Fighter Verse Songs

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Philippians 4: 8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

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True
Honorable
Just
Pure
Lovely
Commendable
Excellent
Praise-worthy

This is pretty simple.

Does this describe what you’ve been watching, what you’ve been looking at, what you’ve been reading, what you’ve been meditating on?

Does it describe how you interact with other people, so that they will think they should “think about” you and what you do?

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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Philippians 4: 6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Peace is very good thing. If you have it in some form, thank God for it.

If you don’t, or you would like more, pray. If you are anxious, pray. Let your requests be made known to God. Remember to thank him for the good and the bad things in your life.

And God will give you peace. And this peace will, through the saving work of Jesus, protect your heart and mind.

Isn’t that a great promise?

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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Psalm 18: 30-31

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God.

Perfect, True, Shield, Refuge, Rock.

Who is God, but the LORD?

We should praise Him.
We should seek Him.
We should obey Him.
We should trust Him.

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

Some time ago I posted a list of real situations and good behaviors that Jesus didn’t model for us. They were areas where we couldn’t follow him, largely because he is holy and these areas required our fallen-ness. While it yielded a good discussion, this post has always left a bad taste in my mouth, because it’s always felt like I was suggesting that Jesus was limited in some way. I don’t think I was, but that’s how it felt. In any case, I never want to look like I’m suggesting in any way that Jesus is limited in how he can help us.

So to counter that, I’ve compiled a list of activities that Jesus actually did that we can’t follow. Again this is because of our sinfulness and our status as pure humans. I feel like it’s a better list because it elevates Christ more than the last post did.

I thought I’d post it this week, because this week’s verse is a prime example.

Twelve Ways We Can’t Follow Jesus
(Because We’re Not As Great As Him)

We cannot seek and save the lost.
We cannot decide that someone is forgiven.
We cannot pray in our own name.
We cannot accept worship.
We cannot be the perfect sacrifice.
We cannot say that Moses spoke of us.
We cannot say that someone who sees us, sees the Father.
We cannot raise ourselves from the dead.
We cannot be an eternal high priest.
We cannot be good enough to enter God’s presence.
We cannot advocate for ourselves or anyone else.
We cannot sit down at the right hand of the Most High.

I don’t know about you, but this list inspires me more than the last one.

Did I miss any?

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Luke 19: 10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

The – There’s only one.
Son – Jesus is born of a human.
Man – Jesus is human.
Came – Jesus was in heaven with God.
To – Jesus had goals.
Seek – He found us, we didn’t find him.
And – He wasn’t just looking for us.
Save – Jesus gave us a way out of something bad.
Lost – We couldn’t have done this on our own.

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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James 4:15-17
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Do you say that? Do you say, “If the Lord wills”? Do you think it?

We need to remember that if we’re not, we are sinfully boasting. We’re acting like we can make our own future.

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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James 4: 13-14

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

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We don’t like to hear these things, do we? My life is not a mist! What I do is important! And I don’t want to think about the shortness and impermanence of life!

But we need to hear these things, or we become proud. We become too self-assured. We start to think we are doing life on our own.

We need to hear the truth: talking about the future as if we know what’s going to happen is prideful foolishness.

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

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This is a true and obvious verse, isn’t it?

… but you don’t always want to turn away wrath, do you? Sometimes you want to stir up anger. And most of the time this is a sinful wish. And that’s why you say the harsh word.

Consider your heart. Consider your motivations. Who are you trying to glorify?

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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Romans 12: 20-21

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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We started attending Bethlehem Baptist Church in the summer of 2004 and Pastor John was in the middle of preaching through Romans. He was, in fact, in the middle of Romans 12. At one point that year I remember Pastor John saying something like, “I think you all should consider making it a goal of memorizing Romans 12.

This chapter is 21 verses long and this week marks the end of this passage, which includes verses 9-21. Verses 1 and 2 of this chapter are also fighter verses. So if you’ve memorized the fighter verses, you’ve memorized 5/7ths of this chapter and you’re well on your way to following Pastor John’s suggestion.

In any case, it’s a very helpful chapter. It ends by quoting Proverbs and making summary.

Overcome evil will good. May it be so of many people in every church.

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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]

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Romans 12: 17-19

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

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I really like what Pastor Piper has said about these verses.

Do you see both mercy and justice here? You who are mistreated do not take justice into your hands. Do not seek vengeance. Does that mean there will be no justice? Does it mean there is no vengeance? No. Verse 19 says, “Leave it to the wrath of God.” There is vengeance. There is justice. All things will be set right. Either your adversary will pay his debt in hell. Or he will repent, and trust Christ, so that his debt was paid on the cross. All wrongs will be punished. In God’s universe forgiveness does not mean that some crimes receive no punishment. It means that some crimes are punished in the suffering of a substitute. “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). We will see our worst adversary in heaven, if he repents and believes in Jesus. Oh, let us not nurse hatred for such adversaries.

Those are comforting and calming words, don’t you think?
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[Just a reminder – many or most of the songs posted on this site or at our channel at Youtube.com are demo or scratch versions (not finalized) of what will be available on the CD or iTunes.]