tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84182169789592757332024-02-18T22:15:43.898-08:00Good Morning GodBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.comBlogger824125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-36652131880083364422015-09-20T14:37:00.001-07:002015-09-20T14:37:14.234-07:00Yes! Jesus Loves Me.<br />
Something wonderful has happened in my spiritual life. I finally believe God loves me. I really believe it with all my heart for the first time in my life.<br />
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Growing up with a stern and abusive father has always colored my perception of God, I think. My father was religious but didn't really know God. You could see that in his actions.<br />
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I've always been afraid of God and thought he expected me to be perfect. The Bible said God loved me, so I tried to believe it and sometimes I did, but not like now. I don't have to try anymore; I believe.<br />
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This all happened because of talks by Ty Gibson I found online, I finally saw the deep love God has for me and the human race. Ty tells us that God would rather die than live without us. What a revelation that was for me.<br />
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Here are a few addresses where you can find Ty's Bible Studies on the Love of God:<br />
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http://betterlifetv.tv/watch_videos_now.php?ProgID=4<br />
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http://www.pilgrimskeyradionetwork.com/sermons/sermons.php?speak=40<br />
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You can also watch Ty on youtube.com<br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-69839482321032784352015-09-17T21:59:00.004-07:002015-09-17T21:59:48.884-07:00Two Kinds of Wisdom.<span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px;">James tells us there are two kinds of wisdom, wisdom from the world and wisdom from God. He also tells us how to tell the difference between the two. They stand side by side in glaring contrast in their motives and outcomes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i>If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">James 1:5-8</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i>Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (Wisdom from God)</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. (Wisdom of the world)</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i>For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">But the <u>wisdom that comes from heaven</u> is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i> James 3:13-18</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. <u>Not many of you were wise by human standards;</u> not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. </span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">so that no one may boast before him. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">It is because of him that you are in<u> Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God</u>—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”</span><span class="nivfootnote" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0066aa; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 21px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><sup></sup></span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>1 Corinthians 1:26-31</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">James names, "selfish ambition" and "bitter envy" as worldly wisdom. In our culture, who is admired? Those who get ahead, those who become rich and have many possessions. Have you heard the saying, "Whoever dies with the most toys wins?" Actually, this has probably been true of almost all cultures. No matter how they get to the top, the top people are envied and admired. How did they get there? Most likely through envy themselves and selfish ambition. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">James knows this. The wisdom from God is nothing like the wisdom of the world; when you look at Jesus, you see wisdom in action. One reason people make fun of Christians is they don't understand God's wisdom. It seems foolish to them to put God and others first. But God can open anyone's eyes if they will ask Him. He gives generously to all, James says. And I love what James says next, "without finding fault." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">We have a God who understands how our brains work and what we have been taught and seen in our lives. He doesn't find fault, he only asks that we come to him for true wisdom, which will result in peace and love instead of "disorder and evil."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-88992925299070353402015-09-14T20:47:00.000-07:002015-09-14T20:47:15.250-07:00Our Wonderful God.<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, "Praise God for the Son of David." But the leaders were indignant. Matthew 21:15</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">When he (Jesus) said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> Luke 13:17</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Mark 9:15</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great. Isaiah 28:29</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Isaiah 25:1</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Psalm 107:21</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 13px;">Lenny Leblanc - What A Wonder Lyrics </span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You give hope to the hopeless</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You give faith to the faithless</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Your love comes through</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Like the morning light</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You give grace to the humble</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And have mercy on the merciful</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">This world's never seen anybody like You</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what a wonder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">A wonder You are</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You hide the sun and let it rain</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what a wonder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Jesus what a wonder You are</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what a wonder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">A wonder You are</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">To save somebody like me</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what a wonder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Jesus what a wonder You are</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You bring healing to the nations</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">There's no other salvation</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You're the only One who can turn it around</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You make a way for the wanderer</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You give freedom to the prisoner</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">All of hell must tremble</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">At the sound of Your name</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what a wonder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Jesus what a wonder You are</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what a wonder You are </span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-10103324032671622092015-09-09T13:31:00.000-07:002015-09-09T13:31:28.342-07:00What Can We Give to God?<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>How can I repay the LORD for all the good He has done for me?</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>Psalm 116:12-14</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">What does God desire in return for his love? He wants us to accept his plan of salvation from the evil in this world. He wants us to call on his name every day. He wants us to be true to our vows. Vows should be few and not broken. He will forgive though, if we break a vow to him.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><u>Song, Two Hands, One Heart. by Don Moen,</u></span></span></div>
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What can I give?<br />
What can I bring?<br />
That would be pleasing to my King<br />
I'll give my heart, not just a part<br />
I'm lifting up my everything<br />
Well it's all I have to offer<br />
And it's all I have to give</div>
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Two hands, one heart<br />
One life to offer You<br />
Two hands, one heart<br />
That's what I give to You</div>
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Use me today I know You can<br />
Lord I surrender to Your plan<br />
You made this heart<br />
And you made these hands<br />
Take me and use me as I am<br />
Well it's all I have to offer<br />
And it's all I have to give</div>
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Little becomes a lot<br />
When it's in Your hands<br />
Take me and make me more like You<br />
Well it may not seem like much<br />
But with the Master's touch<br />
I know that I'll be more like You</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Two hands one heart</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">One life to offer You</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Two hands one heart</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">That's what I give to You</span></div>
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Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-29525200209717685572015-09-06T03:10:00.002-07:002015-09-06T03:10:15.443-07:00God's Love Reaches to the Heavens.<div class="content-text-album" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #898989; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Your love, <span class="name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, reaches to the heavens,</div>
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your faithfulness to the skies.</div>
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Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,</div>
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your justice like the great deep.</div>
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You, <span class="name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, preserve both people and animals.</div>
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How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!</div>
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People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.</div>
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They feast on the abundance of your house;</div>
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you give them drink from your river of delights.</div>
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For with you is the fountain of life;</div>
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in your light we see light.</div>
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Psalm 36:5-9</div>
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Album: Woship With Don Moen</div>
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Your steadfast love extends to the heavens<br />Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds<br />Your righteousness is like majestic mountains<br />And your wisdom like the depths of the sea<br />And you come to me</div>
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Filling my heart with your loving kindness<br />I find my peace in the shadow of your wings<br />I eat my fill from the abundance of your household<br />And I drink from the streams of rejoicing</div>
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You are my king</div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br />More lyrics <a href="http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/don_moen/your_steadfast_love-lyrics-224759.html#ixzz3kx2vejFv" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #003399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/don_moen/your_steadfast_love-lyrics-224759.html#ixzz3kx2vejFv</a></span><br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-43944263984897139342015-09-01T01:40:00.000-07:002015-09-01T01:40:41.438-07:00Who is God?<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom</div>
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or the strong boast of their strength</div>
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or the rich boast of their riches,</div>
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but let the one who boasts boast about this:</div>
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that they have the understanding to know me,</div>
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that I am the <span class="name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, who exercises kindness,</div>
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justice and righteousness on earth,</div>
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for in these I delight,”</div>
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Jeremiah 9:23,24</div>
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I've been writing about different Christian songs that help me. When I listen to the song, "Above All," I picture the ancient powers that no longer exist and kings who are long dead. I think of how majestic mountains were made by God's hands and how he flung the stars across the universe. I think of the wisdom of man that is so small compared with God's wisdom. I think of the wealth of the rich, how they fill their homes with great paintings and other art, how they wear the best clothes, drive the most expensive cars and try to find happiness in these things.<br />
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Then I think of what God is like and how these things of the world cannot compare to him. Humans tend towards pride in what they have and what they do, but Jesus left everything behind to become a human being. He left his Father's side for the first time in eternity. Then he suffered excruciating mental and physical pain when he took the fall for us.<br />
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What an amazing God we worship! The Bible says, "God is love." He isn't just loving; he <i>is</i> love. </div>
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<u>Above All by Don Moen.</u><br />
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Above all powers, above all kings<br />
Above all nature and all created things<br />
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man<br />
You were here before the world began<br />
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Above all kingdoms, above all thrones<br />
Above all wonders the world has ever known<br />
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth<br />
There's no way to measure what You're worth<br />
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(Chorus)<br />
Crucified, laid behind the stone<br />
You lived to die, rejected and alone<br />
Like a rose, trampled on the ground<br />
You took the fall and thought of me<br />
Above all</div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">More lyrics</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/don_moen-lord_you_are_good#ixzz3kTPbp9FE" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #003399; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/don_moen-lord_you_are_good#ixzz3kTPbp9FE</a><br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-37172304065564686692015-08-28T19:13:00.001-07:002015-08-28T19:13:24.759-07:00A River of Love.<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." John 6:35</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." John:4:14</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I read John 6 this morning and I thought about whether I hunger or thirst for anything. I don't, as far as I know. I used to hunger and thirst for love, but I have found that in Jesus. I looked for love from men, but men are fallible human beings who cannot love the way we want them to love. That is too much to ask for from any man or woman.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">In our North American culture, we are taught from childhood to seek love from someone. And of course, God has put within each of us a desire for love. Unfortunately, our culture tells us, "You can find the love of your life right here on planet earth!" Um, no. We can find human love alright, if we are blessed, but Jesus is the only one who can be the love of our life. Once you really believe and accept he loves you, just the way you are; that he loves your company, he loves to talk with you, he "delights in you," as the Bible says; only then do you never thirst or hunger for anything else in this world. He is enough.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: ProximaRegular, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2000007629395px; line-height: 28.8000011444092px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: ProximaRegular, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2000007629395px; line-height: 28.8000011444092px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>River of Love by Don Moen</u></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: ProximaRegular, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2000007629395px; line-height: 28.8000011444092px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: ProximaRegular, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2000007629395px; line-height: 28.8000011444092px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thirsty for more of You
More of Your Spirit and truth
Wash me from all my sin
Fill me with Your Spirit again
You're the River of Love
Flowing with grace and mercy
Flooding my soul
Filling my heart with peace
O River of Love
Like streams in the desert
Giver of life
Giving You life and love
To set me free
Heal me and I'll be healed
Save me and I will be saved
You've filled me with songs of praise
Forever I will sing of Your grace
If anyone is thirsty let him come on in
When you drink the living water
You will never thirst again
Giving Your life and love
To set me free
Giving Your life and love
To set me free.</span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-25937718196485323952015-08-27T20:53:00.000-07:002015-08-27T20:53:11.808-07:00Songs for God. <b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 13px;">Lenny Leblanc - A Shadow In Your Light Lyrics </span></b><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Let me be a shadow of Your light</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Just a small reflection of a greater love</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Let me be a shadow in Your light</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">That falls on the lost and the lonely</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">All that I am I lay at the cross</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">No sacrifice too great a cost</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">So down on my knees</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Lord I ask You please</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Let me be a shadow in Your light</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Just a small reflection of a greater love</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Let me be a shadow in Your light</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">That falls on the lost and the lonely</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 13px;">Lenny Leblanc - Love You Forever Lyrics </span></b><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You came like the wind</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Took me to a mountain</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">From a valley of sin</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And my soul patiently waits</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">For I long to be near You</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Jesus Savior</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You changed the rhythm of my heart</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And I will praise You</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Long after the rivers all run dry</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And I will love You forever</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Lenny Leblanc and Don Moen are my favorite singers right now. I believe God led me to their songs on youtube. I've bought some CDs and will get more. I've often wished I could hear the music that went along with the Psalms. One thing I know, that music will be loud and full of musical instruments, because the Bible describes that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I come from a church where the old people were offended if even one person used a guitar! Yet, the Bible says to praise the Lord with loud, clashing cymbals. I'm 65, but I'm a loud music sort of person; I love music that makes me feel like dancing. David danced before the Lord. We should dance before the Lord. He made us to move to music. Thank you God for music.</span></span><br />
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Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-54261344746584755252015-08-25T21:14:00.001-07:002015-08-25T21:14:02.720-07:00Songs for Encouragement.<b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know I have trouble with feelings of sadness. I'm working with God to live in joy with lots of happiness. He is helping me every day. One of the ways he has shown me to feel better is to listen to Christian music. It always lifts my spirit up to God and away from myself, so I thought I'd do some posts with lyrics to my favorite songs. I hope the words will inspire you as they do me.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 13px;">Lenny Leblanc - I Believe Lyrics </span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Like a ship on troubled waters</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Many sail alone</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Mothers weep for sons and daughters</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And pray they will come home</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">For soon it will be harvest time</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And all the storms will pass</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O what joy I'll find</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">When I see You at last</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You are my resting place</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Along the narrow highway</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You are my bridge</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Across the open sea</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You are my Savior</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And my passageway to Heaven</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O Jesus I believe in You</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O Jesus I believe</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Father You have seen my struggles</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And You have known my fears</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">But Lord You've been so faithful</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">To wipe away my tears</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">So when the world laughs at me</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And says I'm just a fool</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">I will bow my knee</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And worship only You</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">I believe You are the only answer</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">To life's questions</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Lord help me keep my heart</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">In the right direction </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You are my resting place</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Along the narrow highway</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You are my bridge</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Across the open sea</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">You are my Savior</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">And my passageway to Heaven</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O Jesus I believe in You</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">O Jesus I believe</span><br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-82970392688194837462015-08-22T23:38:00.002-07:002015-08-22T23:38:48.141-07:00Troubled Hearts.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Photo by: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Wingchi" style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px;" title="User:Wingchi">Wingchi Poon</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> On the eve of his arrest, Jesus told his disciples, "Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' Matthew 26:31</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Jesus also told the disciples he must now go away. Peter asked to go with him and said he would die for him. Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times. John 13:38</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">What is amazing is what Jesus said next, "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well." John 14:1 Then he told them how he was going to prepare a place for them in heaven and would come back to get them.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">So, the disciples were going to deny Jesus and run from him because they were afraid to be arrested too. And what does our God say about this? "Let not your hearts be troubled." In other words, "Don't worry about it. I'm not worried about it."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Today, I felt discouraged because of my lack of love and patience. It was all inside my heart; I didn't say or do anything wrong. But I knew, and Jesus knew what was in my heart. I guess there may be Christians that don't have such a hard battle with themselves. I'm not one of them.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">You hear preachers say, "Give your life to Jesus and you will have peace." Well, yes, you will have peace for awhile, but then the doubts come and the bad thoughts come and you wonder where the peace went. Preachers don't talk about that. They make it sound like you will have no spiritual problems after you are converted.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">So, if anyone out there is like me, take heart. "Let not your hearts be troubled." God says to confess our sins, he wipes them out and we start all over again. I believe him. For me it is a daily thing. But that's okay. I say to him, "I can't do anything to be righteous; you will have to do it all." I know he will. I also have to take my eyes off myself and look at Jesus' life, death and resurrection. That will always encourage me.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Phil. 1:6</span><br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-77984828210484232482015-08-20T01:04:00.002-07:002015-08-20T01:04:59.753-07:00I Know My Redeemer Lives.For I know that my Redeemer lives.<br />
And he shall stand at last on the earth.<br />
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,<br />
That in my flesh I shall see God.<br />
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Whom I shall see for myself,<br />
And my eyes shall behold,<br />
and not another.<br />
How my heart yearns within me!<br />
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Job 19:25-27<br />
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<a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/job/19.htm" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #99d6ff; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"...yet in my flesh shall I see God": he believed, that though he should die and molder into dust in the grave, yet he should rise again, and that in true flesh, not in an aerial celestial body, but in a true body, consisting of flesh, blood, and bones, which spirits have not, and in the same flesh or body he then had, his own flesh and body, and not another's; and so with his fleshly or corporeal eyes see God, even his living Redeemer, in human nature; who, as he would stand upon the earth in that nature, in the fulness of time, and obtain redemption for him, so he would in the latter day appear again, raise him from the dead, and take him to himself, to behold his glory to all eternity: or "out of my flesh" (f), out of my fleshly eyes; from thence and with those shall I behold God manifest in the flesh, my incarnate God; and if Job was one of those saints that rose when Christ did, as some say (g), he saw him in the flesh and with his fleshly eyes. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I have not departed from the command of His lips; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Job 23:10-12</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I admire Job. In reading his words, you can see a real person who is suffering terribly and not understanding why. He pours out how he feels; how he wishes he could talk with God and ask him why this is happening to him. He seems to come close to unbelief, but he always recovers and speaks of how he longs to be with God in heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">God never does explain to Job why he is suffering. He simply shows Himself to Job and Job says, " </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I think if we knew how wise, loving and majestic God is, we would not bother to ask why, we would just accept whatever came from his hand and trust him. I remember someone asking me why God let all these bad things happen to them and I said, "It happens to people all over the world. Why should we be exempt?" I've always known I was just one person in a world full of pain. Still, I've been angry, depressed and despairing about my sufferings.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">But I bring all these feelings to God now and he strengthens me to live my life in friendship with him. When I feel unloved and misunderstood by people, I know now that God is my friend. I can spend the whole day with him and share all I think and feel. Sometimes I ask him, "What should we do next?" Whatever I'm doing, I try to remember Jesus is right beside me. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Sometimes I feel so alone. But Jesus is here, right here with me in this room. He takes me as I am; no harsh judgement, nothing but love. There is a song I listen to that says something like, "How could I face the day if you were not by my side." That's how I feel about God.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-27534010255143510152015-08-15T21:14:00.001-07:002015-08-15T21:15:37.522-07:00Creation, Redemption and the Sabbath.I listened to a sermon a few weeks ago that opened my mind about the Sabbath commandment. The preacher reminded us of when God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. When Moses came down the mountain, he saw Israel worshiping a golden calf idol. He threw down the Ten Commandments and they shattered.<br />
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God made another set of commandments but he changed one a bit: the fourth one, the Sabbath commandment. I didn't realize this before. Here is the wording for both commandments:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><u>For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. </u></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> Exodus 20:8-11</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the </span><span class="name" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"> your God has commanded you. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Six days you shall labor and do all your work, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the </span><span class="name" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"> your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.<u> </u></span><u><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the </span><span class="name" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"> your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the </span><span class="name" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"> your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."</span></u><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Deuteronomy 5:12-15</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">When I was a little girl, we memorized the first one at church and school. But this preacher was saying we were not to only remember and thank God he created us and all things; but we are also to remember we were slaves at one time. Not to humans, but to sin. Jesus set us free from slavery to sin and adopted us as his children. We are free indeed.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">He also spoke on how the Sabbath was a rest after <u>creation</u>. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;">Genesis 2:2,3 says, "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The Sabbath was a rest for Jesus, after he had gone through his terrible suffering for our <u>redemption</u>: "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." Luke 23:55,56</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Everyone knows Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday morning. They say that is why Christians celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday. Well, there is no scripture for this idea. It wasn't officially changed to Sunday for hundreds of years after Jesus' death: then it was done to placate the pagans who used to worship the sun on Sunday. Emperor Constantine started it. He was a sun worshiper before he became a Christian.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">God is a poet. You can see that all through the Bible. He also speaks to us through symbols that have great meaning. The number 7 in scripture symbolizes perfection. So does the number 12. Most say it doesn't matter what day we worship God as long as we worship him. Yes, we need to worship him every day of the week. But there is a special blessing on the 7th Day. God says there is; we may not understand why, but he says it is a special day so I believe it. No one has the right to change God's law. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Another law of God's that was changed was the second commandment against making idols. This was changed so they could make statues of Mary, the apostles and Jesus and bow down to them and pray to them. Man has thought to change God's laws, but they have not. They are the same as the day he wrote them on the mountain and gave them to Moses.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The preacher's name is Ty Gibson. He speaks of how God loves us so much that his sermons have helped me believe that. I've kind of thought God put up with me. It was hard to believe he loved me. But after listening to this man's sermons I know God loves me so very much. I feel adored by God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">You can listen to his sermons here:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">http://www.pilgrimskeyradionetwork.com/sermons/sermons.php?speak=40</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -25px;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-87691130430296099012015-08-13T23:53:00.001-07:002015-08-13T23:53:44.926-07:00The Brothers of Jesus.<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">We know from scripture that Jesus had brothers and sisters. His brother's names are written down for us. Most scholars believe the book of Jude was written by Jesus' brother Judas. But Judas didn't always believe in Jesus. In fact, he may have thought Jesus was crazy.</span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"And He (Jesus) came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">And when<u> his family</u> heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, 'He is out of his mind.'"</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> Mark 3:20,21</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">What must it have been like for Jesus, knowing his brothers didn't believe he was the Messiah? It must have saddened him. Who know all that they said to him; they were probably even embarrassed by Jesus. The leaders of the church hated Jesus. How did this affect his brothers and his mother too.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Early in his ministry, Jesus came to Nazareth to preach. After his teaching, the men of the church grew angry and murderous.</span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and <u>His brothers</u>, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> Matthew 13:55-56 (In other words, he is just a man.)</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way."</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> Luke 4:28-30</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Jesus' brothers must have been there when this happened. His mother was probably there too. What a shock this all must have been to them. How did their neighbors treat them after Jesus left? I would guess the whole town was in an uproar discussing Jesus and his family.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">We know that at one time none of his brothers believed in Jesus because of this verse:</span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"So his brothers said to him, 'Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.' </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">For <u>not even his brothers believed</u> in him." </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> John 7:3-5</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/7.htm" style="color: #99d6ff; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Pulpit Commentary</a><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">They appeared here to criticize their Brother's prolonged absence from Jerusalem, and his abstention from the Passover and other national festivals. They would, perhaps sincerely, hurry forward his public demonstration, and compel him to say to the great world what he had been saying in Galilaean villages, in the borders of Tyre, and in the cities of Decapolis. </span><span class="cmt_word" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #b34700; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Depart hence, and go into Judea</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">. "This is the time and place." </span><br />
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<a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/john/7.htm" style="color: #99d6ff; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The bluntness of this suggestion, given almost as a command, shews that they presumed upon their near relationship. It would be more natural in the mouths of men </span><span class="ital" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #a44200; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">older</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> than Christ, and therefore is in favour of their being sons of Joseph by a former marriage rather than sons of Joseph and Mary (comp. </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/mark/3-21.htm" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0092f2; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" title="And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.">Mark 3:21</a><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">; </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/mark/3-31.htm" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #0092f2; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" title="There came then his brothers and his mother, and, standing without, sent to him, calling him.">Mark 3:31</a><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">). They shared the ordinary beliefs of the Jews about the Messiah, and therefore did not believe in their Brother. But His miracles perplexed them, and they wished the point brought to a decisive issue. There is no treachery in their suggestion; its object is not to put Him in the power of His enemies. (</span><span class="ital" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #a44200; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">thy disciples also)</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> His brethren seem to imply that they themselves are not His disciples even nominally.</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">But, in spite of his brother's unbelief all during Jesus ministry, it seems they all believed in him as their Savior after his resurrection! What a wonderful thing for Jesus. This must have made him so happy, for his heart is filled with love for everyone, but he must have especially loved his brothers whom he had grown up with in Nazareth.</span><br />
<span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and </span><u style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">his brothers</u><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">. Acts 1:14</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>But I saw none of the other apostles except <u>James the Lord’s brother</u>. Galatians 1:19</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I was picturing in my mind, Jesus welcoming his brothers to heaven! What great joy for them and for him.</span><br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-78476693016310351552015-08-11T11:59:00.001-07:002015-08-11T11:59:47.374-07:00Do the Poor Have to Act Righteous Before We Help Them?I've read a few posters and articles online concerning giving to the poor. These posters usually say something about how if a person won't work, or if they smoke and drink, then Christians shouldn't help them.<br />
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I've thought this over a few times. I have given to people who I know are probably going to waste the money. I talked with God about this last week and here is what I believe he said to me, "I give and give and most of what I give is wasted. But I still give."<br />
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That's good enough for me. And I can see it all the time! He gives me money and I buy an un-needed scarf, earrings, candy, movie, picture frame, craft kit, soda pop, an extra purse, another pair of shoes, another pair of jeans, another blouse when I already have 15. All the money I have spent on things I don't need could feed a village.<br />
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Jesus once said, "If you have two coats, give one away." Plain language. I've tried to do that with coats. If I get a new winter coat, I give my old one away. But, of course he didn't mean just coats. He meant everything. I keep too much; I don't give enough.<br />
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My mother knew a man at her church in California. He was very wealthy. He gave away 90% of what he made. This man is a beautiful example of what a rich man can do. But most of us can do more than what we do. C.S. Lewis said to give until it hurts. That's when you are really giving.Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-40728500741293431492015-08-07T16:32:00.001-07:002015-08-07T16:32:05.057-07:00Little Miracles - Or are they Little?Many times I see miracles from God. He gives me answers to questions, he does things for those I pray for and he brings me comfort in the midst of confusion.<br />
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This week, I've been visiting my daughter in Princeton, BC. Her two daughters, Hope and Faith, left Thursday morning for a music festival in Squamish. They would be tenting there for three nights. It should have been a 4 or 5 hour drive to Squamish, so we kept waiting for them to call and tell us they got there safely.<br />
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By 6:00 pm, we were getting worried. We tried to call and text them, but it said, "No service." My daughter, Christine, couldn't understand how there could be no service. I said, "It must be because there are thousands of people there using phones." Sometimes, that shuts down cell phone service.<br />
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I went online and looked up the festival on the internet. Someone had taken photos of the crowds and there was a girl that looked like my Faith! I passed my laptop to Christine and asked, "Isn't that Faith?" She looked hard and said, "There is a red Coopers bag beside this girl and Faith took one and there is also a tent bag like ours." I said, "See, the girls are there and are safe."<br />
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But Christine couldn't believe it. She said she couldn't believe out of all the thousands of people at the festival a picture of her daughter would show up. I said, "It's a gift from God to you." But she doubted it. She also became very, very upset and didn't know what to do. She wondered if we should drive there.<br />
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Finally, at 11:00 pm Christine remembered Hope had a bracelet to buy stuff at the festival and she could look online and see if Hope had used it. At first the password was wrong, but Christine finally remembered it; and yes, Hope had used it. So, now she knew for sure they were okay.<br />
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I am so used to God`s little miracles that I knew the photo was from him. I never felt really worried because I`ve also learned through the years to trust my family to God. That hasn`t been easy to learn, believe me. Mothers have the hardest time leaving their children in God`s hands. It isn`t that I know God won`t let anything bad happen to them; it is that I trust God that whatever happens he will be with them and me. My grandson died 4 years ago; so I know this from experience. God was with him, and he was with our family.Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-43350829375282334532015-08-03T13:37:00.002-07:002015-08-03T13:37:17.114-07:00To be Raptured or Not? That is the Question.<br />
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Historically, there are two beliefs about "The Rapture." The earliest was the belief in the raising of of the dead and the taking up of the living saints occur at the same time: when Jesus returns.<br />
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This is the belief of the Seventh-Day-Adventist Church. The newer teaching says the two events are separate. Here is what Wikipedia writes:<br />
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Authors generally maintain that the pre-tribulation Rapture doctrine originated in the eighteenth century, with the Puritan preachers <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Increase_Mather" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Increase Mather">Increase</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Mather" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Cotton Mather">Cotton Mather</a>, and was then popularized in the 1830s by <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Darby_(evangelist)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="John Darby (evangelist)">John Darby</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture#cite_note-14" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture#cite_note-15" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[15]</a></sup> Others, including Grant Jeffrey, maintain that an earlier document called Ephraem or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_of_Pseudo-Ephraem" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Apocalypse of Pseudo-Ephraem">Pseudo-Ephraem</a> already supported a pre-tribulation rapture.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture#cite_note-16" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[16]</a></sup></div>
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Pre-tribulation rapture theology was popularized extensively in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Brethren" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Plymouth Brethren">Plymouth Brethren</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture#cite_note-17" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[17]</a></sup>and further popularized in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a> in the early 20th century by the wide circulation of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scofield_Reference_Bible" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Scofield Reference Bible">Scofield Reference Bible</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture#cite_note-18" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[18]</a></sup></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">The exact meaning, timing and impact of the event are disputed among Christians</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MillsBullard1990_4-0" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture#cite_note-MillsBullard1990-4" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> and the term is used in at least two senses. In the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretribulationism" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Pretribulationism">pre-tribulation</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> view, a group of people will be left behind on earth after another group literally leaves "to meet the Lord in the air." This is now the most common use of the term, especially among </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalist_Christianity" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fundamentalist Christianity">fundamentalist Christians</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> in the United States.</span></div>
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So, that is the history of the teaching of the Rapture, a word that does not appear in the Bible. This is the verse Fundamentalists use:<i> <span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” Luke 17:34,35</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px;">I've heard the "Rapture" called the "<u>Secret</u> Rapture." But there is nothing secret about Jesus returning to get his people.</span></span></div>
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I'll just quote the Bible now and let you make up your own mind on which view seems correct:</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">"Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him." </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Revelation 1.7" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Revelation%201.7" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Revelation 1:7</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;"> "For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Matthew 24.27" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Matthew%2024.27" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Matthew 24:27</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">.</span></div>
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<a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Matthew 24.30" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Matthew%2024.30" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Matthew 24:30</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;"> says, "They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">"Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him." </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Revelation 1.7" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Revelation%201.7" style="border: 0px; color: #0067be; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Revelation 1:7</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven ... and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="1 Thessalonians 4.16" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/1%20Thessalonians%204.16" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:16</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">, </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="1 Thessalonians 4.17" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/1%20Thessalonians%204.17" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">17</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;"> "We shall all be changed, ... and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. For ... this mortal must put on immortality." </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="1 Corinthians 15.51-53" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/1%20Corinthians%2015.51-53" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:51-53</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">"We look for ... the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Philippians 3.20" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Philippians%203.20" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Philippians 3:20</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">, </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Philippians 3.21" data-version="nkjv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Philippians%203.21" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 103, 190) !important; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">21</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">.</span></div>
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Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-32559133798651792672015-07-31T11:50:00.001-07:002015-07-31T11:50:46.246-07:00Why Doesn't God Just Show Up!<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it! Luke 13:13</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I've heard a few people ask the question, "Why doesn't God just show himself to the world? Then people would believe in him" </span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Well, he did show himself, many times, but we weren't interested. It didn't work. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">When the first murder on earth happened, God Himself did show up and try to reason with the killer.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" Genesis 4:9</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">God gave Cain a chance to confess and tell God he was sorry he did it. That isn't what happened; God allowed Cain to move far away and build his own city.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Just seeing God personally and talking with him doesn't change people. Being sure there is a God who made the world and is righteous, doesn't change people. Even seeing someone rise up from a grave, awake from the dead, doesn't change people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"But he (Jesus) said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:31</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">God knows what we are like. He knows when it will help to reveal himself and when it won't. That is where our faith comes in; we can believe he knows what he is doing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Almost everyone knows the story of the Exodus and all the miracles God performed through Moses. Did this change the Egyptian King's heart? No. But the world heard the story and many did come to God; however the nearby nations did not leave their idols and neither did the Egyptians.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The king of Babylon set up a golden image and commanded everyone to bow down and worship it or be thrown into a fiery furnace. He called all the important people of his realm.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Three men from Jerusalem refused to bow and were thrown into the fire. But God was with them in the furnace and didn't allow them to die. The king called them out. Here was proof in the living God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Daniel Chapter 3.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Still, the king did not give his life to God until he became ill, and then he finally did. The known world at the time knew the whole story and did they become believers? We don't know. Probably some did, but the worship of the Jew's God did not take over the world.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Finally, God sent his Son into the world. God Himself was with us. He went about doing good, as the Bible says. He worked many miracles and even the voice of his Father was heard. Did this persuade the majority of people? No, instead the leaders plotted and killed God. He showed himself and we killed him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Evidence alone will not persuade anyone to follow God. There must be a longing in the heart for something better; for something beautiful. We can't find that beautiful thing here. Yes, nature is beautiful and people can be beautiful; but they can't satisfy that emptiness and longing inside of us to belong somewhere perfectly and to be loved perfectly. God can satisfy that longing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The reason we don't feel at home here on earth is that we were made for something better, something perfect and full of beauty. We were made for God and a life with him in heaven. Jesus calls to our hearts to come to him and find that life. We have all heard him; we may try to quiet him, but he is there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Revelation 3:20</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Lift up your eyes round about and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, And your daughters will be carried in the arms.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you." Isaiah 60:4,5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-19974645922529279822015-07-25T09:13:00.001-07:002015-07-25T09:13:03.122-07:00My Favorite Church #2 - Death is A Sleep Until Jesus Returns. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuacRBF_kGHUMRpsI-D04Ugc6WiymVQylbdc2pIs6eqfKW1yMLRLmRVHGHC_pFVMoGNK9Kvj5mRUXdtTPI-KP8jxv9SfE4AxgwXiAA83CpxqnhnHzoRhf1gIgcL8YYQ1HdARTL6F2PH8bi/s1600/Lincoln_Family_Cemetery_03_2014-09-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuacRBF_kGHUMRpsI-D04Ugc6WiymVQylbdc2pIs6eqfKW1yMLRLmRVHGHC_pFVMoGNK9Kvj5mRUXdtTPI-KP8jxv9SfE4AxgwXiAA83CpxqnhnHzoRhf1gIgcL8YYQ1HdARTL6F2PH8bi/s320/Lincoln_Family_Cemetery_03_2014-09-13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Kevin_M._Byrne</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:6,7</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Most Christian churches believe we never die. They think our spirits either go to heaven or hell. Seventh-Day-Adventists do not believe this. They believe our spirit (the breath of life) does go to God who will reunite our spirits with our bodies when Jesus returns. But our souls are unconscious, as if in a deep sleep.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Jesus, when speaking of Jairus' daughter said, "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but <u>sleeping</u>.”</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">After saying these things, he (Jesus) said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has <u>fallen asleep</u>, but I go to awaken him.” John 11:11</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">An angel said to Daniel, "And many of those who <u>sleep</u> in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Daniel 12:2</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">David wrote, "As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I <u>awake</u>." Psalm 17:15</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into <u>silence</u>." Psalm 115:17</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath (spirit), they die and return to their dust." Psalm 104:29</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Peter said, "For <u>David himself never ascended into heaven</u>, yet he said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand." Acts 2:34</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Paul wrote, "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And <u>the dead in Christ will rise first</u>." 1 Thessalonians 4:16 So, the dead rise when Jesus returns the second time.</span><br />
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If our soul (who we are) is in heaven, why would Jesus have to bring up our decayed bodies to unite with our souls? It doesn't make sense. Human beings are not immortal, as so many think. God alone is immortal.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><u>who alone has immortality</u>, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen." </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">1 Timothy 6:16</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">We know that some people have risen to live in heaven before the second coming of Jesus. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Moses: Jesus raised his "body" not just his spirit or soul.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Jude 1:9</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Enoch and Elijah were taken to heaven <u>before</u> they died.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Some people were raised at the death of Jesus. "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had <u>fallen asleep</u> were raised, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many." Matthew 27:53</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">We don't know who these people are, but I'm sure happy for them!</span><br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-6489273692225675132015-07-22T12:32:00.000-07:002015-07-22T12:32:20.080-07:00Why Do I Do What I Don't Want to Do?<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." Galatians 5:17</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Romans 7:22 - 8:2 </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">This is what I want to do: Be just like Jesus. Love everyone, no matter what they do or say. Never say the wrong thing. Never hurt anyone. Love God with all my mind and heart. I'm afraid my actual life is far from these ideals.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The other day, my husband started talking about a man we had known many years ago. We had found out he had molested his daughter and beat his wife. My husband remembered the good times we had had with this family and said, "I wonder where he is now?" I said, "Well, I hope he is dead."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Hmm, then I laughed and said, "You know, I worry about people who are lost and I pray for them, but when it comes to someone I know personally who did something horrible, I want them to be lost and dead as a door nail." I've forgiven my father for molesting me, yet I hate this other guy who did the same thing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I'm with Paul. "Wretched man that I am. Who will deliver me..." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">From time to time, (actually, lots of times) when I think I'm doing pretty good, the Lord will show me my true self - the hateful, unforgiving, selfish self that I am. But thank God, I know he loves me anyway. He just doesn't want me to think I can be or do anything truly good without him. He wants me to see I am still a sinful creature who falls and will stay down unless he lifts me up. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I used to be afraid of God when I would do something wrong, but I have learned he still loves me. My sins don't surprise him like they do me!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"I love you, LORD; you are my strength. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Psalm 18:1</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-31867551584105029332015-07-19T14:48:00.001-07:002015-07-19T14:48:41.875-07:00My Favorite Church.In my last post, I wrote that I had studied different religions and that I had left my church, which was the Seventh-Day-Adventist Church. I still believe in the teachings of the SDA Church. I believe they follow the teachings of the Bible more closely than any other church.<br />
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The reason I left was because the church I was going to was... well, it was a very personal reason and perhaps wouldn't be nice of me to write about here. It was not because of what they believe.<br />
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I thought it would be nice to cite a few of the main differences between the SDA Church and other churches.<br />
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1. <u><b>They do not believe in a hell that goes on forever and ever.</b></u> Jesus said those who have done little evil will receive few "stripes" but those who caused great evil will suffer many "stripes." Some people will suffer longer than others, but their suffering will stop. God is not a monster who makes people suffer forever and ever.<br />
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In the Old Testament God said,<br />
"<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. <u>As you have done, it shall be done to you</u>; your deeds shall return on your own head." He will punish people according to what they have done to others. Obadiah 1:15</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will <u>destroy</u>." Psalm 145:20 Destroy means obliterate.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"And you shall tread down the wicked, for<u> they will be ashes</u> under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts." Malachi 4:3</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the <u>second death</u>, the lake of fire." Rev. 20:13,14</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:41,42</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the <u>resurrection of judgment.</u> John 5:28,29</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the<u> second death</u>.” Revelation 21:8</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and <u>devoured them</u>." Revelation 20:9 If people are alive in hell, they are not devoured.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:5,6</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." 1Thessalonians 4:16,17 The dead in Christ are in their graves now and so are the wicked. There will be two resurrections.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">If you want to study this or any other belief of the Seventh-Day-Adventists, you can go to www.amazingfacts.com Click on Bible Study and then Bible Study Guides. I'll write about some other different beliefs next time.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-64761590263840602312015-07-16T18:32:00.002-07:002015-07-16T18:32:19.061-07:00What is Your Truth?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NdO6c2OnGWXzNdsGBzvzpyP-hjZXMa3MoIEuhKvIHk4lDBrAVy2Qo5Nm7T6QlsExZjKxKSGJYCIA69ZD1MwrTaNEot6gkf9OdINsJkzdCwolSD1pS7AjN8VuvCFOlnlyuVW6QgFVjlC_/s1600/Portrait_of_Martin_Luther_as_an_Augustinian_Monk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NdO6c2OnGWXzNdsGBzvzpyP-hjZXMa3MoIEuhKvIHk4lDBrAVy2Qo5Nm7T6QlsExZjKxKSGJYCIA69ZD1MwrTaNEot6gkf9OdINsJkzdCwolSD1pS7AjN8VuvCFOlnlyuVW6QgFVjlC_/s320/Portrait_of_Martin_Luther_as_an_Augustinian_Monk.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">The Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">were written by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Martin Luther">Martin Luther</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> in 1517 and are widely regarded as the initial catalyst for the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Protestant Reformation">Protestant Reformation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. The </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disputation" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Disputation">disputation</a> <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">protests against clerical abuses, especially </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepotism" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Nepotism">nepotism</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simony" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Simony">simony</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usury" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Usury">usury</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_pluralism" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Religious pluralism">pluralism</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and the sale of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Indulgence">indulgences</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. It is believed that, according to university custom, on 31 October 1517, Luther posted the ninety-five theses, which he had composed in Latin, on the door of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Church,_Wittenberg" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="All Saints' Church, Wittenberg">All Saints' Church in Wittenberg</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. However, the fact that the theses themselves were posted on the church door is disputed.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ninety-Five_Theses#cite_note-1" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><br />
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I was reading on a blog the other day that many Christians think they know the "truth" about God and go around telling people what they believe that truth is. The blogger was against this.<br />
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I understand what he means. I belonged to a church that said the had the "truth" and then went to a different church for a year. They said the same thing. "We have the truth." Well, they couldn't <i>both </i>have the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth because they believed different things.<br />
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So, what I have always done is search the Bible myself for truth, praying for guidance. When my sister was thinking of becoming a Buddhist I read up on their beliefs. I told her, "If there were no Jesus or Christianity, I would become a Buddhist. I admire a lot in that religion.<br />
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When I read books and the authors make claims about what they believe, I look the subject up in the Bible. I don't feel offended when people share their beliefs with me. Actually, I'm really interested. I have laughed inside sometimes at what some religions teach - like aliens coming here etc. However, these people are free to believe what they want and I've never laughed at them openly.<br />
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Anyway, this subject brought Martin Luther into my mind. He was the Catholic monk who some say started the Protestant Reformation. He saw the church doing things that were contrary to the Bible. He saw how this was hurting the common people, so he protested. He had no thought of starting his own church. He wanted reform from within, but it didn't happen so he had to leave. He wrote books and pamphlets about what he believed and how the church was wrong.<br />
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If God is being misrepresented by someone, then the truth about God needs to be told. Not many will receive the truth, it isn't popular to go against something that has been taught for centuries. But that's okay. Those who are searching and open-minded will study and see for themselves.<br />
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Never just believe what someone tells you about God. Search for yourself, pray for guidance and God will lead you. I have studied with Mormans and Jehovah Witnesses and Mennonites besides the church I used to belong to. (Seventh-Day-Adventist) I have no fear of other's beliefs and I want to hear them. Lay their beliefs alongside the Bible and you will know what is truth.<br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-79524770076389406602015-07-15T10:07:00.004-07:002015-07-15T10:07:35.898-07:00Sometimes I Get Cranky.Have you ever been going through rough times and you hear someone complaining about how their dinner at some restaurant wasn't cooked well? Or maybe they are upset because they couldn't get their nails done when they wanted them done. Whatever. Meanwhile, you are hanging onto life by your fingernails; you are in so much mental pain you can't think straight. But you can think straight enough to wonder what the hell they have to complain about. They should try your life out for a few minutes and they would never complain about small things again. (Of course you never share these thoughts with them. No, not nice.)<br />
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I sometimes wonder if Jesus felt frustrated like that at his followers.<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"For He (Jesus) was teaching His disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, 'What were you discussing on the way?'</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest."</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>Mark 9:31-34</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">So, Jesus is telling them once again that soon he would be killed and what do they talk about? Which one would have the best job in the new kingdom. Who was going to sit next to Jesus ruling Israel. That's what they were interested in. I imagine them thinking, "Jesus is always saying strange, incomprehensible things, so just forget what he said and lets discuss something that really matters."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">One of my favorite verses in the Bible is when Jesus said, "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">And Jesus answered and said, 'You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.' " Matthew 17:17 If anything shows Jesus' humanity, this is it. It also shows it isn't a sin to get exasperated with people. Jesus was always kind, so I'm sure he said this in a nice way. Maybe.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Well, In the Old Testament, God got good and mad at people too and I don't blame him. Sometimes I say to him, "I must drive you crazy, because I drive my own self crazy." We are sure fortunate that God is patient. Super patient. I mean just look at the disciples; they were incredibly dumb. I'm glad, because then I don't have to feel so bad about myself. It's like I sometimes think (this is embarrassing), "David committed adultery and then murdered her husband. Well, I've never done anything close to that so I'm golden." (I know we are saved by grace, but old habits die hard.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Anyway, I'm with Jesus. Get me outta here. Get me to heaven where I can relax and I don't have to hear about stupid first-world problems.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-57817435541994884022015-07-13T16:36:00.001-07:002015-07-13T16:36:26.322-07:00Why Do We Waste Our Time?<div class="line1" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; padding: 0px 25px; text-align: justify;">
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<i>“Come, all you who are thirsty,</i></div>
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<i>come to the waters;</i></div>
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<i>and you who have no money,</i></div>
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<i>come, buy and eat!</i></div>
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<i>Come, buy wine and milk</i></div>
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<i>without money and without cost.</i></div>
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<i>Why spend money on what is not bread,</i></div>
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<i>and your labor on what does not satisfy?</i></div>
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<i>Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,</i></div>
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<i>and you will delight in the richest of fare.</i></div>
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<i>Give ear and come to me;</i></div>
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<i>listen, that you may live.</i></div>
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<i>I will make an everlasting covenant with you,</i></div>
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<i>my faithful love promised to David. Isaiah 55:2,3</i></div>
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Donald Miller, in his book, "Through Painted Deserts," writes about working for that which does not satisfy...<br />
"I remember driving down I-45 a few months ago and suddenly realizing the number of signs that were screaming at me to watch girls take off their clothes, signs wanting me to eat Mexican food, to eat barbeque, backlit, scrolling signs wanting me to come to church, to join this gym, to see this movie, to finance a car, even if I have no money. And it hit me that, amid the screaming noise, amid the messages that said buy this product and I will be made complete, I could hardly know the life that life was meant to be."<br />
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"Houston makes you feel that life is about the panic and the resolution of the panic, and nothing more. Nobody stops to question whether they actually need the house and the car and the better job. And because of this, there doesn't seem to be any peace; there isn't any serenity. We can't see the stars in Houston any more, we can't go to the beach without stepping on a Coke bottle, we can't hike in the woods, because there aren't any more woods. We can only panic about the clothes we wear, panic about the car we drive, sit stuck in traffic and panic about whether or not the guy who cut us off respects us."<br />
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Mr. Miller is a wonderful author. For me, his thoughts go deep inside my heart and lay there quietly while I examine them. I'm reading another book of his right now, "Searching for God Knows What." It is so funny and interesting.<br />
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When I think of what people in our culture believe is important, it makes me sad. We are attracted to and distracted by garbage when there is a bright diamond hanging right in front of our face. The diamond is free. The diamond is beautiful. The diamond is God.<br />
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Near the end of his book, Donald writes:<br />
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"Relationships between men and women indicate something of the nature of God - that he is relational, that he feels love and loss. It's all metaphor, and the story is about us; it's about all of us who God made, and God Himself, just enjoying each other. It strikes me how far the commercials are from this reality, how deadly they are, perhaps. Months ago I would have told you life was about doing, about jumping through religious hoops, about impressing other people, and my actions would have told you this is done by buying possessions or keeping a good image or going to church. I don't believe that any more. I think we are supposed to stand in deserts and marvel at how the sun rises. I think we are supposed to sleep in meadows and watch stars dart across space and time. I think we are supposed to love our friends and introduce people to the story, to the peaceful, calming <i>why</i> of life. I think life <i>is</i> spirituality."<br />
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<i>Seek the <span class="name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> while he may be found;</i></div>
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<i>call on him while he is near.</i></div>
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<i>Let the wicked forsake their ways</i></div>
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<i>and the unrighteous their thoughts.</i></div>
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<i>Let them turn to the <span class="name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and he will have mercy on them,</i></div>
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<i>and to our God, for he will freely pardon.</i></div>
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<div class="line1" style="padding: 0px 25px;">
<i>“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,</i></div>
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<i>neither are your ways my ways,”</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>“As the heavens are higher than the earth,</i></div>
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<i>so are my ways higher than your ways</i></div>
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<i>and my thoughts than your thoughts.</i></div>
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<i>As the rain and the snow</i></div>
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<i>come down from heaven,</i></div>
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<i>and do not return to it</i></div>
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<i>without watering the earth</i></div>
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<i>and making it bud and flourish,</i></div>
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<i>so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,</i></div>
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<i>so is my word that goes out from my mouth:</i></div>
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<i>It will not return to me empty,</i></div>
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<i>but will accomplish what I desire</i></div>
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<i>and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.</i></div>
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<i>You will go out in joy</i></div>
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<i>and be led forth in peace;</i></div>
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<i>the mountains and hills</i></div>
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<i>will burst into song before you,</i></div>
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<i>and all the trees of the field</i></div>
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<i>will clap their hands.</i></div>
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<i>Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper,</i></div>
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<i>and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.</i></div>
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<i>This will be for the <span class="name" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>’s renown,</i></div>
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<i>for an everlasting sign,</i></div>
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<i>that will endure forever.” Isaiah 55</i></div>
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Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-71773135570690096172015-07-10T20:10:00.001-07:002015-07-10T20:10:11.208-07:00Beautiful Dreams from God.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhij8ygeMPAaDoWrz1wAB2-ThuS9Q6mpN4w7KaaCozi5zohJ_XsVb8wpKThQtFeX_TzsUqOz0vALIT2ZK-KDfukUiTK4d1kVIAoWhF3xZ-t5-x_uQS8t7yQCJF2kKu4arVGB_Al2PQf2Iw9/s1600/door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhij8ygeMPAaDoWrz1wAB2-ThuS9Q6mpN4w7KaaCozi5zohJ_XsVb8wpKThQtFeX_TzsUqOz0vALIT2ZK-KDfukUiTK4d1kVIAoWhF3xZ-t5-x_uQS8t7yQCJF2kKu4arVGB_Al2PQf2Iw9/s400/door.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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Photo by:</div>
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http://www.flickr.com/people/8721758@N06</div>
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cropped photo</div>
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Well, in my last post I wrote about nightmares. I thought I'd even things out by sharing the lovely dreams God has given me through the years. I had my first dream from him when I was 19, and the last one was a couple of years ago. I'm now 65 years old. I think God sent me these dreams because I had such trouble believing he loved me and I would ultimately be saved. I have a lot of self-hatred, and when I get discouraged at my conduct I remember these dreams and they help me hold on to God.<br />
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1. I was not a Christian when I had this dream.<br />
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I was walking up a steep hill, like those in San Francisco. I was with a few friends and we were laughing and joking. All of a sudden there was a noise. I turned around and the sky turned jet black. Next a huge rainbow arched across the sky. I thought, "Jesus is returning!" I felt terrified. I woke up.<br />
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2. I started reading the Bible and when I went to an evangelistic meeting I gave my life to God. I was baptized. I had a dream immediately after the baptism.<br />
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I was standing in front of my parent's house holding my little girl's hand. I saw a cloud coming down out of the sky and I knew it was Jesus returning. I felt very happy.<br />
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3. I had been in therapy for years, mainly about my father who had abused me.<br />
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I was in church and my father was there. He looked at me meanly. I shouted. "You can't hurt me any more. God's angels are all around me protecting me." I walked out of the church and I now saw the angels all around me. We walked, and as we walked we sang. We came to a grassy place and sat down and sang a beautiful song. I looked and saw three crosses on a hill in front of us. The middle cross was suddenly covered in pink roses. Then I saw Jesus coming up over the hill with his arms wide open. I ran to him and he held me. I cried and cried but felt comforted.<br />
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4. Jesus and I were riding two black horses. We were laughing and looking at each other and having so much fun. All of a sudden the horses grew wings and we were flying up and up and I knew we were headed for heaven.<br />
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5. My grandson died four years ago. I had this dream.<br />
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I was at a hospital. My grandson was sick and I had to see him. I was holding a baby in my arms and also lots of papers. The elevator wouldn't work, so I had to use the stairs. It was very hard because of the weight of the baby and the papers kept falling out of my hands.<br />
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Jesus came up behind me. "Would you like some help?' he asked. "Yes," I said. He took the baby and we left the papers behind. He started walking down. "The elevator doesn't work," I told him. We got to the elevator and the doors of it were now gold. "Push the button," Jesus said. I pushed it and the door opened. I looked inside and there was heaven. Green grass, lots of people, and it was gorgeous. I looked at Jesus and we both smiled.<br />
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So, along with all the nightmares, I had glimpses of heaven and Jesus' smiling face. I do need to know Jesus smiles at me. I used to think God would kill me if I sinned in any way at all. I was wrong. He loves me just the way I am.<br />
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<br />Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418216978959275733.post-2394485594704673632015-07-08T20:24:00.001-07:002015-07-08T20:24:50.542-07:00Nightmares of the Past.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OpUkxf4odBChVpKvKLlQQ1i7S6pEAk30n2jcsazI6P4SkqIATUhf80n9-e_26TIdUyphKVcQcyrEwj6kRRwjXG1edSGPhGqQ0Yq21xYozCP3zUoRJKhUfvWpjxV0v-0Q0xiJEhetP0xU/s1600/Z-_Backgarden_of_a_dream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OpUkxf4odBChVpKvKLlQQ1i7S6pEAk30n2jcsazI6P4SkqIATUhf80n9-e_26TIdUyphKVcQcyrEwj6kRRwjXG1edSGPhGqQ0Yq21xYozCP3zUoRJKhUfvWpjxV0v-0Q0xiJEhetP0xU/s400/Z-_Backgarden_of_a_dream.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px;"><br /></b>
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<b style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px;">Backgarden of a dream</b><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px;">" , by </span><a class="extiw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Pevernagie" style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); color: #663366; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px; text-decoration: none;" title="en:Erik Pevernagie">Erik Pevernagie</a><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px;">, oil on canvas, 88 x 66 cm</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-size: 13.3000001907349px; line-height: 21.2800006866455px;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Onlysilence</span></span></div>
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"They" say that if a person has bottled up all kinds of pain in their hearts and never dealt with it that person will have a crisis when they are in their forties. That happened to me. I started having terrible nightmares. Nightmares that took me back to my childhood when my father had abused me physically and sexually.<br />
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I started going to therapy, and the nightmares helped me understand what was going on in my mind. I would write them down and share them with my therapist. But there was a big problem along with the nightmares and that was my attitude towards them. Instead of seeing them as a tool to help me, I saw them as a form of torture. I would wake up screaming or crying. I would feel depressed all day after having one. I would be afraid to go to bed at night. I got angry at God.<br />
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Recently, after being all done dealing with my father, some new nightmares came visiting. They were about another member of my family. I was in therapy at the time and my therapist had asked me, "Do you think you have really forgiven your father?" I said I did think so. But, I told her there was one family member I may not have forgiven.<br />
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I told her that when I knew this person was coming over I would feel upset. My thoughts were not always kind towards them. I said, "I think I need to talk this over with God. I thought I had forgiven this person."<br />
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Then the dreams started. No, I had not forgiven. One dream was so terrible I was beside myself when I woke up. I said to God, "Why do I have to go through this?" So, I started praying each day about it and suddenly one day this person didn't bother me any more! I loved having them over to my house.<br />
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I don't understand why I can't just be magically healed of the past, like making the blind see. Why can't it be that easy when your mind is broken? I guess it just can't. I finally feel thankful for all the awful dreams because they have pushed me along the road to healing. God knows what he is doing; and even if something is painful for awhile, he will use it to bring true healing.<br />
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I know war veterans have nightmares, and I am so sorry for that. I hope they will go to a therapist about it because I doubt I would have gotten better without someone to talk to about my nightmares, pain and feelings. "They" say dreams are about things in our lives we have never resolved that need resolving.<br />
Now, when I see my father in my dreams he does not harm me. He makes a sort of 'cameo' appearance. Lol "Oh yeah, there's Dad. Why is he here? I thought he was dead." He doesn't scare me any more. Maybe, now that I have truly forgiven the other person in the family, maybe I am done. Maybe I am actually free of the past.Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.com0