Interesting Couples!

INTERESTING COUPLES!

Self and Pride

 Then Jesus said to His disciples, 

"If anyone desires to come after Me,

let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, 

but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 

Matthew 16:24-25 

Self makes me wide. Pride takes me high!

"Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; 

But the just shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk 2:4

 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 

"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

James 4:6

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Disturbance and Distraction

 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. 

Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 

 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 

by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, 

and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, 

forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. 

Ephesians 4:30-32

While speaking to a friend on the phone, there are times I can't hear her well because of various disturbances to the line. Our connection with GOD is through the Holy Spirit Who is in us. There are hindrances to this connection when the Holy Spirit is grieved because of our disturbed relationships with others.

Sometimes even when the line is clear and my friend on the other side is speaking, I do not hear what she is saying because I am distracted with things around me. What I see or hear or the things I am doing or am preoccupied with, make it hard for me to hear what the LORD is saying to me. It could even be my service for the LORD that is a distraction. Traction means pull. Distraction is pulling out of alignment!

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." 

Luke 10:39-40 

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Unbelief and Disobedience

 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 

Hebrews 3:19 

Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, 

and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 

Hebrews 4:6

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Narrow and Difficult

 "Enter by the narrow gate; 

for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, 

and there are many who go in by it. 

Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, 

and there are few who find it. 

Matthew 7:13-14 

Wide and Broad

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Convenience and Comfort

What are the main factors I consider when I make decisions?

Is it according to my convenience?

Is it for my comfort?

 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, 

and loses his own soul? 

Mark 8:36 

And I will say to my soul, 

"Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; 

take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." 

' But God said to him, 'Fool! 

This night your soul will be required of you; 

then whose will those things be which you have provided?' 

So is he who lays up treasure for himself, 

and is not rich toward God." 

Luke 12:19-21  

Is it monetary? Least expensive, profitable, gain?

Is it according to time profit?

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Sun and Shield

 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; 

The Lord will give grace and glory; 

No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. 

Psalm 84:11

Grace and Glory

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Obedience and Blessings

"Now it shall come to pass, 

if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, 

to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, 

that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, 

because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: 

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 

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Disobedience and Curses

"But it shall come to pass, 

if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, 

to observe carefully all His commandments 

and His statutes which I command you today, 

that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 

Deuteronomy 28:15 

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Life and Death

 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, 

that I have set before you life and death, 

blessing and cursing; 

therefore choose life, 

that both you and your descendants may live; 

Deuteronomy 30:19 

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Cross and Crown

 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, 

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, 

despising the shame, 

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Hebrews 12:2 

His eyes were like a flame of fire, 

and on His head were many crowns. 

He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 

Revelation 19:12 

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. 

Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, 

that you may be tested, 

and you will have tribulation ten days. 

Be faithful until death, 

and I will give you the crown of life. 

Revelation 2:10 

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