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Showing posts from 2013

"Love Me" Prayer

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When we think of praying, we often think of going down a list of important concerns and covering loved ones with God's protection and provision for the day. I want to recommend a simple beginning to your prayer time that you might find an amazing blessing and welcomed change to your prayer life. As you are focusing upon the Lord, ask Him to love you. By AnnaZoey on deviantART Asking God to love you is not a selfish thing. It opens us up to receive His love that is always being poured out toward us. God is love and He desires to love us completely, to fill us with His love. In my years of prayer, I have asked for many things: a new fresh filling of the spirit, to see His glory, to be healed, to know Him; and each of these are appropriate prayers. But, nothing is so absorbing of His presence as to be loved by Him! After I soak in His love, I can overflow His love to others. In being saturated by Him, I function out of security, acceptance and wholeness. Does it matte

The Greatest of These

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I wrote this in 2010 as a guest blogger on a fellow-writer's website. I decided to share it with my blog readers today. The Greatest of These Enjoying a day with my husband of 26 years is something I don’t get enough of during this stage of life our raising teens, but yesterday I enjoying a small two day away trip with him. We drove for about five hours, and as usual I read almost the entire trip. When we arrived at the hotel poked fun at me being the only person in the world that would be as excited about reading a 1917 book I found in an antique store. Original Documents I unofficially call myself a historian, because I  love  to read real life accounts of people. I call them original documents. While they are not an escape or creatively written as fiction, they are true impressions of life as seen through the eyes of the person who lived it. Several of the books of the Bible are eye-witness accounts of life. The Bible is a very historical book. To truly understa

The Missing Message for Seekers on Sunday Mornings

"Lord, hear me, for You are gracious, and Jesus died; I cry to You as a condemned criminal who seeks a pardon. Deliver me from going down into the pit, that I may praise Your name." (Quote from Charles Spurgeon) What would need to happen in Church on Sunday morning for a visitor to kneel down and confess such an argument before GOD? Churches desire seekers to visit their church on Sunday morning. BUT will seekers going to Churches all throughout America on a Sunday morning FIND what every seeker truly needs? Why do churches want visitors? Each church, its leaders and members must ask this question; their answer will shape what they provide on Sunday in a service (or mass). Seekers attend a church looking for something they feel they needs. Why do they go? What do they need? What is a church?  According to the Bible it is a called out body of believers, called out because they are "set apart" from all the other people living in the world at that ti

Jury Duty

Sitting in a pew, not in church. Packed in. Worship - we do not do. Roll called, duty served, we the few. Unknown - brings anticipation. All stand, given oath, say, "I do." Names drawn, one by one - lots are called. Last chair - each filled with average folks. Voir Dire - reasonable questions doubt. Presumed innocent, or hung jury. Bottle is the deadly weapon. Verdict tells who you believe most. Truth sought, tossing coin, two sides told. Threatened, "I'm going to kill you." You all were concerned, were you not. People change, when drinking alcohol. Have you been in a drinking fight? Assess - Don't touch me - fight or flight. Cornered - Can I defend myself? Focus, stand on your own two feet. Can you fight for your conviction? Guilty, not guilty - you decide. Need more than just some evidence. "How 'bout"- likely is, more like not. Anybody have issues with that thought? Wood floors, wood walls, wood doors - enclo

Yom Kippur - What This Day Means To Christians?

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Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement; it begins this Friday evening (September 13) at sundown. This is a holy day in which the entire public Jewish sector of Israel essentially shuts down. While today Israel is mostly a secular State, still millions of Jews will humble themselves by fasting for 25 hours of both food and water. By Wailing Wall by Cyclist on DeviantArt Kippur in Hebrew means "to cover over; to pacify; to make propitiation; to ransom by means of substitute." It should not be hard for Christians to see that Jesus fulfills the need for Yom Kippur; He is our "Kippur." Going back to Biblical times a goat was slain and its blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. A second goat had the sins of the nation confessed over it and then was led far into the Judea desert and released to "bear away" the sins of the people. "Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the

What is a Strong Church?

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Our family has been looking for a church for quite some time.  We have been watching Charles Stanley on TV and love it. He is such a solid preacher. Still we need a church. Below are the points we were given today. After listening to the sermon we examined the churches we have attended the past month or so and in the past attended. While you will never find a perfect church you should look for a strong church. By GrimmDreamArt on Deviantart.com Matthew 16:15-20: 15  He said to them,  “But who do you say that I am?” 16  Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17  Jesus answered and said to him,  “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed  this  to you, but My Father who is in heaven.   18  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.   19  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and w

Shooting Stars and Hearing God Speak

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Star Gazing for Shooting Meteorites   As I write this I am stargazing, or more precisely meteor gazing.  I am thankful for the time I took to take a blanket outside to lie upon my lawn to look up and stare into the skies. It is impossible for me to do this without hearing God's intimate voice overwhelmingly speak to me so many wonderful thoughts. It is true that he is constantly speaking to us and we are simply too distracted and not listening. I recalled the summer I was in Kenya  on a missionary trip and the first night I arrived I went outside and was in awe of HOW MANY stars were actually in the sky. Coming from a rural area of TN, which is not so rural anymore, I have seen stars but never it the brilliance and as numerous as in the Kenya Bush area sky. I am sure it was because we were actually closer to the equator but also because there is not electrical light in the bush of Africa. The sky was filled, every spot covered in shining little diamond like

Can a Christian be Gay? Can a Vegetarian eat Steak?

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This question "Can a Christian be Gay?" is very easy to ask, but (and isn't there always a "but") following it out to the end takes a little more willingness to take an honestly intelligent look at the words of the Bible. Let me pose some questions: Can a Christian be a murderer? Can a Christian steal? Can a Christian be an adulterer? Can a Christian be a liar? The answer is certainly YES! But what does that solve. It is shallow, because it does not ask the real question... though it might suggest it. "To be gay" is to have sex with someone of the same sex, to choose to be sexually active with someone  and have a relationship with this person in the most intimate way possible. The Bible says the two shall become one, meaning obviously one man and one woman.  The physical sexual organs of the male and female body align (fit) most naturally together. A simpleton can clearly tell that this is not so for two woman or two men, h

Where Does Love Begin?

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Love -  it is the craving of all. It is a common need; we must have love in order to be fulfilled in our life. The absence of love creates a vacuum, an endless hole within, a need that must find its abundant source. In all of creation, One meets the satisfaction of this definition... one and only one is the sufficient, boundless, and everlasting source--that one is God. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  1John 4:7 BUT where does LOVE begin? We seek love mostly in people, but after being hurt, rejected and treated ungracefully we convince ourselves that we will never be loved genuinely. We seek love with sex, desires, things, adventures and accomplishments searching to be fulfilled. We try to love over and over, but mess up so much, and get rejected. So where do we start with love? Where does it begin? GOD is birthed in us through Jesus. When we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit--LOVE-- lives

Show Me My Sin - Know Grace

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Grace is the ability to receive undeserved mercy.  Mercy is forgiveness, access, protection or ability granted that did not have to be given. Therefore Grace is receiving forgiveness that is not deserved but granted by the power and benevolence  of the One that is able. God gives grace and mercy.  He is able and worthy to do so, because of Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection. He is the only one able to forgive sins. Sin... a small word. Without sin, grace, mercy and forgiveness is less needed and therefore does not poured out into a person's life. While grace and mercy can still be provided to draw you away from sin or to "for a time" when you are under another's covering, insulate you from temptation, forgiveness is only known by sinners. "Show me my sin"  is a request a person can make if they are serious about knowing God. Sin keeps us apart from God. Sometimes in our life, when we are not sensitive to sin or before we are

Build The WALL First, Mexican American Border

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UPDATE: June 2013 I wrote this post on February 14, 2011; it is now June 2013 and still nothing has been done about building the wall between Mexico and the United States but much has been discussed and plotted about giving Mexicans and other Nationalities that have illegal entered or illegally overstayed their visa to have the right to become an American Citizen. Let us start with the right terminology. A person that enters the country illegally is a foreigner who is breaking the law thus they are rightly called an illegal alien, not an immigrant. An immigrant is one who applies for immigration status and obeys American laws, so let us stop calling lawbreaking foreigners immigrants. If they want the fine status of immigrant they can return to their foreign nation from which they came and apply to come to America as an immigrant legally. American Citizenship is not a right to be tossed about lightly and given to people who come to our country illegally or who are lawbreaker

If I died Tonight - What I want you to know

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None of us know when our last day on earth will be. I was thinking about this and decided to write down what I would want anyone left behind after my death to know: GOD is all that matters.  I know I am going to heaven. It is not because I was good, though I tried to be. It is because God is good and He showed me that He is life. Jesus is God. He was born to live a life without sinning so that he could die to release all humans from the curse of eternal death. I have sinned and so have you, therefore, you and me and every person who ever lives is cursed to eternal damnation, to join the rebellious fallen angels in hell for eternity. But as I said, God is Good, therefore, He became the provision to give us a way to avoid that future. He loves us so much He died for us so that we might live. And He didn't stay dead, He rose from the grave. He beat Satan and death... and made a way for us to do so also. You see it is kinda hard to realize that what is physical in life is

Three Essentials to Prayer - How to Pray?

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Many Christians wonder how to pray. They "try" as they suppose they should. They study prayer topics in the Bible and try again to emulate the "Lord's Prayer" which is an excellent example of the ingredients of prayer...but they are frustrated by the lack of power found in their prayers and the sheer boredom of trying to pray. They hear voices and are confused if they are hearing God, Satan or their own heart desires. Rightly so, they sense their meager attempts to pray are fruitless, and worse, cause them to doubt their faith and question both their own heart and that of the reality of God Himself. Should communicating to the Creator God be so troublesome? Is God not able to communicate to us if He wishes? God is ABLE. Therefore, if God is able then what is wrong? It must be us-- our condition- - our own attitude and actions. While in everything spiritual we are continually growing, here are three essentials to Prayer: Patience Precepts 

Benghazi - Left to Die

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Wood was shattered on the roof Rescue called-- never came through. Told to never doubt this truth They did what they had to do. With the gates torn down, A flashing blaze rushed smoke. They heard the Jihad sound They knew they couldn't choke. Pictures blared round the world Each minute death drew close. Into action their instinct hurled Deep stench filled up their nose. The call went out for help They kept looking to the sky, Not ever thinking of them-self. Brave men were left to die. Disgrace is the only medal He should wear upon his chest Rome burned, Nero fiddled Barak denied their request. The devil danced in the street, The Ambassador tossed thru crowds, Brave heroes never accept defeat, They fought and made us proud. Our President brought us shame, Plotting lies while Americans died, Now dodging personal blame, But, we --the citizen-- know he's lied. Redeemer of Righteousness Hear our plea before Your throne, Expose truth

Always Right = A Fool

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Do you know a fool? Do you live with one? Are you one? If you think you might be a fool, that is a huge sign that you are not. A fool thinks he is always right and would never ponder on the fact that he might be one. But you might feel like a fool because you live with a fool or someone very close to you is a fool. Do you know someone who is so self-confident that they are always right? Now I am not talking about a teenager that naturally goes through the 'I am right, parents are dumb' stage. We all have periods of foolishness in our life. It can be hard to love someone through a foolish period, but tough love will not cater to the whims of foolish whimpers and cave in with giving what they want rather than saying or encouraging what they need. A fool is deceitful. Every Christian knows it is wrong to be deceitful because Satan is the father of lies and deceit. To be deceitful is to follow the father of lies. Just yesterday I heard that Sun Tzu in the Art of War sa

Daily - One Thing A Christian Has to Do

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Religious duties are drudgery and have nothing to do with Jehovah God - Jesus - of the Holy Bible. Most certainly many in the name of God, claiming to represent Him, have laid down upon man many religious musts and don'ts, but let me be clear... we have only one thing to do: TO EXPERIENCE a life of RELATIONSHIP and INTIMACY with GOD! I say that as though it is a simple, common thing that can be done by any person... and it can. That in itself is the mystery of grace that is boundless and sufficient for all. Yes, yes, that sounds like religiosity... the mystery of grace.... boundless and sufficient for all is about as simple for most to understand as how one is to practically and daily experience a LIFE of relationship and intimacy with God. But that is precisely what I am saying can be done and must be done in order to be a Christian. While discipline is important, religious duties are not in the least pleasing to God unless we are practicing steps of discipleship