Nuggets and Pearls

Single verses that can change your life: It is my intention with this section to give short sections of Scripture that I have found to be particularly useful in dealing with everyday stuff. These are great memory verses. I will be updating this section regularly, so come back here often for whatever is new. God Bless...
..........................................................

Luke 8:14 The seed which fell amongh the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
	Two out of the three things that "choke the fruit out of us" are viewed by society, and oftentimes us, as being positive. Are your riches and pleasures choking the Christian life out of you?

Proverbs 16:5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord
	Hate the sin and love the sinner? That's not what this says. If you're proud in heart, you - not your pride - are an abomination to Him. Check your pride at the door. Purpose to be aware of it every time it rears its ugly head and make those thoughts obedient to Christ. Die to self, and make other's more important than yourself, and win the favor of the God of the Universe.

Psalms 18:24-26 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes. With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the blameless You show Yourself blameless; With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute [lit: twisted].
	Are you kind? God will be kind to you. Are you blameless? He will be blameless with you. How do you want God to regard and treat you? Be that person to others.

Proverbs 10:19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
	Do you use too many words? Do your words edify or cut down? Do your words praise or complain? God says the more words you use, the more likely it is that He will not be glorified through them. Watch your words. Remember, you'll be held accountable for every one of them.

1 Timothy 6:6,8 "But godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment... If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content."
	There it is. The secret of Christ's "abundant" life. When you are content with what God has provided, you are living the abundant life in Christ. Is that true of you?

1 Peter 4:12 "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."
	Peter says that your trial is for your testing. He says that if you share the suffering of Christ, rejoice, because your suffering has purpose in the Kingdom of God, as did Christ's. Find joy in that.

Matthew 15:11 "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
	Does what comes out of your mouth glorify God and edify you and others? If you want to cleanse yourself from defilement, guard what comes out of your mouth. Be alert.

Genesis 3:11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, " The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
	Blame-shifting. Eve blamed the serpent. Adam blamed Eve, and even God - "That woman YOU GAVE ME!". Do you blame-shift? It's in us. Be alert to it. Catch yourself. Take responsibility.

Micah 7:18b "He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love."
	God will not stay angry at you forever no matter what you've done, because loving is far more delightful than anger. Know it and live it. Give up the anger and grudges and delight in the freedom of love.

Matthew 10:39 "For he who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it."
	Are you in the process of finding your life on your own strength or losing it to Christ's will?

2 Corinthians 4:17 "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
	Now check out what Paul viewed as 'momentary light affliction' in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.