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Totally Beautiful!!!! Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Active Waiting
“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14
The Hebrew word “quavah” is used here as “wait”. And it has a root that means “bind together” or “gather”. It has the sense of collecting oneself. This waiting is not apathy, or even inactivity, but part of the journey of proper action.
It is like a running back who takes slight steps, or sometimes none at all, as he waits for a hole to open up in the line. He is waiting, but not inactive. Sometimes he will just pump his feet, running in place. He is gathering himself. Collecting his energy. Doing so with vision, with purpose.
Our society tends to hate waiting. When the internet takes five seconds to load we get irritated. When we want something we want it now. But of course getting it now only makes us want something else. Perhaps we need a little more waiting to help remind us that happiness is not in our circumstances, but in our choices. If we spent more time shuffling our feet until we find the right hole to run through, perhaps we would gain a lot more ground toward our destination.
Waiting helps us be deliberate rather than reactive. If we bind the truths of our circumstances with the truth of God’s Kingdom, we can make choices to take maximum advantage of the opportunities we encounter.
_________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Jesus: Lord of Salvation
~ Jesus lives in every believer through His powerful Spirit.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
Throughout human history, God has initiated a relationship with the people He created. Though He often seemed far away, He consistently revealed Himself in personal encounters and even came to be in the Israelites’ midst (in a pillar of cloud and fire, the tabernacle, and the temple). But eventually, God’s presence — in the form of His own Son — came as a man to live among humankind.
Before Jesus was born, He was given two names:
1. Immanuel means “God with us,” which speaks of Jesus’ identity. He lived on earth, walked among men, and suffered the weaknesses of humanity. Yet He also displayed the power of almighty God as He healed the sick, calmed the sea, and raised the dead.
2. Jesus means “The Lord is salvation,” which describes His purpose — to save us from sin by means of His death on our behalf. Jesus took on a human body to offer Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
Although Jesus is no longer physically on earth, He is still “God with us.” He lives in you through the Holy Spirit, and He has the power to deliver you from any bondage. No sinful habit, painful past, doubt, guilt, or struggle is too difficult for our Savior to overcome.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/
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was doing some study over in Mark, came across this and made understanding a bit better, had to with parables. Jesus employed parables to obscure the truth from unbelievers while making it clear to His disciples. This is what rang a bell with me...."Jesus veiling the truth from unbelievers was both an act of judgment and an act of mercy. It was judgment because it kept them (unbelievers) in the darkness that they so loved---but it was mercy because they had already rejected the light, so any exposure to more truth would only increase their condemnation ."-----I thought that interesting that through parables Jesus was not only teaching good but was preventing unbelievers from falling deeper & deeper into sin. Took me a while to grasp this but finally sank in. Now opening up the subject of falling deeper & deeper into sin opens another big ole can of worms & I am not in any way qualified to tread that path, makes the ole brain go to "are there degrees of hell---not so hot, somewhat hot, the hotter than hell itself." I am not near ready to go there
GOD BLESS & Hang in there weekend is coming up
The Craftsman's Touch
"For we are His creation [handiwork], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.” ~ Ephesians 2:10
I recently saw a documentary about the macking of a Steinway piano. It traced the meticulous care that goes into crafting this fine instrument. From the cutting of trees until the piano appears on a showroom floor, it goes through countless delicate adjustments by skilled craftsmen.
When the year-long process is complete, accomplished musicians play the piano and often comment on how the same rich sounds could never be produced by a omputerized assembly line. The secret to the final product is the craftsman's touch.
When the tabernacle was built, we see that God also valued the craftsman's touch. He chose the craftsman Bezalel and said of him:
"I have filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every craft.” ~ Exodus 31:3-5
Today, God dwells in the hearts of believers. Yet the call to craftsmanship has not ended. Now each individual believer is God's "handiwork" (Ephesians 2:10). The Master Craftsman is the Holy Spirit, who chips away at flaws in our character to make each of us like Jesus:
“We know that God works together in all things for the ultimate good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” ~ Romans 8:28-29
And as we yield to His workmanship, we will find that the secret to the final product is the Craftsman's touch.
_________________
~ by Dennis Fisher
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Knowing God through Love
"Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
"Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is perfected in us.”
~ 1 John 4:7-12
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The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
"This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist; you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now."
"You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world. Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception."
~ 1 John 4:1-6
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Carrying the Presence of Christ
~ As you practice sensitivity, God will be faithful to show up and move in amazing ways. May you be blessed beyond measure as you seek to show the world His love.
We have the privilege as Jesus’ disciples of carrying His presence with us into the world. God in His love has chosen to use us as agents of awakening. He’s commissioned us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…” (Matthew 28:19).
And in 1 John 4:15-17 we gain an insight into the way in which God would have us make disciples:
“All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So, we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.”
“As He is, so also are we in this world.”
What a powerful statement! God’s plan for the world is to form and fashion us into those who reflect His goodness to others. The hope of the world rests in Jesus’ mercy and grace as proclaimed through our lives. And the only way in which we carry Jesus with us into the world is by abiding in God and allowing Him to abide in us.
Do you know that you can abide in God? And not just in spending time alone with Him!
1 John 4 teaches us that when we abide in love, when we love others, we are abiding in Him. You see, abiding in God requires us to be where He is. It requires us to yield to His leadership and heart that we might join Him throughout our day where He is already at work. Sometimes abiding requires time spent in solitude, the Word, and worship. Other times abiding requires action.
• Where is God at work in your midst today?
• Who is He pursuing and how can you join Him?
• Who is He drawing to Himself and how can you help Him?
If you want to be with God today, join Him in seeing His kingdom of love advance. If you want to abide in the presence of Jesus, decide to live like Him, empowered by His Spirit. God in His power and grace has created you for a specific purpose to reveal a specific aspect of His heart to the world. Simply choose to let Him in to all you are and do today that your day might be filled with His life-giving presence. Choose to carry His wisdom, love, and grace into relationship with others that in your communication, emotions, and actions you would proclaim His character.
Take time today to find rest and purpose in the presence of Christ.
In 1 John 2:6 John writes, “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.”
• What good are words or desires if we don’t put action to them?
• What does all our talk mean if we never do something about it?
The kingdom of God is one that doesn’t separate faith and works. James writes, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Choose today to put action to what’s in your heart. Don’t hold back your love for others. Don’t refrain from encouraging and loving other people, even if it’s abnormal behavior for you. Step into situations and bring the presence and will of Christ.
May your day be marked by the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit to love others as Jesus did.
_________________
~ excerpt from an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/
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Fellow Man
"Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured and added to you." – Mark 4:24
I doubt this is unusual, but I tend to put a higher standard on others than on myself. The old saying “There is no amount of other people’s pain I cannot endure” is a saying for good reason. We tend to be very good at standing in our own shoes, but not too competent at standing in the shoes of others.
This verse says something very sobering that changed my life. When I sit down with Jesus in heaven to learn the lessons I failed to learn in this life, and have my life’s work evaluated the “tape measure” Jesus will use is the one I sent ahead. And I send it ahead based on the standard with which I judge others. Once the truth of this verse sunk in, I got waaaay more lenient with other people. I am hoping Jesus pulls out a tape measure and says “What do you know, there’s no tape inside this thing, guess you did great.”
The key to properly judging others is to stand in their shoes. Everyone has a story. Do we know their story? We can only learn their story by listening.
Listening is a learned trait. As we practice listening with other humans, we are developing the capacity to hear the voice of God.
When we have the humility to hear what others are saying, we might discover things within ourselves that need cleansing. Listening to God is essential for character development, self-awareness, and growth.
We have the opportunity to do this before being translated to the heavenly realm. We can gain perspective by listening to other people.
___________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Friday mornings at 7:00 there is like 10 of my men friends from church...those of us that are retired or dont have to be to work till 8 or 9...we meet for breakfast. And conversation is usually about what is going on in our lives...the church and community...including Jesus in the conversations. And usually one of the topics will lead to something a little more in dept biblically. So some of us are there a little less than a hour and some of us close to 2 hours. And your thought here was one of the topics yesterday morning.
God decided some 8 thousands years ago that he would create the universe...with a special place called earth and upon that earth He would create humans and many living things to sustain them. So...im thinking that God did not speak creation into existence because He was just bored one day. i mean...He did have Jesus and the Holy Spirit and the angels with Him. And He did already know what a mess we were going to make of things. So God created each of us with a plan for us to be His children, to have a close personal relationship with Him. He wanted us as His children so He could express His perfect unconditional love for us in spite of ourselves. And He even gave us a free will to accept Him or not. Many do...Most dont! So...this morning...ill think on those that do accept Him. While we are living on this earth...our walk as a born-again believer is an on going learning process. We are to become more and more like Jesus each and every day...Right? We will never reach our godly goal while on this earth. But its our responsibility to grow more like Christ every step of this earthly journey until God makes us perfect like Jesus after we die and enter heaven. So how do we do that? Church is important...we should have a desire to be at church every time the word is being taught..right? Our growing process also comes from daily Bible study and by just talking to God as the heavenly Father He is. And most of all...giving God the constant praise and worship he deserves! Our life really is NOT about ourselves...our life is about honoring and loving God...establishing a personal relationship with Him like no other...i mean...we are going to spend forever with God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit...shouldnt we be spending a lot of time with Him while here on earth to better know the One that we are going to spend every second with for all eternity? So where is our focus...the things and people of the world...or...the person that created all of us. There is no such thing as a part time believer and shouldnt our burning desire be to spend every moment we can with the One who created us for Himself?...Think about it!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.
Psalm 34:18
"Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!"
Deuteronomy 5:29
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:5
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
1 John 4:16
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
You will not stroll into Christlikeness with your hands in your pockets, shoving the door open with a careless shoulder. This is no hobby for one's leisure moments, taken up at intervals when we have nothing much to do, and put down and forgotten when our life grows full and interesting... It takes all one's strength, and all one's heart, and all one's mind, and all one's soul, given freely and recklessly and without restraint.
-John (A. J.) Gossip-
Jesus' New Command
“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~ John 13:34-35
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God’s Patience
~ God is slow to anger and gives us time to repent, but He loves us too much to let us continue in sin.
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-16
Just as a toddler has to learn obedience, God’s children also must learn to walk in His ways. He takes pleasure in watching us do what is right and wants to help us when we go wrong. Therefore, He is patient and allows us time and room for mistakes.
Paul appreciated God’s patience. His life demonstrated that because the Father is slow to anger, unbelievers have a much greater opportunity for salvation (1 Timothy 1:16). In Romans 2:4, Paul affirms that our heavenly Father’s kindness and mercy lead to repentance. But in the next verse, he warns those with stubborn hearts that they will experience judgment.
Let’s look at the nation of Israel. In the Old Testament, they repeatedly experienced this painful truth. They turned away from the Lord and did evil in His sight by worshipping idols. Eventually, He’d withdraw His protection until they would cry out and return to Him. Ultimately, even when the Lord allows calamity to reach His children, it is still drenched with His love and purpose.
If there is unconfessed sin in your life, ask God to forgive you and help you turn from it. Then thank Him for His patience and lovingkindness.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/gods-patience-2
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Thank you for the discussion topic plugger.
My thoughts: those that "practice such deeds" have never accepted God’s gift of salvation.
Beginning with Romans 1 verse 18, the passage that leads up to the verse you shared (v32), the Holy Spirit, through Paul, begins by calling out that all unbelievers have no excuse:
”18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened."
I believe that God designed within mankind’s DNA the desire to seek Him, and thus at some point in every human beings existence on Earth, He will stir that piece of Him in each of us that triggers our knowledge of God, and at that point we can either acknowledge (Him) and accept (repent), or dis-acknowledge (Him) and reject (my will - not His). Thankfully, God allows us until our last breath to acknowledge and accept Him through the sacrificial death and resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Then beginning in verse 26 God allows others to seek their own destruction:
”26 This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The males in the same way also left natural relations with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error. 28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong."
There are many “Christian” fellowships that promote this lifestyle, and even twist scripture that deceives many into believing that God is okay with it; and I believe that it can be any sin that a man or woman has decided within their own mind is acceptable to God.
“29 Many are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful."
Leading up to the verse that you shared:
”32 Although they know full well God’s just sentence — that those who practice such things deserve to die — they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them."
I believe what determines someone being “saved” or “not saved” is in the key words “who practice such things” in the verse that you shared. If we have truly accepted God’s grace, then we will not desire to sin against God, and will not “practice such things” that go against Scripture, and, an abomination to God.
"There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that make haste to do wrong, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble amongst brethren.” ~ Proverbs 6:16-19
Hopefully, I didn’t wander too far from your original topic 😃
Have a great day, and may God bless you and yours!
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As It Should Be
“So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil.” – 1 Kings 3:9
Life on the plains has one very subtle but important difference when compared to life in the valley or on the mountaintops. When we are suffering or ecstatic, there is an extraordinary element to our circumstance. We try to avoid the extremely hurtful situations and long for the ones that make us feel extremely good.
The plains have a different feel. They are quite ordinary. It is how life is. This is both the great benefit of the plains and the great danger. The benefit comes when we understand that ordinary life is life as it should be. It is a life of responsibility and choices.
Discernment is the key for navigation in the plains. Our perspective determines whether we fall asleep on this terrain or are most awakened.
When our discernment is miscalibrated, we think our circumstances determine our happiness, and perhaps need to change. We think we can’t serve or choose or love unless we get to the mountains.
When our discernment is aligned to the true North, we are able to perceive that life on the plains is an incredible opportunity. Living by faith when the routines of life inform us that we are in control is a great challenge. To have a judging heart in order to discern the good opportunities of the day rather than succumb to the evils of apathy. It is in embracing and succeeding in this challenge that some of our greatest blessings can be found.
________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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"Success".....HUMMMM !! don't know for sure if I am right or wrong, but it made good common sense to me at the time. When my kids were High School age and thinking on careers I tried to explain success...."It is not how much money you make that makes a successful person , now listen to your daddy real close because to me this is success-----If person gets up in the morning and is happy to go to work and if at the end of the day this person is happy to go home, if this person's bills are paid, if there is food on the table and both the wife & husband has a couple bucks in their pocket and all is happy----this is success..." wish I had used your ending with God in there also....today all of them are in their 40"s & 50"s, all have Godly faith & all will gladly help their fellow man-----sounds like their mom did a pretty good job---OH YES...all are Christians......A lot of filthy rich people are miserable and a lot of poor, broke folks are as happy as if they have no sense. Back years ago I had 3 different small trucking companies, the least of my problems was money, then I got hurt and was out of work for right at 2 years, we almost everything, today I am retired & have nowhere the money I had years ago, but today I have more than enough money in the bank and in my pocket than I had back then. Back then when I was really struggling to make ends meet I had a long chat with God and in short order all worked out, don't get me wrong the ole devil did his very best to lead me astray, but thanks to daily spending time in God's word and every morning having chat time & coffee with the good Lord has kept the ole devil away. Temptation is daily there, but, I am truly scared to death to break my covenant with God....I didn't try to make a deal with God not did I try to bargain with God, I made a covenant with God, a covenant is good as long as the 2 parties keep their word, God has stood by me and I am scared to death to try to do things my way.....I have cancer and I have a bad heart and nothing bothers one way or the other, happier now than when I was in tall cotton..My friends that is success with a pretty bow on it
So after i posted this morning i had a doctors appointment and just got back and wanted to reply to pluggers post before i ate my dinner...thats lunch for you city folks...wink...then get out for part 2 of this day. Anyway.. this doctor said he would see me in a year so i reckon that means i have at least another year here on planet earth...right. I know thats true because ive heard plugger say that... so... its got to be true...right?
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Every now and again whether i need to or not…i often like to tell folks…the things that i say to people face-to-face in person concerning God the Father God...God the Son... God the Holy Spirit…about God's holy and infallible word…and the same thing goes for here on the Bible board. Don't take everything that I say as the right way…the only way…im just another simple man trying each and every day to let God mold me a little more and more into the likeness of Jesus…sometimes i succeed sometimes i fail. And everything that i speak i truly believe to be the truth in the way that the Holy Spirit has helped me to interpret the word of God…but again…im human…so please… Not just with me or with anybody…and again i don't know that i have to tell folks this but i sometimes do. Open up your Bible…read and talk to God…and let Him explain to you personally what he has to say to you as an individual…When i talk about scripture i always try and keep in mind the following scripture....
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19
I will start out with the quote that I'm sure we have all said…"Love the sinner... hate the sin"... and I agree with your statement 100% brother..
This morning i was sitting and thinking about my life and in that i was thinking about the word..."success". Now im sure we have all heard a couple earthly phrases...“The one who dies with the most toys wins”...and..."You cant take it with you". So this morning i wonder in many peoples hearts what the definition of success is as we watch this brass ring driven world we are living in. So what is success? Having our dreams come true? Getting all we want? Earning enough money so that we never have to work again? Having the best and most of everything? Is that success? Now im not saying that these things are necessarily bad..its all in how you handle it and how much it consumes you and whether or not it has become an idol in ones life. Remember...scripture tells us..."For the love of money is the root of all evil". However...my view of success is this...And I say this without hesitation or regret. Success is the progressive realization of the will of God for ones life. Thats what success is. Its not how much money you have. Its not how famous you are. Its not how healthy you are. Its not how many friends you have or how many toys you have acquired. Success is nothing more...nothing less...than the progressive realization of the will of God for your life. What was Jesus saying when He said we are not to store up treasures on earth but to store them in heaven? Im thinking as born-again believers our treasure is Jesus and when we commit our resources...our money...our time...our talents...to His work in this world...we have obtained success. Jesus said "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly"...and what does that mean...i think it means not more stuff...but something far better...peace...joy and contentment thru Jesus...thats life more abundant! Remember...anything...ANYTHING...that we put above God..im serious...better think about it...is an idol!...and we know what God said about idols....
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Matthew 19:21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
Matthew 6:21
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving”
Colossians 3:23–24
Something here that has grabbed my eye every time I read it.... I Romans 1 at the end of the chapter it reads--"Knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.." Pretty sure I have a handle on this, but I have experienced in organized religion where in order to keep numbers on the roll and not to be offensive to some our (my) church approves "those who practice such"......sinners belong sitting next to me in church not in leadership rolls. There is a difference ( I think) in a Christian who sins and then ask for forgiveness and one who does not seek forgiveness and continues to practice living in a way to satisfy their own selfish desires. A big difference in a person struggling to do right and a person knowing they are doing wrong and thumbing their nose at God and doing what their desires lead them to do. Just what I have thought on this little passage, any thoughts appreciated
GOD BLESS
The God to Whom We Pray
~ As we grow in relationship with our heavenly Father, our requests become bolder.
Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:1-11
Nehemiah demonstrates the power of prayer. As a servant to the king of Persia, he had no right to request leave to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, much less to requisition materials and protection. Yet knowing the God to whom he prayed, Nehemiah did not hesitate to act boldly and ask the king for assistance.
His prayer began, “Please, LORD God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:5). LORD, when capitalized this way, means the One “who is eternal in His being” — in other words, Jehovah. When God makes a promise, He knows how He’ll keep it. That’s why Nehemiah called Him “the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant.”
Another Hebrew name for God is “Elohim", meaning “He who is sovereign.” This name refers to the Creator and speaks of His omnipotence. He spoke the world into being, so Nehemiah knew He was more than able to provide all that was needed.
The Bible contains many other names for God, such as “Adonai" (“master”), "Jehovah-Jireh" (“provider”), and "Jehovah-Rapha" (“healer”). Since the Hebrew language is precise, it can help us to better know who the Lord is. Then, we’ll confidently turn to Him in any situation: When we need solace, we call upon the God of comfort; in our confusion, we have the God who teaches.
Always remember, the way we view God impacts how we pray.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-god-to-whom-we-pray-2
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Dude…i can tell you right up front here…that for me to do any less thinking…i don't know where I'm going to end up…i tell people all the time that I only have two brain cells left…for me to have a good day they have to bump into each other for me to have any kind of sensible conversation…but that's OK… I am used to me so it does not cause any conflict…because I have also found…it seems like everywhere that I go I am there?… What's that all about? And your statement that we are a mess…well… I have signed and notarized paperwork that says that about me…i just cling tight to Philippians 4:13… I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength…but even He has His hands full with me… Have an awesome day brother…wait a minute…hmmm.... What... were ...we... talking ...about?
I have often said, humor is good for the soul....so If I may add a touch of humor here-------All through your post I thought, "Plugger, you and Tenac gotta stop thinking"-----I think you got 1 brain cell left and I am running on half charge, basically we are a mess........Appreciate your reply on this subject----I learn so much from others adding in their thoughts
God Bless -- my friend
Good morning...as we know…God knows us totally and completely…He knows our heart…He knows our mind… He knows our soul…totally and completely. And I have to wonder…that often times…what we as humans think in our head…might not necessarily be what's going on in our heart and soul? That could be on the bad side or the good side of whatever…but.... we are talking about Faith…so I will ask a question. I wonder if sometimes when we think that we don't have a lot of faith in ourself or Jesus concerning something…that be our head knowledge…i wonder if deep down in our heart and soul we actually have a lot of faith. Maybe an example would be…we have a task…and in our head we say I can't do that…but we take our first step and before we know it we have completed that task…our head knowledge told us we couldn't…but our heart knowledge....faith...helped up accomplished it. And all of this in relationship to the faith we didnt think we had? So I ask again…i wonder…if often times…we actually have far more faith than we think we do in ourself and especially in Jesus as we grow thru the sanctification process of God molding us more and more into the likeness of Jesus. But of course on the other side of this conversation for another day there is those times that we don't have a lot of faith. I guess the point is....no matter what we think of ourselves regarding how much faith we have or dont have...God knows our heart totally and completely be our faith as little as that mustard seed or the size of a watermellon....and of course it is not our faith in ourselves that moves that mountain...it is our faith in God moving that mountain and that mountain might be drugs...booze...sickness...a spouse wants a divorce....lost a job...and the list goes on and on. True Faith in God be it the size of a mustard seed or like a watermellon is what gets the job done! So... something for y'all to think on in your head and heart and have an awesome day!
I did a post not long ago about the mustard seed, the mustard seed is extremely small, maybe around 1/32nd of an inch, yet Jesus said that little amount of faith can move a mountain......what hit me most in my study is how I have thought in terms of larger amounts of faith....."If I had this amount of faith I could______", I overlooked what God will do with my small amount of faith, by neglecting my small amount of faith I do nothing because my focus is on --"If I had more faith I could______". Very deep subject here, wish I was better at explaining but reckon that ain't my job, but take a moment and try to put your 1/32nd of an inch worth of faith to work and see just what God can do with your effort.... I have said many, many times that I just don't understand why my little prayers get answered but my big prayers go by the wayside.....OH ME !! of little faith---I have learned not to wish that if I had more faith "I could do____" but to trust in God that He will take my small amount of faith and put it to work for His will, not mine.".......My human side at times seems to be my natural enemy.
GOD BLESS & Happy Hump Day, hang in there the week-end is just around the corner----that's for you working folks, us old retired guys & gals we have a hard time knowing what day it is
Just A Little
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” ~ Matthew 17:20
When the professional baseball player is interviewed after hitting the game winning home run it is notable how often their response is something like “I was just trying to put a good swing on the ball.” It is equally common to hear an announcer say “And he strikes out, it looked like he was trying to get it back all at once”. When we do the little things, big things often come. But when we try to make big things happen, we often get nothing.
When it comes to the power of our faith, we can become obsessed with hitting home-runs. We focus on a particular outcome. But that is not faith. Faith is trusting God to determine the outcomes. Faith is doing our part and being willing to accept the result. Jesus illustrated this in a graphic way in the Garden of Gethsemane. As He was being personally crushed like an olive in a press, He prayed three times that the cup be removed. But He accepted “no” as an answer, and went to the cross.
Being faithful in our everyday choices is like “putting a good swing on the ball.” It is easy to not see this kind of faithfulness as valuable. But life is a team sport. When we play our role faithfully, we are advancing the Kingdom.
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~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Thanks ….i love the discussion, always good to hear folks thoughts & views.
As we know…and just to throw a number out there...10 million years before God created the heavens and the Earth and everything on it…yes of course us humans too. God knew then that after He created man there was going to come a time that they would get so wicked that he would send a flood to start over. Even way back then He knew there would come another time that his only Son Jesus would have to come to this earth and die on a cross and be raised again. God is all-knowing known as omniscience.....and of course Jesus and the Holy Spirit also knew this because all three of them…the Trinity… Have always existed. So my point in that… As we also know…the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus dead…and the Romans nailed Jesus to the cross…but they do not actually get the credit for killing Jesus because that's the entire reason that Jesus came to this earth was to die on the cross…Right? So in reading your post I got to thinking…and this is just me…but for whatever reason…it seems like the crucifixion...the cross...comes to my mind a lot…in my thought…in conversation…because as we also know…that six hours that Jesus hung nailed to that cross…there was a whole lot that was going on…a whole lot that happened. It seems like just every little bit when things happen…in my thoughts or words or actions…or other peoples words or actions…it sends me back to thinking about the day Jesus died on the cross... and again…all that happened in that six hour time. Sometimes when I sin I think of it in a way that it's almost like im nailing Jesus to that cross once again. Like in the picture i have at the bottom of all my post of Jesus holding up the man with a mallet and spike in his hands. I often think about the fact that that day that Jesus hung on the cross when the sins of the world came upon Him. I believe in that moment…Supernaturally of course…a God thing…every person that was ever going to live on this earth…came to Jesus mind…and every sin that they were going to commit came to his mind…and that is how he paid everybody's sin debt in full…as long as at some point in their life they become born again. But still He paid everyones sin debt in full even though in that moment He knew the ones that were actually going to be saved in the ones that were not… Right. How Jesus knew how messed up i was going to be during my 25 years of booze and drugs and yet He died and forgave me all the same. And I seriously could sit here and come up with several other ways of things that happens in my life and around me that draws my mind back to that day that Jesus was on the cross… and…when I do how it brings comfort to me. One thing that has always stuck in my mind so vividly is the first time that I watched the movie at the movie theater on the big screen…The passion of the Christ. I think that was back around the year 2000…i had only been saved about five years at that time…i grew up in church till around age 17…i knew all about the beating and the scourging and how bad the crucifixion was…but when I saw that movie…and as realistic and shocking as it was…in real life what Jesus actually went through was far worse…hard to imagine but I'm sure that it was. So anyway… If anyone has never watched that movie… The Passion of the Christ…i would encourage you to do so… It really brings to light what our Lord and Savior Jesus has done for us. The very God that created us...died for us...rose from the dead...so that we might have a home in heaven if we will believe and put out faith and trust in Him. So as tragic as the cross was...i find much comfort it it because it shows me just how much Jesus loves me...AWESOME!!!
The Passion of the CHRIST
If you dont have a personal relationship with Jesus. Im going to give you the opportunity to do that right here right now. If you will pray this prayer...not only from your mouth but also your heart...and mean it like nothing you have ever spoken before. Jesus will come into your life and heart and save you. You will be born-again!
Lord Jesus, Im like everyone else...i cant make it through life on my own. Im imperfect. Im prone to sin. I have come to realize that theres nothing in the world I can do to make myself acceptable to You. But I know that You have loved me so much that You were willing to die on my behalf. That's a grace so amazing I cannot understand it...i can only accept it. And i do. Please forgive my sins and i accept Your free gift of Salvation... and I know that from this moment on... i am saved...i am a child of God. And i give the rest of my life to serving You and experiencing the joy that only You can offer. Fill me now with your Holy Spirit dear Lord...and raise me to walk in the newness of life. I thank You and praise You!
Amen.
If you just prayed this prayer and meant it...you are now born-again and have a home in heaven! Go tell the world and if you dont already have a church family...please find one...And if you would like to talk...send me a private message....i will give you a call....
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
Every human that has every lived here on planet earth. All of the 7.6 billion people that live here today...and...every person that will live here in the future until that day that God says enough and destroys the heavens and earth. Every person is going to do one of two things when death ends our life in this earthly body. So...lets think about that. When you watch a movie and your really into it and in the scene it shows a person dying and they maybe say a word or two and move their head around a little and maybe someone is holding them in their arms...the camera is up close and personal...and then their eyes close and they are dead. Im sure we have all watched a good many scenes like that in TV movies and that seems like the end for that person...but...that is the furthest thing from the truth as it is actually just the beginning! In that moment that a human body dies...the supernatural by Gods hand takes over. Something that you and i...even though we kinda sorta understand death and we kinda sorta understand life after death...it really is a mystery to us exactly what is happening in that moment as obviously we have never died before. However...here is something i can assure you. When the human body dies and in that moment...the soul...who we are...our character...our personality...our intellect....in that moment that we die and the supernatural takes over...one of two things are going to happen. If we are a born again believer in that moment we are going to find ourselves...our soul... taken up by angels into the presence of God and Jesus in paradise...in heaven...in total and complete joy, happiness, peace and contentment surrounded and engulfed in the love and light of almighty God! If we are unsaved...in that moment we are going to find ourselves...our soul...taken by demons into Hades in pain and torment as the punishment begins for never accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior and we will suffer in Hades until judgement day comes and we are found guilty by God and Jesus and are cast into the lake of fire in hell...separated from Gods love. If we go to heaven or we go to hell...that is where we are going to be for all eternity...that be forever. There are no do overs....when we close our eyes and draw our last breath in this human body...the stage is set and in the blink of the eye we will be at our next destination ....where are you headed?
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21: 3-4
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
Hebrews 9:27
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 25:46
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:8
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
2 Thessalonians 1:9
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