Ephesians 1:1-2 Peace from God

Ephesians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
>2 Corinthians 1:1
-an apostle of Christ Jesus
>1 Corinthians 1:1
-called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
>We who are in Christ, are saints!!! (REMINDER to self)

Ephesians 2:1
Grace to you
>a blessing
and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
>PEACE IS FROM GOD
Numbers 6:26
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Job 22:21
Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
Romans 8:6
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Philippians 4:6-9
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

And finally my prayer for ya'll!
2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

My favorite place Cousin Bubba and Chucks catch on the lines
Me and cousin Irie Star
Pictures to prove Kansas can be awesome

Road Trip with me

Here's where we camped in Arkansas. Beautiful! Jealous? I know.
Here's me and Mandy an hour before I thought I was gonna kill over from a straight up hill hike

Here's the view on the way down! It was worth it, but I need to get in shape!

Here's my hero, good samaritian, new biker friend who saved me and drove me to get gas when I was lost near Joplin on the way home and ran out. God bless JP. Stupid Missouri.

Here's me on his hog!

So when I got gas and on the right road I get a call from my lovely friend Anne Marie, who just happened to be driving right next to me (small world) and we go visit our good friend Dustin in J0plin.

Here's us pondering our weekends.
The End

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! Im fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help Ive come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily Im constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Heres my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How Ill sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

"My unassisted heart is barren clay,
That of its native self can nothing feed:
Of good and pious works Thou are the seed,
That quickens only where Thou sayest it may:
Unless Thou show to us Thine own true way
No man can find it: Father! Thou must lead."
-Michelangelo

Do you know someone who always keeps their promises? Why do you think they do so?

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?

Joshua 23:14
"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

Romans 4:20-21
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Hebrews 6:18
God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

How do you reconcile promises that seem untrue, such as promises of long life (Proverbs 10:27) while some Christians die young, or wealth (Proverbs 22:4) when some Christians live in poverty, or health (Proverbs 4:22)?

The Promises of Fearing the Lord
2 Kings 17:39
but you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies."

Nehemiah 5:9
So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?

Psalm 25:14
The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

Psalm 34:9 (8-10)
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Proverbs 10:27 (21)
The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.
The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life:
Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Proverbs 22:4
Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

Ecclesiastes 8:12
Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God.

Revelation 11:18
The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great— and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

2Corinthians 1::20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

All the promises of God — all the blessings of God in the heavenly places — are YES in Christ Jesus. Jesus is God's decisive YES to all who believe.---John Piper

"My God shall supply all your need" (Phil. 4:19). If then there is a promise anywhere in His Word which just fits your present case and situation, make it your own as suited to your need." Steadfastly resist every attempt of Satan to rob you of any portion of your Father's Word.---A.W. Pink

God will never cease to be what He is and who He is. Everything God says or does must be in accord with His faithfulness. He will always be true to Himself, to His works and to His creation. ---A.W. Tozer

How do you feel when someone tells you what to do? Do you want to do it?
How do you fear something just because your told to?
If God is so big and powerful why does man need to be told to fear Him?

The Command to Fear the Lord
Leviticus 19:32
'Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.
Deuteronomy 6:24
The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.
Deuteronomy 13:4
It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Psalm 2:11
Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Proverbs 23:17
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
Luke 12:5
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
1 Peter 2:17
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Revelation 14:6-7
Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
Deuteronomy 31:13
Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."
Psalm 34:11
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Christian, let God's distinguishing love to you be a motive to you to fear Him greatly. He has put His fear in your heart, and may not have given that blessing to your neighbor, perhaps not to your husband, your wife, your child, or your parent. Oh, what an obligation should this thought lay upon your heart to greatly fear the Lord! Remember also that this fear of the Lord is His treasure, a choice jewel, given only to favorites, and to those who are greatly beloved. —John Bunyan

Only when we first fear Him can we properly rejoice in Him.---Steven J. Lawson

What does fear mean?
What do you fear?
Why do you fear what you fear?
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
How do you reconcile this with other verses that tell us to fear God?

What is the FEAR OF THE LORD?

Proverbs 2:1-51
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Proverbs 19:9
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
Job 28:28
And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Revere: to regard with awe, deference, and devotion

Phobeo: to fear
Reverential fear of God, as a controlling motive of the life, in matters spiritual and moral, not a mere fear of His power and righteous retribution, but wholesome dread of displeasing Him, a fear which banishes the terror that shrinks from His presence (Romans 8:15) and which influences the disposition and attitude of one whose circumstances are guided by trust in God, through the indwelling Spirit of God

“fear of God which is the Old Testament way of referring to true worship”

“the ‘fear of the Lord’ means fearing to dishonor the Lord. Which means fearing to distrust the Lord. Which means fearing to fear anything that the Lord has promised to help you overcome. In other words, the fear of the Lord is the great fear destroyer.” -John Piper.

"ONE MORE DAY
ONE MORE TIME
ONE MORE SUNSET,
MAYBE I'D BE SATISFIED
BUT THEN AGAIN
I KNOW WHAT IT WOULD DO
LEAVE ME WISHING STILL,
FOR ONE MORE DAY WITH YOU"

It was good! Thank you Lord. I've been feeling unmotivated, frusterated, and inadequate. But today my present visited my future. I got to talk with a man from emi (www.emiusa.org) engineering ministries international. They design churches, orphanages, schools, and Christian camps all over the world. God is so amazing and I am so excited to serve Him by building for others.

"Lord, I hope this day is good.
I'm feeling empty and misunderstood.
I should be thankful Lord I know I should.
But Lord I hope this day is good."

Genesis 1:3
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

2 Samuel 22:29
You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.



2 Samuel 23:4
he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.'

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 36:9
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Psalm 43:3
Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.

Psalm 119:130
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

John 1:4
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

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."

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

In His Steps Charles M. Sheldon
1 Peter 2:21
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
1 John 2:6
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Luke 14:33
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
“I want to do something that will cost me something in the way of sacrifice. I know you will not understand me. But I am hungry to suffer for something. What have we done all our lives for the suffering, sinning side of Raymond? How much have we denied ourselves or given of our personal ease and pleasure to bless the place in which we live or imitate the life of the Savior of the world? Are we always to go on doing as society selfishly dictates, moving on its little narrow round of pleasures and entertainments, and never knowing the pain of things that cost?”
Luke 9:23
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
“I have found my cross and it is a heavy one, but I shall never be satisfied until I take it up and carry it.”
Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 21:22
Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!"
“Are we not ready to follow Him all the way? What is it to be a follower of Jesus? What does it mean to imitate Him? What does it mean to walk in His steps?”
Matthew 8:19
And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
“Martyrdom is a lost art with us. Our Christianity loves its ease and comfort too well to take up anything so rough and heavy as a cross.”
Psalm 85:13
Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.
Luke 14:33
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
1 Peter 2:21
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Kahola Sunset Matthew 12:36

"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."