Be of good cheer

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

Grace abounds.

Stop doubting and believe.

extract from John 20:27

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:19-20

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:2

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:2

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Psalm 63:6

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 (NLT)

Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
Hebrews 12:15 (NLT)

The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Mark 4:15-17

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
1 Peter 5:8-9

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:3

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Ephesians 6:13-18

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:10-13

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling--even the LORD, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Psalm 91

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Romans 16:20

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. It shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

John 6:37,  Exo 22:27, Lev 26:44, Ezekiel 16:60

Let your speech be always with grace

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6

Let your speech be always with grace "In grace, or concerning grace": let grace be the subject matter of your speech and conversation. When saints meet together they should converse with each other about the work of grace upon their souls, how it was begun, and how it has been carried on, and in what case it now is; they should talk of the great things and wonders of grace, which God has done for them, which would be both comfortable and edifying to them, and make for the glory of the grace of God; and also, they should confer together about the doctrines of grace, and so instruct, establish, and build up one another in them; and at least their conversation should always turn on things graceful and acceptable, such as may minister grace unto the hearer, and be useful and edifying; wherefore all obscene words, unchaste expressions, filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, ought not to be used. Or this may regard the manner of the speech, and language of the saints; it should be in the exercise of grace; it should be in truth, faithfulness, and sincerity, without lying, dissimulation, and flattery; it should be in consistence with the grace of love, therefore evil should not be spoken one of another; nor should there be whisperings, backbitings, or anything said that is injurious to the character, credit, and reputation of another; for this is contrary to love, and so not with grace: and whatever is said should be spoken in the fear of God; the reason why so many evil things proceed out of the mouths of men is, because the fear of God is not before their eyes. Moreover, the speech of the saints ought to be in a graceful way, with a cheerful and pleasant countenance, in an affable and courteous manner, and not after a morose, churlish, and ill natured fashion: and this should be "alway" the case; not that they should be always talking, for there is a time to keep silence, as well as a time to speak; but the sense is, that when they do speak, it should be both graceful things, and in a graceful manner; so that there is never any room and place for vain discourse, unprofitable talk, and idle words, which must all be accounted for in the day of judgment.
Seasoned with salt.
The Syriac version adds, (Kya) , "as" and reads it, "as if it was seasoned with salt": grace being that to speech, as salt is to meat; as salt makes meat savoury and agreeable to the palate, so grace, prudence, and holiness, which may be meant by salt, see ( Mark 9:50 ) , make discourse savoury, pleasant, and acceptable to a spiritual man, who savours the things that be of God, as all such things are that relate to the grace of God, the work or doctrines of it; and as salt preserves flesh from putrefaction and corruption, so when grace goes along with speech, it makes it pure and incorrupt, sound speech which cannot be condemned: and the apostle's view is, in this exhortation, that nothing unsavoury and corrupt proceed out of the mouths of believers; see ( Ephesians 4:29 ) ,that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "and know ye how" and make it to be a fresh exhortation to the saints to be concerned for such a share of spiritual knowledge, that they may be able to give a proper and pertinent answer, with meekness and fear, to such as shall ask a reason of the hope that is in them; and to make suitable returns to persons according to their age, sex, capacities, and circumstances; for everyone is not to be answered alike, nor the same man under different circumstances; a fool is sometimes to be answered according to his folly, and sometimes not; and this seems to be a better reading than ours, which makes this to be the end of gracious, savoury, and incorrupt speech; whereas knowledge is not acquired by speaking, but ought to go before it; though indeed a person that uses himself to speaking with prudence, purity, and grace, is at all times ready to give an agreeable answer, in a graceful and acceptable manner, to everyone.

Five Ways God Speaks

#1 Through the Bible. The Bible is the Word of God. Everything in it, though written by humans, is inspired by Him in some way (2 Timothy 3:16). We are instructed, “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). If we rely on God’s Word in this way, and believe the words we read are directly from God’s mouth, we will hear Him speaking directly to us through it.
Example: Several months ago, I was praying and asking God whether He wanted me to move back to the U.S. or stay in Asia and work. That same week, my Bible study class was studying the Book of Mark. As we read the passages together as a group, the following verse leapt from the page: “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). Since I had been praying so specifically, asking God for signs leading me in which direction to go, I immediately knew God was speaking to me through this verse about going back to the U.S. When we least expect it, God voice invades our world and guides us according to His will.

#2 Through the ‘Still Small Voice’. When we accept Christ into our hearts as Lord and Savior of our lives, we are immediately given a gift from God in the form of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus was still living among the disciples, He told them, “…when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come“ (John 16:13). Indeed, the Spirit of the Lord that resides within us, will tell us. The question is, are we listening?
Example: One time I was racing home to have a skype date with my sister. I was living overseas at the time so I really looked forward to these times connecting with my loved ones. As I rushed to make it home on time, I suddenly heard that still small voice of the Spirit say from within, “Think you could squeeze me in for a skype date?” Right then and there I sensed a deep longing from God to want to spend time with me as much as I wanted to connect with my sister. That was all I needed to start making time in my schedule to spend regular time with God.

#3 Through Other People. Have you ever been talking to someone and they suddenly say the exact thing you needed to hear? Or you’re sitting in church and the sermon tackles an exact struggle you have been facing? It is likely that God was speaking to you through other people–even without them even knowing it. God says he will use His people as ‘instruments for noble purposes’ (2 Timothy 2:21). These instruments may be in the form of people through books, podcasts, radio, TV programs, sermons or complete strangers on the street, but when it comes in it’s uncanny precision and accuracy, you know it when you hear it. Pretty cool right?
Example: A few years ago, the urge to write was growing stronger and stronger, but I didn’t know what to make of it. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with it. I even wondered if I had anything worthy to write about. Around that same time, I discovered a Writer’s Workshop online by a man named Francis Frangipane. I’ll never forget the words God spoke directly into my heart the moment I started listening to this unknown man, “You are called to write.” Something about the way he said it pierced the very depths of my soul. I took it as a direct Word from the Lord Himself. From that day on, I quit questioning, quit doubting and I began to step into the call God had over my life. God used another man I had never even met to speak words of life and encouragement to me in the very moment I was needing it most. How can we not be awestruck with wonder and gratitude every time this happens?

#4 Through Life Circumstances. Never take life’s circumstances at face value. No matter how bad or confusing or hopeless they may look, God often uses the ordinary to communicate His extraordinary love. Lose a job? Flight get delayed? Your product launch failed to get the results you hoped for? Don’t fret. Don’t necessarily blame God as the culprit either, but ask Him what He might be saying through it all. The Apostle Paul says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). We can be sure that God is at work through every circumstance in our lives, even when we don’t fully understand.
Example: When I was in my senior year in college, many of my friends were landing jobs in the large investment banks and consulting firms in New York City. I thought that was the route I too should pursue because that seemed the thing to do. But after several interviews, I still didn’t have any offers. While it was tempting to get discouraged and feel like a complete failure, I chose to trust God had something else in store. He did. A few weeks later, I found out about a job in the Philippines with a news broadcasting network. I could have never planned that in a million years, but it turned out to be the perfect fit. God had orchestrated the circumstances as a way of revealing His will for my life at that point. That is why we are instructed to live by faith and not by sight, for God is doing things in the Spirit even when we cannot see with our human eyes!

#5 Through Dreams and Visions. There are several points in Scripture where it says God will speak to us through visions and dreams (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17, Daniel 7:1). Though there are skeptics who say this is not true in today’s Church, I have heard too many testimonies that suggest otherwise. 
Whether it is a full blown dream while you are sleeping, or a vivid image that comes to mind while praying, God does use visuals to speak to us and gives us the wisdom to interpret what He is saying.
Example: I had a friend who was sensing the call to missions in India but worried that she would never get married and have a family if she went. Then she had a dream where she saw herself sitting in the center of God’s palm and she saw a man sitting in the center of His other palm, who in the dream she knew represented her future husband. God brought them together, joined their hands and released them into their united calling together. She interpreted this dream as God giving her encouragement to stay in the center of His will by going to India, trusting that He would take care of the rest. She obeyed and went to India and did end up meeting her husband while she was there. God speaks through dreams!
These are just a few of the most common modes of communication God uses to speak to us, though there are others. The cool thing is that God knows what makes each and every one of us tick, right down to the core. And He will often communicate with us in the most unique and special ways, which He designed specifically for us to recognize. Isn’t that awesome?

http://alinsmith.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/are-you-hearing-gods-voice-five-ways-you-can-hear-god-speak-directly-to-you/

Am I living for myself? Or am I living a life for God?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1

Detestible in God's sight

He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.

Love not the world

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:15-16 (verse of the day biblegateway.com)

A God of Yes

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."
2 Corinthians 1:19


Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For the Son of God - In this verse, and the following, Paul states that he felt himself bound to maintain the strictest veracity for two reasons; the one, that Jesus Christ always evinced the strictest veracity 2 Corinthians 1:19; the other, God was always true to all the promises that He made 2 Corinthians 1:20; and as he felt himself to be the servant of the Saviour and of God, he was bound by the most sacred obligations also to maintain a character irreproachable in regard to veracity on the meaning of the phrase "Son of God," see the note, Romans 1:4. Jesus Christ - It is agreed, says Bloomfield, by the best commentators, ancient and modern, that by Jesus Christ is here meant his doctrine. The sense is, that the preaching respecting Jesus Christ, did not represent him as fickle, and changeable; as unsettled, and as unfaithful; but as true, consistent, and faithful. As that had been the regular and constant representation of Paul and his fellow-laborers in regard to the Master whom they served, it was to be inferred that they felt themselves bound sacredly to observe the strictest constancy and veracity. By us ... - Silvanus, mentioned here, is the same person who in the Acts of the Apostles is called Silas. He was with Paul at Philippi, and was imprisoned there with him Acts 16, and was afterward with Paul and Timothy at Corinth when he first visited that city; Acts 18:5. Paul was so much attached to him, and had so much confidence in him, that he joined his name with his own in several of his epistles; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1. Was not yea and nay - Our representation of him was not that he was fickle and changeable. But in him was yea - Was not one thing at one time, and another at another. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. All that he says is true; all the promises that he makes are firm; all his declarations are faithful. Paul may refer to the fact that the Lord Jesus when on earth was eminently characterized by truth. Nothing was more striking than his veracity. He called himself "the truth," as being eminently true in all his declarations. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life;" John 14:6; compare Revelation 3:7. And thus Revelation 3:14 he is called "the faithful and true witness." In all his life he was eminently distinguished for that. His declarations were simple truth; his narratives were simple, unvarnished, uncolored, unexaggerated statements of what actually occurred. He never disguised the truth; never prevaricated; never had any mental reservation; never deceived; never used any word, or threw in any circumstance, that was suited to lead the mind astray. He himself said that this was the great object which he had in view in coming into the world. "To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth;" John 18:37. As Jesus Christ was thus distinguished for simple truth, Paul felt that he was under sacred obligations to imitate him, and always to evince the same inviolable fidelity. The most deeply felt obligation on earth is that which the Christian feels to imitate the Redeemer.
 - Bible.cc

Freedom

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling." No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our "God is a consuming fire." Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.
Hebrews 12:5-29, 13:1 (NLT)

Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you--better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
Proverbs 27:10

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Matthew 7:24-27

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:23

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:31-36



Freely You gave it all for us
Surrendered Your life upon that cross
Great is the love poured out for all
This is our God
- Hillsong — This Is Our God