Why are so many willing to 'accept their fate' and seem to accept that they are to live a miserable frustrated life - is it just to succeed in financial gain? ...to have the lifestyle WE want?  ...to have our joys with our toys?

a.  Matthew 22:37,38  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  We can't do these - we need Jesus Christ to make those changes in our heart, soul and mind.  Without Him, we can't - and won't!

Psalm 119:10a  With my whole heart have I sought thee...

Living a walk under Paul's instruction does not take from this away at all - we ought to love God with our heart, soul and mind - but it must be done through and by Jesus Christ. Paul guides us to that very life with Jesus Christ! Galatians 2:20 - and that life is all found within this Book!

Psalm 73:25,26  Whom have I in heaven but thee?  and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. (God through Jesus Christ! made nigh by His blood! Ephesians 2:13)
NONE on earth?  100%?  75%?  family?  friends?  work?  (our love and 'need' for $$$ has caused us to err from the faith - if we were to dump our stuff, we would make it through these next years with God a lot easier!!!  We can only ignore all of what is going on for so long...)

b.  We should want to love God TRUTHFULLY!  It should be His way, not ours; not by how WE "feel" but as He "says!"  Truthfully - Lawfully!
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I Timothy 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
II Timothy 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

c.  We should want to learn His doctrine, allow His reproof, accept His correction & seek His instruction!  After all, it is HIM that is doing it, right?  II Timothy 3:16,17  We are not children anymore Ephesians 4:14... we can take admonishment, rebuke, reproof, correction, amen?  amen???

d.  Because of our love for God, we should also abhor sin! He can't have it and won't have it!  He gave His only begotten son to rid the world of it! Why should WE accept it and live with it?  Romans 12:9b  ... Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

We can't have both!  Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Therein lies our battle!  We shouldn't fight Him - we belong to Him, He doesn't belong to us!  I Corinthians 6:19,20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

e.  We should be thankful to HIM!  We should want know what is from Him, and would want to use it properly for HIS glory!  Not all blessings are from God - God's will bring us closer to Him, the devil's would interfere with our love of God.  Luke 8:12-14

f.  We should want to give HIM the glory, not ourselves!
Romans 15:17  I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
I Corinthians 3:21-23  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

g.  We should SHOW Him our love by our walk!
Our love for Him will show!  I Corinthians 8:3 - But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
We are HIS workmanship!  Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  We should be showing Him off to others!

h.  We should seek to please Him!
John 8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.  Jesus did, so should we!
I Thessalonians 4:1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
II Timothy 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

i.  It is all about God in the first place.
Genesis 1:1  It's still about Him, through Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, through that Holy Bible, through us to others!

j.  He is nothing/nobody to be ashamed of!
Romans 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

a.  Psalm 119:97,98  O how love I thy law!  it is my meditation all the day.  Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
ALL the day?
Psalm 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste!  yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (how about reading Bible instead of eating sugar?)
Psalm 119:131   I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
Proverbs 2:6  For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 8:8  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.  Do love them for that?

b.  Seek them!
Song of Solomon 1:2  Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
Song of Solomon 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely.  This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

c.  Believe them to be His very words!  The 'others' are of the spirit of antichrist.  I John 4:1-3 as well as all the facts prove that to be so!

d.  Know the attack on them!
Earnestly contend for the faith - faith cometh by hearing the word of the Lord - a famine of hearing the word of God.  KEEP His words!

e.  Read them, study them, obey them, honor them, respect them, fear them, cherish them, defend them, protect them, magnify them, keep them! They are Spirit - they are life!
Take them for what they are - God's Own Words!  PUT YOUR WORDS ASIDE!!  His thoughts are not our thoughts -Isaiah 55:8,9  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

f.  Hide them in Your Heart!
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

g.  Rejoice in the way of them!
Psalm 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

h.  Delight in them!
Psalm 119:16   I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psalm 119:24  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

i.  Be Comforted by them!
Psalm 119:50  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

j.  Make them your music - your music (songs)!
Psalm 119:54  Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

k.  Make them your hope!
Psalm 119:81  My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.  That word today gave us our salvation!

l.  Love them!
Psalm 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
 

Do you know yet of all what it is that Paul says about the brethren?

Love One Another!
John 15:11-15  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
I Peter 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Prefer one another!
(Prefer - Literally, to bear or carry in advance, in the mind, affections or choice; hence, to regard more than another; to honor or esteem above another.)
Romans 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Don't pay back one another!
Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Receive one another!
Romans 15:7  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Admonish one another!
1.  To warn or notify of a fault; to reprove with mildness.
2.  To counsel against wrong practices; to caution or advise.
Romans 15:14  And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
II Thessalonians 3:14,15  And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.  Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Serve one another!
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Forbear one another
Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Forgive one another
Ephesians 4:31,32  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Edify one another!
I Thessalonians 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Romans 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Exort one another!
Hebrews 3:12-14 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Care for one another!
I Corinthians 12:23-27 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Comfort one another!
I Thessalonians 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I Thessalonians 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Restore one another
Galatians 6:1-3  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Provoke one another to good works
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Submit to correct order
I Peter 5:5,6  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Kids Teens - young adults, etc. - While it is true that God is not a respector of persons, you must remember that you are not God - even if your parents have taught you to think you are!  Do show the proper respect to the proper folks "above" you and don't abuse those "below" you!

Have Grace and Charity!
I Peter 4:7-10 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Depart daily properly from one another!
Ephesians 4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

We are not to accuse the brethren, Satan does that all too well without us helping him!
Revelation 12:10,11  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

• I Corinthians 1:3-7 ... Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;  That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;  Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
• II Corinthians 1:7... And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
• Ephesians 1:16-20 ...16: Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18:  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20: Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
• Ephesians 3:14-19 ...For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15: Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16: That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17: That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18: May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
• Philippians 1:9-11 ... And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
• Colossians 1:9-12 ... For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
• Colossians 4:12 ... Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
• I Thessalonians 3:10 ... Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
• I Thessalonians 5:23 ... And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• II Thessalonians 1:11,12 ... Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• I Timothy 2:1-3 ... 1: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

• Romans 15:30-32 ... Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;  That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;  That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
• Colossians 4:3 ... Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
• I Thessalonians 5:25 ...  Brethren, pray for us.
• II Thessalonians 3:1,2 ... Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
• Philemon 1:22 ... But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

II Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Why does righteousness taste so bad?  Isaiah 5:20,21  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Romans 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

I Corinthians 15:53,54  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.   So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Put off!
Ephesians 4:22,23  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Put on!
Ephesians 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Colossians 3:10-15  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

or are we so quenched and seared that we are just dead to doing right?  The drier we are, the more living water we need!

Follow the workings of the Holy Spirit!
(see chart)

Be used by God through the Holy Spirit to tell those words about Jesus to others!

Receive the gifts at his choosing... I Corinthians 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Seek out the deep things of God!  I Corinthians 2:9-16

Understanding (see) = wisdom (do)!  Colossians 1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13-15  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

I Corinthians 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Wrong Fellowship - too easy these days!
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
I Corinthians 10:20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
II Corinthians 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

He wants to fellowship with us!
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

If we say we do and don't!
I John 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

Do you know His voice!
John 10:1   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2: But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3: To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4: And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5: And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6: This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8: All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12: But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13: The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14: I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15: As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

22   And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23: And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
24: Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25: Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
26: But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Too many people don't know HIS voice - the King James Bible - His pure language preserved for us today!
I Corinthians 14:10,11  There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.  Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.