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What are we waiting for?

John 5:8 ESV
Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”

Like many others,  the helpless and powerless man had been waiting for a miracle to be worked before his very eyes, he waited for a sign, for proof. He wearily sat by the pool waiting and watching,  but no angel came, or at least did not come for him in the way he expected. He still waited, not knowing that there was One near him who could heal him in a moment with a word.

Many are in the same dilemma; waiting for some singular emotion, amazing impression,  or spiritual vision – waiting in vain and watching for things unseen. Even if we agree that in a few cases,  miracles or signs are seen,  we know these to be rare, and we should also know that no man has a right to look for them or demand them for his own proof – especially not the type of man that wouldn’t believe it and climb into the water even when he saw the miraculous occurring before his very own eyes.

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Rebellious Generation

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For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NLT)

rebellious – defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; mutinous; seditious; inclined to rebel.

I never realized how rebellious of a generation we are living in until I watched an interview last week. The program kept on warning how provocative the interview was before it began. What it turned out to be was totally opposite of what I thought it would be. It was mostly a traditional family approach to what marriage between a man and a woman should be as God laid it out in the Bible.

I am not naive by any sense, but I never thought rebellion was that prevalent in our society. As I looked closer around me, I saw how it is not just in the world…

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What should I wear today?

With each decision,  with each word,  with each action – I choose either to clothe myself in the righteousness of Christ who lives in me, or for my old,  sinful nature to show through to others. We are either shining with His grace, honoring and glorifying His name, or we are naked, fruitless, dark, and dead in our unfaithfulness. Let’s put on our white robes.

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Colossians 3:12-17 NLT
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

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What a Sunday morning!

Proverbs 16:9 NLT
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

Wow, what a morning!
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We have been doing a song of praise each morning as a family when we first wake up then we do a children’s devotional with Mia and pray together as a family. Then as Mia eats breakfast,  Mandee and I do our daily devotional together, discuss our individual thoughts, etc. Then I focus on my daily journal/blog.

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Love like under Mercy, Live like under Judgement

Can I love like I know mercy, and live like I understand judgement –

Instead of judging like I don’t know love,  and living like I am expecting mercy?

The mercy we receive is supposed to bear the fruit of love and mercy and forgiveness towards others, it isn’t supposed to make us comfortable staying in our sinful ways.

What we learn about judgement is not meant so that we can use it as a weapon against others, but to convict us and change ourselves.

Oh,  how we get this twisted sometimes.

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A Funny Little Story About Hymns and Praise Songs

By Author Unknown

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the farmer. “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”

“Praise choruses?” asked the wife. “What are those?”

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Who do I really love?

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Who do I really love?

John 14:21 NKJV
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.

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Are we in a “last days” church?

Let me just preface that this is not particularly aimed at my church or any church that I visit – it is aimed at myself, all believers,  and all churches equally – as it should be.

We are given warning about the last days –

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House of the Lord

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It was not that long ago that I avoided attending church. In fact, it seemed like it would be a sacrifice to have to get up early on Sunday mornings instead of getting to sleep in.

But oh how things can change drastically when the Lord grabs hold of our lives.

Psalms 122:1 NLT
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord .”

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