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Relationship Results

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We LOVE HIM because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19          When You are in a love relationship with someone, it’s no longer “works” to do those things that please the one you love. The tendency is works when there is no relationship. When we are acutely aware of the love   relationship we are in with the Lord Jesus, not only will we be recipients of the good things He does for us, but we will also be joyfully passionate about doing what pleases Him. “We love him BECAUSE, he first loved us!” If doing what pleases the Lord becomes a “works” thing, then it’s time to remind yourself of his great love for you and your love for Him. Take some time and meditate on your love relationship with the Lord. Remind yourself of how much God loves you and that your love for Him means more to you than anything and anyone! If you feel that your good deeds done are somehow a necessity to earn God’s blessings, then go back to “why” you are doing those good deeds and get back i
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Remind Yourself

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I will love you O Lord my strength Psalm 18:1         David CHOSE to love the Lord! "I WILL" is the key! David also SAID "I love you O Lord..." Loving God is a choice more than it is a feeling. Sometimes we are going to need to say it right out loud; "I LOVE GOD"      Because we live in a world of temptation, lust, and demonic influence, we are going to have to remind ourselves often that the reason that we are going to live right and resist the temptation to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, is because WE LOVE THE LORD MORE! Our love for Jesus means more to us than anything and anyone!     We are admonished to  remember  many things in the New Testament. "REMEMBER from where you are fallen and repent." Revelation 2:4-5. Jesus was referring to church people leaving their first love! Even married people wear a ring to REMIND them of their love covenant with each other! Sometimes it's good to have things in the natural to remind us of ou
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His Grace Is Sufficient

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"And He (Jesus) said unto me. My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made prefect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9      Paul had to learn, like we have to learn, the God has already given us His grace, and we need to believe it and act on it, especially when trouble comes. Paul prayed that the trial he was going through would be taken away from him, but that was not the way God said victory was going to come. Paul had to realize what we must realize today, and that is: HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!     Like Paul, trouble will come to you while you are living  for God. The grace you already have is sufficient to see you through it all! The provision of all you need to live in victory is yours right now by grace! Instead of "praying and praying," hoping that God will come through for you, boldly declare right in the middle of the adversity: "HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME!" Paul did what many believers are doing today. They are praying and praying ins
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Grace Deficiencies

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Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. - Titus 3:5           Whenever you think or feel that God might not love you because of your sins and mistakes, you are deficient in your perception of His grace towards you. As a believer, whenever you think or feel you are not good enough to receive the help you need from God, you are deficient in grace. Whenever you find yourself stressed in trying to live up to your Christianity, you are deficient in understanding  of grace to help you live right!           You may need to remind yourself on a daily basis that it’s BY GRACE that you qualify for the help you need, and its BY GRACE that you can live a holy life!           The Bible said nothing about being strong in and of ourselves. We are instructed to be strong IN THE LORD. And in the power of HIS might! We are told to “Be strong in the grace that is in Jesus Christ” Learn to live a grace based life! Learn to live a grace ba
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Empowered to Love

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We LOVE him because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19           Our love for God starts with knowing and believing in His great love for us! “We love Him BECAUSE...” After seeing and experiencing God’s love for us, we become empowered with ability to LOVE Him back! Jesus said: “If a man loves me, he will keep my words.” You don’t have to be prodded to do the works Jesus said to do when you love Him. You WANT to do His will after experiencing His great love for you!            Sure there will be opposition from the flesh and the devil trying to get us to go astray, but as we remind ourselves of God’s love for us and  our love for him, we will have the advantage, and we will overcome!           Loving God is not something we do in our own power. Like everything else in our Christian walk, we have grace  to do what we are called to do! When our love for God is the reason  we are doing His will, the grace of God will also be there to help us live right, resist sin and plea
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Grace AND Works

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For by grace are you saved through faith... not of works... We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works...- Ephesians 2:8-10           Which is it? Grace OR Works? IT”S BOTH! The Bible teaches BOTH! Grace is what saves us AND good works are what we ge t to do once we are saved. Get rid of the “OR” and realize that both grace and works are the will of God for us all! Just understand the simple truth that works are not a “means” of salvation but a “result” of salvation.           Here’s the deal: when you love someone you will WANT to do whatever pleases the one you love. No one will have to talk you into it, and it won’t be a drag doing it. If working for the Lord, serving in his church, and doing the things the New testament teaches is not that important, then something is wrong. Works can be legalistic or they can be love!           Jacob “worked” for seven years in order to marry Rachel, and those years of work seemed to him but a few days BECAUSE
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Why Live Right?

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Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who LOVE HIM.- James 1:2 TLB            Notice how loving God is connected to refusing to give into sin when it comes knocking. Refusing to give into the pressure to sin is not about being a “goody, goody” Christian nor is it only about the rewards; it’s about LOVING GOD! The reason we say “No” to the pressure of sin is because WE LOVE THE LORD! It’s not because our pastor told us to say no, nor its because its our religion to say no. This is a “love” issue! We love someone so much that we stand against all temptation and declare, “I Love GOD More!” That someone is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!           Don’t be ashamed to turn down invitations to do things that you know are not the will of God for you! Let them know that it’s not because of some church policy or some religious set of rules that you are saying no
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