FOLLOWING GOD'S EXAMPLE

NKJ Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

FOLLOWING GOD'S EXAMPLE.

EVERYTHING GOD HAS MADE AND DONE IS GOOD AND WE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.


FOLLOWING CHRIST'S EXAMPLE.
NKJ John 13:13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
NKJ John 13:14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
NKJ John 13:15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
NKJ John 13:16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

ASSOCIATE WITH CHRISTIANS WHO ARE FOLLOWING CHRIST.
NKJ 2 Thessalonians 3:6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.
NKJ 2 Thessalonians 3:7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;
NKJ 2 Thessalonians 3:8 nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
NKJ 2 Thessalonians 3:9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

PAUL INSTRUCTS TIMOTHY TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS.
NKJ 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DO GOOD.
NKJ Titus 2:6 Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
NKJ Titus 2:7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
NKJ Titus 2:8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.


ENDURE SUFFERING LIKE THE SAINTS OF OLD.
NKJ James 5:10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.
NKJ James 5:11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord -- that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

In a world where everything is changing, more than ever we should hold on to good doctrine and Jesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith.

NKJ Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.


PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO HOLD ON TO YOU AS WE FOLLOW YOU.

IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN.

GOD AND HIS ANIMALS PART 3

NKJ Genesis 1:30 "Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.

GOD AND HIS ANIMALS PART 3

BEHEMOTH

NKJ Job 40:15 " Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; He eats grass like an ox.

The Bible speculates that BEHEMOTH was either a hippopotamus or an elephant.

ELEPHANT

NKJ 1 Kings 10:22 For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.

NKJ Job 40:15 " Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; He eats grass like an ox.


God has made every animal with a purpose. God has made you with a purpose also. Ask God what He wants you to do with your life and you will be amazed where God leads you.

NKJ Ephesians 1:9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
NKJ Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth -- in Him.
NKJ Ephesians 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
NKJ Ephesians 1:12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.


NKJ Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO KNOW OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE AND TO GLORIFY YOU.

IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN.

WE ARE LIKE PLANTS BEFORE THE LORD, SO LET'S GET GROUNDED IN CHRIST.

NKJ Genesis 1:29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

WE ARE LIKE PLANTS BEFORE THE LORD, SO LET'S GET GROUNDED IN CHRIST.

FAMILY ARE LIKE PLANTS

NKJ Psalm 128:3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table.

NKJ Psalm 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style;


MEN OF JUDAH LIKE PLANTS

NKJ Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.


JESUS GROWING UP LIKE A PLANT

NKJ Isaiah 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

FALSE TEACHERS SHALL BE UPROOTED AND THROWN OUT.

NKJ Matthew 15:13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

LET'S GET GROUNDED IN FAITH

NKJ Ephesians 3:13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
NKJ Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
NKJ Ephesians 3:15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
NKJ Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
NKJ Ephesians 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
NKJ Ephesians 3:18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height --
NKJ Ephesians 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

NKJ Colossians 2:6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
NKJ Colossians 2:7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US KNOW YOU BETTER THROUGH YOUR WORD SO WE CAN GROW MORE IN YOU.

IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN.

WHAT IS MAN? PART 3

NKJ Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

WHAT IS MAN? PART 3

MADE IN DEVINE IMAGE

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.

WOMAN CREATED FOR MAN
1 Corinthians 11:7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

NO MAN CAN'T TAME THE TONGUE

James 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

If we are created in the image of God, we ought to speak and act righteously with the conviction God gave us. Did you know we are also created to judge angels.

1 Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY WE MAY RECOGNISE OUR PLACE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND BE AMBASSADORS IN THE WORLD FOR YOU.

IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN.

WHAT IS MAN? PART 2

NKJ Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

EQUALITY OF MAN

THE RICH AND POOR ARE EQUAL

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all.

ALL BROTHERS

Matthew 23:8 But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.

ALL ARE EQUAL

Acts 10:24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man." 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Romans 10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

POOR HEIRS TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Those who believe in Jesus are heirs to the kingdom of God. We should treat one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY THAT WE WOULD KEEP THE PEACE TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. IF THERE ARE OFFENSIVES I PRAY THAT WE WOULD ADDRESS THEM IN A WAY THAT IS PLEASING TO YOU.

IN JESUS NAME

AMEN.

WHAT IS MAN? PART 1

NKJ Genesis 1: 26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

WHAT IS MAN?

APPARENT INSIGNIFICANCE

A TENANT IN A HOUSE OF CLAY

Job 4:12 "Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. 13 In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, 14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up. 16 It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying: 17 'Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? 18 If He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error, 19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth? 20 They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding. 21 Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.'

Job 7:17 "What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, 18 That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment? 19 How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva? 20 Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself? F10 21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be."


A WORM

Job 25: 1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 "Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places. 3 Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise? 4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? 5 If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, 6 How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?"


AN ATOM IN THE NATURAL UNIVERSE


Psalms 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen-- Even the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!


A GRASSHOPPER WHEN COMPARED TO GOD

Isaiah 40:18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19 The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. 24 Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. 25 "To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.


YET UNDER THE WATCHFUL CARE OF THE ALMIGHTY

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' 11 "Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. 12 You shall seek them and not find them-- Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing. 13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.' 14 "Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you," says the Lord And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. 15 "Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff. 16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17 "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together, 20 That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Eventhough God has created us, we must look to Him for strength and not give up. For God is with us.


PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU HELP US IN OUR DAILY STRUGGLES OF LIFE AND LOOK TO YOU ALWAYS.

IN JESUS NAME

AMEN.

GOD AND HIS ANIMALS PART 2

NKJ Genesis 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good

Here are more references to God's animals in the Bible.


Bears

DAVID KILLED THE LION AND THE BEAR-HE WILL KILL GOLIATH

1 Samuel 17:31 Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you!"

DAVID AND HIS MEN ARE LIKE BEARS

2 Samuel 17: 1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king. 3 Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace." 4 And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says too." 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, "Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up." 7 So Hushai said to Absalom: "The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 8 For," said Hushai, "you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people. 9 Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, 'There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.' 10 And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there." 14 So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel." For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom.

ELISHA SENT BEARS TO ATTACK YOUNG PEOPLE FOR MAKING FUN OF HIM.

2 Kings 2:23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!" 24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

THE ROAD TO FOLLY

Proverbs 17:12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

DESCRIPTION OF A WICKED RULER

Proverbs 28: 15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people.


PEACE ON THE EARTH IN THE FUTURE

Isaiah 11: 1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. 6 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.

It would be an amazing day when we and the animals of the earth live in harmoney with each other and God's presence will fill the earth.

PRAYER

FATHER GOD, I PRAY THAT WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD FOR THE DAY OF YOUR PEACE AND PRESENCE
ON THE EARTH. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US STRENGTH FOR EACH DAY.

IN JESUS NAME

AMEN