It is easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 19.23-24).  The "needle's eye" was not a small gate in Jerusalem's walls, as many teach. No such gate by that name existed, and this interpretation first appeared during the Middle Ages. It is far more likely that JESUS was using a well-known teaching technique to make his point. He chose for his image the largest animal known in the Land of Israel (the camel) and the smallest opening in any man-made object of that time (the needle). By combining them, he demonstrated that "humanly, this is impossible" (Matthew 19:26). But he may have also been referring to a Midrash (Jewish traditional commentary). In the Midrash on Song of Solomon is found this interesting parallel: Rabbi "Jassa "said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: 'My sons, present to me an opening of repentance no bigger than the eye of a needle, and I will widen it into openings through which wagons and carriages can pass'" (Midrash on the Song of Solomon 5:2). According to the Midrash, "repentance" is the meaning of the needle's eye. Without it, we cannot see the Kingdom of God nor continue to enjoy its blessings. Our part is very small, and in fact we are not even able to repent as we should. But if we will turn to God in repentance, he is there to broaden the way for us, no matter what our situation may be. Ask the Lord to help me overcome those "impossible" sins, which I cannot defeat with my own strength.

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The devil has power and might, while Christians have the power, might and the right to act. Thus the enemy has "dunamis", and we have "dunamis" and "exousia". These are Greek words; dunamis means power and might, while exousia means the right to act. It likens the situation to that of a truck running down the road and a policeman lifting his hand to stop the truck. While the  truck has the power and might to run over the policeman and keep going. However it has no authority to do so, neither does it the right to act. On the other hand the policeman has the authority to stop the truck by just lifting his hand. In reality the power is not in his hand, it is on delegated authority.  It is the same with Christians, our power is not in our ability to perform certain tasks but it's in the delegated authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Luke 10:19 and Psalms 91:13.

 So today walk confident in the authority that God gave you, continue to tread upon the lion and the udder, scorpions, serpent and the devil. Christians rise up and walk in the victory that God has laid upon you. It is not time to be defeated or give up it is time to rise and win. Remember the devil has power and might, but you have more; i.e. power and might and the right to act, and you act on the authority given unto you by Jesus Christ.

 To end this, Reflect on THIS:- what areas in your life act like scorpions, serpents and the devil? Are you finding it hard to keep the hope and faith in God and Jesus Christ? Today the truth has come to the door of your heart. Examine yourself and accept the authority bestowed on you, not only that BUT act. Rise up and speak life to your situations, command the scorpions to leave, tell the lion to disappear, tell them what to do in the name of Jesus and they will do just that. Like the policeman you have the right to act and the authority is yours in Jesus name.

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"If Our Gospel be hid,it is hid to them that are Lost;in whom the god of this World hath BLINDED the MINDS of them which Believe Not,lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of CHRIST,who is the Image of GOD,should Shine Unto them."

Since GOD doesn't save anyone against their Will, does it do Any good to PRAY for People who Consciously refuse to recieve JESUS as LORD? .......YES.YES! YES! It DOES!

You see,inspite of the fact that most all unbelievers who have purposely refused to recieve JESUS as LORD THINK they have made that decision of their own free will,the Truth is, they haven't. The Word of GOD says they've been Blinded by Satan.He's blocking their perception of the Truth.So their decision hasn't been Freely made at all.

That's Very important for you to grasp.Because through the Prayer of intercession,you CAN interfere with the Satanic Forces & help take those Blinders off! You can also change circumstances with your Prayers & help create situations that will bring them in contact with the LORD.you're well within your Spiritual rights when you do that.

JESUS said in Mathew 12 :29 to First Bind the Strong man & THEN enter His house & spoil His goods(meaning the DEVIL).So Pray against the Spirit blinding the eyes of your dear ones to Stop in JESUS Powerful name.

JESUS also said in Mathew 9:38,"pray ye the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth labourers into His harvest".So Pray that the LORD sends someone ,that your dear one Listens to,to share the Word with him & arrange favourable circumstances;And then Believe GOD for his salvation & deliverance & start in Faith Praising GOD for it.

Don't sit by idle & let the Devil take your friends & loved ones without a Fight.PRAY.PRAY! PRAY! Come against the "god of this World".Take off the blinders & open their eyes to the Glorious Gospel of GOD.

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Read Isaiah 43:1-21

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. Psalm 80:3 (NRSV)

A few years ago, my son and I restored an old desk that had several layers of paint on it. We gathered the necessary materials - paint stripper, putty knives, rubber gloves, and sandpaper. First we applied the paint stripper, let it stand, and scraped off the old layers of paint. Then we sanded off the remaining bits of paint, making sure to get into all the little nooks and crannies. To our delight, beautiful light oak wood began to appear under all those layers. Finally, we applied a new coat of stain and two coats of varnish to protect the bare wood. The desk was like new again, restored to its original look. It sits in my study today as a beautiful reminder of what its creator intended.

We too can be restored, to be the people that God intends us to be. But like the paint layers on that old desk, over time we have accumulated layers of sin that need to be removed. When we allow Christ into our lives,HE will penetrate the areas that need forgiveness and restoration. And when we are new again, Christ covers us with love to protect us. Because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we can be saved from our sin.

Xavia Arndt Sheffield

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"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord". (Mathew 21:9)

Reflection:-

The irony of Palm Sunday is that none of the Glory of the day would last beyond the following week. 

Such turns and twists and ironies are not unknown to each of us.  We have all experienced the alternating cause which life lays before us : acceptance / rejection, victory / defeat, hope/ despair, love / loneliness.

Jesus was exalted on Palm Sunday, but he knew it wouldn't last.  Yet his love and mercy remained intact; he would never surrender to despair or hatred.  As we face the daily ironies of our lives, we could do well to remember Palm Sunday.

Source:- Holy Cross Family Prayer for April 5, 2009

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Today is the beginning of HOLY WEEK, and the liturgy we celebrate is a triumphant one.

We gather to greet Christ Our King.

Formerly, the children of Israel welcomed him into Jerusalem with hymns of praise.

Now we, the children of the New Israel, echo their hymn.  Today we proclaim Christ's victory, and ours, over sin and death.  The liturgical colour is RED, a royal colour of triumph.

Source: Copied from Patmos House Community's Pew Sheet for Palm Sunday, written by  the Rte. Reverend. Bp. Chislett. (Aust.)

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You are an ambassador for CHRIST! If you have made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life,you have been sent to act as a representative for HIM in this World.Just as nations send ambassadors to represent their interests in other countries,you've been sent here to look after the interests of the Kingdom of GOD & do HIS works.

Think about that.Everywhere you go you are representing the King of Kings and the LORD  of LORDs.That's a very high honour.It may also seem like a rather tall bill to fill.But GOD has equipped you to do it.He's given you His name & the power of His Word.He's even put His very own Spirit inside you.And He's given you the ability to hear & obey the directions of that Spirit.

This is no time to be half-consecrated & half-dedicated.This is the time to go all the way with GOD,to give Him your whole life.If you'll do that, He'll give you back such anointing & such power & such glory & goodness that you'll shine for Him,as Philipians 2:15  says,as lights in the midst of a crooked & perverse generation.

Begin to think about yourself today, not as just another ordinary man or woman but as an ambassador of Almighty GOD.Let the interests of His Kingdom be foremost in your mind & heart.Submit yourself to Him & say," LORD,show me how to be Your representative in everything i do."

You ARE an Ambassador for CHRIST.Begin to Live like it today.

(Scriptural Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:10-21)

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"JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME Yesterday and Today and Forever". (Hebrews13:8)

-In the NATURAL we are anything but consistent.Our human nature tends to be up one day & down the next.But,PRAISE GOD, we DON'T have to depend on our human nature to get us by.We have JESUS CHRIST living within us & HE IS the SAME yesterday,today and Forever!

JESUS is NOT Fickle.HE doesn't change HIS mind from one day to another.HE IS CONSTANT,& if you'll press into HIM,HE can cause you to be that way too.

Most believers Don't do that.That's why there are so many "Faith Failures" around.They stand on the word one day & fall off of it the next. What we need to do is CONTINUE.JESUS said if we would continue  in HIS word,THEN we would be HIS disciples.HE said if we would continue, we would know the truth & that Truth would make us free (John8:31,32).There's a revelation of GOD that comes from Consistency that the inconsistent person will never see.

Determine today to be consistent.Don't try to base today on yesterday's Bible study.Base today on Today's Bible study.Start with the Word today,stay on the Word All day,& end the day with the Word.Then tomorrow get up and do it all again!

There is Power in constant consistency.So don't be an "off again,on again" Christian.CONTINUE in the Word Every day.(Colossisns1:21,22,23)

[ Kenneth Copeland]

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PROVE YOURSELF...in Today's world,that's what you constantly feel you have to do,right? On the Job,among friends,even at home you're always working to win the approval you need.Working to convince those around you that you deserve the Salary,the Friendship,& even the Love they give you. Is there an escape? ....Yes! it is called GRACE.unearned & undeserved favour & acceptance.And there is only one place you can find it- in the Heart of GOD Himself.There is no better picture of God's Grace in action than in the story of the Prodigal son(Luke 15:11-32).

In the eyes of Society & Religion(His spending his dad's money on wild living & even stooping as low as to work feeding Pigs)...That boy's Rebellion was so Serious his father's only recourse was to disown him.But that is Not what this father did!...Before his son even came near & confessed to him & repented, he ran & welcomed his son home with open arms.He offered him GRACE-unmerited favour that was based on the father's Love Rather than the son's performance.

Next time you catch yourself struggling to make up to GOD for something you've done wrong,working to win His approval,let the story of the Prodigal son set you Free.Let it remind you that,inspite of your sins,your Father has recieved you with open arms.He's put a robe of righteousness on your back & HIS signet ring on your hand.He's put the shoes of sonship on your feet!                Do you feel unworthy of all that? GOD hasn't based HIS relationship with you on Your worthiness.HE has based it on HIS Love for you.You don't have to struggle to prove yourself to HIM.as far as He's concerned,you're a proven Success.

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"And the ruler of the Synagogue answered with indignation,because JESUS had healed on the Sabbath day,& said unto the people;There are 6 days in which men ought to work:in them therefore come & be Healed,& NOT on the Sabbath Day." (luke13:14)

Religion is dangerous.Religion would rather debate about Healing than see somebody Healed.Religion would rather argue about Deliverance than see somebody Free.

You can see an example of that in Luke13. JESUS  Healed a woman who had been bowed over for 18 years.Think of it,a dear old woman- a daughter of Abraham- set free after being bound by the Devil for nearly 2 decades.You'd think the Temple rulers would have been rejoicing at what JESUS had done.But,NO! They were angry because HE had done it on the Wrong Day.

Do you know what is worse? Those very same Religious leaders who criticized JESUS for Healing on the Sabbath could have ministered to that woman themselves on any of the other 6 days of the week if they'd cared enough to do it.

That is why JESUS was so indignant with them.They had the same covenant of Abraham as JESUS.But their Religion had kept that woman Bound instead of setting her free.It always does.Remember that the next time someone tries to get you sidetracked  into a religious debate about healing, evangelizing or deliverance.If someone needs to be ministered to, JUST DO IT! don't get all hung up on Theological questions.

That is the difference between Religion & the LOVE of GOD.Religeon argues.Love ACTS.Choose Love today. 

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"But (CHRIST JESUS ) made HIMSELF of no reputation,& took upon HIM the form of a Servant,& was made in the likeness of men."(philippians 2:7)

The truth of this verse hasn't really dawned on most people.They mistakenly think that JESUS was able to work wonders,perform miracles,& live above sin because HE had divine powers that we don't have.Thus,they have never really aspired to live like HE lived. "Oh my,"they say with great humility,"I could never live like JESUS did.After all,HE was GOD.

They don't realize that when JESUS came to earth,HE voluntarily gave up that advantage & lived His life here Not as GOD but as a man.He had no innate supernatural powers.He had no ability to perform Miracles until After He was anointed by the Holy Spirit (luke3:22).He worked wonders,not by His own power but by the power of the Father,saying,"The Father that dwelleth in me,HE doeth the works"(John14:10). And when He prayed,He prayed Not as a Divine One who had authority as GOD,but as a man who walked obediently with GOD.And,as Hebrews5:7 says,"His prayers were heard Not because of His Diety,but because of His reverence toward GOD"

JESUS,the Divine Son of GOD,set aside the previlages & powers of Diety for a time & lived as a man on earth.Once you grasp that,it will absolutely thrill your Soul! Why? Because it means that you,as a reborn child of GOD,filled with the same Holy Spirit as JESUS was,have the same opportunity to live as He lived on earth.In fact,That is Exactly what He intends;In John17:18 He said to the Father,"Just as You sent Me into the world,I also have sent them into the world."

JESUS has sent you into the world to live as HE lived.Through the New Birth,HE has enabled You to exchange the sinful nature of Adam for the sinless nature of GOD. HE has given You the ability & the command to live above sin,to live in fellowship with the Father,to preach the gospil,to heal the sick,to raise the dead,to cast out demons,& to make disciples. Once you realize That,you'll throw off the shackles of doubt that have held you back.You'll begin to live as JESUS meant for you to live-Not as a Sin ridden son of fallen man,but as a reborn child of the Most High GOD.Then those around you will actually begin to see JESUS- IN You.

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 Today's Scripture “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Today's Word As a follower of Christ, you are a new creation! You have a new spirit, a new walk, a new life! Are there “old” things in your life that you are trying to get rid of? Maybe you have old behaviors or addictions that you want to change. Remember, the new has come. It’s a new year and it’s time to be the new you. Let this year be the year you break old habits and addictions. Let this be the year that you move forward into a new life of victory. And your new life includes all the spiritual blessings the Lord has promised in His Word. You have a promise of peace. Health. Protection. Provision. Be encouraged today and know that no matter what is happening in your life right now, you can embrace the new life God has prepared for you. Make the choice today to leave the old behind—leave behind old behavior, old thinking, old words. Embrace the new by faith and you’ll move forward into the life of blessing the Lord has in store for you. A Prayer for Today Heavenly Father, thank You for making me new. Help me to understand Your plan for me so that I can fully embrace Your promises. I choose today to leave behind the old life and ask that You empower me by Your spirit today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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The day the Magi finally reached Mary and Joseph and offered their extravagant gifts to the baby Jesus.

Maybe it is because we've jumped the gun and have already opened up . . . used up . . . eaten up . . . even broken up . . . all our presents by now. Maybe we have a sneaking sense that "we should have waited." So we crate our crèches even before the wise men get a chance to show up for the celebration.

But maybe there is something else about it that makes us uncomfortable.

When the Magi finally reached their destination, what was the first thing they did?

They "knelt down and paid him homage" (Matthew 2:11). Specifically Christian worship begins here;These were rich, respected, wise men. They were on speaking terms with the king. As astrologers they were privy to the secrets of the stars, and the stars held the secrets to the universe. They were not even Jews. In this East meets West moment, the Eastern cults and traditions of the magi were far removed from the messianic traditions of the Hebrews.

Yet when they came into the presence of this little star-born baby, what did they do? They threw themselves down on the ground without hesitation but with abject humility. Think of that crèche you put away. Wasn't at least one of the wise men kneeling? Here was one to be offered praise and glory. Here was one whose greatness was to be honored. Here was one born to be "adored." "Oh, come, let us adore him."

What does "adore" mean? In its Latin roots it means to reverence and honor. But it is a much stronger word than "honor," or the Latin venerari. It actually is equivalent to the Greek proskunein, which means to "prostrate." So to say "I adore Chipotle burritos" or "I adore my little brother" is to say something almost sacrilegious. For to "adore" something is to go as far as we can go in worship and praise. You can glorify God, and praise God, and bless God. But when you "adore" God, you go as far as you can go. You take the ultimate step...

Leonard Sweet

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My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was to keep swinging.
No matter how circumstances may appear, or what failures may arise, there are really only two choices...you can either give up and quit, or simply decide to keep stepping up to the plate and taking your swings. If you are resolute and determined, eventually you WILL meet with a measure of success. When considering the alternative, is there really any other choice to be made? Keeping your sights firmly fixed on the ultimate goal, will provide the strength and perseverance needed to see you through the pitfalls!

You whom I [the Lord] have taken from the ends of the earth and have called from the corners of it, and said to you, You are My servant--I have chosen you and not cast you off...Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice. ~Isaiah 41:9,10 (Amp)~

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect,confirm, strengthen and establish you.~1 Peter 5:6-10 (NASB )
Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.~Romans 12:12 (Amp)

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"We are the clay, and You our potter."
Isaiah 64:8 NKJV
Imagine a beautiful china teacup saying: "I wasn't always like this. There was a time when I was just a cold, hard, colorless lump of clay. One day the potter picked me up and said, 'I could do something with this.' Then he started to put pressure on me and change my shape. I said, 'What are you doing? That hurts. Stop!' But he said, 'Not yet.' Then he put me on a wheel and began to spin me around and around until I shouted, 'Let me off.' He replied, 'Not yet.' Then he shaped me into a cup and put me in a hot oven. I cried, 'Let me out of here. I'm suffocating.' But he looked at me and said, 'Not yet.' When he took me out, I thought his work on me was over, but then he started to paint me. I couldn't believe what he did next. He put me back into the oven, and I said, 'I can't stand this, please let me out!' But he said, 'Not yet.' Finally he took me out of the oven and set me on a shelf where I thought he had forgotten me. Then one day he took me off the shelf and held me up before a mirror. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had become a beautiful teacup that everyone wants to buy."
There are things going on in your life today that you don't understand. When you finally get to the place God wants you to be, you'll realize that He has been making you into a vessel He can use, bless, and use to bless others. So, allow God to shape you!

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1. Inclusive:-
Be witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).
For God so loved the world?that whosoever (John 3:16).
2. Diversity:-
God will have all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:1).
3. Authenticity:-
Speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).
Don't lie to each other (Col 3:9).
4. Mutuality:-
Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10).
Have equal concern for each other (1 Cor. 12:25).
Serve one another (Gal. 5:13).
Encourage one another (1 Thess. 4:18, 5:11).
Agree with one another (Phil. 4:2).
Build up each other (1 Thess. 5:11).
5. Sympathy:-
Carry each others burdens (Gal. 6:2).
Support the weak (1 Thess. 5:14).
Be compassionate with one another (Eph. 4:32).
6. Mercy:-
Forgive one another (Col. 3:13).
Accept one another (Rom. 15:7).
7. Humility:-
Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16).
Pray for each other (James 5:16).
Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21).
8. Courtesy:-
Be kind to each other (1 Thess. 5:15).
Bear with each other (Col. 3: 13).
9. Confidentiality:-
Don't slander one another (James 4:11).
Don't grumble against each other (James 5:9).
10. Frequency:-
Don't give up meeting with each other (Heb. 10:25).

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Jeremiah 33:1-3

Every decade, it seems as though there's a fresh crop of books on the topic of communication. We can walk down the aisle of any bookstore and take our pick from the many volumes dedicated to public speaking, preaching, verbal delivery, and even interpersonal communication. Learning how to speak is definitely a big industry these days.

What tends to be lacking, however, is good teaching on how to communicate with the Lord. Too often, we take what we learn about mass communication and try to apply it to prayer. We carefully craft each word of our petitions, laboring over every phrase and peppering in some fancy "biblical" words like "thou," "thee," and "shalt." Sometimes, we seem to believe that it's possible to unlock the mysteries of heaven if we just learn how to phrase our prayers.

Friend, this is a misguided approach. We should never come before God's throne with the presumption that we just have to find the right combination of words in order to get Him to speak. The power is not in what we say, but in what He says.

Our role in prayer is not to impress the Lord with our fine phrasing and fancy vocabulary. Rather, it is to cry out to Him, to express our needs, and then to listen. Sadly, we often miss out on what God wants to say because we're too busy doing all the talking!

This week, take a different approach to prayer. Practice solitude and quiet meditation in your time with God, and open yourself up to what He may be telling you.

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"For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass."
Ezekiel 12:25 NKJV

There are two possible explanations for what happened in Swan Quarter, North Carolina, in 1876. It was either the most astounding coincidence, or an act of God ? literally. The Methodist Episcopal Church South needed a new building, so when somebody donated a lot on Oyster Creek Road they accepted. It was low-lying land so they constructed a sturdy little white-frame church and put it up on brick pilings. Days later a storm lashed the town and those within sight of Oyster Creek Road witnessed something amazing. The church building ? still intact ? was afloat! The flood had lifted it off its pilings and sent it down the road. They tried to catch it with ropes but the church moved on. At the town center, as dozens of people watched helplessly, it made a sharp, inexplicable right turn and continued on. Finally, in the same decisive manner it veered off the road. It headed straight for a vacant lot and stopped dead in the center! The flood waters eventually receded but the building is still there. In fact, 130 years have passed since the church, now called Providence Methodist Church, floated itself to the most desirable property in town. What's amazing is this: The lot where it settled had originally been the congregation's first choice for their building, but landowner Sam Sadler turned them down. The morning after the flood, he presented the pastor with the deed.
"For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass" (Ezek 12:25 NKVJ). No doubt about it; when God makes up His mind, nothing gets in His way!

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How do we respond to the life God has given us? One important aspect of our response is a willingness to help other people. The good things God gives us should be used to serve others.

People often ask why God allows trials. When we are in a trial, we want to know why. Why has this pain come upon us? Why me? We may even stay awake at night thinking about it, praying about it.

But have we ever considered why God allows blessings? We usually don't lie awake at night wondering why God has allowed such a thing to happen to us. We act like it's normal for God to give us a good life. We usually accept these blessings, give thanks and enjoy them without a lot of further thought. But we really do not deserve blessings, so when they come, we ought to ask, Why? God doesn't owe us anything. He has not promised us health and wealth. Yet every one of us has blessings, and we need to ask, Lord, why has this happened to me? The parable of the fig tree in Luke 13 gives us an illustration about blessings. If we start in verse 1 we will see the context of the parable: "There were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices." And it seems that the people assumed the victims were somehow more sinful than others. That was the thought Jesus answered in verse 2: "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." The common assumption was that people got what they deserved, that pain and suffering are a result of sin. But the cause is not always the sin of the people who are suffering. Sin hurts innocent people—that is one reason that God hates it so much—so people who suffer are often suffering because of someone else's sin. The people of Jerusalem used an example of Galileans who suffered. Now Jesus uses an example of Jerusalemites who suffered: "Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (verses 4-5). In this fallen world, disasters are normal, and our response to them should be repentance. That is the context of the parable of the fig tree.

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Brokenness hurts, and most of us would rather live without any seasons of pain. Yet during such times, the Lord often does His greatest work in our lives, reshaping and realigning us for His divine purposes.

Jesus beautifully explains the principle of brokenness in John 12:24-25, where He compares our life to a single grain of wheat. If we hold a kernel in our hands, nothing will happen. If we carefully place it in a jar or on a shelf for safekeeping, it will just sit there indefinitely. In its safety, the grain will essentially be useless.  However, if that kernel is placed in the soil where its protective layer is stripped away, something amazing happens. Before long, a little sprout will emerge from the earth and start to grow into something different, useful, and beautiful. Moreover, that new stalk will produce more grains that can be planted, and the stalks they produce will do the same. It's an amazing cycle of life, wherein a single kernel can lead to countless stalks of wheat. But it has to start with the brokenness of one grain.

Jesus did not just speak this example; He lived it. By sacrificing Himself, He was broken and placed in the ground. From that brokenness came new life for us all. From that one "grain," countless new believers, each with a new life, have sprung forth.

Are you feeling broken today? If so, remember the principle of the broken grain. God has certainly not abandoned you; instead, He may be leading you into a season of radical new growth

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2 Timothy 3:16-17 

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with God's words. The Holy Spirit oversaw the writing of His message to be sure it was relevant, reliable, and without error.

The Scriptures contain the Lord's complete revelation about His character, kingdom, and plan of salvation. Consider the variety and importance of the topics covered in this timeless book: the creation of our world; the fall of man; the presence and power of sin; the penalty owed for transgression; future judgment; Satan's program; our need for a Savior; His offer of forgiveness; the redemption of mankind; the history of faith; and wisdom for living. Questions about life's meaning, man's purpose, the source of evil, and life after death are also answered.

All sections of the Word are valuable and interconnected. For example, the gospels tell about redemption, while the Old Testament contains prophecies about the Messiah who would come to save us. John 1:29 proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God, who would take away our sins; Leviticus and Numbers help us understand this concept through descriptions of the sacrificial system. The first book of the Bible teaches us that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). And in the New Testament, we learn that everyone's salvation is by faith alone, and not through works (Eph. 2:8-9)...Though good Works should be the natural product of our New Life(james).

 God gave us the Bible so we might know Him personally, be adopted into HIS family, and bring glory to HIS name. Make it your goal to become more familiar with the most important book ever written.

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 Give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! -Psalm 107:21

 Jeremy Taylor was a 17th century English cleric who was severely persecuted for his faith.  But though his house was plundered, his family left destitute, and his property confiscated, he continued to count the blessings he could not lose.

He wrote:  "They have not taken away my merry countenance, my cheerful spirit, and a good conscience; they have still left me with the providence of God, and all His promises...my hopes of Heaven, and my charity to them, too, and still I sleep and digest, I eat and drink, I read and meditate.  And he that hath so many causes of joy, and so great should never choose to sit down upon his little handful of thorns."

 Although we may not be afflicted with the grievous difficulties that Jeremy Taylor endured, all of us face trials and troubles.  Are we grumbling?  Or do we refuse to let our "little handful of thorns, "  our troubles, obscure the overwhelming abundance of our blessings?

When we feel like complaining, let's remember God's faithfulness and "give thanks to the LORD!  Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!...  Remember His marvelous works which He has done!"  (Psalm 105:1,5).

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Revelation 3:20 is a fantastic key passage that truly sets the Christian faith apart from the other religions of the world. Here, we have a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, patiently knocking on the door of our hearts. What a fabulous illustration of God's saving pursuit.

You see, in most other religions, the scene would be reversed. The picture would be of you or me knocking on the door of heaven, trying to get in. But here, we understand that Jesus is the one who pursues. When you look at the passage in its original Greek language, you notice that the Lord doesn't just walk up and knock once or twice. The verb form denotes continual action. He stands there knocking, and He just keeps on standing there and knocking.

We see this active pursuit all through the Scriptures. In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve sinned, did they sorrowfully seek out the Lord and ask forgiveness? No, it was the Lord God who called out to them, actively seeking the first couple and giving them a chance to confess their sin (Gen. 3:8-9).

And think about the apostle Paul. Did he come to know the Savior by searching for Christ? No! Instead, Jesus sought out the then-persecutor of the church, meeting up with him on the Damascus Road and calling him into repentance (Acts 9:1-6).

The Savior has allowed us the honor of participating in His pursuit of man. Are you living out that calling? Jesus is at work all around you; join Him today in spreading the Good News everyone needs to hear.

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Hear you of all nations(Matthew 28:19) love Jesus Christ with all your heart, with all your mind, and all your strength(Deuteronomy 11:13-22). Love Him with all your heart by putting no idles before Him. For if you do this you will obey and worship Him out of Love and the Father seeks worshipers such as this (John 4:21-24). Love him with all of your mind and let no evil thought enter for to him thinking is just as bad as doing that act (Matt 5:28-30). Capture every though to the renewing of your mind so that your mind will ever be with Christ. Be not conformed to the mold of this word for who will see any Christ in you if you do so(Romans 12:2)? Finally love Jesus with all your strength if he wish you to enter into martyrdom then His will be done, if He says move here or speak there then do it, if your body is a temple of the Lord then don't deny Him to enter for any reason for your life old life is gone and you are now lost in Christ through baptism. Therefore don't take back your life by disobeying Him and going your own way, depend on Him completely for every need and do whatever He says no matter how inconvenient. To be Christian is to follow and be like Christ and you all know this fact but above is the means by which you can do that. You can't follow Christ well if your mind is in lust. You cant follow Christ well if your heart is full of bitterness and evil. You can't follow Christ well if you deny Him entrance in your body your the work of your hands to help fellow men. For to be "Christ like" is to love Him , if we have that intense love for Him it will fuel our efforts cleanse are mind, body, and soul but just as the word love comes first in the verse so to must it come first in are being. 

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We as followers of Jesus Christ are entrusted with the interpreting and distributing the word of the Lord. It is not enough for a believer to set in a pew and to be spiritually feed until they are fat and happy with the love of the Father. Such a believer will have a hard time moving spiritually and will be spiritually stuck in there walk with Christ. The will of the Father is for His love to flow down to us down the road that was paved through the sacrifice of His Son, and through His Holy Spirit which actively brings the Fathers love to us. However it does not stop there it is to be poured out of the believer as it was poured out of Christ during his lifetime to both the lost sheep of the fold and to the body for its edification.

After we achieve this we must be sure that we are in the sprit of God before we interpret scripture. For the word without the sprit is legalism but a spirit (that is not from the Lord but discerned to be of the Lord by mistake) without the word is frivolous. This balance is important in translating the word and will of our Lord.

When faced with this task it might difficult to nearly impossible and if you draw upon your own strength it will be but when you are filled with both the word and the spirit of the Lord the task will come as internally natural for the burden of the Lord is always light.

John 7:15-18 

15The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

 16Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

1 Thessalonians 2:4-6

4On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

 13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

Matthew 28:18-20 

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Recived by: Britney Mann

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Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen

Our gospel lesson this morning is part of the high priestly prayer that Jesus prayed the night before he died (John 17:1-11). He prayed this part of the prayer for the disciples especially verse 9 through 11. In these verses Jesus is praying for the unity of the disciples to one another and the unity of the father.

Listen to verse two verses again:
"9* I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine;

10* all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.

11* ¶ And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one."

In verse 9 Jesus says they are thine, which means the disciples are the Father’s. In verse 10 he says the disciples are his and because they are his they are also the Father’s disciples. And in verse 11, he prays that the disciples are one with each other, just as Jesus and the Father are one.

The theme that runs through theses verse is unity of Spirit and unity of body. Jesus is praying for the unity of the disciples to each other and unity to his teaching as well as unity to Him and the Father.

In other words Jesus is praying for the unity of the church which will come out of the lives of these disciples. There is a definite obligation for us as followers of Christ to uphold, to pull-together, to encourage, to comfort, to be there for another member of the community with comfort, cheer and love as we bind ourselves together in this community of Christ, known as the church.

Each part of the church is important, each member is important as the church unites together for one common purpose, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this unity, this togetherness we find meaning and purpose to lives. We are together as the church, we are together with Christ and we are together with the Holly Spirit. In this togetherness, we draw strength of our Christian journey.

People with a variety of backgrounds, abilities, interests, and needs make up Christ’s church, so uniting in a common purpose is not an easy process. Yet when we let the Lord do His work among us, shaping us and assigning our place in the structure, we become part of a strong, solid edifice. Yes it is hard for we are all different but through our faith the Holy Spirit grants us one heart which is the heart of God.

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“Ruth” literally translated means “Friend” or “Female friend.” Nowhere in the Bible do we see a lovelier picture of a true friend. Ruth with her priceless qualities shows us what it means to be a woman of God and by exercising them she gains the respect of Naomi, Boaz, and even the Israelites themselves ( which is amazing due to the fact that they don’t warm up to pagans very easily). When we look at Ruth we see three righteous virtues loyalty, faith, and obedience. Within Ruth 1:16-17 we see to virtuous qualities in Ruth faith and loyalty;

(Ruth 1:16-17, New King James Version)16 But Ruth said: “ Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”

As you can see that Ruth’s faith is firmly planted in the Father for she calls Him “LORD.” Naomi must have been a great woman of faith for a pagan to leave her home land and believe in Her God . Ruth also demonstrated her profound loyalty to her mother-in law by not just saying such words but by fulfilling her vow to her mother-in-law with all of her mind and strength. She leaves her home land of Moab, travels to Bethlehem (Ruth 1-19), finds a field to glean in and works her tail off to provide for her and her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:3). The final quality of Ruth, her obedience, can be found in Ruth 3:5 ;

(Ruth 3:5, New King James Version)

5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”

She listened to her mother-in law, respected her wishes and it was accounted unto her as righteousness for the Lord rewarded all that she had done by giving her the heart of Boaz their near kinsman. By following these three virtues Ruth gained a husband, a eternal grateful mother-in-law, and the respect of all Israel for in Ruth 4:15 it states;

(Ruth 4:15,New King James Version)

15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.”

The ultimate gift that she revived for her kindness was the honor of being one of the few foreigners to be in the linage that brought forth the Messiah of Israel. Her child Obed was the father of Jesse and he in turn was the father of David the king. God proclaimed that from the seed of David the messiah shall come. So now we see how God accepted Ruth into the linage of His Son despite her heritage due to her righteousness and great love.

Received by: Britney Mann

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How are you on forgiveness? Jesus makes it evidently clear that forgiveness is a requirement for salvation. Unforgiveness sets up a wall between us and the father preventing his love and blessings to shine on our lives. If you believe that there is someone you need to forgive then read the following scripture and prayer below.

Matthew18

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Dear Lord I repent of my unforgiveness towards_____ for_____. I recognize unforgiveness as sin and I chose now to forgive_____. I break any and all resentment and anger I have towards ____ and I ask for you Jesus to reveal to me your love for them. Dear father please bless and keep ___ through the rest of their days. In your name I pray Amen

Peace and blessings,

Britney

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When we are younger in the Lord our love is great for we have just been released from our bondage. Later we are more in the Lord and we sin less often and this is when the danger sets in, we see ourselfves as teachers when we are in need of teaching. If our Love is great and we remember who we are, that is sinneres saved by grace, then we may teach the law in piety and in all righteousness. For the Lord uplifts the humble (Psalm 147:6) and fill those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) with the Holy Spirit that enables us to fulfill the law, therefore satisfying our hunger. For what man hungers for what he already has for if he had it within his belly he would not need to sustain himself woth an external source. So to is righteousness not found in the sinful and carnal body but in the Spirit that fills all that ask (Matthew 6:7-11) therfore if we go to the Lord in loving meekness He shall supply us with the righteousness that we and this world hungers soo much for.

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By are tongue we bless and by our tongue we curse. It does us no good to bless our father in heaven when we curse our fellow brethren that Christ died for (James 3:8-21).Jesus reveals to us to that the key to speaking right is to have a right heart. Bitterness and unforgivess towards your brother will produce bad fruit in your language (Matthew 12:33-37). This will damage the image of Christ since we as believers and it can lead brothers astray or prevent the unsaved from coming to Christ. When we speak wrongly it defiles us and we invite demons to destroy both us and our fellow men with accusation, bitterness, rejection and a list of several other emotions that are not of God (Matthew 15:11-20). In stead we must choose our words carefully that we may win the word for Christ sake by being the salt of the earth (Colossians 4:6 ).

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This is the time of year when we are remained for the gift of our salvation. When we turn and marvel at the actions and plan that brought us everlasting life. Our savoir loved us so much that he went to died for our sins. Jesus understood very well when He was making his way to Jerusalem that He was marching to His death. How many can do that, very few (if any) even if it is for a good cause. He came in on the donkey to fulfill the scriptures (He rode to Jerusalem on a donkey, Prophecy-Zech 9:9, Fulfillment-Matt21:5). Then the Christ gave us the last supper that we may understand the significance of what He was about to do for us. The Lord planned the timing of his Son’s death to fall on the Passover feast to fulfill the scripture saying “I will give them a new covenant and it will replace the old.” The Passover was the celebration of the Lord curse, the killing of the first sons in Egypt, skipping or passing over the Children of God because of the blood of a lamb was on their door posts. The message He was sending is that of His wrath passing over us because we are covered by the blood of the spotless LAMB that died for our sins. In the old convent a bull, ram, or dove would have to die for our sins for the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). In the new covenant Jesus had to pay for all of it for no best or man was pure enough save the Christ satisfy the justice of the Father (He will make a blood atonement, Prophecy-Isaiah 52:15, Fulfillment-1 Peter 1:2).

How would it feel to have your own children mock and spit on you (He will be widely rejected , Prophecy-Isaiah 53:1,3 , Fulfillment-John 12:37-38)? How would it feel to be betrayed by one friend and denied by all the others (Betrayed by a friend, Prophecy-Psalm 41:9, Fulfillment-Luke 22;47 )? How would it feel to be denied your very identity because people were either uncomfortable with it or jealous of it? How would it feel to be denied even your fathers' love and approval ? (Forsaken by God, Prophecy-Psalm 22:1, Fulfillment-Matt 27:46 ) If you can imagine all these horrible things happening to you on the same day then you will know the true cost of your sins that was paid on the cross that day. Who would have known that the same Savior now mangled and hanging on a cross was a week ago being praised for His prophesied entry on a donkey. It probably would not have been that way if the Father hadn't hardened their hearts, shut their eyes and ears; So that that the scriptures might be fulfilled. The Father allowed his anger for the world’s unrighteousness to be poured on the spotless LAMB that day through the Romans, gentiles, and most all through the children of the promise.

The scripture says that He was beaten beyond recognition, literally mangled from head to toe with the stripes that provide our healing (He will be disfigured by suffering, Prophecy -Isaiah 52:14 ; 53:2, Fulfillment- Mark 15:17 , 19) . Pilate decreed this to be done so that afterwards if the people saw his affliction they might have pity on Him and spare His life; For crucifixion was the most wicked way to die, it was invented by the Persians for the purpose of creating the longest, most painful and shameful death, Nail spikes driven through their wrists and ankles would create a during piercing pain throughout the whole body while leaving the feet and hands numb and twisted; Nakedly exposed they might hang for days while insects and birds continue to rip away at the flesh (this is why Pilate was shocked that Jesus died so quickly because it was supposed to last days). Pilate knew that Jesus didn’t deserve any punishment let alone a death like this which was only reserved for capital crimes, slaves and runaway soldiers. By allowing this to happen the Father has fulfilled His mission to write the law on our hearts because we saw our punishment for all our transgressions being pored out on the only one that could have paid that rice, Christ the spotless lamb (He will bear our sins and sorrows, Prophecy-Isaiah 53:4-5, Fulfillment-Romans 4:25, 1 Peter 2:24-25) (He will be our substitute, Prophecy-Isaiah 53:6,8 , Fulfillment-2 Corinthians 5:21). Sacrificing Bulls couldn’t do it and neither could our death, for everything on earth was tainted due to the fall so the death of such things where powerless to satisfy God’s justice. Jesus being one with the Father knew that, so he laid down His life that He may raise us up again on the third day (He will voluntary accept our guilt and punishment, Prophecy-Isaiah 53:7-8, Fulfillment-John 10:11, 19:30)

Don’t consider the Father to be the mean, cold judge in all of this, for I submit to you that on the day of the crucifixion the Father was crying even more than Mary herself for His love is greater. The fact is He already gave us the example of how He felt and why He did it long ago in the old testament. When Abraham took his son Isaac to the mountain to be killed by his own hand; Abraham did it because God told him to, the Father gave his son to the world to allow His son to be killed for us. The Father symbolized that action by providing Abraham with a lamb to take the place of his son. That lamb saved Isaacs' life that day just as the spotless lamb paid for our sins on Calvary. I think that the father felt much like Abraham going up the mountain when He saw His son on the path of Calvary, dreading the moment of the inevitable. They both made a choice to do what was right even knowing it will cost them dearly. The only difference is the Father went through the pain of losing his son and Abraham didn’t. He gave His only begotten son for you to be with Him. He would rather lose His son than to ever live without you. He loves you that much. Let us love Him back gift for the beloved of His son’s death that we may live forever with Him. Amen..

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1And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?.......

See how costly bad council can be. A false accusation can turn what was meant to be a blessing into a curse. For when it is believed and acted upon in gives birth to sin.

4Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away....

Sin when full grown brings forth death (James 1:15).
6And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

7And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men........

In the time of battle the Lord will avenge the pure of heart.

13And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him....

18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

19And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.....

So the next time someone submits to you and accusation where it be a person or a devil call upon the Lord to verify the matter for only he knows the hearts of men.

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With the Lord our God timing is everything. To everything the is a time and a season. If the Lord didn’t harden Pharos’s heart then the children could have gone a lot sooner. However it was the Lords plan that His children to depart in such a way that no one Egyptian or Israelite could deny that by His power it was done.

He told both men and devils not to announce that he was the Christ least they cut his ministry short by arousing the jealousy of the Sanhedrin before to appointed time. He also told everything in parables so that the multitude would not understand for if they knew that he was the Christ they wouldn’t condemn him. Then the Lord would have never have died for the remission of our sins.

-Mar 4:12

12so that,
" 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'^[a]"

Jesus was delivered unto the Father right after the last supper that we today might experience communion. There the savior predicted that His time was coming to an end and reconciled it when it was upon Him.

-Matthew 26:26-29

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the^[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."

-Luke 22:53

53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns."

So keep in mind my brethren when a prayer is long in answering or when a person is stubborn in there coming to the Lord that He is still on the throne. In His time the tree of faith will blossom and in due season grace will seas forth fruit.

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5And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

8Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

9Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

10Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

11How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

Twice Jesus proved to them that providing food but still there earthly worldview prevented them from grasping the principle presented by the Lord. Such thinking and not only distract us away from the Lord but also destroys us by doing so. Paul and James warn us of this on this subject as well.

18(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ

14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Therefore my bothers and sisters in Christ let us be alert to the sings of the times and aware of the evil ones tactics. That we might resist him causing him to flee with will only bring us closer to our Lord that is Jesus the Christ.

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Faith is the substance of things hoped for yet not seen (Hebrews 11:1). When you hope for something you wish for it. Faith is much better than this for when you have faith you give your hope “substance” and actively wish it into being. The only thing that can prevent your hope from taking form when you believe is the Father’s will and in that case what you hope for is not the best for you.Many have hope yes even the unbelieving have hope, but faith is butting that hope into action willing participating with the spiritual realm where God is.

When a person chooses to walk in faith they put there trust and belief in the Lord to provide what is needed or desired. Belief has substance and is as real as a chair that supports you when you sit in it. Unlike a chair the substance of the belief and provision is not made visible to us for we are being taught by the Father to trust in Him above our earthly senses. It takes much faith to sit in a chair that can’t be seen while it only in takes obedience to sit in a chair that can be seen.

So in short faith is designed to bring us into a supernatural intimacy with our Lord Christ, through a trust that surpasses both our sensual and logical understanding.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child^[b] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (For more read all of Hebrews 11)

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"For our light & momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them All.So we fix our eyes Not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is Eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an Eternal house in Heaven, Not built by human hands."

          2Corinthians 4:17 to

"Lord ,remind me how brief my time on earth will be.Remind me that my days Are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away." 

 Psalm39:4

It is a fatal mistake to assume that God's goal for our lives is Material prosperity or popular success, as the world defines it.In God's view, the greatest heroes of faith are Not those who achieve prosperity, success, & power in This life, but those who treat this life as a temporary assignment & serve faithfully, expecting their promised reward in Eternity.

Let each ask her/him self , How should this fact that our life on earth IS  TEMPORARY Change the way we are Living Right Now....?

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The answer to the problem is to be filled with the spirit for the Spirit will force you to act upon your faith. For how can our Father use idle faith for His kingdom ,He can't it is a lukewarm faith and altogether useless(Rev 3:15-16). Do we not know that our Spirit, like the body that contains it, increases it's performance with use. I deed it will become more tone and fit for the work of the ministry the the more you use it to bless others. For it is said "better to give than receive"(Acts 20:35).

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We act like them, talk like them, and worship their idols (actors, icons, symbols etc.). The gap between Non-believers and Christians is getting smaller and smaller. It should not surprise use that we struggle with this for our ancestors had the same problems. Israel was rebuked many times for worshiping the god's of the Canaanites. God knew what He was doing when he gave them the Holy land to possess for Israel was in the center of a major trade route. Traders from many nations in the west would cross the desert on caravans of horses so they required rote with grass for their animals to graze. So they had to follow the Euphrates River to Syria and turn south to follow the Jordan River and them down through Egypt. This but many nations and civilizations at the fingertips for God's holy nation for His purpose was that His children would turn the heart's of strangers to Him for He is the God of Gentiles too(Romans 3:29). However they were indeed a stiff-necked generation and they did not follow God's law but went after the ways of man so they were not recognized by the traveling stranger as God's righteous people.

Now a days we do the same, for even if we profess that we worship Christ alone, if we where to look around our bedroom, in our CD players, and in our movie collections you would never be able to tell that we are God's children set apart for His purpose. As a nation set apart for God's purpose let us not watch and listen to what they watch and listen too. For if the salt loses its saltiness what is it good for(Matt 5:13).

God has called us to forth and make disciples in the name of Christ (Matt 28:19-20). We brae the name of Christ let us strive to become worthy of such an inheritance with are steadfast devotion to Him. For if the world sees no difference in us them they will never come to know and possess the truth as we do. If we do not shine as Christ did then we like them will be lost in the darkness. I beg of you as a fellow believer in Christ Jesus to carefully screen your entertainment and always be asking your self "would I be watching or listening to this if Jesus was here with me?" for if the answer is no them it will only keep you from God's propose for you which is this: you are and chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people that ye show forth the praises of him that has called you out of darkness (I Peter 2:9)

In this I exhort you, go and be holy for our Father in heaven is Holy that the lost of this world may look at you and catch a glimpse for there savior, that they might repent and be forever saved by His Grace.

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Is it a possibly that man natural knows the difference between good and evil? Due to the sinful nature of man most of us Christians would tend to believe that it is not possible. However we look out into the world and we can not help but see a few unsaved brothers and sisters that appear to be quite good. So how should we deal with the paradox between what we see in the world and what we read in the word?

In order to be considered good a person must submit to a set standard of morals or values. Some of these values come from man's law which consists of social law and governmental law. Other values come for the conscience of the individual. Man's law is not necessary God's law (Mark 10:4-12) for the intent of man's law is order alone but the law of the Lord is written with love and truth in mind. Sometimes the two might agree but the difference in intent shall always remain. In order to truly do good the heart must be right while the action is preformed.

It states in the word that the law of the Lord shall be written on the hearts of man. This statement is for the saved and unsaved alike. However one needs the Spirit of the Lord to convict the heart to follow the divine law (Romans 8:1-5 ).The only way to receive the Spirit of the Lord is to accept the price that was paid on the cross by the blood of Christ.

If a good action is performed but it does not advance the kingdom of God, because of the unsaved nature of the man, but rather the kingdom of man it is under the reign of the Devil, for Paul said in scripture that we are either a slave to the light or a slave to the darkness. The only way to conquer the temptation to pervert the good of God is to accept Christ as you savior of you life (Romans 8:37, 1 John 4:4).

Jesus Christ says I am the way the truth and the life, therefore there is no truth or goodness outside of the name of Christ (John 15:5). So in other words to be able to do true god you must be immersed in the nature and love of Christ. Therefore the unsaved can perform good actions and have good intentions behind those actions but no man can do well outside the man of Jesus Christ.

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It is a fact that we can't change the past nor can we control our future. Then why do we spend so much time worrying about it. Our Lord Jesus discussed this in scripture (See Matthew 6:25-34 below). As a believer we have all of eternity to get things done and of course if we take time out of our day to do the will of our Father He will provide us wit an abundance of time to do the things of this world. For he knows what we need to do and by what time frame we need to do it in. lets not take our gift of eternal salvation lightly however but strive to make every moment count for His glory and kingdom. This type of mindset will insure that we will not miss out on the Lord's wonderful and fulfilling will for our lives. Worrying, regretting, and over-planning will fill our mind full of earthly matters rather than heavenly matters.
Worrying about the future shows a lack of faith in our father in heaven. It says to Him that we do not believe that can handle our future so we have to spend tons of time worrying and contemplating to find that right answer because according to us He either doesn’t care or isn't smart enough to came up with the right answer (See Philippians 4:6-7 below ). Surly the Almighty creator and sustainer of the universe can handle such matters. Regretting past circumstances and sins says that the power of the cross is not powerful enough to wash yourself clean. Ask your heavenly Father for forgives forgive your self and be done with it lest you bring dishonor to His son.
By living in the present in the Spirit of Christ we prevent ourselves from doing something we would regret in the past. It will also set us up for better relationships and circumstances in the future. Living in the present is the best and only way to allow the Lord to take hold of the course of our lives. It might mean giving up our set agendas and schedules for our days but by doing so the light of Christ will shine through our lives.
The baby in it's mother's arms that dropped its bottle, the person with the broken down car at the side of the road, the young girl at the ice cream store that is ten cents short of getting that small vanilla cone, I meet all of them and gave up the course of my day so that that might be blessed and see their savior in me. I found that by doing things that I was the one who was blessed by Father in heaven by listing to His still soft voice that told me to stop and care. If I was thinking of the past or worrying about the future at the moment I would have walked right by them and would have continued to wonder if there was any good people still let in the world.
So the next time you leave the house to do your busy work and errands I want to exhort you not to be in too much of a hurry. Stop; look around you and start to wonder how you can use this second in time to impact someone else’s life for Christ.

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[a]?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians 4:6-7

6Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

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 Matt3:2-2

 1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Acts 2:38

38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 17:30

30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Luke 13:3

3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

By: Britney Mann

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Thus sayith the Lord of Hosts “My house before thy house.” We as servants of the Lord must learn to put the Lord’s work before ours. I t is a struggle to deny our fleshly desires but we must realize that the Lord’s work is of the utmost importance. This takes a daily commitment to surrender of our will so His will can be done on earth as it is in heaven. The best example of this principle can be found in the book of Haggai. Here we find the children of Jerusalem desperately tying to rebuild the city after an attack. At first the elders though it would be wise to start with the building of the residential houses but after the profit Haggai spoke to them they changed their tune. He spoke to the children of God saying “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.” Once the people of the Lord realized that He was still in control (of their flocks, fields, herds, and everything else) they came to the conclusion that any action that is not blessed by the Lord is pointless. So they trusted in Him to work on their house while they worked on His and behold the Lord blessed them. Then the Lord gave charge to Haggai to say unto King Zerub'babel and his people “I am with you, saith the LORD.” Then the Lord restored the harvest and strengthened His people’s hand so that they were able the build the Lords temple quickly. Now could God have brought about His plan without His children obeying certainly? However it is the Lords heart to see the first fruits of our love through our sacrifices. It was a great sacrifice for the children of Jerusalem to live without a house for a while but our God measures our love for Him on the amount of our sacrifices. When we face times of sacrifice we must not forget the Father sacrificing his one and only son and Christ ultimate sacrifice on the cross for our sin. Jesus said “There is no greater love than this, a man who lays down his life for a friend.” So since He died for us let us live for Him by sacrificing our will so His eternal work might be displayed through our lives.

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Fear is a lack of faith and trust in God. When a person fears they have doubt in the power and love of their God and Savior. What ever you fear consumes you. It will surround you and hedge you in. Like water, if you fear the world it will drown you in it’s sorrows but if you fear the Lord fear of the world has no place in your life. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the prince of this world knows no wisdom. Therefore fear the Lord and allow Him to divide the waters with wisdom and truth. Within His presence you will find a dry stable path for you to follow. So remember the next time fear comes knocking at your door to ask Jesus to answer it for “Perfect love casts out all fear.”  

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