tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27077856327400464852024-02-08T12:33:40.354-06:00Titus 2 Ministry...encouraging other women in their walk of faith.Older women are to be reverent in behavior...teach what is good...encourage young women. Titus 2:3-4, HCSBKayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comBlogger236125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-45405034513171605032015-03-03T06:31:00.002-06:002015-03-03T06:31:10.344-06:00Pray Through Nineveh<div class="MsoNormal">
Presently, I find myself facing two impossible tasks. By
impossible I mean two things, very honestly, I just cannot do on my own. I want
to quit; I want to run away; I want to hide. So why don’t I? Because I know
without a doubt, God has called me to both these tasks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This morning as I was just beginning to awaken, that point
when you’re still really asleep but the point when unconscious thoughts are
just beginning to mingle with conscious thoughts, these three words popped into
my mind, “Pray through Nineveh.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The words startled me into full consciousness because I knew
instantly, God had spoken to me. He spoke into my distress; He spoke into my
unwillingness to move forward; He spoke directly to me and spoke to my lack of
faith.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pray through Nineveh. Pray through—you will make it to the
other side. The Lord heard my prayers and has answered my concerns about these
impossible tasks. He is with me; He’s got this. He’s brought me to it and He’s
going to see me through it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe God honors impossible prayers about impossible
situations because nothing is impossible for our great and awesome God; He is
the Creator; the Beginning of everything. When we pray through and look back,
without a doubt we know and proclaim the victory is His; He alone has done it.
He alone receives the glory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white;">This is what Paul
had to say, “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in
prayer.” Romans 12:12, HCSB<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">From Paul to the
Ephesians, he prays for them that, “you may know…what is the immeasurable greatness
of His power to us who believe,” Ephesians 1:19, HCSB.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">And finally Paul’s
prayer for the Colossians, “May you be strengthened with all power, according
to His glorious might…,” Colossians 1:11, HCSB.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">Pray through Nineveh. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-30678773995881284442015-02-28T06:58:00.003-06:002015-02-28T06:58:42.744-06:00Let us Not Grow Weary...<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". Galatians 6:9</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Wow! I have seen the Lord moving and working in my life so much recently; convicting me, teaching me, guiding me. Listening very recently to Laura Story's song, "Blessings", I am reminded that the Lord teaches us through brokenness...it is like exercising; breaking down that muscle, then resting it so that it grows stronger. That's exactly how I feel.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Many times the Lord will allow us to come to a place of brokenness in our lives because He wants us to be totally dependent upon Him and Him alone. God made us with the ability to crave, but He never intended for us to crave anything more than we crave Him. We are meant to rely upon Him!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Through this period of testing God has shown me my pride. He has shown me how concerned I've been about how well I was perceived in the ministry; about how "good" I looked to others. Ouch! It was a lesson I needed.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My prayer: "Lord, in the name of Jesus, You've revealed my pride-fullness to me. I confess; heal and forgive Lord. I give my life to You anew for Your will, Your way, Your honor, Your glory."</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have also learned humility through the hurtful actions of others toward some very godly friends of mine. They were attacked by other believers, and yet their reaction was so full of grace and mercy and humbleness. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have learned, through watching them, the walk of faith can be difficult. I have learned that not only will non-believers attack you, but believers will attack you as well. (The devil loves to blind the eyes of believers for his purposes. Therefore, speak love; speak forgiveness into the lives of others.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Remember when the going gets tough, rough, and hurtful, it does not necessarily mean that you aren't exactly where God wants you to be. Endure. Persevere. God will see you through. We will experience difficulties walking, working, where and in what God has called us to do. Jesus experienced persecution; so will we.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The Apostle Paul was literally throw out of town after town. He just moved on, by the grace of God, to the next town and continued to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. If we give up, we risk missing the blessings that are waiting on the other side.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58</span></span></span></div>
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Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-65139586427639125272014-09-16T07:05:00.001-05:002014-09-16T07:05:34.963-05:00Living Under the Influence<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">I told the ladies in Sunday School this past week that at age 57 I am still living under the influence of two Christian grandmothers, both of whom passed away many years ago. I believe I still benefit from the prayers they lifted up on my behalf, the love they bestowed on me, and the many lessons I gleaned from their daily walk of faith. I well remember the first Bible verse I committed to memory, Psalm 122:1--"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD". My MawMaw Woodard was driving me to church; she repeated the verse for me; I memorized it immediately and have never forgotten it. She also went on to teach me many other verses such as, "What time I am afraid I will trust in thee.", Psalm 56:3.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> These ladies shaped my life and I remain truly grateful for their influence.</span>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-57885829053412472402014-06-18T08:31:00.000-05:002014-06-18T08:31:00.356-05:00The Bible--God's Amazing Story!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Note: I wrote this
little post back in February of this year but just now adding it to the blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The more I read the
Bible the more I want to read it. And the more I read the Bible the more in awe
I become of our Almighty God. Right now I'm reading through Exodus, but having
just finished reading the book of Revelation in December, I am totally amazed
at how verses toward the beginning of this great library of books directs us to
verses in the last book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #37404e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Exodus 15, (my favorite verses here ar<span class="textexposedshow">e 1-3, 11, 13, 17-18), "Israel's Song", is
reminiscence of the worship of the One in the throne room of heaven and indeed,
Revelation 15: 3 says, "They sang the song of God's servant Moses and the
song of the Lamb..."<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">Exodus 28 tells that Aaron and his sons are to be
set apart to serve the Lord as priests. Their priestly attire would include
turbans and on the turbans a gold medallion engraved with the words, “Holy to
the Lord”. Fast forward to 1 Peter 2 where we read believers in Christ are a
royal priesthood who offer up spiritual sacrifices to God, (v.5). Fast forward
again to Revelation 22, verse 4 which says, “They will see His face, and His
name will be on their foreheads.” (His name on our foreheads; how cool is
that?!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">Today I read in Exodus 33, verse 33, “The LORD
replied to Moses: “I will erase whoever has sinned against Me from My book.” Revelation
3:4-5 tells of those who “will walk with Me in white, because they are
worthy…and I will never erase his name from the book of life…”</span><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">The Bible, God’s Story; Amazing! Be a part of it!</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-78957345607901713302014-06-17T12:20:00.002-05:002014-06-18T07:55:22.389-05:00Stop! Wait! -or- Out of the Mouths of Babes<div class="MsoNormal">
“Make Your ways known to me, LORD; teach me Your paths.
Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I
wait for You all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5, HCSB<o:p></o:p></div>
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This past weekend I took two of my grandchildren to a local
park. My grandchildren and I decided to walk to the park bridge, turn around
and walk back. The walk to the bridge was uneventful. Claire, the four-year-old
ran a little ahead of me, but close enough that I felt I was within a safe
distance of her. On the return trip however, Claire began running and getting farther
and farther ahead of me; in fact, so far ahead of me that I was concerned for
her safety. I kept calling, “Claire! Stop! Stop running! Wait!” Instead of
doing as I asked, she rebelliously looked back over her shoulders while in
mid-stride and shouted, “I can’t hear you!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I quickly phoned my husband who was waiting for us to return.
I told him to come back to the trail and stop Claire’s all out dash to
who-knows-where. Thankfully, disaster was
averted—my husband made it back to the trail and Claire stopped running when
she got back to the spot where we had started our walk. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Later, contemplating Claire’s little misadventure, I
thought, “How guilty am I of doing the same thing in my spiritual life?” I ask the Lord for guidance, but then I find
myself running ahead and rebelliously looking back over my
shoulders shouting to the Lord, “I can’t hear you!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Very recently I was faced with a big decision. I felt the
Holy Spirit nudging me to step down from a leadership position within an
organization where I am a year-round volunteer. But truthfully, I did not want
to step down—I was rebelliously refusing to listen to what the Holy Spirit was
speaking into my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What happened? Within just a few months of saying I would
continue in the position, I became ill and was unable to work. I had to
step-aside for what I thought would be a few weeks. In that short hiatus, I began
to ask myself if the Lord had allowed this situation to come into my life in
order to get my attention about something in particular. I’m a big fan of praying the Scripture so I began
to pray, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See
if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm
139:23-24) <o:p></o:p></div>
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As I considered that perhaps my season of serving in that
particular position has passed, I also thought surely the Lord did not mean for
me to give up a position I valued so much! Because, after all, if I didn't do
the job, who would? Within that unguarded moment, I caught a
glimpse of my lack of faith and my pride. I was ashamed and repentant. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anytime we refuse to follow God’s will and way for our life,
we literally say to the Almighty Sovereign God, “I know best.” (I’m horrified
even as I type that statement). How dare I? How dare I run rebelliously ahead,
at my own peril, to who-knows-where, and look back over my shoulder to say, “I
can’t hear you”—which translated means, “I am not going to listen to you
because I don’t want to do so!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Out of the mouths of babes…sometimes the Lord speaks to us
through the circumstances around us and the actions of others…even
four-year-olds!<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Yahweh, our Lord, how magnificent is Your name throughout
the earth! You have covered the heavens with Your majesty. Because of Your
adversaries, You have established a stronghold from the mouths of children and
nursing infants to silence the enemy and the avenger.” Psalm 8:1-2, HCSB<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the Name above all other names, I thank you Lord for
loving me; thank you for Your grace, Your mercy, and Your love. Thank You for
teaching me Your way; thank You for Your faithfulness even when I am not
faithful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Note: I stepped down from the leadership position but
the Lord has blessed me by allowing me to continue to serve in this particular
ministry as a team member. The Holy Spirit also brought to my attention other areas of my life where I have not been obedient. I'm so thankful for the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit as I listen, repent, and obey. (Thank-you Lord!)</div>
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Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-10451028155743942252013-10-17T12:39:00.001-05:002014-06-16T09:34:49.000-05:00The Reason For My Hope<div class="MsoNormal">
"But honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." 1 Peter 3:15, HCSB</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Constantly fearful—that’s how I
describe my life before trusting Christ. The fear was an overshadowing,
consuming fear that enveloped and surrounded me; it was my constant companion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I was no stranger to church as a child and had actually
"walked the aisle" at six-years of age. I had no idea what I was
doing. It was only as I grew older and the Holy Spirit began to deal with me
and convict me of the sin in my life did I realize something was missing. I had
no inner peace, joy or hope in my life. Through the prompting of the Holy
Spirit I began to realize I was desperately in need of salvation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I moved into adolescence, my family’s church attendance
became sporadic. But when a new pastor and his family came to minister at a
church near my home, my younger sister became friends with one of the pastor’s
daughters. My sister began to attend church regularly and I followed her lead. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The summer I came to know Christ as Lord and Savior I was 15
years old. That summer my sister and I attended a church camp in East Texas. I
remember all week long the weather had been terrible; one severe thunderstorm
after another. The stormy weather just served to exacerbate my longstanding anxiety.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One night in particular during that week I was deeply
convicted of sin. My pastor’s wife stood beside my bed, counseling me and praying
over me. As she walked away from my bed that night I begin to pray, very urgently,
"Lord, I know I’ve done wrong things; I know I’m a sinner. Please forgive
me, Lord. I need You. Please come and live inside my heart forever."<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t recall if the weather cleared but I do know this; the
storm within me disappeared. When I gave my life to Christ, the peace that
passes all understanding came into my heart and life, (Philippians 4:7). I gained
inner peace and joy that I had never experienced before. You too can know the
hope, peace, and joy that only Christ can give. Won't you invite Him into your
heart today?<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-14444510545144530482012-06-19T12:34:00.002-05:002012-06-19T16:43:01.662-05:00The Song<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This year I’m
reading through the Holman Christian Standard Study Bible. It’s a great Bible,
full of commentaries, cross-references, word studies, maps, charts, etc. In
fact, it is so full of study aids and helps; I don’t think I’ll make it through
the entire Bible this year.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last week,
in my reading, I came to the Song of Songs or the Song of Solomon. It is a very
short book but it is accompanied by tons of commentary in the HCSB Study Bible.
</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But still, I
dug into it and came away with a revelation I had not noticed
before when reading through the book. God is so good and I’ll get to that part
of the story in just a moment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As many of
you probably know, the Song is a love poem between Solomon and the Shulamite
maiden, who was believed to have been Solomon’s first wife. The Song is a
celebration of romantic love, as God intended it to be. Much later the writer
of Hebrews, in chapter 13, verse 4, would pen these words: “Marriage is
honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God
will judge.”</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Also, from the New
Testament, the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your
wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her”, NKJV. In
the same vein, the Song of Solomon is thought by many to be an allegory of God’s
love for Israel and/or Christ’s love for the church. The HCSB Study Bible
comments in the introduction of the book say that it “reflects God’s desire to form
within us a pure and a devoted love…that there is a bliss in married love that
is reflective of the greater love believers experience as the bride of Christ”.</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Reading all this
has given me a new appreciation for the Song of Solomon. However, what touched
me greatly when reading through the book this time that I had never noticed
before was the revelation that the Shulamite maiden who married the great King
Solomon, was a commoner, an obscure nobody. The maiden worked in the vineyard for
her brothers who had rented the vineyard from Solomon (1:6 and 8:11).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why is this
so exciting and beautiful to me? You think I’ve lost my mind don’t you? But
dear friends, this is a reflection of us—Christ reaches out to us in divine,
perfect love. We are nobody! We have nothing with which to recommend ourselves to the
King of Heaven! Yet in His grace and mercy and love, He seeks us out; He
reaches down to us in the muck and the mire; our own righteousness as filthy rags
(Isaiah 64:6).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who am I
that Christ would notice me and love me? Who am I that God would love “<span class="woj">the world in this way: (that) He gave His One and Only Son, so that
everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life”, John 3:16,
HCSB.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear
friends, I am nobody but somebody that God loves and furthermore, “We love Him
because He first loved us,” 1 John 4:19. Is that not beautiful? Now can you get
excited with me about that? I am nobody but somebody that Christ loves and so
are you! If you haven’t already done so, open your heart to Christ today. Confess your belief in Christ; repent of your sins; invite Him into your heart to live forever and
become a child of the King.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you do
know Christ as Lord and Savior, then celebrate with me that, “He chose us in
Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus
Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of
the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved,” Ephesians
5:4-6, NKJV.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-10720096523555489802012-06-13T09:24:00.000-05:002012-06-13T12:07:02.124-05:00The Prayer of Jesus<span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently I was reading John 17, which I absolutely love. This
is the real “Lord’s Prayer” as opposed to the model prayer which Jesus taught
His disciples (Matt. 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4). Jesus’ prayer in John 17 can be
divided into three parts—Jesus’ prayer for Himself in verses 1-5; His prayer
for His disciples in verses 6-19 and His prayer for future believers in verses
20-26.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In verses 17-19, Jesus is praying about the disciples and
speaks of sanctification. "Sanctify them (the disciples) by Your truth.
Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into
the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be
sanctified by the truth."</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">John MacArthur's commentary (The MacArthur Daily Bible) on
the verse 17 says sanctification means the setting apart for a particular use
or purpose. Jesus was set apart—He was in the world but not of the
world. And if the disciples hadn’t realized it before, they would learn quickly
following the death and resurrection of Christ that they were in the world but
not of the world too. They would learn the world hated them just as it had hated
Jesus.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Believers learn through the process of
sanctification that we are in the world but not of the world—Jesus says we are set
apart by the truth of the word of God. The apostle John would write in chapter 20, verse 31, “but these (words) are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may
have life in His name.” Yes, set apart because of grace through faith in Jesus Christ.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course, I love the verses in John 17 where Jesus is
praying about me—verses 20-26. Just think, all those many years ago, Jesus prayed
about me—and not only me but also about all future New Testament believers. He
prayed, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will
believe in Me through their word (the disciples—re-read John
20:31 above); that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as
We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and
that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have
love Me."</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wow; perfect unity with God the Father, God the Son, God
the Holy Spirit, and other true believers. Now that makes my heart sing with
joy! And I sincerely pray that it makes your heart sing too!</span></span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-77073195978184684892012-05-18T07:34:00.001-05:002012-05-18T07:34:52.713-05:00King Jesus<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“And your
house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne
shall be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:16, NKJV</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This morning
I was reading in the book of 2 Samuel 7. If you are a Bible scholar, (I am not),
you should automatically think, “Davidic Covenant”. The Davidic Covenant is God’s
irrevocable promise, (all God’s promises, are,
of course, irrevocable!) that a king from the line of David would rule forever.
This king, King Jesus, would later be described by the prophet Isaiah in these
way:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be
vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness
from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Reading this
makes my heart jump within me! Can you imagine how David must have felt when
Nathan, the prophet revealed to him the Lord’s words? He was excited; he was
humbled; he was awed; and he was thankful. 2 Samuel 7:18-28, NKJV, tells us
that “King David went in and sat before the Lord” to pray.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">David begins
by saying, “Who am I, O Lord my God? And what is my house, that You have
brought me this far?” What humility! David recognizes that man is not able to
make such promises, only God, who is Sovereign, can make such promises. Further,
David recognizes the blessings of God in the revelation, itself, of the
promises.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the
praises begin! “You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, nor is
there any God besides You.” “You redeemed for Yourself”, Israel, for “Your very
own people forever” to show Your “great and awesome deeds.” “So let Your name
be magnified forever.” “O Lord God, You are God and Your words are
true”.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What a
wonderful passage and the blessing revealed is beyond comprehension—King Jesus!
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that
everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16,
HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you know
Him? If not, do not delay…He’s waiting for you, right now. EVERYONE (that includes you) “who
believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-84318461987400032022012-05-03T13:55:00.002-05:002012-05-03T13:55:50.971-05:00Spiritual Fitness<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will
of God,” Romans 12:2, HCSB.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our bodies
are designed for activity—physically and mentally. Activity keeps the cob-webs
at bay and helps us function more efficiently and effectively. Activity is to
our bodies and minds what lubricant is to machinery.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An article
entitled, “Why is Exercise Important”, on </span><a href="http://www.healthdiscovery.net/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.healthdiscovery.net</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, states if we
don’t use our bodies, our muscles become weak and flabby, our heart and lungs
won’t function efficiently and our joints will become stiff and more prone to
injury. An April 25, 2012 article from </span><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.sciencedaily.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,
“Protecting Your Brain: ‘Use It or Lose It’, says “those who are more mentally
active or maintain an active cognitive lifestyle throughout their lives are at
lower risk” for dementia.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If activity
is of such great importance for the fitness of the body and brain, which have a
limited lifespan, then how much greater should be the attention given to the
spiritual fitness and well-being of the Christian life when the consideration
of time is eternity. What activities can we as Christians, undertake for
spiritual fitness?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Certainly, without
daily prayer it would be impossible to be spiritually fit. Paul admonished the
Thessalonians, “Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through
prayer we commune with God; through prayer we offer praise, adoration, and
worship to our Lord; we thank Him for our many blessings; we make our requests
known to Him; and through prayer we confess and repent of wrongdoing, (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:12&version=HCSB"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Matthew
6:12</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">). Dr. Charles Stanley has written, “Salvation makes a way for us to
enter God’s presence, while regular confession and repentance keep the pathway
well maintained and free of obstruction.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“If I had
been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However,
God has listened; He has paid attention to the sound of my prayer. May God be
praised! He has not turned away my prayer or turned His faithful love from me,”
Psalm 66:18-20, HCSB. Daily prayer is certainly necessary for spiritual fitness
and our daily walk of faith.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another essential
in pursuit of God and a life of spiritual fitness is reading the Bible daily. God’s
Word enables us to face the difficulties of life; it is our firm foundation in
all circumstances. Through the Scripture we learn about the character of God,
His will, His way, His promises—through study and application of Biblical
truths we gain spiritual maturity; godly wisdom, and spiritual discernment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“How can a
young man keep his way pure? By keeping Your word. I have sought You with all
my heart; don’t let me wander from Your commands. I have treasured Your word in
my heart so that I may not sin against You. LORD, may You be praised; teach me
Your statutes,” Psalm 119:9-12, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“All
Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for
correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be
complete, equipped for every good work,” 2 Timothy 3:16-17, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also crucial
to spiritual fitness is fellowship with other believers. “And let us be
concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not
staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging
each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near,” Hebrews
10:24-25, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through
unity with other believers we find support, friendship, encouragement, and love;
through fellowship with others we discover opportunities to share, serve, mentor,
and minister to others. We also have the opportunity to be ministered to and
the opportunity to learn from other believers.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While I
believe the above are absolute necessities to spiritual fitness, it is certainly
not an exhaustive list. Each of us has certain things we do regularly to
maintain spiritual vitality. My own routine each morning is to pray, read my
Bible, and then walk while listening to contemporary Christian music. I value
this time in the mornings alone with God; just praising and worshiping Him. It
sets the tone for my entire day.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’d love to
hear what you do for spiritual fitness. Please share with me your favorite
activities for staying in good shape spiritually.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-38633958320847982982012-04-24T12:08:00.000-05:002012-04-24T13:58:33.248-05:00The Duck Test<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You may be asking yourself, “What is the
duck test?” Well, the duck test is an inductive reasoning assessment that goes
like this: </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">If you see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a
duck and quacks like a duck, then the bird must be a duck.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Unfortunately, the duck test is not completely accurate. As you well know, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">hypocrisy runs rampant in our society.
We see it in the spin of the news media; we see it in the faux promises of
politicians; we see it in job-seekers embellishing their resumes—I’ll stop here
because giving you a comprehensive list of examples would take too long. For
the sake of brevity, I’ll simply give you the definition of hypocrisy, (please
forgive me for insulting your intelligence).</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From the internet
web-site </span><a href="http://www.dictionary.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.dictionary.com</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, hypocrisy is defined as <span style="color: #333333;">a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or
religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess; or</span><b><span style="color: #7b7b7b;"> </span></b><span style="color: #333333;">a pretense of
having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">No surprises there and it is also no surprise that Jesus
preached against hypocrisy during His ministry on earth; the Pharisees being
particular targets. Just one example of this is found in Matthew 23:17, HCSB,
where Jesus says, “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Woe
to you, scribes and Pharisees, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">hypocrites</span>!
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but
inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People
appearing to be what they are not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 is
another example of people appearing to be what they are not. The five wise
virgins not only looked the part, they were also prepared. The foolish virgins also
looked the part; in fact, they looked exactly like the wise virgins; however,
when it came time to meet the groom they were not only unprepared, but it was also
discovered they were not even known by the groom—they were imposters!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Mark
11:12-14, Jesus cursed the barren fig tree for not providing what its appearance
promised—fruit. Since the tree was already full of leaves, Jesus went to see,
“if perhaps He would find something on it”, (Mark 11:13). Finding no fruit, He
cursed the tree.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Jesus says we are recognized by our fruit. In John 15:5-8, He
tells us if we remain in Him and Him in us, we will produce “much” fruit and
that the Father is glorified by this. Furthermore, by this we are proved to be
His disciples…not imposters, but true Disciples of Christ!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As Christians we should
daily invite the Lord to examine our hearts and motives to see if there is any
offensive way within us, (Psalm 139:23-24). For you can be sure others are
watching us to see if we are truly what we appear to be; if we are truly what
we profess to be. In other words, if you say you are a duck; then be a duck and
don’t get caught acting like a goose! After all, we are ambassadors of Christ, 2
Corinthians 5:20.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Make Your ways known to me, LORD; teach me Your paths.
Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation”.
Psalm 25:4-5, HCSB</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Precious Lord,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You see our hearts, You know our
motives; give us clean hands and a pure heart to know and walk in Your ways, to
obey You—quickly, sweetly, and completely; to worship and glorify You, and to
serve You always; in Jesus’ name. Amen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">God bless!</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-2399991874603429922012-02-27T08:25:00.000-06:002012-04-17T07:58:30.741-05:00Keep Your House Clean<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You must
not harbor hatred against your brother... Do not take revenge or bear a grudge
against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am
Yahweh. Leviticus 19:17-18, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently I read
a blog post by Max Lucado about hoarders. He spoke of how hoarders save
everything. He then went on to compare these hoarders with those that “collect”
hard feelings toward others in their heart. This struck a chord with me, because
at one time, I too, was a “collector” of harsh feelings toward others in my own
heart. I allowed this to happen even though I am a Christian and have been for
many years.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope you
are horrified and appalled by that statement; in fact, this is the point where,
if you were driving, you would see barricades, flashing red and yellow lights
and signs reading, “Caution” and “Danger”. Or perhaps, a little less dramatically,
you may ask yourself, “Do I have this problem?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you’ve
ever watched the reality shows on television about hoarders, you may have
noticed they usually refer to themselves as collectors. The title of collector
seems an innocuous one; yet these people “collect” to their detriment. In
extreme cases their very lives are in danger and in all cases their lives would
benefit from a good cleansing; an extracting from the filth, rot, and decay
that surrounds them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The same may
be said of those who collect hard feelings—they refuse to let go of past hurts
and wrongs until, before they know it, they find themselves in need of a good
cleansing. Upon careful examination of their hearts they find they are living with
rot and decay; they discover themselves in the midst of the foul refuse that accumulates
when harsh feelings are left to sit, soak, and stew until every part of their
life has been permeated.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think of it like
this—when you hold something close to your heart and you nurture it, that thing
is going to grow. It will grow, whether it is good or it bad, because you have
sheltered it; you’ve feed it; and you’ve protected it. How could it not grow?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just as
hoarders need help to clean their homes; those who hoard the hurts of the past
need Christ to cleanse their hearts. Just as when we first came to Christ, we
must come to Him with genuine, sincere confession and repentance asking for forgiveness.
We must also forgive others so that we may receive the forgiveness we so
desperately need ourselves.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus said,
“So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that
your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the
altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer
your gift,” Matthew 5:23-24, HCSB, and in the model prayer, Jesus taught, “And
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”, Matthew 6:12,
HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As
Christians, we need to make a habit of asking God to reveal hidden areas of sin
in our lives, and then confessing, repenting, and receiving forgiveness for
those sins. Then within the grace, mercy, and transforming power of the Holy
Spirit we are enabled to love others as Christ loves us—with a pure heart—sacrificially
and selflessly.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a call
to holy living, the Apostle Peter puts it like this: “By obedience to the
truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one
another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again—not of
perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of
God,” 1 Peter 1:22-23, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amen and God
bless!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A Note of
Confession: After I had written this but before it had been posted I had an argument
with my brother for which I had to confess
and repent. I tell you this to say this one thing…I am an ordinary woman with
an ordinary life, but I write because I am compelled to share with you what the
Holy Spirit has revealed to me of our great, awesome, and extraordinary God! As
repeated so many times in the Bible, “The LORD is good and His mercy endures
forever.” This is true for ordinary me…and it can be true for you too…just by
inviting Christ into your heart…please do so today.</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-31117362584233751732012-02-13T11:46:00.000-06:002012-02-13T11:49:24.319-06:00Living in a State of Grace<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the
cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside
the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the
stages of their journey. Exodus 40:38, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I presently
work in a volunteer position in which I believe God has called me. Last night,
as I was thinking about a training session I’m to be involved in later today, I
suddenly began to feel overwhelmed by it all and my brain was screaming, “What
were you thinking?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately,
the Holy Spirit quickly stepped in with the answer, “Kaye, you knew all along
you could not do this on your own. But you knew that I would be with you;
leading, guiding, speaking; working the will of the Father through you. That’s
what faith is about. Lean on Me; depend on Me; trust in Me; I will not
disappoint; I will carry you through.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sweet
relief; sweet peace! As I read my Bible this morning, I was reminded the Lord promises
to dwell among His people. When the children of Israel were traveling in the
wilderness, God promised He would dwell among them, Exodus 29:45-46. Thousands
of years later, Jesus reaffirms the promise in Matthew 28:20, HCSB, “And
remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We can also live
in the knowledge God never changes. The prophet Samuel, speaking to Saul, tells
him: “…the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not
man who changes his mind,” I Samuel 15:29, HCSB. Furthermore, God, Himself,
speaking to the prophet Malachi, says: “I, Yahweh, have not changed,” Malachi
3:6a, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Though the
Devil tries to deceive us with doubt, fear, and lies we have the assurance of
God’s Word which says, He will not leave us and He does not change! I don’t
know about you but that fills my heart with peace and gladness!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No doubt,
concern Timothy might experience moments of doubt and fear in his ministry, the
Apostle Paul, reminds Timothy, we are not to be afraid, but we are to exercise
the spiritual gifts God bestows upon each of us as believers. Paul reminds
Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power,
love, and sound judgment,” 2 Timothy 1:7, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because of God’s
great love for us, we live constantly in a state of grace. As believers
justified through the blood of Christ, let us live passionately for Him,
knowing the Holy Spirit, resides within us, shaping us into the likeness of our
precious Savior. As followers of Christ, fear and doubt have no place in our
lives. Let us live intentionally for Him, waiting expectantly on Him, knowing
He will bring to completion the good work He began in each of us, Philippians
1:6. Amen!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-84611037808003344392012-02-09T09:39:00.002-06:002012-02-09T09:41:03.856-06:00Be Nice To You Friens<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Above all, keep
fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">multitude</span> of sins. 1 Peter 4:8, NASB</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I went to a
retreat this weekend and received a book on leadership written by Ken Blanchard
and Mark Miller entitled, “The Secret”. I enjoyed the book very much and
without giving away everything the book has to say I can tell you the big
secret is that we lead others best through serving them. Or as my two-year-old
granddaughter aptly puts it, “Be nice to you friens”. Yes, be nice; genuinely
nice; be kind; be considerate; be compassionate.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or better yet, love
one another, just as Jesus commanded us to do. Jesus, the ultimate example of
the servant leader said that we are to love others as He first loved us. In fact,
not only are we to love our friends, but we are to love our enemies as well, Matthew
5:44; and because of this love we have for one another, people will know we are
disciples of Jesus, John 13: 34-35.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Surely we would
all agree service to others would be easier with love in our hearts. But how do
we obtain the kind of love that helps us to love our enemies and pray for those
who would spitefully use us? Honestly, it can be difficult to love others in
general; but to love our enemies seems…unrealistic.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is it
unrealistic? Dare I say, impossible? Both these answers are completely accurate
without the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit abiding within us.
Jeremiah 17:9 calls the heart deceitful above all else and even incurable.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, Jeremiah
continues by crying out to the Lord, saying, “Heal me LORD and I will be
healed; save me and I will be saved,” verse 14, HCSB. Jeremiah knew what the
heart of man was capable of without God, but he was also keenly aware of the
healing power of the Almighty.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, it is God
who enables us to love one another, 1 Thessalonians 4:9. It is through
obedience to Christ we can sincerely love our brothers earnestly from a pure
heart, 1 Peter 1:22. The Apostle John tells us, “love is from God, and everyone
who loves has been born of God and knows God,” 1 John 4:7, and “If we love one
another, God remains in us and His love is perfected in us,” 1 John 4:12, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is through the
Lord that our faith flourishes and that our love for one another increases, 2
Thessalonians 1:3. It is through the strength of Christ we can do all things,
Philippians 4:13; through Christ we are able to become servant-leaders; we are
able to “be nice to you friens” and love our enemies. Praise God we have the assurance
that, “with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,”
Matthew 19:26.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amen and God
bless!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">p.s. My granddaughter,
Claire, also says, “Don’t bite you friens,” which aligns very nicely with the “Be
nice to you friens” rule.</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-45064481378864466942012-01-27T09:36:00.002-06:002012-01-27T09:40:33.908-06:00My Healer, My Redeemer<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Humble
yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you.” James 4:10, HCSB*</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wednesday night
at church our pastor spoke on the topic, “The Requirements for Healing” using 2
Chronicles 7 as the scripture reference, verse 14 as the focal verse. As God’s
children we must humble ourselves, seek God’s face and repent. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">IF</i></b>
we do this, God will hear our pray, forgive, and provide healing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The promise
of the blessing, healing, is conditional upon, humility, seeking God, and
repentance. We must not expect the fulfillment of the promise if the conditions
of the promise are not met. And yet, many times, pridefully, we do, and then we
obstinately wonder, what went wrong. However, genuine humility, heartfelt
repentance, and total surrender, and thus obedience to God’s will and way in
our lives are absolutely essential to our daily walk of faith.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In humbling
ourselves before God there must be a stripping away of all that which is not
useful—that which we have stubbornly clung to in pride. Pride is the enemy that
attempts to elevate humanity to the level of God; but instead it is the cause
of the disastrous and ruinous fall of man, (Isaiah 14:12-15). Pride, the best
tool in Satan’s bag of tricks, (followed closely by doubt) has been used from
the beginning to cause mankind to stumble.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recall the
serpent’s words to Eve, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1) and further, “Your
eyes will be opened and you will be like God,” (v. 5). Hence, pride is a snare
for us and will continue to be so this side of eternity.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Luke 9:23,
Jesus speaking, says, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself,
take up his cross daily, and follow me. To me, this says the stripping away of
our personal pride must be a daily act of obedience. This is Christ’s call to
us as Christians for total surrender in following Him.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friends do
not be discouraged; no matter how big our pride may be, God’s grace is always bigger!
Praise God for His infinite, all-sufficient grace. James tells us in chapter 4,
verses 6 and 7, that God “gives greater grace...God resists the proud, but
gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God.” Further, “Draw near to God,
and He will draw near to you…Purify your hearts,” v. 8; and finally, “Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you,” v. 10.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In closing,
I’ll leave you with these words penned by Julia H. Johnston, in the early 1900’s:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marvelous grace of our loving Lord; Grace
that exceeds our sin and our guilt!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grace that will pardon and cleanse
within; Grace that is greater than all our sin!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marvelous,
infinite, matchless grace; freely bestowed on all who believe!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">*HCSB used unless otherwise stated.</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-13323759798520881482012-01-24T09:51:00.005-06:002012-01-24T15:23:38.179-06:00Once a Prodigal, Now Home<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Alternate
title: Why I Love Operation Christmas Child)*</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I came
back home five years ago I was bruised, beaten-up and broken. I had never
intended to come back to Red River Parish nor did I intend to come back to
Martin Baptist Church. But God had a different plan. His plan for me was one of
reconciliation, healing, renewal, and recommitment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I came back with
a heart filled with bitterness. Even I didn’t realize the extent of my
bitterness. I had spent years building walls between myself and whatever I
found unpleasant and I had become an expert at doing so.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I began
to get back into church, the Holy Spirit began tugging at my heart and
softening the hardened places within me. One Wednesday night Piper Welch was
leading a women’s Bible study and the subject of bitterness came up. Piper said
that bitterness was akin to hatred. I knew I was somewhat bitter, but hatred? I
was a Christian; how could I possibly have hatred in my heart?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I went home
that night enlightened; a blazing light burning in my mind…and in my heart. With
great clarity I realized that for years I had been giving lip-service
to the act of forgiving others. Years of unforgiveness had built-up inside my
heart and had turned into a rock-hard bitterness.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Only when I
repented of this un-confessed sin in my life was I able to truly forgive others,
forget how I had been injured and enjoy the forgiveness I so desperately needed.
The healing process began.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
recommitted my life to Christ and began to pray daily that I fully surrender to
His leadership; to His will and His way. I prayed to be filled with the Holy
Spirit. My speech changed; my taste in music and other forms of entertainment changed.
I began to read my Bible again and for the first time ever, I read the Bible
from cover to cover.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today I find
myself longing for God. I have discovered for myself what James meant when he
wrote, “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Draw near to God, and He will draw
near to you.” James 4:8a, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The more I learn about our great and
awesome God, the more I want to learn. I believe it is a craving that will not
be satisfied this side of eternity. I believe it is the spiritual craving of
the redeemed for the Redeemer; I believe the spiritual soul seeks nourishment
just as a newborn creature seeks nourishment from it mother.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I understand what David meant when he
wrote:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“God, You are my God; I eagerly seek
You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You ...” Psalm 63:1, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God brought me back home; back to my
roots. He healed my brokenness and opened my eyes anew and afresh to His love
and mercy and grace. He has opened doors of service for me that I never expected
in areas I never expected or even thought possible.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because of His love, mercy, and grace
I am no longer content to sit still. I want to be a part of God’s call to
action. God never intended for us to sit on the sidelines and be spectators. As
believers, we are called to active service; we are to worship God and work for
His Kingdom. Exactly how we execute those two responsibilities depends upon
the spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities with which God has blessed us as
individuals.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My
witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:8, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Go,
therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always, to the end
of the age." Matthew 28:19-20, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it it written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things." Romans 10:14-15, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s time to
be passionate about God’s plan of action. It’s time to beg Him for an
outpouring of His Holy Spirit, anointing us; enabling us; empowering us to
carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our highest calling is to share the Good News with others. Charles
Stanley writes, “Loving God involves not just having a personal relationship
with Jesus but also sharing Him with others.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Consider
this: nobody ever receives a really great gift and then tells no one. We tell
our family; we tell our friends.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My life is
not just about me. It’s about taking the Gospel to the corners of the earth.
It’s about making disciples. It’s about being obedient to the command of
Christ. It’s about looking and acting like love; it’s about looking and acting
like faith. It’s about bringing honor and glory to God; in the Name of Jesus;
in the power of the Holy Spirit.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*(I love the
ministry of Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, because it allows you the opportunity to
participate in foreign missions; it allows you the opportunity to help in sharing the
Gospel with children and their families throughout the world. Get involved! For
more information visit online at: <a href="http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ" target="_blank">Operation Christmas Child</a>.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-55722403457464400992012-01-10T09:39:00.000-06:002012-01-12T07:54:55.736-06:00You Lift Me Up<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He lifted me
out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid
ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a
hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and will be amazed.
They will put their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:2-3, NLT</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few years
ago I worked for the Centers of Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. I held two
different positions during my tenure there—Administrative Support Specialist
and Management and Program Analyst. The major portion of my duties as a
Management and Program Analyst were as Project Officer over one major contract
and then also over a couple of less significant contracts.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was so
proud (yes, proud as in prideful) when I got that last job. It was a great
promotion for me—more money, more responsibility, more prestige; did I mention
more money? It was, if you will, the pinnacle of my success as a federal civil
servant.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was also
a disaster! No, not the job—I did good work; my supervisor and the other higher-ups were pleased with my work. The disaster was from within me—that
time was a spiritual desert for me. I felt as though the spiritual rug had been
pulled out from under my feet. Why, had God turned His back on me? No, I had
strayed. I had become prideful and me-centric. I discovered that what I thought
I wanted so badly was not what I wanted at all.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May I just
tell you how grateful I am that we serve a loving God? He is the ultimate
Father who looks for us when we’ve gone astray; who runs out to greet us when
we finally return home, broken and defeated, (Luke 15); who lifts us out of the
mud and the muck; the One who is faithful to forgive us and to set our feet
once again upon solid ground and steadies us as we begin to walk again with Him,
anew and afresh, (Psalm 40:2). (Thank-you dear Lord for Your mercy; Your grace;
Your love; Your forgiveness!)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My life is
so completely different now. I have recommitted my life to Christ. I want to
serve Him; to work for Him and His Kingdom.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My
definition of success is no longer me-centered. In fact, something my pastor
shared with us Sunday night has refined my personal definition of success even
further. He told us that when he was in seminary someone asked a professor for his
definition of a successful church. The answer: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a church that works for the glory of God, in
the name of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wow! I
thought that was a great answer. I’m no longer working for myself. I’m working
for the honor and glory of Almighty God, in the name of Jesus Christ, through
the power of the Holy Spirit. You can’t beat the job security and the rewards
are out of this world! Won’t you join me?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-24340394562397883692012-01-09T13:57:00.002-06:002012-01-09T14:05:17.250-06:00God's Word<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the
testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. Psalm 19:7,
HCSB</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love God’s word and I have made a habit of reading through the
Bible each year. I’ve been doing this for the last few years and I find the
more I read and learn about our great and awesome God the more I want to know.
Falling in love with the word of God has made such a difference in my daily
life and my faith-walk that I like to encourage others to spend more time in
the Bible and learn to treasure God’s word in their heart, Psalm 119:11.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of course, the number one reason for reading the Bible is that
it is God’s word! “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All Scripture is inspired by God and
is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our
lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right”, 2
Timothy 3:16, NLT. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Bible is one book that is always relevant because God is unchanging, Malachi
3:6. The Bible contains a library of books that are just as relevant today as
they were the day they were written. Few, if any other book can make that claim.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When we ignore the Bible; God’s very words to us, it is to our
own detriment. The Bible is more than a book for reading, but it is a book to
be studied and applied to our daily lives. It is our guidebook for life. No
Christian can fully comprehend God’s will for their life without the benefit of
God’s word. No Christian can fully grow and develop to maturity,
becoming the person God intends for them to be, without study and
application of His word.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are to delight and hope in God’s word and these
sentiments are eloquently expressed in Psalm 119, beginning with verse 11 which
speaks of treasuring God’s word in our hearts. “Your
word” is mentioned 23 times in Psalm 119 saying, in part, God’s word is forever; it is
firmly fixed in heaven, (v. 89); it is sweeter than honey, (v. 103); it is a
lamp and a light, (v. 105); it is completely pure, (v. 140); and the entirety
of it is truth, (v. 160). Four of those 23 verses--74, 81, 114, and 147--specifically
declare, “I put my hope in Your word”.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our hope, should cause us to live intentionally and expectantly
for we are not our own but have been bought with a price, (1 Corinthians
6:19-20). We are to live our lives as a sacrifice to God, (Romans 12:1).
Reading, studying, and applying God’s revelation of Himself specifically
communicated to His people should be a daily part of that sacrifice of worship
we offer to our Lord.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have had the pleasure of reading several articles by Pastor
Greg Laurie at </span><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.BibleStudyTools.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
and I want to close with this passage quoted from one of those articles:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Let God's Word permeate your life and be at home inside of you.
Let the Bible fill your life. After all, success or failure in the Christian
life depends on how much of the Bible you get into your heart and mind on a
daily basis and how obedient you are to it. If you have a deficiency of the
Bible in your diet, then you will wither spiritually. If you have a regular
diet of the Word of God, then you will be strong spiritually. Fall in love with
the Bible, and you will never regret it.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-37784281694550523322011-12-31T10:14:00.001-06:002012-01-09T13:49:51.312-06:00Merry Christmas 2011!<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="height: 494px; width: 425px;">
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</div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-44776074670769708382011-12-22T14:48:00.000-06:002011-12-23T15:51:07.115-06:00The Power of Forgiveness<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“And be kind
and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also
forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I first
thought about writing a post on forgiveness I began to attempt to recall past
hurts and disappointments that resulted in resentment and bitterness for me. As
I tried to recall these things I realized I could only manage vague
recollections of the events. Why? Because of the power of the Holy Spirit which enabled me to
forgive fully and completely the heartaches and hurts of the past.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Until just a
few years ago I was a person filled with repressed anger, bitterness and
resentment. At that time I could give you a detailed litany of not only the
wrongs I had endured but I could also list for you each person responsible and
exactly what they had done that caused me pain. I was consumed and controlled
by the pain of the past.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I told
myself I was okay because I had forgiven everyone. After all, being a Christian
for many years I was well acquainted with scripture concerning forgiveness. I
could easily quote the Lord’s Prayer which includes the words, “forgive us our
debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” Matthew 6:12, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But if I had
truly forgiven everyone, then why was it that just the mention of a past hurt would
cause me to suddenly become angry and upset? I came to realize I had allowed bitterness
to set-up housekeeping within my soul. It became obvious to me that I had
merely given lip-service to the act of forgiveness.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bitterness
results when unforgiveness has been left to sit, soak and stew. I once read
bitterness is akin to taking poison and hoping someone else will die. It steals
your life by robbing you of peace, comfort and happiness. Bitterness is a
consuming hatred.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My so-called
forgiveness had not been genuine; it lacked authenticity. In order for an act
to be genuine, it must be supported by the evidence. If bitterness
continues to reside within your heart you are unable to exemplify those acts
which would provide evidence to support true forgiveness.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus says in Matthew 12:34, “The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”
Again in Matthew 15:18 Jesus says, “What comes out of the mouth comes from the
heart.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was only
when I came to true repentance in my heart that I knew how it felt to feel
genuine forgiveness toward others. Through the power of the Holy Spirit was I
able to forgive completely. And through the work of the Holy Spirit I was able
to learn about forgiveness—what it does and what it does not do.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Forgiveness
does not correct or rewrite the past; it does not condone wrong-doing or otherwise
unacceptable behavior. It does not change the person who wronged you. However,
forgiveness does change you and because of the restorative power of forgiveness
it rewrites your future. Through the act of forgiveness you will find you are
not only able to love others fully but you are also able to love yourself. Authentic
forgiveness destroys the bitterness, the resentment, and the anger that poisons
and cripples.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unforgiveness
robs you of fellowship with God and extinguishes spiritual growth. Repentance
brings forgiveness and forgiveness brings freedom, liberty, and peace in Christ
Jesus. Isaiah 61:1, also known as the Messiah’s Jubilee says, “The Spirit of
the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to
the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and freedom to the prisoners,” HCSB. Unforgiveness is a prodigious
imprisoner and it gives Satan an advantage in our lives, (2 Corinthians 2:11)!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Apostle
Paul, in Colossians 3:12-14, says we are to put on heartfelt compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and
forgiving one another, just as Christ has forgiven us. And above all we are to put
on love which is the perfect bond of unity.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My pastor,
Dr. Richard Kaufman, says the following on a regular basis: “The biggest
bottleneck to blessings and revival in the modern church is unforgiveness and
the lack of repentance on the part of believers.” Further, he says everybody
needs forgiveness; everybody wants it; and when you receive it, it changes
everything!”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Is your life filled
with the peace, power and liberty of the Holy Spirit or is your life consumed
with hatred, bitterness, and anger? Make the choice today to forgive those who have wronged you, just as Christ has
forgiven you. Then go to Him in prayer; He is waiting to hear from you. Remember, God does not want
flowery speeches or fancy words from us but instead He desires heartfelt prayer, sincere worship and geniune devotion.
Bring your offering of worship to Him today; don’t delay.</span></div>
<h1 style="margin: 0.67em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dear Lord, I pray for clean hands and a pure heart that I may worship You in spirit and in
truth. I earnestly pray You forgive me for the times I have withheld
forgiveness from others—there is no excuse for withholding
forgiveness. I sincerely pray that You forgive me my trespasses as I forgive
those who have trespassed against me. I desire true fellowship with You O Lord.
In Jesus name I pray. Amen.</span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>
</div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-22163312699408548582011-12-14T09:05:00.001-06:002011-12-26T16:01:42.272-06:00Heaven is Real and So is Hell<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Devil who deceived them was thrown
into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the sea gave up its dead, and
Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death
and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake
of fire. And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the
lake of fire. Revelation 20:10, 13-15, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then the One seated on the
throne said, "Look! I am making everything new." He also said,
"Write, because these words are faithful and true." And He said to
me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
I will give to the thirsty from the spring of living water as a gift. The
victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.
But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire
and sulfur, which is the second death." Revelation 21:1-8, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though far
more people readily acknowledge belief in heaven than hell, according to the
Bible, both exist. And just as eternal life in heaven will be far better than
we can imagine; eternal punishment in the lake of fire will be far worse than
we can imagine.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While God is
loving, merciful, and just—He is first and foremost righteous and holy
(Leviticus 11:44, 45; 1 Peter 1:16). As such, He cannot tolerate sin. Habakkuk
1:13 says that God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and that He cannot
tolerate sin. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and Romans 6:23 says the
punishment for sin is death. Just as God is an infinite and eternal Being—the deserved
punishment for our sin is eternal death.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Good News
is that God is love, (1 John 4:8), and as such has provided for us a way of
escape; a way of redemption through faith in Jesus Christ His Son: For God loved the
world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes
in Him will not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16, HCSB.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you know
Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? If not, do not delay in coming to know Him. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 55:6-7, HCSB, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may have compassion on him and to our God, for He will freely forgive". Second Corinthians 6:2, HCSB, says, </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"N</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ow is
the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation".</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God will not
wait forever for you to make a decision. The Bible teaches in Romans 1, verses
24, 26, and 28, that the Lord will eventually give people over to the hardness
of their own hearts. There may come a point when God no longer draws you to Him,
revealing your need for a Savior, (John 6:44).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t delay.
Today; right now; bow your head in prayer and admit to God you’re are a sinner;
repent and turn from your sin. Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that He came
into the world to save everyone. Confess your faith in Jesus as Savior; as Lord
of your life and choose to live your life for Him from this moment on.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>NOTE:</strong> If you
do know Jesus as Lord, don’t neglect to pray daily for those who are lost and
dying in sin. Pray for those who minister to them; pray that as the Father
draws them they have open minds and receptive hearts; and pray that you speak
with complete boldness the Good News of Jesus Christ!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For I am not
ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who
believes. Romans 1:16, HCSB</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-84560114256818921642011-11-20T14:48:00.001-06:002011-11-27T13:03:34.471-06:00Speak with Boldness<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now,
Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message
with complete boldness...</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When they
had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God's message with boldness.
Acts 4:29, 31, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This past
week a young man I knew died. I hadn’t seen him in about three
years but these are some of the things I remember about him. He loved sports, movies, music, and he loved to joke-around. He was attractive,
tall, and had a pleasant disposition.
He loved his parents and spoke of them often. He loved his brother and his niece and nephew; in fact, he LOVED children. His
love for children was such that he spent time working with children
diagnosed with disabilities.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I don’t
know about is the condition of his soul. I know that when I last saw him, he
was not a believer. The last contact I had with him was to let him know I was
praying for him. Whether or not he ever accepted Christ I do not know nor will
I ever know.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have cried
over the loss of someone so young. I have cried over the pain I know his
parents are feeling. Most of all I have cried because I know that if he died without
Christ he is forever lost. And that pain is the most acute of all.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I would like to
put the painful memories aside and begin to forget; but I cannot. For the death
of this young man is now a reminder to me of the urgency of the gospel. The urgency
of the gospel is that Christ could return at any time and it is also that any of us can step into eternity at any time because we do not know the day of our death. All we
have is the moment in which we now live.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The urgency
of the gospel is that we live in a world of lost and dying people. And these
people live around us; they aren’t all strangers—they are family members and
friends. It is our job to tell them that Jesus died on the cross to save them;
to tell them about how on the third day Jesus arose and is now seated at the
right hand of the Father; to tell them it is not about how good or bad they are
but it is about how good God is and how much He loves us. "For God loved the
world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes
in Him will not perish but have eternal life”. John 3:16, HCSB</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pray for courage;
speak with boldness and spread the gospel with urgency.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-75039409342505975472011-11-10T13:07:00.001-06:002011-11-10T13:24:55.283-06:00What Are You Doing?<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though we are speaking this way,
dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with
salvation. For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you
showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them.
Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final
realization of your hope, so that you won't become lazy, but imitators of those
who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance. Hebrews 6:9-12, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think most of us evaluate our day’s
work in one way or another. I typically think in terms of, “what did I
accomplish today” and I love days when I can say to myself, “Wow. I got a lot
done today. It’s been a productive day.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, I’ve heard my pastor say more
than once we should ask ourselves daily, “What have I done today that made an
eternal difference?” Posing that particular question to yourself at the end of
each day will most definitely change your focus and your view of your day’s
accomplishments. Suddenly the evaluation of your day’s work is far more poignant.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hebrews 6:9-12 certainly seems to support
working on behalf of God’s kingdom by saying we aren’t to become lazy, (v. 12) but,
in fact, are to continue to serve, (v.10). The book of James also supports
this. In chapter 2, verses 14-26, the author, James, presents his case for
faith and works. James specifically writes in verses 17, 18, and 26 that faith
without works is dead. Further, he tells us, using examples to support his
claim, it is through works that faith is perfected; hence, active faith is demonstrated
through works, (v. 22).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our works will not save us. We are
saved through the mercy and grace of God, through faith, Ephesians 2:8. But once
we are saved we are most definitely to be doing, working, serving, etc., because
of our faith and because of the outpouring of love of our Almighty God that compels
us to do so.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make no mistake—other are always
watching us. They watch not only to see what we do but they also watch to see
what we do not do. Further, how you re-act is as important, if not more so as
how you act.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Recall that Jesus, as a twelve-year-old,
was accidentally left behind in Jerusalem after the Passover. His family
returned, searching frantically for Him. When they found Him (after three
days!), He asks them, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Why were you
searching for Me? Didn't you know I would be involved with my Father’s business?"
Luke 2:49</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What are you doing and how
involved are you in your Father’s business?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-89545287215043937472011-11-04T10:24:00.000-05:002011-11-06T16:35:46.572-06:00To Know You<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I long and
yearn for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh cry out for the living
God. Psalm 84:2, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A line from
a song written by Mark Hall of Casting Crowns says, “To know You is to wanna
tell the world about You.” The chorus of the song includes this line, “To know
You is to want to know You more.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have found
both statements to be true in my own life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more I read, learn, and come to know the
character and person of Christ, the more I want to know and the more I want
others to know of Him. I believe this a desire based in God’s love and I
believe it is a yearning that will not be fully satisfied this side of heaven.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lysa
Terkeurst writes in her book, “Made to Crave” that “We were made to crave—long for,
want greatly, desire eagerly, and beg for—God. Only God,” (21). Lysa goes on to
say, “God never intended for us to want anything more than we want Him,” (29).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Psalm 84
tells of longing for God and His house. It speaks of yearning for the house of the LORD and crying out for God, v. 2; it says
happy are those who reside in God’s house and praise Him continuously, v. 4; it
also says happy are those whose strength is in the Lord, v. 5; and happy is the
person who trusts in the Lord, v. 6.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">David wrote
in Psalm 19:1 that the heavens declare the glory of God and they proclaim the
work of His hands. Since nature itself proclaims the greatness of God surely it
follows that those who know Him personally as Lord and Savior would want to
proclaim His great name; His glory; and His power.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pray with me
that not only will we crave God more and more but that we will also come to
know all the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">fullness of the Holy Spirit within our
lives. Pray that our lives will become a bright and shining witness for Jesus
Christ in the world—proclaiming His love and glorifying His great name. Amen.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707785632740046485.post-23858453770070374262011-10-28T13:04:00.002-05:002011-10-29T14:08:17.425-05:00Without Faith It is Impossible to Please God<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now without
faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must
believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6, HCSB</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently I had the
pleasure of hearing a young man in our church give a sermon on faith. He said faith
requires three things: acceptance, trials, and endurance. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This prompted me to
devote some time to the study of faith. Through this I gained new insights and reaffirmed others.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As children of Adam we are all
born with a sinful nature. We have nothing to offer in and of ourselves alone;
nothing with which to commend ourselves to the perfect Creator. In fact, Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart is
deceitful above all else. But through the infinite mercy of our loving God we
are offered an unspeakable gift—an opportunity for redemption through Jesus Christ.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus said no man
comes to Him unless the Father draws, leads, or brings him, John 6:44. The
Apostle Paul also reminds us of this in Ephesians 2:8 when he says we are saved
through grace, by faith—it is a gift of God. Again, we do nothing on our own merit for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If we do
accept this wonderful gift the spiritual journey has just begun. Unfortunately, too many are satisfied with their status of
“babes” in Christ. They not only fail to increase in faith but also never make any progress toward spiritual maturity.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the other hand, if we are truly
interested in growing our faith we will look to God’s word, the Bible. Paul said that
faith comes from what is heard and what is heard comes through the message
about Christ, Romans 10:17. Therefore, we must be in the Word.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pray is an important
element in growing in faith and spiritual maturity. We get to know others through
communication and we communicate to God through prayer. Looking to the Bible we can find many examples that point to the importance of prayer. Luke 11:1 is only one
of the many examples in the Bible that shows us the importance of prayer. Jesus lead by example and His devotion to prayer did not go unnoticed by those around Him. One day
as Jesus finished praying, His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray just
as John the Baptist had taught his disciples to pray.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Certainly obedience is an important factor in spiritual growth. Obedience is not optional, it is a requirement. In obedience we step out of our comfort zone in faith and we are rewarded with even deeper faith as we watch how God works on our behalf.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, through
obedience we will often suffer trials--trials which we must learn to embrace. Our trials serve
to exercise our faith; trials refine us—mold us, shape us. James tells
us the trials we endure mature us and make us complete and lacking nothing, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">James 1:2-4. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trials help us to become firmly rooted in Christ and established in the faith, Colossians 2:7. It is through the process of spiritual maturity that we grow into the likeness of Christ, Galatians 3:27. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What is the
result of and goal of our faith? The Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:3-9 the
goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls and the benefits we enjoy are that we have a living
hope; an imperishable inheritance; we are protected by God’s power and we have
inexpressible joy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t wait
to enjoy all the blessings God has in store for you. Ask God to help you in your walk of faith. He rewards those who seek Him and He yearns to give you an
abundant life now. Begin now—worship intentionally—live
expectantly as you passionately pursue the Lord’s will in all things!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God Bless!</span></span></div>Kayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568759201203923645noreply@blogger.com