Month: February 2017

Presence, Peace and Purpose Go Hand In Hand

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February 8, 2017

7:15 AM, Day 7

 

Dear God,

It’s Day 7 and I’m disappointed because I feel a bit rushed this morning. As you know, today starts a rundear god of back-to-back events and very, very long hours with just enough time left over at the end of each day to sleep a little before returning to work. Lord, I need YOU more than ever as I go into this period. You know I’m already not feeling well and these long hours usually make things worse, depleting my immune system and making me even more susceptible. Help carry me through these days and nights, dear Lord, and thank you for all the ones that you have already carried me through. Lord, I also ask for your arms of comfort to wrap around my friend and co-worker. I won’t go into details here, in case I feel compelled to publish this on http://www.amenandehmen.com, but thankfully you know the situation and needs without me ever expressing the first word. I love you, Lord, with all my heart and soul. And I thank you for always being here for me. Help me to progress in my purpose and to embrace wherever that takes me. With you Lord, I know I can do anything. Amen and Ehmen.

 

My dear, beautiful child,

You need not worry about anything, for I am with you always. Look up the word “always,” my child, and record it here.

                Always is an adverb, meaning at all times; on all occasions, including:

·         Throughout a long period of the past.

·         For all future time; forever

·         Repeatedly; never-ending

This means, my dear one, I am literally with you all the time, through all things big and small. Repeat this to yourself; speak it deep into your spirit as many times as you must for it to become second nature for you. When something happens or you need something throughout your day, don’t hesitate to ask Me for help. Whisper my name out loud or call to me in silence.

When you do this, child, you will feel more and more at peace. And it is in this peace in which I will partner with you in the purposes for which you were first created. Stay aware of My Presence and let Me guide you.

I am proud of you for sticking to your commitment of meeting with me seven consecutive days. I hope that you will continue to meet me here. I love being with you, my child.

Spend some time in these scripture today:

proverbs-4-23-art

Philippians 3:8-11:

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Chirst. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Philippians 4:13

For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Proverbs 4:20-23

My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Matthew 28:20

I am with you always, until the end of the world.

 

The Ultimate Valentine

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be-mine-heart-for-amenandehmen

Whether you are single or paired on this Valentine’s Day, this is a day we celebrate the very heartbeat of God: LOVE!

Remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 22: 34-40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

And, as far as Valentine’s go, you can’t get any sweeter or more perfect than our precious and glorious Lord who loves us beyond compare, without condition, forever and ever. And He’s all yours for the asking.

If you haven’t yet, why not today? The day of LOVE.

Just say something like this:

“Lord, I don’t necessarily understand it all and I’m not sure what to do next, but I do believe in You and that You love me so much that you sent your one and only son, Jesus, so that we all could be forgiven of our sins and have everlasting life. I believe He died on the cross for me, to save me. You did for me what I couldn’t do for myself. I come to You now and ask You to take control of my life. I give it to You. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.

Lord, will you be my Valentine?”

Amen and Ehmen.

And a Happy Hearts Day to all! Much love from http://www.amenandehmen.com.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

—John, 3:16

 

The Doctor is In.

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Note: My work high-jacked all my time and energy again, but now that I have a moment, I wanted to post the last two days of my 7-day commitment to spend time with God every morning. Though it was a long 85-hour work week and it was extremely tough on me physically at times, I can honestly say that this extra focused time on God helped carry me through with spirits intact. He is the Great Physician. Looking forward to continuing to connect with Him on the written page. Be blessed.

February 7, 2017

7:00 AM

Dear God, it is Day 6 of my commitment to meet you here daily for seven consecutive days. Unfortunately, I only have about 30 minutes this morning as I have to get to the office. Fortunately, I dear godknow that I can learn and do more in just a few minutes with you versus years without you. You are incredible and I am happy that you are in my life and in me. This morning, God, I pray to you about the way I’m feeling physically. Please help me to bring all things going on in my body back into order. My week ahead for work is intense as you know and it will be very difficult to maneuver it feeling like this. I love you, dear God, and it is in your son’s name that I pray. Amen and Ehmen.

Dear Child,

I’m sorry you are not feeling well, but you have come to the right place. You live in a fallen world and your body is susceptible to all kinds of undesirable things. But, as long as you stay close to me, I will help you navigate even the most menacing of them. Healing, my child, comes in many forms. Sometimes I simply wipe out the illness as you, yourself, have experienced. Sometimes I use medicines and physicians. Sometimes it is immediate and sometimes it takes time, as I know you have also experienced. Your job is to believe, to trust in me, and be thankful in both cases. Trust, dear child, is an area that you struggle with and that is okay. As long as you come to me, I will continue to teach you as long as it takes. We are in this together. You must always remember that.

  Isaiah 41:10

Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’“For I am with you

 

If you are willing, He will make you able

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February 6, 2016

8:41 AM

Dear God, it is Day 5 of my commitment to meet you here daily for seven consecutive days. It has been wonderful to bask in your presence and love; to learn from you; to start my day. Days that are built on such a foundation and surrounded by your presence are far better than any others. Help me todear god remember this, Lord, and grow in the habit of meeting you here. Help me to have an increasing awareness of you and to continue talking with you throughout my day. Help me to remember that you care about every aspect of my life, not just what I consider the big things. I just don’t know how people do life without you, dear Lord. The times that I have allowed myself to be detached from your presence, I have been miserable. Hold me close, God, and protect me daily from my enemies. I long to hear only your voice. My heart is filled with the desire to please you and to fulfill your will and purpose for me; help my fleshly desires to follow suit. I love you. And I thank you for continuing to love and bless me. Amen and Ehmen.

Dear Loved One,

Your heart makes me smile. I long for this closeness as well. It is what you were made for, my beautiful child, and as long as you make the effort, you can rest assured that I will always be here to greet you.  Immerse yourself into My Word, dear child, and I will send the Holy Spirit to translate each word and inscribe it on your heart. I will open your eyes and your heart and you will continue to grow in me and I in you. Your path will become more and more obvious and you will begin to waste less and less time on things that do not matter. Picture me a carpenter and you my protégé. I hold the toolbox and, as long as you remain beside me, you can be assured that I will hand you just what you need to complete the task before you. But, it is crucial that you stay beside me. Your purpose, my child, is a joint venture, one that is impossible without both of us. I am willing and able; and, if you are willing, I will make you able as well. That’s a promise, my child. 

Ephesians 2:10

eph-2-10

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Life Application Study Note: The whole Bible is God’s inspired Word. Because it is inspired and trustworthy, we should read it and apply it to our life. The Bible is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. It is our safeguard against false teaching and our source of guidance for how we should live. It is our only source of knowledge about how we can be saved. God wants to show you what is true and equip you to live for him. How much time do you spend in God’s Word? Read it regularly to discover God’s truth and to become confident in your life and faith. Develop a plan for reading the whole Bible, not just the familiar passages.

Hebrews 13: 20-21

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Life Application Study Note: These verses include two significant results of Christ’s death and resurrection. God works in us to make use the kind of people that would please him, and he equips us to do the kind of work that would please him. Let God change you from within and then use you to help others (our purpose).

 

 

He Loves Us, Faults and All

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2/5/17

10:00 AM

Good morning, God. Am I ever glad it is Sunday! I worked last night and into the early dear godmorning hours and I am just plain tired.  However, just as I reached for my phone this morning and resisted wasting time before coming into Your presence, I shall resist my natural urge to complain as I know in my heart that You know exactly how I feel without me uttering the first groan.

Instead, Lord, I want to thank You for You. I want to thank You for always fulfilling your promises and for the too-many-to-count miracles that You have manifested in my life. This week, in fact, I was reminded by Facebook, that this time last year I was undergoing a trans-jugular liver biopsy. I remember how scared I was; fearful that the doctors would uncover something that would cut my life on earth short; that fear fueled even more so by the untimely death of my brother, Gary. The doctors were convinced there was something seriously wrong and all the tests and the way I was feeling seemed to indicate the same.

Still, You gave me peace as awaited the results. You gave me an army of people who blessed me with prayers. You came close when I called and treated me to a personal and powerful reminder that You are always with me and always in control, over that situation and other situations for which I have staggered in fear.  (You can read about this beautiful miracle here, Stopped In Their Tracks.)

You gave me the miracle of healing when the much dreaded procedure revealed that my liver, despite what medical testing has said for the past 20 years, was not going to be issuing me a death sentence any time soon. The doctor followed this good news with a warning that I needed to continue searching for the reason for my ailments and botched blood tests, but, truthfully, I only heard the good news.

I remember how relieved I was and, now as I recount it, I’m still relieved. However, I’m more than a little disappointed in how quickly I “forgot” this gigantic miracle. Please forgive me for continuing to allow myself to get so caught up in the problems of the day that I forget what You have already done for me. How I can let the menial cast shadows on the miraculous makes absolutely no sense!

Father, help me to stay focused on the miracles and on You. Thank You for always showing up and for being patient with me, even when I take You for granted. I don’t want to take You for granted, Lord. Help me to live a life pleasing to You and know that I love You with every ounce of my being. Amen and Ehmen.

 

Dear, dear Child,

You are not the first—nor will you be the last—of my children that let the problems of the day overshadow the blessings and miracles. It—like sin—is a side effect of your human condition. What pleases Me is that you recognize this in yourself and your heart wants to do what is right. THIS is a side effect of having accepted My Son as your personal savior. And, it is because of this, child, that you can rest assured that you will one day stand before Me without fault, as perfect and blameless as My Son Himself.

I am very proud that you turned your natural tendency to complain this morning into a reason to praise Me. Read and meditate today on the closing prayer of Jude. Read it out loud. Make this your prayer and know that I hear every word, every cry of your heart, even those that your lips are unable to express. You can count on Me in all circumstances. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, My love for you remains the same. Infinite. All powerful. Never failing. Thank you for being My child. You bring Me great joy. Enjoy your day off, My dear one.

Jude 1:24-25

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

jude-1-with-my-photo

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Final Thought: Oh, what a beautiful, profound and priceless prayer! There is very little I can add, except this. Too often, all of us let satan use our shortcomings to drive a wedge between us and our Father in Heaven. Satan is a master at condemnation. But, we must remember that our God is a God of redemption not condemnation and what satan tries to use to pull us away, God will use to pull us closer.

If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God has accepted us, faults and all, and He will—as Jude so beautifully writes—keep us from falling away and will bring us with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.”

Yee-Haw! Thank you, God. I love You and Your Word. You always know just what to say!  🙂 Amen and Ehmen.

 

It’s Not About Perfection, It’s About Passion

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Writer’s Note: I have let life take me away from my personal “Me and Thee” time and this week, after much prayer and speaking with a dear man of God that I respect greatly, I made the commitment to spend at least 30 minutes every day for the day 7 days communing with The Father. This is Day 3. As those of you who frequent this blog know, my personal way of doing this is via the blank page. I start with a prayer and then quiet my spirit and type what I “hear.” Sometimes this process takes 15 minutes and sometimes 30 minutes or more. This morning I got so drawn in that I enjoyed closer to an hour and a half with the Father! It was wonderful!  Though it is my personal and unedited conversation, I share as I know that it often speaks to some of you as well. Have a blessed and beautiful day. Amen and Ehmen.

February 4, 2017

8:43 AM

Dear God,

Ugh. I did it again. I spent time on my phone this morning, making sure I hadn’t missed dear godany work or other “necessary” information during the overnight hours. I don’t know why I do these things. My desire is to meet You here on this blank page FIRST thing in the morning and, yet, I don’t. I spend a half hour doing something else. I am reminded of the words of, I think it was Paul, who professed in Your Word how desperately he hated when he did what he didn’t want to do. He moaned about not understanding himself. Boy, can I ever relate to that! Lord, I’m so sorry for not meeting You here first thing and I ask again for Your help in the days to come. I have so many other things I want to talk to You about, but I first have to get past this. Help me, Lord, for apart from You, I know that I can do nothing. I love You, Dear Father. And I thank You for Your continual forgiveness. I sure don’t deserve it, but I sure need it. Amen and Ehmen.

Dear Child,

Rest assured, I know your heart and what is in your heart is what is most important. You will not always do what is right, for you are human and sin is a part of your condition. If you could completely control this, the cross would have been pointless. All I require of you is that you DESIRE to do what is right and that you continually look to Me for help. Beautiful child, let this soak deep, deep into your soul and spirit: My love and plans for you do not change based on what you do. Just like Me, they are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I love your heart, precious child, and I am well pleased with your yearnings to please Me. Do not be discouraged. Instead just continue to meet Me here. Continue to commune with Me throughout your day and I WILL make your path straight.

Today, study Romans 5:2. Record the scripture on this page along with the study notes from your bible. Meditate on My Word and My Love, for they are one and the same.

Romans 5:2 

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Study Note: Paul states that, as believers, we now have entered into a place of undeserved privilege. Not only has God declared us not guilty; he has drawn us close to himself. Instead of being enemies, we have become his friends—in fact, his own children. (Life Application Study Bible)

Micah 6: 1-8

Listen to what the Lord is saying: “Stand up and state your case against me. Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints. And now, O mountains, listen to the Lord’s complaint! He has a case against his people. He will bring charges against Israel. O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me! For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you. Don’t you remember, my people; how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the Lord, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.”

What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins?

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Study Note: In this passage, the prophet Micah is marching through an indictment, given by the Lord, against the people of Israel. As he lists the charges against them, Micah reminds the people of the depth of God’s love for them. In verses 6-8, he lists a few of the false sacrifices and conventional offerings that the people have offered God in the past. But Micah reminds them that God wants nothing but the offering of their humble hearts. The greatest gift we can give God is a heart abandoned to His will—and this is exactly the kind of offering Jesus gives when he goes to the cross. His sacrifice is the ultimate act of obedience, and the ultimate price paid for the long list of indictments against us—he gave his heart so that our hearts could be reborn, enabling us to give him back our hearts in return. (The Jesus-Centered Bible)

 

Philippians 4:4

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

Study Note: Ultimate joy comes from Christ dwelling within us. Christ is near; and at his second coming we will fully realize this ultimate joy. He who lives within us will fulfill his final purposes for us.

rejoice-in-the-lord-photo-from-web

Final Thoughts: I love that Paul repeats himself, reminding us to be full of joy in the Lord twice in one verse. Actually, he reminded people of this several times in his letter to the Philippians, because he knew they needed to hear it.

I am thankful that there are so many scriptures throughout the Bible which reiterate that I am not alone in needing to hear the same message over and over. We cannot view this as a failure which separates us from the Lord; we cannot let the enemy convince us that we are not good enough because we need such reminders. God is a God of love, patience and forgiveness.

Remember to be joyful for His omnipresent presence in your life. Remember that He does not require perfect, but instead a humble heart desirous and passionate to fulfill His purposes. He will do the rest.

Thank you, dear God, for loving us like You do and for being patient with our shortcomings. Help us to have humble and teachable hearts, today and every day. And, help me, Lord, to focus on You FIRST during my time with You tomorrow morning. I can’t wait. I love You. Amen and Ehmen.

God to us: When it comes to your cares, size really doesn’t matter.

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February 3, 2017

7:05 AM

Dear God,

It’s day two of my commitment to meet with You for at least 30 minutes every morning for seven days dear godand I have already gotten distracted by playing games, scanning social media, reading daily scripture, downloading podcasts and doing research on my phone.

Not that these things are necessarily bad, but my goal is to land on this blank page and commune with You during the first moments of my day. Help me, Lord, to resist the urge to grab my phone first thing and to instead make a new habit of grabbing my bible and/or my computer and focus solely on You during this time. It should be simple for me as this time always, always pays off. I’m not sure why I struggle so. I love You, dear Lord. With all my heart and soul, I love You, and long to be in constant communion with Your Holy Spirit. Help me stay close to You, oh Lord. Help me to walk with and talk with You throughout my day. Help me minimize the distractions and to make every moment of the day count not only for my personal growth, but for the growth and glory of Your Kingdom. May this day bring me closer to You. Amen and Ehmen.

Beautiful Child,

Of course, I will help you. Remember yesterday when I talked to you about remaining IN Me. Well, child, when you do that, you are as close to Me as you can get until the day you join Me in Heaven. Just keep talking to Me; reaching out to Me; including Me in everything that you do; not just the big decisions, but in everything. I care about it all, child, because I care about you. Nothing is too small or too great for My attention.

Today, child, I want you to read and study Philippians 4:6 and 7. Commit this verse to memory and then spend some time with the whole chapter. I have many things to say to you through My Word which will help you maneuver this day and days to come. And never forget to lean on Me for wisdom, truth and understanding. I am the only true source for all of these things. I love you, child, and love spending time with you. It My favorite time of day.

Philippians, 4:6-7phillipians-4-6

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Today’s Final Thoughts:

Lord, thank you for never failing to share the perfect scripture with me. Though I no longer need proof that it is indeed You that I am hearing, I will never get tired of this. Though it happens on a regular basis as I allow myself quiet time with You, it never gets old to hear a scripture address, to look it up out of the thousands of scriptures in the Bible and find that it goes hand-in-hand with our day’s conversation. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to commune with you in this way and for caring about everything in my life. I love you. Amen and Ehmen.

 

Don’t Waver in the Waiting Period

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Writer’s Note: I have let life take me away from my personal “Me and Thee” time and this week, after much prayer and speaking with a dear man of God that I respect greatly, I made the commitment to spend at least 30 minutes every day for the next seven days communing with The Father. As those of you who frequent this blog know, my personal way of doing this is via the blank page. I start with a prayer and then quiet my spirit and type what I “hear.” Sometimes this process takes 15 minutes and sometimes 30 minutes or more. I know that I know that it is God as He almost always will plant one or more scripture addresses in my head that–when I pick up my bible and look them up–I discover that they go perfectly with what He is teaching me in that moment.Though it is my personal and unedited conversation, I share as I know that it often speaks to some of you as well. Have a blessed and beautiful day. Amen and Ehmen.

February 2, 2017

6:45 AM

Good morning, God.

I know it’s been awhile since I have met You here. I won’t make excuses, but instead am making a dear godcommitment to meet You here for at least 30 minutes every morning for the next seven days. I have missed our time together more than I even know how to express. Fortunately, I know You know my heart and You know the depths that I am feeling. My heart, my soul and my spirit long to be close and connected to You; to experience the closeness and supernatural wonders that come with that closeness. To hear Your voice, Your correction and Your direction and to be obedient to Your leading. Lord, help me to be cognizant of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to turn down the noise around me and focus on what is truly important—You and Your kingdom. You know my needs at work. Help me to be successful without feeling like I have to give up my time with You. Meet me where I am. Help me to stay in constant communion with You, to walk and breathe in the Spirit. And, as for the job for which I applied, Lord I ask that, if it is Your will, that You make it clear to the one that will be hiring as well as to me. But, if it is not where You want me, make me able to accept it and continue waiting for the opportunity that You have designed just for me. You know I need Your help, Lord. I need Your help tuning my ears to You. Please make me receptive to Your leading. I want nothing more than to fulfill your purposes for me. May Your will, Lord, not mine, be done in my life just as it is in Heaven. I love You, sweet Jesus, with all that I am. From the bottom of my heart, I remain Yours.

 

Dear, dear Child,

Oh, how I have missed our time together as well. I have been calling out to you, but you have let the world distract you. I am not blaming nor condemning you as you are human, but I am reminding you that I am always right here anytime that you need me. I’m so sorry that you have felt alone, but, as I know you know in your spirit, I never left. And I never will. You are not alone.

I know you love Me, child, and I’m so happy that you have devoted yourself to Me. The missing link for you is that, while you remain Mine as you said in your prayer, you are not remaining IN Me. There is a difference.

All my children who have accepted Me as their Lord and Savior remain Mine throughout their lives and into eternity, but it is those who remain IN Me that stay connected to Me at all times. It is like the scripture describes and you have studied time and time again. I am the Vine and you are a branch. You must be connected to Me and tended by The Father to live and produce good fruit.  

I am pleased that you have committed to meeting Me here every morning for the next week. I will be here waiting. I love you, dear child, and I have great plans for you. You simply must trust Me and know that I have prepared a way for you and that I am in the process of preparing you. When you don’t feel that you can hear My direction, when the direction is not clear, give Me thanks for where you are and then wait. Waiting is where I equip and prime you for your destiny. Don’t give up in the waiting period. Remain IN Me. I am here, child. I never left and I never will. Repeat that throughout this day until it takes root deep in your spirit. You are Mine, child, and I will eternally remain IN you. Look up that scripture, child, and write it here. Also, read and study Ephesians 6:7 and Colossians 3:2.  Commit them to memory. When you have conflicting thoughts or find yourself dwelling on your job and the things that are pulling you away from Me, repeat these scriptures. I love you, child. Walk with Me through this day…

John 15: 5

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Ephesians 6:7

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Colossians 3:2

Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth.