tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10099435360898773422024-02-07T16:22:41.875-08:00River BlogNuggets, thoughts and revelations from the River of Life Team.Gtrnuthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00227397090107133035noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-31539177474614073452015-05-21T06:38:00.001-07:002015-05-21T06:38:16.048-07:00Same heart<div>It seems odd to me, that we, with all the best intentions will defend people despite their actions one moment, and the next judge somebody else for theirs. We tear people down for saying the painful truth, but we welcome sweet lies. But, my pint tonight is really this, can we ask followers of Christ in good conscience judge people on a grounds that is not level? Do we count some actions as worse than others just because they are a different type? I for one can not. We can not condemn one person, and then dismiss another. For the word says, that hatred is the same as murder, that to look lustfully is the same as adultery. Yet so often, even in those that I look highly upon, I watch those standards fail on one, yet succeed on another! I am speaking to myself as well as most everybody out there tonight, we MUST stop this double standard, we MUST move forward in the kingdom in a way that is honorable to the Lord in EVERYTHING that we do, not just where we choose, and not just for people we have a history with. Especially for those that we don't! Especially for those with the orphaned soul, especially for those who have been hurt! </div><div><br></div><div>Father, tonight I pray that you give us each the wisdom that we need, and the compassion to treat those who you have called with the kind of love that you first showed us! Lord, give us the eyes of Christ, to look past our own assumptions, to look past people's failings, and to see the abundant life, and the incredible purpose that you have for people's lives! And I ask that you destroy what our hearts once stood for, and you create it anew, to be a heart that is completely after you, and a heart that love like you first Loved us! In Jesus Christ Heavenly name I pray, Amen!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-9355073267265850202014-09-06T08:44:00.001-07:002014-09-06T08:44:18.578-07:00Perfect timing<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">You know, so often we get caught up in our own timing don't we? We are frustrated when something happens too soon or too late for us to have control over the situation, and we forget who's timing really matters! But it says right here in scripture that there is in fact a time for everything! I urge you this morning, press into the timing of God! He formed your heart, surely He knows how to care for it, how to nurture it, and how to make it stronger! We get so buried in our own timing that we stop believing that God even has a timing, and we get discouraged, but take heart! The time for joy is coming! The time to dance has returned! And if you follow Gods perfect timing, just imagine what He has in store for you when the time comes!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-53889278091033781022014-09-03T13:29:00.001-07:002014-09-03T13:29:17.238-07:00At a loss for words<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Sometimes it seems that we are simply at a loss for words to say, words of wisdom, of encouragement, of passion, there are times where they simply don't come to mind. I face this often, I look for words of encouragement to speak into your lives, and I am at a loss. That's alright. Sometimes, we need to take a break, press into the word, and study before we actually speak. What kind of devotion would we need if everything we said took absolutely no work on our part? I come to you saying this, never be satisfied with where you are, and never be afraid that you have reached the limit of your potential! Press deeply into the word, into prayer, and into worship, the words will come, just be patient!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-32188861488555103512014-08-31T08:59:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:59:24.150-07:00The joys of facing persecution<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">There is something wrong, when I see a believer, walking around living a perfect life with no struggles! This sounds harsh, I know, but it's true isn't it? We are blatantly told in scripture that those who follow the living God WILL face trials and persecution! So what am I saying? I'm saying, it is time to stop living in your little cave of "me and God" and start going out into this world and making a change in peoples lives! It is when we really start making a difference that the devil begins to attack us, because he is scared and knows we are a threat! </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Today, my fellow warriors, I am making a call to war! Come out of your shell that you have been hiding in, make the devil hate you! For it is by loving Gods people that this happens! I am calling you to make a difference in this world, to speak into peoples lives, even when it seems futile! Even if it means losing something dear to you! When The apostle Paul made a choice to fully and radically follow Christ, he had to face trials, he spoke to his students and he said, "I have been warm and I have been cold, I have been starving, and I have been fed, I have had everything I could ever want, and I have had nothing, and I have learned to be content in these things, for I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Let's have that radical faith that puts us in want! That radical faith that causes us to have enemies and to face trials! And that radical faith that says, "I don't care about these things, for God is my strength!" Amen!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-17601448887151867852014-08-31T08:58:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:58:09.291-07:00Fix my eyes<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6 NLT)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">You know, we have this idea that all the trials, all the pain, all the stress that we face in our lives have an actual lasting effect on us...but it doesn't. The only truly lasting thing in my life is Jesus Christ, for what can mere people do to keep me from Him? </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">I urge everyone this morning please, fix your eyes on Him, and the more you look upon His glorious majesty, the less this world can hold you down! God bless you guys!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-83457200090231953292014-08-31T08:57:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:57:09.589-07:00Godly peers<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Good fellowship, with God loving peers is so important! Who better to encourage you to walk forward in The Lord than the one who is walking on the same path? It is our God given responsibility to speak encouragement into each-others hearts, and to motivate each-other to Love like the Father Himself first Loved you! I pray that these words touch your hearts tonight the way they have touched mine, and that I can encourage each of you reading this, and that you will do the same for others on this road! Praise God, for He has put a call on your lives. God bless each of you. Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-62451155867531607432014-08-31T08:54:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:54:56.472-07:00Knowing what to say<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">In 1 Peter 3:15 it says to be ready to answer questions about your faith, to answer why you have hope! And I put forth this, do not be content with simply saying my hope is in Jesus Christ who died for me, but instead to say, I have hope in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! I have hope in the God who calls upon the broken and the weak and turns them into greatness, in the God who has so much love for His children, that even when they deliberately turn away, He calls then back with open arms and says, "My child was dead, but now he has returned and is alive again!" I have faith in the God who took 300 men with torches and pots to defeat an army of 150,000 trained warriors! And I have faith in the God, who sent His one and only begotten son Jesus Christ, to be beaten, whipped, and crucified, for me; if it were just me, He still would have made that sacrifice! Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-62805096358057039422014-08-31T08:51:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:51:06.306-07:00The time is NOW<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">The God of the heavens and the earth says this morning, "the time is NOW!" The time is now, to take back what the enemy has tried to steal from us, what the enemy has thought that he fooled us out of! The time is now, oh you body of Christ, for an activation of your gifts. The gifts that are promised to is in scripture, for 1 Corinthians 12 says, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NLT)"</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So gifts, oh stir in the hearts of the body of Christ, so I can look to your people, and say, "you, if you know prophesy than prophesy, if you speak tongues than speak with a passion and if you interpret find a speaker of the spirit! And if you can heal and perform miracles do it!" </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">The Lord your God has not made a mistake, I look into your hearts and see someone who is scared to take a step, that you don't trust yourself to properly carry out the gifts given, but the King of heaven looked into your hearts the day you were born and He said, "Yes! This is my champion." And God said it was GOOD! So go, my brothers and sisters in boldness, and know that your Father is with you every step of the way, and He trusts you and Loves you so very much. Amen!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-31330723646797688332014-08-31T08:50:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:50:10.800-07:00Strike back<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Today I come with one purpose; to strike back against the spirit of abandonment, of fear, of regret, and of sorrow! I command every pain that is tugging on your hearts today to be broken in two, to be thrown so far away that they are not even a memory! In the name of Jesus Christ, I proclaim that regret is meant for those who have no future, and I say to each of you today that you have such an incredible future ahead of you! To abandonment I say, go, for you cannot be abandoned so long as one soul love you, my God does, I do, and so many more do! I speak against fear, the fear that you made a mistake, the fear that you will not overcome this hill, and say, yes, yes you will! To the spirit of sorrow I say, no darkness can stand in the presence of the King, the King of Joy and of peace, and of sound mind! I say sorrow, back down, for you shall not prevail! I speak joy into your lives today, for wherever joy lives, sorrow cannot remain!</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">And to each mother, each precious mother, who loves their child, and worries about them, and protects them, and speaks the truth into their lives, I say well done! You are a champion among us, I know it, and your child knows it, so I pray a very special blessing over each of you today, for you are so precious in the eyes of the King, and He will rain His blessings down on you. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-70607281594697426312014-08-31T08:48:00.001-07:002014-08-31T08:48:00.939-07:00True Thanksgiving<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">I come to you with a question this morning, how can I not thank God for the incredible things that he has done in my life. How can I not thank Him for the beauty of the rising sun, or the intent behind and artists brushstrokes? How can I not be thankful for the people in my life that I don't deserve, how can I not be thankful for words when I don't know what to say? For strength when I've come to the end of my strength? How can I not be praising the King of kings in my every waking moment when it is so evident all that He has done for me, and all that He has done for you? How has being thankful become an outdated concept in this world, when that is literally almost the only thing that we can give back to God?</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So this morning I have one challenge for you, to say thank you, to make a list of the things you know were given to you, and still be thankful for the things that you DON'T know! Be thankful for your difficulties and trials, and the pain that makes you stronger! Say, " Praise The Lord, for His plans are not my plans, His ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts!" For that kind of glory my friends, is reigning in your lives today, right here, and right now! And He is telling you how He cares for your heart, how He loves being with you, and all He asks is for you to simply know Him! And when you know Him, you cannot HELP but thank Him, because if you know Him, you know true love, a love that nothing and nobody else could ever provide you with! So thank you Lord, for always being greater than I could ever expect!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-22736386776716742272014-08-02T18:54:00.001-07:002014-08-02T18:54:42.406-07:00Who am I?<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Who am I today? That is the question I would like you to ask yourself this morning. I am I prisoner bound by my mistakes yesterday? Or a timid child afraid of what may happen tomorrow? I for one, have made a choice, to learn from my captivity yesterday, and build myself today to be stronger for tomorrow. You know, in the book of Jeremiah, there is a verse often taken out of context. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares The Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, to bring you a future and a hope."</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">You see so often we read this from the perspective of someone who is in maybe a neutral situation, but it was written for a people who are currently in captivity, who feel like nothing can possibly go right! But The Lord has a plan! God goes on to say, "Go, thrive in this situation, make life awesome!" So then those people could say, "I'm in captivity today, and I will be tomorrow, but my story is not over, it is still being written."</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">You see, who you are, right here, right now is the main issue, today do you choose to shrivel up, or do you choose to go out, and be an incredible warrior who will grow from their mistakes of the past and learn to skip mistakes on the road ahead?</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">It amazes me the way that God uses opposites all throughout the bible to prove this point. God told Abraham to go out and sacrifice is one and only son Isaac, and through this obedience he became the father of many nations. God allowed Job to lose everything, to go through a literal hell on earth, and because of Jobs faithfulness, his nothing was turned into ten fold of what he had before! And God used the death, of His one and only begotten son, to bring life to each and every one of us...wow. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So this morning, who are you? Are you the man or woman who says, "Curse God and die."? Or are you the one who says, "I will make today worth something, thank you God."?</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">God bless you all this morning, I pray for strength in your lives, in any area you may be struggling, if it's with addiction, or problems at home, if you feel like you are in a lost situation, or anything at all, I pray blessing, prosperity, and strength over you life. If there is anything specific you want prayer for, PLEASE send me a message and I would love to pray with you, for where two or more are gathered, so too will The Lord be there. Amen</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-39299830459012110182014-06-26T09:45:00.001-07:002014-06-26T09:45:17.295-07:00The strongest Grapes<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Sometimes in life we face seasons filled with trials and difficulties, and we can't help but ask, "Why God, why when I have tried to be so faithful must I go through these difficult times?"</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">I have asked these questions, and it's been answered like this; we are the grapes, the body is the vineyard, and God is the owner. When making wine, a few weeks before harvest, they don't water the grapes, by the time harvest time comes, only the strongest, sweetest grapes survive, and those grapes make the best wine.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Just like Job, sometimes God is testing us, pushing us to be stronger, to be sweeter, so that we will make the best wine for him! So take heart! Feel blessed in your trials, you are about to be used for great things!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-25484565736932992012014-06-07T20:07:00.001-07:002014-06-07T20:07:44.815-07:00Step of Faith<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">All that it takes is one choice, one step, to change yours or someone else's life forever! Do not be afraid to make that choice, to take that step! For we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of sound mind! </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Father, this evening I just want to pray over each of your children, to give them courage at every door that you put in their lives. The courage to open and step through that door, knowing that it is a mystery what awaits them beyond that door! Teach us to trust in ourselves and your spirit in us! Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-63817074823760732732014-06-07T20:05:00.001-07:002014-06-07T20:05:50.713-07:00Little by little<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">This morning I come to you saying that you will not be where you are forever! The spirit flows in you, and you will not grow stagnant! I know that it feels like life is at a standstill sometimes, but I promise, every step you take you are moving forward, little by little. Be faithful in your patience, for those who are faithful in little will be faithful in abundance! Take every little step as it comes, and before you know it you will have made it far from where you began!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-68846945759702044802014-05-29T06:51:00.001-07:002014-05-29T06:52:16.678-07:00You're an Overcomer<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">I'm begging you today, do not give up! God has such an incredible plan for you, and it doesn't involve this pain that you keep putting yourself through. It says in scripture that Jesus overcame the world, and I tell you this, when you allow Him to truly live in your heart, you have the Holy Spirit reigning over your life, and you too will overcome the world! Do not let this world take you down, but instead let Christ lift you up! There is so much more you have left to do. over and over again in scripture, those who wanted to kill Jesus could not do it, because it was not His time! And I tell you this morning, it is not your time either! If it was, you wouldn't be sitting here reading this right now! Stand fast, take heart, and know that you are an overcomer!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-67922317324396050142014-05-28T08:46:00.001-07:002014-05-28T08:46:49.314-07:00Growth in our wait<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">"Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you." Psalm 33:20-22 ESV</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Sometimes all that we can do is wait and grow. Gods timing is perfect, the fact of the matter is, sometimes when we are waiting for something to happen in our lives that just seems to be at a standstill, it is because our hearts are not yet ready to handle the responsibility. So give it time, give it prayer, and continue to put every ounce of hope in The Lord.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-68231998889249216272014-05-14T14:49:00.001-07:002014-05-14T14:49:17.508-07:00Beauty From Ashes<p>Have you ever seen the flowers blooming from the ashes after a fire? God makes beauty from disaster, we just have to make it through and look for it at the end. If we spend all our time focusing on what is going wrong we can never see the amazing glory that is in the works through the pain. Time and time again God shows his faithfulness, he <b>ALWAYS</b> keeps his promises and he makes all things work together for our good. So next time something bad happens don't let it get you down, keep your eyes on the Lord and he will fill you with joy and with peace.</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847873162085625928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-78900410307717207932014-05-10T07:49:00.001-07:002014-05-10T07:49:30.626-07:00I am available<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Don't worry about saying everything perfect all the time, your responsibility is to say, "Lord, I am available, use me as your instrument." It is that simple. The moment you stop relying on your own ability, that is when you give God the invitation to speak through your life and touch other people.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-6117260092207052552014-05-07T13:25:00.001-07:002014-05-07T13:25:51.755-07:00Hardened hearts<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Father, this morning I am praying for softened hearts. Soften our hearts to love even those who have hurt us, to follow your will even when it conflicts with ours. Soften our hearts to be sensitive to the people around us, and to help their hurts, whether they deserve it or not. Father, you hardened the hearts of the Pharaoh, when Moses came to warn him, and it brought about his destruction. So I am asking Father, do not allow these hearts to be hardened, only to bring about our own downfall, but soften them to do what brings you Glory. In your heavenly name I pray, Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-7765656093782376992014-05-05T16:02:00.001-07:002014-05-05T16:02:02.281-07:00Lost in translation<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. (Matthew 13:10-12 NLT)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So why, do so many of us Christians so quickly jump to quote scripture for non-believers? Essentially, what Jesus is telling His disciples here, is that He used parables because they don't speak the language of heaven yet, and otherwise His words would be lost on them.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Likewise, when we so eagerly quote scripture to try to get people psyched, our words are lost on them, because they speak a totally different cultural language. So this is what I propose, we must learn to teach them in their language, because once we understand their language, we can then begin to teach them ours. That, is how we will change hearts.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-11920185043148306682014-05-04T11:29:00.001-07:002014-05-04T11:29:39.503-07:00Amazing God<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">In Matthew 8, a Roman guard asks Jesus to heal his servant, and Jesus says, "take me to him." But this is how the guard responds.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! (Matthew 8:8-10 NLT)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">The word I want you to notice in this passage is "amaze". It mean to be surprised, to be caught off guard! Can you imagine, to have that kind of faith, that catches Jesus, the son of God Himself, off guard!? For He hadn't seen faith like this in ALL of Israel. That means not even His disciples had that kind of faith.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So Father, I pray for every one of your followers today, that we may have an increase of faith, to actually amaze you, because you are so worthy of our faith. We want to be a light in this world, and we can't do that without faith, Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-61566841673501975072014-05-03T09:48:00.001-07:002014-05-03T09:48:07.162-07:00Trying To Put limitations on God?<p>God can use anything to speak to us, we shouldn't limit him to voice messages only. Sometimes the smallest things can bring new perspective to us, and sometimes the same thing might not mean anything one day but bring you ro tears the very next. It is all about God's timing and our openness and willingness to receive in whatever way he has for us.</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847873162085625928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-71037115494709160682014-05-02T06:23:00.001-07:002014-05-02T06:23:10.846-07:00Follow now<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead. ” (Matthew 8:21, 22 NLT)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">See here is the thing, if we are really committed to following Christ, we need to be ready now. He isn't going to hold off on His works for us to go and do our own bidding. We must be ready to give our complete sacrifice, and our complete attention to God. And then He will say, "follow me, you fishers of men."</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-35289751200825642482014-04-23T09:52:00.001-07:002014-04-23T09:52:39.473-07:00Be passionate<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">This morning I want to talk to you a little bit about your passions. Those things that you take so seriously in your life and put all of your effort into them. I want to tell you that they are so important in your walk with God, because if you can put that much passion into a worldly thing, can you imagine when it is backed up by the creator of everything? The Lord blesses those who speak His name.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So if you have a passion to sing, sing with all of your heart, and praise God in that passion, praise Him that you have a voice to lift.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">If you have a passion for sports, give Glory to God for the strength He gives you when you play.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">If you have a passion for taking care of people, love them like the Father first loved you.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">And in all these passions, just show God, that you are even more passionate about Him, and His love, because there is nothing that can compare!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1009943536089877342.post-71607941423238025212014-04-20T11:47:00.001-07:002014-04-20T11:47:25.287-07:00The Ultimate Sacrifice<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Today, we take specific time to celebrate that My Jesus is alive. That you and I had our eternity paid for through suffering, through blood, and through ridicule. Today we celebrate that God sacrificed His son, so that He could spend eternity with His children. That He watched, as His pride and joy, bled and suffered, so that we didn't have to. In scripture it said that the sky went black and the earth shook! Do you know why? Because God was in such grief, that He shook, and His vision when black from the pain He felt. And He did that for you! Because He loves you so much, He was willing to put Himself and His Son through that pain, so that you could have Joy. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">So thank you Jesus for sacrificing yourself for me, and thank you God, for sacrificing your son for me. And I praise you, that He rose from the grave, and that He is living in me today, and that He is coming back again. In your heavenly name I pray, Amen.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329324698587920076noreply@blogger.com0