Good News of the gospel therefore we need to be united together in Christ for Satan wants nothing short of us fighting and squabbling with each other. We are to band together with Christ to fight against the enemy because our names are written in the Book of Life and we are marked by the Holy Spirit as His children. So be on the alert, for the enemy is watching for an opportunity to try to separate us from one another.
Bond with Christ and each other.

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Self-Control

1 Peter 1:13-16

13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. 14 Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God — who chose you to be his children — is holy. 16 For he himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy." (NLT)

We need to exercise self-control similarly to how we exercise our bodies. It takes effort and discipline. As you look forward to your body being in good shape when you exercise you can also look forward to the blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ as you exercise self-control.

Remember that you have been called to be a child of the living God. And as a child of God we must not go back to what we were before Christ. Before we did not know any better or really what we were doing. God tells us to be Holy as He is Holy. We have been called to a higher standard. We cannot reach it on our own but as we put our trust into the working of the Holy Spirit He will mold and shape us into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.

Therefore be obedient children of God, letting the Holy Spirit work in your life, exercising self-control, looking to Christ's leading and bring glory to God through your walk with Christ.

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Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid?

The LORD protects me from danger — so why should I tremble? (NLT)

The Lords light shines on you and around you. There is nothing for you to fear because He is with you and He surrounds you always. You can always trust the Lord to protect you from danger because He is always with you. So why are you afraid and why do you tremble? Because you doubt, you don’t trust or you only see with your eyes and not with your faith. Look around you, what do you see? The power of God in control of everything around you, in everything and holding everything together. Your God is all powerful, for even the demons tremble at the name of Jesus.

Your God is an awesome God and all power is in His hands and only His hands.

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Psalms 25:12-15

12 Who are those who fear the LORD? He will show them the path they should choose.

13 They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the Promised Land.

14 Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him. With them he shares the secrets of his covenant.

15 My eyes are always looking to the LORD for help, for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies. (NLT)

Fear the Lord for He is all powerful and all knowing. It is by His power that all things were created. He spoke and it became what he wanted it to be. God has no beginning and He has no end. We have a beginning and this life will have an end. We are bound by time but God is not bound by anything for He is eternal. Yes we should fear the Lord for it is He who created us. Fearing the Lord is not a bad thing but a good thing. As we love, respect and worship the Lord there is blessings and promises from Him.

Fear the Lord for you were wonderfully made by Him.

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Psalm 25:7-11

7 Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth; look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O LORD.

8 The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

9 He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them his way.

10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.

11 For the honor of your name, O LORD, forgive my many, many sins. (NLT)

Forgiveness is good for the soul. You need to spend time in examining your life and the things in which you do and say. Those things which are not in line with God’s word need to be confessed. Praise be to God who through His unfailing love forgives us, His Holy Spirit lifts us back up and He continues to teach us God’s way. We are a rebellious lot, but God has created us for something better than what we are. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, confess your sins to Him and turn from them to Him. Know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

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Psalms 25:4-6

4 Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow.

5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

6 Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion, which you have shown from long ages past. (NLT)

Part of your daily prayer you need to be asking God to show you the path He has for you to follow. Following requires you to trust God and it takes faith to follow. Following does not come easy to us but it is what God wants us to do. Remember God’s unfailing love and compassion for you and what Jesus did on the Cross for you. God did these things for you because He loves you. He will lead you and teach you His truth as you hope in Him daily. The path God has for you is the best thing for you.

Follow.

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Psalm 20:1-5

1 In times of trouble, may the LORD respond to your cry.

May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.

2 May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.  

3 May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

4 May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.

5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God.

May the LORD answer all your prayers. (NLT)

In times of trouble cry out to the Lord for help and in times of no trouble call out to the Lord and praise His Holy name. God is for you not against you. He has plans for you and not disaster. He will fill your heart with love and grant your heart’s desire. Your heart’s desire should be to love the Lord your God with all that you have and fulfill His will. Your strength is in the Lord and the victory is in the Lord.

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Psalm 24:1-6

1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

2 For he laid the earth's foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.

3 Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?

4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.

5 They will receive the LORD's blessing and have right standing with God their savior.

6 They alone may enter God's presence and worship the God of Israel. (NLT)

As you search out your life in Christ realize that all belongs to God including you. God wants you to search Him out, to pray fervently to Him and to worship Him daily. Turn from your old habits and turn to the new life in Christ. Put Him first in your life and see the life He has for you. The new life is so much better then what you have tried to make, surrender to the one who knows you better than you know yourself and accept His will for you. He will never force Himself on you; He wants you to come willing and to be your God and Father. We were made to be in fellowship with Him.

Put Christ at the center of your life.

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Psalm 23:1-6

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.

2 He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.

3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

4 Even when I walk  through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. (NLT)

The LORD is your shepherd. God refers to us as sheep, sheep need a shepherd and Jesus is your shepherd. Sheep cannot survive without their shepherd and we cannot survive without Jesus. The world believes that they don’t need Jesus and they wonder about being devoured by the wolf (the devil). Our shepherd protects us and comforts us. He never lives us He is always right beside us. Our shepherd welcomes us in Loves us and blesses us.

The Lord Jesus is your shepherd.

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Psalm 19:7-11

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.

The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight to life.

9 Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever.

The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.

10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.

They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

11 They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them.  (NLT)

The Word of the Lord is perfect, it is trustworthy and it is reviving for the soul. The word is powerful -- able to change a life from following the world to following Christ. It opens our eyes to truth and wisdom, giving insight to life and eternal life. The truth of the word is that it is more important than gold, wealth, fame or popularity. The word is sweeter than honey and more satisfying. Each word in the word of God is fair and just.

Those who live according to the words of God and according to His commandments will be giving insight into them. It will give them wisdom, understanding, love, kindness and clarity in life. Even though the word of God is true it comes with a warning not to take lightly the words of God, but to follow and obey them for those who do will be greatly rewarded for their obedience.

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Psalms 19:1-2

1 The heavens tell of the glory of God.

The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.

2 Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known.  (NLT)

Do you remember when you were a child watching the clouds go by and picking out the different shapes that they transformed into? And then at night setting out to watch the stars come out and watch them fill up the night sky? God’s glory is so wonderful and it is right in front of us all the time. We can at any time stop and watch the craftsmanship and artistry of our God. These things without a word speak of the power and glory of God. You don’t need to be a child to stop and watch in awe the glory of God go by. Stop and spend some time with the Lord, view His power and glory and then spend time in prayer to the God who paints you pictures every morning, every day and every evening.

The skies display His marvelous craftsmanship.

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Psalms 18:1-2

1 I love you, LORD; you are my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

    He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold. (NLT)

King David does such a wonderful job here of not only describing how he feels about the Lord but is this not how you also feel about the Lord? He is your strength, your rock, your fortress, your savior, your protection, your shield, your salvation and your stronghold. It is the Lord that holds on to you and He never lets you go. It is He who provides everything you need in this life and the one to come. It is He who gives you life and breath. He loves you with an unconditional love that depths are too deep to fathom or to fully search out. But you get to spend all eternity with Him to search out His holiness and His great love for you.

It is the LORD who sustains you.

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Psalm 16:5-8

5 LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.

6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!

7 I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. (NLT)

The Lord is your inheritance, Jesus is yours and you are His. Your cup is full of the blessings of God and He fills it to overflowing. It is the Lord that guides you, it is the Lord that instructs your heart and it is He who is always with you right beside you. Trust Him for only He is trustworthy and He will never fail you. Oh there are times when we think He is not near or that He does not care but that is Satan trying to distract you from God. Trust in God for He will make you stand firm.

Jesus is our inheritance, what a wonderful inheritance!

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Psalm 16:1-3

1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.

2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Master!

All the good things I have are from you."

3 The godly people in the land are my true heroes!

I take pleasure in them! (NLT)

All the good things in life are from the Lord. It is the Lord that gives it -- not some great thing that you have done, but it is God who gives you favor. Give credit where credit is due and praise the Lord for what He has done for you. It is the Lord who is your Master and it is He who keeps you safe. It is He who gives you a place of refuge from the storms of life and it is He who sustains you. Your true heroes in life should be those godly ones who in God’s word are examples to us to live for Him and to trust in Him.

Take pleasure in them and in the Lord.

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Psalms 15:1-5

1Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?

  Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,

  speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

3 Those who refuse to slander others or harm their neighbors

  or speak evil of their friends.

4 Those who despise persistent sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the LORD

  and keep their promises even when it hurts.

5 Those who do not charge interest on the money they lend,

  Such people will stand firm forever. (NLT)

Paul talks about examining yourself before you partake in communion. When you enter the house of the Lord to worship Him we should examine ourselves. Ask yourself is there anything that hinders me or is there a sin I have not confessed or is there someone I am holding a grudge toward or someone I have not forgiven? If so, take care of it right then and there. Remember that we serve a Holy God. Our hearts need to right with Him. God says be Holy as I am Holy. Honor the Lord by living your life to bring honor and glory to the God who loves you, who died for you and who is raised up for you so that you can have eternal life.

Stand firm in Christ.

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