tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26154578733349863212024-03-13T10:51:13.057-07:00Living Water LineAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-45128476092695095142013-05-22T12:48:00.002-07:002013-05-23T08:05:54.673-07:00Where Is God When Bad Things Happen?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have </span><i style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">it</i><span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"> more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">God is not the one who causes terrible things to happen in this world. Many confuse the Old Covenant Law (where Jesus had not yet come and the Holy Spirit had not yet been given), with the New Covenant of Grace (in which God has poured out His wrath upon Jesus on the cross, given us His Holy Spirit, and a better covenant with better promises). God does not kill anyone, especially children. He doesn't fly planes into buildings, and He doesn't devastate populations with famine, drought, hurricanes, or tornadoes. When we understand that God is loving and compassionate toward us because of what Jesus has done, we will run to Him instead of from Him, and stop blaming Him for the things Satan does.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"> We gave away our dominion, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">domination, rule, power, reign, authority, control...,or however you want to say it, of this world in the Garden of Eden (Gen.3). Ever since that time Satan has been in control of this world, and still will be until Jesus disposes of Him (Rev. 20:10 KJV). God didn't give him this authority...we did. God gave it to us, we gave it to Satan. Remember God looks upon the seed; in other words, when He looks upon a person He either sees the seed of Adam (corrupted, unholy, a child of Satan) or He sees the seed of Jesus (redeemed by putting faith in the grace extended to us through the precious blood of Christ). </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> God spent the time from the fall of man (Gen.3) till now, making and providing a way for us back into relationship with Himself. He has provided that way through His Son Jesus Christ. He (the Father), along with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit conspired (Acts 2:23) to achieve the greatest legal and military victory ever conceived...spoiling death, hell, and the grave.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Since the children have flesh and blood,</span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29992A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;"> he too shared in their humanity</span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29992B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;"> so that by his death he might break the power</span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29992C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;"> of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil</span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29992D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;">—" (Hebrews 2:14 NIV)</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"> But it is only by choice that we become children of God. He will not force us. So either we accept Him and His Son Jesus as ruler of our lives and as our eternal God and Savior, or we choose to remain children of Satan and spend eternity separated from the love of God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 15px;"> When the church teaches, as many do, that God - in His sovereignty - is in control of everything that happens, either bad or good, they are deceived and teaching a doctrine that Satan loves ("</span><span style="background-color: white;">And no wonder, for Satan</span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29004A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;"> himself masquerades as an angel of light.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 15px;">. 2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV). But this teaching does many things that hurt God's children, two of which are; it makes them angry at God when bad things happen (which Satan is responsible for), and it keeps them feeling helpless and victimized, when in reality they have been given authority in Christ to rebuke the Devil in the name of Jesus, speaking the word of God with all boldness and authority commanding evil, sickness, poverty, depression, etc. to flee. (**see note below)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,</span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30345A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white;"> and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 NIV)</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Eph-6-10" style="background-color: white;">Finally, be strong in the Lord<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29348A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> and in his mighty power.</span><span class="text Eph-6-11" id="en-NIV-29349" style="background-color: white;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Put on the full armor of God,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29349C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup> so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.</span><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350" style="background-color: white;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup> but against the rulers, against the authorities,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup> against the powers<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV)</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note **As believers in Christ we do have authority over the Devil, but do not fall into the trap of spending more time focusing on and speaking to the Devil than you do Jesus. This will open unwanted doors in the spiritual realm. A simple command proclaiming the truth of God's word over a bad situation or illness is sufficient, and as your faith muscles grow it will become easier to stand believing, because God will establish a track record of faithfulness to His Word in your life. Here is a simple example of one prayer to rebuke the Devil. Notice I speak way more to the Father than to the enemy: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" style="background-color: white;">"<b>Father</b>, I thank you that <b>Jesus</b> bore my sickness and disease upon His body on the cross, and by His stripes I am healed. I thank you<b> Father</b> for the authority you have given me, in <b>Christ</b>, to use His name, and "t</span><span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">hat at the name of <b>Jesus</b> every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth," (Philippians 2:10 NIV). <b>Father</b> I thank you that you have told me to speak to my mountains in faith and they would be removed - (Matthew 21:21 NIV). Now I turn to my physical body and I command sickness (or be more specific and call it by name; cancer, hernia, infection, etc.) to leave this body and never to return. I command this in the name of <b>Jesus Christ</b>. Now that I am cleansed of this fowl, unclean spirit, I command you body to be completely healed, restored and made whole as <b>God</b> intended. All damage be undone. I command every cell to be restored. Body I call you healed, healthy, restored, and made whole...in <b>Jesus</b> name, it is done! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<b>Father</b>, thank you for loving me so much. Thank you that it is your will that I be in good health, and prosper, and that you would never put sickness upon me as punishment. You are a good <b>Father</b>. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Bless you <b>Father</b>, Bless you <b>Jesus</b>, Bless you <b>Holy Spirit</b>...my <b>God</b> in whom I trust...Amen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">This is not a magic prayer, it is simply the way I speak to a loving Father who has charged me with the responsibility of interacting with Him through His Word and the Power of the Holy Spirit, in faith, as the way to obtain all the good things He has provided for me through Jesus perfect sacrifice on my behalf, and on yours. As these truths of God's goodness and His Word become revelation in your heart, use your own words and scriptures He has illuminated for you, in your conversations with the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Faith released, retrieves Grace already provided. God is good all the time :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 1:2 KJV)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Be Blessed, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Will Brocker </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-91735256822965295142012-10-23T13:43:00.000-07:002012-10-23T13:43:19.294-07:00JESUS CAME TO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE!<span class="userContent"><br />
If you have excepted the free gift of God's forgiveness and have made
the very personal, yet public commitment to give your life over to Jesus Christ - then you are born-again (redeemed, saved, you know and are
known by God). You have gone through the strait gate, which is Jesus,
and have begun your precious journey down the narro</span>w
way of the Christian life which the Bible says few ever find. If these things are true in your life, then I have a very
powerful, important, life-changing truth for you from God: You are not a
sinner saved by grace. You were a condemned sinner whom has been, is
being, and will be saved by grace, and are now the righteousness of God
in Christ Jesus.<br />
You are no longer "compelled to sin", but you still
have the ability to sin (by choice). In your born-again spirit you have
the very mind, character, feelings, and emotions of Jesus himself. And
you can and will live a loving, holy, free life - to the extent you
allow your soul (mind, will, emotions, personality) to learn and agree with God
regarding who you really are now - according to His Word and the leading
of the Holy Spirit. But, at every point you agree with the worldly,
politically correct, selfish, lustful, erroneous ways and desires of
your flesh...you will sin (whether in thought or deed).<br />
We as Christians
have the responsibility of learning what truth is according to God,
agreeing with and allowing Him to renew our minds through His Word (The
Bible is God's revelation of Himself to His children, word for word,
cover to cover). If God said it, that should settle it.<br />
The life of
faith is a life of love, and humility. As Christians, the Holy Spirit is
our single source of power to live this new life. He empowers us to
love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, believe for the
unbelievable, and to trust in a loving Father we have never seen and a
conquering savior whom to the natural man seemed to be crushed and
humiliated by His enemies.<br />
To the enemies of Christ the simplicity of
the gospel, the talk of the cross, the resurrection of the dead, Jesus' precious redeeming blood, a
tangible kingdom more real than the one we see, ministering angels, the
power of the Holy Spirit, and the eternal hope of the life to come are
all foolishness. But to those of us who know Him, these things are very
real. Scientists may be able to count how many seeds are in an apple,
but since they cannot tell me how many apples are in a seed...I will
stay close to my loving Creator, who can.<br />
God loves you and has a
perfect plan for your life which includes freedom from sin, and a real
relationship with Him. Seek Him with your whole heart...the promise is 'you will find Him'. <span class="userContent">Jesus came to set the captives free - throw off your chains today.</span><br />
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<br />
-And
Christians, please remember this: when you decide to condemn and
criticize others for their sin, your motive is never one of love. It is
correct to shed light into the life of a deceived or defiant person, but
remember God loves that person and Jesus died for them. Unless you can
hate the sin but love the person with the love of God, leave them alone.
Do you spend time on your knees crying out to God on their behalf? Do
you allow them to see God in and through your life? If not, then I doubt God has assigned you the task of fixing them. While it is possible you mean well, you must consider the effect of your judgment on that person. You will find it to be counter-productive. Remember that Jesus bore our shame, guilt, and condemnation on His body on the cross...so anytime you employ those same aspects of the curse; shame, guilt, condemnation - you will have a negative effect instead of a positive one. Make sure you are seeking to glorify God and to reconcile others to Him. It gives Him no glory for you to be right, but the other person not be reconciled. The
Bible says to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.-</div>
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<br />
I am praying for you...please pray for me too.<br />
Love & Blessings, <br />
Will<br />
<br />
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ~ Matthew 7:14 KJV<br />
<br />
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. ~ John 10:9 NIV<br />
<br />
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ~ John 14:6 NIV<br />
<br />
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. ~ John 1:17 KJV<br />
<br />
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. ~ John 8:32 ESV<br />
<br />
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove
from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh ~ Ezekiel
36:26<br />
<br />
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ~ <br />
2 Corinthians 5:17<br />
<br />
(Jesus said) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads
into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking
for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives
with you now and later will be in you. ~ John 14:16-17 NLT</div>
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"...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth." ~ Acts 1:8 NIV</div>
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<br />
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. ~ Romans 8:14 NLT<br />
<br />
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; ~ Titus 2:11-12
KJV<br />
<br />
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ~ Romans 6:14 KJV<br />
<br />
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love
the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. ~ 1 John 2:15
NLT<br />
<br />
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ~ 2 Timothy 3:16 NIV<br />
<br />
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus
Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! ~ <br />
2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-83613838694434372012-09-18T11:57:00.000-07:002012-09-18T11:57:07.103-07:00OBEDIENCE IN CHRIST<span class="userContent"> <br /> Our faith is a
gift from God, as is His grace. When we draw on our faith to give us
strength to obey God at times when His will and ours cross, we will find
ourselves plunged deep into the supernatural power and blessings of
God. Oh what a magnificant journey! Our needs, our hurts, our wants do
not cause God to act in our lives. He has already acted through the
perfect and fin</span><br />
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ished work of Christ's
life, death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement. It is
finished...now we just use our faith to obey and cooperate with God, and
obtain those things already provided by His grace! He has already
provided all things pertaining to life and godliness...forgiveness,
healing, eternal life, deliverance, power, and prosperity to further His
kingdom and establish His covenant in the earth...believe it, receive
it, speak it, live it, shout it from the roof tops....victory is
ours...Hallelujah! <br /> ~ Blessings, Will Brocker<br /> <br /> "The man
that believes will obey; failure to obey is convincing proof that there
is no true faith present. To attempt the impossible God must give faith
or there will be none, and He gives faith to the obedient heart only." ~
A. W. Tozer<br /> <br /> [The natural life] knows that if the spiritual
life gets hold of it, all its self-centeredness and self-will are going
to be killed and it is ready to fight tooth and nail to avoid that. ~ <br /> (Clive Staples) C. S. Lewis<br /> <br /> I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible. ~ Teresa of Avila<br /> <br />
(Jesus said) "Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the
ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them.
And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” ~ John 14:21<br /> <br />
Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love
them, and we will come and make our home with each of them." ~ John
14:23 NLT<br /> <br /> "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my
love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love." ~
John 15:10 NLT<br /> <br /> "And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments." ~ 1 John 2:3<br /> <br /> "Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." ~ 1 John 5:3<br /> <br />
"Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to
love one another, just as you heard from the beginning." ~ 2 John 1:6<br /> <br />
"I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When
you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are
cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly
wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ,
neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion
amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith
expressed in love." ~ Galatians 5:4-6 MSG</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-41566555247696957642012-06-11T20:02:00.000-07:002012-06-11T20:02:23.713-07:00THE HEART OF THE MATTER (for the grieving)<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Remember God loves you. He does not bring sickness, nor does He kill children. Religion, many times, has missed the mark regarding God's true nature. We live in a fallen world that is temporarily under the rule of a fallen angel and those with him. We as Christians are in a war while we are here on earth, battling the invisible forces of evil in the heavenly realms. The weapons of our warfare are opposite of what the world teaches. We love, bless, pray, and trust in an awesome God who has made a way for us back to him by sacrificing His own Son in our place.</span></div>
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"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4</span><div style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
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Purpose - to find peace and perspective in the midst of painful and sometimes confusing times.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;">My calling and my heart for God's people is to help them come out of religious traditions & into real relationship with an awesome Lord who loves them - no better way to get perspective than to hear God's own words regarding death, life, hope, suffering, faith,and peace. Here is a tapestry of scripture, in common language, that I feel captures the essence of God's heart, truth, plans and provision regarding these things. </span></div>
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Some of Jesus' words from the night of His betrayal:</div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">“Do not let your hearts be troubled. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You believe </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">in God; </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">believe also in me.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to prepare a place for you?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 17px;"><sup style="line-height: 14px;"> </sup></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am ~ John 14:1-3</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 NKJV</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am...!" John 17:24</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">Paul's Words:</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ......... No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow -- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below -- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:35 - 39</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"No eye has seen no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9b</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead." 1 Corinthians 6:14</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands" 2 Corinthians 5:1</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"For we will put on heavenly bodies, we will not be spirits without bodies." 2 Corinthians 5:3</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"We would </i><b style="line-height: 18px;"><i><u>rather</u></i></b><i style="line-height: 18px;"> be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord" 2 Corinthians 5:8b</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6 - 7</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 18px;">Here is what the Word of Says Regarding Believers Who Have Died:</b></span></span></div>
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and now </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 13px;"><b><sup style="line-height: 10px;"> </sup></b></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">about those who sleep in death,</span><span style="line-height: 21px;">so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.</span><span style="line-height: 13px;"><b style="line-height: 17px;"><sup style="line-height: 10px;"> </sup></b></span><span style="line-height: 21px;">For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.</span><span style="line-height: 13px;"><b style="line-height: 17px;"><sup style="line-height: 10px;"> </sup></b></span><span style="line-height: 21px;">According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.</span><span style="line-height: 13px;"><b style="line-height: 17px;"><sup style="line-height: 10px;"> </sup></b></span>For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.<span style="line-height: 16px;"><b style="line-height: 17px;"> </b></span><span style="line-height: 21px;">After that, we who are still alive and are left </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">will be caught up together with them in the clouds </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">forever.</span><span style="line-height: 13px;"><b style="line-height: 17px;"><sup style="line-height: 10px;"> </sup></b></span><span style="line-height: 21px;">Therefore encourage one another </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">with these words. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: normal;">Peter's Conclusion to the sufferings of the living:</span></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." 1 Peter 1:6 - 7</i></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">And Finally:</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 21px;"><b>When we are suffering,</b></span></span></div>
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<b>During the worst days following a death</b><b>, (if we allow Him) </b><b>God surrounds us with others who have gone through what we are going through. We should take full advantage of this, as our Christian brothers and sisters are compelled in their hearts and conscience to be of comfort to those who are suffering, just as they have found comfort in their past experiences through God's word, and the compassion of His other children toward them.</b></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So here is my charge to you, in the name of the Lord:</span></span></div>
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today - honor your loved one by acknowledging his passing, or better said, his home going. Then celebrate his life, and don't call him dead, because he surely is not. Tell fun stories, eat his favorite foods, find comfort in each other and in God's promises...then, at the end of the day, when it gets quiet and you sense the Lord's presence...take time to make a commitment to the Lord, and to your loved one to meet them in heaven. And you can have confidence that the Lord, who is faithful, willing, and able to make this happen, will stand good on His promises, if you will humble yourself, acknowledge your need for a savior, and put your trust in Him and His finished work on the cross on your behalf.<br /><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 14px;"><b><i>God Bless you...in Jesus' name.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px;"><b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: normal;"><i style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Thanks & Be Blessed, </span><span style="line-height: normal;"><br style="line-height: 14px;" /></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><br style="line-height: 14px;" /></span><span style="line-height: normal;">Will Brocker</span></i></span></b></span><a href="http://%3Ca%20href%3D%22http//twitter.com/willbrocker%22%20class=%22twitter-follow-button%22%20data-show-count=%22false%22%3EFollow%20@willbrocker%3C/a%3E%20%3Cscript%20src=%22http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js%22%20type=%22text/javascript%22%3E%3C/script%3E" style="background-color: white; color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Garamond; line-height: normal;"></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #002060; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://%3Ca%20href%3D%22http//twitter.com/willbrocker%22%20class=%22twitter-follow-button%22%20data-show-count=%22false%22%3EFollow%20@willbrocker%3C/a%3E%20%3Cscript%20src=%22http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js%22%20type=%22text/javascript%22%3E%3C/script%3E" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: normal;">281-216-8960</span></b></a></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Franklin Gothic Medium'; font-size: 14px;"><b style="line-height: 18px;"><u>Grace & Truth Ministries</u></b></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/GraceTruthMinistries" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/GraceTruthMinistries</a></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="http://intorelationship.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana;" target="_blank">http://intorelationship.com</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-23865188346571659282012-05-14T05:45:00.001-07:002012-05-14T05:45:42.318-07:00A Prayer of TrustFather thank you for this day. I have been sitting before you. I have been building myself up in my most holy faith. You have been speaking to me through your Word and strengthening the faith you have given me. I get so excited in your presence that it is hard for me to be still and quiet. Why are you so mindful of me my Lord? How can you love me so much? Yet, you assure me that you do and it gives me strength. I am so excited to see your supernatural intervention in my life again today. Thank you for showing me that you are the blessing, yes you and not the things you have made. Oh I love you Lord, because I am convinced of your love for me, and the hope I have of eternal life with you overwhelms me. Today Lord protect me from the enemy of my soul. Help me not to allow him access into my life by the things I do, or say, or set before me. Thank you for the angels that you have assigned to watch over me. I trust you Lord.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-71448671736249449132011-08-10T13:24:00.000-07:002011-11-25T17:55:37.233-08:00Grace By Number<h3> </h3><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal">I am so thankful that God speaks to all of His children. He speaks to me sometimes through numbers. What I mean is He uses numbers to convey His meaning, or even to encourage, or direct me. A great blessing He has given me in the way of numbers is a revelation of the number five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every number in the bible has a meaning, significance, and great importance. Nothing is in God's word by mistake. He is a God of order and no human being, or super-computer can hold a candle to His brilliance. The number "five" stands for "grace"; that by which we are saved through faith. Here is a brief explanation of the grace of five.<br />
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In the beginning was God, and God is a triune being...Father (God), Son (Jesus/God), and Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit/God). So, in the beginning was our triune God...1, 2, 3 of them, completely individual, yet completely one. He/They- is/are- awesome! So while one stands for unity, two stands for division or simply implies that there is another. Then three is the basis of the two coming together, and again forming the unified "one" out of two. Three is divine perfection, and the three (the Holy Spirit) is third because He joins the two together to make them one again, thus joining the parts, as a part, and becoming a part of the one. Sometimes, when teaching this, I've drawn the Godhead as a triangle with the numbers 1, 2, 3 at the points. However, it would be more accurate (as if words or drawings could ever do the Lord any justice) to simply draw a circle, symbolizing the never ending oneness of our God. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next we see something truly amazing. They (God) created. Yes in God's revelation/revealing of himself to man (the Bible), He begins by creating ("in the beginning God created" Genesis 1), thus adding everything created as His means of revealing Himself to created beings. Amazing, huh? He, who is unseen, or spiritual, revealed himself to us (natural, carnal, created beings which are created by Him) through things which can be seen, His creation. Thus adding one to the three, making four - the number of creation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they [men] are without excuse" Romans 1:20 </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"> The number four always speaks of creation. But we know that corruption entered into creation through pride, or sin. There was nothing we could do to redeem ourselves. So God sent His son, Jesus Christ, as our kinsman redeemer to reconcile us back to him. Redeeming us from vanity - having been subjected to it through the corruption that entered into the world.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">This redemption has come, not as a reward for anything we could ever have done to deserve it, but by a redeemer. Jesus Christ is that redeemer, messiah, anointed one through who grace and truth have come. He loved us even in our weak and helpless state, while we were yet sinners. So we give this redemption, this amazing grace, the number five.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="hw">Here are a few of the definitions given for grace by the Free Online Dictionary: </span><br />
<span class="hw">grace</span> <i>n. </i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>a. </b>A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>b. </b>Mercy; clemency.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>5. </b>A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>a. </b>Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>b. </b>The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>c. </b>An excellence or power granted by God.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I simply say it is the unearned, unmerited, and undeserved blessing and favor of God.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Every time something in scripture is connected to the five, there will be a reference, or a type, of a model of God's grace. Here are a few examples.<br />
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-Father, Son, Spirit, Creation, Redemption = 5 great mysteries<br />
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-God added the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the h(hey) the symbol for the #5 to the names of Abram and Sarai, making them Abraham and Sarah when they were called to walk before God in a special way. It was then that God revealed Himself for the first time By El Shaddai, the "all bountiful one", able to provide all their needs, solely for his own purposes and not because it was deserved.<br />
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-The fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy, points to the grace of God. He makes sure to let us know that it is not as a result of our (the people's) goodness that He chose us and blesses us, but for His own name's sake...For Jesus.<br />
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-The life of Benjamin, who is a representative (type) of you, and me (the church), is marked by grace. The first time Joseph (a type of Jesus) saw him, he said "God be gracious to you, my son." Gen 43:29. Later when all the brothers ate with Joseph~ Benjamin's serving was five times as much as the others. Then again later, Benjamin was given five changes of clothes. God makes no mistake in His word. These indications of five/grace in the life of Benjamin are a message to you and me.<br />
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- When David slew Goliath he chose five smooth stones, and took him down with one.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"> - When Jesus was approached by His Goliath (Satan) in the wilderness, He also had five smooth stones; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. But He only used one, the fifth one, the book of Deuteronomy in every response to the Devil. Satan was easily defeated.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"> -The Children of Israel made five main offerings, all pointing to the one offering made by Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">-Jesus took five loaves and fed five-thousand</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">-The fifth Psalm tells us how God surrounds us with His favor (grace) as a shield.<br />
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-The fifth book of the New Testament, Acts, tells of the amazing Acts of the Apostles who had recently scattered and even denied the Lord when trouble came. But now, under the influence of God's amazing grace and the power of the Holy Spirit they turn the world upside down.<br />
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I hope you will begin to research the fives of the Bible. You will be amazed that when you find a connection to the number five there will somehow always be a link to God's grace. I pray that it strengthens your faith as you see more and more that no human being could have linked so many references to this beautiful gift of God. Our Bible is truly God's love letter to His children.<br />
<br />
I am especially thankful that God marked this disciples life with so many fives; born on the fifth day, of the fifth month, of the sixty-fifth year, the youngest of five children. I think He knew it would take that many for me to actually believe He could actually forgive, and love someone like me. But He did, and He does. Now I am His! That should give everyone hope.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"For the law was given through Moses, <i>but</i> grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-38237353194235680162011-07-20T12:29:00.000-07:002011-11-26T09:57:27.441-08:00Godly Motives Are Birthed By The Good News<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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We can take an inventory of motives that compel us to do things. If we are honest, many are derived of the things that we want. We may want to be famous, known, or accepted by men. We may crave power, money, sex, or just attention. Instead of trying to earn man's approval some do things to try and earn God's approval by their own goodness, holiness, deeds, self-effort...works. Still others are driven by bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, or revenge. All of these are ungodly motives; in other words they are carnal, or of the flesh.</div><div class="MsoNormal">{def. Carnal -1."pertaining to or characterized by the flesh or the body, its passions and appetites; sensual: <span class="ital-inline">carnal pleasures.2.</span>not spiritual; merely human; temporal; worldly: <span class="ital-inline">a man of secular, rather carnal, leanings.}</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" Romans 8:6.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">And while men rate these things in different ways, some being worse than others, and actually some being accepted and even expected in the society we live in and around the world... God sees them <u>all</u> as sin, and they all link back to the Garden of Eden. That's right, nothing new, they all fall into three categories; lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. It is the same stuff that caused Adam & Eve to fall, nothing new under the sun. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Want to know something else? All people know they are sinners. I know it is true because the Holy Spirit told Paul to write it down in the book of Romans. I will agree that some have not admitted it yet, maybe even to themselves, but their conscience tells them that there is a God and that they are not Him (read the first two chapters of the book of Romans). You don't have to tell people they are sinners, as a matter of fact, most of them will readily admit it, albeit this is usually where the sin of comparison comes in. They start trying to justify themselves by comparing themselves to other people who they deem to be worse sinners than themselves. God doesn’t see it that way.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
The point I want to make is that the knowledge of the fact that they are sinners does not surprise anyone. And condemning them and giving them a list of regulations, dos and don't s and putting them on a path to God that is shaped from the arrogance of men and is performance based, will not help them anymore than it did for the 1500 yrs. the Old Covenant of the Law was in effect. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">What people need is the Gospel of Jesus Christ; the Good News. Actually, if you had a literal translation it would say the <b>"almost too good to be true news"</b>, “<b>great news”</b>, the “<b>you are not going to believe this but its true news”</b>. People are not fixed by being told how broken they are. Sure in some cases, when people are in extreme pride & arrogance, the law can be useful to beat them with, as a club, until they admit what they really already know. But then, what they desperately need is the gospel of Jesus Christ.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance. Romans 1:16 amplified</span> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
They need to know that there is a savior that loves them, that died for them, and that lives today and is waiting with open arms to receive them into the family of God. He is the one who will free them from this bondage to the sin that destroys lives. He is the only one who can change their selfish motives into selfless ones. Like Jesus' own motive, theirs can be one of love. Instead of doing things to try and earn God's approval, they can come to a place where their good deeds are done as a loving response to the good He has done on their behalf, and not as a means to earn it or deserve it. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-72072373653675801212011-06-13T11:49:00.000-07:002011-11-26T13:39:22.897-08:00THE CURE FOR WHAT ILLS YOU<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <h3> </h3><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;">These are portions of a letter I sent to a loved one who had been given a couple of bad reports from the Doctor. I am inclined to share it with everyone. It is the truth we know and rely upon that sets us free. Be blessed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"> ------------------------------------------------</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;">Here is a little bit of wisdom for you from the Word of God. He wants you healed, and He provided that healing for you 2000 years ago on the cross. So the healing has already been provided by grace, what you need now is faith to receive it. The Bible says:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;">Hebrews 11:6.</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
<br />
The good news is the faith He is looking for is not something you have to conjure up, it is a gift from God. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“…as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you don't need more faith, you need less unbelief. People make the gospel too hard. It is really simple: <br />
<br />
The world is fallen and so is everybody in it that doesn't know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It's not a matter of being good or bad, everyone born since Adam has been born into sin. It's in the seed we inherited. Jesus came down in the form of a man, born of a woman so he could be like us and legally be our kinsman redeemer. But he was not born of Adam's seed; He is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life, took our place on the cross bearing our sins, rejection, illnesses, disease, poverty, and much more. He laid down his life, was buried, and on the third day was resurrected from the dead and lives today where he sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven as our High Priest forever, making intercession for us. Now by simply believing on Him and asking Him to be Lord of our life, God imputes His righteousness unto us. Even the faith required to do this is a free gift from Him. See how much He loves you. He requires all the glory, so He does all the work. That way it excludes boasting on our part. No one is ever going to get to heaven and say it was by their own doing.<br />
<br />
So now I want you to consider a few things. <br />
<br />
1. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? If not, nothing else matters. No one gets to the Father without going through Him. So if He isn't... stop and ask Him to be right now... if you really want Him.<br />
<br />
2. The Word, or the Bible, is real and it's alive. It is important to ask God to give you revelation of this fact in a way you can understand. The Bible is the way God chose to reveal Himself to His children, and we use it to renew our minds to think and love like Him. Without letting the Bible, quickened by the Holy Spirit, be our guide for life, we can never mature as Christians.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Psalm 107:20</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
3. This is a big one, but the most liberating yet. Fear is not of God. If you have been fearful, don’t let this condemn you. Whenever the word corrects you, see it as an opportunity to get in agreement with God and slam the door on the devil.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;">"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;">Try reading the Gospel of John, Chapter 15, and receive the Peace that Jesus gives as a gift. Just believe... like a little child.<br />
<br />
The fear of man can stop physical healings from occurring in your body. Look at the blind man in Mark Ch.10. He cried out, "Jesus, Thou son of David, have mercy on me." The crowd around him told him to hold his peace (Mark 10:48), but he refused to fear the opposition of men around him and he received his miracle.<br />
<br />
Don't let fear, or the opposition of man, stop you from receiving from God today. Come into His presence. Reach out toward Jesus. Ask Him to dispel every ounce of fear within you. Begin to thank Him for paying the price, making you an over-comer, and interceding for you before the Father. Jesus is alive. He longs for an intimate personal relationship with you. <br />
<br />
4. He has a steady supply of grace (unmerited, unearned favor and blessing) for every area and need of your life; spiritual and natural. The grace of God has appeared to all men, but not all are saved, healed, prosperous, etc. Why? It is because we are saved by grace through faith. Grace is everything he has provided for us through Jesus. In Christ we have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness. So if this is true, and it is, then it is up to us to reach out by faith and acquire those things which have been provided by grace. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
We do not live by sight, but by faith. He is the Alpha and Omega, which means He has the first and last word in everything concerning us. If a doctor report says you have an illness or disease, they are merely reporting what they can see with their natural eye, according to the training they have been given. We are thankful for them and many times they tell us the name of what to pray for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything that has a name has to bow to the name of Jesus...everything. So if it is cancer, it must flee when commanded in the name of Jesus. If it is addiction, it also must go. Yes, kidney stones and heart disease as well. Do not go by your feelings or what you see. Just start saying what the word says about you, proclaiming the promises of God over your life and wait for the manifestation of your freedom to appear. Don't worry about being a man or woman of strong faith in an instant. The bible says "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God", so get into the Word.<br />
<br />
5. Our words are powerful. God formed the heavens and the earth by speaking words, and He formed us in His image. Don't sabotage your life by your words. Speak life into every situation in agreement with the word of God. Choose faith and life, over fear and death.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;">Here are a few scriptures for you to meditate on for now. Say them out loud and personalize them with your name or the names of others, even under your breath is fine. Just give Jesus a chance, and see what happens. If it seems awkward, that's just the enemy trying to keep you from the Lord. He is faithful to try and do that, but he has no power over you...just resist him and he will flee from you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bible says that the gospel is foolishness to them that are perishing. Don't be moved by unbelief. Trust God... If you seek Him with your whole heart, you will find Him.<br />
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----------------------<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"Jesus was made in the likeness of men" Phil 2:7<br />
"He took our infirmities, and bore our sickness" Matthew 8:18<br />
"and with his stripes we are healed" Isaiah 53:5<br />
<br />
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…<br />
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Psalm 103:2-3<br />
<br />
"I will restore you to health and heal your wounds", declares the Lord....Jeremiah 30:17<br />
<br />
"I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord, <br />
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Franklin Gothic Medium;"><a href="http://livingwaterline.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://livingwaterline.blogspot.com/</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Franklin Gothic Medium;"> <a href="http://graceonhislips.blogspot.com/">http://graceonhislips.blogspot.com/</a></span><br />
<a href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Franklin Gothic Medium;"></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><a href="http://glorygarden.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://glorygarden.blogspot.com/</a></span><br />
<a href="http://catchmelord.blogspot.com/">http://catchmelord.blogspot.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-43544973729161323262011-06-02T13:04:00.000-07:002011-06-02T13:04:09.038-07:00Life Is Precious<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Precious Friends,</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
I just came from the funeral of a friend, Officer Kevin Will (HPD) 37. He used to come to the church, and I remember how I thought it was crazy when he decided to leave the banking industry, take a cut in pay, and be a Houston Police Officer a couple yrs. ago. I believed he would be a good preacher, though I never had the opportunity to tell him. During his training his parents, especially his dad, would come to my house a couple times a week. His Dad never stopped talking about Kevin, they are best friends. From the time I met Kevin, and his brother Todd, the Lord put a burden on me to pray for them. I remember joking with Kevin about getting him and his brother both to church on the same day, and how I always asked about them and would tell Donna, their Mother, that God had a plan for them. I just came from the funeral, and I don't think Kevin made a bad choice anymore. Our Lord Jesus Christ was honored by Kevin's life, and today I watched as through the story of his life and faith, Kevin indeed preached the message of the gospel... posthumously, to thousands. He served God, by serving His people. He loved people, and made them laugh. And as his mother said, "He Finished Strong". Please pray for Kevin's family. His wife is gonna have a Kevin Will, Jr. pretty soon.</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
Life is precious, and short. Love God. Love People. Tell everyone about Jesus.</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-78591385510840816752011-04-26T16:19:00.000-07:002011-11-21T15:01:52.919-08:00Let's Get Real With God<div class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Look more closely at the question- “Do I Really Know Him?"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Is Jesus your Lord...or are you with the millions of others who admire Jesus and like the idea of the Savior part, but can't seem to bring yourself to the place of surrender? I am not talking about just saying a prayer. I am asking if you have knowingly and willingly made a choice to surrender your life to Jesus Christ. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If you find yourself in that category with those who are "dipping their foot in the water" but can't bring yourself to take the "plunge" it might be because you think it is some sort of trick and that you will be giving up much more than you will get back...you know, selfishness. Don't worry, we were all born that way. We didn't mind if someone did without when we were infants, as long as we were provided for. Unfortunately that still applies for many of us today. We are afraid God won't provide for us the way we are accustomed to, or as good as we do ourselves. It is good to be honest with ourselves and God regarding these things. Let's get real with God. The worst thing we can do is live in denial when it comes to the Lord.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Please consider this scripture: </span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.” </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Psalm 32:1-2 NIV</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">And again in the New Living Translation:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="poet1-vn-sp"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span> has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” Psalm 32:1-2 NLT</b></div><div class="poet1-vn-sp"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What a great opportunity. By simply being open and honest with the God who already knows everything about us, we step into total forgiveness and blessing. Believe me he already knows it all. He is hurt by us, but not deceived. No, this is for our own benefit, just as everything he asks us to do is for our own good. He wants to bless us more than we are willing to receive. We just have to come to a place in our hearts where we admit we are sinful and in need of a savior.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” Psalm 51:17 NLT</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2 AKJV</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We need to get to the point where we trust him enough to be completely honest with him and with ourselves. The void that every human being has on the inside of them that causes them to search and search for things to fulfill them, is really their longing for the one who created them; for God. That need to be loved, cared for, and encouraged can only be satisfied long-term by filling that void with the presence of God. No one can provide for us better than our heavenly father, who created us, and wants above all things, for us to be in good health and prosper even as our souls prosper? Not only does he want it, but he is the only one who can actually make it happen. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One thing about God's grace...it's available to everyone, but forced upon no one. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-19602685025575904252011-04-25T11:36:00.000-07:002011-11-26T09:20:11.101-08:00The New Wine<h3></h3><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <h3></h3>Jesus is our Rock. It is all about Him. He is the Rock from which the living water comes forth, the New Wine of the Covenant of Grace, Truth, and Redemption. He is everything you will ever need, and without Him there is nothing good. He tells us quite bluntly on the night of his betrayal that we can do NOTHING apart from him.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5</b><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later we are encouraged to hear that the alternative to doing nothing, apart from Him, is we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 </b><br />
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In the old covenant we are always looking forward, toward the cross of Christ and what Jesus would eventually do for us, reading about Jesus in types and shadows, veiled, or concealed, but it is still all about him. Sometimes the author of the Bible (the Holy Spirit) let's us see how it is, or would be, without Jesus.<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first miracle that Moses performed when he went to get God's children out of bondage in Egypt, was to turn the water of the Nile into blood, a picture of Judgment and symbolic of death. The first miracle Jesus performed when he began his ministry was to turn water into wine, symbolic of life, joy, and blessing.<br />
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In this comparison we can see the difference in the two covenants. One, the Law of Moses, is designed to bring Judgment. It is designed to bring us to the end of ourselves, and to make us realize our need for a savior...for Jesus.<br />
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The other, the New Covenant through the blood of Jesus, brings life, grace, and peace.<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:2</b><br />
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Under the New Covenant we are no longer looking forward to the arrival of a savior. Instead, we are looking back at what our savior, Jesus, has already done. Now we can rest in His finished work, and wait confidently for his return.<br />
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Begin to SEEK God regarding the difference in the two covenants and how it applies to you and your life.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself." Hebrews 3:3 </b><br />
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Are you still trying to do good to get good, afraid of doing bad and getting beaten?<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hebrews 10:14 <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </b><br />
KNOCK on the door of God's kingdom...He will answer.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13</b><br />
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Ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33) and with Fire (Luke 3:16).<br />
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Come to him and drink this living water (John 7:37), the new wine of the covenant of grace and peace. Instead of being in need and spiritually thirsty, become a source of all his goodness as you allow his love to flow through you (John 7:38). It is what you were created for.<br />
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Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? (Acts 19:2)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-13044211500849443652011-03-25T14:09:00.000-07:002011-11-21T16:32:36.996-08:00Revelation of Moses' Punishment<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <h3> </h3><div class="MsoNormal">I was awakened one night a few years ago by the Lord. He drew me downstairs, where I sat staring into my bible...the book of Numbers. I had been reading Numbers and was intrigued by the "water from the rock." Not so much the miracle, but the method by which God dealt with Moses regarding a little fit of anger he displayed. I thought the punishment of not being able to enter the Promised Land was harsh against Moses. The thinking of my relatively un-renewed mind was that after all, God knew Moses...He had certainly committed worse sin before God ever decided to use him.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Egypt, at the age of forty, he killed a man. Then he ran away to the desert where God left him another forty years before he was ready to use him. Time apparently needed to get Moses out of Moses. Now, at one hundred twenty years old, the end of his third forty year span, the end of his life, and his brilliant service to the Lord, he was not allowed to enter in to the Promised Land. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, I understand that God told him to speak to the rock, but he hit it instead. He and Aaron also took credit for the miracle God performed. He was also God's appointed leader which carries a great deal of responsibility. But, you do realize that those people...those people Moses had the job of leading were not exactly nice. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I find it a little amusing that at one point, at Mount Sinai, neither Moses nor the Lord seemed to want to claim them. The Lord called them Moses' people, and Moses called them the Lord's (Ex.32). By the time they arrived, for the second time, at the waters of Meribah they had grumbled, complained, and rebelled against Moses and God. Moses sister had just passed away, and here they were again at a place where thirty- seven years earlier the same thing had happened. The Israelites seemed to forget that their wanderings and sufferings were a result of their own sin, and that of their relatives. They blamed it all on Moses.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is not uncommon even for people today. We like to complain and blame others for the situations we get ourselves into. According to Psalm 78, the children of Israel limited God in the wilderness by their complaining and unbelief of His goodness. Unfortunately, we do not often learn from others mistakes. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's why they are written there you know...the mistakes and shortcomings of bible folks. The Holy Spirit lets us see faults of every writer in the bible, so that we could learn from them. Oh well, another message for another time. Where was I? Why was God so hard on Moses? This is the man whom God called the meekest in the world! But He pronounced this judgment on him, and later when Moses would ask Him about going into the Promised Land, the Lord would tell him not to even ask Him about it again. (Deut.3:25-26)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, it was final!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Well there I was, staring into the bible, in the wee hours of the morning. Then the Lord showed me something. He told Moses, "because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them."(Num.20:12). That is the only reason He gave...and it was sufficient. He was justified. God only needs one good reason and He used Moses' disobedience. <div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But...He had other reasons as well. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">God had given Moses a reason, and as far as anyone ever has the right to say, He was justified. But it goes deeper. The Lord showed me two more reasons that changed me forever. First, that day Moses broke one of the types that God had placed in the bible for us, when he struck that rock. If you recall some thirty-seven years prior, in Exodus 17:6, they had been at that same location, with the same problem… no water. God had instructed Moses to take the staff, and STRIKE the rock. Yes strike. He did, and water came forth. Well this time God told him to simply SPEAK to the rock for the same desired result. He did not. He struck it, not once, but twice.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then God, out of love for the people, in His great mercy even though Moses had disobeyed, brought forth water from the rock. Moses had no way of knowing, but God knew that the first time that rock (or should I say The Rock) was struck would be the only time. See that striking of the rock in Exodus was symbolic. It was a type and shadow of things to come. It was a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Rock, being struck down on Calvary (although He was not actually struck down because He freely gave up His life for you and me). So the next time was to be a type also. God wanted Moses to show us a picture of a beautiful promise which would come through the Messiah.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">God told him to simply speak to the rock and the water would come forth. This was a picture of what is available to us today that ever since He allowed them to strike Him down for the sin of the entire world, all we have to do is speak. Just ask, and the grace that has been provided for all men can be ours. Just by that simple act of faith, asking...He will come into our hearts. And not only that, but by asking Him, we can receive that living water. Just as Jesus said that day when He stood up and proclaimed that any man that thirsts could come to Him and drink, and out of his belly would flow rivers of living water. That living water is symbolic of the Word of God, quickened by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the only one who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” ” Luke 3:16 NIV</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 1:33 NIV</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So you see when Moses hit the rock again, not once but twice, it was like crucifying Jesus all over again. And that will never happen. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His sacrifice was perfect and when it was accomplished He sat down at the right hand of the Father. There will never be a need for another sacrifice. He is overpayment for any debt we could ever have.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Lastly that night, God showed me a beautiful example of grace. He showed me that He never intended to allow Moses to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's right. Moses was never supposed to lead them all the way in. Instead, God chose Joshua (another type), whose name means the same as Jeshua, or Jesus. Moses is God's representative of the law. So for Moses to lead the children of Israel (who are a type of the church) into the Promised Land, it would have sent us the message that we could get there on our own, under the law, by self-effort, or good works. No way. Many are still trying to earn their way to heaven, but it is impossible.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God could not allow His servant Moses to take them in because it would have sent the wrong picture to all believers in the future. God wanted to make sure we knew the only way to get across that proverbial "Jordan River" into the promised land of our salvation is a bridge made of an old rugged cross. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to the Father, except by (or through) Him. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-46208607586099830272010-08-18T17:04:00.000-07:002011-11-21T12:56:54.192-08:00Out of Religion...Into Relationship<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> <h3></h3><div class="MsoNormal"><b>1 John 1:6-7 “So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sin</b>.” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have found that most of us will gladly say we accept Jesus as our Savior, but reject Him as our Lord. In other words "the forgiveness part sounds good, but I can't let Him tell me what to do, it's my life". Friends this does not work. To say we know God, but to continue living for ourselves is hypocrisy and God will eventually expose it and judge it. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew 7:22-23 NIV</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">See we tend to create a God of our imagination. One that will accept us based upon the good we have done. And we will justify those beliefs by comparing ourselves with the world around us. The problem is the world is fallen and God says to compare our self to Him only, by looking into the righteous mirror of His Word, looking at the life of Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When we understand that His standard is total perfection in our attitudes and relationships, even our thoughts, we will see and acknowledge our need for a savior. In other words, we must be perfect, and be willing to rely upon that total perfection to hold up under God’s holy scrutiny, or we must believe in and rely upon a savior who is perfect. His name is Jesus, and His work is completed. He has already provided forgiveness for every sin you have or ever will commit. He has provided healing for every sickness or disease that will ever try to come upon you. He has anticipated every single need you will every have; spiritual, physical, financial, emotional, and relational. He loves you and desires for you to call upon Him to be your Lord and Savior. Then He wants to teach you, through His Word, to cooperate in agreement with Him; so that you may live, by the power of His Holy Spirit, the abundant life of an overcomer that He has already provided for you. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The real goal here is to do exactly what God called me to do. Bring His people out of religion (self-effort, performance based acceptance) and into relationship with Him. This is the meaning of life.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” KJV</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">If it makes you a little uncomfortable that's ok. God wants you to stop listening to your fleshy mind and instead surrender to the Mind of Christ.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2 Corinthians 5:17 “...if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” KJV</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">So having accepted this gift from God - I have (out of a grateful and loving heart of gratitude) accepted the task that comes with the gift: to reconcile people to Him.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” 2 Corinthians 5:18 NIV</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2:20 NLT</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
Therefore as a Christian, I do not leave Jesus at church when I leave the service on Sunday. The very name Christian implies that Christ is in me, so he goes where ever I go, and He is first and foremost in my life. He cannot be excluded from any aspect of my life. He can never be asked to take a back seat, or to be quiet, or to be politically correct. That is as absurd as the painting telling the painter to be still and be quiet.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
When God created man, He made him perfect. However, when corruption entered in through lust (sin), it poisoned us and brought enmity between us and God. There was nothing we could do to help ourselves. Then God, in His mercy and by His grace, sent His son to redeem us, to restore us, to heal us. Glory to God!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
The goal here is to challenge you to call upon God for some real answers about your condition. Allow His light to shine into all the dark places of your soul. Allow the Word of God to tear down any religious mindsets that cause you to judge anything other than your own personal relationship with the one many of you already call your Lord. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Is He?<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2615457873334986321.post-91488423121742126032010-08-17T17:40:00.000-07:002011-11-21T13:22:07.240-08:00THIS IS YOUR LIVING WATER LINE - 1ST ENTRY (Rev)<blockquote>And Jesus said to them, </blockquote><blockquote><b>John 6:63-64 "The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me..." NLT </b><br />
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</blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155145585987067426noreply@blogger.com0