Landmines in the Path of the Believer 2010 - Update

8/9/2019 Landmines in the Path of the Believer 2010 - Update

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Landmines in the Path of the Believer

Landmines In The Path Of The Believer Page 1

Facing the Hidden Threat - Lesson One

Week of Aug. 1, 2010

Day 1

Those who are saved need to realize that the enemy will stop at nothing to prevent youfrom knowing God and living for Jesus Christ. Just as an enemy is constantly seeking toharm the opposing army so is our enemy constantly seeking to destroy us. There arephysical landmines that cripple, maim, and kill thousands a year; there are also spirituallandmines that can harm Christians. Some of these landmines are the result of the factthat we live in a fallen world and are part of the suffering regardless if anyone has sinnedor not. Other spiritual landmines are the ones the enemy Satan, has placed in our path tokill our testimony, influence, and joy in Christ.

We are told in I Peter 5:8 to be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil,

prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. We are also reminded inGalatians 5:1 that it is for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm

and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Throughout this study you will be givenkey principles on how to protect yourself from sins such as pride, jealousy, feelings ofinsecurity, sexual sin, disappointment, unforgiveness, compromise and more.

Facing the Hidden Threat Lesson One

Day 2

1 Samuel 18:6-9 (NKJV)

6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning fromthe slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities ofIsrael, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, andwith musical instruments. 7So the women sang as they danced, and said:

Saul has slain his thousands,And David his ten thousands.

8

Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, Theyhave ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed onlythousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom? 9 So Saul eyed David

jealously from that day forward.

What began as a great victory for Israel turned out to be the first step of a powerful kingsremoval from the throne; all because of pride and insecurity. Saul had been chosen byGod to be Israels first King. He had every reason and opportunity to succeed. Saul


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became very jealous of Davids popularity and later tries to destroy Davids life . Satan is

cunning and knows exactly how to tempt you into disobeying God.

God has promised us victory over anything that seeks to separate us from the love ofGod. Read Romans 8:37-38. There are two basic steps to having victory in areas where

we are tempted:

1. Admit that what we face are sins and are forbidden by the Lord.2. God is more than able to supply your needs.

Were it not for Gods grace and strength any of us could end up like King Saul.Remember that Satan will not usually take a predictable route to get to us. However, ifwe walk with God each day, God will help us to discern these landmines and give uspower to defeat them.


Day 3

How can we say no to something that appears so innocent yet contains deadly potential?

1. Realize you are in a spiritual war.2 Corinthians 10:4 (NKJV)

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling downstrongholds,

Do you ever think about the spiritual warfare you will face during the day? If not, thatcould be why you struggle with the same temptations repeatedly. If you do, why notprepare before you go out each day by spending a few minutes in prayer, reading, andapplying Gods word.

2. Trust God and know he will help you.1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaringlion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowingthat the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.


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3. Learn to watch for the enemys attacks. God never abandons us. Jeremiahwrote in the book of Lamentations:

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

22

Through the Lords mercies we are not consumed,Because His compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

Maybe you have failed already. He is still faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us. Dontgive up. Get back up, look up to Him, and He will restore you.

Facing the Hidden Threat - Lesson OneDay 4

Remember you are never alone. Non-believers have a reason to worry. Their namesare not written in the Lambs book of life. Pressures build, problems come, and they donot have the wisdom God will give to those who have given their hearts to Him.

It is easy to cave in to fear.

Matthew 8:23-27 (NKJV)

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a greattempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But Hewas asleep. 25Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save

us! We are perishing!26But He said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then He aroseand rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27So the menmarveled, saying, Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?

Remember nothing touches our lives unless it has passed through the hands of God.Jesus was in the boat with them as well! He is always there with us in whatever storm weare faced with God does not want us paralyzed with fear. We are to trust Him even in

the storm.


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Day 5

Recall the strength, mercy, and goodness of God. The first thing we must alwaysremember is who we are in Christ. We are children of the King. We can say no totemptation because He is with us and will deliver us, His children, from the evil one.

Psalm 18:32 (NKJV)

32 It is God who arms me with strength,And makes my way perfect.

God is concerned with every detail of our lives. Matthew 6:25-34 tells us that we cantrust Him to provide for our needs. Once you begin to trust God and sense Him guidingyour path, He will provide the spiritual insight and wisdom to avoid Satans landmines.

Wars are not won by going into battle without a plan or a map of the combat zone. Godtells us to walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time becausethe days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is,Ephesians 5:15-17. Know that it is Gods will for you to live without failure all of the time.His plan includes all that you need to be successful.


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The Landmine of Pride - Lesson Two


Day 1

We really never think of God as a God who hates. Yet he does! The Bible says inProverbs 8:13, Pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.There are two main results of pride; arrogance and rebellion against God.

There is nothing wrong with having a sense of pride in doing things well. Many people,however, fail to honor God with their talents or seek to take the credit for what rightfullybelongs to God.

A young man was called by God into missions. It seemed, however, that whatever wayhe turned he was always in conflict with his leaders. He didnt feel that they knew what

was best, that he was never recognized, and soon left the organization. If person A hasproblems with person B, C, D, E, wouldnt it be wise to think that maybe the source oftrouble is person A. Pride tempts us to believe we are better than others are. Pride overemphasizes self. Our hearts must stay focused on God and not ourselves.


Day 2

In 2 Chronicles 26:4-5 in the Old Testament we see a great example of how pride cantake a once humble King and destroy his life. Speaking of Uzziah, King of Judah the Bibletells us:

2 Chronicles 26:4-5 (NIV)

4 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah haddone. 5He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fearof God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

God gave this 16-year-old King that ruled over 50 years many victories as long as he

sought Him. He defeated many enemies on the battlefield, raised an army of over300,000 warriors, had many wells and livestock. His fame spread far and wide accordingto verses 13, 15 in that same chapter. Uzziah began to believe he had accomplished all ofthis on his own, and began taking on responsibilities only given to the priests to perform:

2 Chronicles 26:16 (NIV)


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16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was

unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burnincense on the altar of incense.

Uzziah offered an offering to the Lord. This act was forbidden to do by anyone

except for those priests that had been set apart and prepared to do this. Uzziahwrongly assumed he could jump ahead of God and do something that needed to bedone because he was above the law. A spirit of pride will always encourage us to

jump ahead of God and not wait on His best.


Day 3

Proverbs 29:23 (NKJV)

23 A mans pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

Proverbs 16:18-19 (NKJV)

18 Pride goes before destruction,and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Uzziah fell sick with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:19). As far as is known, Uzziah never turnedback to the Lord in humility and spent the rest of his life as a leper in a separate house,cut off from Gods presence and Gods goodness.

A person can fall victim to pride for many reasons. Self-centeredness and immaturityprevents us from handling responsibility or insecurity. Pride takes useless thoughts ofarrogance, conceit, and self-importance and hinders or destroys our walk with God. Arethere areas where you have been prideful? Are there areas in your life where you haverefused to obey the Lord? That is pride keeping you from doing that.

Why not ask God to identify exactly what hinders you and confess it to Him right now?


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Day 4

1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exaltyou in due time,

One of the antidotes of pride is humility. Humility is when we recognize that we can donothing or have nothing apart from God. Most of us are not going to get up one day andsay to ourselves, Self, today I am going to be proud. I am going to take credit for what Idid. I am not going to give God any glory but be selfish with my goods and take care ofnumber one. Many times pride enters our lives very subtly, very quietly as a thought. A

thought turns into a deed, a deed into a habit, and a habit into a conviction. Only throughrepentance as a result of the Holy Spirits presence and power are we able to escape.

Pride exalts itself against God. We begin seeking to please others, or to please ourselves.Sorrow and sadness are prides only rewards.


Day 5When I have a fever or feel achy, I know these are signs that I have an infection or avirus of some type. There are also signs that tell us that we are struggling with pride.Here are a few of them:

Arrogance; self promotion; lack of giving to God and others; selfish attitudes;refusal to listen to the advice of others; a spirit of rebellion; bragging; lack ofhumility before God and others, and the inability to receive a compliment or a gift.

Do you believe you have to reach certain levels in life to be important? Do you think you

can live without anyone to advise or help you? If so, you are probably struggling withpride.

Dont fall for Satans tactics. Through Jesus Christ, you are all you could ever hope to be.Rest in His infinite care. God cares for us, no matter what status we hold. If you thinkyou are somebody, watch out, God may allow you to go through a lot of heat to purge youfrom that pride. Remember: we are nobody apart from Jesus!


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Psalm 10:4 (NKJV)

4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of histhoughts.

Proverbs 29:23 Read this verse. What does this say about pride?

Pride loves to be worshipped and is greatly offended when it is overlooked. (Kent Crockett,Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 125)


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Exposing a Prideful Heart - Lesson Three


Day 1

No one is self-sufficient. First of all, we need God. He has created us; it is He that hassaved us. We also need each other. A person who doesnt care to fellowship with othersis either mentally ill or very self-centered. We are often tempted to look at what we haveand think, Well, look at what I have done. I have achieved so much in life. When ourthoughts are like this, we yield to the age-old deception of pride.

1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exaltyou in due time.

Look at this verse: First, we must humble ourselves. Dont wait for God to humble you.Each day, seek to humble yourself. One way to do this is by starting the day off in prayerasking God to help you be thankful and grateful for all you have and seeking His Lordshipover your life. Gods hand is mighty. This is a reference to the Lords judgment on ourlives. He will bless and use you as He sees fit.


Day 2

In Daniel 4, we see the results of a prideful life in the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. In chapter4, we hear Nebuchadnezzars personal testimony of how He came to be pride filled and for7 years, God humbled him. Read this chapter through verse 18 and see how this proudKing began acting like an animal living outside and eating grass.

We learn in this story:

1. Pride hinders our fellowship with God. You cannot serve two masters: self and God.

2. Pride leads to a broken relationship with others. It caused Nebuchadnezzar to beseparated from any fellowship for years because of his mental status.

The truth is no one is more important than anyone else is. We are all standing on equalground. He loves each of us equally, and desires for us to be a conduit of His love toothers.


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flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to

you, You must be born again.

The pride that Nicodemus had to swallow that night was nothing compared to the goodnews that he heard. He found out that God loved him and us so much that He sent Jesus

for us, and through Him, we can have life. He apparently surrendered his life to the Lordfor later in John 19:

John 19:39-42 (NKJV)

39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing amixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the bodyof Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews isto bury. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in thegarden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So there they laid Jesus,because of the Jews Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Death to pride meant life to this person. Are you away from the Lord? What keeps youthere?


Day 5

Seven steps can be taken to successfully deal with pride:

1. Realize that pride is present in your life.2. Ask God to forgive you of being prideful.3. Pray that He will give you the ability to turn away from pride.4. Pray that God will set a hedge of protection around your life.5. Remember where you came from and how far God has brought you.6. Ask God to help you recall the good things that He has done in your life, and stop

comparing yourself to someone else.7. Be willing to experience adversity.Remember, apart from Gods work in our lives we would still be dead in our old lives .Hurts, habits, and hang-ups that had become sinful strongholds were dragging usdown. Some of you would physically be addicted or dead were it not for the Lord.Others of you that have been saved a long time, could have been here were it not forGod saving you from this type of lifestyle.

1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV)


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11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified,

you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


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The Landmines of Jealousy and Envy - Lesson Four


Day 1

Genesis 37:3 (NKJV)

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of hisold age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.

Sometimes even parents can do some pretty dumb things. Take Jacob, for example.Without knowing it, Jacob (Israel) set the stage for one of most aggressive struggles aperson can face: jealousy and envy. The Bible tells us that Joseph brought back a badreport about his brothers to their father. Joseph became very arrogant. He even began

to almost boast about the dreams God was giving him.

The brothers began to become very jealous of Joseph because they felt he had more thanthey did (37:11). They felt left out, overlooked, and unappreciated by their father. Ihave seen this type of situation happen in families throughout the years. Whether itcomes as a result of siblings jealous of their parents attention or lack of it; or throughstep families not being able to get along, or families caught up in issues of inheritance

jealousies - it is still bad news.

Satan loves for your eyes to be fixed on yourselfyour feelingsyour rights, and yourneeds. We must listen to Jesus and hear the words He speaks to us,

Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)

24Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let himdeny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.


Day 2

There are two questions you must ask when dealing with feelings of jealousy or envy:

a) How will I respond to the jealous feelings; andb) How will I deal with my actions, which usually include feelings of anger?


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Josephs brothers were sure their father was overlooking thoughts ofjealousy burned

deep within their hearts until they acted on their emotions and did something that causedgreat pain within their own lives and their fathers for many years.

Genesis 37:19-24 (NKJV)19Then they said to one another, Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Cometherefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, Somewild beast has devouredhim. We shall see what will become of his dreams!21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, Let usnot kill him. 22And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pitwhich is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on himthat he might deliverhim out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped

Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they tookhim and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Often people become jealous without realizing that God has something good in store forthem. The plan that God has may not unfold at the time we are dealing with our negativefeelings or circumstances, but God has promised to work all things out for our good andHis glory (Romans 8:28).


Day 3

Isnt God a jealous God?

Joshua 24:19-20 (NKJV)

19But Joshua said to the people, You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God.He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If youforsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and

consume you, after He has done you good.

There is a huge difference in the jealousy God feels for you. It is a protective jealousy; itis not the kind that leads to sin. He is jealous of us not envious of us. He has apassionate commitment for us because we rightfully belong to Him and He wants toprotect us from evil. Therefore, He watches over us with extreme care.


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Israel decided not to obey God and ended up following after other gods. Some of them

continued to worship the Lord, but their lives were influenced by the pagan nations theywere sent to conquer. Partial obedience is not obedience at all.

That is why God is jealous over us. He does not want to see our lives lived in a shallow

way. He wants to see us live abundant lives. He wants us to make great choices thathonor Him and help build our character. Dont end up worshipping the gods of this ageand cause God to become jealous over you!


Day 4

Winning the struggle of jealousy is not without its pain. While Joseph survived hisbrothers jealousy, he spent years in bondage to the Egyptians. He was sold as a slave.Many of the years of bondage that Joseph experienced were far from enjoyable. He was

jailed and feared that he would never see his father again. Even though his brothersjealousy had changed the course of his life forever, he was not alone. God was with him.

Genesis 39:21 (NKJV)

21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in

the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Josephs brothers on the other hand had to conceal their kidnapping of their brother. Onesin led to another and another. Before long, their jealousy had led them to lie to theirdad, break his heart, and live with the guilt of their decisions.

Genesis 37:31-35 (NKJV)

31So they took Josephs tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in theblood. 32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their fatherand said, We have found this. Do you know whether it is your sons tunic or not?

33 andhe recognized it and said, It is my sons tunic. A wild beast has devouredhim. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces. 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, putsackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35And all his sons andall his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and hesaid, For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning. Thus his fatherwept for him.


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Doctors now believe that much sickness and even depression and anxiety in people comes

from feelings of jealousy, anger, envy, and bitterness never resolved. You must be willingto work through these emotional and spiritual landmines before they cripple yourtestimony.


Day 5

How do we effectively deal with jealousy in our lives?

1. We need to admit that we are jealous and envious.2. We need to acknowledge that we are in conflict with God. As long as we think thatwe can cover it over, smile and try to make it go away without confessing it to God,it will never be resolved.

3. We need to thank God for what He has done in our lives and even for the peoplewho are the source of our conflict.

4. We need to pray and ask God to help us see the heart of the other person at thecenter of the conflict. It may be that they are not at fault at all. They are justliving their lives the way God wants, and we are envious of that.

5. We need to be willing to wait for God to work. Times of waiting offer wonderfulopportunities for us to grow closer to the Lord.

6. We need to ask God to help us hear His voice over the clamor of the world,7. We need to delight ourselves in the Lord and depend on Him to give us what we

need.

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)

4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,and He shall give you the desires of your heart

What do you need to learn through this situation? Ask God to show you exactly what todo to resolve this. If someone is jealous of you, you have talked with him or her, and he

or she still shun you or try to hurt you, then perhaps you must walk away and let Godhandle them. Whatever you do, keep your heart focused on the Lord, pray for the

person, seek godly counsel, and let God handle it.


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Romans 8:37-40 (NKJV)

37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor

powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any

other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is inChrist Jesus our Lord.

Satan wants us to always feel insecure and un-loved. God wants us to remember we aremore than conquerors through Jesus Christ.

The Landmine of Insecurity - Lesson Five

Day 3

What causes someone to feel insecure?

Feeling inadequate Personal rejection in the past Facing uncertain work situation Losing someone in death Growing older or facing health issues

There are many reasons why we experience feelings of insecurity at times. Do thesefeelings continue to plague you all of the time? The ways to overcome these are:

1. Ask God to help you see your life from His perspective2. Be willing to obey Him and grow in your knowledge about Him and His way3. Seek to be a success from Gods viewpoint and not from the worlds standard

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV)

22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

God will never give you an opportunity that He will not give you the ability to achieve it.The Key is to believe. He is faithful and true and you can trust Him fully.

Revelation 19:11 (NKJV)

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on himwas called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.


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There are some things He will not ask us to ever do. There are other things that He wants

us to do so that we can grow more like Christ and He will get the glory!


Day 4

Too many people always say no before they even consider doing anything out of the box.They have a tape recording inside their head that says, You dont have timeorYoumight fail, or You might be found out to be less of a person than you have projected toothers. You must reprogram your thinking. You need to change the channels that you

are listening to in your mind.

Some falsely believe that if they just try harder they can earn Gods love. You and Icannot earn Gods love for it is given to us freely.

Ephesians 1:4-6 (NKJV)

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should beholy and without blame before Him in love, 5having predestined us to adoption assons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the

praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved

We need to hear the words that we are chosen in Him, we are to be holy before Him,and we are accepted in Christ our Beloved. We are not to give in to our fears andthoughts that are so negative. We must be careful not to let what others say about uskeep us from focusing on Gods will.

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

17No weapon formed against you shall prosper,And every tongue which raises against you in judgmentYou shall condemn.This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their righteousness is from Me,Says the LORD.


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Day 5

There are several effects of insecurity:

A lack of lasting relationships People perceive we are prideful or snobbish Indecisiveness A fearful attitude The inability to meet others and establish new relationships The desire to be in charge of every conversation

The main feeling is inner turmoil. This is what King Saul and the Israelites must havebeen feeling when David told them, Let no mans heart fail on account of Goliath; your

servant will go and fight with the Philistine (1 Sam.17:32).

You must acknowledge before God your feelings of insecurity. God already knows thatthey are there, but He wants to hear you confess them to Him. You must make thedecision to overcome insecurity. The first step is to be secure in your eternal destiny andyour personal relationship with Christ. You must make up your mind to stop hidingbehind your insecurity.

Focus on something secure such as Gods word. You must immerse yourself in it; takeBible study classes, read it on your own, buy good books on the Bible. The more sure youare of Gods word, the less you will look at yourself or your abilities.

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edgedsword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow,and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Avoid the trap of blaming others and always trying to point out hurts in the past ordecisions others have made that keep you insecure. You are insecure because you chooseto be!

You have another choice. Choose Christ and His plan for you over what others have done.


33 Who shall bring a charge against Gods elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who ishe who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is evenat the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.


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The Landmine of Compromise - Lesson Six

Week of Sept. 5, 2010

Day 1

THE DEFINITION OF COMPROMISE:A settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached byadjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocalmodification of demands.

There are times in our lives where compromise is good. For example, in a disagreementover the type of place we want to go on vacation. You can always find a compromise toseek to please most every family member. However, there are times when compromise isdeadly. Anything that tempts you to abandon what you know is right should be viewed asdeadly and dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.

When we violate our conscience and begin flirting with that other persons spouse. It mayseem to be innocent but it is compromise. Some may say, One drink never hurtanyone. Yes, it has, and it will continue to hurt those who became drunkards because ofthat first drink. One step in the wrong direction can lead to compromise and weaken ourcommitment to the Lord.

Genesis 3:1-6

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORDGod had made. And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat

of every tree of the garden?2And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit of the trees of thegarden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hassaid, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.4 Then the serpent saidto the woman, You will not surely die. 5For God knowsthat in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant tothe eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. Shealso gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both of themwere opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leavestogether and made themselves coverings.

Compromise can cost us more that we ever thought we would have to pay. When wecompromise, in effect, we say that we really do not believe Gods promises or Hischallenges. God told them, You will not surely die, but spiritually they did die. Whenyou compromise, you begin the downward spiral.


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Day 2

1 Kings 2:3-4 (NKJV)

3 And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep Hisstatutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written inthe Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If yoursons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and withall their soul, He said, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.

David gave Solomon a serious challenge as written above. Solomon seemedoverwhelmed at first with the huge responsibility. In 1 Kings 3:7-9 Solomon prays for anunderstanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. He begins ina spirit of humility.

Later there was a shift in his devotion. He gradually began to compromise. God told himnot to associate with the leaders of Egypt, or the Hittites and the Arameans. Instead,Solomon begins to do much business with them through importing and exporting. He stillcontinued to worship God yet enter into ungodly relationships.

Solomon ended up becoming miserable in his life and constantly having to deal with majorissues. He was introduced to the flaw of compromise.


Day 3

Why do people compromise? Doubt and fear can cause us to compromise. Doubt cloudsour mind, while fear prevents us from moving head and causes us to be indecisive. Webegin to struggle with fear of failure, tragedy, abandonment by God, or any number of

mind games. God responds to us by saying:

Isaiah 40:26-29 (NKJV)

26 Lift up your eyes on high,And see who has created these things,Who brings out their host by number;He calls them all by name,


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By the greatness of His might

And the strength of His power;Not one is missing.27Why do you say, O Jacob,

And speak, O Israel:

My way is hidden from the LORD,And my just claim is passed over by my God?

28Have you not known?Have you not heard?The everlasting God, the LORD,The Creator of the ends of the earth,Neither faints nor is weary.His understanding is unsearchable.29He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

Nothing that we can face will ever be too great for God to handle. However, once youopen the door to compromise, our enemy begins to taunt your every step with words thatare meant to chill you to the core. Stop right now and pray to God to forgive you of yourcompromise and to restore you to the fellowship you once had with Him.


Day 4

There are other reasons why people compromise their spiritual values and morals:

a. They believe that what they have done is too sinful, that God could never love themanymore.

b. They have a desire for unity at all costs. Unity is important, however, there aretimes when we cannot stand unified with those who are in direct opposition to Godand His Word.

c.

A deep need for acceptance. Do you want to be accepted by a group of people whocould love me today and not tomorrow, or by an eternal God who will never leaveme or forsake me?

d. We become overwhelmed by peer pressure. Peer pressure doesnt just affectteenagers. It affects adults who want to fit in so much they refuse to stand forpurity, life, and wholesome talk so they will not offend others.


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For Solomon compromise began with a single desire to buy horses in Egypt, but his action

led to much more. He decided that marriage to a woman of another culture wasnt sobad. She had different gods. He compromised by beginning to build her deities a place ofworship. He turned this into a lifestyle that led to the eventual split of his kingdom afterhis death.

It may be compromise in the way we dress, the way we talk, the way we think, or theway we judge others. What you do may be acceptable to others but does God think it isokay?

1 Peter 1:15-16 (NKJV)

15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 becauseit is written, Be holy, for I am holy.


Day 5

You can say no to compromise. First, ask God to build a new fire for Him in your life.

Jeremiah 20:9 (NKJV)

9Then I said, I will not make mention of Him,Nor speak anymore in His name.

But His word was in my heart like a burning fireShut up in my bones;I was weary of holding it back,

And I could not.

Secondly, confess your sin so that you can be restored in Him. 1 John 1:9 says:

1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us oursins and to cleanseus from all unrighteousness.

Thirdly, gather others around you that can help hold you accountable and encourage youin staying close to the Lord.


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Ezra 7:28 (NKJV)

28 and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before allthe kings mighty princes.So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I

gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me

Obey the Holy Spirit as He leads you and guides you, even when He convicts you of sin.This way you can stay strong in the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 (NKJV)

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

Watch and be on guard for compromise. It is not necessary to be a legalist or a negativecomplainer to be someone who does not compromise. Look at JESUS!


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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Grandparents Day CelebrationSpecial Celebration Sunday

(Landmines Lessons Resume)

(Sunday, September 19, 2010)


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The Landmine of Unforgiveness - Lesson Seven


Day 1

The landmine of unforgiveness is unlike the other landmines. It has a tendency to staybelow the surface too often, and if not dealt with scripturally, will come back over andover again. Every person has had to deal with this landmine at one time or the other;some of you are currently dealing with it. Like a yo-yo, every time you sling it out, itcomes back.

The Lord wants us to live abundant lives but we cannot if we do not forgive. There aremany Christians that outwardly seem to have everything together but inwardly strugglewith unforgiveness, sometimes for years. You feel hurt, disappointed, angry, and perhapsbitter. It is a choice you have made no matter which way you look at it. Remember this

scripture as you go through today:

Ephesians 4:30-32 (NKJV)

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day ofredemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be putaway from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.


Day 2

Dr. Stanley in the book from which these lessons come says there are three parts touncovering the landmine of unforgiveness. Each one is the result of a godly choice:

1. Choose to let go of every feeling of resentment. No matter what others have done,forgiveness means not harboring angry feelings against those who have harmed us.

2. Lay down the right to get even. Jesus had every right not to die for our sins sincehe was sinless. Yet he laid aside his rights for us. He will give us the samestrength to do that for others.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)

5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form ofGod, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of noreputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8


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And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became

obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

3. Allow God to deal with the person who has hurt or abused you. Nothing takes Godby surprise. Do you not think He knows what is going on? He has promised to

work all things out for your good. Trust Him to do that.


Day 3


17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written,Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 20 Therefore

If your enemy is hungry, feed him;If he is thirsty, give him a drink;For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

No one likes to be hurt, but often what we go through, God uses it to make us betterpeople and for a ministry. Leave the payback to God and let Him love someone who hashurt you for His glory and honor.

It is a lot easier to write this than it is to forgive I can assure you. If you have never beenhurt deeply by someone, you cannot appreciate the true joy of forgiving others. None ofus knows the many ways God will use us if we make ourselves available to Him. In arecent movie here at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church called, The Heart of Texas, we sawhow a mom and dad had to forgive the man that accidentally ran over their three-year-olddaughter. It was not easy for any of them. There is still much pain. But God used that

act of forgiveness to build relationships and change lives that will last into eternity.


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Day 4

God has a step-by-step plan concerning forgiveness:

1. Lift your head and heart toward Him. Jeremiah 29:11 says, Iknow the plans Ihave for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and ahope. These words were recorded during a time that Israel was in captivity.Jeremiah himself was badly mistreated. Yet he still had hope.

2. Pray for the person who has hurt you. This can be very difficult, but the quickestway to deal with your feelings is to go against them and pray a prayer for theoffender. At least pray that God would make you willing to pray for the person.

3. Choose to forgive before you seek to feel like forgiving. Your life must be pulled bythe engine of Gods will, not by the caboose of doing what I feel like . Read

Matthew 6:14-15. What do you believe God wants you to do?4. The consequences of un-forgiveness are not worth the feelings of justification you

feel right now. The broken relationship with God, the depression or guilt, and theway you treat others all come as a result of unforgiveness.

5. Bitterness will always come out in some form. Do not let it get a root in your heart:Hebrews 12:14-15 (NKJV)

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see theLord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root ofbitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;


Day 5

It is time when you lay down your anger and move on with your life. Just as we choose tobe angry and unforgiving we must choose as I said before to forgive. God will give us thestrength.

Psalm 55:22 (NKJV)

22 Cast your burden on the LORD,And He shall sustain you;He shall never permit the righteous to be moved


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Natives in Africa capture monkeys by setting up cages and placing bait inside. The bait

can be anything a monkey would want, such as food or an unusual object. The monkeysare lured to the cages but are too smart to actually go inside. Instead, they reachthrough the bars, grab the bait, and try to pull it out. Because the object is too large togo through the bars, the only way the monkey can get away is to drop the bait. But

monkeys refuse to let go. They kick and squeal but keep holding on. They stay trappedin bondage because they refuse to let go of the bait.

Are you the devils monkey? Have you grabbed Satans bait, which is called offenses?Satan sets his trap, using offenses as bait. If you grab the offense, you will be hisprisoner as long as you hold on. Many people are incarcerated in the devils dungeonbecause they refuse to let go. You must choose to let go of all past offenses and keepyour hands off all future ones.

(Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 104-105

We base our forgiveness on what God has done for us, not on what another

person has done to us.


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The Landmine of Disappointment - Lesson Eight


Day 1

If I am the anointed King, what in the world am I doing hiding in a cave, are thethoughts that perhaps David was thinking. He had been anointed King by Samuel theprophet (1 Samuel 16:13). A few years later he was still not king, and running for his lifefrom King Saul. There must have been lots of disappointments. Yet through it all Davidwrote and sang these words:

Psalm 57

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!For my soul trusts in You;

And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,Until these calamities have passed by.

David was learning to live beyond disappointment. He was learning also that God is notswayed by disappointments. He is never taken by surprise and always has a plan.Anything that drives us to the Lord is good for us.


Day 2

What do you do when feelings of disappointment explode? Do you pick up the phone andcall someone as quickly as possible, or do you turn to the Lord in prayer?

Psalm 42

1As the deer pants for the water brooks,So pants my soul for You, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,While they continually say to me,Where is your God?

4 When I remember these things,I pour out my soul within me.


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For I used to go with the multitude;

I went with them to the house of God,With the voice of joy and praise,With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

5

Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God, for I shall yet praise HimFor the help of His countenance.

Make sure that He is the first one that hears your cry for help. While godly friends areimportant, no one can help us like God. You are never alone. Hear the promise of Christas he says, I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you(John 14:18).


Day 3

There are many sources of disappointment. It could include areas of weakness in our lifethat constantly causes us to mess up or to give in to temptation. Unrealistic goals for ourlives can be a constant source of disappointment. If we do not know our limitations aswell as our strengths, we can be in for some long days of heartbreak. It could be that in

your mind you know how to handle certain situations but your leadership skills are lackingto actually implement the desired goal. This may take further training, and perhapsmonths or years of help from leaders who have succeeded in these areas.

Realize that God is aware of your circumstances. While you may be stunned or shocked,God never is. He has promised to provide for you. Understand also that disappointmentis a part of life. You will have to make a choice not if you will be disappointed, but howwill I respond to it.

James 4:8-10 (NKJV)

8

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners;and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Letyour laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselvesin the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Most of the people that live in the day that James wrote these words were living undersome very difficult circumstances. Disappointment was almost daily. There are someclear steps outlined here to deal with challenging times:


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1. Make God your first resource not your last.2. Deal with any attitude or sin that does not reflect Jesus. Often it is in times of

difficulty that we can learn how best to change our own lives.3. Humility is not weakness but strength. It is that response to Gods promptings in

our life that give Him the great joy of responding and lifting us up.


Day 4

The greatest ministries that have developed came from peoples disappointments.

The year was 1920. The scene was the examining board for selecting missionaries.Standing before the board was a young man named Oswald Smith. One dreamdominated his heart. He wanted to be a missionary. Over and over again, he prayed,"Lord, I want to go as a missionary for you. Open a door of service for me. Now, at last,his prayer would be answered. When the examination was over, the board turned OswaldSmith down. He did not meet their qualifications. He failed the test. Oswald Smith hadset his direction, but now life gave him a detour. What would he do? As Oswald Smith

prayed, God planted another idea in his heart. If he could not go as a missionary, hewould build a church that could send out missionaries. And that is what he did. OswaldSmith pastored The People's Church in Toronto, Canada, which sent out more missionariesthan any other church at that time. Oswald Smith brought God into the situation and Godtransformed his detour into a main thoroughfare of service.

Brian L. Harbour, Rising Above the Crowd.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 the Bible says,

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, and God isfaithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but withthe temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able toendure it.

The Greek word there fortemptationrefers to suffering, disappointment, and trial.Trials can have a beneficial purpose. Gods goal is always to draw you close to Him andaccomplish His purposes in the world.


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Day 5

Psalm 23 has stood as a tower of strength for so many during days of disappointment.Keep in mind these truths about the Psalm.

1. David wrote these words during a very trying time. He was facing an extremephysical threat.

2. David admitted there was a problem. He did not try to deny it or ignore it.Whatever dark valley he was walking through was very real to him.

3. David understood that God did not send the trial he was facing. The Lord hadallowed it for a purpose and that he could learn a lesson through it.

4. David never shifted his focus onto himself. It always remained on God. Davidknew that God would bring goodness and mercy into his life, and that he had theassurance to know that he would dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

5. David confessed with his mouth that God would do exactly what He had promised.

CONCLUSION:

Few of us know how to go it alone. We need to travel on the high paths of righteousness, in the footsteps of our Lord. Illustration: A story tells of a young man who could skillfully recite the psalm. He

was an actor on Broadway. When he came home to visit his parents, he went tochurch with them. He was asked to recite the 23rd Psalm. When he finished

everyone was very polite and acknowledged how well he did. The pastor, anelderly man, just happened to be preaching on that Psalm that day. He began torecite the Psalm from memory. It was different. He knew the shepherd and not

just the Psalm. When he finished everyone was in tears. Big Idea: This psalm lives because it says there is a Shepherd who knows his sheep

by name, who is abundantly able to provide, who guides and protects, and who atthe close of day welcomes his own into the fold.


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The Landmine of Fear - Lesson Nine

Week of Oct. 3, 2010

Day 1

In 1942, England was on the brink of disaster. The Germans were bombing England daily.The British air force was shrinking quickly. Fear filled the hearts of the people and wouldhave overcome them except for two things; their will and their faith. Winston Churchillchallenged the people with these words, Never give in, never give in, never, never,never, never, in anything, great or small, large or pettynever give in except toconvictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparentlyoverwhelming might of the enemy.

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NKJV)

29

He gives power to the weak,And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the LORDShall renew their strength;They shall mount up with wings like eagles,They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk and not faint.


Day 2

Nehemiah 4:9-15 (NKJV)

9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set awatch against them day and night.10Then Judah said, The strength of the laborers is failing, andthere is so muchrubbish that we are not able to build the wall.11And our adversaries said, They will neither know nor see anything, till we comeinto their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.12 So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times,From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings;and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, andtheir bows. 14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to


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the rest of the people, Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and

awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, andyour houses.15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that Godhad brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his

work.

When God called Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to lead the people to re-build the citywalls, there were people there that did not want that to happen. They issued one threatafter another (Neh. 4). Notice what Nehemiah did not do:

1. He did not panic, become fearful, or cynical.2. He did not listen to the voice of the enemy.3. He did not stop construction of the walls.

You can know what God wants you to do if you seek him and ask him. When you do seekto do Gods will there will rise up a host of fears and doubts the enemy will assault youwith. There may be people who try to prevent Gods will from being accomplished in yourlife. Be sure you are listening to His voice and not your own will. If you are certain ofGods plan. Go forth!


Day 3

Mark 4:35-40 (NKJV)

35On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, Let us cross over tothe other side. 36Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in theboat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37And a greatwindstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.38But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him,Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?39Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still!And

the wind ceased and there was a great calm.40

But He said to them, Why are youso fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

Notice Jesus instructed his disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side. Did henot know there would be a storm? Did he not realize what danger they faced?

1. Yes, he did know there was going to be a storm.2. No, there was no danger. He was right there in the middle of the storm.


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Even though he appeared to be asleep, He was aware of their circumstances. He was in

control of the wind, the rain, and the sea. He knew exactly what was going on aroundtheir small boat. He knows what is happening around you all the time.

He wanted them to come to Him in faith, not in fear. He was not surprised by their fear,

and He certainly made it clear that He was God when he spoke to the storm and told it tobe still. Victory over fear comes when you learn to focus on the Savior and not the storm.


Day 4

Isaiah 58:11 (NKJV)

11 The LORD will guide you continually,And satisfy your soul in drought,And strengthen your bones;You shall be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Though trouble comes from time to time and changes the landscape of our lives, Godnever changes (Hebrews 13:8). Fear does not fit who you are as a child of God. In times

of crisis or tragedy, remember God will strengthen your bones, and keep your soulwatered in times of drought.

Fear may come as a result of how we were raised. Sometimes we as parents can be veryover protective. We can instill fearful ideas in our childrens lives. Other times fear maycome because of our imagination not being under Gods control. We can become sodistracted that we lose focus on what is as we worry about what MIGHT be. Sometimesour fears may be based on something wrong we did and we face consequences of thataction. God may not deliver us from the consequences, but deliver us through them.

We are adequate through Jesus Christ to face any fear and overcome it. You need to see

your future through His perspective and not your own. If you are faced with a challengethat is greater than your ability to handle it, ask the Lord to give you His perspective andrely upon that.


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Day 5

Isaiah 41:10-13 (NKJV)10 Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you,Yes, I will help you,I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.11Behold, all those who were incensed against you

Shall be ashamed and disgraced;They shall be as nothing,

And those who strive with you shall perish.12 You shall seek them and not find them

Those who contended with you.Those who war against youShall be as nothing,

As a nonexistent thing.13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, Fear not, Iwill help you.

Conquering fear is done when we focus on that Someone who is greater than thecircumstances. If God has placed you in a certain position, He will handle all the details

concerning it and your life. Your only responsibility is to obey Him and leave the

consequences to Him.

For too many people fear is an addiction. Some even gain attention by telling othersabout their fears. They become paralyzed in their personal lives and affect others,

especially their own families by their fears. There can be fears and anxieties that comefrom depression. This can actually be a result of a physical cause, and needs to betreated with medical help. Other times it may be a result of spiritual issues and can beresolved through:

Admitting there is a problem and you need Gods help. Confess your belief in Gods sovereign care.

Commit yourself to spending time each day with God in prayer. Meditate on Gods Word, which contains His personal promises to you.

The Enemy may whisper,Whatif? But you can answer with, I know whom I havebelieved.


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Psalm 46:1-2 (NKJV)

1 God is our refuge and strength,A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;


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The Landmine of Immorality - Lesson Ten


Day 1

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (NKJV)

10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;

And this was my reward from all my labor.11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done

And on the labor in which I had toiled;And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.There was no profit under the sun.

Solomon had everything; concubines, slaves, houses, vineyards, silver, gold, and so muchmore. Yet he was empty. The things he valued the most had nothing to do with God.

Sexual sin has become rampant today. Even among Christians adultery and other sexualsins have begun tearing down the family at an alarming rate. Yet testimony aftertestimony shares the horrible affects of their sin: children at risk, sexual diseases, brokenlives, suicide, and personal emptiness are at an all time high.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 the Bible tells us that:

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 (NKJV)

7For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejectsthis does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

To reject Gods principles of holiness is to reject God Himself. What we must learn is theprocess of victoryover these temptations. The Bible calls it sanctification. We aresaved once but sanctified (grow spiritually) each day we choose to let Jesus be Lord.

The Landmine of Immorality - Lesson TenDay 2

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God isfaithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but withthe temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.


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God has promised a way of escape when we are tempted to immorality. The power of

Gods Word and the Power of the Holy Spirit are our primary resources. Every believerhas available to them the same resources for dealing with temptation. It is a matter ofallowing God to use them in our lives.

1.Do you spend some time each day in Gods word? If not, why not? Do you watchTV each day, read a newspaper, or work with a hobby? Why not take 10-15minutes a day to help you deal with issues that come in your life?

2. Each day that you live you need to ask God to deliver you from temptation throughthe power of the Holy Spirit. Ask and it shall be given you!

3. When you are tempted by thoughts of lust, confess them, and ask God to drawnear to you, and that you desire to resist the devil, and he will flee from you.(James 4:7)


Day 3

People who fall morally often look great on the surface. Deep inside, however, where onlyGod can see there are un-controlled thoughts that have been burning. They are about toblaze into a raging fire.

James 1:14 (NKJV)

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

There is no one else to blame except for you when you give in to temptation. The Biblesays it is up to us to flee immorality. That means we need to run away from it. Men, donot think you can flirt with sin and it not affect you. Run, Run, Run!

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (NKJV)

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he

who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

19

Or do you not knowthat your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have fromGod, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; thereforeglorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are Gods.


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Day 4

People misuse sex for many different reasons: to build personal self esteem, to meetpersonal desires, to control another person, to make financial gains, to express lust andabuse. Sex outside of marriage leads to feelings of guilt, shame, and low self-esteem.Sexual intimacy is the most private expression two people can have for one another.

The most common side effects for believers that fall morally are guilt, anxiety, and adivided mind. A person that is hiding (or thinks he/she is hiding) the sin always has theirmind on how to keep it secret. Their work suffers, their family life suffers, and obviously,their spiritual life suffers. They have feelings of dishonesty because they have to lie tokeep things hidden. It may take a while but this sin is almost 100% of the timeuncovered.

The testimonies of the Christians life are damaged, sometimes beyond repair it seems.Not only have they hurt themselves and those closest to them, but they have left a blackeye and a sour taste with non-believers about the Christian faith. Remember sin will beuncovered, sin hurts others, and sin hurts the Lord Jesus because of His childsmisbehavior.


Day 5

There is hope. If we are willing to do things Gods way and turn from our sin, there ishope and forgiveness.

First, acknowledge that what you have done is not right. This may take a while for you toaccept but you must accept the truth regardless of why you did it.

Secondly, take responsibility for your sin. This could mean asking forgiveness of anotherperson or persons. Sometimes a person becomes angry with a spouse for something said

or done. This is used as an excuse to get even at them. Remember you are still at faultfor crossing the line and God is willing to forgive if you are willing to confess and agreewith Him that you are guilty.

Be genuine in your repentance. There is a temporary sorrow because a person getscaught. Below the surface, however, there is no remorse or repentance. Given enoughtime, they will repeat their actions again.


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Ask God to forgive you and help you to get past the immorality. It may take not only

Gods forgiveness but also biblical counseling to repair the walls that have been torndown. Listen to one broken mans confession and request for help:

Psalm 51

A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in toBathsheba.

1 Have mercy upon me, O God,According to Your loving-kindness;According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,Blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is always before me.4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in Your sightThat You may be found just when You speak,

And blameless when You judge.

God has the ability to defuse any type of sinful passion and replace it with a sense ofgodly contentment. If you will allow Him to have control of your sexual desire, He willshow you how to live with a pure heart, whether you are married or single. If you havefailed, He and He alone can restore and repair the broken lives. Forgiveness is instant but

rebuilding may take years. Give God the chance.


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The Landmine of Slothfulness - Lesson Eleven


Day 1

Another word for slothfulness is laziness. Usually the person who struggles with this sinalso struggles with self-esteem, pride, and a passive-aggressive attitude. In 2 Thess. 3:6Paul was dealing with a group of people who had become lazy in their devotion to God andin their work. They assumed incorrectly that Jesus was to return any day. Why should

they work hard if he was coming to take them home?

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NKJV)

6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that youwithdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the

tradition which he received from us.7

For you yourselves know how you ought tofollow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8nor did we eat anyones breadfree of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be aburden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to makeourselves an example of how you should follow us.10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will notwork, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among youin a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those whoare such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work inquietness and eat their own bread.13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good

The question you must ask yourself is - Am I doing my best? Do I offer something muchless to my employer and coworkers as a result of taking shortcuts and procrastinating?


Day 2

John 5:2-9 (NKJV)2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew,

Bethesda, having five porches.3

In these lay a great multitude of sick people,blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel wentdown at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoeverstepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever diseasehe had. 5Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in thatcondition a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well?


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7The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the

water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.8Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed andwalk. 9 And immediately the manwas made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And that day was the Sabbath.

Christ asked the man a very interesting question, Do you wish to get well? Whywouldnt he want to be healed so he could walk again? Then he would be expected towork, no one would take care of him. It would be his responsibility to pay the bills. Jesuscalls the lazy person into action.

Do you want to do better financially? Do you really deep down? Do you want mama anddaddy to take care of you the rest of your life? Are you willing to say no to your grownchildren if they are not willing to work, or always finding excuses as to why they cannotwork or hold a job. Going without a meal or sleeping in the car might be quiet amotivator to get a job!


Day 3

I have a friend that is a multi-millionaire. He started with nothing and has worked veryhard to obtain what He has. He goes into work every day and works the same schedulehis employees do. He comes in on many Saturdays to make sure his company is run

correctly. He is a very generous man and very wealthy. He could have slacked down onhis hands-on approach to running the business and let his employees work it for him andhe collect the profits. He is very disciplined in his life and has a tremendous work ethic.

On the other hand, a slothful person makes up his mind that he does not want to dosomething, and then he finds a way not to do it. This is a dangerous position.

Proverbs 6:9-11 (NKJV)

9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?When will you rise from your sleep?

10

A little sleep, a little slumber,A little folding of the hands to sleep11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,And your need like an armed man.

Some of the temptations we face that deal with laziness usually come in the form of, Ijust dont feel like helping out. Stuffing envelopes is not my thing. I dont havechildren anymore, why should I serve in the preschool?


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There are times when we physically are sick, or just cannot help because of previous

commitments. Then there are times.


Day 4

How do you deal with laziness in yourself or someone you are trying to help?

1. Set goals to reach before there is any more reward. Until you or the other personreaches the first goal then the first reward cannot be given.

2. The antidote to selfishness is giving. Find a way to give back to others. If notmoney then time. Find a family that needs yard work done and volunteer to do it.Get involved in a ministry through the church and give back.

3. Get into Gods word at least 15 minutes a day. A person who is lazy physically islazy spiritually. Take time each day to hear from God.

4. Pray for help daily to overcome desires to slack off. Focus on the fact that you areworking for God and not man.

5. Realize the consequences of laziness will grow if left unchecked. They include: Personal problems increase Stress and pressure increase as you slack up on your obligations Emotional and physical pain A lack of peace and sense of good pride as you see a job well done Poverty

6. Jesus Christ must be Lord of your life. He has a plan and purpose for your life.Only as you release control of your life to Him will you truly be free.

He is your only source of victory. When He is alive in you, your battle againstlaziness will be won!

John 8:31-32 (NKJV)

31Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you

are My disciples indeed.32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall makeyou free.


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Day 5

Living on Purpose is really what we are talking about. If you understand that God has apurpose for your life and you can know His purpose then you can focus on Him and Hisplans for you. Remember His plans for you always include others. Its not about you.Its about Him and His purposes for this world.

Never forget the truth of Jeremiah 29:11: (NKJV)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts ofpeace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.


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Defusing the Landmines Along Your Path - Lesson Twelve


Day 1

Genesis 18:13-14 (NKJV)

13And the LORD said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I surely beara child, since I am old? 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointedtime I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Is there anything too hard for God? We cannot use the excuse, Well I couldnt helpmyself. Without a strong faith in God, we will become easy targets for the enemy. LikeSarah, we will be tempted to laugh instead of obey.

The closer we stay to God the further away the landmine will be. Every landmine poses aserious threat to the path of the believer. You and I have a resource the non-Christiandoes not have, that is that God promises to deliver us through and from temptation.Trust in Him to do it.


Day 2

Peter failed the Lord miserably. After telling Christ he would never run or deny Him, Peterdid deny the Lord three times. Peter repented and turned back to the Lord. He became agreat evangelist after his failure when he repented and turned back to Christ.

There are two ways we encounter landmines. The first is by taking a route that God doesnot want us to travel without knowing the consequences. Even when the landmineexplodes and we fail we may still have to experience the consequences, but we can beforgiven and restored back to the Lord.

The second is to make a choice without any consideration of God. We know there are

consequences. The passions and desires of our heart supersede what we know is right.We take a chance anyway and boom, there goes the landmine. We hurt ourselves andothers. READ PSALM 51 today for your understanding of the consequences and cure forfailure.


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Day 3

Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV)23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties;24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

David learned the hard way to avoid landmines. He was proactive. He asked God tosearch his heart. Often when we look at ourselves we either dont see what God does orwe excuse what we do as being so small as to not matter. David had a submissive spirit.He wanted to know the truth. His life was open to God. David was willing for God to tryhim to see if he had learned other lessons. David had taken a direct hit from a landmine

of lust and failed. It cost him and others a lot of grief and pain. He kept a check on hisheart from then on and ask clearly for Gods guidance.


Day 4

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

17No weapon formed against you shall prosper,And every tongue which rises against you in judgmentYou shall condemn.This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their righteousness is from Me,Says the LORD.

You and I would do well to commit this verse of scripture to memory. When you arewalking in His will God has your front and your back and both sides. It may become very

difficult and intense for a while but God will get you through.

During a very difficult time in my days on the school board we all faced intense pressurefrom a very vocal group of parents, the press, and even behind the scenes some teachersthat wanted us to change our course. Was I 100% sure we were correct? No, I wasnt.But I did trust in those other board members, our superintendent and ultimately when thefinal vote came I cast it; to make it a unanimous decision. Everything did not go away interms of criticism. But two or three things did happen:


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God raised up a host of parental supporters in the local communities whichbegan to stand with us.

Even a handful (very small) of the media got behind us. We implemented the changes and saw almost immediate results. The long-range results have been tremendous as well.

It was a learning experience for me as a believer and as a leader.


Day 5

Psalm 37:23-24 (NKJV)

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,And He delights in his way.24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down;For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

God knows where the landmines are. As you respond to the promptings of Gods spirit,and His word He can direct you around the landmines. Will you trust Him to order yoursteps of your life, to lead you along a pathway that is secure from enemy attack?

The moment you say. Lord use me, train me, and teach me more about yourself, Hewill answer your prayer, and all of heavens joy, contentment, and eternal peace will beyours.

Landmines in the Path of the Believer 2010 - Update

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