Living Pure in an Impure World (eBook)

The Legacy of Ron West and the Rock Band Missouri

Jeremy Paul Amick (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2024 | 1. Auflage
212 Seiten
Hezl-ive Publishing, Inc. (Verlag)
978-0-9896518-7-5 (ISBN)

Infos

For many of us, today's society seems more evil than it has ever been. With the advent of television, satellites, and the internet, the openness of sexual immorality has decayed godly morals in an unprecedented way. The decay of morals brings the tragic results of teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, pedophilia, bestiality, adultery, fornication, pornography, divorce, fatherless children, single mothers, abortion, homosexuality, lesbianism, same-sex marriage, and so on. However, when we study the history of society we find that these issues have existed for thousands of years. Technology has just allowed these issues easier access. The Bible has much to say about sexual immorality, purity, temptation, and the Will of God. It addresses every one of the issues mentioned and if we are willing to listen, it gives us the direction and wisdom for success, and how to live 'free' from the impurities that destroy our lives, our families, our children, and our future. Living pure in an impure world is not difficult with the Word of God as our guide and the Holy Spirit as our inner strength. Satan's goal is to kill, steal, and destroy, but Christ has come that we might have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). This abundant life has been made available to us. It is a gift from God. With a repentant heart, a simple hunger for Him, and mustard seed faith, we can overcome the 'world' (1 John 4:4, 5:4-5).

Textauszug

CHAPTER 3

SPIRITUAL HEALTH

Here are some tips on developing your Spiritual Health Plan. These are just a few options. You will have to develop one that works best for you and your daily schedule.

How to Develop a Bible Reading Plan (BRP):

He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded (Proverbs 13:13).

1. Decide WHEN you are going to read.

a. Morning is best! (Early).

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me (Proverbs 8:17, KJV). (The Holy Bible: King James Version).

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water (Psalms 63:1).

b. You need to be spiritually fed in the morning to have spiritual energy (faith) for the day.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

2. Decide what DAYS you are going to read.

a. The best recommendation is every day, Sunday through Saturday!

Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors (Proverbs 8:34, KJV).

Give us this day our daily bread... (Matthew 6:11, KJV).

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23, KJV).

3. Decide how many CHAPTERS you will read each day.

a. Children should read at least one chapter.

b. Youth and adults should read three or more.

c. But remember – even one a day is better than none!

4. Decide WHAT you are going to read.

a. All New Testament chapters (Matthew through Revelation).

b. Old and New Testament. Here’s one example:

One Old Testament chapter (Genesis through Malachi).

One chapter of Psalms.

One chapter of Proverbs.

Two New Testament chapters (or more).

Five chapters total!

5. Decide what VERSION you are going to read.

a. Recommended for adults: the King James Version (KJV),English Standard Version (ESV) or the New King James Version (NKJV).

b. Recommended for children: the New King James Version (NKJV).

c. There are other good versions, but these are my best recommendations.

6. Good HINTS on daily Bible reading:

a. Buy a good quality Bible that you will cherish. (Good size print, words of Christ in red, nice cover, etc.)

b. Get additional ribbon markers to mark your places. (In the Old and New reading example given you will need a total of four.)

c. Do it first! Don’t even take a shower (unless it’s necessary to wake up). Don’t check the news, the phone, social websites,or personal messages!

d. Put on your robe, get a cup of coffee, juice, or water, and get your Bible!

e. Find a quiet place, with good lighting and a comfortable chair – somewhere you won’t be interrupted.

f. Read it like a book rather than trying to study everything you read.

g. If you don’t understand what you read, just keep reading!

h. When you finish a section (like the book of Proverbs, or the New Testament), start it again!

i. Do your Bible reading plan forever! Never stop for the rest of your life!

j.When you have finished your daily reading, close the book and go about your day!

7. REMEMBER...

a. It’s faith that overcomes the world!

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith (1 John 5:4).

b. Faith comes by hearing and hearing.

That means continual. Over and over and over and over!

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

c. This is how we live!

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).

d. This is how we walk!

For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

e. So Christ may dwell in our hearts!

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17).

f. That we might not sin against God!

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You (Psalms 119:11).

The simplest Bible Reading Plan I can recommend is one chapter of the New Testament five days a week. This plan may seem too easy, but it does have some advantages. It’s easy, does not take much time, and if you missed what you read it’s easy to read it two or three times! This is one way to concentrate on smaller sections, rather than getting too much information at one time. Another interesting fact is that there are exactly two hundred and sixty “weekdays” (Monday thru Friday) in a year and exactly two hundred and sixty chapters in the New Testament. If you follow this plan you will read the New Testament in exactly one year!

How to Develop a Daily Prayer Plan (DPP):

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42).

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit... (Ephesians 6:18).

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanks-giving (Colossians 4:2).

...continuing steadfastly in prayer (Romans 12:12).

Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

If we are to pray without ceasing, and we can only pray in our understanding, then we are in trouble! What does “without ceasing” mean?

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words:

"not of what is not interrupted, but of that which is constantly recurring.”

That’s helpful, but even so, I still have difficulty knowing what to pray! Thank God we have two ways to pray – “in the Spirit” (other tongues) and “with the understanding” (in our own language).

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15).

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

"Groanings which cannot be uttered” can be translated as “words which cannot be articulated in a known language.” This brings us to the theology of praying in the Spirit, in other tongues – or new tongues.

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20).

It is not my intent to get into this teaching in this book, however, if you are interested in this subject and how it can assist you in your prayer life, I suggest you get my book, Is it Okay to Pray in Tongues in Church? (Langlois). In this book I go into detail on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. I share about its purpose, value, and how it is by far the most powerful tool I have personally experienced in having an effective prayer life. It is available online at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com, and other book sites.

Basically, the best way to develop a prayer life is to pray throughout your day. A few other tips would be as follows...

1. Start your day with a set time of dedicated prayer – a few minutes or more.

2. Have other set times during the day. Daniel prayed three times a day!

...And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days (Daniel 6:10).

3. Attend corporate prayer meetings at your church.

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (Acts 3:1).

4. Attend small group prayer meetings.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).

The Prayer of Faith!

Your method of prayer is also important. Prayers of faith are the most effective. God already knows what you have need of before you ask (Matthew 6:8). What He wants to know is what you think about those needs! Are you anxious and worried about how they are going to be met or do you trust that your heavenly Father is there to meet those needs? The question to ask as you pray is “where is my faith?” Your prayers should declare His goodness, not question His love or care for you.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanks-giving, let your requests be made...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 23.1.2024
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Biografien / Erfahrungsberichte
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• Themenwelt: Kunst / Musik / Theater
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Geschichte / Politik ► Regional- / Landesgeschichte
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Christentum
• ISBN-10: 0-9896518-7-8 / 0989651878
• ISBN-13: 978-0-9896518-7-5 / 9780989651875