Isaiah 50:7 ” Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.”

The Scene: Representation of the “born-again” Christian’s determination, with help of the Holy Spirit, to persevere through whatever Satan throws in front of us to make us stumble in our Christian walk.

Jesus set His face like flint when He decided it was time to go to Jerusalem and ultimately go to the cross and die for the sins of the whole world.

Luke 9:51 “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

For us to follow in Jesus Christ’s footsteps, we must be disciplined and not be moved in our convictions, living for God and not for selfish, earthly rewards.

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.”

• Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms;hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-51 STEADFASTNESS

Philippians 3:15-16 (AMP) “So let those (of us) who are spiritually mature and full- grown have this mind and hold these convictions, and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also. Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that. “

The Scene: Glasses of water, partially filled. Each glass represents levels of (spiritual) Christian maturity–the water in each glass symbolizes the living water of the Word of God. Those who are most mature must forgive and give grace to those who are less spiritually mature than themselves. We must learn to recognize a person’s level of maturity and act accordingly toward that person–that is the Pauline relationship with others in the Church. And we will be rewarded for those acts of love to others in the Church, to those who may not treat us kindly or lovingly.

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to be evil infants, but in your thinking be adults.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 “It was he who gave some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ.”

Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms;hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-53 CHRISTIAN MATURITY

Proverbs 4:18 “The path of righteousness is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

The Scene: A gravel path with rose bushes on both sides of the path. Looking ahead, dispersed along the gravel path, were rose petals–symbolic of the Lord going before: making the way better for His chosen ones, whose names are written in His Book of Life.

Isaiah 26:7-8 “The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desires of our hearts. “

We are to “fear not”, the Holy Spirit quickened and continued; ‘The Lord goes before you. I am with you always.’

Our Advocate Jesus goes before us all the way to the throne of Father God in our defense.

Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms;hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-51 STEADFAST

7-

Psalm 119:27-28 “Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will mediate on your wonders. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.”

The Scene: A spiritual weight room, where all the weights are Holy Bibles–God’s Word, to make us strong in thought, word, and deed.

Reading the Holy Scriptures every day strengthens us spiritually and makes us stronger to resist the evil ways of our own flesh, that of others and the temptations from the enemy of our souls.

2 Samuel 22:33 “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.”

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

God’s Word gives us strength to go through this world and gives us the Godly wisdom we need in every situation, when we ask for the help of the Holy Spirit. May we always listen and obey that still, small voice telling us the right answers. Ask for the Holy Sprit’s help!

Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms;hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-49 WISDOM

7-49 HIS WORD

Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

The Scene: The boy had been racing down the sidewalk on his bicycle and did not see the missing section of the sidewalk–the front tire of his bike hit the dirt and gravel in the area of the missing concrete section. The front wheel of the bike dug into the ground and turned the handlebars sideways. Crashing into the edge of the concrete, sprawled on the ground in pain, the boy began to cry. One of the people the boy had chased off the sidewalk saw the crash and came to the aid of the child. That person whose house was nearby went and got a first aid kit, came back to the injured boy, and patched up his scrapes.

Galatians 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Now the rest of the story: a hospital room occupied by an old man. The doctor speaks to the patient saying, “I was that boy that you helped, after I ran you off the sidewalk many years ago. Now I have the opportunity to help you recover.” The good Samaritan reaped goodness for having helped someone he did not know.

Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms; @ hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-47 GIVING BACK

Acts 13:32-34 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’ The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ “

The Scene: The printing presses are rolling and are printing the Good News! Jesus the Christ has risen from the grave! The newspapers were bundled and delivered.

Acts 13:44 “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord.” The Apostles Paul and Barnabas had traveled to the city of Antioch preaching the Good News of the Gospel and were joyously received by the multitudes of believers.

Now, God’s people are joyously anticipating that glorious time, the Second Coming of Jesus. The Lord will return to the earth from heaven with the Good News and people will gather from around the world to see and listen to their Lord and Savior in the City of Jerusalem, where He will reign on God’s throne.

Isaiah 52:7-9 ” How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God Reigns!’ “

Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms; @ hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-48 GOOD NEWS

Proverbs19:21 “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

The Scene: A hand-formed sand castle–symbolic of man’s false hopes and dreams. People put their trust in dreams and their time and effort into worldly things that do not last.

As soon as the sand castle was completed the tide began to come in. The waves, like God’s living Word, began to erode the castle of false hopes and dreams. The Word is Jesus Christ. Jesus wants each person to come to Him, place their faith and trust in Him, and in His wisdom. He is our Creator; He has perfect plans for our lives and He desires to replace our own wisdom with His own.

Job 27:11,18 “I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal. The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut, made by a watchman.”

Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”

Colossians 3:2-3 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Copyright: Larry Helms & Kathy Helms; hsvisions.wordpress.com 2021; Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Larry & Kathy Helms; @ hsvisions.wordpress.com, with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

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7-46 FALSE HOPES AND DREAMS