Word from the Battle – Clean Hands and Pure Hearts

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
+ Psalm 24:3-4
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Word from the Battle

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be

lovers of themselves,

lovers of money,

boastful,

proud,

abusive,

disobedient to their parents,

ungrateful,

unholy,

without love,

unforgiving,

slanderous,

without self-control,

brutal,

not lovers of the good,

treacherous,

rash,

conceited,

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

—having a [...]

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Giving Light to the Eyes

The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
+ Psalm 19:8

—

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Then I Will Teach Others …

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to [...]

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Christ Will Provide Our Sanctification

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
+ 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

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Battle for Purity – Going Beyond Excellence

Question: What’s your aim in life — excellence or obedience?
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
+ Jesus, Matthew 5:48
To aim for obedience is to aim for perfection, not “excellence,” which is actually something less.
* * *
Excellence is a mixed standard, while obedience is a fixed standard. We want to shoot for [...]

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God and His Commandments – The Source of Our Light

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he [...]

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The Call of the Shepherd

Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, [...]

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Be Grateful for the Sovereignty of the Lord

For I know that the Lord is great; our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
+ Psalm 135:5-6

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Let us give thanks to the Lord our God who, as he tested our ancestors, is now testing us. Remember how he treated [...]

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The Suffering That Leads to Salvation

Since God is the highest good, he would not allow any evil to exist in his works unless his omnipotence and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil.
+ Saint Augustine
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according [...]

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