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Who is God?

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Whatever comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. - A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don’t even know me, so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things. “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the Lord, created them. This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: “Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everythi...
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What is my priority?

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If you pray to a Father who judges men by their actions without the slightest favoritism, then you should spend the time of your stay here on earth with reverent fear. For you must realize all the time that you have been "ransomed" from the futile way of living passed on to you by your fathers' traditions, not with some money payment of transient value, but by the costly shedding of blood. The price was, in fact, the lifeblood of Christ, the unblemished and unstained lamb of sacrifice. And God raised him from the dead and gave him unimaginable splendor so that all your faith and hope might be centered in God. - 1 Peter 1:17-19,21 (Phillips) As transformed followers of Jesus Christ, we can clearly understand God's plan for our life through the study of His Word. Therefore, even though we are not omniscient and must take each step of life by faith in the Sovereign God of all creation, there should be no confusion about our priorities to execute this life. 1. Remember wh...
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Am I serving God?

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Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and do away with the gods which your fathers served beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD . - Joshua 24:14-15 (NASB) 1. Who or what am I serving? Does my daily life reflect that God has first place? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matthew 6:33 (KJV) Are my priorities, time, decisions, and desires demonstrating that God comes first in my life? 2. What competing influences might be drawing my heart away from the Lord? Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father ...
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Am I bearing fruit?

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Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the Vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. - John 15:4-6 (Amplified Bible) 1. Genuine Repentance - not just being sorry for the consequences of sin For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], wh...
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Am I praising God?

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All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time, he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united wi...
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Am I working out?

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So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. - Philippians 2:12-13 (NASB) What is the believer’s role in sanctification, and what is God’s role? The Christian working out, God working in. Paul says to these Philippian believers: you’ve got to work out your salvation. Many people have been very disturbed by that statement. Some people think that means work for your salvation. Some people think it means work at your salvation. Some people might think it means work up your salvation. But salvation is not by works. You can’t work at it. You can’t work for it. You can’t work it up. For by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB) There is no salvation by works. So, he’s not saying, Work f...
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Am I in the faith?

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Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven . Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness. - Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23 (LSB) When the Lord said these words, He was not speaking to irreligious people; he was speaking to fastidiously religious people. He was speaking to people who were religious to the max. They were obsessed with religion. In fact, they couldn’t divorce their social life, their civil life, their economic life, their family life, or their national life ...
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