ETERNITY

[Ranb2khz]

Spiritual Discouragement

~ Though we may not always understand God and His ways, we can find encouragement in His goodness to us.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 34:1-8

For the believer, discouragement can come in many forms, but Satan is usually the instigator. He wants to keep our focus on negative things instead of on God.

One form of spiritual discouragement is subtle — the idea that we cannot please the Lord. If you were to write down everything you thought you must do to please God, how long would the list be before it was complete? You might assume you should read the Bible more, pray more, give more, witness more. All of us could probably fill both sides of our paper. But then we’d realize it’s impossible to consistently accomplish every task on the list. That’s the trap. What pleases the Lord is our obedience, not our adherence to a long checklist of duties.

Another source is unanswered prayer. God does not necessarily answer in the manner we want or with the timing we would prefer. When that happens, we might want to give up on prayer or even on the Lord Himself.

Next time you’re feeling disheartened, turn your focus to God and pray three things aloud: Thank Him for being with you through the discouragement, admit He’s in control of your life, and acknowledge that He loves you and is working circumstances for good.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/spiritual-discouragement






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The Message of Reconciliation

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, all new things have come. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Separation, rejection, and alienation are unpleasant experiences that we usually try to avoid at all costs. But we live in a fallen world, so we cannot totally escape them.

Isolation from other people is bad enough, but what's worse is that many individuals live apart from the heavenly Father. How tragic and futile life must be when it is spent completely detached from its Creator. God planted within each of us a desire to be in relationship with Him, so until we find our connection to Him, we will always feel that something is missing.

And yet as crucial as that relationship is to our well-being, something stands in its way: Whether by our thoughts or actions, we have all violated the Lord's commands (Romans 3:23), and our pure, holy God cannot be in the presence of sin. Romans 6:23 states that the penalty for sin is death, which is an eternal separation from the Lord. Therefore, we will always have a void.

What a bleak outlook for mankind! But our loving Father solved the dilemma by sending His Son to pay our penalty. Fully God and fully man, Jesus lived the perfect life, took all our iniquity upon Himself, and died a gruesome death on the cross. No longer are we condemned for our wrongs, because Christ took our place. And three days later, He victoriously rose to life.

Salvation is available to anyone who believes and receives this remarkable gift. John 3:16 describes how reconciliation puts an end to our alienation: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
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~ by Dr. Charles Stanley (https://www.intouch.org)

~ 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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Run Fast and Long

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

A lot of people start out the Christian life with so much promise. They are off and running while they leave everyone else in their dust. But when they collapse and fall, they don’t get up.

They may crawl off or slow down. Or maybe they round a bend and simply walk away as though they never intended to run the spiritual race.

There will be times in our lives as Christians when we collapse and fall. And when that happens, all we can do is get up again.

When Paul was approaching the end of his life, he wrote, “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4:6–7)

Notice that he didn’t say, “I ran the race.” No, he said, “I finished the race.” That is the key. It is not enough to start well; we need to finish well too. It is not enough to run fast; we need to run fast and long.

This is a long-distance run, and the goal is to make it across the finish line. In 2 Peter 1:10–11 the apostle Peter urges us, “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.

Keep running, because you’re going to leave a legacy. Paul wanted to join the ranks of those who had crossed the finish line. He wanted to be in the company of those in God’s winner’s circle, men like Joshua and Caleb in the Old Testament who finished their races well.

This is a long-distance run. So, if you have been slowing down, it’s time to speed up.
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~ by Greg Laurie (www.harvest.org)

~ 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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[Ranb2khz]

Come to Me

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30

What is the invitation to the laboring and heavy laden? Jesus says, "Come unto me." I love that word "Come." To me it seems full of grace, mercy and encouragement. "Come now," says the Lord in Isaiah, "and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."

Come is the last word in the Bible to sinners. "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come." (Revelation 22:17)

Jesus does not say, "Go and get ready." - This is the word of the Pharisee and self-righteous.

Jesus does not say "Go and work out a righteousness. Do this and that, and you will be saved."

Jesus says, "Come".

1. Come is a word of merciful invitation.

It seems to say, "I want you to escape the wrath to come. I am not willing that any should perish. I have no pleasure in death. I would gladly have all men saved, and I offer all the water of life freely. So come to Me."

2. Come is a word of gracious expectation.

It seems to say, "I am here waiting for you. I sit on my mercy-seat expecting you to come. I wait to be gracious. I wait for more sinners to come in before I close the door. I want more names written down in the book of life before it is closed forever. So come to Me."

3. Come is a word of kind encouragement.

It seems to say, I have treasures to give to you if you will only receive them. I have that to give which makes it worth while to come: a free pardon, a robe of righteousness, a new heart. So come to Me.

4. Come and be reconciled to God.

Come with all your sins, however many they may be. If you come to Him they will be taken away. Come just as you are. You feel unfit; you say you are not good enough. The worse you think of yourself, the better prepared you are.

Christ is not a Savior of those who think they are righteous - but of sinners. I ask you to come now. No other time is your own. Come now to Christ.
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~ published by: The Daily Encourager

~ 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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Grace on Display

~ Even the worst of sinners is welcome to receive God's extravagant mercy and love.

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Paul described himself as the worst of sinners and as someone to whom the Lord had expressed His favor and love (1 Timothy 1:16). How could he be both? That’s the power of God’s grace: Though sinners, we become spiritually alive and receive a new purpose for living.

After Paul met the Savior, he cared deeply about those who did not yet know God, and he also desired to help Christians grow in their faith. For the rest of his life, he shared the gospel, encouraged fellow believers, and met the needs of others. He acted as God’s ambassador to the Gentiles, and his letters became biblical wisdom for future generations.

Through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, Paul began to display more and more Christlike qualities. In his writings, we see compassion, great humility, and appreciation for God’s blessings. Only the grace of God could enable a well-educated and influential man to count all his credentials a “loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

Paul’s life is an example of God working through sinners and transforming them. The Holy Spirit seeks to do the same for you and me. Are you allowing God’s favor and love to work within you?
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/grace-on-display






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The Last Great Awakening?

Is it possible that the fifth Great Awakening for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be the last one prior to His return? Could this be the one that will redeem all those remaining human beings that are willing to accept God’s free gift of salvation before He declares the end? For disciples of Christ, these are exciting times to be living in – with the outpouring of God’s Spirit throughout the world. For those that turn their back on Jesus Christ – it will be a most terrifying time to be alive.

The following is an excerpt from a First 15 publication outlining the world’s Great Awakening’s:

Revivals change people and churches. Awakenings change cultures and nations.

The First Great Awakening is dated to 1734 under the preaching of pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards and the British evangelist George Whitefield. Before it began, only 5 percent of colonial Americans identified with a Christian church. At its height, 80 percent were active followers of Jesus.

The Second Great Awakening is dated to 1792 and was sparked by a prayer movement led by a Baptist minister named Isaac Backus. This movement led to more than a thousand large gatherings, called camp meetings, being held across the country. Churches doubled and tripled in membership, and William Carey began what we now consider the modern missions movement.

The Third Great Awakening is dated to 1858, resulting from a “businessman’s prayer meeting” movement that began the previous year in New York City. Out of a national population of thirty million people, more than a million came to Christ in a single year. And at one point, fifty thousand were turning to Jesus for salvation every week. This revival continued into the Civil War, when more than one hundred thousand soldiers were converted.

And the Fourth Great Awakening began in Wales in 1904. This awakening impacted every sphere of culture and industry. Police formed barbershop quartets to sing in churches since there was no one to arrest. Saloons went bankrupt. Coal mines even shut down briefly because the miners became converted, stopped using obscene language, and the mules could no longer understand their commands. This awakening spread to the US: for example, out of fifty thousand residents in Atlantic City, New Jersey, only fifty were unconverted. Two hundred stores in Portland, Oregon, closed every day so people could attend prayer meetings.

Now the world is seeing a Fifth Great Awakening.

More Muslims have come to Christ in the last fifteen years than in the previous fifteen centuries. China’s underground church is exploding in growth. Churches are growing exponentially in Cuba and across Latin and South America. And sub-Saharan Africa is witnessing a remarkable advance of the gospel.

Will we see this awakening in America? Is an awakening of this magnitude even possible today?

We believe it is. And we are praying that First15 can be one such catalyst for the moral and spiritual movement we need so desperately. Would you join us in this prayer?





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Lord Jesus bless all here and around the Earth with peace and Love for one another!

Amen!






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Lord Jesus bless all here and around the Earth with peace and Love for one another!!

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Training in Godliness

~ Loving parents teach their children that there are consequences for disobedience.

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

As Christian parents, we desire to help our children mature into godly men and women. We want them to trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior and to realize God has a plan for them and they are accountable to Him.

I remember teaching my children from a young age about these truths because I wanted biblical principles to shape their thinking and choices. If kids think their only accountability is to parents, then when they’re apart from Mom and Dad, they’re likely to think they don’t have to answer to anyone.

Protecting children through discipline is another aspect of godly parenting. When this is done with love, it helps them understand the wisdom of God’s boundaries and the importance of self-control. They need to know that there are painful consequences for disobedience, whether to parents or to the Lord.

Training in godliness should begin early in a child’s life, even before he or she understands God’s plan of salvation. Then as our children grow, we should continue teaching them the truths of Scripture and interceding for them. Let’s never stop modeling righteousness or encouraging our sons and daughters in their relationship with God.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/training-in-godliness






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Ungodliness Hastens Christ’s Return

With the spirit of the antichrist exponentially spreading ungodly thoughts, morals, and actions upon the worldly citizens, and with the same citizens crying out for more and more, it will only hasten our Lord Jesus’ return. God tells us in His Word (Bible) that as the sinful nature of man was before the great flood, so will it be at the end. At that time there was less than 10 people left in the whole world that held fast to Godly principles, and sought to know and do His will for their lives. Just 10 human beings in all of the world – let that sink in for a minute, and then ask yourself if you would have been one of them?

“In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.” ~ Mathew 24:22

As children of the living God, we cannot expect to just drift our way into heaven. The fallen world that we live in is like a strong river flowing in the opposite direction that leads us to life eternal with God the Creator, and our Lord and Saviour. The moment that we stop paddling our life boat, we start being drawn downstream with the current – towards the death and destruction that lies in wait at the end for those that turn their backs to the Lord.

“Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” ~ Matthew 24:12

Don’t allow your love for mankind – the salvation of, and the well-being of, grow cold with the hardness of the heart against the evil deceptions that are emanating all around us in the world. Continue to draw near to the Lord – read His Word to understand His nature, and become imitators of Him to the lost and dying world before it’s too late for them.






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The Potter's Hand

About 2600 years ago, God taught the prophet Jeremiah what it meant to be a sovereign God. He taught that His plan WOULD be fulfilled - one way or the other. Either His children would submit to His gentle guidance, or He would bring discipline to teach them the need for obedience.

Although God has the ability to directly give us understanding, His usual method is to teach us through His Word and then allow us to see the application and gain wisdom through our experiences. In order to give a clear understanding of His sovereignty, God told Jeremiah to go to the potter's house and wait for His message.

"So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the Word of the Lord came to me: 'Can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand.'" ~ Jeremiah 18:3-6

Jeremiah understood that God was the Potter and had total control over the shape of the clay. How foolish it would be for the clay to complain or rebel; "Can the pot say of the potter, 'He knows nothing'?" (Isaiah 29:16). The Potter will continue to mold the clay. If the clay begins to harden in its unfinished state, the Potter loves the clay enough to crush it down, sprinkle it with water and begin anew.

The only way for us to become all that God desires is to yield and remain moldable. We have no ability to shape ourselves! The Potter is creating something eternally beautiful - we are being "conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29). Oh, if we could only trust that His shaping is so much better than anything we could ever create. How prideful to think we can do better!

There may be times when we have rough edges which must be removed. There may also be times when we need to be crushed down so the shaping process can start over. But we must trust the Potter and believe the results will be worth any pain or discomfort; "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

Our Heavenly Father is in complete (and loving) control. Let's daily be filled with His Spirit and commit our lives to His shaping process - a process which undoubtedly will last a lifetime! Let's remain moldable clay and yield to the shaping of the Potter's Hand.
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~ by Steve Troxel

~ 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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God is Good - All the Time!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." ~ James 1:17

There was an old man at our church who had loved God all of his life. The man, John, walked around saying "God is Good". He said it all the time, whenever and wherever he was. When John got married he said, "God is Good". When John lost his job he said, "God is Good". When John's father died he said, "God is Good". When John's wallet got stolen he said, "God is Good". Well, you get the idea, no matter what John did, or what happened to him, we would always hear him say, "God is Good".

A few months ago, John was diagnosed with cancer. The disease had spread rapidly and he was told by his doctor he'd have only a few weeks to live. Still, even on his death bed, John could be heard by everyone in the hospital repeating his famous line, "God is Good". Our pastor Charles was John's best friend. Charles went everyday to visit John in the hospital. And every night before Charles left John would tell him, "God is Good".

Finally after weeks of watching his best friend get worse and worse from his terminal disease, Charles just could not stand it any longer and asked John, "John you are my best friend and I love you. I love the Lord as much as you do too. I have listened to you say that God is Good your whole life. Through the good times, maybe I can understand you saying how good God is. Maybe even through the hard times, to help yourself cope. But now, laying here on your death bed, how can you be so optimistic? How can you say God is good every day when you know he is letting you die?" John just looked at Charles and smiled.

"Dear friend, don't you see all of those times I was saying God was Good, it was my way of praising him in the little way I could. And look what my reward is for remaining faithful, I am dying. You say God is letting me die as if that is a bad thing. Charles, have you forgotten that is our goal. To live our life for Him, and join him one day in heaven. See, GOD IS GOOD! He has finally called me home and in a few hours I will be with Him. I can't imagine anything greater than that."

John died that night in his sleep. Charles stood up and said only two things at John's funeral: "I will miss my friend but I know I will see him again one day soon. And GOD IS GOOD."
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~ published by: The Daily Encourager

~ 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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[Ranb2khz]

The Core Truth of Our Existence

Henri Nouwen writes:

“Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the ‘Beloved.’ Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.”

Do you know that you are the Beloved of God?

Does this fact constitute the “core truth” of your existence today?

If not, why not?
________________

~ published by: The Denison Forum






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[Ranb2khz]

Reinhardt and Mandie Buhr

Reinhardt Bio:

Multi-Instrumentalist Reinhardt Buhr has composed 17 albums in 10 years’ time.

At the end of 2019, his work went viral over social media, reaching more than a hundred million views across Facebook and Youtube.

Reinhardt combines the Laser Harp, Spanish Guitar, Electric Guitar, Electric Cello, Australian didgeridoo, Israeli Shofar, Spanish Cajon, Synthesizers and Piano via a live looping system to create an extraordinary symphonic orchestral sound in only a one-man improvisational act.

Reinhardt Buhr was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1988 and grew up with no passion for music at all, in fact, as a teenager, he became a computer gamer and began abusing alcohol at a very young age. His first job was at a small liquor store, where he earned 20 cents an hour. After that, he worked as a packer in a supermarket. His plan of becoming an animator failed when he started abusing marijuana and alcohol on a regular basis.

At the age of 19, two of his closest friends began learning the guitar. Reinhardt immediately fell in love with it. With no formal training, the three friends simply taught themselves how to play. A year later, Reinhardt was inspired by a Flamenco guitar player, and began learning Flamenco Rumba Guitar from YouTube videos.

One day, he was sitting at a small roadside steak restaurant with his parents, and there was a man playing solo guitar covers. Reinhardt approached him to make small talk and the owner of the restaurant overheard that Reinhardt played a bit of Spanish Guitar music. So, the owner asked Reinhardt “Why don’t you come back next week to play, and I will give you a steak and 10 dollars in return?” So, Reinhardt Buhr played his first solo Spanish guitar gig that following weekend and hasn’t stopped since.

Reinhardt Buhr quickly became known around South Africa and formed a duo band called “Wild Lettuce”. He and the drummer performed many national tours. They also opened for a lot of great artists. But unfortunately, Reinhardt fell into a dark habit of abusing alcohol, drugs, and cocaine.

This affected him, his career, and everyone around him in a very negative way. The band broke up. Reinhardt Buhr went solo and left his hometown, hoping to escape the drug scene, only to find himself moving in with someone who also had a cocaine problem. The whole cycle started over again.

At the end of 2016, Reinhardt hit an all-time low. He was at the point of death. He fell on his knees and pleaded with God to step into his broken life. When things could not get any worse, God in His full mercy and grace, stepped in and changed his life completely. Reinhardt and his wife, Mandie Buhr, both experienced God’s salvation and were baptized together. They left a lifestyle of abusing, marijuana, alcohol, and drugs, and began on a beautiful road of salvation and healing.

During the biggest transition of his life, Reinhardt was playing a gig one day. As he was playing for hundreds of people; He experienced a voice telling him to make music for God. When Reinhardt made the shift from playing for fame and fortune to playing for Christ Jesus, everything about his music changed! You can even see the transition from his earlier album called “Organika 432hz”, to his latest album entitled “Life”.

To this day, Reinhardt Buhr makes music to God. This is his way of worshiping the Creator and Saviour, Jesus Christ.






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Godly Wisdom from Proverbs 21

“Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

“The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.”

“The man who strays from the way of wisdom will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.”

“The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love will find life, righteousness, and honor.”

“The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”

“No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the Lord.”






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The Good of Discomfort

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Before stepping onto the basketball court, I began to stretch my legs and arms in preparation for the game. As I began to stretch, there was a certain degree of pain or discomfort associated with the stretching. However, I understood that the discomfort was an indicator that my muscles were indeed being stretched.

Although pleasure is what I would have liked to experience, I knew that the discomfort was necessary for the stretching to be effective. Finishing the game free of injury assured me that there is good in discomfort.

If we are honest, all of us would like to experience pleasure every day of our lives. We would love everything we ever wanted to come to pass in our time. We would want everything to go our way. However, when we come to a difficult point and we don't know what to do next, our faith seems to diminish because we are now uncomfortable.

As God's children, we must understand that God works best in us when we are uncomfortable. Many of us are in situations where things just don't feel right. Things are not going the way we would like them to and so we become frustrated and wonder if we are doing the right thing. Nevertheless, God doesn't want us to allow our "feelings" to affect our faith. The discomfort is necessary for God to usher us to where He wants us to be.

That's "The Good of Discomfort."
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~ by Timothy Jackson, Jr.

~ 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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Patient Emotions

“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” – Proverbs 16:32

Patience is a virtue and a fruit of the spirit. To be patient is to exercise the art of waiting, to rest for a moment and consider all one’s faculties before taking an action.

Our emotions are reactive by design. They alert us to the importance of an occasion. They let us know something of value has been ignited. They serve an important function, but are too often allowed to serve functions for which they are not suited.

There are two possible responses when we feel emotions. The first, and counterproductive way is to immediately react. To treat our emotions as king, and serve their biddings. If we’re angry, we scream. If our emotions register offense, we fight to avenge their perceived offender.

If we react like this, we act before we take time to listen, and understand. We short-circuit truth. We short-circuit choice. We become a slave of our emotions.

The second, and constructive way to respond to emotions is with patience. Wait a second and figure out why we feel the way we do. Count to ten. What is the cause, the value being threatened? Ask “Why do I feel this way?” Emotions tell us “Something needs attention, and action.” We should always listen. But while emotions are helpful in telling us action is needed, they are not constructive in making good decisions about how best to act.
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~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://www.yellowballoons.net






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Failure That Leads to Godliness

"All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader...." ~ 1 Samuel 22:2

God uses broken things to accomplish His greatest work. When David was anointed to be the next king, he was just a boy, the youngest among all his brothers. Little did he know that the next several years would be years of fleeing from Saul whose successes turned into obsessions as a leader who had fallen from God's anointing. Perhaps David thought, "Why am I living a life as a fugitive? I am the next king of Israel." Yet, his life was filled with adversity after adversity before he ever fulfilled the ultimate calling God had for him.

Others began to hear of David's successes and identify with his plight. But, it wasn't the successful and polished who came to join him. It was "those who were in distress or in debt or discontented" who would be part of his army - and what an army it was! His army would become known throughout the world as the greatest ever assembled, not because of their skill, but because of the God behind the army. God turned David's men into "mighty men of valor" (1 Chronicles 11:10).

God often uses failure to make us useful. When Jesus called the disciples, He did not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He found the most willing, and He found them in the workplace. He found a fisherman, a tax collector, and a farmer.

The Hebrews knew that failure was a part of maturing in God. The Greeks used failure as a reason for disqualification. Sadly, in the Church, we often treat one another in this way. This is not God's way. We need to understand that failing does not make us failures. It makes us experienced. It makes us more prepared to be useful in God's Kingdom -- if we have learned from it. And that is the most important ingredient for what God wants in His children.
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~ by Os Hillman, T.G.I.F. (Today God Is First)

~ 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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[Ranb2khz]

Idols in the Life of the Believer

~ Until we fully trust the Lord to meet our every need, we’ll be tempted by other gods.

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:1-10

Idolatry isn’t limited to the past but is still prevalent today in various forms. Many religions worship false gods — some with tangible images and some without. But idolatry is actually a matter of the heart, so it is possible for believers to sin in this way. That’s why John says, “Guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

If we treasure anything or anyone above the Lord, we’re practicing idolatry to one degree or another. What we value most is often revealed by the amount of time we devote to it, the sacrifices we make for it, and the money we spend on it. Idols distract us from wholehearted devotion to God and deceive us into thinking satisfaction and fulfillment are found in them rather than in Him.

Ridding ourselves of idols of the heart will be futile until we learn to value the Lord more than anything or anyone else. It’s like playing Whack a Mole. As soon as we push one idol down, another pops up. The key to overcoming idolatry is learning to develop greater love and understanding of the one true God through His Word. When He is the ultimate desire of our soul, all other gods will be pushed out of our heart.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/idols-in-the-life-of-the-believer






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Join the Fifth Great Awakening

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14

I’ve often heard people pray for God to bring revival to our nation, yet rarely have I heard prayers for a great awakening. But throughout its history, the Western world has actually seen four “great awakenings.”

What’s the difference, you may ask?

Revivals change people and churches. Awakenings change cultures and nations.

The First Great Awakening is dated to 1734 under the preaching of pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards and the British evangelist George Whitefield. Before it began, only 5 percent of colonial Americans identified with a Christian church. At its height, 80 percent were active followers of Jesus.

The Second Great Awakening is dated to 1792 and was sparked by a prayer movement led by a Baptist minister named Isaac Backus. This movement led to more than a thousand large gatherings, called camp meetings, being held across the country. Churches doubled and tripled in membership, and William Carey began what we now consider the modern missions movement.

The Third Great Awakening is dated to 1858, resulting from a “businessman’s prayer meeting” movement that began the previous year in New York City. Out of a national population of thirty million people, more than a million came to Christ in a single year. And at one point, fifty thousand were turning to Jesus for salvation every week. This revival continued into the Civil War, when more than one hundred thousand soldiers were converted.

And the Fourth Great Awakening began in Wales in 1904. This awakening impacted every sphere of culture and industry. Police formed barbershop quartets to sing in churches since there was no one to arrest. Saloons went bankrupt. Coal mines even shut down briefly because the miners became converted, stopped using obscene language, and the mules could no longer understand their commands. This awakening spread to the US: for example, out of fifty thousand residents in Atlantic City, New Jersey, only fifty were unconverted. Two hundred stores in Portland, Oregon, closed every day so people could attend prayer meetings.

Now the world is seeing a Fifth Great Awakening.

More Muslims have come to Christ in the last fifteen years than in the previous fifteen centuries. China’s underground church is exploding in growth. Churches are growing exponentially in Cuba and across Latin and South America. And sub-Saharan Africa is witnessing a remarkable advance of the gospel.

Will we see this awakening in America? Is an awakening of this magnitude even possible today?

We believe it is. And we are praying that First15 can be one such catalyst for the moral and spiritual movement we need so desperately. Would you join us in this prayer?

God’s promise is clear in today’s verse:

- We must humble ourselves, admitting we need the transforming movement of God’s Spirit.

- Then we must “pray.” The original word in Hebrew means to pray passionately and collectively

- God says we must seek his face, which in Hebrew means to “run hard after” personal intimacy with the Lord

-And when we do, we must “turn from our wicked ways” as his Spirit reveals them to us.

If we will, our Father promises to hear us, forgive us, and heal our land.
___________

~ published by: First 15

https://first15.org/devotionals/join-the-fifth-great-awakening/






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[Ranb2khz]

Prayer & Fasting

The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out. It also enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God and prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives. Remember, your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

Scripture Reference:

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair[a] and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” ~ Matthew 6:16-18

How to Get Started on Your Fast:

Having a successful fast starts with the right preparation. It is important to choose ahead of time what type of fast, or what combination you will pursue. Not only will this help with making the necessary preparations to implement your plan, but as you commit to a specific fast ahead of time and know how you’re going to do it, you will position yourself to finish strong.

Here are a few Easy Steps to Get Started:

1) Set Your Objective

Begin by deciding why you are fasting. Is it for spiritual renewal, for healing, for wisdom in a particular area, or the resolution of a specific issue? Pick the top 1-3 prayer requests or things you would like to seek God on. Don’t overwhelm yourself and make a laundry list of items. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead in deciding and clarifying your goals for fasting.

2) Choose Your Plan

We are all at different places in our walk with God. Likewise, our jobs, daily schedules, and health conditions are all different and place various levels of demand on our energy. So most importantly, whether you’ve fasted before, or this will be your first time, prayerfully consider what your fast will look like. Your personal fast should have a high level of challenge to it, but it’s very important to know your own body, know your options, and most importantly, seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Remember, the goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is draw nearer to God.

3) Choose Your Fasting Schedule

You may choose to fast all or several days of the 21 days, such as, 3 or 4 days a week or specifically on Sundays and Wednesdays. Maybe you will do that, and end with 3 to 7 consecutive days at the end. This is your personal decision, and again should be prayerfully considered as it applies to your circumstances. Just plan ahead.

4) Begin and Break the Fast Well

Depending on the type of fast you choose, it is very important to prepare your body ahead of time before beginning the fast. Take a week or so to transition into your fast; otherwise, you could get sick. For example, if you would like to go on fruits and vegetables or juice fast, start eliminating meat, white grains, and refined sugars from your diet the week before. Also start to cut back quite a bit on dairy products and some of your caffeine intake.

This same principle applies to breaking your fast. When your fast is over, add foods back very gradually. Your body will be so cleansed and detoxified. You will most likely get sick if you add too much rich foods, etc. all at once.

There are also several websites and books that offer additional resources for spiritual growth, recipes and nutritional information to help you along the way. Here are a few that we recommend.

Websites for Fasting & Juicing Info:

https://www.DanielPlan.com
https://www.RebootwithJoe.com
https://www.Juicerecipes.com
https://www.All-about-juicing.com
https://www.JuicingwithG.com

Books for Spiritual Growth:

If you would like to grow in your understanding of how spiritual disciplines like fasting and prayer can help you grow spiritually, check out the following resources:

Beginner:

“The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People”, by John Ortberg

Intermediate:

“Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth”, by Richard Foster

Advanced:

“The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives”, by Dallas Willard

Most Practical:

“Fasting: Opening the Door to a Deeper, More intimate, More Powerful Relationship with God”, by Jentezen Franklin

Important Note: Fasting requires reasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning your fast, especially if you are taking medications, have a chronic condition or are pregnant or nursing a baby.
____________

Types of Fast:

Complete:

This fast calls for drinking only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.

Selective:

This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, or bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.

Partial:

This fast is sometimes called the Jewish Fast and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.

Soul:

This fast is common for those who do not have much experience fasting food, who have health issues that prevent them from fasting food, or who wish to refocus certain areas of their life that are out of balance. For instance, someone might select to abstain from using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast, and then choose to carefully bring that element back into their life in an orderly fashion at the conclusion of the fast.
_________

Additional Resources Available From:

City Hills Church

https://cityhills.com/21days/






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[Ranb2khz]

Where is Your Treasure?

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” ~ Matthew 6:19-21

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure you: It will be difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” ~ Matthew 19:23-24

The Scripture teaches us that it is difficult for an earthly wealthy person to inherit eternal life in heaven after death. Even people without earthly wealth, but those that strongly desire to be wealthy tend to fall into the same category as the wealthy when it comes to eternal life in heaven. Notice that Jesus did not say that it is impossible, but difficult.

Jesus knew that without the Holy Spirit living within us, our sinful human heart would place our hope and trust in worldly and materialistic objects (money, investments, jobs, property, etc.). Those that have not fully surrendered their hearts to the Lord, and daily strive to know and do His will, will not have the power of His Spirit living within to properly align desires and goals with God’s. It is not sin to possess wealth and worldly objects – but, it becomes sin when we place our faith and trust in these objects, and not on God’s ability to provide our daily needs.

In Matthew 19:16-22, a rich young ruler approaches Jesus and asks Him how to inherit eternal life; Jesus explains that he must keep God’s instructions – the young man responds that he has done this his whole life, then Jesus instructs him that he needs to sell all of his possessions, give the funds to the poor, and follow Him. The young ruler couldn’t do it, and slowly walked away from Jesus. Although the man had faithfully followed God’s directions up until that point, he demonstrated what was in his heart by not being obedient in God’s instructions and what to do with the wealth the man possessed. Jesus merely showed the man exactly what his heart, faith and trust was founded on.

Even those without wealth or worldly possessions can be guilty of placing trust and faith in what can be grasped or physically held, instead of the One that knows our individual needs, and provides them for those that place their complete faith and trust in His ability, and obey Him with whatever we have in this world.

Our eternal wealth is determined by what we do with the resources God provides – whether it be time, energy, or financially related – we are to use all that we are provided to further God’s kingdom, and to bring Him glory through our obedience to His directions for using our gifts.






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[Ranb2khz]

Lord Jesus give us all Your peace that passes all understanding

Amen.






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[Bigfootbud]

Lord Jesus give us all Your peace that passes all understanding, forever!!! :) :) :) Amen

[Ranb2khz]

Sweetheart

It was a busy morning. It was about 8:30 A.M. when a gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have sutures removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 A.M. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him.

We chatted while I removed his sutures and took care of his wound. I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife, Mari-Helena. I then inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for awhile and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him for five years now.

I was surprised and asked him, "And you are still going every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?"

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arms, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." ~ Ephesians 5:25
______________

~ published by: The Daily Encourager

~ 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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[Ranb2khz]

From the Pastor’s Heart — January 2023

~ Scripture reveals the essence of our Creator.

When I think about who God is, I’m left simply speechless. There have been many times, on my knees contemplating Him, that I’ve found myself weeping.

Why?

Because of how awesome He is. Because He saved me when I was a 12-year-old boy. Because He’s answered thousands of prayers and been good and gracious and forgiving over and over. Because He makes His presence known, allows me to converse with Him, and assures me of His unconditional love.

How could I ever choose not to worship, obey, and love Him in return?

What about you?

If you had to describe God to someone else, what would you say? And how would you know if your view is right?

Many people have misconceptions about God, imagining that He compromises on sin, accepts everyone’s choices, or always blesses. Even Christians can have an inaccurate understanding of the Lord. In fact, we all do to some degree, because He’s infinitely unfathomable. Human beings can only grasp “the fringes of His ways” (Job 26:14).

So how can we know the truth about Him? Well, He describes Himself with perfect accuracy in His Word. And although anyone can read Scripture, only believers have the Holy Spirit to help them understand it (John 14:26). Furthermore, because we have a personal relationship with Jesus who indwells us, we’re able to rely on Him as we seek to comprehend God’s attributes. While the worldly may know His law (Romans 2:13-16), only God’s children “have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Examining what the Bible says about God will inspire amazement, provide the peace of understanding, and increase the joy we feel over our relationship with Him. Look with me at just four of the many attributes mentioned in Scripture that are uniquely God’s:

First of all, let’s consider His greatness:

“Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness.…I will meditate on Your majestic, glorious splendor and Your wonderful miracles.” ~ Psalm 145:3; Psalm 145:5

One way to appreciate the magnitude of God is to look at the natural world.

He designed and made all of it — the earth, sky, and the vast universe beyond it, as well as the incredible complexities of each tiny leaf and petal. We have no ability to create things like these or give them life, but God does. He made everything in heaven and on earth (Genesis 1:1). I hope the miracle of His creation brings praise to your lips as you recognize His greatness.

What about the nations and powerful rulers?

“All the nations are as nothing before Him;” and “God is enthroned above the circle of the earth; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.” (Isaiah 40:17; Isaiah 40:22). He “reduces rulers to nothing” and “makes the judges of the earth meaningless” (Isaiah 40:23).

Knowing this, we need not become overwhelmed or despairing because of political or social upheavals. Our God reigns over it all. While in the world we must act justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8), but our true citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). We’re held securely in the Savior’s hand through all the turmoil until we reach our eternal home.

Second, the Lord is infinite:

“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!” ~ Romans 11:33

It’s impossible for our finite minds to fully grasp the concept of infinity. But ponder this: God’s knowledge, wisdom, and understanding have no limit. There’s no error at all in anything He does, says, or wills. You can trust Him when He guides or instructs you, because He’s always right. And this limitless quality applies to all His attributes, such as faithfulness, love, and power.

Third, God is eternal:

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” ~ 1 Timothy 1:17

God had no beginning, and He will have no end. I know this boggles the mind because we live in the realm of time and cannot comprehend eternity. But God is outside of time, which He created. It’s extraordinary to contemplate what this means for us: Everyone who has eternal life in Christ will one day live with Him forever in a paradise without end.

Finally, God is immutable; He never changes:

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.” ~ Malachi 3:6

His attributes remain constant, His promises will never fail, and none of His plans can be thwarted.

“God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?” ~ Numbers 23:19

This is true for all people, not just God’s children through Christ Jesus. But as believers, this attribute of our God is wonderful news. It means His promises for our good are certain, bringing favor, blessing, strength, and eternal life.

When I think about how great — and how utterly beyond the human mind — God is, I’m amazed that He would reach down to save me, and then love, guide, and protect me for the rest of my life.

I encourage you to meditate on some passages of Scripture that describe Him. As you do, you may find yourself falling to your knees in praise and worship. In those moments, the personal relationship you have with God as your loving Father will grow exponentially. You’ll discover new depths of tenderness and intimacy as you lean on the love of this unfathomable and majestic God. There’s no better, or more incredible, place to be than in His hands.

Prayerfully yours,

Charles F. Stanley

P.S. A new year offers a fresh opportunity for resolving to grow in your knowledge and understanding of the Lord. In Touch Ministries’ continuing goal is to help believers grow strong in their faith. If you’ll contact us, we can help you find resources to support you as you discover the greatness of your amazing God and Savior.
_______________

~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/from-pastors-heart/january-2023






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[Ranb2khz]

The Resolution Your Heart Wants to Make

~ Begin the new year with God.

“Happy New Year!” We all share this sentiment with our friends and families as each new year begins, but those words, or at least their equivalents, were first spoken by the ancient Babylonians around four thousand years ago. Yet fast-forward to today and New Year’s Day is the most universal of all holidays, celebrated by people of all religions and cultures around the world.

When I think of new year’s, I often think of making resolutions. And even this tradition, as old as the holiday itself, was invented by the Babylonians. Their most popular New Year’s resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment (which is not a resolution I’ve ever needed to make). But like them and like most people, I have typically begun each year by making resolutions.

In that spirit, let’s begin our new year by making the resolution your heart most wants to make.

Many years ago, I came across Bob Buford’s bestselling book, “Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance”. That was the first time I understood the difference between the two. Success is for now; significance is forever. Success is fleeting; significance is transcendent.

You and I were made for significance. We were made to outlive ourselves, to leave a legacy beyond ourselves. As we begin this year, there is something in us that wants this year to matter when the year is done. But there’s only one pathway of true significance.

The Apostle Paul declared, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This promise is for you — no matter the guilt you may carry from the past, challenges you face in the present, or the fears you have for the future.

The moment you choose to be “in Christ,” which means to have a personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you become a “new creation.” You are “born again,” as Jesus said in John 3:3.

Now you have the honor of helping someone else experience the same grace. God made you for this simple purpose: to know Christ and to make Him known. Everything else is a means to this end.

There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more than He already does. But there’s a catch: this gift of God must be received. Like Christmas presents under the tree, the gift of salvation must be opened.

Have you opened your gift yet? Are you a “new creation”? Have you been “born again”? Do you remember the day when you asked Jesus to forgive your sins and failures and turned your life over to Him as your Savior and Lord?

If not, why not today?

If you are a new creation in Christ, begin the new year by seeking to know Him and to make Him known. Allow His presence and His word to heal and transform you as you get to know Him more deeply this year. This is the path of true significance.

And it’s the resolution your heart most wants to make today.
_______________

~ published by: First 15

https://first15.org/devotionals/the-resolution-your-heart-wants-to-make-2023/






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[Ranb2khz]

Do We Truly Love Jesus?

“If you love Me, you will keep My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth.” ~ John 14:15-17

Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, they will keep My word. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them. The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me.” ~ John 14:23-24

“This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in them. But whoever keeps His word, truly in them the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says I remain in Him should walk just as He [Jesus] walked.” ~ 1 John 2:3-6

Jesus spoke, “As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” ~ John 15:9-10

We demonstrate our love for God by obeying Him. There is no middle ground in the walk of obedience – we’re either all-in, or we’re out.

A new year brings with it new beginnings. Let’s all make this year the year that we say with our hearts, words and actions:

“But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship…As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.” ~ Joshua 24:15






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[tenac]

AMEN!

[tenac]

He is with us

[tenac]

For 66 years the good Lord has allowed ole Rick Sane to travel an unbelievable journey on this place we call planet earth...our temporary home...and like all y'all there have been many good times and many bad times. And a lot of them bad times for me were self inflected and of course others were out of my control. With that said...It amazes me sometimes to think that from age 15 to age 40 i tried my best to put myself in my grave with the lifestyle that i lived. And here it is now 27 years later sense Jesus finally got through my thick head and hard heart and i accepted His free gift of salvation and im as happy and content as can be with pretty good health considering the helter skelter life i lived. What a awesome God we serve! As you folks know i often say...."I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!".... And that truly is the way i live my life. I dont let my past bother or cause me worry or grief. God has not only forgiven me for my wicked past He has also chose to forgot it. Now...i tell everyone that i can who i use to be and what Jesus has done for me but outside of that i choose to put my past out of sight and out of mind just as God has! Jesus empowers me to use my wicked past for His good and not dwell on the "what ifs" and "could have beens". Yes folks...God dont just forgive our sins...when we go before him in true repentance...He is faithful to cast the very things we have done to sin against Him into the sea of forgetfulness! Jesus so wants us to lay our problems...our burdens down at His feet and leave them there! Jesus so wants us to live our lives in His perfect love and be happy and content with the joy only He can provide day after day! And you know what...every single one of us that are born-again can live that life...Yes we can! Folks...as long as we walk this earth we are going to have new problems and sickness and any number of things come our way right up till the day we die. But Gods mercy is new every morning! Please...lay your past down at Jesus feet and let Him take your past away. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and the awesome days ahead living as a born-again child of God! Enjoy the love and grace and mercy of almighty God and let Jesus and Jesus alone guide your footsteps through the valleys and atop the mountains from this day forward. We like to quote..."i can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength."...do we truly believe that? Why not start the "New Year" of 2023 by putting your complete faith and trust in the One that created you...you might...you will...have no regrets and 2023 might just be the best year ever!

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[tenac]

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Philippians 3:8

[tenac]

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

[tenac]

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-19

[tenac]

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

[Ranb2khz]

Stand Strong Through The Storm

"How happy is the man or woman who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, their delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and they meditate on it day and night. They are like trees planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever they do prospers." ~ Psalm 1:1-3

Concluding Thoughts:

1. Ours is the Kingdom. No matter what setbacks we see or experience, in the end the Kingdom will revert to our Lord and we will reign with Him.
2. Ours is the victory through dying and living again – victory through being able to drink the cup of evil and injustice poured out and not being consumed by it.
3. Ours is the responsibility of caring for our suffering brethren, especially converts and those in countries more restrictive and repressive than ours.
4. Ours is the responsibility of reaching those who still sit in darkness.
5. Ours are the lives that should manifest purity and Christlikeness.
6. Ours are the hearts that should be willing to pay the price to bring peace and understanding among men and between men and God. Hearts willing to be proactive. Hearts willing to stand at the end of the day and having done all, stand.
7. Ours is the challenge to stand strong through all the storms we face and come through the fire refined and purified to walk the way of the cross before a dying world.

Response:

Today I will accept the challenge to stand strong through all the storms I may face!
_____________

~ published by: "Standing Strong Through The Storm" (final publication)






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[Ranb2khz]

Love you all!!! Jesus is my Lord and Savior!

Amen! Wishing you and yours a most blessed New Year!




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[Preciouslife1]

“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.” ~ Book of Hebrews 4:9-10 _______ ABBA God’s attitude toward the human sinful condition is evident: For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, “It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.”
So I swore in My wrath, “They shall NOT enter My rest.”
~ Psalm 95:10-11

This same declaration appears in Hebrews 3:11, when the writer of Hebrews recounted the plight of the Hebrews of Moses’ day who failed to be obedient and urged the people of his day: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do NOT harden your hearts” ... Hebrews 4:7. The comparison is one that we can’t miss!
Just as the ancient Jews had the gospel preached to them in the desert, we have the gospel preached to us ... Hebrews 4:2. Unlike those who refused to accept the gospel, those who believe will enter God’s rest .. Hebrews 4:3. We must be careful to recognize that the rest Scripture refers to is ‘God’s rest’. The reference of Psalm 95 within Hebrews indicates that the rest is God’s rest, NOT ours. Specific reference is made to Abba God’s rest on the seventh day: “Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world … And God rested on the seventh day from ALL His works” ... Book of Hebrews 4:3-4 ....

[Preciouslife1]

New Beginnings "8" in Hebrew ...
... A NEW YEAR marks a new beginning: a time for the children of Aßßã GOD to reground themselves in the LOVE of the Father ._____. AßßA God LOVES to use new seasons to remind us of His desire to continually make US NEW! ?? From winter to spring we see that which appeared dead; burst forth into beautiful arrays of A??A God’s glorious work. And A??A God longs for the same fresh start in our lives as He does for His creation. He longs to make things new as the new year begins.
The Book of Lamentations 3:22-24 says: “The steadfast LOVE of the Lord NEVER ceases; His MERCIES NEVER come to an end; they are NEW EVERY morning; great is your Faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will HOPE in Him!”
We have HOPE in the steadfast LOVE of God. His powerful LOVE can make NEW ALL that needs Restoration. Aßßã God’s heart is to free you from that which weighs you down and robs you of the abundant life our Messiah Yeshua Christ Jesus came to bring you.
.... With this year coming to a close and a new year fast approaching, it’s time for us to gain perspective on that which needs REBIRTH! .. Whatever sin & sins has entangled you this year does NOT have to gain victory over you in the next!! Whatever lie you’ve believed that’s wrecked your emotions, thoughts, and actions does NOT have to win the battle over your mind in this coming year!! Whatever wound or disappointment that has hurt you can be healed and reborn to Empower you for that which is to come!
ABBA FA?HER GOD'S heart is to meet you where you are today. He longs to meet you at your greatest point of weakness and pain and wrap you up in His LOVE. He longs for you to know He is with you, for you, and will walk with you into newness of life. “His MERCIES NEVER come to an end; they are NEW EVERY morning!” ... ABBA God has limitless, powerful GRACE for you today. Run to Him with your sin. Run to Him with your failures and struggles. Run to Him with the pain of others’ words that He might speak His healing TRUTH over & through you . . .
Your heavenly ABBA Father LOVES you and is for you. He has New Beginnings "8" in store for you. But just as a tree needs fresh sunlight, warmth, and rain to bear fruit again, you need the refreshing rain of A??A God’s GRACE and the warmth of His steadfast LOVE to be made new! You can’t do it on your own. You weren’t made to do it on your own. All you need for a new beginning is wholly available in the arms of your loving A??A Father. Open up your heart, mind, body and soul to Him today and receive the newness of life He paid the highest price to give. Thank You AßßA FA?HER GOD ...

[Bigfootbud]

Love you all!!! Jesus is my Lord and Savior!!! :)

[Ranb2khz]

New Beginnings

A new year marks a new beginning: a time for the children of God to reground themselves in the love of the Father. God loves to use new seasons to remind us of His desire to continually make us new. From winter to spring we see that which appeared dead burst forth into beautiful arrays of God’s glorious work. And God longs for the same fresh start in our lives as He does for His creation. He longs to make things new as the new year begins.

Lamentations 3:22-24 says:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.'”

We have hope in the steadfast love of God. His powerful love can make new all that needs restoration. God’s heart is to free you from that which weighs you down and robs you of the abundant life Jesus came to bring you.

With this year coming to a close and a new year fast approaching, it’s time for us to gain perspective on that which needs rebirth. Whatever sin has entangled you this year does not have to gain victory over you in the next. Whatever lie you’ve believed that’s wrecked your emotions, thoughts, and actions does not have to win the battle over your mind next year. Whatever wound or disappointment that has hurt you can be healed and reborn to empower you for that which is to come.

God’s heart is to meet you where you are today. He longs to meet you at your greatest point of weakness and pain and wrap you up in His love. He longs for you to know He is with you, for you, and will walk with you into newness of life. “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning”. God has limitless, powerful grace for you today. Run to Him with your sin. Run to Him with your failures and struggles. Run to Him with the pain of others’ words that He might speak His healing truth over you.

Your heavenly Father loves you and is for you. He has new beginnings in store for you. But just as a tree needs fresh sunlight, warmth, and rain to bear fruit again, you need the refreshing rain of God’s grace and the warmth of His steadfast love to be made new. You can’t do it on your own. You weren’t made to do it on your own. All you need for a new beginning is wholly available in the arms of your loving Father. Open up your heart to Him today and receive the newness of life He paid the highest price to give.
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~ published by: First 15

https://first15.org/devotionals/new-beginnings-2022/






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[tenac]

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

[tenac]

Where do we find hope? Where do we find peace? Those two questions are the questions most folks are asking themselves every single day. All you have to do is look around and it dont take long to see that most folks have no hope and peace...however...there is hope and there is peace for this world. But that hope and peace is found only in Jesus Christ...let me say that again....hope and peace is found only in Jesus Christ! You see...when you and i turned our lives over to Jesus as our Lord and savior...we were born-again to what the Bible calls a “living hope”...a hope that is not wishful thinking...but a hope that is based on the reality of God Himself thru the power of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead....adopted us into His family as children of the living God! This living hope means we can persevere through trials...rough spots and even pain. This living hope means we may stumble and fall sometimes...but we will not falter completely because we are in Jesus Christ. And this living hope means we have a future that is sure and established thru Jesus and that we are not alone as we walk this earthly path. The peace God gives us when we accept Jesus is a peace that the unsaved world can never know. It means that we can enjoy the serenity of heart no matter what happens to us. Jesus told us in John 16:33...“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." So...where is the hope? Where is the peace? That comes only from a personal relationship Jesus Christ and thru our surrender to Him! Have you invited Jesus into your heart? My prayer is that you will experience that hope and peace in your heart today…..and every day!

I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane

[tenac]

.."Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ....
1 Peter 1:13

[tenac]

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
2 Peter 1:3

[tenac]

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

[tenac]

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
Psalm 39:7

[tenac]

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

[Ranb2khz]

The True Gospel Of Prosperity

“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” ~ Revelation 3:18-21

The gospel is filled with admonitions about accumulating the riches of God. God wants us to prosper. But God wants us to prosper in a manner that will never fade. There is a false prosperity gospel that says “You can be (earthly) rich if you get God to listen to you.” The true prosperity gospel is that we can have infinite riches, all the gold we want, by listening to God. This is lasting treasure, not just mammon.

Since God’s rewards are beyond our comprehension, we try to whittle the riches of God down to something we can understand. Something more intellectually and physically tangible. Mammon is a perversion of the divine promises. We need an adjustment of perspective to set our pursuit straight.

If we hear His voice and open the door, He will enter into an intimate relationship with us, the sort of intimacy only shared among close friends and relatives at a meal. That is the source of true riches, all the gold we want, straight from God.

This verse was written by Jesus to those He loves. It is written to His children. Our Perfect Father does not rebuke and chasten other people’s children. He rebukes and chastens His children.

He ends this passage with a promise. Relationship with Him is the true manifestation of prosperity. And the true message of the gospel.
______________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://www.yellowballoons.net






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[Ranb2khz]

Beyond Our Imagination

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- 1 Corinthians 2:9

The Bible tells us we ought to love God. But it doesn’t stop there. The Bible also tells us the enormous benefit of loving God. It is a benefit so great it goes beyond anything we can imagine.

Loving God simply means obeying God no matter our circumstances, living in the manner the Bible tells us to live. This is often hard. We don’t feel like serving, we feel like being served. We don’t feel like waiting patiently, we want what we want now. Why should we do what we don’t feel like doing? What is the benefit?

This verse tells us plainly that the benefit to obedience is so vast that we can’t conceive of it on our own. This glory comes from loving Him by walking in faith, following His Spirit, living counter to the flesh and choosing to serve in truth.

God wants us to lay aside our flesh so He can bless us beyond our imaginations. God’s gift of new birth is an unconditional gift that is received solely by faith. This is something different. It is an unimaginable blessing that is reserved for those who love Him. Loving God means listening and obeying. There are many who think blessing comes from getting God to listen to us. But unimaginable blessing comes when we listen to Him, and obey His commands. Loving God is the most profitable of all human activities, leading to the greatest blessings.
______________

~ published by: Yellow Balloons

https://www.yellowballoons.net






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