Encourage Yourself

1 Samuel 30:6 (The Message)

^4-6 David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him.

^6-7 David strengthened himself with trust in his God. He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David.

Action and Contact

I can tell you that the true test of learning is application.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Ask for the grace and boldness to be not merely a hearer of His Word, but a doer, that you might truly be wise and build your house upon Christ, the rock.

Matthew 7:24-25 "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.

So be vigilant in your study to take a posture of willingness to hear and obey God. The heart that seeks to please the Father and treasures the relationship with Him above all will not only receive revelation that renews the mind, but will pursue the purpose of that revelation and partner with God to see His will done.
The main principle behind the process of renewing our minds is that we become like that which we behold. We are not renewing our minds to have good thoughts; we are seeking to see Him as He is so we can become like Him. When we become like Him, we will do the things He is doing and say what He is saying.
We can only behold Jesus by having a living encounter with Him.

Romans 9-16

Romans 9:8 'In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.' (NIV)
:15 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' (NIV)
:16 'Compassion doesn't originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat (man's desire or effort(NIV)), but in God's mercy.' (Message)
:18 'Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.' (NIV)
:20 'Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'(NIV)
:21 'Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?'(NIV) This is a pride issue. God is the creator and we are His.
:22-26 God has called all of us to Himself regardless of our background. Even the ones saved for punishment, He gives time to repent.
:27 'If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered
and the sum labeled "chosen of God," They'd be numbers still, not names;
salvation comes by personal selection.' (Message) 'Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.' (NIV) Only the ones that live by my Spirit will go to heaven.
:28 'For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."' (NIV) When the times comes for savation's door to close, the Lord will close it quickly and there will be no second chances then.
:29 'It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah." '(NIV) Without passing salvation on to our children, our society looks out only for itself and shows off it's sin.
:32-33 'they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."' (NIV) People try to earn there way into heaven. Any earning is done through the cross. Our job is to believe. Because this is difficult to grasp people reject it. They think rules and regulations get you to heaven.
Romans 10:11 'As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."'(NIV) Believe, trust, faith = heart; obey, confess, think = mouth, actions
:13 'for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."' (NIV)
:14, 17 'how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.' (NIV)
Romans 11:3-6 'I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.' (NIV) God always has His few that remain through it all. Ones that are true to Him and look to His word instead of the world. They live by faith and not by sight, by spirit and truth not by their mind or feelings. They depend upon Him to come through and provide instead of their own strength or ideas.
:11 'Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.' (NIV) God uses everything for His good-Romans 8:28 'And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' (NASB) The Jews think that God has left them or Christians are wrong. However God is using this to eventually have them back.
:15 'For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?' (NIV) The Jews made our salvation possible.
:25 'Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.' (NIV)
:32 'For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.' (NIV) [Adam and Eve]
:36 'For from him and through him and to him are all things.' (NIV)
These last few verses are interesting because it shows us how God allows sin and failure to bring His plan into fruition. Just because we reject someone or a lifestyle does mean that God does. He made us and knows what we need. We just may need to follow a path of unrighteousness to see what we lack from Him. All sin is forgivable. So He has a plan to bring us to the place He created us for.
Romans 12:1-2 'So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.' (Message) There is a default in us to choose the easy life or one that is fun or pleasing. Many times this involves ignoring God. To live for God we need to know what His way is and how to follow it. To learn this Way we read the Bible, pray, worship, go to church and study groups. Be careful of rules and regulations that limit our minds and opportunities of God. Many rules can turn off an unbeliever and make them feel condemned.
:3 'it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.' (Message) This is another default we turn to when we don't follow God closely. We have only because of Him. We need His help and guidance and thinking we can do it without out Him is foolishness. The outcome is always lacking the fullness only He can bring with His plan and strength.
:4-6 'In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.' (Message) We are not more important than anyone else. Only together do we function in our true purpose and calling. Trying to be something we are not and comparing our progress to how others are doing sets us up for failure or at least discouragement.
:6-8 'If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.' (Message) I am finding 'The Message' Bible really says it best for this chapter. It give the cautious things to lookout for. Do this but look out for this. This is a good way to measure our progress instead of comparing ourselves to others.
:9-10 'Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.' (NIV) 'Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.' (Message) Don't fake it! Deepen what you see as your best in relationships.
:11-13 'Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.' (Message) Don't try to go throughout the day without God, but be ready for anything with Him. When it gets really hard dig your heals in and seek Him all the more.
:14-16 'Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.' (Message) God made every human being, love them like He does. Don't use people to get ahead and don't ignore someone because they are not cool or poor.
:17 'discover beauty in everyone.' (Message)
:19 'Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."' (Message) Even when we get taken advantage of, we need to give it to God because He'll take care of it. Put ALL your trust in Him.
:21 'Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.' (Message) Instead of getting mad or even do good or when the need arises just walk away.
Romans 13:1-7 v.1 'The authorities that exist have been established by God.' (NIV) To rebel against them is rebelling against God. They stand for what is right and just. They will only carry out what is right and just. v.7 'Give everyone what you owe him' (NIV) Money, respect, debt, etc.
:8 'he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.' (NIV) 'Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. '(Message) I Cor. 13:4
:10 'Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law' (NIV)
:11 'The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.' (NIV)
:14 'Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.' (NIV)
This chapter is telling us to stop doing bad and to start doing good. Your sins will find you out.
Romans 14:1 'Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.' (NIV)
:3-4 'The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.' (NIV) God is telling us that we should not look down on anyone. He is their master and He will correct their ways. God has plans for each of us and we are not all the same. We are on different levels of maturity. So if somebody does something in excess to you or somebody does not do what you do don't look down on them. They and you follow God. Accept them because God accepts them. He made all of us and we answer to Him.
:7-8 'For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.' (NIV) We need to remember who put us here and where we are going. Then we will follow Him.
:11-13 'It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.' (NIV)
:14-15 'As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.' (NIV) Just because you think you're right doesn't mean it's right for them. Take care how you act and what you say. People respond from love not criticism.
:17-18 'For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.' (NIV) This is how we need to think before we act. If these results are not happening then it is wrong.
:19-21 'Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.' (NIV) In an effort to do good you may do harm.
:22-23 'So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.' (NIV) Walk in faith by doing what you believe is right. If it's wrong God will correct you. However don't make another stumble in your walk.
Romans 15:1-2 'Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"' (Message) I have found this to be true. Being unselfish is a blessing for both parties. The more you try to be a blessing the more you are blessed. And the more God does to bless above what you can.
:13 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.' (NIV) The more you trust in Him, the more peace and joy, and your hope becomes more than enough.
Romans 16:17-20 'I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.' (NIV) I think of salesmen and swindlers when I read this. He's telling us to be awake and alert because we can easily be had if we are not paying attention. We have victory if we live it.

Stuff From His Word-Romans Chapters 1-8

Romans 1:11-12 We as Christians encourage each other just by sharing our faith. This also strengthens us for the times we are alone and combating evil words or thoughts.
:16-17 The gospel is the power of God to salvation. The gospel reveals righteousness. It is only obtained by faith and built upon by faith. The righteous shall live by faith (Hab 2:4) Faith comes from reading the Word. (Rom 10:17) In conclusion: the righteous live by what the Bible says.
:20-31 God has been made plain to all through His creation so all men are accountable to Him. Men have chosen their own wisdom in exchange for Godly wisdom and God let them do it. In doing so man has grown worse in their sin and now approve of others doing it too.
Romans 2:1-2 'Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done.' (Message) When you judge others you condemn yourself.
:5 'But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.' (NIV)
:6 God '"will give to each person according to what he has done."' (NIV) Because you don't change you compound your sin against yourself.
:17-24 If you teach others, you must teach yourself. You cannot say one thing and do another.
:25-29 God looks on the heart so live by the heart and spirit. Outward glory is too hard to live up to. Inward glory is for God alone and He will reward. I Sam 16:7 'But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."' (NASB) Rev 2:23
Romans 3:4 'God keeps his word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth.' (Message)
:10-11 Without God none of us is righteous.
:22-23 Righteousness comes though faith in Jesus to all who believe. We all sinned so all can receive righteousness. (5:12)
:25 Jesus became our atonemennt and His blood is worthy to forgive our sins.
:28 Man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. (NIV)
Romans 4:2-3 Abraham had both works and belief. God accepted only his belief for righteousness.
:4 Works are given wages for and not as a gift.
:11 Abraham's circumcision was a seal for his faith-righteousness conversion. You can't earn His forgiveness. God did the work for us and there is no other way.
:16 'Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.' (NIV)
:17 God is God of the impossible. He raises the dead and (I Cor 1:26-31) makes what is foolish wise and wise foolish. He creates something out of nothing with a word.
:18 Against all hope, [When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do.] (Message) Sometimes God wants us to walk in faith when everybody and thing is against us. If He said it, it will be done. (Acts 27:21-26)
:20 'yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith.' (NASB) Not wavering is giving respect to God's promise. Fear = disrespect to God. 'Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said.' (Message :19-20) He didn't focus on what he saw but on what he couldn't see. He believed God instead of the circumstances. (Heb 11:1-3, 11-12)
:24 We are given this same righteousness when we believe.
:25 Jesus died for our sins and rose for our justification. He made us right with God. (our acquittal) [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God]. (Amplified)
Romans 5:1-2 Faith is a key that opens the treasure chest of God. We believe, we get peace with God, we walk in grace, and we are overjoyed for our future hope (heaven).

:3-5 We are overjoyed because of suffering because suffering (tribulations)(NASB) results in perseverance. 'There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!' (Message) 1Peter 3:14 'But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.' (NIV) Wow is my perspective off!!! There is a pattern here: suffering to perseverance to character to hope. Hope is there because of the Holy Spirit and He confirms our hope. Psalm 119:50 'My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.' (NIV) This can happen all at once or over a long period of time. The pattern must not be broken or it becomes a false hope. We will suffer, we need to persevere, through these builds our character, and in the end our hope remains. Luke 21:19 'By your endurance (standing firm)(NIV) you will gain your lives.' (NASB) Acts 14:12 'Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.' (NASB) Mark 8:31 'the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected.'(NIV) Romans 8:17 'Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.' (NIV) 2Cor. 1:5 'For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.' (NIV) Philippians 1:9 'For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,' (NIV) 1Peter 2:20-21 'But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.' (NIV) 1Peter 4:1,12-19 'Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.'(NIV) 'Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.'(NASB)
:8 God's demonstration of love for us = Jesus dying on the cross.
:21 'so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.' (NIV)
Romans 6:4 We are baptized into Christ's death and raised into new life just as He was.
:6,12-14 'Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call!' 'That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God.' (Message)
:20-21,23 'As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.'
'A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.' (Message) This chapter is all about a polar change in one's life that leads to eternity. Eternity is death or life. Your choice of rejecting sin and accepting Jesus is life. Your choice of accepting sin and rejecting Jesus is death. This is the truth and no other choices are available. Deuteronomy 30 talks of this choice. :6 'The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.'(NIV) :15-16 'See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.'(NIV) These verses talk of living out that heavenly life here on Earth.
Romans 7:5 When our flesh controls us 'the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.' (NIV)
:6 When we die to the law we follow the Spirit.
:10 'I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.' (NIV)
:11-25 'Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God's good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel. I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.'(Message) This chapter helps us see Paul as one of us and we can relate and take joy in the fact we can make it too. The key is living in the Spirit through Jesus' deliverance.
Romans 8:1-4 If right now you are in with Jesus there is no condemnation. He erases all past wrongs with one prayer. If you get distracted and listen to other voices, you could become condemned in your mind. Jesus sets you free from the law of sin and death. God sent His son to take the place of our offering, our sin, our punishment so the law didn't disqualify us from Him. Jesus condemned the sin instead of the sin condemning us. Then by His spirit in us we can live in His requirements. 'God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that. The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.' (Message)
:5 'Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.' (NIV) You have to think on purpose. If you at going to 'set' your mind, you need to practice on what you want to think and do. Pray, worship, read the Word, meditate.

:7-8 'Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.' (Message) God needs to be our focus. He has the world laid out before us and we need to walk in His plans. 'Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.' (NIV)
:11 If God raised Jesus from the dead He can change our lives through His Spirit living in us. He will never leave us or forsake us. Dt. 31:6,8, Joshua 1:5-9.
:12-17 We are to live by the Spirit because we are God's sons. If we are sons then we are heirs to Jesus. We have hard times and good just like Jesus. The things we suffer here do not even compare to the eternal glory we'll receive in heaven.
:19-21 'The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.' (NIV)
:22-26 'All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.' (Message) Where our physical weakness ends, His strength takes over. He is constantly helping us along and through every difficult time in our lives. We need to depend upon Him in stead of trying to figure it out.
:28-30 God will work every bit of our lives into good for His service. He will shape us into a mold of Jesus Christ.
:31 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' (NIV)
:32-39 God let His own Son die for us. He will provide all we need. He is our judge. :37 'No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.' (NIV) Nothing can separate us from God, nothing. No matter what we win. God is with us providing for us in every situation as long as we are living in the spirit and have our minds focused on Him. (pray, worship, read His Word, meditate, get together with follow Christians)

You've Got It All

1 Corinthians 1:7 Just think—you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.
Titus 2:11-14 God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.
-The Message Bible

Struggles Are Not Too Much

Exodus 18:18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

The point of these verses is that nothing is too much to handle. God has a plan for our lives and if we stick to that plan we will not fail. When we depend on our own plan or ideas we fail. God is always with us and can fix any mistake we've made. If we need help, He'll give it to us or show us where to get it.

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

God is with me and will save me from everything that leads me away from Him.
God delights in me. He sees me like I cannot see me.
God will calm my heart and mind from anxious thoughts and feelings just with His love.
God will delight and rejoice over me with singing. He finds enough pleasure in me to make Him sing in celebration that He created me.

I am wonderfully and marvelously made by God for His purpose and nothing will stop that unless I let it. He loves me in spite of my faults and setbacks. He sees past those to the person I really am and gently moves me toward that person. When I let go, He moves me closer more quickly.
Lord help me let go. Help me lose my life...
Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.