The Bible can help you live the life that God has planned for you to live.

Ask God to give you the desire to learn His Word.

I praise you, O Lord;
teach me your decrees. (Psalm 119:12 NLT)

 Study and reflect on the scriptures daily.

 I will study your commandments
and reflect on your ways.  (Psalm 119:15 NLT)

 Memorize Bible verses.

I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11 NLT)

 Recite Bible verses out loud.

I have recited aloud
all the regulations you have given us. (Psalm 119:13 NLT)

 Enjoy your time in the Word.

 I have rejoiced in your laws
as much as in riches. (Psalm 119:14 NLT)

 I will delight in your decrees
and not forget your word. (Psalm 119:16 NLT)

Live the Life that God Planned for You to Live.

• Ask God to give you the desire to learn His Word.
• Study and reflect on the scriptures daily.
• Memorize Bible verses.
• Recite Bible verses out loud.
• Enjoy your time in the Word.

 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path.
 (Psalm 119:105 NLT)

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All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.              (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)

What does scripture do for us?

It teaches us how to live the life God has planned for us to live.

• It is useful to teach us what is true.
• It makes us realize what is wrong in our lives.
• It corrects us when we are wrong.
• It teaches us to do right.

This book helps us to become “complete” and equipped for every good work.

Are you using your best-selling “How-To” book, the Bible, on a daily basis?

 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path.
 (Psalm 119:105 NLT)

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Presidents Day is a time to remember and honor our past presidents and a time to honor the office of our current president.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.  (Romans 13:1 NLT)

Presidents Day, along with every other day, is a time to pray for our president.  The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.  Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.  This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.   (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT)

The Bible also tells us what to pray.

“Ask God to help them” (to rule well).

 The Bible tells us why we should pray for our leaders.

“So that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.”

The Bible tells us how God feels about us praying for our leaders.

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”

The Bible tells us what God wants for our leaders, and everyone else.

“God … wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”

Remember to pray for President Obama.  Pray also for your local, state, and federal politicians.

What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord,
    whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
(Psalm 33:12 NLT)

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Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
(1 John 4:7 ESV)

We love each other because he loved us first.
(1 John 4:19 NLT)

 So now I am giving you a new commandment:
Love each other.
Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
(John 13:34 NLT)

 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV)

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8 ESV)

Happy Valentine’s Day

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Recently I have been hearing a lot about Ash Wednesday and the forty days of Lent.  Everything I heard sounded good, but I don’t recall reading about these events in the Scriptures. Out of curiosity I went to several Bible dictionaries to find out more about the forty days of Lent.  Lent was not included in my Bible dictionaries.

My conclusion is that celebrating Lent is a tradition, not something taught in the scriptures.

However, any activity that draws us closer to God is certainly worth considering.  Reflecting on the life of Jesus, His love for us, His death and resurrection can be life changing. Anticipating the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus can be spiritually uplifting.  A season of Lent could have long term benefits.

I hear about people giving something up for the forty days of Lent (favorite foods, special activities, electronics, etc.)  Rather than giving up something for the next 40 days, you might choose to focus on scripture. Look for ways to implement a challenging Biblical principle into your everyday living.  Don’t let your focus be on giving up something, instead focus on doing something positive.

Among many choices, you may want to consider one of the following three passages of scripture to study carefully and put into practice.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1 NLT)

 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.  (Matthew 5:16 NLT)

Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.   (1 Peter 2:12 NLT)

Studying and implementing Biblical principles into your life should not end after the forty days of Lent, but focusing on a passage of scripture for forty days may be enough to ingrain this principle into your life for a long time to come.

 “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:26-28 (NLT)

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What happens when you die?  The Bible tells us that there will be a day of judgment for everyone.

…. Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. (Romans 14:10 & 12 NLT)

Christians will one day stand before the judgment seat of God, not to decide whether or not they will receive eternal life in heaven, but to have their works tried by the fire of God’s judgment. Those works which stand the test will be the basis for rewards given by God.

But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.   If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.  (1 Corinthians 3:13-14 NLT)

There is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.   (John 5:24 NLT)

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  (Romans 8:1 NLT)

Judgment for Christians will be a time of determining rewards.

²⁰ The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
²¹ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’  (Matthew 25:20-21 NLT)

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.  (Revelation 22:12 NLT) “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.   (John 3:18 NLT)

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What happens when you die?  The Bible tells us that there will be a day of judgment for everyone.

Everyone must die once. Then they are judged.  (Hebrews 9:27 ERV)

…. Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. (Romans 14:10 & 12 NLT)

When you die there are only two possible outcomes.  Both outcomes will last for eternity.  One is heaven and one is hell.

Matthew 25
³¹ “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. ³² …. and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
⁴¹ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. …. ⁴⁶ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

 Simply stated:

There are many who are dead and buried.  Some of them will wake up and live forever, but others will wake up to shame and disgrace forever. (Daniel 12:2 ERV)

Two outcomes.  Eternal punishment or eternal life.

 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NLT)

Look for future posts discussing life and death.

 Click here to view previous posts on the Seeking His Kingdom website.

You may want to read the post Heaven or Hell?

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Are you feeling abandoned or discouraged?  Do you wonder if anyone cares?

There are times we all feel abandoned or discouraged.  Scripture has some very encouraging words for God’s people.  If you are a Christian, these words are for you.

First, remember that God says He loves His people with an everlasting love.  God will always love you.

Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.  (Jeremiah 31:3 NLT)

 God also tells you that He has a “good” plan and a purpose for your life.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

God promises you that He will never fail or abandon you.

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  (Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT)

For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly.
He will keep them safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will die.  (Psalm 37:28 NLT)

 The Lord will not reject his people;
he will not abandon his special possession.  (Psalm 94:14 NLT)

Jesus is your advocate, even when you mess up (sin).

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.  (1 John 2:1 NLT)

Remember:

• God will always love you.
• God has a “good” plan and a “good” purpose for your life.
• God will never fail or abandon you.
• Jesus is your advocate, even when you mess up (sin).

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
(1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

If you are not a Christian, or if you are uncertain about your relationship with the Lord, you may want to read “Whoever Believes ….” (click this hyperlink)

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…. if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.  (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)

Think what could happen if the Christians in America humbled themselves, and prayed and sought God’s face and turned from their wicked ways.

What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord,
whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
(Psalm 33:12 NLT)

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Helpful behaviors are frequently modeled in scripture.  Look at the following passage from the book of Acts.

Acts 17:10-14 (NLT)
¹⁰ That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. ¹² As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.
¹³ But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. ¹⁴ The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.

¹⁰ That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea.

• Listen to (consider) the council of others

 Plans go wrong for lack of advice;
many advisers bring success.  (Proverbs 15:22 NLT)

 When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica,

• Be open minded

Be willing to consider different ideas or opinions.

Be receptive to new and different ideas and be receptive to the opinions of others.

 and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message.

• Be a good listener

 They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. 

• Spend quality time in the Word on a daily basis.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.  (John 15:5 NLT)

¹² As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.  ¹³ But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. 

• Anticipate opposition

¹⁴ The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 

• Be ready to take action

Six helpful behaviors:

• Listen to (consider) the council of others
• Be open minded
• Be a good listener
• Spend quality time in the Word on a daily basis
• Anticipate opposition
• Be ready to take action

 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. (Acts 17:11 NLT)

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