tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15234740956790129282024-03-05T06:17:59.930-05:00The Sheep's PenEd Ross, here - just a simple man who loves the Lord and loves His Word - with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. As a Biblical storyteller, I am approaching God's Word devotionally - reading, thinking, praying, writing - sharing. Journaling my journey to deeper insights into the love of God and the truths of His Word. The Sheep's Pen is this sheep's attempt to show other sheep where the grazing is - still waters, and rest.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-22836139137994900362012-08-25T23:22:00.001-04:002012-08-25T23:22:59.010-04:00Not From Concentrate - Complete & Unabridged<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Whoever, then, annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but, whoever keeps and teaches them, He shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:19</b></div>
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When I go to the grocery store to buy orange juice, apple juice, or grape juice, I really try to buy the juices not made from a concentrated form of the juice. I want the 100% pure orange juice - not something mixed with other juices - not something watered down, or broken down, or cut with other inferior products.<br />
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I want the good old 100% - no other version or reasonable facsimile will do! I want the full impact of the pure with all the inherent benefits!<br />
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The same thing with my movies. Call me old fashioned, but I enjoy the original versions of the classic movies better than some of the popular contemporary re-makes. <br />
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Perhaps they are made with a bigger budget, better sound effects, more amazing visual effects, and more grandiose marketing promises to deliver the story goods. However, often the story suffers to accommodate the sensational. The new seems like a cheap thrill of eye candy, lacking true heart - stripping the story of all the power once felt when viewing the original.<br />
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And, then there's literature! When I want to read the classics, I want the complete and unabridged version - not the re-written for the modern audience or "dumbed down" version. <br />
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Often, a new, abridged version spin on an old classic changes the story to some degree - and the meaning of the words written, altogether. Something just feels missing in these "updated" versions.<br />
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Then, there's the issue concerning our modern legislature. These "McServants" are often doing more to re-write history than to preserve the integrity of the original foundations laid . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-h71bTclL44nboY80vffAb15arpTUz7HPbfquVEDyzYJlf7l10SUvrKo0xS5pLeBrnML4pXnlrpr8_5zqVUQbIRKU5fJpGVRBfY0b-V5SlvQ8v0rw7N51KDQlZHl4486LkK3Fpg1JXpC/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-h71bTclL44nboY80vffAb15arpTUz7HPbfquVEDyzYJlf7l10SUvrKo0xS5pLeBrnML4pXnlrpr8_5zqVUQbIRKU5fJpGVRBfY0b-V5SlvQ8v0rw7N51KDQlZHl4486LkK3Fpg1JXpC/s400/thumbnail.aspx.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Leaving us with a watered down Constitution that stands for nothing, but falls for everything.<br />
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In our text for today, there is the word <i>"annul"</i> which, in the Greek, is <i>"luo"</i>. This means, <i>"to dissolve, to water down, to break down."</i> Our Lord warns us not to dissolve or water down His Word. We are not to break it down so much that we change the meaning, that it loses its intent, its context. He wants us to get the full benefits, the full impact in the reading and hearing of His Word. He doesn't want us to miss a thing. He doesn't want us to cut corners, to "dumb it down". He wants us to embrace the full council of God, the mind of God!<br />
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So, we must make every effort when we are preaching, teaching, witnessing, sharing - to get it right. When we feed our children, we give them nothing but the best - pure wholesome food. The same with our Bible teaching, preaching, witnessing. No cut corners, no revisonist history, no changing of meanings. In getting it right, we need to properly study and apply the Word. In order to do this, we must procure for ourselves the proper tools. <br />
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A good "word for word" translation of the Bible is a good place to start. <br />
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The translations that follow this principle is the <i>King James Version, New King James Version, New American Standard Bible,</i> and the <i>English Standard Version</i>. "Thought for thought" translations such as the <i>New International Version, New Living Translation</i>, the <i>Century English Version,</i> and others, are fine - but, I prefer the word for word in my personal studies.<br />
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In addition to your Bibles, may I suggest the use of a concordance with the original languages dictionary included. <i> </i><br />
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<i>Strong's Exhaustive Concordance</i> by Nelson Publishers, or <i>The Strong's New American Standard Bible Exhaustive Concordance</i> by Zondervan Publishers are two of the best. They both include Greek and Hebrew dictionaries with their original meanings, not a rewritten one. With these tools we get the full benefit, the full impact of God's Word, based upon proper study of His Word, and not heresay.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." </b></i></div>
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<b>II Timothy 2:15 KJV</b></div>
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In the <i>New American Standard Bible</i>, this portion reads:<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;"><i>"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth."</i></b></div>
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When we get it right we can share it with others, we can teach others the right way, the correct way, which is the least we can do - and, nothing to be ashamed of.<br />
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<b>How do you read? What do you think? </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDuuyBcqNSazkmn20JMOAlsVGqtjRm_iuy1azW74lnk7gd8ONzaIF6A4seHflTdXFFd0py6ie4Cgpn8PfHR07DEWmLaN4ztxGz-h1Zp2cZgblXl7OjURmpN-dnrAZ2ZLGaYK92B-0RMSe/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDuuyBcqNSazkmn20JMOAlsVGqtjRm_iuy1azW74lnk7gd8ONzaIF6A4seHflTdXFFd0py6ie4Cgpn8PfHR07DEWmLaN4ztxGz-h1Zp2cZgblXl7OjURmpN-dnrAZ2ZLGaYK92B-0RMSe/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Not From Concentrate</span></b> with <a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/08/welcome_24.html">Spiritual Sundays</a>.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-76868324628169870712012-08-03T19:58:00.002-04:002012-08-03T20:09:47.089-04:00Jots & Tittles - A Hairy Subject<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled."</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Matthew 5:17-18 KJV</b></div>
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The old joke goes, <i><span style="color: #660000;">"God made a few perfect heads, and put hair on the rest."</span></i><br />
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This saying rings me comfort as well as a smile because - I am folically challenged!<br />
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I am not totally bald. I do have hair that creates a sort of monk's tonsure. It does go from ear to ear, but there's very little on top. This little piece of fur that will not leave the top of my head, I affectionately call it, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"The Little Engine that Could."</span></b></i><br />
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<i><b>"I think I can . . . I think I can . . . I think I can . . . spread to the rest of Ed's scalp!"</b></i></div>
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Did you know that the average human head has over 100,000 strands of hair?<br />
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I know that I don't have that many on the top of my head, but I make up for it by growing a beard. The average male beard has between 7,000 to 15,000 strands of hair.<br />
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I believe that my beard keeps my head on the level!<br />
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To explain hair loss, scientists calculate that fifty to a hundred hairs a day are lost or fall out. I must've lost a decades worth overnight when I turned forty!<br />
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Matthew 10:30 says, <b style="color: #660000;"><i>"The very hairs of your head are all numbered."</i></b><br />
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God can count my hair on both His hands!<br />
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How do we know all this - where did we get all of this knowledge? I Corinthians 12:8 says, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom, to another the Word of Knowledge, by the same Spirit."</span></b></i><br />
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Scientists may think that they had discovered this, but it was our all knowing, all poweful God that granted this knowledge. Sorry about that, Richard Dawkins! We might as well ge this into our heads and hearts right how - God knows all because He created all. Because He has set all things in motion, all things will be fulfilled.<br />
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Jesus was asked if He had come to destroy the law of the Old Testament.<br />
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Was He going to null and void the Scriptures and make something new and contrary to what had been preserved and passed down for so many generations?<br />
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Consider John 1:1: <b><i><span style="color: #660000;"> "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."</span></i></b><br />
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In John 1:3, he says, <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">"All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made."</span></i></b><br />
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And, finally, in John 1:14 we read, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us."</span></b></i><br />
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So, in the beginning there was Jesus, Who made everything (set it in motion), and now dwells among us, and He is asked - will He destroy the law? <br />
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In the Old Testament there are 23,148 Scriptures. In the New Testament, there are 7,958 - between the two a grand total of 31,103 verses of Scripture that became Flesh - that are fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ! And He is asked if He is going to destroy the Old Testament! That would be like cutting off His arms and legs! <br />
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Let's revisit His answer:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Think not <span style="color: #38761d;">(don't even think about it!) </span>that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets <span style="color: #38761d;">(the Old Testament, my Foundation)</span>: I am not come to destroy <span style="color: #38761d;">(make null and void)</span>, but to fulfill <span style="color: #38761d;">(carry it all out!)</span>. For verily <span style="color: #38761d;">(truly)</span> I say to you <span style="color: #38761d;">(pay attention to Me, now)</span>, till heaven and earth <span style="color: #38761d;">(all of My creation) </span>pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all <span style="color: #38761d;">(all means all and that's all that all means!)</span> be fulfilled <span style="color: #38761d;">(carried out)</span>.</i></b></div>
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In closing, let's look at the words, "jot" and "tittle". <br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">JOT</b> - Greek - 'iota'; Hebrew - 'yod'; both meaning the smallest Hebrew letter - small, like a mustard seed.<br />
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<b><br /></b></div>
<b><span style="color: #660000;">TITTLE</span></b> - Greek - 'keraia' meaning smallest stroke in a Hebrew letter.<br />
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It is like the dash ( - ) in this week's post title and the dashes used throughout this post. 'Keraia' comes from the Greek word, 'keras' which means - get this - <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">A HAIR ON THE HEAD</span></b></i>!!<br />
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Not one dot of an 'i', nor a cross of a 't' - not a single hair will be lost till Jesus fulfills every word in His Word!<br />
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Remember - since the return of Israel to their own nation in 1947, we are in the home stretch of prophecy fulfillment. We are this close to 99.9% of Biblical prophecy already fulfilled - and the headlines bring the world closer to 100% everyday! Knowing this, what is your decision for and about Jesus Christ?<br />
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It's time to be like a hair - stand up and be counted!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></div>
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<br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Jots & Tittles</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laura on <a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/08/miriam-whats-the-big-deal-with-dishonor-faith-filled-friday.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Charlotte on <a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/08/welcome.html">Spiritual Sundays</a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-77596732159466016152012-07-27T20:42:00.000-04:002012-07-27T20:42:32.385-04:00Candles & Flashlights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp-stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven."</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;">
<b>Matthew 5:14-16 NASB</b></div>
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Here's another way to put it:<br />
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<i><b>"You're here to be light, bringing out the God colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light-stand - SHINE! Keep open house, be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in Heaven."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>The Message</b></div>
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"The painful preacher, like candlelight, consumes himself in giving others light."</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Benjamin Franklin</b></div>
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When there's a storm, and the power goes out, what do we usually reach for? What's the first thing that we stumble around in the dark for? A waffle iron? The T.V.? <br />
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No!<br />
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Maybe, if you have one - a generator would be worth reaching for. But, most reach for a trusty old flashlight. <br />
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After finding the flashlights, we'll usually go to the cupboard and get out the candles, matches, and candlesticks.<br />
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Candles and flashlights, our first line of defense against any storm power-outage. Why is that?<br />
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It's because in the midst of the storms and darkness, we crave light! We need to see where we are going. We are uncomfortable in our vulnerability in the darkness. In darkness, we lose our sense of direction, lose our sense of balance. In all, we lose our bearings.<br />
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Ever notice when the lights go out, someone usually says, <i>"Nobody move til I get a flashlight and some candles!"</i><br />
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And, when these things are procured, do you notice how you feel afterward? Things become more focused. You remember where you are, and where things are put. Order is restored, and we all sigh a collective, <i>"That's better!"</i><br />
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We remind ourselves that we're okay and that nobody's gotten hurt and that we'll ride out the rest of the storm just fine. Some of us actually start to enjoy the glow of the candles and flashlight. With the warmth of the glow, we'll cuddle on couches and put sleeping bags down on the living room floor for the kids. We might even break out in song - perhaps, <i>This Little Light of Mine.</i><br />
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Yes, we're enjoying ourselves - we have light. But, what about the drain on the batteries? And, what about the candles burning down, running out of wax and wicks? <br />
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A common element in children's literature is to give human thoughts and feelings to animals and inanimate objects - like candles and flashlights. Were we to employ "personification" here, we might wonder if <b><span style="color: #660000;">Flashlight Fred </span></b>worries about his batteries running down -<br />
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Or <b><span style="color: #660000;">Carl Candle</span></b> is fretting about how soon his wick burns to the bottom! <br />
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Truth is - candles and flashlights don't bother about such things. It's just not in their character. They are designed and called to one service - one purpose: To give light and <b style="color: #660000;">SHINE</b>! <br />
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They give no thought to rewards or accolades. They just shine their light in the darkness - showing the path on the way to where you are going - getting you there and back again safely. <br />
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They have purpose and take rest in that purpose. The Master of the house will see to it that they are properly disciplined and ready when needed with fresh batteries and trimmed wick. He puts them where they can be found, keeps them properly upgraded and maintained. <br />
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The same is true in our calling and purpose as Christians - to <b><span style="color: #660000;">SHINE</span></b> in the darkness and storms of the world around us. We're not to worry about running down, or fret that we might burn out. We trust our Master, Creator, Savior, to take care of us - making us disciplined and ready for use as He wills. All we have to do is <b style="color: #660000;">SHINE</b> - and enjoy the journey - to rest in the knowledge of our purpose, what we were created to be - to do - to <b><span style="color: #660000;">SHINE HIS LIGHT</span></b>. <br />
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After all, He is the One Who turned us on - and He will be the One to shut us off . . . or blow us out . . . in His time, and no other.<br />
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We are to take pleasure in showing people where they are and where they are going - and to help them get safely on the path there and back again. In so doing, we demonstrate the goodness and generosity of our Heavenly Father - our Generator.<br />
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<b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></div>
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<br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Candles & Flashlights</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laura's <a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/07/rahab-ms-courageous-meet-prince-charming-faith-filled-friday.html">Faithful Friday</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
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Charlotte's <a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/07/welcome-back.html">Spiritual Sundays</a> </div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-89753993303670624122012-07-21T11:40:00.003-04:002012-07-21T11:40:49.158-04:00Salted Peanuts<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:13</b></div>
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I have read, and re-read this scripture many times. I read it from different translations. I read it fast. I read it slow. Something about this scripture was troubling to me, and I couldn't quite put a finger on it. I looked up this passage in commentaries, and read the explanations from various Bible scholars, and still, it didn't feel right.<br />
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This was getting personal - I was feeling challenged!<br />
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Finally, I read it word by word, and then phrase by phrase, and the Holy Spirit began to breakdown both the scriptures and myself. He broke them down into tiny-bite-size pieces, or morsels - like little salted nuts.<br />
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<br />
Funny, the more he broke it down, the more hungry and thirsty I'd become - like eating something salty and then needing a drink afterwards.<br />
<br />
One thing I can honestly say about salt is that it makes you thirsty! Try eating pretzels, or potato chips, or peanuts without drinking something along with it! As a matter of fact, try eating anything that has salt in it and NOT drink something! The more you eat, the more drink you require.<br />
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<br />
Taking a page out of my former life, let me tell you of my "bar" experience. I spend my time at a different "bar" now - studying God's Law, and the way I <i>should</i> live. Old "bar" habits have passed away - behold all things in my life are new - God is making me a "used-to-be." <br />
<br />
Anyway, in the old days I would go to a bar, looking for liquid refreshment after a hard day's work. Seating myself at the the bar, there lay before me bowls of pretzels, potato chips, and peanuts all stationed strategically in front of each barstool.<br />
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<br />
Was it because of the owners being overly generous and wanting to give out free food?<br />
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No. Pretzels, potato chips, and peanuts are loaded with salt!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjAQPYmn1sD0gphf0VdyKWZxCF33wy0CF0d0taPButwHrhcP1Qqab2R38oFvQtUZZwY6Tv64mu5JPgkbywAN3ih4O2P3BC-nyRYUQdg8t36oDUHk7z4jVEXs_doqZ_o8cCpAKF4i18U11/s1600/peanuts+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjAQPYmn1sD0gphf0VdyKWZxCF33wy0CF0d0taPButwHrhcP1Qqab2R38oFvQtUZZwY6Tv64mu5JPgkbywAN3ih4O2P3BC-nyRYUQdg8t36oDUHk7z4jVEXs_doqZ_o8cCpAKF4i18U11/s400/peanuts+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
They were there to make you thirsty! The more you would eat, the more drinks you would buy.<br />
<br />
Talk about cause and effect!<br />
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Needless to say, their little ploy worked. Their registers were singing a most happy tune, right up to the "last call." You couldn't help but notice the last call, because all the patrons would go into mourning as the bartenders stopped giving out food and pouring drinks. Everyone would break out in a bit of a dirge, "the party's over!"<br />
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<br />
Last Call.<br />
<br />
Folks, do we really believe, that in the times in which we live, this could possibly be the"last call" of the Lord for people to be saved? Do we really believe that this is the "party's over" for the most of the world's population? Do we really believe that God is serious about us witnessing to the lost?<br />
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Think of it this way - Christians are the salted peanuts, potato chips, and pretzels in the earth, strategically placed in front of the unbeliever patrons of this world. We're here to make people hungry and thirsty for Christ!<br />
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Read <b style="color: #660000;">Numbers 18:19</b> very slowly:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"All the offerings of the Holy Gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of SALT before the Lord to you and your descendants with you." NASB</b></i></div>
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It's New Testament counterpart is found in <b><span style="color: #660000;">Romans 12:1-2</span></b>:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Therefore, I urge you, brethern, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."</i></b></div>
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This is our lot - our heritage - to be salted peanuts to a dying world.<br />
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Christians are to live flavorful, to work up people's appetite and thirst for Him! God has not called us to live a tasteless and flavorless Christian life. He wants our daily choices in all manner of living, our conversation, what flows from our mouths and our hearts to be the spice of Christ, making those whose lives we touch thirst for - <b style="color: #660000;">LIVING WATER</b>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3lQORpJp4WMjcwSQpI2ahWzWD-Pls3TIn04MutU47gAhlTBXxm2ttJJdWoMsol1rw1NPpOoCfuiYdzsty9Gz6eoZispXEBo5DOlXQJKpAYkca1KcZ1cMNdPIZ21ltlb_PXVdftOAPQr4/s1600/water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3lQORpJp4WMjcwSQpI2ahWzWD-Pls3TIn04MutU47gAhlTBXxm2ttJJdWoMsol1rw1NPpOoCfuiYdzsty9Gz6eoZispXEBo5DOlXQJKpAYkca1KcZ1cMNdPIZ21ltlb_PXVdftOAPQr4/s400/water.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
Consider the urgency of the season. Listen to Jesus in <b><span style="color: #660000;">John 4:35 </span></b>(NASB):<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Do you not say, 'There and yet four months, and then comes the harvest.'? Behold, I say to you, 'Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest.' "</b></i></div>
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Also, in <b style="color: #660000;">Matthew 9:37-38</b> (NASB):<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech (beg) the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."</i></b></div>
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So here's that personal challenge I mentioned at the outset - a challenge to me and you and anyone who identifies themselves by the name of Jesus Christ: <br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">How then shall we live?</span> <br />
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Perhaps, we need to stop being bar-flies, or video game-flies, or vain entertainment-flies, or just plain lazy-flies, and <i>beg</i> the Lord to take out His Saltshaker and shake us out into the world! Salting the earth so people ask questions like bar patrons asking the bartender for another drink. Are we keeping the bowls of peanuts, pretzels, and potato chips filled? Are we lifting up the salted flavor of Jesus at work, at play, in the neighborhood, your family?<br />
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Listen to this promise from Jesus:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, WILL draw all men to Myself."</b></i><br />
<b>John 12:32 </b><i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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Are we drawing this "draft" for people thirsting from the taste of our "salted" lives?<br />
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If people aren't being drawn to desire to drink, perhaps we've become tasteless. If they're not noticing the bowls of peanuts, pretzels, and potato chips, perhaps it's because we aren't regularly refilling our bowls. <br />
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If there's no salted peanuts on the bar to begin with, no one will even notice the "last call". <br />
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They won't even care . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQkS6dMCRMQY-AMAVnZn8EKzVeybOLc3W3NS88kk1Ma3RqDKYgy9RbsWnnDJIjrkm-ePiTjLgGDaC7UhnjpJqMY6WKuPzyRDkt-AyLGZLbWi2V5pm8tEGuFEbubfbFdZ50HMn3fwEgOBU/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQkS6dMCRMQY-AMAVnZn8EKzVeybOLc3W3NS88kk1Ma3RqDKYgy9RbsWnnDJIjrkm-ePiTjLgGDaC7UhnjpJqMY6WKuPzyRDkt-AyLGZLbWi2V5pm8tEGuFEbubfbFdZ50HMn3fwEgOBU/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>What do you think? How do you read?</b></div>
<br />
Sharing some <b><span style="color: #660000;">Salted Peanuts</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laura on <a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/07/record-breaking-drought-faith-filled-friday.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/07/welcome-friends.html">Spiritual Sundays </a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-49190819287077625102012-07-13T23:36:00.000-04:002012-07-13T23:36:34.728-04:00Blessed Are the Chicken<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:11-12</b></div>
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An insult is thrown.<br />
A challenge is made.<br />
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The two parties choose their weapons. <br />
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If it's a duel, pistols at dawn.<br />
If it's cars, then a game of "chicken" has begun!<br />
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You know the drill in a duel. The two parties stand back to back, count to ten paces, turn, and fire their pistols. <br />
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The first one hit, loses. He not only loses the duel, but the odds are that he also loses his life. The first one who lays down his weapon without firing - "chicken's out". He bears the former insult and dishonor, and is declared the loser. <br />
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<br />
But, at least he's still alive! Is he really the loser?<br />
<br />
In a game of "chicken" two cars face each other as about a hundred yards - the length of a football field. <br />
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A flag is dropped, the two cards barrel towards each other at full speed heading for a head to head collision. The top speed going to the end of the hundred yards is anywhere from 80 to 85 miles an hour. Imagine the impact! Anyhow, the first car to get out of the way of the other car, avoiding the crash, is "chicken", and therefore the loser. Right?<br />
<br />
Well, according to today's text, WRONG!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<b>Word Study: PERSECUTE</b></div>
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The Greek word for <i>'persecute/persecuted'</i> is <i>'diuko'</i>, which means, <i>"to be put to flight"</i>.<br />
<br />
So, blessed are you when you're insulted because of Jesus, and you take flight. You just get out of there. Blessed are you for being chicken, or put another way - blessed are you that gets out of the way - turns the other cheek and <i>runs</i>.<br />
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Getting out of the way of a bullet isn't chicken - it's being smart - genius even! Getting out of the way of a car coming at you going 60 to 80 miles per hour isn't chicken - it's being a candidate for Mensa!<br />
<br />
Remember the first <i>Karate Kid</i> movie when Mr. Myagi was teaching Daniel karate, his words were, <i>"Best way to block a punch is not to be there. Best way to save face." </i><br />
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<br />
Literally.<br />
<br />
Jesus' teaching on the Beatitudes was about being poor in spirit, being repentant, being gentle, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, being merciful/forgiving, being pure in heart, and being a peacemaker. Nowhere did He say, <i>"Blessed are those who mouth off when insulted,"</i> OR <i>"Blessed are the vengeful," </i>OR <i>"Blessed is the one who can punch someone's lights out,"</i> OR <i>"Blessed is the one who can scare the daylight out of somebody,"</i> OR even - <i>"Blessed are the ones who defend Me."</i><br />
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Jesus doesn't need defending. He's God. He defends us - not vice versa!<br />
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In the Beatitudes, Jesus shows us His accomplishments - not his aspirations! He is showing us His Way - not the way of the world. It's not, <i>"Blessed is the tough guy." </i><br />
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It's, <i>"Blessed are the meek, the weak, who don't rely on their physique!"</i><br />
<br />
We are told that the prophets of old were put to flight. We are told of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Gideon, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and many others who were put to flight. They learned to <i>"Live to fight another day!" </i><br />
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They were put to flight for their stand for God. So, being "chicken" is to be in good company. The only one who ever stood His ground was Jesus. He stood His ground - planted on the cross - fighting for us! He planted Himself so we could run to God, and that's a great reward. <br />
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Who wants to end up like the Hatfield's and the McCoy's anyway?<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Blessed Are the Chicken</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laura on <a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/07/what-well-are-you-drawing-from-and-faith-filled-friday.html">Faith Filled Friday</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Charlotte on <a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/07/welcome-again.html">Spiritual Sundays</a> </div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-70896962642778114672012-07-07T07:28:00.001-04:002012-07-07T07:28:06.762-04:00The Bronco Is Now A Jet<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:10</b></div>
<br />
They say that he can't throw.<br />
They say that his style of play is so unorthodox that his mechanics are wrong.<br />
They say that for his position, he's <i>out</i> of position to make a good play.<br />
They say that he's not intelligent enough to be a quarterback in the NFL.<br />
They say that he shouldn't be a quarterback, but a halfback, or fullback in football.<br />
They say that he'll never be a good quarterback, or that he should never start at quarterback in the NFL. They say that anybody who starts him will not win many games.<br />
They say that he'll never be a winner, that he's one for the bench at best.<br />
<br />
They always criticize his style.<br />
They always criticize his public demeanor.<br />
They say that he's a phony - that he's really not what he is in public - in private<br />
<br />
Well, let's see . . .<br />
<br />
In college, his teams won not only one, but <i>two</i> NCAA National Championships - Number One out of hundreds of college teams! He was the first ever sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy - that's the honor of being named the top college football player in the nation - Number One out of thousands of football players!<br />
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As a pro, he was drafted Number One for the Denver Broncos. In his second year he led the Broncos to a western division title. In his first playoff game, he led the Broncos to an upset win over the favored, superior Pittsburg Steelers!<br />
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Yet, he is still maligned, still put down. Still - people are non-believers.<br />
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Throughout his whole life, he was told that he'd never measure up - that he'd always fall short. And, what was his reward for leading the Broncos to a division title and a playoff win?<br />
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<br />
He was traded.<br />
Traded to the New York Jets.<br />
Out of the frying pan and into the fire!<br />
<br />
You've heard people talk about him.<br />
You've read about him in the newspapers<br />
You've seen him on T.V..<br />
You've heard the commentaries on the radio.<br />
<br />
I'm talking here about the most polarizing player in the NFL today - <b style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">TIM TEBOW!</span></b><br />
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<br />
You know, Tebow? Of the <i>"te-bowing"</i>? When he runs or throws for a touchdown, he immediately falls to his knees, bows, and prays a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus.<br />
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The term, "te-bowing" was given to him by the media, and it has sure caught on! Tebow has been mocked by everyone from <i>Saturday Night Live</i> to that wonderful bastion of conservatism, Bill Mahr.<br />
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He is criticized for giving credit to his teammates, his coaches, and of course, God - taking no credit for himself. As a matter of fact, when asked about his ability, he will often quote scripture like:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Proverbs 27:2</b></div>
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For stuff like this, he is often viewed as <b style="color: black;">Public Enemy #1</b>!<br />
<br />
Why is he always put down? Why is his name banter for jokes? Why is he relentlessly persecuted?<br />
<br />
Is it really for his athletic ability? Is it really for his athletic record? Is his tie on crooked? Did he sell somebody a bum used car?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">No!</span></b></i></div>
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I believe, it's because of his stand for Jesus!<br />
<br />
Tim Tebow is the son of Christian missionaries. He was born in the Philippines and enjoyed a homeschool education. He testifies that at age 25 he is still a virgin waiting for the woman God will give him in holy matrimony!<br />
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His <a href="http://www.timtebowfoundation.org/"><b>Tim Tebow Foundation</b></a> fulfills the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses.<br />
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It partners with other children's organizations throughout the U.S. and supports over 600 orphans worldwide. Tim spends his free time working to bring faith, hope, and love to those in need. These things don't bring cheers from the world and the worldly.<br />
<br />
It brings raspberries!<br />
It brings jealousy.<br />
It brings slander from a world full of cynicism.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Persecution.</span></b></div>
<br />
Those worldly minds who so harshly pass judgement on Tim Tebow can't see that his whole focus in life is to add to the Kingdom of God. He's not after treasure that can be stolen, or rot, or rust. He's claiming territory bought by the Blood of Jesus.<br />
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And, in all this, the world <i></i>rewards him thus: An adult porn site has offered a one million dollar reward to any woman - or man - that can provide proof that he/she took Tebow's virginity away from him.<br />
<br />
Sounds like they're offering thirty pieces of silver to someone to betray innocence. <br />
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He drew "boo's" at Yankee Stadium for his witness for Jesus. Many say he will fall in Sin Ciry, New York - that temptaion will get the best of him. Even so, I recently read that in his competition for the starting quarterback's job for the Jets, Mark Sanchez has stated that Tebow's presence makes him work harder and brings out the best in him!<br />
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Tim's birth in the Philippines was a troubled one. His mother was told to abort him to save her life. She didn't. She prayed. Together they beat the odds. Instead of being a statistic, today Tim wears scripture verses on his "lamp black" under his eyes, so when people or players get close to him, maybe they'll read the scripture and become a statistic for the <span style="color: #660000;">New Census in the Kingdom of God</span>.<br />
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I have no doubt that he'll beat the odds in NYC, and will win over the fans of the Jets like he did with THIS Eagle fan!<br />
<br />
The Bronco fans will rue the day that Tebow was traded, just like the sports world will rue the day that they joined the sinking ship of the media and put Tim down.<br />
<br />
Thirty pieces of silver buys a temporal high on a smile from the world. A soul saved inherits a Kingdom, and praise from the eternal God. Why hasn't the world been able to beat Tim Tebow down? Because:<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it!"</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="color: #660000;">John 1 </b></div>
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Yeah - I'm a fan of Tim Tebow - but I'm more of a fan of the One he represents.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></div>
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<br />
Sharing <b style="color: #660000;">The Bronco Is Now A Jet</b> with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Laura on <a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/07/how-to-embrace-imperfection-faith-filled-friday.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Charlotte at <a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/07/welcome.html">Spiritual Sundays</a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-14331269607419568562012-06-29T20:43:00.002-04:002012-06-29T20:43:20.059-04:00The Model Referee<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Sons of God!"</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:9</b><i><b> </b></i></div>
<br />
Ever get in the middle of a fight?<br />
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Of course you have. Two combatants on either side, and you right in the middle. Your arms are outstretched with each hand carefully placed on each combatants chest in hopes of keeping them apart. You keep them apart because you care for both of them.<br />
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Also, you know that one would probably kill the other!<br />
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The two fighters are angry with each other and even though they are separated apart they start swinging. Trouble is - because of their distance the only thing their fists connect with - is the one in the middle! The one in the middle receives the punishment that each side wants to inflict on each other. <br />
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Now, a fistfight can last from five to ten minutes - perhaps, with a couple of die-hards - fifteen to twenty minutes. It all depends on the energy released by the two opposing parties. Whatever the duration, it seems like an eternity to the one in the middle, using all of his energy to keep them apart.<br />
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What usually happens next is truly a phenomenon. Both parties tire after expelling all that energy, look at each other, huffing and puffing, and say to each other, <i>"Had enough?"</i><br />
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Usually, both of them agree - <i>"Yeah!"</i> - shaking their heads with a nod. Then, shaking hands, they'll mutter something like, <i>"Let's go get a drink,"</i> and off they go like new found bosom buddies.<br />
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But, what of the one in the middle? He is the one battered, bruised, and bloodied. He's the one that looks like the cat just dragged him in. No matter - his mission is complete. It has been accomplished. Peace is restored and the two combatants have been reconciled.<br />
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God and man were at each other. They needed reconciliation. Jesus stepped right in the middle of our fight with God. We swing wildly at God with our disobedience, our sin. God was poised to deliver the one lethal blow. Jesus got right in the middle of us with his outstretched arms and kept us and God apart, absorbing the blows from both sides for what must have seemed like an eternity on that Friday. For six hours the fight lasted - on the cross - with Jesus never dropping his arms. Jesus is the One who got battered, bruised, and bloodied.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2x7NDL3mgC-WxKg6wK3kWiMDL9zDJClCJdZi1ztxTejJTh11QmY2v21DzR1nh_6XZMHEuKDm_sQYLSlInp-8m_BDZDavezOrL6ONCvxQCNdyolqfYHSk6Sy-ZrCbMyzqSD5tP9qUuruo/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2x7NDL3mgC-WxKg6wK3kWiMDL9zDJClCJdZi1ztxTejJTh11QmY2v21DzR1nh_6XZMHEuKDm_sQYLSlInp-8m_BDZDavezOrL6ONCvxQCNdyolqfYHSk6Sy-ZrCbMyzqSD5tP9qUuruo/s400/cross.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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What did we get?<br />
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Reconciliation and an invitation to supper in Heaven, walking away eternally reconciled to God.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed us to the Word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as through God were making an appeal through us, we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>2 Corinthians 5:18-21</b></div>
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As a Christian, do you ever wonder why you seem to be in the middle of every skirmish? At work? At home? At church?<br />
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If Christ is in you, you can't help being in the middle. You have been placed there - by Him! Jesus is called the Son of God, by being in the middle for us. We are called sons of God, by being in the middle for Him!<br />
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Yean, you get battered, bruised, and bloodied - but you get called by an even better name!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtePYa9K5bNrYtujRHl1Jz7kmHRZQgBNoMVurlhuJjB33fDNiZDSFyURkhJFzi1Gu_ypJ2qw2kBapz5NgFl_nRoiKR6hvnK0MJJRZlPDGfAjwnKNUVNsDYYyLcLACvPXYFNHzJl3v1KVNS/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtePYa9K5bNrYtujRHl1Jz7kmHRZQgBNoMVurlhuJjB33fDNiZDSFyURkhJFzi1Gu_ypJ2qw2kBapz5NgFl_nRoiKR6hvnK0MJJRZlPDGfAjwnKNUVNsDYYyLcLACvPXYFNHzJl3v1KVNS/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">The Model Referee</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/06/who-gets-your-best-faith-filled-friday-16.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/06/welcome-back_29.html">Spiritual Sundays</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-16209672061163401252012-06-22T17:18:00.001-04:002012-06-29T20:34:18.232-04:00Wooden Floors<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:8</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="color: #274e13; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Create in me a clean heart, O God;</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #274e13; text-align: center;">
<i><b>And renew a steadfast (right) spirit within me."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #274e13; text-align: center;">
<b>Psalm 51:10</b></div>
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My wife and I have been blessed with a beautiful rancher house built in the 1960's. Frankly, it is the best house that I have ever lived in. Its previous owner had taken good care of the house - with the exception of the carpets.<br />
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You see, they had dogs. You could tell that the dogs had a few accidents on the carpets. Each room in the house, except for the kitchen and bathroom, had wall to wall carpeting. So, each room had a little evidence of a beloved pet.<br />
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At the time, we also had pets: Libby, our golden retriever, and Blaze our domestic longhair cat.<br />
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Actually, both had long hair, so something needed to be done in relation to these carpets - not only for the stains, not only because the carpets were worn, but also for the fact that these carpets were going to get worse - with likely more stains and way too much hair.<br />
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We decided to pull up the carpets - all of them - from each room. We knew there was a wood floor with promise under there - if we could just get to it.<br />
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If you've never done it - pulling up carpets is hard work! Attention to detail is a must, as well as having a strong back, durable knees, and tireless arms. Here's the process that we went through:<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FIRST</b>, we had to get everything off the floor - all furniture had to be moved to another room because we were doing one room at a time.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">SECOND</span></b>, we had to tear up the carpet, pulling up and out. This was a real "hands on" affair!<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">THIRD</b>, we had to use our hammer's claw and flat head screw drivers to pull out all the staples and tack nails and the strips of board that they were nailed to and staples onto the floor. The cushioning foam that was underneath the carpets was also pulled up. What a mess! <br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FOURTH</b>, we had to vacuum the floor pick up all the sandy debris from the old carpeting and to make sure that any nails and left over staples we had missed were removed from the site.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FIFTH</b>, all the wood needed a good sanding which we did by hand with scads of sandpaper, then scrubbed and washed the floor - talk about elbow grease - and, let it dry.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">SIXTH</b>, came the floor finishing oils and varnish, giving it a shiny sheen with a new wood look and smell. We let it dry, and then buffed the floor with soft cloths.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FINALLY</b>, the floor was ready for the furniture to be returned to it. We tried new furniture arrangements for a whole different look. <br />
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The process took about a week. When we were finished, my wife and I took a step back and admired the fruit of our labor.<br />
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We both said: <b><i><br /></i></b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Wow! What a difference!" We didn't know that such a beautiful floor was underneath that disgusting carpet - it's like we have a totally new house!"</i></b></div>
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When we become a Christian, our born again lives are just like the newly discovered wooden floors beneath that filthy carpet. Jesus says, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"Blessed are the pure in heart . . ." </span></b></i> What does that mean? <br />
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In the Greek, the word for 'pure' is 'katharos' - which means to be cleansed, to be made pure, innocent.<br />
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The word for heart in the Greek is 'kardia' - which means our whole being, our minds, and our spirits. Putting it all together we get<i><b>:</b></i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b> </b></i><b style="color: #660000;"><i>"Blessed are those who get cleansed in both mind and spirit." </i></b> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbYlJ6CqF0RYix0IJEGua2pyifmPZPz_y4K3sT6WjKxwrBsafVAReAquT4Kwe_KhmtG7B95HpZqime9G-rvV0H3ruJjOCcA_1IyjSkat5MPVOkH34VDDNq_UQ_PlQ6jTCnITtWkapz-oA/s1600/floor+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbYlJ6CqF0RYix0IJEGua2pyifmPZPz_y4K3sT6WjKxwrBsafVAReAquT4Kwe_KhmtG7B95HpZqime9G-rvV0H3ruJjOCcA_1IyjSkat5MPVOkH34VDDNq_UQ_PlQ6jTCnITtWkapz-oA/s400/floor+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Simple enough? Okay, the second part of the verse reads<i><b>:</b></i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b> </b></i><b style="color: #660000;"><i>"For they shall see God."</i></b></div>
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The word for 'see' in the Greek is 'horao'. It means to perceive, to behold, to perceive that a work has been done, and to behold the one who did it. It's just like taking up the carpet:<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FIRST</b>, we see the filth and the need for a change so we move the furniture of our lives by confession and repentence.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">SECOND</b>, we invite Jesus in WHo proceeds to tear up the old filthy rags that was our righteousness. Talk about a pierced-hand-on" affair!<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">THIRD</b>, Jesus starts to clean up the mess in our lives by pulling us away from what we were stapled to, old strongholds, and old habits.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FOURTH</b>, our souls are vacuumed of all the dirt of our past, present and future. Just like when he spit on the dirt to create new eyes for the blind man, we start to see more clearly as the dirt is wiped away from our eyes - falling away like scales off a fish.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FIFTH</b>, we are washed and scrubbed by the Blood of the Lamb when we make Jesus both<i style="color: #660000;"> LORD </i>and <i><span style="color: #660000;">SAVIOR</span></i> - accepting the substitution of His death on the cross.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">SIXTH</span></b>, the oil of the Holy Spirit seals us, guaranteeing the work will be preserved.<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">FINALLY</b>, the furniture is placed in you. Your calling! Your priorities! Your new nature! You've been re-arranged!<br />
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<span id="goog_484727118"></span><span id="goog_484727119"></span>Now, take a step back. Knowing what you were and what you are now, do you see the difference? Don't you appreciate all of His handiwork done in you? If you see His work, you see <span style="color: #660000;">HIM</span>!<br />
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Do you see Him alive in you? If you do, I bet that right now - <b style="color: #660000;">YOU'RE BLESSED!</b><br />
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As I close, I leave you with one more little thought. It took God six days to create everything. It's taking Him the rest of your life to mold you into His image. Just think, we will be more magnificent than the whole of His Creation. Bet you didn't know what a beautiful floor you have inside of you!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="color: #660000;"><b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">Sharing </span><span style="color: #660000;">my</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> Wooden Floors</span></b> <span style="color: black;">this week with:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/06/wrapped-in-grace-faith-filled-friday-15.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2012/06/hello-again.html">Spiritual Sundays</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div>
</div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-46349049702166675912012-06-16T11:16:00.002-04:002012-06-22T17:14:12.712-04:00Cheeks Full of Spinach<div style="color: #990000;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Happy Father's Day!</b></span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACWDkzN2rUt1Tss5bTdSyKtTCaGcfAhgaiQyTHf0JkoX5eaL4x0gTJE3NqEpR7-1qxlMKK_pChyphenhyphen43vmO3Ww6tLsVN__it0A5MzR3G1Rmeg2WeCcbWS_CEF8sl4tbacYBvsGM13XAN8HnS/s1600/dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACWDkzN2rUt1Tss5bTdSyKtTCaGcfAhgaiQyTHf0JkoX5eaL4x0gTJE3NqEpR7-1qxlMKK_pChyphenhyphen43vmO3Ww6tLsVN__it0A5MzR3G1Rmeg2WeCcbWS_CEF8sl4tbacYBvsGM13XAN8HnS/s400/dad.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Birdie Blessings graphic credit</td></tr>
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I've been MIA in Blogland for the past month - my last post celebrating my mother just before Mother's Day. Now - here we are weeks later and I'm back . . . thinking of Dad - <i>my </i>Dad!<br />
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And, Popeye, of course.<br />
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With a side of spinach! You see, in his later years, my dad actually looked like Popeye - a little fellow with bulky forearms and chubby cheeks and a perpetual wink in his left eye due to the disease that eventually took him.<br />
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Okay, stick with me here. Picking up where I left off <i style="color: #660000;">Reading the Red</i> in the <span style="color: #660000;">Beattitudes</span>, I can't help but think of Dad:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:7</b></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<i><b>"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth!' But, I say to you - do not resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:38-39</b></div>
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We start life off with a <span style="color: #660000;">SLAP</span>. Fine way to be greeted in this world, but that's what the world has to give. We cry and fill our lungs with fresh oxygen. <i>"I just squeezed through this narrow tunnel, bringing trama to my mother, as well as myself, and this is the thanks I get! I get a slap! Why, you'd better watch out in about another 20 years or so!"</i><br />
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Is this what we think?<br />
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No, we forget instantly about the slap when we are cleaned up, and held fast, placed in our mother's arms. <i>"There, that's better! I'm in familiar territory now! Boy, am I hungry!"</i><br />
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Perhaps we lash out because we're not in familiar territory when we get older, we know we're not where we belong. We belong with those who created us, our parents - where it's safe and warm. Where we'll be cared for and protected. The slap is in the distant past now as we get our first nourishment without the umbilical cord. We are clean, warm, and fed. All is forgotten. All is forgiven. We hear a comforting and confirming voice on the outside. A voice that sounds different, yet strangely familiar. The voice Mother. Of Father - so strong and protective.<br />
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As we grow, <span style="color: #660000;">SLAPS HAPPEN</span>. We need to hear the comforting and confirming voices of mother and father on the outside - our protectors, those who love us. But, more than that - we need to hear the comforting and confirming voice of God our Father - our Protector - on the inside. <br />
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It is in our nature to "lash out" when slapped - giving more heed to the bullying voices in the world outside while drowning out the sweet whisperings of the Spirit inside - He who is the Believer's true Parent - our Heavenly Father voice. Funny how we forget about the slaps when our deepest needs are met - like, Jesus forgiving me of all my sin. With this forgiveness, I'm washed, cleaned up, fed, and placed in the Father's protective arms.<br />
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I'm safe and sound. I hear His voice through His Word:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Father , forgive them, for they know not what they do!"</i></b></div>
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I hear this on the inside of my heart which is good since I know I'm going to need its protective shield on the outside. More "slaps" are coming!<br />
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From my boss when he doesn't recognize my work and I get passed over for a raise. <b style="color: #660000;">SLAP!</b><br />
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The motorist who cuts me off on the road and then shouts at me as though I were at fault. <b><span style="color: #660000;">SLAP!</span></b><br />
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My kids. <b style="color: #660000;">SLAP!</b><br />
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The Government. <b style="color: #660000;">SLAP! </b><br />
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Even my brothers and sisters in Christ - sad to say. <b style="color: #660000;">SLAP!</b><br />
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The list goes on: Relatives, in-laws, co-workers, bullies, friends who disappoint, young people in want of manners, the clerk at the register in the store, insulting gas station attendants . . . even my spouse. The Lord has used all in my life as "holy sandpaper". These <span style="color: #660000;">SLAPS</span>, were I to put a monetary price on the value of them against me would fall . . . I would say . . . in the range of about . . .<b><span style="color: #660000;"> $10</span></b>.<br />
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Yep - you read that right. <b><span style="color: #660000;">TEN DOLLARS</span></b>.<br />
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That's all they would owe me - perhaps a dollar or two less, even. A mere pittance - compared to the sum of sin I've racked up since my birth and my first . . . <span style="color: #660000;">SLAP</span>. What I owe to Jesus would be, in today's monetary value . . . about . . . somewhere in the ozone of trillions of dollars - ba-zillions of dollars.<br />
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Impossible to reimburse apart from a "sugar daddy". Ah! My Heavenly Father comes to the financial bailout through the immeasurable <span style="color: #660000;">gift of Jesus Christ</span>, writing <span style="color: #660000;">PAID IN FULL</span> on my life voucher of sin debt when He took and forgave me of such a debt on the cross.<br />
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I hear the familiar voice again as I meditate on what He did for me. It was to <i>ME</i> He was referring when He said:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i>"Father, forgive Ed, for he knows not what he does!"</i></div>
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This is were Popeye comes in! Fanfare, please!<br />
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You see, when I'm <span style="color: #660000;">SLAPPED</span> - but, hear His voice - I suddenly grow <b><span style="color: #660000;">POPEYE CHEEKS</span></b>! You know Popeye - Popeye the Sailorman? The one with the big cheeks. You only see one eye because his cheeks are so big. You also know that he gets stronger when he eats his spinach - getting it down deep on the inside. It seemed that for every <span style="color: #660000;">SLAP</span> at the hands of Bluto - Popeye would reach for his spinach - and be <i style="color: #660000;">"strong to the finish"</i>! Invincible!<br />
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We're strong and invincible when we get that Holy Spirit brand spinach deep down on the inside - growing Popeye Cheeks and big forearms in our soul and spirit making us more like Jesus and able to turn our cheek at any old <span style="color: #660000;">SLAP</span> with the power to <i style="color: #660000;">"forgive our debtors"</i>.<br />
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In Matthew 18:21, Peter needed a good dose of <span style="color: #660000;">Popeye Cheeks</span>. He asks:<br />
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<i>"Lord, how often shall my brother sin (slap) against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"</i><br />
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Peter was really asking like the rest of us, <i>"What happens when I run out of cheeks?"</i><br />
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But, listen to the comforting and confirming voice of Jesus as he responds:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>"I do not not to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!"</b></i></div>
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Okay - third grade multiplication math class tell us - <i><span style="color: #660000;">THAT'S 490 CHEEKS</span></i>! We don't have that many! It's impossible! It can't be done!<br />
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Or, can it?<br />
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Why, you'd have to be some sort of <span style="color: #660000;">NEW CREATION</span> to have 490 cheeks! But, let's not throw the towel in on this mathematical Word problem quite yet. Let's allow the Lord to clean us up, hold us fast, and feed us some <span style="color: #660000;">HOLY SPINACH</span> - while He tells us a story in that comforting and confirming Voice of His:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;">
<i><span class="text Matt-18-23" id="en-NASB-23751"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>“For this reason the kingdom of heaven <sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NASB-23751a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]"></sup>may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-18-24" id="en-NASB-23752"><span class="woj">When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him <sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NASB-23752b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]"></sup>ten thousand talents </span></span></i><span class="text Matt-18-24" id="en-NASB-23752" style="color: black;"><span class="woj">(15 years worth of wages!) </span></span><i><span class="text Matt-18-24" id="en-NASB-23752"><span class="woj">was brought to him.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-18-25" id="en-NASB-23753"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum"></sup>But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-26" id="en-NASB-23754"><span class="woj">. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’</span></span> <span class="text Matt-18-27" id="en-NASB-23755"><span class="woj">And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-28" id="en-NASB-23756"><span class="woj">. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred <sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NASB-23756e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]"></sup>denarii </span></span></i><span class="text Matt-18-28" id="en-NASB-23756"><span class="woj"><span style="color: black;">(100 days wages)</span></span></span><i><span class="text Matt-18-28" id="en-NASB-23756"><span class="woj">; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-29" id="en-NASB-23757"><span class="woj">So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-30" id="en-NASB-23758"><span class="woj"> But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-31" id="en-NASB-23759"><span class="woj"> So
when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved
and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-32" id="en-NASB-23760"><span class="woj"> Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-33" id="en-NASB-23761"><span class="woj"> Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-34" id="en-NASB-23762"><span class="woj">' And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.</span></span><span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"> My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother</span></span></i><span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"><span style="color: black;"> (or sister)</span></span></span><i><span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"> from <sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NASB-23763g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]"></sup>your heart.”</span></span></i></div>
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj">Matthew 18:23-35 NASB</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"><b>Blessed are those, who are living forgiven, knowing the mercy that Jesus showed to us when we SLAPPED Him, should move us to show mercy to those who SLAP us, remembering theses Words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"</b></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;">
<span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"><span style="color: black;">The next time this world puts a good one on you, remember: A <span style="color: #660000;">SLAP</span> is better than torture - especially when fortified with <span style="color: #660000;">POPEYE CHEEKS</span>. A slap is for a moment. Torture is for eternity.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;">
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;">
<span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"><span style="color: black;">I come home from work. My wife is cooking something. She tells me she's been unjustly slandered, mocked, and misused at her job. I ask her, "What for supper?'' She replies, "Spinach."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-18-35" id="en-NASB-23763"><span class="woj"><b>How do you read? What do you think? </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Sharing </span><b><span style="color: #660000;">Cheeks Full of Spinach</span></b> <span style="color: black;">this week with:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/06/heaven-faith-filled-friday.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays</a> </div>
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a><br />
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</div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-89694169677196628072012-05-04T20:48:00.000-04:002012-05-04T20:49:50.628-04:00Beef Stroganoff<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:6</b></div>
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When I was a kid, my favorite dinner was beef stroganoff.<br />
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I loved beef stroganoff! I slept beef stroganoff!<br />
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To me, there was no finer meal on the planet, except maybe for the turkey dinner at Thanksgiving. The reason that beef stroganoff was my favorite meal? The chef of course, my mom!<br />
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Her skills in the culinary arts were legendary. Now, some fifty odd years later, they have risen to mythical proportions. My mom made the best beef stroganoff in the universe!<br />
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Sorry Stouffers.<br />
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Her secret? She made it with love!<br />
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I was raised in a home where I was loved. I was special. I could trust that all my needs and wants would be taken care of - all in the right time. I didn't have a care in the world, except - what was for supper!<br />
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I would bug my mom every week for beef stroganoff.: <i>"Mom, what's for supper tonight?"</i><br />
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<i>"I hope that it is beef stroganoff! Please, pretty please?"</i><br />
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I rally don't know if my constant nagging wore on my mother's nerves, because she never showed it if it did. Sometimes, the answer would be <i>"yes"</i>. Other times it was, <i>"no"</i>. She made it in her time. When she felt that it was the right time.<br />
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You're probably asking, <i>"Why beef stroganoff? Why this particular meal? Why not fish sticks or chicken fingers with french fries, or any other kid-friendly meal?"</i><br />
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I don't know, but what I do remember is that having beef stroganoff, mom's way, FELT RIGHT. It brought comfort. It filled me up.<br />
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I remember coming home from school one day and there on the counter were the noodles, the mushroom soup, the sour cream, and the beef cooking in the skillet! The smell was intoxicating! With my mouth already watering, I blurted out, <i>"ARE WE HAVING BEEF STROGANOFF?"</i><br />
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Mom turned around and with that big smile of hers, she said, <i>"Yes!"</i><br />
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<i>"Praise the Lord, my prayers have been answered," </i>or something like that came from my slobbering mouth. All I needed now was for dad to come home.<br />
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Mom had a great track record. I could ALWAYS trust my mom to give me what I truly needed - from sneakers to spankings to beef stroganoff. She KNEW ME! She and dad had a part in my creation. Because of this, they knew me inside and out - just like YAWEH, my Creator. They knew what was right and what was wrong for me. They instilled in me a hunger for what was right - beef stroganoff! They also instilled in me an understanding of what was wrong - like eating snacks before dinner. But, most important, they instilled in me the longing, the starving for right living, right attitudes, everything that was right.<br />
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I'm left handed, but I'm "right minded". Again, because of their track record, I could <span style="color: black;">TRUST</span> them.<br />
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Our Lord and Savior, in today's Scripture, gives us a promise, a promise that will not be broken. As with my parents, when I was a kid, the same now with my Savior - <i>"God said it, and that settles it!"</i><br />
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My parents would give to me out of their sense of what I really needed. They would give to my need, not my greed. The same with our Lord. The keys to our understanding this Scripture today comes from focusing on four words. They are: <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hunger</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thirst</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Righteousness</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Satisfied</span></div>
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As always, we will consult our friend - with the guidance of the Holy Spirit - the Greek. First, "hunger" in the Greek is "peinao" which means, "to be hungry, going hungry, literally starving".<br />
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Second, "thirst" in the Greek is "dipsao" which means, "am thirsty, parched".<br />
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Third, "righteousness" in the Greek is "dikaiosune" which means "wanting justice, that which is right." It comes from the word "dikaios" which means "to correct, or be innocent, rightness or right living, trusting in the right thing".<br />
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Finally, "satisfied" in the Greek is "chortazo" which means "to feed, to fatten, to be filled." The word is taken from the word "chortos" which means "a feeding place, a pasture with hay or grass, a place of fulfillment at the right time".<br />
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Let's put it all together:<br />
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<b><i>I am trusting, having faith in my Creator, my Savior, my shepherd for everything - being starved and parched for His rightness, His justice, His making all things right.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Then - according to His Word, He will lead me to green pastures (Psalm 23) . . .</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbvNecJC7Slme-Ibc2S4vYnGxHnYyjuasZsS8z3aAx_1NH02yRzIpcOIFtdpz8LbuYM0zGp97cWtmzTDORG0FyXMfolJPX1XB3WmvjDBX63WcWOo1DUuT2CfMdbJMr_5w-7psRmpk1jCq/s1600/sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbvNecJC7Slme-Ibc2S4vYnGxHnYyjuasZsS8z3aAx_1NH02yRzIpcOIFtdpz8LbuYM0zGp97cWtmzTDORG0FyXMfolJPX1XB3WmvjDBX63WcWOo1DUuT2CfMdbJMr_5w-7psRmpk1jCq/s400/sheep.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i>His feeding place, in His time, and I will feed and get fat on His goodness, </i></b></div>
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<b><i>His rightness, His justice . . .</i></b></div>
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<b><i>And, I will be filled!</i></b></div>
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That's a promise!<br />
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Mom didn't always make beef stroganoff, but always when I needed it, in her time. And, I was filled and satisfied.<br />
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Now, I'm hungry and thirsty (parched in a dry and thirsty land) for God's rightness in me and in this world. I'm hungry and thirsty for wrongs to be made right. I'm hungry and thirsty for crooked ways to be made straight. I long for green pastures. I've been given this attitude - passed onto me by His Spirit, just as mom passed to me my love for beef stroganoff. I've been given His promise that this will be done . . . in His time . . . and I will be truly satisfied. If I look in my spirit, as I look at the times in which we live, I see meat, mushroom soup, noodles, sour cream . . .<br />
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The thought of this fills me up!<br />
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Beef stroganoff, anyone?<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">How do you read? What do you think?</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagToCwwfV29cB2JtH5rhBXL5wqlmXWMJSQLRa-oLuqexqDBtdPbl2mZ08eJAjFx639xOERGt8_yLFj-4aLdMh5InwdXZVRIpD54pAIeJyYlx4MrxfsHnHOqUKmPk5Oc_OSMCDsnC2-egU/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagToCwwfV29cB2JtH5rhBXL5wqlmXWMJSQLRa-oLuqexqDBtdPbl2mZ08eJAjFx639xOERGt8_yLFj-4aLdMh5InwdXZVRIpD54pAIeJyYlx4MrxfsHnHOqUKmPk5Oc_OSMCDsnC2-egU/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Beef Stroganoff</span></b> this week with:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/05/faith-filled-friday-creation-revealing-the-glory-of-god.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Beef Stroganoff</span></b> photo credits from <b><span style="color: #660000;">Pinterest</span></b>. </div>
</div>
</div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-73345108157622081182012-04-27T21:07:00.002-04:002012-05-04T20:39:54.350-04:00The Bloody Nose<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<i><b>Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.</b></i></div>
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>Matthew 5:5</b></div>
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In his brilliant, anointed, yet somewhat fictional one man play, <i style="color: #660000;"><b>Witnesses</b></i>, actor, <b><span style="color: #660000;">Curt Cloninger</span></b> portrays a tailor in one of the seven short acts reminiscing about the life of Jesus.<br />
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In this scene, Cloninger reminisces about what it was like to grow up with Jesus as a boy. Although this point in Jesus' life is not recorded in Scripture, we can have a good idea of what He might have been like just by the way Jesus lived His adult life.<br />
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The scene - as I remember - opens with Cloninger folding clothes. He is talking to an unseen reporter who is talking to seven witnesses about who Jesus was, is, and is about to become:<br />
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<i>Jesus? You want to know about Jesus? I would be very glad to tell you! About seventeen years ago, I was a boy - the only child of my mother who had just been widowed. Because she depended on me to later take care of her, she was very protective of me - I was her only son, and I was never to get hurt. This made me, and my reputation in our village, a 'mama's boy'. The boys in the village called me a 'sissy'.</i></div>
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<i>One day, on my way home from synagogue school, I'm walking by myself when I hear footsteps closing in behind me. I turn around, and see the neighborhood bully and his gang closing in. I see in his eyes that I am to be his next victim! I start to run, but they're bigger and faster than me. In a matter of a few seconds, I am surrounded!</i></div>
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<i>One of the gang grabs my books and knocks them to the ground saying, "Looks like we have a bookworm here. Let's see if he likes to eat dirt!" </i></div>
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<i>The bully grabs me, and throws me to the ground. He sits on my chest, and starts to shove dirt into my mouth, screaming at me, saying, "What's the matter you little sissy, dirt got your tongue?"</i></div>
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<i>I start to cry, which incites this pack of boys to act like wild animals. He is sitting on top of me, shoving dirt into my mouth, and I can't breathe!</i></div>
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<i>At this moment, I hear some commotion starting from the back of the pack. A parting of the bully's gang. I feel the bully being lifted off of me. I slowly open my eyes hoping to see a very large adult taking charge of this riot. But, what I see is a boy - much smaller than the bully - about my age. </i></div>
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<i>The boy speaks, "If you want to pick on somebody, why don't you pick on me?"</i></div>
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<i>The bully sees the boy's size. His eyes turn red with anger. The bully clenches his fist and swings at the boy, totally connecting with the boy's nose. More blood than I've ever seen gushes from this boy's nose, covering him and getting some on my clothes. From where I am, I can see this boy's fists clenched, but - at his side. He then raises his arms, forming a "T" or cross shape. Arms open wide, inviting the bully - for a hug. The bully stands there expecting the boy to retaliate. But, this much smaller boy just stands there with this peaceful expression on his blood matted face. </i></div>
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<i>Well, the bully doesn't know what to do. He mutters something to his gang, and walks off shaking his head, leaving me and this boy alone. </i></div>
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<i>This boy drops his hands, and holds one out to me. He gives me a hand up, and brushes the dirt off of me. He looks me in the eye, and says with a small grin, "We were almost done for, weren't we? My name is Jesus." </i></div>
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<i>"Thank you, Jesus, for saving me." I say.</i></div>
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<i>He says, "Aw . . . that's what I'm here for. Come with Me to My Father's house and we'll have a meal together! I hope you like loaves and fishes!"</i></div>
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The words for "gentle" in the Greek are "praupathin", "praus", and "prautes". They mean meekness, gentleness, and humility. They come from the Greek word, "pascho", which means to be acted upon, to endure. It gets its foundation from the Hebrew word, "pasach", which means to become lame, not strike back!<br />
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In boxers terms, it means, "to pull your punches." Putting it all together, it means to hold back from striking back, in humility, gentleness, meekness - even though you have the power to retaliate and destroy the one who started it!<br />
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In the <b style="color: #660000;">Beatitudes</b> that Jesus is giving us here in Matthew 5, these are attitudes He wants us to have because He first had them. <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">These attitudes are not aspirations of our Lord, but are accomplishments.</span></i></b><br />
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And, if we follow Him, He will give these attitudes to us! One word from Him could have destroyed the entire universe. Yet, not opening his mouth, in full submission, He saved it!<br />
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The next time that the world gives you a bloody nose, hold out your hands - the world needs a hug. And, you'll win the world, NOT be destroyed by it!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;">
<b>How do you read? What do you think?</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNZnp-6csGFr57gByaFUlMIqOivPuMszjd3GbfzJCjodVt1t0ljHMSpFzvsILXu7UiWZY_BaTz3DY_EWyKw18yDv8ngYebdVJUsDRH1LBxvfKESlPBwpW_1zjhu-8Gq9MLHz5KwZR0QK2/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNZnp-6csGFr57gByaFUlMIqOivPuMszjd3GbfzJCjodVt1t0ljHMSpFzvsILXu7UiWZY_BaTz3DY_EWyKw18yDv8ngYebdVJUsDRH1LBxvfKESlPBwpW_1zjhu-8Gq9MLHz5KwZR0QK2/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">P.S. </span></b></span> To make my point in this post, I have borrowed liberally from the works of <span style="color: #660000;">Curt Cloninger</span> - probably the premier Christian storyteller in ministry today. His works, DVD's, blog, and performance schedules are available at his website <a href="http://curtcloninger.com/">HERE</a>. I love the motto that sums up his work and ministry: <i style="color: #660000;"> </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i style="color: #660000;">"Good stories. Well told. Lasting Impression."</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tkHrbxpdGichLb0yM8dZ2rXHts5BgH5_aJeLdjRvk_ir78whbGi4EJgubeIJzgWtg_XC-7pX0nwAJqNoI5BYjKftaiGdc8fzowNbOJQmKhyphenhyphenE60n3gjRemmtVU2K1xJ38CzvDuk1Smnu3/s1600/curthomeimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tkHrbxpdGichLb0yM8dZ2rXHts5BgH5_aJeLdjRvk_ir78whbGi4EJgubeIJzgWtg_XC-7pX0nwAJqNoI5BYjKftaiGdc8fzowNbOJQmKhyphenhyphenE60n3gjRemmtVU2K1xJ38CzvDuk1Smnu3/s400/curthomeimage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Sharing a <b><span style="color: #660000;">Bloody Nose </span></b>this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/04/faith-filled-friday4.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-40870048176169598772012-04-20T22:46:00.001-04:002012-04-20T22:51:51.351-04:00Joy Comes in the Mourning<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.</b></i></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Matthew 5:4</b></div><br />
In this world, life brings many opportunities to mourn, to grieve. Loss of a loved one, whether a person or a pet. Loss of a prized possession, a family heirloom - the one that was entrusted to you.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETdxC723BxKSlR7US62mrAiTBfEkqNjHdq4RubaH6RY63pmKTE436JVYNlvtXV6ttLd5zk7_HK2iHc4ce-bg2uKszBXX-_NiqWg5n5qqkfLVPb0Ye3U5tsUOPwLDsfP-avtbr3uTLd1YE/s1600/watch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETdxC723BxKSlR7US62mrAiTBfEkqNjHdq4RubaH6RY63pmKTE436JVYNlvtXV6ttLd5zk7_HK2iHc4ce-bg2uKszBXX-_NiqWg5n5qqkfLVPb0Ye3U5tsUOPwLDsfP-avtbr3uTLd1YE/s400/watch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Loss of a dear friend, over some stupid argument.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLMYSK25nAv0GmtNMZnCkq-hhPFmtnGKlw8RuqSU0O-L0eR0ngYMEhIRdevPtnITpWfHpfq2VO2Mu7q2huijKyLR_o8gN5WwZP50OiBkh9eOYGZFJjMSQzEtT0o75Qm2BgeND0qX-nd6m/s1600/mourn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLMYSK25nAv0GmtNMZnCkq-hhPFmtnGKlw8RuqSU0O-L0eR0ngYMEhIRdevPtnITpWfHpfq2VO2Mu7q2huijKyLR_o8gN5WwZP50OiBkh9eOYGZFJjMSQzEtT0o75Qm2BgeND0qX-nd6m/s400/mourn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Loss when your favorite team loses a game, even. I'm a Brooklyn Dodger, Philadelphia Phillie, Philadelphia Eagles fan - trust me - I know a lot about loss in this instance!<br />
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Loss of a job, whether you quit or were fired - great expectations flushed down the drain of disappointment. Loss of power, just when that program you've always wanted to watch comes on, or when you're in the middle of doing something where electricity is needed. Loss of sick days and benefits due to a restructuring of the company. Loss of recognition, when you don't get noticed. Loss of weight . . .<br />
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Well, depending . . . that one isn't so bad.<br />
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As you can see, the list could go on and on. So, what is Jesus talking about? As always, let us turn to our friend, the Greek language. To "mourn" in the Greek is "pentheo" which means "to lament".<br />
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Lament over what? According to <i>Webster's Complete Unabridged Dictionary</i>, a "mourner" is a person who professes repentance for sins, with the desire for salvation.<br />
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Really?<br />
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So, to mourn in this fashion - according to the Bible - is to experience another desirable result - comfort - when sin is confessed and salvation is come!<br />
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Again, the Greek. The word "comfort" is "parakaleo". Before we look at the entire word, let's break it down into little tasty morsels: "para" means to come beside, and "kaleo" means to call, or called one.<br />
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"Kaleo" comes from "kletos", which means to be sent from God with invitation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRs5PPy3JsxvUl4aD9O9XmXBUiznbaHEIK9JJveDeLMi6RvNQSBDN9frc3GmbA644tLOdFCPzqgIHbT8bCPL-AIEPN_6ek8nxMqHSITsj5k_sFwLPSCTX8FGLSNsAzUI0QlmhILNTcMxbx/s1600/dove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRs5PPy3JsxvUl4aD9O9XmXBUiznbaHEIK9JJveDeLMi6RvNQSBDN9frc3GmbA644tLOdFCPzqgIHbT8bCPL-AIEPN_6ek8nxMqHSITsj5k_sFwLPSCTX8FGLSNsAzUI0QlmhILNTcMxbx/s400/dove.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Putting it altogether, "parakaleo" means to get encouragement, exhortation, by the coming alongside of the invited (called, sent) guest. In other Greek texts, the word for the Holy Spirit is "parakletos", which means comforter. He is the invited guest, the invited Spirit, sent by God at our conversion. He is sent by God, He is the promise of God, He is the Breath of God, the Teacher from God. The Sanctifier - all ours at our turning from the World - the turning from all our sins.<br />
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Think of it this way - your sins and the way of the world has left you cold.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhsC6rObo6iPinpDPxvRDEfY-mygSTLudHNiuHf6xJ3OrsHMzsvFTvrlaT4xSb5lCgtsh5Rman2dgY9kOZ4Y3Qa-erevLUprLN5zcQyZUHajYedQIfkmWZkFLcktsEY-DQy0Hw5PSkPNN/s1600/cold+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhsC6rObo6iPinpDPxvRDEfY-mygSTLudHNiuHf6xJ3OrsHMzsvFTvrlaT4xSb5lCgtsh5Rman2dgY9kOZ4Y3Qa-erevLUprLN5zcQyZUHajYedQIfkmWZkFLcktsEY-DQy0Hw5PSkPNN/s400/cold+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
You're freezing, you're uncomfortable. You need warmth. So, you turn (repent) of your sins and ask God (Jesus) for a blanket. He gives what is much more than a blanket - He gives you a Comforter. The Comforter wraps around you, restoring warmth, and life to your body and soul.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqdCi4EJN-lp1et-Mq43cVV8ZQ0DebfQu21httab-ZUF31ym4T79RZOGxhhuCkcR1iqrD0KF4JuBDxLC6kptpvc38uds-9NuOQRWqpOLQ8pjG5hnY0SfTzA3gPgxqiwqP0DDTE1aIZyF0/s1600/warm+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqdCi4EJN-lp1et-Mq43cVV8ZQ0DebfQu21httab-ZUF31ym4T79RZOGxhhuCkcR1iqrD0KF4JuBDxLC6kptpvc38uds-9NuOQRWqpOLQ8pjG5hnY0SfTzA3gPgxqiwqP0DDTE1aIZyF0/s400/warm+4.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br />
Read and listen with new eyes and ears to <b><span style="color: #660000;">Luke 11:13</span></b>:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>How much more will your heavenly Father give (kletos - call, send) the Holy Spirit (parakletos - comforter, teacher, instructor, breath of God, sanctifier) to those who ask (kaleo - invite) him (in).</i></b></div><br />
Now, with new understanding, let's turn again to<b><span style="color: #660000;"> Matthew 5:4</span></b> and read into what we've been taught.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>Blessed are those who lament over their sins, confess (agree with Me) their sins, turn from their sins, and turn to Me. </b></i></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAkMY_CmzGcs_2il3frJPFeuNXqYZqU6HCnuRlnIYs5h0PiMcck_RAAc0RxTteJFhWUMsVqW2r0YvoWF-Q9CqPzKoOlPR6e6ZKxtlrdtNhPyqy8oqegHwFwfsXcqzgxHWzr-rseE6dNkf/s1600/sad+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAkMY_CmzGcs_2il3frJPFeuNXqYZqU6HCnuRlnIYs5h0PiMcck_RAAc0RxTteJFhWUMsVqW2r0YvoWF-Q9CqPzKoOlPR6e6ZKxtlrdtNhPyqy8oqegHwFwfsXcqzgxHWzr-rseE6dNkf/s400/sad+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>For they get with their invitation of Me - encouragement, exhortation, new breath in their souls, a correction of bad behavior, a true Teacher in the Word of God, warmth from the chill of death, and one that will keep your commitment to Me, the Parakletos, not for comfort in this world, but peace and eternal life with Me!</b></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYGKus9jwSrNvNfp5hBOBVuofwcFRlambrSylafPkB3cruMknUHPPGUKWDrVnE-7_BqSZDcVYvYQfXpMr-FlMOVDtRnAqSebFygw3uSfhbYDhcZrpWoSy1gGmhdHjd5iu5EYYk4vp_kwK/s1600/happy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYGKus9jwSrNvNfp5hBOBVuofwcFRlambrSylafPkB3cruMknUHPPGUKWDrVnE-7_BqSZDcVYvYQfXpMr-FlMOVDtRnAqSebFygw3uSfhbYDhcZrpWoSy1gGmhdHjd5iu5EYYk4vp_kwK/s400/happy+2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
Finally, our Lord wants to show us two men, two attitudes, and two results in <b><span style="color: #660000;">Luke 18:9-14: </span></b> <br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>And, He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Two men went up to the temple to pray - one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people - swindlers, unjust adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I pay tithes of all I get!" </i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvBhZIXrp-l1_723BtTPquZdTIehndH4mXXOpCLxrnPL9yGaqaRCQlYnl15Og31dS3PCpHMejgx7JjWt-MbsrkiBwaMM2dTk48jPyP4XY4_qjH3Wyz7D1BFer2jkiKtec1QhQSFJrdkI5/s1600/proud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvBhZIXrp-l1_723BtTPquZdTIehndH4mXXOpCLxrnPL9yGaqaRCQlYnl15Og31dS3PCpHMejgx7JjWt-MbsrkiBwaMM2dTk48jPyP4XY4_qjH3Wyz7D1BFer2jkiKtec1QhQSFJrdkI5/s400/proud.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" </i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMGYXEsdsg5yMPT-4YCA8YgWq3a_VTpUfZx3N_CWC17IVRLUsbu5m9PfBV7wnCu8MBOCs9wz4JN-Tbp_oM5zLekh7zckUhDTyR1nquuZb72vp2Foo-3xVOk-xVNtnN39crIMO2Ma3U-k0/s1600/sad+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMGYXEsdsg5yMPT-4YCA8YgWq3a_VTpUfZx3N_CWC17IVRLUsbu5m9PfBV7wnCu8MBOCs9wz4JN-Tbp_oM5zLekh7zckUhDTyR1nquuZb72vp2Foo-3xVOk-xVNtnN39crIMO2Ma3U-k0/s400/sad+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>I tell you, this man went to his house justified (comforted) rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted!'</i></b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">How do you read? What do you think?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4t7-lyDUcyJ1V8AjMfqtFwDHh3CsluFXFH1YmdKCboxf8jN35MBNqqVU0uh0NlAFtbU1NlAN9Sv6WdZM4jhE2QO7XTbBwxDNd4WBPIAfNevgJYD1u66VpuQjJR9u95UOWww-92SvvSBU/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4t7-lyDUcyJ1V8AjMfqtFwDHh3CsluFXFH1YmdKCboxf8jN35MBNqqVU0uh0NlAFtbU1NlAN9Sv6WdZM4jhE2QO7XTbBwxDNd4WBPIAfNevgJYD1u66VpuQjJR9u95UOWww-92SvvSBU/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Sharing</span> <b><span style="color: #660000;">Joy Coming in the Mourning</span></b> <span style="color: black;">this week with:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/04/faith-filled-fridays.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div></div></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-58752088487628753332012-04-13T21:59:00.001-04:002012-04-20T22:43:31.487-04:00In for the Long Haul<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>"Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."</b></i></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Matthew 5:3</b></div><br />
To run in a marathon is to run at the best of your ability - running smart - running at your top speed - running a course well studied - for 26 miles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw2ZGU_qq1oQFmd5okL5neDn0I6VKIuJ3Bo5MfnGvLtCkvjKnrz9y3oAK05MG2pNekaum7JCNHgnTRgBXQRIeHLW-5RnLS1Lw_GXmUF95v2u6gxdWP3EyrymEuyGiIjMeeD0E6d7MWo_n/s1600/runner+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw2ZGU_qq1oQFmd5okL5neDn0I6VKIuJ3Bo5MfnGvLtCkvjKnrz9y3oAK05MG2pNekaum7JCNHgnTRgBXQRIeHLW-5RnLS1Lw_GXmUF95v2u6gxdWP3EyrymEuyGiIjMeeD0E6d7MWo_n/s400/runner+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The "marathon" got is start in 490 BC, when Pheidippides ran 26 miles from the city of Marathon to the city of Athens carrying news of the Greek victory over the Persians. Ever since that time, the re-enactment of that event is played out in athletic competitions worldwide.<br />
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There's an interesting thing about running a marathon of 26 miles - a physical phenomenon. There's something that happens to each runner in the course of running the distance. That something is called, "hitting the wall."<br />
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"Hitting the wall" happens right around the 20 mile mark, when the body's fuel is virtually depleted and willpower becomes crucial to being able to finish the course. The runner begins to cower. He literally begins to beg for air and energy. His body begins to shut down causing the excrement of bowel and other body fluids. He actually begins to die mentally, and to some point, physically. It is at this point that he must forget his flesh - his physical being - and, let his spirit - his competitiveness, his willpower - take over. This is when he is running on fumes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R3OBLoLntWexG2A6yUZRQvBuxq9RDRQPVn-KmD-GiO6ry3XbcMXIysRK_I6aE4bPxBFf9t2yAP04e5C6I3kO0gFUWxLRbZX0b7LU95y-zm71C5oeP5TjbyuX-6rT-aVFVm2zMblIEBs8/s1600/Poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R3OBLoLntWexG2A6yUZRQvBuxq9RDRQPVn-KmD-GiO6ry3XbcMXIysRK_I6aE4bPxBFf9t2yAP04e5C6I3kO0gFUWxLRbZX0b7LU95y-zm71C5oeP5TjbyuX-6rT-aVFVm2zMblIEBs8/s400/Poster2.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br />
As the runner hits the wall, his body, soul, and spirit say to each other, <i>"Please, one more breath. Just one more step. Just one more burst of energy."</i> He says this to himself over and over in the course of the last 6 miles. Nothing is replenishing the runner. For the last 6 miles is both physically and mentally bankrupt.<br />
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If the runner has been successful with the mental first, and physical training second, coercing himself across the finish line, he can expect to win his prize!<br />
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A medal?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEauALkZYwXZyuugA10NvjDNxSMgCHr_OVIKzlojKZzxOFFSdNVtmDQTZ42rvUvf0JFXI1gVBT97xWeF1JMXpiRRHknlpz82wG54UG_GIwQs5vg-Vrt51-_hc-qtvVGB2ex6hsz04N3iDs/s1600/runner+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEauALkZYwXZyuugA10NvjDNxSMgCHr_OVIKzlojKZzxOFFSdNVtmDQTZ42rvUvf0JFXI1gVBT97xWeF1JMXpiRRHknlpz82wG54UG_GIwQs5vg-Vrt51-_hc-qtvVGB2ex6hsz04N3iDs/s400/runner+4.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
Maybe.<br />
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Money . . . cash prizes?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc3Y2_sRmPH26QI66E0zht-acMnPzWb65k5Dcie2E3Lg0F73hUkPovkscgCtOneCx3SVNErYe-crqMSfo0UoASxRDvMvMkl_Y_JakVN0xOd9sJogUg6zXEjsMtaxM7ogZKa1wj08VcGHD/s1600/runner+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc3Y2_sRmPH26QI66E0zht-acMnPzWb65k5Dcie2E3Lg0F73hUkPovkscgCtOneCx3SVNErYe-crqMSfo0UoASxRDvMvMkl_Y_JakVN0xOd9sJogUg6zXEjsMtaxM7ogZKa1wj08VcGHD/s400/runner+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Maybe.<br />
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But, the prize most wanted by every runner at this point isn't gold or greenbacks. The runner wants only to rest. To breathe. Oh! For a cup of water!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqBDvgnfwEEQoIfxmI8ezM85qfBs4fhHt28z15ydunJvSZvl6Z7E2RaIDktMyNQ0DczGzDTyAx1AwQdQyqB5XwffJ3sxvrVsVTnzTWEvPD5hVjKjuntARxaF9OTfLFb69-QiLrwPeDYy1/s1600/runner+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqBDvgnfwEEQoIfxmI8ezM85qfBs4fhHt28z15ydunJvSZvl6Z7E2RaIDktMyNQ0DczGzDTyAx1AwQdQyqB5XwffJ3sxvrVsVTnzTWEvPD5hVjKjuntARxaF9OTfLFb69-QiLrwPeDYy1/s400/runner+7.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
Runners respond differently upon finishing. Some pump their fist in triumphant ecstasy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6HdETtRWVLZUM7hUabAeJSOenEv7rR59-3buDqtLaqs7Dp7h8cWFaegY2GeM27Fxz8bfNnzm2I7-Xzd5o096REFXwdJ59jtcod5ZI8_N-te9eDuaLyEwuX5qlRoruIGoks7xGUJuzkaE/s1600/runner+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6HdETtRWVLZUM7hUabAeJSOenEv7rR59-3buDqtLaqs7Dp7h8cWFaegY2GeM27Fxz8bfNnzm2I7-Xzd5o096REFXwdJ59jtcod5ZI8_N-te9eDuaLyEwuX5qlRoruIGoks7xGUJuzkaE/s400/runner+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Some just barely finish, and stumble over the line on hands and knees, heaving with labored breath.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The real point of interest though, is the one who finishes last. Crowds gather, anticipation is high. There are questions asked, <i>"When will he get here? Most have finished two or three, hours ago! It's going on six hours, now - where is the last runner?"</i><br />
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Finally, the last contestant is on the horizon! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsSnrdxrLjNBGO6P7V4Txt0onY8dT1IzrpnP2tvl6nM_A0f0XvuDp4Uro_Fv6CrBTYhu5PsTYrnMBsoJz_EQdpoHe8pgQkt5ZaQkyrFxEmwo4m-5s-34FhBCvWLd8PZLwjeMKtmq-iGC2/s1600/runner+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsSnrdxrLjNBGO6P7V4Txt0onY8dT1IzrpnP2tvl6nM_A0f0XvuDp4Uro_Fv6CrBTYhu5PsTYrnMBsoJz_EQdpoHe8pgQkt5ZaQkyrFxEmwo4m-5s-34FhBCvWLd8PZLwjeMKtmq-iGC2/s400/runner+2.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br />
As he nears, the runner is seen limping, almost crawling, his running uniform is stained with his own excrement. The look on his face is what one looks like when they're in shock. The brain cells fried. But, through the swirl of sweat, emotion, and rubber-numbed limbs, the runner becomes aware of a swelling of sound. Applause. The spectators are applauding!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>You see, the best applause is not for who finished first. </b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>No. </b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>The best is reserved for who has finished last. </b> </div><br />
As this runner barely makes it over the line, he is met with a thunderous applause! Medical staff are waiting to treat him and comfort him after his ordeal. You can't help but notice that this runner is a sweaty, smelly, filthy mess. But, that doesn't matter now. All that matters is that he finished.<br />
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It doesn't matter that he is a sweaty, smelly, filthy mess. What matters is that he's HOME now!<br />
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Now. Where did we start this off from? Ah, yes - Matthew 5:3: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <i style="color: #660000;"><b>"Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."</b></i></div><br />
Again, we go to the Greek: The word, <i>"poor"</i> in the Greek is <i>"ptochos"</i>, which means, <i>"begging, cowering, bent over, humbled, feeling worthless because you have nothing left to give."</i><br />
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The word, <i>"spirit"</i> in the Greek is <i>"pneuma"</i>, which is where we get the word, <i>"pneumonia"</i>. <i>Pneuma</i> means <i>"breath, blowing wind"</i>. When we have pneumonia, we have difficulty breathing with our inflamed lungs due to congestion - lungs filled with phlegm. Now, let's put it all together - hearing the <b><span style="color: #660000;">Words of </span><span style="color: #660000;">Jesus</span></b> at the outset of His <b style="color: #660000;">Sermon on the Mount</b>:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>"Blessed are you who are begging, cowering, short of breath. Blessed are you who are stinky, smelly, bankrupt of body, soul, and spirit. Blessed are you who feel worthless because you're spent, you're humbled by running life's marathon. Blessed are you who just finish, for you get the prize - ME!"</b></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeymkqtW61_8QQDmocR_4bjStXfSzHCK32xt04CteDKfOK0VTt_VYdJo-DytMXZJGiKOhdZb-5uixnKs3_KElvmKKvSWYCz2bT1O77W2EOq5y1pF6PejHtwWVZurt-Zet9O31rZXUQ6EPu/s1600/runner1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeymkqtW61_8QQDmocR_4bjStXfSzHCK32xt04CteDKfOK0VTt_VYdJo-DytMXZJGiKOhdZb-5uixnKs3_KElvmKKvSWYCz2bT1O77W2EOq5y1pF6PejHtwWVZurt-Zet9O31rZXUQ6EPu/s400/runner1.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><br />
Kinda gives you a visual of what state Paul was in when he - through the Holy Spirit - the Holy Breath of God - wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith."</i></b></div><br />
It's nice to know that Jesus will greet you in His arms one day when you cross that finish line after the marathon of life. It's nice to know that His shepherd's "staff" is waiting for you and me - to give you Heavenly comfort and treatment. It's nice to know that He will wash our sweaty, smelly, "holy" running shoes at the end of the race, and welcome us home - with the angels applauding!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">What do you think? How do you read?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Sharing</span> <b><span style="color: #660000;">The Long Haul</span></b> <span style="color: black;">this week with:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/1/post/2012/04/faith-filled-friday-blog-link-up1.html">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-82412464473998324402012-04-06T17:53:00.001-04:002012-04-13T21:58:29.295-04:00The Super Bowl Sunday for Christians<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Welcome to a Special Edition of The Sheep's Pen!</b></div><br />
As I was preparing to pen my regular post, something was tugging at me. Something just wasn't right. The topic I was preparing just wasn't clicking. I was drawing blanks and feeling numb to the whole writing process. As Sunday was drawing closer, I kept feeling that I should target my comments on what we know as <b><span style="color: #660000;">Resurrection Sunday</span></b> - or, if you'll excuse a sports metaphor - the Super Bowl Sunday for Christians!<br />
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The research for my regular post was taking me down many "rabbit trails" - no pun intended.<br />
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Finally, a still small voice spoke to my spirit and said, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"Just give them the Word. Don't explain it. Don't comment. Just give them Luke 24. No bells. No whistles. Just leave the rest to Me."</span></b></i><br />
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So, here goes. Sit back. Go back . . . 2000 years. Come with me to the tomb . . . <br />
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<i>But, on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. </i><br />
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<i>While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and, as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them:</i><br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD? HE IS NOT HERE, BUT HE HAS RISEN. REMEMBER HOW HE SPOKE TO YOU WHILE HE WAS STILL IN GALILEE, SAYING THAT THE SON OF MAN MUST BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF SINFUL MEN AND BE CRUCIFIED, AND ON THE THIRD DAY RISE AGAIN!"</i></b></div><br />
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<i>And, they remembered His Words, and returned from the tomb, and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. </i><br />
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<i>Now, they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But, these words <b style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">appeared</span></b> to them as nonsense, and they <b style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">would not believe them</span></b> . But, Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw <b style="color: black;">the linen wrappings only</b>, and he went away to his home, <b style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">marveling at what had happened</span></b>.</i><br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>The Road to Emmaus</b></div><br />
<i>And, behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And, they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, <b style="color: black;">Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them</b>. But, their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. </i><br />
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<i>And, He said to them, <b style="color: #660000;">"What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?"</b></i><br />
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<i>And, they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?"</i><br />
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<i>And, He said to them, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"What things?"</span></b></i><br />
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<i>And, they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But, we were hoping that it was He Who was going to redeem Israel. </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUTNSuA6waxBRIiqoqBPUoOf2dHOhZ0B7bsaMEno9Q4w4yq1TNOho4zYY5lnEZbfZMQ2D-FNXIiqM6z7CwClJSt3FuMWg_SMV-8iCM7e7Xx2pHVQ6NRmGMbOs972uiuAXCcxmcIP7I9IN/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUTNSuA6waxBRIiqoqBPUoOf2dHOhZ0B7bsaMEno9Q4w4yq1TNOho4zYY5lnEZbfZMQ2D-FNXIiqM6z7CwClJSt3FuMWg_SMV-8iCM7e7Xx2pHVQ6NRmGMbOs972uiuAXCcxmcIP7I9IN/s400/cross.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br />
<i>"Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But, also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was ALIVE! </i><br />
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<i>"Some of of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see."</i><br />
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<i>And, He said to them, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"O FOOLISH MEN AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE IN ALL THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN! WAS IT NOT NECESSARY FOR THE CHRIST TO SUFFER THESE THINGS AND TO ENTER INTO HIS GLORY?"</span></b></i><br />
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<i><b style="color: black;">Then, beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.</b> And they approached the village where they were going and He acted as though He was going farther. But, <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: black;">they urged Him saying, "Stay with us</span></b>,</span> for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopcUuseXn-bR2X76cpdV3P0nrTaWdXIlzUIDV7cxTJt5FzGKIaxgeUxGtFDa2YZAyhRM2Y3ujdL9cAunOoUecB8lrI1jIk5iWPaLUdb6FhZ3dY-QAWeEwq8CzSJs-z9hyphenhyphen5_ETINoowgJF/s1600/Emmaus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopcUuseXn-bR2X76cpdV3P0nrTaWdXIlzUIDV7cxTJt5FzGKIaxgeUxGtFDa2YZAyhRM2Y3ujdL9cAunOoUecB8lrI1jIk5iWPaLUdb6FhZ3dY-QAWeEwq8CzSJs-z9hyphenhyphen5_ETINoowgJF/s400/Emmaus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<i>So, <b style="color: black;">He went in to stay with them</b>. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. <b style="color: black;">Then, </b><span style="color: black;"><b style="color: black;">their eyes were opened</b> and they recognized Him</span>; and He vanished from their sight. </i><br />
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<i>They said to one another, <b style="color: black;">"Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"</b><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><br />
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<i>And, they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon." They began to relate their experiences on the road and how <b style="color: black;">He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.</b></i><br />
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<i>While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"Peace, be to you."</span></b></i><br />
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<i>But, they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And, He said to them, <b style="color: #660000;">"Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."</b></i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM7Ne1QCmbd6F_e8PjJjbbJpCS7YyJebjh7XPW32W0N4kSC2weihb1AMjL0Ce6XVud9Hi2Uo2pWxheav8aSk5PkT5X8HyJT363EmpieyqNudzswzb20ZXt5nTOSLpZnBuKW5V2ABsL9py/s1600/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM7Ne1QCmbd6F_e8PjJjbbJpCS7YyJebjh7XPW32W0N4kSC2weihb1AMjL0Ce6XVud9Hi2Uo2pWxheav8aSk5PkT5X8HyJT363EmpieyqNudzswzb20ZXt5nTOSLpZnBuKW5V2ABsL9py/s400/hands.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><br />
<i>And, when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, <b style="color: #660000;">"Have you anything here to eat?"</b></i><br />
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<i>They gave Him a piece of broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them. Now, He said to them, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"These are my Words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."</span></b> </i><br />
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<i>Then, <b style="color: black;">He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures</b>, and He said to them, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And, behold I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."</span></b></i><br />
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<i>And, He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. <b style="color: black;">While He was blessing them,</b><span style="color: black;"> </span><b style="color: black;">He parted from them and was carried up into Heaven.</b><span style="color: black;"> </span><b style="color: black;"> And, they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great Joy, and were continually in the Temple praising God.</b> </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt8_-UslKdfSYNAZv8lc6xXEwPDYqRHg7WfmgtFQQHqiUyt9R3ODuex6crn0AOhYYuhkknJB7XqwEx5rchE5XHO4Pa57jAmzimv3iB4T1PNzmLz25jvmv6Ce56KWVCGbAUPG9kMiWoGXY/s1600/up+to+heaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt8_-UslKdfSYNAZv8lc6xXEwPDYqRHg7WfmgtFQQHqiUyt9R3ODuex6crn0AOhYYuhkknJB7XqwEx5rchE5XHO4Pa57jAmzimv3iB4T1PNzmLz25jvmv6Ce56KWVCGbAUPG9kMiWoGXY/s400/up+to+heaven.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br />
<div style="color: black; text-align: center;">So, there you have it.</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">2000 years ago Jesus Christ made the ultimate</span><b> TOUCH-DOWN </b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">crossing Earth's goal line to secure the</span><b> WIN </b><span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">for</span> <span style="color: black;">the</span><b> SALVATION OF MANKIND. </b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Please enjoy this Super Bowl Sunday - this</span><b> Resurrection Sunday</b><span style="color: black;">, </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;">with no commercials. </div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;">Perhaps, today, instead of beer and pizza, you might <b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Celebrate with Bread and Wine</span></b>.</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>How do you read it? What do you think?</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMhwpW2GXt1dXImmg4wqiSw7W5c-BNIxRBc4MvjGoM9J21UdJAB9BZyb668fq9TW0c9qjTlZZidJeCPVnZdsmsC_xSeLk12vbKQC4zraULlmuU2lLli-Keqd2cH9K2jobiYtb2mk5Wj4D/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMhwpW2GXt1dXImmg4wqiSw7W5c-BNIxRBc4MvjGoM9J21UdJAB9BZyb668fq9TW0c9qjTlZZidJeCPVnZdsmsC_xSeLk12vbKQC4zraULlmuU2lLli-Keqd2cH9K2jobiYtb2mk5Wj4D/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: black;">Sharing</span> <b><span style="color: #660000;">Super Bowl Sunday for Christians</span></b> <span style="color: black;">this week with:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-71728823285015178112012-03-30T17:58:00.001-04:002012-04-06T11:07:31.205-04:00Immediately!<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>"Follow Me, and I will make you Fishers of Men."</b></i></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Matthew 4:19</b></div><br />
When I was a boy, my family lived on a five acre wooded spread. My backyard was a three acre gravel pit. After my chores, I would play army and other things like throwing dirt bombs in the gravel pit. At the back of the pit, the border of our property was lined with another stretch of woods where us kids would build our forts - five acres away in a serene quiet setting from my house. From the back of the property you would hear no cars, almost nothing except the wind blowing through the pines.<br />
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At suppertime, my 5'7" father would call out, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"Edvard, coma zee here, mach schnell!"</span></b></i> This translates, <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">"Edward, come to dinner and make haste!"</span></b></i><br />
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Dad had this booming voice for a little man, so it was no problem hearing him with all this quiet around me - and he knew it!<br />
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There was a rule at our house also - he would only call once. You had one chance to respond - correctly. Dad would never, ever, accept a negative response. Dad, with his faux German accent, made sure that you recognized his voice. He made it distinctive from anybody else's voice. No tower of Babel here! His was authority personified. He was in charge. He was the boss. Failure to respond - failure to come running - had its consequences. Upon arriving late to the table, one might find his dish removed, less food to eat, or since he had to wait for you - you would now have to wait until he was finished. Needless to say, this never happened to me for God had blessed me with exceptional hearing. Plus, that extra spring in my running legs<br />
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I had learned the meaning of <b><span style="color: #660000;">"immediately"</span></b>. <b style="color: #660000;"><i>"Mach schnell"</i></b> rhymed with <b><span style="color: #660000;">"now"</span></b>!<br />
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Peter, Andrew, James, and John also knew the word, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"immediately"</span></b>. The word is recorded in both verses, 20 and 22 of Matthew 4. They heard His Voice calling for them while fishing. The same Voice that said, <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">"Let there be Light"</span></i></b> lit a fire in their hearts. They knew that Voice. <br />
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If you've ever gone fishing, you'll know that it is really quiet out on the water. No distractions, no noise, and certainly no busyness! All one might hear is the breeze going through your nets, or brushing against your fishing line.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWpY_MFxQb6qkIxAoGSFmNvZfvnK4MzpWFCZJwPJeCmbCGRujj7l-LfJeMvXvG9OW7JYeuKHnKBrBAO9ErJ_1mJLM9wNyhmSPEtF8V4kyxOMg03wcd87PJtn3fUJ4mAVEbVzIaDx4F7G0/s1600/Fishing-Supply.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWpY_MFxQb6qkIxAoGSFmNvZfvnK4MzpWFCZJwPJeCmbCGRujj7l-LfJeMvXvG9OW7JYeuKHnKBrBAO9ErJ_1mJLM9wNyhmSPEtF8V4kyxOMg03wcd87PJtn3fUJ4mAVEbVzIaDx4F7G0/s400/Fishing-Supply.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
With that kind of quiet, I imagine that these fishermen heard Jesus very well. There would be no excuses. They heard Him so well, in fact, that they could hear between the lines.<br />
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</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>"Follow me NOW, and you'll land the Big One!"</b></div><br />
What fisherman has never dreamed of hooking Melville's <i>Moby Dick</i>, or the swordfish in Hemingway's <i>Old Man and the Sea</i>?<br />
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Fishing takes patience. Fishing takes skill. But, most of all, the best fishing is in the quiet. You have to be still to feel the tug on the line. My Heavenly Father's Voice comes in a still small Voice. If I am still and quiet, and know that He is God - if I free myself from the world's noise, the world's distractions, the world's busyness - that still small Voice will boom in my ears and I'll hear, <b><i style="color: #660000;">"Edward, let's go fishing, mach schnell!"</i></b><br />
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I pray that I will immediately respond and drop a line in the pond for men's souls, feel the tug, and perhaps, land the Big One! And, I won't have to worry about getting my plate pulled away from His table!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;"><b>What do you think? How do you Read?</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqQMLUTy66MYhno4i6FcnYL0oPaiTxcapu4qh1XUkZp8WgaOBDHO_0h4eCQ4U8i369_ffvDB4t9pFSUELjFJ6k8ezXB9gxgPygDijWx9m9_QwTNx7_Wvq-1hK5WHoswvk-fJsX-cAlCLg/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqQMLUTy66MYhno4i6FcnYL0oPaiTxcapu4qh1XUkZp8WgaOBDHO_0h4eCQ4U8i369_ffvDB4t9pFSUELjFJ6k8ezXB9gxgPygDijWx9m9_QwTNx7_Wvq-1hK5WHoswvk-fJsX-cAlCLg/s200/ed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: black;">Sharing</span> <b><span style="color: #660000;">Immediately</span></b> <span style="color: black;">this week with:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Photo credit for the pines:</span> <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0PDoX6TKnZPwmAADDmjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBtdXBkbHJyBHNlYwNmcC1hdHRyaWIEc2xrA3J1cmw-/SIG=12gbe7666/EXP=1333173011/**http%3a//www.upontherim.com/starlight-pines-homes-for-sale.asp" id="if-op" title="http://www.upontherim.com/starlight-pines-homes-for-sale.asp">http://www.upontherim.com/starlight-pines-homes-for-sale.asp</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Photo credit for fishing: </span> <a href="http://www.hitchsafe.com/Fishing-Accessories.html" id="if-op" title="http://www.hitchsafe.com/Fishing-Accessories.html">http://www.hitchsafe.com/Fishing-Accessories.html</a></div></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-46946256334708175332012-03-23T22:39:00.001-04:002012-03-30T17:47:21.898-04:00Doing the 180<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."</i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Matthew 4:17</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Holiness, holiness - It's the Lord's command - not the Lord's request."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Don Francisco</b></div><br />
First, a little word study:<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">REPENT</b>, in the Greek, is "metanoeo"which means - to think differently or afterwards, to reconsider, to change one's mind, to change for the better. Metanoeo is taken from the word, "noeo" which means to exercise the mind. Noeo is taken from the word "nous" which is where we get the phrase - "using your nogin." <br />
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Psalm 37:23 reads: <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord."</span></i></b><br />
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According to the Word of God, there are three steps to metanoeo:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;"><b>Step 1</b> - New knowledge</div><div style="color: #660000;"><b>Step 2</b> - Regret for previous course, a displeasure with self</div><div style="color: #660000;"><b>Step 3</b> - A change of action</div><br />
All these "steps" can be found on the "Roman's Road" - that nifty little handful of scripture verses from the Book of Romans that maps out the way of salvation - calling whomsoever will to metanoeo. Metanoeo refers to a change of choice, while its synonym, "metamellomia" refers to an emotional change. This is what is meant by the Biblical use of the word "repent". <br />
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In previous posts, I have shared the details of my change in eating habits. By <i>new knowledge</i> about food, gained by the reading of product labels, my condition of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high sugar <i>forced me to reconsider</i> my eating habits. <i>My regret</i> for eating poorly caused me to seek good counsel, which led to getting checked out by my doctor. The examination by the doctor <i>led me to a change in action</i>, resulting in <i>a changed life</i>!<br />
<br />
I did a complete 180 degree change in eating. The low-fat, low cholesterol, low sugar diet brought the results of "back to normal" readings in my blood test and blood pressure, plus the much needed loss of some thirty pounds. <br />
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In our journey from darkness to light in our lives, Jesus calls us to make a 180. Trouble is, some folks go beyond the black and white of the 180 to the round robin of a 360. But, to do that is just to go around in circles. This is why many people often experience failure in diet and lifestyle changes - they don't stop at a 180 - but, go onto a 360, which lands them right back to where they started.<br />
<br />
I spent a good deal of my Christian walk going 360 for Jesus - and wondering why I seemed to be getting nowhere other than the failed places I'd been to before. I was going in circles - a 360 - until I stood still long enough for the Word of God to cut me in half:<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>"For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."</b></i></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Hebrews 4:12</b></div><br />
Jesus separated my darkness and brought me into His light in all matters of life. Pierced to my core by His Word, I finally was able to understand the fullness of my salvation - <b>Step 1</b> - New knowledge. This caused a decisive - <b>Step 2</b> - Regret for previous course, a displeasure with self - and the resolve to choose - <b>Step 3</b> - A change of action! I got off the 360 treadmill and onto the 180 train going in the opposite direction of God's calling. <br />
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Metanoeo, Everyone!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Holiness, holiness</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>For the people of God there remains a rest -</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Holiness, holiness</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>It's to hear God,</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>And to answer, "Yes."</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Don Francisco</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #660000;">What do you think? How do you read?</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVK-djbtSKBYYjYzcf-otWaAXo8-R1eulri5OWqziKoCdltY2e825Mzlc0bzBEgNynfyS5OvN-ClzHv7Xz7JC263omjKglJFISXDBIs8l6SZ65hGuqqtn9YvUgbBdw9gWCeyJK1aRavDDB/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVK-djbtSKBYYjYzcf-otWaAXo8-R1eulri5OWqziKoCdltY2e825Mzlc0bzBEgNynfyS5OvN-ClzHv7Xz7JC263omjKglJFISXDBIs8l6SZ65hGuqqtn9YvUgbBdw9gWCeyJK1aRavDDB/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">The 180</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a><br />
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-21699489602792311732012-03-17T11:26:00.001-04:002012-03-23T22:24:58.696-04:00The Bottom of the 9th<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>The devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down (lay prostrate - can you imagine?) and worship me." Then, Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! (Get out of here!) For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord Your God, and serve Him only!' " Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.</b></i></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>Matthew 4:8-11</b></i></div><br />
Two outs, two strikes, bottom of the 9th.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgPIGJFDO4rr-RJCgtIgtEbvf2hytO9HXm0sapTrXaAxohf9vN6oCnKqEs1tFrqnr8UAIZo6QPPyIT_DBdTgaFEct1Mh90yC3JDb7ARD9AxekP15B3K3uHTXBhDyC-Ygn1U_WZJHNe4wM/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgPIGJFDO4rr-RJCgtIgtEbvf2hytO9HXm0sapTrXaAxohf9vN6oCnKqEs1tFrqnr8UAIZo6QPPyIT_DBdTgaFEct1Mh90yC3JDb7ARD9AxekP15B3K3uHTXBhDyC-Ygn1U_WZJHNe4wM/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Satan in desperation, is going to swing for the fences. Shades of Ryan Howard (of the Phillies)!<br />
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Satan switches bats. He goes for a heavier one. He relies in his ability to hit one out of the park. After all, didn't he hit a home run in the <b style="color: #660000;">Garden of Eden Stadium</b>?<br />
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Jesus takes to the mound. From there He can stare down the batter, and see all of the opponents weaknesses. Jesus checks the sign: <b><span style="color: #660000;">John 3:16</span></b>. He knows what pitch He will pitch. He winds up . . . Jesus - the <b style="color: #660000;">Relief Pitcher</b> playing in the place of the Starting Pitcher, Adam, who failed to finish the game.<br />
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Satan, taking a few practice swings with temptations one and two, is looking for the fast pitch, the nail in the coffin that will secure victory for his team. He tries to distract the pitcher with a bribe:<br />
<br />
<i>"If you let me hit, I will let you have ALL the endorsements. All you have to do is let up - throw me a bone - give me something to hit - show good sportsmanship - show ME some respect - shake my hand - and you're IN! You team will never know. It's just between You and me. This competition has gone on long enough. You're tired. I'm tired. We can both win . . ."</i><br />
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Jesus chews on the Glory of His Father. The Glory that He left when He was traded to Adam's Team to pitch in this game.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;"><b>Conference On the Mound </b> </div><br />
Jesus says to his catcher, the Holy Spirit, <i style="color: #660000;">"I have the endorsement from my Father. You saw it. I don't need Nike, Reebok, Disneyworld, and especially that stinking, slimy, chewing tobacco that Satan chews on. You see his uniform? It used to be glowing and white. Now, it's all stained with that poisoned juice of sin. No, thank you! This is MY game to WIN. To WIN for My Father! My Father ALONE deserves the championship trophy. He ALONE deserves the cheering fans, the adoration, the Glory! Dad wants me to save this game for Adam. Dad loves Adam. They've had their falling out . . . some broken communication . . . some rough spots. Dad wants Adam to stay up here in the Big Leagues. Adam gets the win - I get the save. Should I blow this one for that rebellious fellow holding the bat? Forget it! My contract is for Me to honor my Father - and no one else!"</i><br />
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The catcher goes back to His place behind the batter, in front of the Umpire. In a still small voice, he mutters the Word, <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">"Love"</span></i></b>.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;"><b>The Play</b></div><br />
Jesus acknowledges, winds up, and lets the ball go. The Ball goes <b><span style="color: #660000;">STRAIGHT</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #660000;">FAST</span></b> down the <b style="color: #660000;">NARROW</b> flight to the plate - which represents <b><span style="color: #660000;">HOME</span></b>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfbGShK-6o2Ni5UZfF9eUGH_HTLlGBN2SJQJLW-1QPnqXJ5jF5KRs-HRghEaSOWtfn8D9ZRM8lhd9LJSsIzb1MIuuOmfVLcpBJ2_Q7XkMIVyO5E69oCgYALhqepaGA-ybcvIW33Vxn57e/s1600/sandy-koufax-1965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfbGShK-6o2Ni5UZfF9eUGH_HTLlGBN2SJQJLW-1QPnqXJ5jF5KRs-HRghEaSOWtfn8D9ZRM8lhd9LJSsIzb1MIuuOmfVLcpBJ2_Q7XkMIVyO5E69oCgYALhqepaGA-ybcvIW33Vxn57e/s400/sandy-koufax-1965.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br />
Satan grits his teeth. He spits. He digs in. He mutters some blasphemous word. Here comes the pitch, it's faster than anything he has seen before - it's coming straight for his head! It's coming in like <b style="color: #660000;">BLINDING LIGHT</b>! Satan can't see it - he swings in defense of himself.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8alsQi6T8rUD-HJzYlhQl1cKPjMsgxg_ibA0DZOY4aWdYllwnGELEv3jvLevQYUw1UwoZL1QcTdEYg9ePZEV86tSHaG2qKgtzixCleKyWagoX_fxyncqyt0X0-WGUPhx7i_FyDwfFRGY/s1600/110340560.zxh91n1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8alsQi6T8rUD-HJzYlhQl1cKPjMsgxg_ibA0DZOY4aWdYllwnGELEv3jvLevQYUw1UwoZL1QcTdEYg9ePZEV86tSHaG2qKgtzixCleKyWagoX_fxyncqyt0X0-WGUPhx7i_FyDwfFRGY/s400/110340560.zxh91n1A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The crowd goes wild!</i></b></span></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTL2BIOOaoOGyO25q0zTJMiZya1e_ykeV7e5JB2vemXkUUu-wOp0EosS5zPF3teFhSjdzQpApr7MU8KGtK6_wu58rMcxZ9taHf8SwkKIJTCM8DUeAc_7Bo1GmTo078p9LhxTk-OSOcJwU/s1600/07crowdgoeswild_display_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTL2BIOOaoOGyO25q0zTJMiZya1e_ykeV7e5JB2vemXkUUu-wOp0EosS5zPF3teFhSjdzQpApr7MU8KGtK6_wu58rMcxZ9taHf8SwkKIJTCM8DUeAc_7Bo1GmTo078p9LhxTk-OSOcJwU/s400/07crowdgoeswild_display_image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>There's celebration on the field!</i></b></span></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><b>Dejection is also on the field.</b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">The Umpire, Yahweh, calls the final strike,</span></b> </div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> "SATAN - yourrrrrr OUT!!!!!</i></b></span></div><br />
<div style="color: #660000;"><b>AFTERWORD:</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The <b><i style="color: #660000;">Pitcher</i></b> gets the <b><i style="color: #660000;">Save</i></b>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #660000;"><i>Adam</i></b> gets the <b><i style="color: #660000;">Win</i></b>.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jesus gets His arm rubbed down.</div><div style="text-align: center;">He gets a <b><span style="color: #660000;">"New Wine"</span></b> champagne shower.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He gets ready for</div><div style="text-align: center;">A <b><span style="color: #660000;">"stake"</span> </b>dinner . . .</div><br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>What do you think? How do you read?</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwhlAUPOZY5a4ixtcdGMA9yZ4tYECYCgaUh57rUl7x867XrMAm3tnYShFCcgz6lXIoQD84AyZl7eQEGSIKKPecYEDWRxKTM3yyTXmIgAwAoCcvU7uAbXpEinfW5DPUJBB_IiwIyIlJG82/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwhlAUPOZY5a4ixtcdGMA9yZ4tYECYCgaUh57rUl7x867XrMAm3tnYShFCcgz6lXIoQD84AyZl7eQEGSIKKPecYEDWRxKTM3yyTXmIgAwAoCcvU7uAbXpEinfW5DPUJBB_IiwIyIlJG82/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">The Bottom of the 9th</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a><br />
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Photo Credits:</span></b> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The <i>Scoreboard</i> photo: topandroid.net</div><div style="text-align: left;">The <i>Sandy Koufax</i> <i>pitching</i> photo is via Sports Illustrated: <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0PDoTDtmmRPIikAISyjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBtdXBkbHJyBHNlYwNmcC1hdHRyaWIEc2xrA3J1cmw-/SIG=132re963r/EXP=1332022125/**http%3a//sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1146153/1/index.htm" id="if-op" title="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1146153/1/index.htm">http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery /featured/GAL1146153/1/index.htm</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The <i>Strike Out</i> photo is via pbase: <a href="http://www.pbase.com/jwdonten/image/110340560" id="if-op" title="http://www.pbase.com/jwdonten/image/110340560">http://www.pbase.com/jwdonten/image/110340560</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The <i>Crowd Goes Wild</i> photo is via Bleacher Report: <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0PDoS2FnmRPZDsAQ.SjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBtdXBkbHJyBHNlYwNmcC1hdHRyaWIEc2xrA3J1cmw-/SIG=134hk6vdp/EXP=1332023045/**http%3a//bleacherreport.com/articles/789728-sec-power-rankings-best-fanbase-in-sec" id="if-op" title="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/789728-sec-power-rankings-best-fanbase-in-sec">http://bleacherreport.com/articles/789728-sec-power-rankings-best-fanbase-in-sec</a></div></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-8682840847163814412012-03-10T13:57:00.001-05:002012-03-17T10:00:41.866-04:00The SAT Word Test<div style="color: #660000;"><b>(a.k.a. The <span style="font-size: large;">S</span>atan <span style="font-size: large;">A</span>gainst <span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he Word Test)</b></div><br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"Then the Devil took Him into the Holy City and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command His angels concerning you; and on their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord Your God to the test.' "</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Matthew 4:5-7</b></div><br />
One temptation down, two more to go. You can hear Satan say,<i> "Alright, if changing the stones into bread didn't work, how about a magic trick, a real show stopper. Some daring feat, some David Copperfield meets the Flying Wallendas' exercise in aero-dynamics?" </i><br />
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This time our adversary uses Scripture to tempt our Lord. He uses Psalm 91:11-12. Clever . . . clever . . . clever!<br />
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Again, he taunts, <i>"Hey, Jesus, You're the Word, right? Well, how about fulfilling Your own Word, make it happen, prove that this stuff is real! Cast Yourself down off the roof of this church. C'mon - You're not gonna get hurt. Daddy's gonna send His angels. They'll catch you."</i><br />
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Have you ever been tempted by Satan's twisting of the Scriptures to do something you know is not right?<br />
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Satan uses Jesus' own Word to compel Him to "fulfill" His Word - outside of the true <i>CONTEXT</i> of His Word. Should Jesus have allowed Himself to be led in such a way, He would have served the warped purposes and pleasures of Satan - not the true purposes and pleasures of God. He would have made Himself Satan's servant - his lap-dog.<br />
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Perhaps, this is how Satan was able to fool over 1/3 of the angelic host into following him - a "Truth or Dare" game. Take a chance - is it True or False . . .<br />
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Satan tries to get us to do foolish things to advance his purposes and pleasures in this world. Have you ever taken one of Satan's <b style="color: #660000;">"Truth or Dare - True or False Pop Quizzes"</b>?<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;">1. "C'mon, one more drink, then drive home, you'll make it - God protects you."<br />
True____ False ____</div><div style="color: #660000;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000;">2. "Abort that baby - it'll crimp your style. God wants you to live free."<br />
True____ False____</div><div style="color: #660000;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000;">3. "Hey - drugs are great. You'll be able to fly like the angels. Just jump off that building and prove it!"</div><div style="color: #660000;">True____ False____</div><div style="color: #660000;"><br />
</div>Satan was trying to give Jesus that same drug. But, Jesus wasn't buying. He was fasting. Nothing like fasting to keep you God-focused!<br />
<br />
The God-focus in our world continues to blur - too many deceptive and tempting questions on Satan's pop quizzes clouding our ability to discern - true from false. Don't you just hate it when the questions on the tests are written in half-truths? A blurred focus makes it hard to study the <i>WHOLE</i> truth sometimes - and this is where we've likely to stumble.<br />
<br />
On a true or false test you have a 50/50 chance of getting the answer right. We hear one facet of a thing and make a judgement out of context creating a doctrine of good intentions - concluding our answer by what sounds like it <i>MAY</i> be right. But, <i>IS</i> it right?<br />
<br />
Jesus doesn't take the test Satan places before Him. He <b><span style="color: #660000;">RE-WRITES</span></b> the test to a more perfect exam, using the full counsel of God. While Satan would try to get Him to bite on the sensational of imbalance - He was teetering on the top of that temple roof - Jesus answers with down-to-earth balance.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>"On the other hand . . ."</b></i></div><br />
He turns the table and puts the shoe on the other foot. Looks at all cuts of the diamond. Gives a proper perspective - and without quite so many metaphors along the way. He is concise and to the point:<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"It is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test."</i></b></div><br />
<div style="color: #660000;"><b>A Word Study</b></div><br />
In the Greek, the word "test" is where we get the word "tempt." Both English words in the Greek - test and tempt - are rendered, "ekpeirazo" (ek-pi-rad-zo). It means: To test thoroughly.<br />
<br />
Ekpeirazo is taken from the word "peirazo," which properly means "to pierce" - to burst one's bubble - "pop".<br />
Putting both these words together, ekpeirazo means: To test thoroughly by piercing.<br />
<br />
Satan is trying to "test" Jesus - pierce Him - before He is pierced by the test and the nails of the cross. He's trying to usurp the testing of God on the cross by attempting to replace the glory of God's test - a fulfillment of the whole counsel of God in His Word - with a misdirected "pop quiz" that would undercut God's plan of salvation Giving Jesus a "test" with no purpose, in place of God's "test" of ultimate Purpose.<br />
<div style="color: #660000;"><b><br />
</b></div><b style="color: #660000;">Consider abortion.</b> Every abortion is Satan's use of "ekpeirazo" to kill every child before he/she fulfills their potential and purposes for use by God. People choose to abort their children because they only get half the story - the "now". Considering only one chapter in the book - when the test is on ten chapters of material. What about the other hand - the "later" of the subject.<br />
<br />
Jesus would not be deterred in fulfilling His true purpose. "Now" was not the time to succumb to the twisted whims of His enemy just to show off that He <i>COULD</i> throw Himself off that roof without injury. Which He could. Jesus was all about the "later" - the perfect purposes of God - all ten chapters of the textbook - preparing for the final exam and and not getting side-tracked by tricky pop quizzes.<br />
<br />
But, Satan will always tempt with the urgency of a pop quiz. Jesus, on the other hand, shows us the way of wisdom, and the reward of staying focused on the requirements of preparation for the Final Exam.<br />
<br />
Satan is now 0 for 2. Jesus is 2 for 2.<br />
<br />
By passing this test, Jesus paves the way for us to secure an "S" on our Report Card. "S" standing for "saved" - which is very satisfactory!<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried by every wind of doctrine. By the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming, but speaking the Truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him Who is the Head, even Christ."</i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b>Ephesians 4:14-15</b></div><br />
Are you studying for your <b><span style="color: #660000;">"SAT Word Test"</span></b>? Will you pass on the <b style="color: #660000;">"Pop Quiz"</b>?<br />
<br />
What do you think? How do you read?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlvxLylcq4sMzdjgkx8DSUbA7Z_ISkmeDh-NIkJ6MgI-h__JWWrhEdnYACuBscxsXbQROIn43XES3KKXuylUpflG7JnpPVQxanq_estmoLvUryODgd7CJKM6VeIrxEXINjFGEtrXLB-6f/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlvxLylcq4sMzdjgkx8DSUbA7Z_ISkmeDh-NIkJ6MgI-h__JWWrhEdnYACuBscxsXbQROIn43XES3KKXuylUpflG7JnpPVQxanq_estmoLvUryODgd7CJKM6VeIrxEXINjFGEtrXLB-6f/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">The SAT Word Test</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a><br />
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-31750498671118293972012-03-04T19:54:00.004-05:002012-03-10T12:53:29.645-05:00Independence<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b style="color: #660000;">Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”</b></i><b><i><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></i></b><br />
<b><i>"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "</i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>Matthew 4:1-4 NASB</i></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">I'd like to marry this verse with another one today - I Corinthians 13:11:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="color: #660000;"><i>"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man, I did away with childish things." </i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">I'm not a self made man. I'm a product of two parents, and was raised like all of us to be <b style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENT</b> on creation. But, like all creation - specifically man - I constantly fight for my<b> <i style="color: #660000;">INDEPENDENCE</i></b>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Our country won its freedom via the War of Independence. Through the ages we've been taught by our school, parents, and what-all that you need to <b style="color: #660000;"><i>"stand on your own two feet" <span style="color: black;">and</span> "pull yourselves up by your bootstraps."</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Bookstores are full of do-it-yourself books and self-help books. There's even a toy commercial touting our growing independence with the jingle, <b><span style="color: #660000;">"I'm a big kid now!"</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Really?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Let's start at the beginning our our lives. We're delivered from the "wilderness" of our mother's womb. The first thing we need after birth is to be cleaned up - our baptism, if you will. Then, we are presented to our parents by the doctor saying, <i>"Here's you new bouncing baby boy/girl!"</i> The proud parents take us into their arms and shower us with love and affection.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: black;">"He/She looks just like us!"</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">We get our first feeding through bottle or breast. We suck down our nourishment satisfied that our needs are met and fall asleep. The proper feedings takes place day in and day out - multiple times in the day - and we grow, soon to enter the toddler years.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">We are led by our parents to the new throne in our lives - the high chair. Here, we learn to take solid food from our parents. It is also the place where we learn to feed ourselves. In this process, we play with our food. Some gets in our mouths, but, most gets all over us - or falls to the floor. After some growing, we actually get better at feeding ourselves, with mostly all of the food getting into our mouths and stomachs - unless it's peas or spinach. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
After more training from our parents and growing older, our palates are expanded as well. We become <b style="color: #660000;">INDEPENDENT </b>eaters. The purity of mother's milk in the infant years and toddler solid foods begins to devolve when junk food is introduced into childhood - taking hold during the teenage eating years. As teenagers, we like it fast and in a bag. We gobble it down, hardly tasting and barely digesting our food. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Adulthood sets in as we leave our parents eagerly carving our own niche in the world. We can eat whatever we want, led by our own desires - and the habits formed in our youth. We become what we eat. Careless eating habits manifest eventually with a bulge to prove the quality of the choices we've made. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">To that end, some of us now have to give up our <b><span style="color: #660000;">INDEPENDENCE</span></b>, and now become <b><span style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENT</span></b>, relying on prescription medicine and doctor's orders to live with any quality of life. We become like children again - relearning what we should or should not eat - back where we started - not much of a progression!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">When I started out as a Christian, I was birthed into the Kingdom. I presented myself to those who witnessed to me, making them proud parents of a convert. I needed the nourishment of the Bible so I immediately went out and bought one. I didn't read it much - didn't really understand it. But, I carried it around, kinda "playing with it" - like so many Cheerios on a toddler's high chair. In fellowship, I would turn to the page our pastor was teaching on and read along. Some of it got in, some of it didn't. Most fell to the floor. <br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Eventually, being led by the Spirit in my own wilderness time - church to church, translation to translation - I slowly grew. As I grew, I picked up the Bible more often - and actually read it. The more I read, the more it actually got in The more it got in, the more the Spirit could use to discipline and shape me. The more I read, the more convicted I became. The more convicted I became, the more I was willing to be led. The more willing to be led by the Spirit, the more my<b><span style="color: #660000;"> INDEPENDENCE</span></b> melted, and the more <b><span style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENT</span></b> on God I became.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Exactly the opposite of the world's standard - cheering <b><span style="color: #660000;">INDEPENDENCE</span></b> in any form. However, in God's economy, the more <b><span style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENT</span></b> we are on Him, the more mature we become! When confronted by Satan on the mountain, and tempted in a time of physical hunger, Jesus had no need for an <b><span style="color: #660000;">INDEPENDENT</span></b> solution - using magic tricks - turning stones into bread to produce instant gratification. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">The source of Jesus' strength was His absolute <b><span style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENCE</span></b> on God the Father and the Spirit Who had led Him into the wilderness. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">The highest level of maturity we can obtain is this same absolute <b><span style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENCE</span></b> on the Word of God. Recognizing our total need for the "fresh News from Heaven" - our old nature becomes "old news". We disregard the world's junk food and become better equipped to be led by the Spirit to confront Satan and his ultimate weapon - our former self. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">How will we respond? Where will we go?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Being fully controlled by Scripture and the Spirit, our vehicles - our lives - are not "led free". Daily I fight for my <b><span style="color: #660000;">DEPENDENCE</span></b> on the Lord. In this world, the fight for <b><span style="color: #660000;">INEPENDENCE</span></b> apart from God has furthered the downfall of mankind. Poor choices in the junk food aisle create the bulge that breaks the scale: A world with no direction and the darkest of destinations. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">As I leave the childish things, I answer the previous two questions like my brother Peter in John 6:68: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b>"Lord, to whom shall we go, - who will lead us - only You have the Words of Eternal Life."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">How do you read? What do you think? </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b><b><i><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4o2NXVm6p6X6Fyht7-dLw00fAdGhqGrTpUT1GBIwz-QyjTSpXjoma1WHN8k8fgCvbfLwJFmkcnMpU25V2AslvT3hUOtPG20s47NgqZrLpzb1gPinQg9y2NopmLwwPJ01eme_hOJIvJ6N/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4o2NXVm6p6X6Fyht7-dLw00fAdGhqGrTpUT1GBIwz-QyjTSpXjoma1WHN8k8fgCvbfLwJFmkcnMpU25V2AslvT3hUOtPG20s47NgqZrLpzb1gPinQg9y2NopmLwwPJ01eme_hOJIvJ6N/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">INDEPENDENCE</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Faith Filled Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a><br />
Graceful's <a href="http://www.michellederusha.com/">Hear It On Sunday - Use It On Monday </a></div></div></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-81464325413952669832012-02-24T19:25:00.002-05:002012-03-04T19:55:18.699-05:00Jesus' Coming Out Party!<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b style="color: #660000;">Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”</b></i><b><i><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></i></b><br />
<b><i>"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "</i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>Matthew 4:1-4 NASB</i></b></div><br />
It's Jesus' Coming Out Party!<br />
<br />
He's just been baptized to fulfill all righteousness. The Father has confirmed in public witness, that Jesus is His beloved Son in Whom He is well pleased. A party should be thrown, right?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black;"><i>WRONG!</i></div><br />
After this amazing event, Jesus is immediately led by the Spirit into a barren wasteland to meet the ultimate in fallen creation - head on - mano e mano - the Devil. It's that same ol' "Scratch" trying to eternally secure our fallen state by trying to "re-create" man's fall in the Garden of Eden. Only this time, he takes on the Savior of our fall.<br />
<br />
Interesting that Satan's form is not noted to be that of a serpent as in the Garden. What sets this encounter apart from the first is that here, this meeting is planned by God - and takes place in the desert - not a garden.<br />
<br />
The original "Desert Storm"!<br />
<br />
Creation v.s. Creator.<br />
<br />
In the first encounter, Eve very feebly quotes Scripture against the cunning serpent. Satan, very effectively, twists the Scripture like a pretzel, introducing confusion and ultimately causing the Fall of Man. Eve's problem, along with Adam's, was that even though they heard from God, they still weren't fully convicted. Didn't have enough Scripture in them.<br />
<br />
Perhaps, they were too busy tending the Garden. Perhaps they were too distracted with all the newness of Creation, making Satan's deception seem like child's play, like fishing in a barrel, ducks on the pond. <br />
<br />
Satan was able to snatch away the Word that was in their hearts and replaced it with a lie. The rest is history - His Story.<br />
<br />
Back to the opening scene, though - the battle in the desert. Let us be firmly convinced of this fact: The Scripture - the very concrete, written Word, directly from the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit - tells us that Jesus is not only fully man, but also fully God. He is Creator and King. He is from the beginning, he is the End.<br />
<br />
Just a thought: Jesus, being Creator - as well as Savior - He is the <i>ONLY SELF-MADE MAN</i>!<br />
<br />
Jesus truly has His stuff together!<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"In Him dwells the fullness of God in bodily form."</i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>Colossians 2:9</i></b></div><br />
He has been led by the Spirit into the battle. Exercising complete control, even in His self-imposed weakness from fasting, He has full discipline of Body, Soul, and Mind. He definitely has his wits about Him.<br />
<br />
Satan gets in His face and twists the Scripture like a Twizzler. But, this time - he does so in the face of the One Who wrote the Book! <br />
<br />
Jesus tells Satan that man (us in Christ) does not live by the Garden of Eden, with all of its newness, food, clothing, pleasure, shelter/security, entertainment, etc. - alone - but, by every God breathed, God-written-down-Word that has proceeded from the same mouth that said, "Let there be Light!"<br />
<br />
We heed the Creator - <i>NOT</i> the creation!<br />
<br />
Jesus unleashes the first atomic bomb at our adversary - two more to go! May I invite you all to be still and enjoy the spiritual <i><b style="color: #660000;">KABOOM!</b></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b style="color: #660000;"> <span style="color: #660000;">How do you read it? What do you think?</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XobSbM6eUhSBtqD3s3k_jiPEjq8LqDX_jnEZAGYRVjw5UbdMRwLILhe6PbAj3dfRgQt5OLu5DpUTPjwWufgs8vgWyzP6xWLKo2Ya6shYn8V30n_tPAhCAzyqgvczDUqzrXGrZrCaCVG3/s1600/ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XobSbM6eUhSBtqD3s3k_jiPEjq8LqDX_jnEZAGYRVjw5UbdMRwLILhe6PbAj3dfRgQt5OLu5DpUTPjwWufgs8vgWyzP6xWLKo2Ya6shYn8V30n_tPAhCAzyqgvczDUqzrXGrZrCaCVG3/s320/ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></b></i></div>Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Jesus' Coming Out Party</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Brag on God Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-21951952927214157042012-02-16T20:14:00.004-05:002012-02-24T19:21:57.136-05:00Pass the Bread, Please: Read the Labels<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><b style="color: #660000;">Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”</b></i><b><i><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></i></b><br />
<b><i>"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "</i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>Matthew 4:1-4 NASB</i></b></div><br />
In my recent bout with a back injury and its after effects, my ruptured disk produced a pinched sciatic nerve and introduced me to a new companion - pain. Funny thing about pain, it's a gift that keeps on giving! Throughout the duration of my painful experience, I started exhibiting other symptoms. My blood pressure went sky high - as high as 170 over 97 - and, my bad cholesterol level went as high as 165. Then, as if to birth a set of triplets making the "family" complete, my sugar levels elevated to around 128. Diabetes runs rampant in my family history - I was unnerved.<br />
<br />
Before the work related accident that put me on this painful pathway, I basically led a carefree life in relation to health and nutrition. For instance - consider a typical food shopping trip. I would grab a cart and say, <i>"Ready of not, here I come!" </i> I'd see what I liked on the shelves and proceed to dump it into the cart - forsaking the health conscious warnings from my all too wise wife. My attitude, you see, went something like this: <i>"What God has blessed me with (potato chips, snacks, junk food in general) He won't hurt me." </i> I was depending on God to bless my bad choices!<br />
<br />
I could care less as to what went into the food I was buying - it could have been bread made from stones, for all I knew. To me, "processed" meant that they wrapped it in plastic to keep it fresh. How bad could it be? I needed it. I liked it. I wanted it. I bought it. I trusted the good ol' USDA - the world - to meet my needs - trusting the world, our legislators, and our food inspectors to produce the things I needed to sustain my high standard of living large.<br />
<br />
All that went out the window with that visit to my doctor. His response to my predicament: <i>"Take a pill and you'll be alright. There's been so much advancement in the field of medicine. With this pill you'll be able to eat what you want and still have a normal life - just have some moderation."</i><br />
<br />
You know, that phrase - <i>"everything in moderation"</i> sounds like it might be in the Bible - but it isn't.<br />
<br />
I asked Doc, <i>"Will I ever get off this medication?"</i><br />
<br />
He shook his head. <i> "Not likely. You'll have to take it for the rest of your life."</i><br />
<br />
You see, Doc's experience with his patients was that they relied on the medicine apart from a changed diet and changed lifestyle activity. His expertise, although it did help me lower my cholesterol and blood pressure, was still like the world. Since it was founded on the world's ways - assuming that in the face of health threats, medication removes the need for a changed life.<br />
<br />
My sugar levels, after a second blood test, came back normal. But, not before giving me a good scare - especially with my family's diabetic history. I had a choice to make. Just like Jesus in the Biblical account of Matthew 4. Here we read the details of the face-off between Jesus in the desert tempted by Satan. Satan suggests a cure for Jesus' hunger - turning stones to bread. Jesus, however - wouldn't bite. Jesus had read the labels on that brand of bread and knew the ingredients to be inferior - if not downright poisonous. Only the Bread from Heaven - the Word of God - can truly satisfy hunger pains.<br />
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I had heard the opinion of my doctor, based upon his observation over so many years. Perhaps all those folks who took the medications but made no life changes just never knew there was a higher authority on the subject. A second opinion was in order - a <b>REAL</b> Authority - One Whose penmanship on the prescription sheet I could actually read!<br />
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I went to the Lord - and the <b style="color: #660000;">Bread of His Word</b>. After all - He created this body of mine - shouldn't He know what my best options are? As if I were back in the Garden of Eden, I listened, as the Lord commanded Adam and Eve in <b style="color: #660000;">Genesis 1:28, <i>" Fill the earth, and subdue it."</i></b><i> </i> Don't let it rule you - you rule it!<br />
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And, later on in <b style="color: #660000;">Genesis 2:15,</b> <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">"The Lord took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it, and keep it."</span></i></b> The Lord was telling me to own it - to take ownership - not shirk my responsibilities by laying them on government inspectors, food companies, and doctors. They are all fine in their place. But the Lord - He is to be the FIRST One consulted - not the last when all else fails.<br />
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This was a call to a total life change - owning my health issues and exercising proper stewardship of my life here on earth.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"Whatever, then, you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." </i></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>I Corinthians 10:31 </i></b></div><br />
So, back to our Matthew 4 verse - be picky about the bread you eat. Read the label. Be choosey about what is allowed in the eye gate, the mouth-gate - where is the most nutritional value found.<br />
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Now, I joined my wife in label reading, shopping more carefully for fat, sodium, and sugar content. You bet - our food bill is much higher. The cost is greater. But, so too, the rewards.<br />
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I've lost weight, have renewed energy, greater mental focus, and all my blood pressure and cholesterol levels are returning to normal. I've made a life change - the medications are not life long.<br />
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Satan is always about convincing us that his stones turned to bread will fill our needs. We have the pageantry of world history to prove that his "medications" only make one more dependent on a false fix, when what is really wanting is a changed life and a renewal of personal stewardship.<br />
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My dependency these days is on what I read on product labels in grocery stores - no doubt - but, moreso, I am wholly dependent on His Word to bring health to my body, soul, and spirit. What I don't read CAN kill me! Throw away Satan's stones and pass the Bread of His Word, please. I've read that Label - I believe - and therein is my life!<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>How do you read it? What do you think?</i></b></div><br />
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Sharing <b><span style="color: #660000;">Pass the Bread, Please: Read the Labels</span></b> this week with:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com/">Brag on God Fridays</a> at <span style="color: #660000;">Beholding Glory</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/">Spiritual Sundays </a></div>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579635062260801104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1523474095679012928.post-46815239944028012562012-02-11T13:24:00.001-05:002012-02-16T20:01:07.241-05:00Reading the Red and Praying the PowerTaking a line from my favorite movie trilogy, <i><span style="color: #660000;">The Lord of the Rings</span></i>, I put myself in Bilbo's place and say, with paper and pen, <i>"Where to begin?"</i><br />
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<i>"Ah, yes!" </i> The pen is dipped into the inkwell, I sit back, ponder, pray, put the pen down, pray some more. I think of Jesus teaching, speaking from an elevated spot - He comes into focus.<br />
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He invites me, <b style="color: #660000;"><i>"Come to me, all - that means you, Ed - who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."</i></b> (Matthew 11:27-29)<br />
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From there I am transported back to my desk. I pick up my pen, and the pen remembers that to build a house you must make the foundation sure. So, as you read the foundation being dug, here, for what will be these series of blog posts and/or studies and/or ramblings - remember that this all begins and ends with <b style="color: #660000;">JESUS</b>.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>There is Joy in the Journey!</b></span></i></div><br />
Let's start this journey with my <b style="color: #660000;">PRIDE</b>. I know, I know, this is a peculiar start, but after I share this with you, gentle reader, this journey will make sense - foundations need time to settle and firm up - to become solid - if you hope to build a house on firm footing. How wonderful of the Lord to build a life founded in Him - to use good solid <b style="color: #660000;">ROCK</b> that you - that I - stumble upon. Better to stumble, stub your foot on, trip over such a <b style="color: #660000;">ROCK</b>, than for this <b style="color: #660000;">ROCK</b> to fall on you - fall on <b style="color: #660000;">ME</b> - and be ground to powder. (Matthew 21:44)<br />
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Anyway, Pride - <i><b style="color: #660000;">MY</b></i> Pride . . .<br />
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I am a proud man. I pride myself by being equipped by the Lord with a strong back - and a stubborn streak to finish what I start. I have always taken this "equipping" to my workplace. I've been a bookseller for three decades and am currently employed by a corporate bookselling giant in the shipping and receiving department. My old fashioned work ethic makes me the strong man to handle the volume of heavy work that is required to keep inventory on the floor for bookstore enthusiasts. Shipping and receiving in such a venue is a job for young, strong, able bodied persons. At age 56, I feel that I still belong in this category. A workhorse my whole life - why should being middle-aged change that?<br />
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Recently, we were shipping out textbook returns on pallets. Now, each box weighs about 50-60 pounds with 35 boxes to a pallet. You do the math. Consider this particular day, I am loading FOUR pallets of books onto the truck. I don't ask for help, after all - I don't need it. I take the pallet jack, plug it into the pallet, pump the jack up, roll the pallet up to the dock deck, push the hydrolic button to lift the platform to be level with the truck.<br />
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It's cold outside and condensation has formed on the platform - it's slippery on the dock. I admit, I don't have the right shoes for this kind of work.<br />
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I get two pallets in and have two more to go. I set up the third pallet stand to roll it onto the platform - this is the heaviest one of all - probably weighing about 1,600 pounds to a ton (no fooling)! I strain to pull it onto the platform. It's not going anywhere. I muster all my physical might - but NOT my vocal cords to yell for help. Pulling up the incline to the platform, my foot slips on the damp flooring and I fall - about two feet - on my backside. I don't think I land too hard - I really don't even remember.<br />
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The truck driver sees this and assists me in putting the rest of the pallets in, and off he goes. I go on with my day - not thinking much of my fall. I get bumps and bruises all the time in this type of work - just another day at the office.<br />
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Over the course of four days back pain grew steadily worse. This happened on a Thursday - by the following Tuesday I couldn't even tie my shoes. I actually had to call in sick - and I NEVER do that! I spent the morning with a chiropracter. X-rays revealed a herniated disc. Not only that - but, also come to visit - and stay a while - was the marvelous pain of the sciatic nerve to keep company with the pain in the back. The sciatic condition has the pleasure of traveling from my damaged disc, down my right leg, all the way to the bottom of my right foot.<br />
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</b></div><b><span style="color: #660000;">THE RESULT: </span></b>I am out of work for ten weeks. No lifting. No pulling. No loading. Just rest and rehabilitation. Removed from my former comfort zone - I am now living in a totally new place. And, sorry - there's just no room for <b style="color: #660000;">PRIDE</b> in that place.<br />
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From day one of my convalescence, I started a new chapter in my BIble reading - now that I would have the time to commit to it. In the past, I've read through the Bible at least half a dozen times - basically blasting through, never stopping long enough to really hear the Lord. Oh, sure - some of it definitely stuck to the sides of my heart and brain - but never stopping to smell the fresh air or dine at the roadside table. I mean - I'm a guy - and when they travel, guys like to get there. We hate to stop. We like to get there in the shortest possible time. <b style="color: #660000;">NOT</b> this time, however!<br />
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The Lord spoke to me - I was listening - flat on my back now, I had nowhere to go, nothing to do - BUT listen. He put this into my spirit:<br />
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</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Read the Red, and Pray the Power."</b></span></i></div><br />
I was to slow down, read the Bible - very slowly - <b><span style="color: #660000;">ALL</span></b> <b><span style="color: #660000;">the red letters</span></b> in my Bible that you find in the New Testament causing the Words of Jesus to jump off the page. I was to look up the Greek and Hebrew original words and definitions of these Words - and not move on until the Lord was finished with me - till I got <b><span style="color: #660000;">ALL the nourishment</span></b> I could get out of the passage.<br />
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I was to <b><span style="color: #660000;">READ - THINK - PRAY - and LIVE</span></b> each passage studied. This <b><span style="color: #660000;">WORD</span></b>, this <b><span style="color: #660000;">BIBLE,</span></b> these <b style="color: #660000;">RED LETTERS</b>, were <b><span style="color: #660000;">HIS</span></b> direct Word to me - <b><span style="color: #660000;">to INSTRUCT me - FEED me - CHANGE me - and MOVE me</span></b> onto a new course - a new path in my walk with Him - to <b><span style="color: #660000;">JOURNAL THIS JOURNEY.</span></b><br />
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<i>"Okay,"</i> I said to myself - <i>"Let's start!"</i><br />
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The first Red Letters I came to were in Matthew 3:15. In my wounded state, I was eager for the Lord to show me His way, to speak to me - right where I was at. I had asked, <i>"Why now? Why am I hurt when my co-workers need me most?"</i> You see - it was fast approaching the Thanksgiving and Christmas break and the"rush" of the holiday season. In the retail world, this is when all hands must be on deck and ready to work the longest and in some cases - most trying of days to please the public fervor for material goods. And, here I was - unable to wait on customers or to do much of anything except - <b style="color: #660000;">WAIT ON THE LORD</b>.<br />
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Jesus never fails. Matthew 3:15 reads:<br />
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<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><b><i>"Permit it at this time; (let it b e so now) for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."</i></b></div><br />
I know that the text deals with Jesus allowing John to Baptize Him - but the Lord was speaking to me - directly addressing my current situation. In my spirit, I felt the Lord say to me:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i style="color: #660000;">"Let it be so now. I'm going to use this time to BREAK you - to RE-MAKE you - MOLD you into MY IMAGE. I'm taking you on this journey. You need not run from it - but EMBRACE it - this is a GIFT - not a curse. You need to lighten your load, pack properly, and, oh, by the way - you need better shoes! Better equipment!"</i></b></div><br />
<span style="color: black;">So, I didn't run away. I ran to it. During this time, He has led me through the most repentant, most sincere prayers of my Christian experience. He emptied me of the garbage in my past. I gave Him my past - my present - my future. I not only re-opened my heart to Him, but I threw open every nook, every cranny, every closet, every dresser drawer, every cabinet. I threw open the windows, the shutters, the doors to the basements in my heart. He was to inhabit everything - like the hymnist </span>writes, <i>"Not a mite do I withhold!"</i><br />
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These red letters are to me, His Footprints. I hear Him say, <b style="color: #660000;"><i>"This is the way, walk in it."</i></b> With my NEW NO-SLIP SHOES!<br />
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I walk ever so slowly, ever so carefully. I sit down, I take a rest, I eat, but, most importantly,<b> <span style="color: #660000;">I LISTEN</span></b>. With being still, and knowing that He is God, <b><span style="color: #660000;">I HEAR</span></b> His conversation with me - His challenge as recorded in Luke 10:21, <i style="color: #660000;"><b>"How do you read it?"</b></i> And, from its cousin verse in Matthew 18:12, <b><i style="color: #660000;">"What do you think?"</i></b><br />
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So . . what do <b><i style="color: #660000;">YOU</i></b> think?<br />
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Just a simple sheep grazing in solitude and contemplation - in quietness and contentment - I know <i style="color: #660000;"><b>PEACE</b></i>. And, as I enjoy good hospitality - I want to share here, from my <b><span style="color: #660000;">SHEEP'S PEN</span></b> - the fruit of following our Shepherd.<br />
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