Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company . . . a church . . . a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . . . we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude . . . I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our attitudes." -Charles Swindoll

Burning in our hearts

Luke 24:32

When was the last time your heart burned within when you opened Scripture? As I travel that road called life, my God walks with me. As I become more and more familiar with His Word, it is as if He opens His Scripture continuously in my thoughts, renewing my mind. When I am walking in the Holy Spirit, His Words are on my tongue to minister that Word to others. Oh how it burns inside me, looking for opportunities to make itself known, revealing His glory, beckoning a call to those who would hear.

Adam vs. Christ

Contrasts between Adam and Christ in Romans 5:15–21
One Man (Adam)			One Man (Christ)
v. 15	One man’s trespass → many died	One man’s grace → gift of grace
		(righteousness) to many
v. 16	One (Adam) → judgement and	Many trespasses → gift →
	condemnation	justification
v. 17	Through one	Through one Man
	man’s trespass → death reigned	Jesus Christ → believers reign in life
v. 18	One trespass → condemnation for	One act of righteousness →
	for all men	justification offered to all men
v. 19	Disobedience	Obedience of One → many
	of one → many constituted	constituted
	sinners	righteousness
v. 21	Sin reigned in death	Grace reigns to bring eternal life

[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Ro 5:13). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Ten Specific Ministries of the Holy Spirit

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you . . . and I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees. (Ezekiel 36:26, 27)
An awareness and knowledge of the Holy Spirit's ministries is most important for every believer. Note briefly these ten specific ministries:

• Teaches truths about God and reveals Christ (John 16:12-15).
• Convicts us of wrong doing (John 16:8-11).
• Regenerates and renews us (Titus 3:5).
• Baptizes or places us into the body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:13)
• Gives assurance of our salvation (Romans 8:16).
• Indwells and guides our lives (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).
• Prays for us (Romans 8:26).
• Fills our lives with joy and power (Ephesians 5:18).
• Seals and guarantees our eternal promise (Ephesians 4:30).
• Distributes gifts to the church (1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

(Excerpt from Amazing Grace-366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions)

Warning against Prosperity Gospel

Psalms 73:25-26
Whom have I in heaven but you?And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Zeal for God by Bishop J. C. Ryle

Psalm 69:9 (NIV) "zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me." Romans 12:11 (NIV) "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord"

Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire which no man feels by nature-which the Spirit puts in the heart of every believer when he is converted-but which some believers feel so much more strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called 'zealous' men . . . .

A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-goin, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies-whether he has health, or whether he has sickness-whether he is rich, or whether he is poor-whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offence-whetherhe is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish-whether he gets shame-for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burnng, he cares not for it-he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray . . . .If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill (Exodus 17:9-13). If he is cut off from working himself, he will give the Lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of 'zeal' in religion. (Practical Religion, 1959 ed., p. 130)

Martyr of Stephen

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Acts 7:55-56 NIV

Upon looking at what would be the first person to die for his faith since Christ's resurrection, Jesus is not sitting, but standing at the right hand of God. First blood shed in the name of the Way.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. 10:28 NIV