Worldly Friendship?

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James 4:1-4 KJV


As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

1 Peter 1:14-16 NIV


For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:16,17 NASB


And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

Romans 12:1,2 NLT

Blessed Correction from God

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:9-11 KJV


Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD, And whom You teach out of Your law; That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity, Until a pit is dug for the wicked.

For the LORD will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.For judgment will again be righteous, And all the upright in heart will follow it.

Psalm 94:12-15 NASB


For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family - calling him "Father, dear Father."

For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

Romans 8:14-19 NLT

He Is A River Of Life and Healing for the Nations

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 7:38,39 NIV


For the Lord will not reject forever,
for if He causes grief,

Then He will have compassion
According to His abundant lovingkindness.

For He does not afflict willingly or
grieve the sons of men.

Lamentations 3:31-33 NASB

Let us be diligent to Obey Him

Christ is Coming Again!
Let us be diligent then to Obey Him

Before I was afflicted I went astray;
but now I keep thy word.

Thou art good and doest good;
teach me thy statutes.

It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn thy statutes.

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right,
and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.

Let thy steadfast love be ready to comfort me
according to thy promise to thy servant.

Psalm 119:67,68,71,75, 76 RSV


And if they are bound in fetters,
And are caught in the cords of affliction,

Then He declares to them their work
And their transgressions, that they
have magnified themselves.

He opens their ear to instruction,
And commands that they return from evil.

Job 36:8-10 NASB


See, I have refined you,
though not as silver;

I have tested you in
the furnace of affliction.

Isaiah 48:10 NIV

Jesus is the Prince of Peace

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth


Jesus is the Prince of Peace, bringing peace between A Holy, Righteous God and sinners like you and me.

Prophecy:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6


Fulfillment:

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

Colossians 1:20


"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

John 16:33


And, He is the wonderful counselor in Isaiah 9 as well

Fulfillment:

"And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?"

Matthew 13:54


"But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power."

Luke 4:30-32


"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Colossians 2:2-3

Messiah would suffer at the hands of sinners

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth


Messiah would suffer at the hands of sinners to redeem them.

Prophecy:

"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."

Isaiah 50:6


Fulfillment:

"Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands"

Matthew 26:67


"And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him."

Mark 15:19,20


"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands."


He would be rejected and despised by His own people.

Prophecy:

"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."

Psalm 118:22


Fulfillment:

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."

Matthew 21:42-43

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

Jesus is the Prince of Peace, bringing peace between
A Holy, Righteous God and sinners like you and me.

Prophecy:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6


Fulfillment:

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

Colossians 1:20


"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

John 16:33


And, He is the wonderful counselor in Isaiah 9 as well

Fulfillment:

"And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?"

Matthew 13:54


"But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power."

Luke 4:30-32


"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Colossians 2:2-3