tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45121486664131474912024-03-05T02:21:42.477-08:00Truth Teacher"Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth."
John 17:17TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-49126803659357285362022-03-26T12:32:00.000-07:002022-03-26T12:32:12.941-07:00Spiritual Influencers<p class="MsoNormal">According to the Nashville Film Institute’s website (<a href="http://www.nfi.edu/">www.nfi.edu</a>) top influencers can earn anywhere
from $40,000 a year with a modest following to celebrity influences that can
earn over a million dollars <u>per post</u>. They yield a persuasive power over their followers
to redirect focus and entice the follower to buy or believe in whatever they
are promoting. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Most of us have some realm of influence. It may be family, friends, co-workers, social
media, church, sports, online, etc. As
we emerge from the COVID Cocoon, we need to be “spiritual influencers”. Imagine how many of us have suffered loss
during COVID. Do you know how many
people are battling depression? How many
are struggling to pay their sky-rocketing rent?
There is real pain, real suffering and a serious lack of HOPE all
around. People are desperate for hope,
help and genuine love. They are ready to
buy into anything that an influencer will peddle. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Envision a host of people intentional about spiritual influencing? Sincere, heart-felt, passionate about the
only truth that can save, heal and transform (John 17:17), seeking others to influence. How can we be spiritual influencers? Here’s a few ideas.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Post positive messages on social media.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Let the spiritual ideas and messages that are influencing
you, be passed on to your followers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Share even a word or sentence about your daily time in the
Word. Share how God is influencing you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Try to grow your followers.
Encourage them to share things you have posted with others.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Invite others to be “spiritual influencers”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Look for those in need.
You won’t need to look far, be a positive influence and encourage them
with truth that changes lives.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Be a “Spiritual Influencer”.
Francis of Assisi said well, “Preach the gospel constantly and, if
necessary, use words.”<a href="file:///C:/Let/Articles/Spiritual%20Influencers.docx#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[i]</span></span></span></a> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p>
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The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, by Os
Guinness, p.59<o:p></o:p></p>
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</div>TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-135066863780419662021-04-20T17:52:00.001-07:002021-04-20T17:52:21.423-07:00If I Could Turn Back Time for 13 Seconds<p><span> </span>In the Star Trek parody <i>Galaxy Quest</i>, they had a
device called the Omega-13 that could turn back time for 13 seconds. What good is 13 seconds you ask? It’s enough time to change one mistake. As you might guess, they had a chance to use it
and redeem a life altering oversight. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>I often wish that my future self could come back and talk to
my present self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine the mistakes I
could avoid. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How often do we say to
ourselves, “I wish I hadn’t done that” or “I wish I had done…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lately I have been trying to work out in the
mornings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounds great the night
before, but when that alarm goes off, I only have about 3 seconds to thrust my feet over the side of the bed before I tell Alexa to wake me up in an
hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Since the Omega-13 device only lives in Hollywood, it seems
to me I need to make the right decisions at the right time. Here’s a couple of things that I have found helpful.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Have
a plan</li></ul><p></p><!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I
know that if I don’t sit up on the edge of bed when I hear my alarm within 3
seconds, I’m not going to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><ul><li>Think about the future</li></ul><!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If
I do (or don’t do) this action right now, how will it impact me later?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will I regret this decision tomorrow?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Phone a friend</li></ul><!--[if !supportLists]--><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Have
an accountability partner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes it a
lot tougher to skip my workout knowing I have to call my friend later and tell
them I slept in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Keep
a checklist of daily goals.</li></ul><!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->There’s
something about completing things on your daily list, it feels great.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What would my future self say about this article?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll let you know in a few minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><o:p></o:p></p>TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-11588232794367035992021-04-18T16:20:00.001-07:002021-04-18T16:20:26.654-07:00We Should All Smile Like That<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioUDpTYN9dGThJzIwKBpZTCFhu1l1ic61066m9xQHMezohHAdyUBxhalmQZwa-sg0wTKInpYkzw9bgbrZN3kljqdKrnM4qAacnsbWIx4AJaI66V3Rwj7OyKW1_bR4Noh5vNioO3ABkeI/s624/peter+frampton.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioUDpTYN9dGThJzIwKBpZTCFhu1l1ic61066m9xQHMezohHAdyUBxhalmQZwa-sg0wTKInpYkzw9bgbrZN3kljqdKrnM4qAacnsbWIx4AJaI66V3Rwj7OyKW1_bR4Noh5vNioO3ABkeI/s320/peter+frampton.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I just finished watching a YouTube video featuring an aged Peter Frampton and Eric Clapton. Frampton and Clapton were playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". I couldn't get over the joy on Frampton's face as he was playing. He loved what he was doing. He loved playing with Eric Clapton. He loved making the audience "gently weep". And he loved everything about it.</p><p>He was taking in every second and appreciating for what it was, a once in a lifetime moment to play with Eric Clapton. It was a perfect blending and appreciation for each other and their impact to the world of music. I didn't sense any egos, just radiant joy. It was impossible to not smile as you watched Peter play, even Clapton smiled (a rare moment). Peter's joy was infectious. As I watched his contagious joy doing what he loves, I wondered if I still exude joy for my passions?</p><p>What are you passionate about? What brings you joy? Pursue those things with all your heart, soul and strength. Don't come to the end of your life wishing you had pursued your passions. Joy awaits you. Start today, make it happen...you'll be "glad" you did. </p>TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-23272285360750943712020-02-26T19:55:00.001-08:002020-02-26T19:55:52.724-08:00Reckless Worship<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
The term “reckless” generally doesn’t connote positive feelings…unless coupled with a term like “love”. Negative terms when juxtaposed to a positive word can radically alter our perception of the word. It comes as no surprise that our worship team was discussing the song “Reckless Love”. Most everyone seemed to be enthusiastic about the song and even applauded the clever use of ascribing “reckless” to God’s love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was the only one who initially commented that I don’t see God’s love as reckless, in fact the opposite. God’s love is planned, predestined, generous and even calculating. Grudem’s “Systematic Theology” defines His love as “God eternally gives of himself to others”. I guess you could say that a “reckless love” could fit within that definition. But I struggle with the term apart from “love”. I looked up the term “reckless” in Scripture and in every case it is used in a negative sense…without exception. Here’s some references:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">“Abimelech hired worthless and <b>reckless </b>fellows.” Judges 9:4</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is <b>reckless</b> and careless.” Prov. 14:16</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">“Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their <b>recklessness</b>.” Jer 23:32</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The prodigal son – “<i>he</i> took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in <b>reckless</b> living.” Luke 15:13</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">“In the last days…people will be lovers of self…treacherous, <b>reckless</b>, swollen with conceit…” 2 Tim 3:1-5</li>
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Of all the adjectives that the author could have used, wouldn’t it have been far better to use one that venerates praise to God, not confusion. The fact that we have to take the time to justify the use of “reckless love” in a song should raise the warning flags.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is not a hill to die on, this is not a call to boycott the song. We’ll continue to sing it at our church and I will quietly and respectfully sing an alternative word like “awesome love”. It bothers me that we so quickly accept poor theology on the basis of a catchy tune. We justify it by finding ways to cleverly redefine what the term means. We quickly abandon reason to ascribe to God’s love “rash, careless, heedless, without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action”. “Isn’t that just like God” someone says…"No, it’s not”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My encouragement to you is to <i>slow down</i>, don’t build your beliefs on what tickles your ears, but what we read in the inspired Word. Let God’s love be the lens to man’s reckless writings.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-63817805100656499272018-06-21T18:58:00.000-07:002018-06-21T18:58:58.701-07:00In Times of Testing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today I am reminded of the importance of faith. Being “comfortable” is a dangerous place for most Christ followers. It's easy to be a champion of faith when life is easy, comfortable and good. Wait until you get shingles on your face (like I did) and see if you are still the poster child of faith. I have put together some quotes on faith from some of the most notable people of history...and a few others.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Encouraging Quotes</h3>
“Great faith trusts God when there is nothing in the cupboard to eat and no money to buy food. Great faith trusts in God when health is gone, work is gone, reputation is gone, or family is gone. Great faith trusts God while the windstorm is still howling and persecution continues.” ~ MacArthur <br />
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Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends. ~ George Muller <br />
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The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin. ~ A.W. Tozer <br />
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Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. ~ Augustine <br />
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The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle. ~ Martin Luther <br />
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God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity. ~ Augustine <br />
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Faith is a voluntary anticipation. ~ Clement of Alexandria <br />
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. ~ Augustine <br />
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Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand. ~ Thomas Aquinas <br />
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God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. ~ Martin Luther <br />
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Quotes from a Holocaust Survivor</h3>
Remember the story of Corrie Ten Boom? Incarcerated at a Nazi death camp at age 59 for providing a hiding place for Jews. She lost her father & sister to the death camps.<br />
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<b><i>A few of her notable quotes. </i></b><br />
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“The school of life offers some difficult courses, but it is in the difficult class that one learns the most – especially when your teacher is the Lord Jesus Christ.” <br />
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“God has plans – not problems—for our lives.” <br />
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“Faith is like radar which sees through fog—the reality of things at a distance that the human eye cannot see.” <br />
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What kills our Faith?</h3>
Lately, I have been hanging out in Luke 8. I have become aware of certain things that can paralyze our faith. I jotted down seven <b><u>Faith Busters</u></b> from this chapter. Real struggles that attack your faith. <br />
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7. Vv1-3 Failure to have an <i>Attitude of Gratitude</i> <br />
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6. Vv4-8 Rejection or mishandling the Word of God <br />
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5. V13 - Times of testing <br />
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<i>God delights to increase the faith of His children...I say, and say it deliberately--trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith...We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us.</i> - George Mueller <br />
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<i>Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace. </i>- Oswald Chambers <br />
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4. V14 - CPR (Cares, pleasures and riches)<br />
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a. Cares (anxiety/worries) <br />
Xref: Matt 6:33, 2 Peter 5:7, Phil 4:6 <br />
b. Pleasures (GK - Hedone) - hedonistic - Pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence. <br />
c. Riches - wealth, abundance. <br />
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3. Vv16-18 - Hiding your light . . . let it shine! Matt 5:14-16 <br />
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2. Vv19-21 - Family. Let's face it, sometimes our own family can kill our faith faster than a buzz saw. They know the buttons to push and they also know us better than anyone else. If they aren't feeling it, they can let you know and bring you down with lightning speed. They can also be masters of distraction.<br />
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1. V22-25 - FEAR - It can steal our faith quicker than just about anything.<br />
a. Losing your job, spouse, child or loved one <br />
b. Losing everything you own <br />
c. Losing your health <br />
d. Losing your ability to work <br />
e. Fear of dying <br />
f. Fear of failure <br />
g. Insert your own fears . . . <br />
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<i>One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “<b>Where is your faith?</b>” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”</i> ~ Luke 8:22-25 <br />
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Jesus says, “Do not fear, only believe”. Luke 8:50.<br />
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Today, be encouraged by the men and women who have walked this earth before you. They have been tested and tried and their faith stood the test. Look to Abraham and the great people of faith that have left behind examples of what it is like to walk by faith.</div>
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TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-51697876795431995742018-06-10T12:06:00.000-07:002018-06-10T13:10:24.982-07:00Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain commit suicide - Why?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -48pt;">Why does somebody kill themself when they're seemingly on top of the world?</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“For in much wisdom is
much vexation, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and he
who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -16pt;">King Solomon</span></div>
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EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The American dream is
to be successful, a self-made individual who doesn’t need to rely on anyone or
anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dream is to take your
passion and turn it into an empire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
why did Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain kill themselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their names are known around the globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had taken their passion and crafted it
into something extraordinary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had
achieved success that most jealously watch from afar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I do not pretend to know WHY they felt
compelled to take their own lives when from my perspective they had so much to
live for...including family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this a
lesson that money and fame cannot buy happiness?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others have managed great wealth and empires
without destroying themselves or those closest to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WHAT could have been so troubling that life
needed to end, here and now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The list of
famous individuals that have taken their lives grows long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suicide seems almost lionized by<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Netflix</i> as they glorify 13 Reasons Why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mid 70’s Blue Oyster Cult encouraged suicide
with their hit “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and later Jack Kevorkian became the
poster child for euthanasia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The fact that two celebrities hanged
themselves in a week has generated a huge outpouring in social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most pontificate on these tragedies with
either great judgement or offer up hope in forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some put words in God’s mouth and tell Him
what He should do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, <u>the
underlying and almost unspoken issue is that fact that without hope, we fall
into despair.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without hope, there is
nothing to live for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly a surplus
of money or a lifestyle that indulges every whim doesn’t provide hope, at least
not lasting hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is simple, without
hope we die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -16pt;"> </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Whatever
my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for
my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in
doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was
nothing to be gained under the sun.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">William Cowper had been committed to an insane asylum for
<u>suicidal depression</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His melancholy was
disturbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He writes, “Loaded as my
life is with despair, I have no such comfort as would result from a supposed
probability of better things to come, were it once ended…You will tell me that
this cold gloom will be succeeded by a cheerful spring, and endeavor to
encourage me to hope for a spiritual change resembling it—but it will be lost
labour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nature revives again; but a soul
once slain lives no more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You may not recognize the name William Cowper (pronounced Cooper).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But his poems and hymns have stood the test
of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His pastor was John Newton, saved
slave trader and writer of the legendary hymn <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amazing Grace</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By God’s
wonderful design, his doctor at St. Albans Insane Asylum was a Christ follower
and a lover of the Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In December
1763, he left a Bible lying on a bench in the garden in hopes that Cowper would
pick it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cowper opened up the Bible
and happened upon John 11, the story of Lazarus being raised from the
dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I “saw so much benevolence, mercy,
goodness, and sympathy with miserable men, in our Saviour’s conduct, that I almost
shed tears upon the revelation; little thinking that it was an exact type of the
mercy which Jesus was on the point of extending towards myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u>Cowper believes himself to be beyond hope</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrote “Oh, that I had not rejected so good
a Redeemer, that I had not forfeited all his favours.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point in time he again felt led to
turn to the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first verse he
saw was Romans 3:25, “Whom God put forward as a propitiation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(i.e. expiation, atonement)</i> by his blood,
to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his
divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is the point in his life that he marks as his conversion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though he was not instantly healed of his
depression, <u>there he found HOPE</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HOPE
that was not fading, but eternal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though
Cowper struggled with deep depression for decades until his dying day in 1800,
he always wrote of hope, God’s sovereignty and forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cowper left us with great poems and hymns
that still impact many today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His most
famous hymn, “There is a fountain filled with blood” which sings of the glory
of forgiveness through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Thy
precious blood shall never lose its power; Till all the ransomed church of God,
Be saved to sin no more.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>“E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Thy flowing wounds supply,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Redeeming love has been my theme,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>And shall be till I die.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>If you are considering your life not worth living, consider
the One who loves you so much that He sent His only Son for YOU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His Son, Jesus, gave His life freely and shed
His blood for the forgiveness of your sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You only need to believe for Hope Everlasting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 3:16</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[Excerpts about William Cowper from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hidden Smile of God</i> by John Piper.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-59538649117816174662015-02-17T07:18:00.000-08:002018-06-10T12:10:20.795-07:00Too Bad to Forgive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
It’s a feeling most of us have had. We have done something so awful, hurtful, or unthinkable that forgiveness is not a consideration. We beat ourselves up, replaying the events in our head thinking “if only” I had walked this way, or listened to this friend or been at a different place that night. For some, it was a one time event. For others, it was years of satisfying lust, greed, and sinful desires. We wrestle with what we did or didn’t do playing it over and over in our minds. Maybe it even stems from anger toward God for not doing what you expected him to do or allowing some tragedy to devastate your life. <br />
<br />
Like most sin, it doesn’t happen over night, it gradually slips into our lifestyle and permeates our thoughts, ever so slightly changing us, weakening our defenses. Like an affair, it has been building for weeks, months or years...it didn’t happen in a day. Let’s face a harsh reality, those things we did can’t be undone. There are consequences to our actions. We wake up in the morning regretting the decisions we made only hours before. We feel as though forgiveness is impossible. <br />
<br />
<b>If you allow me, I would like to give you hope</b>. I wish to give you freedom from the daily war that rages in your conscience. Let me share an amazing story with you, one that I dare say most people haven’t heard of or don’t remember. I can’t ever remember it being preached from a pulpit, but it hit me like a lightning bolt yesterday. It starts with a man by the name of Omri, he was the commander of the army of Israel. After a murderous coup by another general, Omri is made king of Israel. (Now if you don’t know about the northern kingdom of Israel after King David and King Solomon, let’s just say the kings devoted themselves to doing great evil. As much as King David sought after pleasing God, these kings sought equally as hard to lead people away from God. In doing so, they led the nation of Israel to commit atrocities against Yahweh.) King Omri reigns twelve years and when he dies his son Ahab reigns in his place. Now Ahab’s father figure was this:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>“Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him.”</i><br />
(1 Kings 16:25)<br />
<br />
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when Ahab takes the throne, he <i>“did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.</i>” (16:33) In fact, it says <i>“There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.</i>” (21:25)<br />
<br />
<b>To bad to forgive?</b> Look what happens. The great prophet Elijah proclaims a word from God condemning Ahab for murder and his great sins leading a nation to serve other gods. He prophesies the destruction of Ahab’s lineage and the disgraceful death’s they will suffer. <br />
<br />
“<i>When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.</i>” (21:27)<br />
<br />
That simply means that Ahab humbled himself and was sorry for his sins. As a result of Ahab’s penitent heart, God delays the judgement in Ahab’s lifetime. Here’s a man who has sold himself to evil. He has invented more ways to do evil and lead a country astray than any person before him. Ahab is the epitome of an despicable leader and yet when God sees TRUE REPENTANCE and sincere humility he is quick to forgive. HOW MUCH MORE can we expect from God when we humble ourselves and repent of our sins? We are never to bad to forgive, for we have a God of such unending mercy and grace who loves us and desires a relationship with us.<br />
<br />
Still hanging on to those sins? Now is the time to drop to your knees and show God a true repentant heart. Let go of that sinful lifestyle and let the healing process begin.<br />
<br />
[Read the full story in 1 Kings 21.]</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-77815676987002732682015-01-20T06:36:00.002-08:002015-01-20T06:36:36.336-08:00Don't Lose Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Consider the story of being trapped in a dungeon cell. You have
heard there is a tunnel to freedom on the other side of the wall. But
the wall is stone, and you have no tools. For months you use fragments
of stone to chip away at the wall, and you work and work to gain your
freedom.<br />
<br />
Then one night, when your hope is almost gone, you collapse in
weariness against the wall, and your elbow hits a slight protrusion.
Before your eyes the stones move and a small door opens by itself. You
are free.<br />
<br />
Life has many dungeon cells, and stone walls, to hinder our joy and
fruitfulness. Some of them are meant to fall down in five years. Others
in five seconds. Whether it is the patient endurance to press on with
joy, or the breakthrough in the twinkling of an eye, God has appointed
prayer as the key.<br />
<br />
If the wall is meant to give way in five years, prayer is the key:
“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious
might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Colossians 1.11" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Colossians%201.11" target="_blank">Colossians 1:11</a>). If the wall is meant to open by the press of unknown button, prayer is the key: “Knock, and it will be opened to you” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matthew 7.7" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matthew%207.7" target="_blank">Matthew 7:7</a>).<br />
<br />
So let it not be said of us: “You do not have, because you do not ask” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="James 4.2" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%204.2" target="_blank">James 4:2</a>).
Persevering work in the cause of truth and righteousness is a beautiful
thing. God gives it. And God approves it. Never stop. But know this.
God also loves to give breakthroughs in the twinkling of an eye.<br />
<br />
<i>Excerpt from John Piper's January 12, 2015 blog "What God Can Do in Five Seconds" found at <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/">www.desiringGod.org</a>.</i><br />
<br /></div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-40041600132803622572014-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:002014-09-30T07:00:24.983-07:00Where Satan Will Attack You Today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
You
wonder why it’s so hard to find some peace of mind? Well, peace is hard
to come by when you live in a warzone. And like it or not you are in a
war — a very serious one. This war is cosmic in its proportions. It
involves God, humans, angels, demons, principalities, powers, nations,
and antichrists.</div>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
And do you know where the front of the battle is? It’s in your head.</div>
<h2 style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 16px;">
We Destroy Arguments</h2>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
Here is how Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (emphasis added):</div>
<blockquote style="-webkit-margin-after: 0; -webkit-margin-before: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-bottom: 16px;">
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
For
though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the
flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have
divine power to destroy strongholds. <em>We destroy arguments</em> and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
What
are the satanic strongholds that spiritually imprison people, the
strongholds that we seek to destroy? Arguments and opinions. Where is
the battle raging? Where our thoughts are.</div>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
And
arguments are not merely strongholds, they are weapons of mass
destruction. Adam and Eve (and all of us with them) fell because of an
argument. They <em>believed</em> the serpent’s argument and <em>stopped believing</em> God.</div>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
That is the deadly essence of sin: <em>not believing God</em>.
To not believe God is to ally with Satan, whom Jesus said is “a
murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth… for
he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).</div>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
You don’t want Satan as an ally. He’s treacherous. He’s out to murder you with lies.</div>
<h2 style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 16px;">
Watch Your Emotions</h2>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
Watch
your emotions. They are signals of arguments. Your emotions, which can
land on you like vague impressions or moods, are usually responses to an
argument. Moods don’t come out of nowhere. When we are angry,
discouraged, depressed, anxious, self-pitying, fearful, or irritable, it
is likely because we are believing something very specific.</div>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
To
battle sin is to battle unbelief — or destroy arguments. And in order
to battle unbelief effectively, we must press doubts and temptations
into specific arguments. What specifically is being asserted or promised
to us? Only then can we destroy the enemy’s false arguments with true
ones.</div>
<h2 style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 16px;">
The Victory That Overcomes the World</h2>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
The victory that overcomes the world is <em>our faith</em>
(1 John 5:4). This is precisely why the devil does not want us to think
clearly about sin. He wants to keep things vague so he can imprison or
disarm us. But Jesus wants us to <em>think clearly</em>. He wants us to know the truth because the truth brings freedom:</div>
<blockquote style="-webkit-margin-after: 0; -webkit-margin-before: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-bottom: 16px;">
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31–32)</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
So
as freedom fighters let’s fight against “unbelieving hearts” by
exhorting one another every day (Hebrews 3:12–13) to live in the freedom
— and peace (John 16:33) — of the truth.</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
Because our most important battles are won and lost with arguments.</div>
<div style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;">
by Jon Bloom<br />http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=94431c7fc1ffa54485d1c84fe&id=c2aa2b5269&e=2eda23e6e1<br />(www.DesiringGod.org), posted 9/29/14.</div>
</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-86614210639141287932014-09-24T06:59:00.000-07:002014-09-24T06:59:20.857-07:00In the Face of Death<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>“When the centurion, who stood facing him [Jesus], saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!</i>’” Mark 15:39<br />
<br />
“This way”? After six agonizing hours on the cross, Jesus cries out in a loud voice (not easy to do when you can barely gulp enough breath to stay alive), “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Only a few moments later, it says Jesus “uttered a loud cry and breathed his last” (v.37). We know from John 19:30 that loud cry was “It is finished”. Papyri receipts have been found marked with this single Greek word [<i>tetelestai</i>] to indicate “paid in full”. His work was complete, our sins were "paid in full". The Lamb of God, who became flesh, then bows his head and gives up his spirit [no man took it from him].<br />
<br />
“In this way”, a hardened Roman soldier, accustomed to watching people die, sees something so remarkable, different, godly that he recognizes Jesus as the Son of God. Think about that for a moment. The soldier is a Roman centurion, a leader over 100 other soldiers, trained in mortal combat. He has probably seen hundreds of people die and what he sees in Jesus is so incredibly opposite of every other person, that he is instantly convinced that the man who died "in this way" was indeed the very Son of God. <br />
<br />
In the face of death, a gentile soldier is brought to life. In the face of death, Jesus satisfies the wrath of God for all who believe, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).<br />
<br />
Do you see what the centurion saw?<br />
<br />
All to Jesus, I surrender;<br />
All to Him I freely give;<br />
I will ever love and trust Him,<br />
In His presence daily live.<br />
<br />
[Refrain]<br />
I surrender all, I surrender all,<br />
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,<br />
I surrender all.<br />
<br />
All to Jesus I surrender;<br />
Humbly at His feet I bow,<br />
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;<br />
Take me, Jesus, take me now.<br />
<br />
Refrain<br />
<br />
All to Jesus, I surrender;<br />
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;<br />
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,<br />
Truly know that Thou art mine.<br />
<br />
Refrain<br />
<br />
All to Jesus, I surrender;<br />
Lord, I give myself to Thee;<br />
Fill me with Thy love and power;<br />
Let Thy blessing fall on me.<br />
<br />
Refrain<br />
<br />
All to Jesus I surrender;<br />
Now I feel the sacred flame.<br />
O the joy of full salvation!<br />
Glory, glory, to His Name!<br />
<br />
"I Surrender All" by Judson W. Van DeVenter (1896)</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-29456094290273276832014-07-08T06:14:00.001-07:002014-07-08T06:14:42.714-07:00Will to Be Faithful<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
by Oswald Chambers<br />
<br />“… choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve …” (Joshua <br />24:15). <br />
<br />A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give <br />up my will—I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I <br />must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is <br />never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has <br />been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing <br />to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall <br />the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some <br />truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those <br />moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you. <br /><br />
“… choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… .” Your choice must <br />be a deliberate determination—it is not something into which you will <br />automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary <br />suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God—do <br />not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new <br />proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that <br />is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to <br />matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really <br />understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where <br />God is leading—the only thing God will explain to you is Himself. <br /><br />
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you <br />choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves …” <br />(Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare <br />before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful—and give other people credit <br />for being faithful too. <br />
<br />
By Oswald Chambers, <i>My Utmost for His Highest</i><br />
<br /></div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-24299671716781403382014-06-19T04:27:00.000-07:002014-06-19T04:27:30.286-07:00Exhausted, Waver and Stumble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b>Focused Devotion</b></i> <br />Jesus did not say to make converts to your way of thinking, but He said to look after His sheep, to see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Him. We consider what we do in the way of Christian work as service, yet Jesus Christ calls service to be what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). In this verse, there is no argument and no pressure from Jesus to follow Him; He is simply saying, in effect, “If you want to be My disciple, you must be devoted solely to Me.” A person touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says, “Now I see who Jesus is!”—that is the source of devotion.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Misguided Belief </b></i><br />
Today we have substituted doctrinal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many people are devoted to causes and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is deeply offensive to the educated minds of today, to those who only want Him to be their Friend, and who are unwilling to accept Him in any other way. Our Lord’s primary obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of people—the saving of people was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Exhausted, Waver and Stumble </b></i><br />
If I am devoted solely to the cause of humanity, I will soon be exhausted and come to the point where my love will waver and stumble. But if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity, even though people may treat me like a “doormat.”<br />
<br />
<i><b>The Secret </b></i><br />
“Do you love Me? Tend My sheep” (John 21:16) The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that “falls into the ground and dies”—it will spring up and change the entire landscape (John 12:24). <i>Follow the example of Jesus, let your primary obedience be to the will of God the Father. Let your service be to Him, not what we do for Him. The natural byproduct of our devotion to Christ will see the sheep being nourished in the knowledge of Him. </i><br />
<br />
Adapted from Oswald Chambers, <i>My Utmost for His Highest.</i> <i>[Emphasis added]</i><br />
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<br /></div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-74061479023110357242014-01-22T07:07:00.000-08:002014-01-22T07:07:29.402-08:00The Weight of Hardships<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I know what it means to be out of work. Even pastors can be laid off when the economy is tough. Our church was 2 months behind in payroll and God had already laid it on my heart that it was time for a move. So when the tough decisions had to be made, I was the obvious choice as the sacrificial lamb. I was at peace with the decision for I knew that God was in control of “all things”. Days, weeks and months passed by with virtually no nibbles, few prospects and no money coming in. I thought I would have a new job in 1-2 months, how naive I was. <br /><br />It has been said that it is easy to trust God in the good times. How true, the real test comes under the weight of hardships. In those Joseph and Job moments, when our lives are ripped out from under us and we are plunged into great difficulties, will our faith stand strong? We will trust in God? Do we take everything to Him in prayer and set aside our anxieties and fears?<br />
<br />
My quiet times have been in Exodus. Moses had been shepherding for 40 years when he sees a burning bush that is not consumed. Out of the bush God calls Moses to lead his people out of slavery to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is overwhelming for Moses as he is a fugitive from Egypt. He has shed the life of prince to be a shepherd and family man. He repeatedly fights God on his choice of calling him. Finally, Moses relents when God overcomes every objection. As Moses packs up the family and begins his journey to Egypt I can’t help but wonder if Moses is having second thoughts. Was Moses choosing death over going back to Egypt? Along the way God “sought to put him to death” (Ex. 4:24) because he didn't obey the covenant of circumcision. He was almost killed by God if it wasn’t for the actions of his wife. Can you imagine the Exodus without Moses?<br /><br />One of the traditions of my seminary was to have 3 graduating seniors preach, it was cleverly titled, “Student Preaching Week”. To my surprise I was picked. Evidently they look at grades and the number of preaching classes you have successfully completed. Because I did some student teaching in our preaching workshops (because no one else wanted to and I needed the credit hours), I had accumulated a lot of class credit hours. I was so excited when they asked me, but oh so terrified. I had never spoken to a crowd anywhere close to this size. In fact I suffered from a great fear of public speaking...probably not the wisest career choice as a pastor. I have vivid recollections of the morning I was to preach. I was sitting on the steps of our gym and I couldn’t be closer to physically throwing up. My nerves were off the chart, my stomach was churning, my head pounding and I was seriously contemplating calling in sick. <br /><br />I have no doubt that Moses was feeling the same. He was returning to the land where wanted posters were still hanging in the Nile Post Office. After his near death encounter, he seems to suck it up, meet up with Aaron and they gather with the elders of Israel. How did they respond? “The people believed...they bowed their heads and worshiped.” (Ex. 4:31) Moses begins to relax, “hey this isn’t so bad, I’ll talk to Pharaoh tomorrow and no worries”. Boom, hardship! Pharaoh not only turns down Moses request to let the Israelites go (as God said he would) but he punishes them because Moses made this request. “Let them get there own straw but still meet the same quota”, making their harship worse. <br /><br />Remember those elders that were worshiping? Not so much now. Exodus 6:9 says “they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.” Everyone, except God, expected Pharoah to just bow down and let the people go. Moses cries out to God, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people?” (Ex 5:22) God had a plan to take the Israelites out of Egypt forever and to do it in a way that His name would be glorified and forever remembered. Forty years later, the people of Jericho are still talking about the wonders that God performed when He brought Israel out of Egypt. Forty years later and this is mostly a new generation that wasn’t alive when this happened and yet they are still in awe of the Israelite God.<br /> <br />God has a plan for you as well as for me. His ways are always right, perfect and true. Remember my preaching story? Do you know what happened? I sucked it up and preached to about 700 students, staff and faculty. My method was a bit unconventional, I wasn’t as polished as the other student preachers but the simple message that God had laid on my heart was received. The students lined up for 30 minutes to shake my hand and tell me what an impact the message had on their life. I was amazed, humbled and blessed. Looking back on that moment, I can’t imagine the extreme regret and embarrassment that I would have now if I had called in sick.<br /><br />Trust in God. Take everything to Him in prayer. It is amazing how quickly the peace of God will come when leave those burdens at the foot of the cross. Suddenly, those hardships don’t seem as hard. Amazingly, you begin to see things to be thankful for. Miraculously, a peace overwhelms you that can not be man-made. His Word is true, His Ways are right and He has a perfect plan for your life. </div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-2669467170942194922013-08-15T06:46:00.000-07:002013-08-15T06:58:33.402-07:00Why didn't I think of that?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have a post-it on my desk which simply says, “Etc., Etc.”. That little post-it has helped me numerous times to be victorious over some of the most difficult times, people and temptations. It is so simple you will be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” For example:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>When I get a phone call from a nasty, angry, bitter person, "Etc., Etc." makes me not fear answering the next phone call.</li>
<li>That unexpected dilemma that throws my thought life into chaos.</li>
<li>A silly joke about my appearance may be all it takes to break the fantastic day I was having.</li>
<li>That gorgeous woman who not only distracts but breaks my attitude of worship.</li>
<li>Traffic...need I say more? Bills, kids, homework, pimples, broken a/c, flat tire, etc., etc.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Do you know how much time we waste thinking about things that never happen? Etc., Etc. can help!<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Internet! A huge distraction that cripples all of us from time to time. Not to mention a sleezy or provocative ad/picture that takes your thought life into a downward spiral.</li>
</ul>
<br />
The list is virtually endless. Now let me share with you the secret of "Etc., Etc." that can transform these events to something that draws you closer to God instead of separating you.<br />
<br />
2 Cor. 10:4-6 (particularly verse 5)<br />
<br />
<i>“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every loft opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” </i><br />
<br />
Did you see it? Etc., Etc. ...<b>take <u>E</u>very <u>T</u>hought <u>C</u>aptive</b> to obey Christ.<br />
<br />
Etc = <b><i>Every Thought Captive.</i></b> Take <i>every thought captive</i> when you get that phone call, when you are stuck in traffic, when that unexpected bill comes, when co-workers say something against you, when you are surfing the internet, when that gorgeous man or woman takes notice of you - take every thought captive (Etc., Etc.).<br />
<br />
At that split second when I am faced with a choice to obey or disobey I literally say to myself, "take <i>every thought captive</i>" and it changes my focus from self and from distraction to God and bringing Him glory instead of satisfying self. I can do what I was created to do (i.e. give God glory) or I can defy my Creator and choose my own will, exchanging the glory of the immortal God for my own selfish desires.<br />
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I have found that if I remind myself to “take Every Thought Captive” at that split second, I do not give into temptation nearly as much as I would have. It has made a world of difference in my life. Literally walking into a store the other day I was faced with a big temptation and I just said to myself, “take every thought captive” and my mind was immediately transported to giving God glory, breaking into praise and worship. <br />
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Give "Etc., Etc." a try, you might be amazed at the results.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-26006194770732015972013-04-02T07:07:00.000-07:002013-04-02T07:07:09.065-07:00If he only knew what was about to happen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Fourteen of us gathered together on Easter Sunday to celebrate a meal together. The big screen TV was locked onto basketball and the men of the room fixed their gazes to Duke vs. Louisville. Little did Kevin Ware know (basketball player for Louisville) that his life was about to be turned upside down. It’s not unusual to hear an uproar from my family as they watch sporting events, but the sudden cries that reverberated through the house alerted everyone that something horrific had just been witnessed. Without warning, Kevin Ware leaped to block a shot, came down on his leg wrong and it snapped. It was difficult to watch. The other members of the family came running in wanting to know what happened. With the new age of TV, it was easy to rewind the live event and relive the horrific injury. <br /><br />The comment that stood out to me as we fixed our eyes on jersey #5 was, “if he only knew what was about to happen in the next 5 seconds”. Wow, that hit me right between the eyes. We don’t know what is waiting for us around the corner. All the hopes and dreams and plans we have could be shattered in an instant. <br /><br />Sitting in the room among my family was my niece. Only 8 days before, she had lost her baby at 24 weeks. This morning as I was taking the kids to work, a fire rescue vehicle followed by a police car passed us at an intersection. An serious accident had just occurred a block from our house, at the very intersection we use daily. You don’t know what tomorrow or even today holds. <br /><br />Does that mean we shouldn’t risk? Does it mean we shouldn’t live? No, it is a great reminder to put our perspective and focus on the One who holds our tomorrows. It means using every minute you have to please God and be satisfied in Him. It means clinging to the God of grace when tragedy does strike and resting in His sovereign arms. It is a stern reminder to live this moment for the splendor of His name, not allowing these next 5 seconds to be wasted. <br /><br />“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” James 4: 14a<br /><br />“Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:13b<br /><br />“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-919524428371610102013-02-12T06:58:00.001-08:002013-02-12T06:58:29.048-08:00Finding God in a dead car battery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My in-laws had just rolled into town. They had a tiring flight, too many delays and layovers, but they were finally here. After a great night sleep, they were anxious to start their vacation time in sunny Florida. So my father-in-law and I hop into the family mini-van to run a few errands. Click click click. Click click click. Click click click click click silence. The car won’t start. We do what any two seasoned men would do, we lift the hood and stare into a maze of wires, tubes and motor parts. I locate the battery, buried in a corner underneath some large bar that appears to give support to the front of the car. After whipping my old truck around into position, we jump start the car with ease...it’s the battery. The rest of the story is fairly uneventful, except the part of trying to get the battery out, but I will leave that for another time. In a short amount of time, the battery is replaced and we are humming along.<br /><br />I began to think all the places my wife and kids have been in the last 48 hours. They could have been stranded at some very awkward, difficult and even dangerous places, but they weren’t. The battery died in my driveway, on a Saturday morning when I was home with a day set aside to spend with my in-laws. I can’t think of a more perfect place and perfect time for a battery to die. If battery heaven was based on merits, this one was definitely going to battery heaven. <br /><br />Finding God in the strangest of places. Pray today that God’s Spirit will fill you, will control you and surrender your will to Him (Eph. 5:18). The Greek verb “being filled” is one of ongoing action, it never stops. You’ll be amazed where you will find God today if you surrender to him now.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-80709924814862704352013-01-11T03:08:00.000-08:002013-01-11T05:02:06.857-08:00Guaranteed Key to Effectiveness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have to confess, it 's hard to write what’s on my heart without sounding like a motivational seminar. Bravo to John Maxwell, Zig Ziglar and so many others who have inspired and motivated us to be better at work, home and even in our spiritual lives. My wife worked 10 years for the largest Success Motivational company in the world, so I have been exposed to heavy doses of the success motivational community. However, what I am about to share is not hype, it is not a prelude to sell a book and it will not require you to pull out your wallet. But, if you adopt these seven qualities I can guarantee success. Better yet, the guarantee is not mine, it is from the only One who can make such a promise and deliver, almighty God. <br />
<br />
That being said, I have come across seven qualities that can be so life-changing that I must share them with you. These qualities guarantee you will be effective and fruitful. The key to these qualities is that you must keep them and you must continue to increase in them. Otherwise, you will become ineffective and unfruitful. You would be compared to one who is so nearsighted that they are in effect, blind. That’s how critical these seven qualities are to your Christian life. <br />
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Ready? Here they are.<br />
<br />
1) Virtue<br />
2) Knowledge<br />
3) Self-control<br />
4) Steadfastness<br />
5) Godliness<br />
6) Brotherly affection<br />
7) Love<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.</i><i> </i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>So, friends, confirm God’s invitation to you, his choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do this, and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ."</i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></blockquote>
<br />
“Faith must express itself in action (goodness) and this experience deepens our knowledge of God. Knowing him will deepen our knowledge of ourselves and where we need to exercise self-control. This in turn calls for perseverance, which is developed by keeping in view the worthwhile goal of v 4—godliness. This attitude to God facilitates a new openness to our fellow-Christians (brotherly kindness), and this in turn blossoms into unreserved and unrestricted love—the coping-stone of the whole edifice (cf. Col. 3:14).”<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span><br />
<br />
<br />
The choice is yours. Increasing in these qualities will grow your relationship with Jesus and produce fruit. Ignoring these qualities will make you forget from where you have fallen (Rev. 2:4-5) and render your Christian life ineffective. It seems so obvious, so simple, yet Peter reminds us because just like the Church of Ephesus, we quickly forget what Christ saved us from and abandon the love we had. It is epidemic. It takes ongoing effort and conscious choice to add or keep growing these qualities in your daily life. But here’s the reward, “if you keep these qualities you will never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10<br />
<br />
How will you implement these qualities in your life today? How will you remind yourself of these qualities a week from now? Who can you share this with to keep you accountable a month from today? Keep increasing in these qualities!<br />
<br />
Read 2 Peter 1 today and make plans how to keep these qualities alive.<br />
<br />
<u> </u><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span> 2 Peter 1:5-11, <i>The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language </i>by Eugene H. Peterson.<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span> New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. 1994 (D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer & G. J. Wenham, Ed.) (4th ed.) (2 Pe 1:5–9). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-72918001257997603862013-01-10T02:31:00.000-08:002013-01-10T04:51:02.797-08:00Great quotes on Faith<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Great faith trusts God when there is nothing in the cupboard to eat and no money to buy food. Great faith trusts in God when health is gone, work is gone, reputation is gone, or family is gone. Great faith trusts God while the windstorm is still howling and persecution continues.<br />
<br />
Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends. ~ George Muller<br />
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The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin. ~ A.W. Tozer <br />
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Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. ~ Augustine<br />
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The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle. ~ Martin Luther<br />
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God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity. ~ Augustine<br />
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Faith is a voluntary anticipation. ~ Clement of Alexandria<br />
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. ~ Augustine <br />
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Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand. ~ Thomas Aquinas <br />
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God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. ~ Martin Luther<br />
<br />
"Most of us go through life praying a little, planning a little,
jockeying for position, hoping but never being quite certain of
anything, and always secretly afraid that we will miss the way. This is a
tragic waste of truth and never gives rest to the heart. There is a better way. It is to repudiate our own wisdom and take
instead the infinite wisdom of God. Our insistence upon seeing ahead is
natural enough, but it is a real hindrance to our spiritual progress.
God has charged Himself with full responsibility for our eternal
happiness and stands ready to take over the management of our lives the
moment we turn in faith to Him....<br />
With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of
God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack?
Surely we are the most favored of all creatures."<i> A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy,</i> 97, 99</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-30225237810922787842013-01-09T05:30:00.000-08:002013-01-09T05:30:46.960-08:00A story of Faith<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b> "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends."</b></i> ~ George Muller<br /><br /> This story is told by the captain of a ship on which George Muller of Bristol was traveling. <br />
<br /> “We had George Muller of Bristol on board,” said the captain. “I had been on the bridge for twenty-four hours and never left it and George Muller came to me and said, “Captain, I have come to tell you I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.” “It is impossible,” I said. “Then very well, if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way. I have never broken an engagement in fifty-seven years; let us go down into the chart room and pray.”<br /> “I looked at that man of God and thought to myself, “What lunatic asylum can that man have come from, for I never heard of such a thing as this?” “Mr. Muller,” I said, “do you know how dense this fog is?”<br /> ““No,” he replied, “my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.” He knelt down and he prayed one of the most simple prayers. When he had finished I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. “As you do not believe He will answer, and as I believe He has, there is no need whatever for you to pray about it.”<br /> “I looked at him and George Muller said, “Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years and there has never been a single day when I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door and you will find the fog has gone.”<br /> “I got up and the fog indeed was gone, and on that Saturday afternoon George Muller kept his promised engagement.”</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-54337749941116456592012-12-31T08:10:00.001-08:002012-12-31T08:10:29.416-08:00I Have to Work New Year's Eve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Broken promises, they sit and fester in your gully like cheap Chinese take-out with a “C” restaurant rating. It doesn’t matter if you stand up, lay down, go for a walk, your churning stomach stands as a reminder of the broken promises.<br /><br />I have to work tonight, New Year’s Eve, because “people changed their mind”. Not that I had big plans, it was more the thought of working on New Year’s Eve. A night when most of the civilized world takes a break from their job to celebrate the year past and embraces the hopes for the year to come. <br />
<br />Working tonight has been a bit of a sore spot because of a broken promise. I was reminded of a few great verses in a sermon, <i>“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside ever weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”</i> Heb. 12:1-2 <br /><br />Those are fantastic verses, especially to start the new year, but what does that have to do with working tonight? It’s the first word of the verse, “therefore”, what’s it there for? In order to find out, you have to look back into Hebrews 11. The last two verses of chapter 11 say, <i>“And all these</i> [the heroes of faith]<i>, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.</i>” [emphasis mine].<br /><br />The heroes of faith were given a promise but did not see it fulfilled. Not a broken promise, but a promise that had a future fulfillment date, past their life span. A promise that you don’t see fulfilled can be a tough as a broken promise. Yet we have role models of faith like Abel, Enoch and Abraham that “<i>died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted the from afar . . . but as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.</i>” 11:13, 16<br /><br />Ahhhh, there it is, their faith kept them focused on the end result, not the years of waiting for fulfillment. They believed something greater, something grandeur waited for them after death. We have a promise of a perfect home, an eternal home where broken promises will not exist and all God-given promises will be fulfilled. It is so easy to forget the eternal perspective in the midst of weekly bills, difficult relationships, our jobs (or lack of one), helping kids with homework, fixing the car and broken promises. But God says, walk by faith, trust in Me, remember that I am preparing a great place for you where working on New Year’s Eve will not matter. Happy New Year!</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-26628900313207618322012-12-19T08:38:00.000-08:002012-12-19T08:38:23.696-08:00Incredible Faith, Incredible Doubt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>(Part of the Faith to Move Mountain series, examples. Taken from Luke 1:5-25)</i><br />
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There was a priest named Zechariah...he had a wife named Elizabeth. "They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord." Luke 1:6<br />
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Zechariah and Elizabeth walked blamelessly before God. And then the Scripture says, "But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren." (1:7) They served God faithfully but the one thing a Jewish man wanted was a son. The one thing a Jewish woman needed to remove the reproach of her people was a son. Zechariah and Elizabeth were "advanced in years", in other words, they were way past the age at which women give birth.<br />
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Zechariah, while performing his duties, is visited by an angel that tells him he and Elizabeth will have a son. The crux of the whole story and the "faith learning moment" is this, Zechariah had not ceased to pray for a son for him and Elizabeth, though it was physically impossible because of their age. Look at verses 13, "But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." <br />
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Zechariah had never stopped praying for the very thing that was dearest to his heart and for his wife's reproach. Even though it was physically impossible, he didn't stop praying. LESSON 1. (Technically lesson 2 as lesson 1 is walking blamelessly before God.)<br />
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Ok, lesson 3 then. Don't Doubt. Zechariah had the faith to pray for the impossible but he didn't believe it even when an angel was dispatched to tell him his prayers had been answered. Verse 18 "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." The angel Gabriel says to him in verse 20, "because you did not believe my words...".<br />
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1. Walk blamelessly before God. (We have seen this pattern with the men and women of faith).<br />
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2. Pray the impossible...pray to move mountains!<br />
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3. Don't Doubt.<br />
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Lesson learned? Meditate on these things.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-76614393483578526972012-12-13T06:22:00.004-08:002012-12-13T06:24:51.021-08:00Faith to Move Mountains (part 2 - Examples: Noah)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you moved your mountain yet? You are not alone if you said "no". God was gracious to us to give us examples of imperfect people, who rose above the lure of the culture, to please God. They (as we do now) lived in rebellious times when every intention of the thoughts of mankind’s heart was continually evil. Righteous men and women found a way to live by faith. <br />
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Consider these truths:<br />
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By faith, Noah... Heb 11:7<br />
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Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord Gen 6:8<br />
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Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation Gen 6:9<br />
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Noah walked with God Ge 6:9<br />
Noah worshiped the Lord Ge 8:20<br />
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Noah was obedient Ge 6:22<br />
Noah was reverent Ge 8:20; Heb 11:7<br />
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Noah was an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith Heb 11:7<br />
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Noah was a herald of righteousness 2 Peter 2:5<br />
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Noah, like Enoch, walked with God. They walked by faith and they lived their lives to please God. Noah found a way to live a righteous life in the midst of a generation who’s only thought was evil. Are you seeing a pattern emerge?<br />
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<u>Meditate on walking with God</u>. What will that look like in your life and in these days? What will you need to accomplish to make that a reality? What is the next hurdle that you need to jump? Focus on the one main thing for now. If you are not sure what that is, ask God to reveal it to you today. Ask Him to reveal any areas that you need to surrender to him, and walk by faith. Name one or two key elements that stand out to you about Noah and Enoch. Now begin to think about how you can make these a reality in your life.<br />
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<i>A prayer for today</i><br />
Lord, my Lord, may my ways be found pleasing in your sight today. Help my mind to stay focused on you in the midst of the myriad of distractions and battles for my mind. Keep my eyes pure, let my tongue sing only praises, worship and exclamation of your goodness, mercy and love. Let me witness of your saving grace to someone today. Allow me to speak boldly about what you are doing in my life. Please oh Lord, help me to know you more so that I may please you and walk with you to the last day of my life. I love you Lord, please increase my faith; I want to move mountains for your glory. In the precious name of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus, Amen.<br />
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Worship and Obey.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-88212381771345020912012-12-12T08:02:00.000-08:002012-12-12T08:03:08.043-08:00Faith to Move Mountains (part 2 - Examples:Enoch)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you noticed the “great ones” were all about pleasing God? Noah walked with God. David had a heart for God. Moses was already pleasing to God and his desire was to know God more so that he could please God more. Abraham blindly obeyed God which gave him a unique relationship with the Creator, one that pleased God. <br />
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“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Gen. 5:24<br />
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Enoch is a man that we don’t know much about, but what we do know exudes a walk and relationship with God that was greatly pleasing to God. So pleasing in fact that God took him home early. Why? Did God need the company? Was he sparing him from some evil turn later in life? God took him off this earth and into the presence of God to experience the greatest joy that any child of God will experience, an eternity with God.<br />
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How can I live like Enoch? What lifestyle should I imitate to be found pleasing to God? <br />
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“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.” Heb. 11:5<br />
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Enoch was commended as having pleased God. Then if I can find out how Enoch pleased God, then I can imitate his lifestyle and consequently please God. Read on...<br />
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“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. “ Heb. 11:6<br />
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Faith is the key to pleasing God. Without it, it is impossible. Anyone desiring to draw near to God must believe two things: 1) That God exists, 2) That God rewards those who seek Him.<br />
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What does that mean? Believe that God exists. The demons believe, but do they please him? God rewards those who seek him. How? What reward? Rewards can be defined a thousand different ways depending on who you are asking. And then there is that part about “anyone desiring to draw near to God”. That refers to desire, desire for God, desire to become closer to God. Of course, only God can give you this desire. The desire for God comes from him because left to ourselves we run from God. So, if God gives us the desire, it must be perfect but we taint it, spoil it, diffuse it, minimize it, hide it, squash it, exchange it, ignore it and do anything but foster it, nuture it, and seek it. The idolatry of self, exchanges the glory of God for the glory of self thereby effectively muting the desire to draw near to the Most High and Holy God.<br />
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Does your heart yearn to be “one of those people”? To be a Noah, Abraham or Enoch. My heart does. It simply starts by believing that God exists, without doubt and having faith that God will not ignore you if you are seeking Him. <br />
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Meditate on this concept today. Be reminded that God exists, always has, always will. He is exists in the good parts of the your day as well as the difficult parts of your day. He is always present and He knows everything. Then think about Moses who was already greatly pleasing to God and he desired more. Imagine getting to that place...and remember, God will reward those who diligently and earnestly seek Him. It’s kind of ironic isn’t it? Why would anyone need to be rewarded for doing the very thing that we were created to do? Worship and Obey.</div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-11258005574263661792012-11-07T07:55:00.001-08:002012-11-07T07:55:03.506-08:00Faith to Move Mountains (part 1 - definition)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What is faith? It's an easy exercise to find the clinical definition of faith. Though the textbook definition probably won't change your "faith", it seems to be the necessary starting point. So here's a few textbook definitions to consider: <br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><b>Definition of Faith</b> In the OT and NT, “faith” carries several meanings.<u> It may mean simple trust in God or in the Word of God</u>, and at other times faith almost becomes equivalent to active obedience. It may also find expression in the affirmation of a creedal statement. Thus, it also comes to mean the entire body of received Christian teaching or truth—“the truth.” In Colossians 2:7, the term suggests something to be accepted as a whole and embodied in personal life. In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul witnesses to having “kept the faith.”</span> <span style="color: #999999;"><i>[Emphasis added]</i></span><br />
<i>Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (470–471). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Faith</b><i>,</i> in the Bible trust in, or reliance on, God who is himself trustworthy. The NT and the Greek OT express the understanding of faith primarily with two terms (pistis, pisteuein), which are related to the primary OT verb ‘to be true’ or ‘be trustworthy’ (’aman). The OT concept is considerably broader than this term and its cognates, yet ’aman remains the most profound expression to describe faith in the OT. </span></span><i><br />Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper’s Bible dictionary (1st ed.) (298). San Francisco: Harper & Row.</i><br />
<br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><u>The primary Old Testament words for “believe,” “belief,” and “faith”</u> are Heb. ˒āman and its cognates ˒emûnâ and ˒emeṯ. The basic meaning of ˒āman is “be steady, firm and trustworthy” (KoB, p. 60); in the hiphil, rendered “to believe,” the verb signifies “accept as true” (1 Kgs. 10:7 par. 2 Chr. 9:6; Lam. 4:12; Hab. 1:5), “be sure” (Job 15:22), or “trust” (Jer. 12:6). The meaning of ˒emûnâ is “steadiness,” “faithfulness,” or “candor” (KoB, p.60; cf. Isa. 9:7b for the parallel between “believe” and “establish”), while that of ˒emeṯ is “trustworthiness,” “faithfulness” (Gen. 32:10), or “truth” (e.g., 42:16; cf. KoB, p. 66).<br /><u>The New Testament terms are Gk. pisteúō “believe” and pístis “faith.</u>” John uses the verb pisteúō to indicate the circumstance of believing; Paul primarily chooses the noun pístis, but cf. Rom. 3:22, where he combines the noun and verb to indicate “faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”<br />The word “faith” occurs in a variety of expressions: “in good faith” (Heb. be˓emeṯ; Judg. 9:15–16, 19), a “breach of faith” (ma˓al; Lev. 6:2" [MT 5:21]), “full of faith” (Acts 6:5; 11:24), “of little faith,” i.e., without confidence that God would provide for the basic human needs (Matt. 6:30; cf. 14:31; 16:8 for the small degree of trust the disciples placed in Jesus’ power), a “door of faith” (Acts 14:27), the “word of faith” (Rom. 10:8), the “spirit of faith” (2 Cor. 4:13), the “shield of faith” (Eph. 6:16), and the “breastplate of faith” (1 Thess. 5:8). The Old Testament also portrays faith as undergirding human relationships (e.g., Judg. 9:15). Basically, however, both the Old and the New Testament view faith as mankind’s trust in God. <i>[Emphasis mine]</i></span><br /><i><br />Myers, A. C. (1987). The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (373–374). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.</i><br />
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Finally, I love books like the <u>New Topical Textbook</u> that provides wonderful lists of a topic for us to consider...in this case "faith". Don't be too quick to scan this list, but take the time to reflect on "faith" as used in these Scriptures. Jot down 2-3 points that stand out to you. How have they made an impact in your life? How will these truths further your trust in God? <br />
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When we get together next time, I want to begin looking at faith in the lives of men and women in the Word. As Jude said, <i>"Beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith."</i> v.20a <br />
<i><br /> Faith.<br /><br /> 1. Is the substance of things hoped for. Heb 11:1. <br /> 2. Is the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1. <br /> 3. Commanded. Mt 11:22; 1Jo 3:23. <br /> 4. The objects of, are<br /> a. God. Joh 14:1. <br /> b. Christ. Joh 6:29; Ac 20:21. <br /> c. Writings of Moses. Joh 5:46; Ac 24:14. <br /> d. Writings of the prophets. 2Ch 20:20; Ac 26:27. <br /> e. The gospel. Mr 1:15. <br /> f. Promises of God. Ro 4:21; Heb 11:13. <br /> 5. In Christ is<br /> a. The gift of God. Ro 12:3; Eph 2:8; 6:23; Php 1:29. <br /> b. The work of God. Ac 11:21; 1Co 2:5. <br /> c. Precious. 2Pe 1:1. <br /> d. Most holy. Jude 1:20. <br /> e. Fruitful. 1Th 1:3. <br /> f. Accompanied by repentance. Mr 1:15; Lu 24:47. <br /> g. Followed by conversion. Ac 11:21. <br /> 6. Christ is the Author and Finisher of. Heb 12:2. <br /> 7. Is a gift of the Holy Spirit. 1Co 12:9. <br /> 8. The Scriptures designed to produce. Joh 20:31; 2Ti 3:15. <br /> 9. Preaching designed to produce. Joh 17:20; Ac 8:12; Ro 10:14,15,17; 1Co 3:5. <br /> 10. Through it is<br /> a. Remission of sins. Ac 10:43; Ro 3:25. <br /> b. Justification. Ac 13:39; Ro 3:21,22,28,30; 5:1; Ga 2:16. <br /> c. Salvation. Mr 16:16; Ac 16:31. <br /> d. Sanctification. Ac 15:9; 26:18. <br /> e. Spiritual light. Joh 12:36,46. <br /> f. Spiritual life. Joh 20:31; Ga 2:20. <br /> g. Eternal life. Joh 3:15,16; 6:40,47. <br /> h. Rest in heaven. Heb 4:3. <br /> i. Edification. 1Ti 1:4; Jude 1:20. <br /> j. Preservation. 1Pe 1:5. <br /> k. Adoption. Joh 1:12; Ga 3:26. <br /> l. Access to God. Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12. <br /> m. Inheritance of the promises. Ga 3:22; Heb 6:12. <br /> n. The gift of the Holy Spirit. Ac 11:15-17; Ga 3:14; Eph 1:13. <br /> 11. Impossible to please God without. Heb 11:6. <br /> 12. Justification is by, to be of grace. Ro 4:16. <br /> 13. Essential to the profitable reception of the gospel. Heb 4:2. <br /> 14. Necessary in the Christian warfare. 1Ti 1:18,19; 6:12. <br /> 15. The gospel effectual in those who have. 1Th 2:13. <br /> 16. Excludes self-justification. Ro 10:3,4. <br /> 17. Excludes boasting. Ro 3:27. <br /> 18. Works by love. Ga 5:6; 1Ti 1:5; Phm 1:5. <br /> 19. Produces<br /> a. Hope. Ro 5:2. <br /> b. Joy. Ac 16:34; 1Pe 1:8. <br /> c. Peace. Ro 15:13. <br /> d. Confidence. Isa 28:16; 1Pe 2:6. <br /> e. Boldness in preaching. Ps 116:10; 2Co 4:13. <br /> f. Christ is precious to those having. 1Pe 2:7. <br /> g. Christ dwells in the heart by. Eph 3:17. <br /> h. Necessary in prayer. Mt 21:22; Jas 1:6. <br /> i. Those who are not Christ’s have not. Joh 10:26,27. <br /> j. An evidence of the new birth. 1Jo 5:1. <br /> 20. By it saints<br /> a. Live. Ga 2:20. <br /> b. Stand. Ro 11:20; 2Co 1:24. <br /> c. Walk. Ro 4:12; 2Co 5:7. <br /> d. Obtain a good report. Heb 11:2. <br /> e. Overcome the world. 1Jo 5:4,5. <br /> f. Resist the devil. 1Pe 5:9. <br /> g. Overcome the devil. Eph 6:16. <br /> h. Are supported. Ps 27:13; 1Ti 4:10. <br /> 21. Saints die in. Heb 11:13. <br /> 22. Saints should<br /> a. Be sincere in. 1Ti 1:5; 2Ti 1:5. <br /> b. Abound in. 2Co 8:7. <br /> c. Continue in. Ac 14:22; Col 1:23. <br /> d. Be strong in. Ro 4:20-24. <br /> e. Stand fast in. 1Co 16:13. <br /> f. Be grounded and settled in. Col 1:23. <br /> g. Hold, with a good conscience. 1Ti 1:19. <br /> h. Pray for the increase of. Lu 17:5. <br /> i. Have full assurance of. 2Ti 1:12; Heb 10:22. <br /> 23. True, evidenced by its fruits. Jas 2:21-25. <br /> 24. Without fruits, is dead. Jas 2:17,20,26. <br /> 25. Examine whether you be in. 2Co 13:5. <br /> 26. All difficulties overcome by. Mt 17:20; 21:21; Mr 9:23. <br /> 27. All things should be done in. Ro 14:22. <br /> 28. Whatever is not of, is sin. Ro 14:23. <br /> 29. Often tried by affliction. 1Pe 1:6,7. <br /> 30. Trial of, works patience. Jas 1:3. <br /> 31. The wicked often profess. Ac 8:13,21. <br /> 32. The wicked destitute of. Joh 10:25; 12:37; Ac 19:9; 2Th 3:2. <br /> 33. Protection of, illustrated<br /> a. A shield. Eph 6:16. <br /> b. A breastplate. 1Th 5:8. <br /> 34. Exemplified<br /> a. Caleb. Nu 13:30. <br /> b. Job. Job 19:25. <br /> c. Shadrach, &c. Da 3:17. <br /> d. Daniel. Da 6:10,23. <br /> e. Peter. Mt 16:16. <br /> f. Woman who was a sinner. Lu 7:50. <br /> g. Nathanael. Joh 1:49. <br /> h. Samaritans. Joh 4:39. <br /> i. Martha. Joh 11:27. <br /> j. The Disciples. Joh 16:30. <br /> k. Thomas. Joh 20:28. <br /> l. Stephen. Ac 6:5. <br /> m. Priests. Ac 6:7. <br /> n. Ethiopian. Ac 8:37. <br /> o. Barnabas. Ac 11:24. <br /> p. Sergius Paulus. Ac 13:12. <br /> q. Philippian jailor. Ac 16:31,34. <br /> r. Romans. Ro 1:8. <br /> s. Colossians. Col 1:4. <br /> t. Thessalonians. 1Th 1:3. <br /> u. Lois. 2Ti 1:5. <br /> v. Paul. 2Ti 4:7. <br /> w. Abel. Heb 11:4. <br /> x. Enoch. Heb 11:5. <br /> y. Noah. Heb 11:7. <br /> z. Abraham. Heb 11:8,17. <br /> A. Isaac. Heb 11:20. <br /> B. Jacob. Heb 11:21. <br /> C. Joseph. Heb 11:22. <br /> D. Moses. Heb 11:24,27. <br /> E. Rahab. Heb 11:31. <br /> F. Gideon &c. Heb 11:32,33,39.<br /><br /><br />Torrey, R. (2001). The new topical text book: A scriptural text book for the use of ministers, teachers, and all Christian workers. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Bible Software. </i></div>
TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512148666413147491.post-19937157784672579072012-11-07T06:32:00.000-08:002012-11-07T06:32:49.170-08:00A Muffler that Makes Sounds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's amazing the simple pleasures of life. What brings you joy? A great cup of java, reuniting with old friends, unexpected savings on a purchase. Oddly enough, my joy came at the low low price of $10 and a landfill. Let me explain, we recently moved into a new house and they left behind a washer that
didn't wash and a dryer that didn't dry and a dishwasher...well you get the idea. Locally, I was able to take the appliances to the landfill for the rock bottom price of $10. After living in Toronto for 6 years, the land of recycle and pro-active environment protection, I have to confess that taking a truck load of junk to the landfill felt a bit weird. But clearing out my garage and starting fresh actually felt great. I drove away exhilarated...the simple pleasures of life.<br />
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I found that I had a few extra minutes before work so I jetted over to the Post Office. Just as I was pulling in, I began to hear this awful noise. I quickly realized it was emanating from my 17 year old truck. I pulled over and decided to ignore the noise and run into the Post Office to beat the other 7 people pulling into the parking lot behind me. The line was 20 people deep and my 10 extra minutes look very small. Fortunately, a new automated stamp machine in the lobby allowed me to bypass the the long line to get back to that hideous noise. As I approach my truck, I found my tailpipe dragging on the ground...thus the noise. I rip off the dragging pipe and hop into the truck. All of the sudden I start laughing uncontrollably. The simple pleasures of life...a clean garage, bypassing a long line at the Post Office and a car problem that can be corrected (ever so temporarily) with a swift yank.<br />
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What's the deep theological application here? There isn't one per se'. It's a simple life living by the grace of God, yielded to His Spirit, and eyes fortunate enough to see and experience the simple pleasures of life. In everything, give thanks. <br />
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Thanks God.<br />
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TruthTeacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02038931749217412861noreply@blogger.com0